A freshly and modern designed UI for rF2 The FIFA14 demo inspired me to do a "quick" mockup of a UI for rF2 in the modern flat design ("metro")...though I'm really no designer or something similar, I really think this could enhance the rF2 experience a lot! In my eyes it's sad that rF2 still sticks to the rather ugly old-fashioned UI it seems... Preview Anyhow I hope this maybe generates some "positive pressure" on you (ISI) to somehow release an editor or such for the rF2 UI so we (the customers) can edit and enhance the UI ourselves (of course if you are redoing the UI on your own this would be fine alternative ).
Guess something went wrong when I edited the page here's the original text (thanks to Google for caching the thread xD): Above that I started working on the UI manually and asked for help here. If I get any progress I will open a new thread though
+1 I really like this flat and modern design style. I created a quite similar mockup of the main UI myself recently, but the layout was more inspired from the very first The Need For Speed game. Current rF2 UI really looks ugly and too amateurish. It would be nice, if the UI had transitions and animations between the UI elements (nothing too fancy, but just enough to make the UI feel alive). Also, it would be nice, if the UI was better navigatable with keyboard/controller keys. Also, one thing I really hoped rF2 would change, was the track loading UI. Right now, it is just a simple image probably created from a template. As we know, not all tracks feature quality and consistent loading screens. I would like to see that we could also design the loading screen UI, to add different elements (like the track and vehicle name, and other useful information). This would enable to have more consistent loading screens.
Sorry for bringing up this old topic again but I recently got a newsletter by one competitor simulation game addressing their planned updates to the UI system. They now start - like others already did - to base their UI on web technology. Just imagine what would be possible if having HTML5, JQuery, Java, Flash, PHP and whatever too just to bring up an amazing user interface experience. And web technology is so amazingly easy to use (of course because it's used so frequently and there are so much resources for it!)!!! So what would be needed!? I guess it wouldn't be much! Just one basic program like the current launcher but with a fullscreen option and a web technology "background" (the current one uses QT as far as I know). The bigger deal would be having the rFactor2 game running without a main interface but with screen adapted user interfaces (on track, garage, etc.). Actually I could image that rFactor2 would be cropped from it's main interface and get some kind of "command line" start which one can use with simple java script programming used in the main launcher. Anyhow the first workload to get the "program structure" itself ready would be high, but ISI and of course we, the end-users, will receive a big improvement to the game experience! Just imagine automatic UI scaling, modern look and feel, easy themeing capabilities due to web standards and simple programming language and of course faster adoption of the UI to current designing standards - just to name some What do you think!?
Just imagine you say .........I imagine full historic seasons and stuff what the Ui looks like lol Do I even want a "modern" looking Ui for my Historics ? Would a UI in the big scheme of things stop anyone that appreciates rF2's more outstanding features from using it ? ISI need to concentrate on things that would make people drop it. The menu from near day one had a UI selection button ? What do you think that was put there for ? only modders ? That only suggests to me they will do at least one more UI in the future ?
Cool I suppose but to be honest I really couldn't care less. Should ISI spend a bunch of time on their UI to say "We have the greatest looking UI in sim racing today"? Does a "modern" UI really sell a piece of racing simulation software? To me it's like building and selling a car and saying "Look at this gorgeous owners manual that comes with it. Suede hardcover with binding that will last 100 years". Sure the UI isn't the prettiest out there but it gets the job done and now I'm quite familiar with it. I've never opened up a new game and immediately became familiar with it's UI. UIs always take time to learn. I do suppose ISI is doing something right if people need to nit pick at the UI when looking for something to complain about though.
I agree the 3rd party one looks great in time I expect it will be available for all, if not another. How many 3rd party UI do you have for rFactor ? Heaps ========== If I had a fanciful wish is still how I thought since GTR 2 days. One day if rF2 is leased you could develop a Pro version would equal iRacing in "certain areas" Modders would need a Mod ID approved, in other words strict guide lines and requirements would need to be met beforehand. There would be only one MOD ID for each series available, in the case 2 mods excel in one series they would have to make a choice join forces or accept a final verdict. Replacement mods for any series ID would only be considered at end of season. Existing ID could to be upgraded in season. Then you would remove all aids, fixed cockpit, damage would be fixed but chassis refined lower then current levels. Engine and drive train damage would retain levels much the same or be even more demanding, strict rules enforced, and a heap of other stuff like that. The idea is have one model per series, does not seem to hurt iRacing's appeal ? Why would they ever want 3 different mods running Nascar Leagues ? ........ beggars belief ? Along with other refinements and improvements to rF2 the above format could charge higher initial price and server fees then the regular version.
Yeah...but a modern UI (in meaning of the technology behind and the "feel") can of course suit the historic content well Just have a look at HistoriX or P&G Nevertheless I share the opinion that ISI have to concentrate on more important things. On the other hand it's the question what makes things important and which ones are important!? For me the UI is one great important part of the product. Somehow the UI is one thing which presents the game and can influence the feel of the whole product very much! Anyhow keep in mind this is a wish only. It's not supposed to be seen like I've taken the gun and force ISI to do whatever I want "Das Leben ist kein Ponyhof" Oh, of course the game's capability for different UIs isn't only made for modders. But currently one can get the impression it's left only for modders...ehm PS: they already did several other UI for the game...the Kart UI and the dev mode UI...maybe others too Speaking of the Kart UI: It's pointing in the right direction...strangely it seems to be much older then the default rF2 UI xD you still can see the rF1 basement of it Again "Das Leben ist kein Ponyhof" and despite of this: This isn't related to the UI
