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You must sign in to post. | Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 3, 2009 @ 10:15am |
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 Nanno
Joined: Nov 30, 2006
Posts: 4097
Location: Colorado The Queen Bee | So I woke up this morning with what I think is a stunning little idea in my head. What about putting the % control in the left-hand corner of the screen so you can control it with your left thumb? This would, I think, eliminate the frustrating problem of having to stop sending ships while changing %. I think it would save valuable nano-seconds and also make it harder to hit the % by mistake. This is all assuming you're right-handed, of course. Sorry lefties.
Tell me what ya'll think. | | Re: Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 3, 2009 @ 10:45am |
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pwn.era 
Joined: Apr 28, 2009
Posts: 710
Location: ^ rawrr | Well, it is a good idea, in that the otherwise unused left hand is now used in a good way. But, this change still won't allow the % to be switched quickly, as you would still need to tap 3 times to go from 50% to 25%, for example. One other issue is that the thumb is less motile than the pointer finger, so speed would suffer from that, too. It's a good thought, though and may work better in practice than theory...
On the same note of hitting buttons by mistake, the top right button, the pause button I think (don't have the touch with me right now), is often misclicked by me and others in the forums. It was suggested to make that button non-responsive to a single tap, changing it to react only to a double tap. What do you think? | | Re: Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 3, 2009 @ 10:55am |
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superbock 
Joined: May 25, 2009
Posts: 92 | and what about the handicaped without a left thumb? | | Re: Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 3, 2009 @ 11:00am |
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the_musician 
Joined: Apr 2, 2009
Posts: 640
Location: the.musician.is.in (at)g | I just played a few games vs the computer while placing my thumb in the bottom left corner as a try out.
What I found is that I had to hold the entire phone differently. My typical hold style is thumb up by the volume slider, middle ring and pinkie fingers down the right hand side, and the bottom left corner of phone resting in the palm. This hold style allows for the entire right hand to be completely free and mobile over the entire surface area.
By trying to place the thumb in the lower left corner instead of the upper left corner, my hold on the phone itself wasn't as strong and I was grasping the entire lower half of the phone harder to compensate.
edit: plus, my thumb more or less obscured that corner from view, making seeing what % your at harder.
I don't think this idea will help much.... sorry :(
edit2: I think Era's idea of a slider makes most sense. Or my finger movement based one.post updated on Jun 3, 2009 @ 11:14am | | Re: Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 3, 2009 @ 12:14pm |
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 ipcress
Joined: Feb 7, 2009
Posts: 1790
Location: Get off my lawn! | There needs to be a control strip at the bottom of the screen with four individual buttons for deploying ships in different strengths. The Menu button should be placed here as well, along with the ensign. The current percentameter is a major annoyance for the reasons era stated. | | Re: Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 3, 2009 @ 3:51pm |
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deuce 
Joined: Apr 13, 2009
Posts: 677 | Personally, i have no problem with the current system. Its fine with me
However, if you are looking to change it, i think that ipcress' idea is the best.. Four individual buttons to choose from... | | Re: Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 3, 2009 @ 4:15pm |
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solisophia 
Joined: Apr 29, 2009
Posts: 279
Location: Euqouton, Zt | Same as Deuce but if you want to do it have an option for both left side and right please. | | Re: Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 3, 2009 @ 4:19pm |
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the_musician
Joined: Apr 2, 2009
Posts: 640
Location: the.musician.is.in (at)g | I'd go for 4 buttons as well if the slider idea is out. Like the slider for its ability to range from 1 to 100% rather then in 25% increments. | | Re: Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 3, 2009 @ 4:26pm |
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deuce
Joined: Apr 13, 2009
Posts: 677 | Again, it would be cool to experiment with a slider so that you could use more than the 25% increments, but i think that one of iGalcon's biggest successes is its simplicity. IF you do change it though, my vote would be we the four individual buttons, however, i personally think its fine right now. Keep it simple, keep it fun | | Re: Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 3, 2009 @ 6:08pm |
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pwn.era
Joined: Apr 28, 2009
Posts: 710
Location: ^ rawrr | ipcress said:
There needs to be a control strip at the bottom of the screen with four individual buttons for deploying ships in different strengths. The Menu button should be placed here as well, along with the ensign. The current percentameter is a major annoyance for the reasons era stated.
Okay here's the deal. Assuming Phil/Nanno want to keep the current increments of 25% and not deviate, what ipcress said above sounds like a perfect idea. Having small (but not too small!) buttons for 25, 50, 75, and 100 might solve the problems of speed in switching very nicely. As for how to integrate it into the interface, his suggestion of having a "control strip" at the bottom (or top, or wherever) is nice. It would have the 4 buttons for %, as well as the "menu" button and the flag of the player, as he said.
Actually, I like how the flag and menu button stays out of the way of gameplay, while still nicely framing the game. So, I actually want that to remain. But, change the menu button so that you don't hit it by mistake during gameplay. Maybe put the 4 buttons on the left AND right? I dunno...post updated on Jun 3, 2009 @ 6:09pm | | Re: Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 3, 2009 @ 6:48pm |
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nohbdy Joined: Sep 26, 2008
Posts: 100 | how about just make it an option in settings to choose which side you want to put the buttons? | | Re: Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 3, 2009 @ 8:23pm |
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gammatigerx 
Joined: Sep 15, 2008
Posts: 872
Location: Maryland | Since coming back I actually find I prefer playing with two thumbs as opposed to my previous one. I was still better then, but whatever xD
Basically, my point is, if you play like this it doesn't matter which side it's on anyway. It would take a lot of getting used to for it to be on the other side though.
And I'm a lefty, though I used to play with my right hand ;)
Wait. . . I just took the time to actually read ALL the responses.
how about just make it an option in settings to choose which side you want to put the buttons?
Genius. Everyone wins. I vote for this 100% | | Re: Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 3, 2009 @ 8:33pm |
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deuce
Joined: Apr 13, 2009
Posts: 677 | perfect solution, nohbdy | | Re: Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 3, 2009 @ 11:38pm |
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Nanno
Joined: Nov 30, 2006
Posts: 4097
Location: Colorado The Queen Bee | //how about just make it an option in settings to choose which side you want to put the buttons?//
Actually, it's funny you say that. I thought of the exact same thing this morning the minute I hit the "continue" button. I almost added something about it, but then thought, nah, someone will think of it. =)
The only trouble I see with having 4 buttons or a slider is that it will take up much more room on the screen. I would be concerned about accidentally hitting it way too often. It's easy enough to accidentally hit just one little icon in the corner, nevermind four icons or a slider that occupies the entire bottom of the screen. But it might be something to try anyway. | | Re: Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 4, 2009 @ 4:08am |
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no.regrets 
Joined: Feb 26, 2009
Posts: 330
Location: x.mehaar | "So I woke up this morning with what I think is a stunning little idea in my head. What about putting the % control in the left-hand corner of the screen so you can control it with your left thumb? This would, I think, eliminate the frustrating problem of having to stop sending ships while changing %. I think it would save valuable nano-seconds and also make it harder to hit the % by mistake. This is all assuming you're right-handed, of course. Sorry lefties.
Tell me what ya'll think."
I suggested this about three months ago. | | Re: Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 4, 2009 @ 7:48am |
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solisophia
Joined: Apr 29, 2009
Posts: 279
Location: Euqouton, Zt | Who playes with there thumbs? Im index finger all the way baby! Thats how its done boys. Eat a cookie in my honer only using your index fingers. lol
I like all these ideas but ide rather have a choice to just have the normal %25 on left or right sides and maybe even adjust the size of the <button>button</button> | | Re: Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 4, 2009 @ 9:17am |
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Nanno
Joined: Nov 30, 2006
Posts: 4097
Location: Colorado The Queen Bee | no. regrets said...
I suggested this about three months ago.
Huh. I must have completely missed it. Sorry man! | | Re: Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 6, 2009 @ 11:19am |
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dnt_b_a_tard Joined: Mar 28, 2009
Posts: 20 | instead of a slider use the volume buttons?
It would be very nice if we could control (turn of) the volume of th sound effects through software means like we can do with the music. I don't like that I have to turn down the phones ringer volume to reduce the sound effects when I am playing in an environment where I don't want to disturb people sitting near me.post updated on Jun 6, 2009 @ 11:22am | | Re: Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 6, 2009 @ 1:23pm |
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pwn.era
Joined: Apr 28, 2009
Posts: 710
Location: ^ rawrr | Nanno, ipcress' "control strip" idea would seem to solve the possibility of further misclicks, because it would literally be a strip (not too wide not too skinny) at the bottom of the screen separated from gameplay. So, when you're flicking ships around, you would be totally ignoring the control slip area, which is separated with a the line
Having small (but not too small!) buttons for 25, 50, 75, and 100 would solve the issue of switching % quickly. So the control strip would have the 4 buttons for %, as well as the "pause" menu button on the left or right and the player's flag on the other side of the strip.
ipcress made a mock up:
 post updated on Jun 6, 2009 @ 1:24pm | | Re: Brilliant idea or total rubbish? :: Jun 6, 2009 @ 2:44pm |
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sky_lark 
Joined: May 9, 2007
Posts: 1214
Location: North Carolina | So, eh, how many people read your post and went and clicked that button?
I think that I could get used to the percentage being on the other side of the screen. I don't know if it would drastically change gameplay though.
An option in the Settings app would be nice.
I rarely accidentally tap the pause or the percentage... sometimes I go too far on the percentage button or the device switches to portrait/landscape and I tap on the pause button instead. |
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