An odd request... a better UI

[Puzz3D]

The people that this game is being sold to do not understand that having separate buttons for hold position and hold formation is better than having both functionalities combined into a single button. More flexibility is the opposite direction from where Total War is being taken. Just look at the interface of the naval battles for example.

[Bijo]

When a button that has two settings ON and OFF and a decent visual representation what it does it is clear enough. If for instance ON means 'unit members are spread out' then OFF obviously means 'unit members are not spread out'.

And any sane well-minded player would be using keyboard shortcuts anyway combined with the mouse for overall better and balanced control.

I think it has to do more with what a person finds more enjoyable or clearer and so on, not really if it's objectively better or not.

But they -- CA and whoever exercises.... "certain control" -- should really consider more flexibility regarding setup and the likes. Then again the more options and flexibility the more likely the general difficulty of the interface or the game increases: if it's kept simple, clear, and highly effective, it's good; the more things there are to tweak or to pay attention to, and such, the higher the chance of unnecessary confusion, redundancy, or learning curve.

But for experienced/veteran/power players it could be very good.

[Zarky]

No i don´t think old STW UI will be implented back since it´s already told that there will be factories, buildings, docks or something where armies can go defending... Those that choose to hide in buildings should be given change not to be destroyed by greatly outnumbering enemy.
Drag&Drop would otherwise be good but i personally like the old system where you can avoid fighting and choose terrain you like.

[TosaInu]

Hello Bijo,

Hold position and hold formation are two different things in STW. So there are four possible combinations, one on/off button doesn't allow to control that.

[caravel]

The hold position and hold formation buttons seem to have been condensed to make way for the special ability button. In STW/MTW the idea of Hold Position was to stop units chasing routers and return to their positions after winning a battle. Hold Formation was only useful for spearmen when forming up to absorb a cavalry charge or defending a position.

If you have a group of high attack and low defence axe infantry or cavarly that you're using in defensive role as flankers, it makes sense to place them in hold position to prevent them from straying, but no sense at all to place them in hold formation as this will seriously hit their offensive ability.

I can see no reason why the original two separate buttons could not have been used.

My other annoyance is with the "classic interface" (the STW/MTW style Minimal UI) for battles. In RTW (not sure about M2TW) this autohides itself which is unnecessary. It would be better to have it always visible. I found that when clicking near the horizon to order a unit the interface would keep popping up instead, forcing me to reposition the angle of view.

The right click pop up menus are also a feature that I miss. In STW/MTW you could right click on a unit to change it's order, formation etc instead of using the top interface or keyboard shortcuts. It's nice to have alternatives.

[sapi]

My other annoyance is with the "classic interface" (the STW/MTW style Minimal UI) for battles. In RTW (not sure about M2TW) this autohides itself which is unnecessary. It would be better to have it always visible. I found that when clicking near the horizon to order a unit the interface would keep popping up instead, forcing me to reposition the angle of view.

Bring up the menu during a battle and edit the 'UI Options' - you can change that

[marrow]

The right click pop up menus are also a feature that I miss. In STW/MTW you could right click on a unit to change it's order, formation etc instead of using the top interface or keyboard shortcuts. It's nice to have alternatives.

This is actually one of the very few major improvements to gameplay over STW/MTW interface, I have found. left click = select and right click = command has proved to be a winner. Old style controls are hugely frustrating when units get bunched up and I never really used right click pop up menus anyway.

[caravel]

Bring up the menu during a battle and edit the 'UI Options' - you can change that

Now that I did not know, I'll check that out later. Do I have to do it at the start of every battle or will it stick?

This is actually one of the very few major improvements to gameplay over STW/MTW interface, I have found. left click = select and right click = command has proved to be a winner. Old style controls are hugely frustrating when units get bunched up and I never really used right click pop up menus anyway.

No, I wasn't referring to left click/right click. I concur that is an improvement. I was referring to the right click pop up menus that appeared when you right clicked a unit in STW/MTW.