"Information Overload" is unbearable - A complaint and solution in one!

from GalCiv2 Forums
One of the most irritating, annoying parts of this game is that at the end of nearly every turn, I have a horde of pop-up dialogs to click through. There's always one bit on each, and I've had over 8 'click actions' between turns just to get to the next turn.

Amongst other things, I'm informed of such trivially useless bits of information, like that a mining starbase belonging to the Korx just defected to the Torians (this happens at LEAST once a turn by the midgame). Let me be frank - it's not MY starbase, I have absolutely NO reason to care.

Another annoying screen are the 'war' and 'truce' espionage popups, like "Our agents have reported that X is paying tribute to Y", or "Our agents in the Y government have reported they have declared war on X."

First of all, I don't need a special popup about my AGENTS telling me who declared war and who slept with whomevers mother. I'll get that information on the news screen anyway. Secondly, if I have no espionage, why am I getting these reports?

Another thing are anomaly reports. Turning them off leaves you TOO blind, as you have no idea where your flagship ran off to, if it's still working, or if it's stuck. However, leaving them on bombards me with worthless discoveries (1bc, for example) and most infuriatingly, it centers my screen on the flagship every time (which should definitely be fixed).

It sometimes takes longer to get through the endless wave of popups than it does to perform actions on my turns. With all the endless dialog boxes popping up unnecessarily, I feel like I'm using windows Vista with user control still enabled.

However, about the information overload, I propose this - the greatest idea ever for this game.

Each section can be expanded or collapsed (and if there is no information, it's not even there). Economic Situation contains all those pop-ups about new trade routes, canceled trade routes (that'd be headline news, actually), and mining starbase reports.

Colony news can contain minor information, like if a planet has an overpopulation problem, a report will show up in there letting you know, as it's easy to miss something like that.

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Vaguely unrelated jibba-jabba:


Furthermore, I don't want to, nor SHOULD I be told, that Race X is going to war with Race Y because the Drath paid them off. Let there be some mystery to the galaxy.

1) Unless I am friendly with a race, it sort of kills immersion a bit that they tell me every part of their political game.
2) When I haven't even DISCOVERED a race, I get popups from them about who they're going to war with.
3) Espionage should dictate all this as well. If I have no espionage invested in the Drengin, I should never know who is paying them tribute, and how much. I shouldn't know about the wars they are in either. I shouldn't know about their mining bases or their planets flipping.

Honestly, I don't think we should be able to see anything on the 'reports' screen either. We should be able to see who has wars going on the Treaty screen, but not their treaties or trade, not without some espionage invested.
44,612 views 69 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. :)

I'm not denying your point just your method. ;)
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

I'm not denying your point just your method.
End of quote


Hey, I just gave you exactly what Galciv2 has in it. Anyone who plays this game would've read the "anomaly report" and then instantly glazed over and zoned out, simulating exactly what I go through when I encounter the horrific bore of reading about someone elses' problems. And it's not much of an exaggeration. I've had a dozen popups at one turn, and every turn, there's a dozen more.

Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Just so you know, many of those things can be turned off in the options menu. Perhaps you should look into that.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Just so you know, many of those things can be turned off in the options menu. Perhaps you should look into that.
End of quote


The quarterly report and the "end of turn" summary (the end of turn summary is far too useful, however).

I can also turn off the 'anomaly found' popup, but it is even worse, as there's NO indication that my ship just bounced across the galaxy. It could be stuck, lost, I have no idea.

I'd like to see the portrayal of this tedious information IMPROVED, not REMOVED (well, except for the relations parts). Just like everything else. A tasteful icon on the side I can mouseover to see what anomaly was found.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hey, I just gave you exactly what Galciv2 has in it.
End of quote

I'm only trying to be friendly here.

Yes what you gave is exactly what GalCiv2 has in it but there was also a sprinkle of "tude" on top of it as well. As I said I fully understand and agree with your point just that a simple please and thank you work so much better than "I do *NOT* give a crap".

Like I said, I'm only trying to be friendly. :)
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
What game size are you playing? I only encounter that many messages every 13+ turns or so(and that's when the map practically starts to go to war with itself), but definately not every other turn! :SURPRISED: 
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I had a lot of time on my hands (A LOT) and quite possibly created the greatest, most awesome idea for this game.

It's a super-awesome way of eliminating ALL the annoying pop-up clutter, while simultaneously presenting it all in one easy-to-read format, while further improving what is already a semi-useless feature.

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It's all in order of priority, so you can get your news from the "headlines". You can expand and contract whichever fields you want (ie: how "economic situation" is closed (which would contain new trade routes, information about space miner stations, etc.)).

Every bit of relevant information is visible, like the 'time to complete' on planetary improvements. "Colony News" at the bottom can contain any kind of miscellaneous stuff, from ethical event 'news', perhaps generated complaints about overpopulation on certain planets to get your attention, etc.

Technically the UI is all done in XML style sheets, so it's not outside the possibility of implementation.
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

4)
The technology thing is also unnecessary. Instead of the big annoying
dancing robot, just put the damn tech tree up there instead, so I can
see what I just researched *AND* pick what I want to research next on
the same screen...
End of quote


That's the essential for me, also.
I found the continual & repetitive appearance of multiple (say what, just about 240+ some techs altogether!) robots shaking their arms at me *VERY* annoying, indeed. It's all good and nice for a couple of games - but once we get it, we simply got it.

Although, your latest post offers me MUCH more ways to correct those nuisances by building up a new sort-of-style-sheet thingy to wrap everything of concern into a slick alternate Modification.

Gimme, Gimme, Gimme!!

Test it, Run it. If it "really" works flawlessly... upload this wonderful stuff into the MODs library for everyone to have - Finally. And, hurry up. I will stick this "function" utility right away straight into my setup and forget some or all (which is to say, if the xml code provides option/boxes to check-mark and so on) of the multiple pop-ups.

Oh, and -- Please!

- Zyxpsilon.
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
That was a product of Photoshop, sadly :(

I know you saw that and "flipped shit" as it were, because I did when I saw the finished thing ;D - but I know nothing about modding this game. I do know a little about XML style sheets (they're pretty intuitive), but I don't really have the time to start a project like that.

Sorry :(

I know that with this new GNN screen, not only does it actually act as a news center, but it would actually be something I'd read too, not skip 90% of the time, waiting to just see certain ships are done building.

EDIT: I realized I never mentioned my skills are at photoshop, not modding, and that entire post sounded like a massive buildup for a ridiculously awesome plugin. Go me :/

(And don't ask why it's about three turns into the game, I've already built at least four ships, researched about 12 techs, and started a war.)
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
It winz, I agree.
Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
It's official: I agree that this is the most awesomely cool idea in the universe and that it should be implemented by Stardock posthaste.
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Nice shop; I approve of this idea.
Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I agree! I love this idea!

(shhhh...) ;D
Reply #14 from Stardock Forums Top
Nice work. :CONGRAT:

Now if the survey report named the ship and right click took you to it, that would be perfect. Also, you need an Espionage Report in there.
Reply #15 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Wow! An upgraded GNN would be a HUGE improvement to GalCiv2. Great idea U-235!

An added feature I'd love to see, is a click button/hotkey for bookmarking locations on
the mini-map (with a quick text description dialog box). On very large maps, I waste a lot of time trying to remember where resources, or key enemy planets/bases are located. (Perhaps I need a better memory - sigh) If such a feature already exists, my apologies.
Reply #16 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Wasn't the UI made with one of Stardock's apps? "Object Desktop?" I thought I read somewhere that it was potentially customizable with OD.
Reply #17 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Nice work.

Now if the survey report named the ship and right click took you to it, that would be perfect. Also, you need an Espionage Report in there.

End of quote


Now that you mention it, it's a little unusual that the "GALACTIC NEWS" broadcasts covert operations, isn't it? :)
Reply #18 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Wow... you know, U235, if only critics of an idea or franchise were just as half as constructive and actually innovative as you, the forums of many a videogame might actually be bearable! Please stay on our boards, I implore you, and accept our apologies for our previous behavior towards you on this thread! :SNIFF!: 
Reply #19 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I love your idea, looks slick and provides categorised info that you can take in at a glance.

Stardock should implement this right now!

 :CONGRAT: 
Reply #20 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Uranium, you smug bastard, that's probably the best idea for a mod or (part of a) patch I've ever seen for GalCiv2, or most games, actually.

Also, you have way too much time on your hands.
I support this! Can we get a shout from one of the devs, perhaps? Just a teeny one, saying that this is doable or not and wheter or not they're going to look into fixing it?

Pweeese, Stardock?
Reply #21 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hi,

Uranium you're absolutely right, a new way of presenting all that information would help a lot. I've been playing around a lot with the immense galaxies in the betas, and about halfway through it's just too much to read and I just click it away, which sometimes causes me to miss something important.

I also hate the Tech Discovery Robot ;p
Reply #22 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
>>An added feature I'd love to see, is a click button/hotkey for bookmarking locations on
the mini-map (with a quick text description dialog box). On very large maps, I waste a lot of time trying to remember where resources, or key enemy planets/bases are located<<

I use the Rally Point creator for this - click on it, then click on location - eg just next to a resource for mining. Give it a useful name eg mining resource! Then even if you can no longer see the resource (eg you could see it before because your flagship passed through) you've still got the rally point location.

You can delete rally points once you don't need them any more.
Reply #23 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
This is an excellent idea! The way things stand, the jerkiness of popups and recenters actually distracts from a calm mindset conduscive to strategic thought, much like the formal techniques of television (cuts and zooms, pans, sudden movements) turn the thinking part of your brain off from overloading the orienting response. The fewer things popping up at you and the less the screen bounces around, the better. I really hope Stardock implements your idea.
Reply #24 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Wow, Do Want. That is awesome... would love some feedback from SD on it.
Reply #25 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Hi,

Uranium you're absolutely right, a new way of presenting all that information would help a lot. I've been playing around a lot with the immense galaxies in the betas, and about halfway through it's just too much to read and I just click it away, which sometimes causes me to miss something important.

I also hate the Tech Discovery Robot
End of quote


The worst to me is the mining starbase popups. The warning message for your own mining bases being flipped is the same as the others (only with your race name) so nothing stands out at all about it. It's not until it actually flips that you might notice. Bleh.