From the HD mod i most liked the smaller buttons on the main right hand view. The heroes 3 default of ‘click to see the rest’ is much worse IMO than slightly smaller buttons.
I also dislike that the vcmi implementation of the arrows to cycle heroes & cities. It maybe my imagination, but something on those parallel lines looks unbalanced in relation to vanilla with the Hd mod (i wanted to say it was because the cities are equal sized to the portraits rectangles in HD, but that’s a lie, they’re smaller too).
On the other hand there is a HD mod single player feature i think needs polish, the ‘invite a hero’ option on the tavern. Cycling through all of the heroes is a major pain, i’d almost prefer another popup where you can see every face so you can click it quickly.
It’s a bit of a pity since that wouldn’t be consistent with the rest of the interface (click right MB and hold to see popups over popups. Unless you implement some kind of selection on that mode just by hovering with the mouse (that could work, but the popup would be gigantic, and if there are mods adding new heroes, maybe it wouldn’t work anyway).
If the heroes visible at a time there is enlarged to 3 and the arrow buttons skip them all, instead of one, maybe the cycling would be bearable, but as it is now is not exactly ideal.
There is also a bug i saw where you could invite a hero you already had in another map of the campaign you hired him in if heroes transfer. I didn’t try it, because why court trouble?
end turn on tactics combat mode when your units turns ends (but please consider the spellcasting hero a ‘unit’, unless he has not enough mana to cast/do anything).
A option on the strategic map, when a hero’s movement points end, go to the next hero.
A button to 'continue on a pre-selected path. The path is already preserved and preselected in vanilla HoMMIII in the next turn so maybe i’m missing something simple to make the hero continue, like pressing space or something. I don’t think so thou.
make the modal popupboxes (modal == blocks input, doesn’t go away by releasing mouse) always have a default selected (selection state) and be able to be selected or ‘cancelled’ (for the ones that are basically ‘yes/no?’), with the keyboard, say space/escape.
(in general, all popups should have a default except if it’s extremely dangerous. Eador was a pain to play because of this, since you had to move the mouse a click hundreds of popups because there was no default selection/keyboard selection cycling at all).
If you want to be really really fancy, record the options the player does in similar situations and preselect that. For instance if the player last chose pathfinding on level up screens, start up with pathfinding selected. If there is no pathfinding being offered, startup with the highest skill of the hero of those offered (or the lowest, or nothing at all, to play it safe. Yet make it easy to start selection, with e.g: the arrow buttons. Something consistent though). In conversations/option that repeat, keep the old selection of the user around on each screen, except if something is added or hidden because conditions changed, then don’t preselect (but remember the arrows!); etc, be smart and contextual.
Even if you make the decision not to start with anything selected at all in all popups; make it so that a keyboard button press can do it. For instance a in horizontal lists like the levelup screen and most popups, the left arrow would start the selection at the end of the ‘list’ and the right would select the first. (like if it was a circular list). Or/And make the ‘1’ ‘2’ ‘3’ buttons on the top keyboard work as selection+press (it’s not usual but it works ok in fps games).
actually show me the enemy heroes on the minimap, if you’re going to show me their lightning fast movements at the end of a turn anyway (option to disable this would be nice too).
The way VCMI displays initiative on the top of combat is great, but i wish there were more minimalistic portraits to do the same thing (like ToEE, don’t know if you played).
For instance when you dig and there is nothing there, the popup doesn’t allow enter. A complete review of all popups in the game would be helpful.
numeric keys are great no doubt, but they’re less comfortable that visual feedback from selection state of arrows+selected button.
I’d expect the ‘revisit’ button to be enter, and thus ‘move on’ to be the best for the most used action ‘space’ but i can deal with ‘m’.
The smaller version (for 800x600) should definitely be an option for higher resolutions, too. Although, I don’t want queue bar inside the main battle frame, just smaller. Like 50%. The bigger version hurts my brain to look at. Also, I’m sure an option to disable this add-on is planned? I’ll use the smaller version, because it’s simplistic and functional, but I didn’t like not seeing the option to disable it for those that won’t like it. **Edit: Found the hotkey ‘Q’, so nevermind that bit.
About HDmod. Hdmod’s implementation of being able to see how far an enemy can move is much better implemented than the current vcmi version of it. First, it’s not always on. You hold down ctrl. Second, vcmi’s version is very confusing to look at, and it’s hard to figured out what is what. it hurts my brain. HDmod’s version is simple and functional, easy for the eyes.
Of course, I realize that vcmi’s version of it might just be a placeholder until a better one is developed when time, priority and resources allows for it.
I do hope to see baratorch make an HDmod (or whatever it’ll make sense to call it for vcmi) for vcmi in the future. It has many other great features than just HD resolutions.
Please delete my other post above that I accidentally made with as a guest Thanks
The bigger version hurts my brain to look at. Also, I’m sure an option to disable this add-on is planned? I’ll use the smaller version, because it’s simplistic and functional, but I didn’t like not seeing the option to disable it for those that won’t like it. **Edit: Found the hotkey ‘Q’, so nevermind that bit.