mattcolville
Adventurer
There are a couple of things I'd do to change the interface of eTools to make it more user-friendly.
1) I'd have a floating window that displayed the character I was working on. As I add and change things, I see that window update and the changes are reflected.
2) I'd use a lot of mouse-overs. When I mouse-over a bonus or a value, I want the pop-up to tell me A: where the bonuses are coming from and B: any bonuses I think I should be getting, but am not. I know B sounds impossibly difficult, but it can be done. If I've bought an item that grants a bonus to a skill, but I'm not getting that bonus for some reason, eTools should be able to tell me why.
3) Many things that are currently pop-ups shouldn't be. When I'm working on something like generating a character's stats, the different generations options should be listed right there along the side of the window, with radial buttons showing me which one I'm currently using. Making these things pop-ups effectively 'buries' them and causes a lot of people to wonder what the hell is going on when they can't find it.
4) I'd default things to user-defined, when there's a user defined option.
5) I'd change some of the names of things. Off the top of my head, the list of items you can buy should have different names, so users know that +2 longsword isn't on there, and you have to make it yourself. Also, instead of the button that let's me make items, I'd include "User Defined" or "Build Generic Item" on the list of things you can buy. Then, when I select that, it lists all the one's I've made already (so I don't have to make a new +2 longsword every time) and gives me the 'build your own' button.)
6) When you make a selection that limits further selections, eTools should automatically limit those further selections. My Small character shouldn't be defaulting to buying Medium armor.
1) I'd have a floating window that displayed the character I was working on. As I add and change things, I see that window update and the changes are reflected.
2) I'd use a lot of mouse-overs. When I mouse-over a bonus or a value, I want the pop-up to tell me A: where the bonuses are coming from and B: any bonuses I think I should be getting, but am not. I know B sounds impossibly difficult, but it can be done. If I've bought an item that grants a bonus to a skill, but I'm not getting that bonus for some reason, eTools should be able to tell me why.
3) Many things that are currently pop-ups shouldn't be. When I'm working on something like generating a character's stats, the different generations options should be listed right there along the side of the window, with radial buttons showing me which one I'm currently using. Making these things pop-ups effectively 'buries' them and causes a lot of people to wonder what the hell is going on when they can't find it.
4) I'd default things to user-defined, when there's a user defined option.
5) I'd change some of the names of things. Off the top of my head, the list of items you can buy should have different names, so users know that +2 longsword isn't on there, and you have to make it yourself. Also, instead of the button that let's me make items, I'd include "User Defined" or "Build Generic Item" on the list of things you can buy. Then, when I select that, it lists all the one's I've made already (so I don't have to make a new +2 longsword every time) and gives me the 'build your own' button.)
6) When you make a selection that limits further selections, eTools should automatically limit those further selections. My Small character shouldn't be defaulting to buying Medium armor.
