(Major update to all information on this page) Tags: Visual edit apiedit |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
[[File:Placeholder|video|right|300px]] [[File:Placeholder|right|300px]] |
[[File:Placeholder|video|right|300px]] [[File:Placeholder|right|300px]] |
||
| + | Heathen Engineering's Terran's presents its HUD as the 'Terran ITS' or Integrated Technology Systems. In the game world you are a Terran pilot and are physically and mentally part of your ship. The ITS is the view your pilot sees not dissimilar to an Augmented Reality UI or Virtual Reality UI concept. Terrans while advanced are still 'human' at the base level and sort and organize information just as we do today. The ITS thus takes on much of the same feel and functionality as a real world desktop computer operating system and has many of the same functions and limitations. |
||
| − | This is just as its name sounds - the system which controls our HUD or heads up display. In Terran, the player’s character is a ... well Terran and as such can merge with technology/machines and so we don’t have a cockpit or need for computer screens and monitors; rather we see through the sensors of our equipment/ship and so our HUD takes the form of a VR or augmented reality like experience. |
||
| + | When in space the ITS switches to an 'Observer' view being effectively a 3D person orbital camera. In the space view or 'Observer' view the camera can be controlled by simply moving the mouse and its 'behaviour' can be toggles switching it between several defined views such as Free (orbital), Fixed (over the solder) and Forward (similar to first person). |
||
| − | ==The HUD== |
||
| + | While controlling the ship from the Observer the secondary (right click by default) will slow time and allow you to use the menus of the Observer UI to issue orders to fleet members, change targets and weapons and so on. Note that this does not stop time and does prevent movement and manual fire control, the degree to which time is slowed depends your characters skill and development. |
||
| − | On startup of the game we present a scene that resembles an OS boot up sequence. This time is used to load initial assets and deserialize save and mod data. |
||
| − | The menu screen is presented after boot up which is part of the 'single scene' and is set to emulate an OS login screen or validation screen which gives the player the opportunity to load or create a new profile under the guise of a ‘session log’ such as we think of ship captains keeping. This is also where the player can adjust settings such as audio, graphics, input, etc. all under the guise of OS configuration e.g. System Tools. |
||
| − | The HUD system is responsible for all GUI elements which must be ‘in context’; think of this like when an actor ‘stays in character’ and must be fully functional under keyboard/mouse and gamepad (e.g. xBox and PlayStation style controllers) input. |
||
| − | == |
+ | ==Getting Started== |
| + | On your first boot up of the game Terran will load and display the ITS 'settings' panel as well as a 'Welcome' panel. Note that on subsequent loads you will be taken directly to the Dashboard however you can access the 'settings' at any time from the Dashboard and you will find the information presented by the 'Welcome' panel in the 'Archives' app. |
||
| + | The Welcome panel introduce you to the concept of the ITS, ask you to give your self an alias; this being your save profile name and give you the opportunity to personalize the display such as changing the colouring of UI elements. |
||
| − | * Combat: “Assault” |
||
| − | This is an experimental view and uses a camera overly to render a view from directly in front of the ship such as looking out the cockpit if we had one; with a turret camera overlaid on top giving a first person shooter like feel. |
||
| − | Overlay rendering can be disorienting from many players and this won’t likely be a popular mode though has been requested by a few early reviewers; as such we will make a go at supporting it but are holding its implementation for last. |
||
| − | you can read more on the [[Combat]] page. |
||
| + | Once done with the Welcome panel which you can close at any point you will be take to the Dashboard, assuming you stepped through the Welcome portion or taken to the settings and profile view if not. You can navigate to the Dashboard at any point by clicking the [ITS] button located on the 'Copilot' in the upper left of your screen or navigate back to the Settings by clicking the gear icon. |
||
| − | * Combat: “Tactical” |
||
| − | This is the standard view; in our game world we say a small probe follows our ship giving a detailed view from the outside and can orbit 360deg on all axis; aka its an orbital camera. |
||
| − | In this view an aim assist resolves the most likely target center of the screen and plots the intercept vector for the weapon being fired (e.g. 3rd person shooter); lock-ons and similar are initiated automatically Ace Combat style by bringing a valid target in range and in the center area of the screen. |
||
| − | Ship vitals and other data are presented on a curved surface simulating the curvature of the eye’s field of view and are presented in an ‘augmented reality’ way such as friend or foe icons over ships in view, view oriented radar and intercept point helpers. |
||
| − | you can read more on the [[Combat]] page. |
||
| + | Once you are all set up and configured you can either look to the available notifications (left side of the Dashboard) and start your adventure. You could open up the ship editor and tweak your ship design, though at this early stage you will have limited parts, tools and manufacturing capability available to you or you can listen to some music while you browse the archives, galaxy map and other information streams available to you. |
||
| − | * Combat: “Strategic” |
||
| − | This view is a fixed top down of the battle field from a great distance where a pointer (mouse cursor) is used to issue orders to groupings of ships and move the view around the battlefield. In this view the AI takes over much of the players own ship handling targeting and obstacle avoidance, and small objects like ships are represented as icons as opposed to as 3D objects. |
||
| − | you can read more on the [[Combat]] page. |
||
| + | ==Pilot View== |
||
| − | * “Command Core” |
||
| + | When in combat or otherwise working with space outside the ships internal systems the ITS will switch your view to the Observer. The Observer is drone system giving you a much wider view of your immediate surroundings than shipboard sensors can and the UI elements in this view are all pulled to the point of focus e.g. centre view to keep all relevant information in view. |
||
| − | The ball in the center of every ship where the Terran’s body is held. This view is the basic menu of the game and is where the player can access events, markets, etc. The backdrop is mission space and this view can be snapped to at any time including while in battle. The various aspects of the game such as Events are accessed through ‘app’ like GUI elements |
||
| + | |||
| + | With the Observer active the ITS AI will assist in ship control and can be set to orient the ship with the Observer e.g. look to turn and separately you can instruct the Observer to orient with the ship that is the Observers control and movement will be 'local' to the ship as opposed to the default 'global' mode which is independent of ship orientation. |
||
| + | |||
| + | Your Observer can navigate anywhere around the ship up to several kilometres away with negligible latency but will attempt to maintain constant line of sight with the ship for optimal communications. You can activate a secondary mode where in processing is accelerated at the cost of control to other systems such as navigation. In this mode time may appear to be slowed as your own cognitive processing is being amplified by the ITS improving your tactical and strategic decision making performance. |
||
==Apps== |
==Apps== |
||
| + | ITS Apps or simply apps expand the functionality of the pilots ITS. The Terran ITS comes standard with a full host of apps which will enable and display as the pilot needs them. |
||
| + | === Core Apps === |
||
| − | * '''Event Stream''' |
||
| + | Core apps refers to the basic applications used by a pilot day to day. These core applications are always available to the pilot and are in general deeply integrated with other systems and components of the ITS. |
||
| − | This provides a view of the available events and has a few sub views such as: |
||
| + | ==== Dashboard ==== |
||
| − | - '''Bounties''' |
||
| + | The Dashboard app provides the pilot with quick access to information and the other apps available to them and is the default view the pilot is presented with when logging in or after closing all active apps. Many apps will present a widget or similar presentation on the Dashboard allowing pilots to execute common app functions without needing to fully engage the app in question. |
||
| − | This provides a view of all bounty contracts available, as well as expressions of hunter rank and rank impact, plus hunter data on the contract holder and targets. |
||
| + | The left panel of the Dashboard will present the pilot with a digested and summarized list of know opportunities and important events as 'Notifications' and can be used to plan and engage as required. The upper portion of the left panel is the 'Copilot' and provides constant access to the low level systems of the ship and quick control of key apps. |
||
| − | - '''Opportunities''' |
||
| − | This takes a more sterile form; more like listening in on a police scanner with regards to event info, but includes details specific to criminals such as rank impact, syndicate application, etc. This view also offers a ‘request’ option allowing the player to request new opportunities from the syndicates e.g. we generate missions based on the syndicate, the players reputation and the state of the galaxy and its elements. |
||
| + | ==== Media Player ==== |
||
| − | - '''Orders & Tasks''' |
||
| + | The media player manages the pilots available media including both recreational media such as music and function or even calcified media such as briefings, intelligence reports and so forth. Recreational media such as music is arranged into 'playlists' and the pilot can define there own playlists from the media player widget on the Dashboard. |
||
| − | These are events that can’t be ignored without negative repercussions to the player’s stats such as military orders or employer job tasks and take a more briefing-like form with clearly outlined and thought out specifics. |
||
| + | ==== Ship Editor ==== |
||
| − | - '''Current Events''' |
||
| + | The ship editor provides the pilot with the necessary tools for ship design and submitting manufacturing requests. In addition the Ship Editor includes a simulation protocol enabling pilots to test there designs in practical scenarios before submitting them for manufacturing. The ship editor can also be used to modify the pilots current ship assuming the necessary components, resources and pilot skill of course is available on board. |
||
| − | These are not mission events but indicate changing factors in the galaxy and your faction if you own one and can be used to sort out what your people want or where vulnerabilities may materialize soon. This can be thought of as a news feed or reporter’s stream. |
||
| − | * '''Markets''' |
||
| − | The markets are just that - a place to buy stuff. There are a few general markets such as the Black and Open market which sell a little of everything eBay or Amazon style. In addition, depending on the player’s path thus far, hunter, faction, syndicate and company internal markets may be available; these will have specialized items and prices accordingly. Finally, the player can purchase directly from known hubs such as companies with a store front, NPC factions like the Skinners, and from structures they discover. |
||
| − | * '''Map''' |
||
| − | The map app … this may be the same as the event app; either way it represents the galaxy and can be zoomed in on known areas. The player can also explore via the map by selecting map event areas (these are Environment events) where they may discover a market hub, resources or special mission events. |
||
| − | The map app is also where the player will monitor the state of their own faction or company if they own them. The map can be zoomed into stellar asset such as a planet or station to build or modify structures as needed and can be used to manage fleet positions. |
||
| − | * '''Shipyard''' |
||
| − | This is a ship design system and doubles as the fleet composition tool e.g. where the player assigns ships to pilots and pilots to fleet groupings if applicable. The ship tool from a design point of view allows the drag and drop design and configuration of ships and if manufacturing resources are available can send ‘designs’ off to be built. |
||
| − | The shipyard will also contain our player tutorials in the guise of simulations; these simulations can be run with designs, allowing the player to sample a ship's performance before having it built. |
||
| − | * '''Personal Assistant''' |
||
| − | This is the leadership and administration app and allows the player to manage faction and or company leadership, relationships (including personal ones) and handle political matters such as requesting or sending resource aid and other non-mission based group interactions such as joining a gang, faction recruiting, etc. |
||
| + | The Ship Editor also includes a widget integration with the Dashboard which provides a summarized view of the current ship design and available ships the pilot can transfer to. |
||
| − | Just like real apps and programs, there should be a functionality overlap; that is to say, applicable functions should be available in more than 1 app such as joining a gang. Gangs are part of the bounty system and the Event Stream app’s Bounties tab might include a join and form gang option similar to what might be seen in the Personal Assistant app. |
||
[[Category:HUD]] |
[[Category:HUD]] |
||
Revision as of 15:59, 16 March 2016
Heathen Engineering's Terran's presents its HUD as the 'Terran ITS' or Integrated Technology Systems. In the game world you are a Terran pilot and are physically and mentally part of your ship. The ITS is the view your pilot sees not dissimilar to an Augmented Reality UI or Virtual Reality UI concept. Terrans while advanced are still 'human' at the base level and sort and organize information just as we do today. The ITS thus takes on much of the same feel and functionality as a real world desktop computer operating system and has many of the same functions and limitations.
When in space the ITS switches to an 'Observer' view being effectively a 3D person orbital camera. In the space view or 'Observer' view the camera can be controlled by simply moving the mouse and its 'behaviour' can be toggles switching it between several defined views such as Free (orbital), Fixed (over the solder) and Forward (similar to first person).
While controlling the ship from the Observer the secondary (right click by default) will slow time and allow you to use the menus of the Observer UI to issue orders to fleet members, change targets and weapons and so on. Note that this does not stop time and does prevent movement and manual fire control, the degree to which time is slowed depends your characters skill and development.
Getting Started
On your first boot up of the game Terran will load and display the ITS 'settings' panel as well as a 'Welcome' panel. Note that on subsequent loads you will be taken directly to the Dashboard however you can access the 'settings' at any time from the Dashboard and you will find the information presented by the 'Welcome' panel in the 'Archives' app.
The Welcome panel introduce you to the concept of the ITS, ask you to give your self an alias; this being your save profile name and give you the opportunity to personalize the display such as changing the colouring of UI elements.
Once done with the Welcome panel which you can close at any point you will be take to the Dashboard, assuming you stepped through the Welcome portion or taken to the settings and profile view if not. You can navigate to the Dashboard at any point by clicking the [ITS] button located on the 'Copilot' in the upper left of your screen or navigate back to the Settings by clicking the gear icon.
Once you are all set up and configured you can either look to the available notifications (left side of the Dashboard) and start your adventure. You could open up the ship editor and tweak your ship design, though at this early stage you will have limited parts, tools and manufacturing capability available to you or you can listen to some music while you browse the archives, galaxy map and other information streams available to you.
Pilot View
When in combat or otherwise working with space outside the ships internal systems the ITS will switch your view to the Observer. The Observer is drone system giving you a much wider view of your immediate surroundings than shipboard sensors can and the UI elements in this view are all pulled to the point of focus e.g. centre view to keep all relevant information in view.
With the Observer active the ITS AI will assist in ship control and can be set to orient the ship with the Observer e.g. look to turn and separately you can instruct the Observer to orient with the ship that is the Observers control and movement will be 'local' to the ship as opposed to the default 'global' mode which is independent of ship orientation.
Your Observer can navigate anywhere around the ship up to several kilometres away with negligible latency but will attempt to maintain constant line of sight with the ship for optimal communications. You can activate a secondary mode where in processing is accelerated at the cost of control to other systems such as navigation. In this mode time may appear to be slowed as your own cognitive processing is being amplified by the ITS improving your tactical and strategic decision making performance.
Apps
ITS Apps or simply apps expand the functionality of the pilots ITS. The Terran ITS comes standard with a full host of apps which will enable and display as the pilot needs them.
Core Apps
Core apps refers to the basic applications used by a pilot day to day. These core applications are always available to the pilot and are in general deeply integrated with other systems and components of the ITS.
Dashboard
The Dashboard app provides the pilot with quick access to information and the other apps available to them and is the default view the pilot is presented with when logging in or after closing all active apps. Many apps will present a widget or similar presentation on the Dashboard allowing pilots to execute common app functions without needing to fully engage the app in question.
The left panel of the Dashboard will present the pilot with a digested and summarized list of know opportunities and important events as 'Notifications' and can be used to plan and engage as required. The upper portion of the left panel is the 'Copilot' and provides constant access to the low level systems of the ship and quick control of key apps.
Media Player
The media player manages the pilots available media including both recreational media such as music and function or even calcified media such as briefings, intelligence reports and so forth. Recreational media such as music is arranged into 'playlists' and the pilot can define there own playlists from the media player widget on the Dashboard.
Ship Editor
The ship editor provides the pilot with the necessary tools for ship design and submitting manufacturing requests. In addition the Ship Editor includes a simulation protocol enabling pilots to test there designs in practical scenarios before submitting them for manufacturing. The ship editor can also be used to modify the pilots current ship assuming the necessary components, resources and pilot skill of course is available on board.
The Ship Editor also includes a widget integration with the Dashboard which provides a summarized view of the current ship design and available ships the pilot can transfer to.