Repositioning HP and XP bars

[zookeeper]

Currently the bars tend to obstruct many bigger units, there's disagreement whether they should be visible during fights even if they obstruct the animations, and so on. Here's my attempt to solve all the annoyance by putting the bars somewhere where they will be in the way as little as possible. These are the two first ideas I had.

First one - HP bar under the team ellipse, XP bar under the HP bar.

Second one - HP bar somewhat similar to the previous one, just a bit shorter in order to accommodate the XP bar beside it. I think I prefer this.

I'm hoping to get a coder interested in implementing this stuff in trunk, provided that every idea isn't shot down. Other things will need to be changed too, like the position of the orb/crown, but let's not discuss that here (or at least not yet).

[Elvish_Pillager]

A simple solution to the combat animation thing is to put the bars on the right when the unit is being attacked from the left. Your proposal has the problem that it's just as bad when the unit is attacked from below.

[zookeeper]

A simple solution to the combat animation thing is to put the bars on the right when the unit is being attacked from the left. Your proposal has the problem that it's just as bad when the unit is attacked from below.

The units would most likely be drawn on top of these bars in combat.

[Elvish_Pillager]

If that would be the case, then we would have nothing to worry about in relation to the bars obscuring the units.

HOWEVER, we would have something to deal with in terms of the units obscuring the bars.

I rather like this solution for the problem it solves. We could still use a solution for the problem it doesn't solve, and the simple solution I mentioned isn't compatible with this change.

[torangan]

Isn't the ellipse still optional? I guess they look rather silly when it's off...

[ranek]

the xp bar looks funny in the first one. Is it just not curved right? I'm in favor for moving them but it seems wherever we move them it'll be in the way. Maybe when we attack it'll draw up a little screen where It'll just show the two of them fighting and then they're HP and XP will be right there. While out of battle if you can't see just click on them. I've never done any real coding, just fill in the blanks for AOM so I don't know how hard this would be to do or even if its worth it.

[Infinisearch]

Modulate the color or dither pattern of the ellipse in proportion to the hp or xp. Change from ellipse to triangle when selected since info available in unit window.

[JW]

What if it could be programmed so that the hp/xp bars were always on the backside of the unit? Like, when the unit faces left they are on the right; when the unit faces right they are on the left. When 2 units fight they will be on opposite sides. When fighting N/S either sdie could be used (defaults to wherever it was previous to the fight I suppose - whatever would be easiest to code).


Reactions?

[turin]

A simple solution to the combat animation thing is to put the bars on the right when the unit is being attacked from the left. Your proposal has the problem that it's just as bad when the unit is attacked from below.

The units would most likely be drawn on top of these bars in combat.

If the unit can be drawn on top of the bars in combat, why do we have to move the bars? Just leave the bars where they are and have them be under the unit, not on top of it!

[Elvish_Pillager]

The HP bar would then always obscure the same part of the unit, even. It's also the case that having them distributed uniformly makes them easier to see / comprehend-instantly, and putting them some on the left, some on the right when there's no movement or combat going on would disrupt this.

[JW]

The HP bar would then always obscure the same part of the unit, even. It's also the case that having them distributed uniformly makes them easier to see / comprehend-instantly, and putting them some on the left, some on the right when there's no movement or combat going on would disrupt this.

I thought about this, but I think covering the same portion of the unit could be a good thing. Artists could plan around the bars with knowledge of where they would be in the picture.

-just throwing the idea out there.

[Flametrooper]

What if it could be programmed so that the hp/xp bars were always on the backside of the unit? Like, when the unit faces left they are on the right; when the unit faces right they are on the left. When 2 units fight they will be on opposite sides. When fighting N/S either sdie could be used (defaults to wherever it was previous to the fight I suppose - whatever would be easiest to code).


Reactions?

This is the best idea so far to me. I don't really care, as I think it's fine like it is now, but if it were going to be changed, I'd say this way.

[Elvish_Pillager]

The HP bar would then always obscure the same part of the unit, even. It's also the case that having them distributed uniformly makes them easier to see / comprehend-instantly, and putting them some on the left, some on the right when there's no movement or combat going on would disrupt this.

I thought about this, but I think covering the same portion of the unit could be a good thing. Artists could plan around the bars with knowledge of where they would be in the picture.

True. The other issue I raised is the more important one though...

[Dave]

So is there anyone at all who, like me, thinks that before the recent change to hide the bars during combat, the bars looked fine, worked fine, were clear to the user, and of minimal annoyance?

David

[Soliton]

So is there anyone at all who, like me, thinks that before the recent change to hide the bars during combat, the bars looked fine, worked fine, were clear to the user, and of minimal annoyance?

Yes.