Console Prep: Which addon UI functionality needs to be added to the console UI?

spoqster

This post is mainly about identifying necessary additions/changes to the UI and not so much about new game features.

I deliberately left out addons like the Skyshards addon, combat text or a damage meter. These functionalities were consciously left out of the game. I am looking for necessary interface improvements and added convenience: Absolute must have time savers. Addons like Advanced Filters, but I think that one is included in the new console UI, that's why it is not included here.

If you don't use or like addons, please don't comment here, but feel free to voice your thoughts in this thread instead: http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/157506/is-eso-console-ready-without-addons/p1
This poll is meant to identify necessary UI improvements, not as a discussion about addons in general.

So, which addon is the one you can't do without?

Cuyler

YOUR PICK

Bah, just looking at this list is making me cringe even thinking of playing the console. So much quality of life missing from the native UI.

If it wasn't for my RL friends I wouldn't be caught dead attempting to enjoy the console and it's potentially completely lacking UI.

In other words, I want them all available.

NewBlacksmurf

YOUR PICK

Research Assistant/Craftstore
A more verbose combat interface

But honestly I don't use any on PC just check me out. I'm fine with the UI as is because it's different on console. I do want to have more options to hide all bars health, magic, sta even if a buff is present until in combat when one goes less than 100%.

Other than that I'm good

Attorneyatlawl

YOUR PICK

Cuyler wrote: »

Bah, just looking at this list is making me cringe even thinking of playing the console. So much quality of life missing from the native UI.

If it wasn't for my RL friends I wouldn't be caught dead attempting to enjoy the console and it's potentially completely lacking UI.

In other words, I want them all available.

Agreed... I won't be playing on the consoles, but I just can't imagine it being enjoyable to play without these relatively simple, but missing, quality of life features not being available.

Nestor

I don't like Addons myself (dealing with the updates is the reason and Minion is not something I want running on my machine). That being said, I run a few on my game.

However, Advanced Filters, Research Assistant (or AI Research Grid) and Awesome Guild Store are 3 functional addons I could not live without. The Minimap I can take or leave, and Master Merchant is more for people making money than spending money (although knowing what is a good price does help, shopping can suss that out as most people tend to look for a few specific things so soon know what good prices are)

Heromofo

A buff tracker - Ever tried tanking without a buff tracker? Or tried keeping up multiple dots with little overlap?

Buff tracker for us tanks would be great

Punizher

A minimap - It saves a lot of time not having to open and close the map all the time.

Mini map, mini map so pissed they not adding anything like that. grrrrrrrrrr

Nyghthowler

YOUR PICK

My pick is NONE! ZoS has refused to do anything about the PC versions lackluster and barren UI for over a year citing the player base can write Add-ons.
That's all well and good until the authors stop updating their work for what ever reason.
As soon as ZoS starts worrying about the QoL of the PC UI, then they can work on adding them to the Console version after we beta test them like we've done for the console release of the game all last year.

drschplatt

I feel bad for the console players. I can' t imagine playing this game without addons.

pecheckler

Master Merchant - Without it buying and selling items is just tedious.

If I didn't have research assistant, master merchant, and the means to turn off annoying messages (ultimate ready sound, PvP notifications, guild MotD notifications) I couldn't handle it! However knowing everybody does not have the coordinates of mages guild books, skyshards, quest hubs, quest target locations and so on actually sounds appealing.

Zazaaji

A minimap - It saves a lot of time not having to open and close the map all the time.

Between these, a minimap. The compass can only go so far when you can only track one quest at a time.
This is one thing that Neverwinter Xbox 1 messed up too.

Attorneyatlawl

YOUR PICK

drschplatt wrote: »

I feel bad for the console players. I can' t imagine playing this game without addons.

It's too barren to be enjoyable in my opinion, without them.

spoqster

Research Assistant/Craftstore - How would I keep track of researchable items without it?

Nyghthowler wrote: »

My pick is NONE! ZoS has refused to do anything about the PC versions lackluster and barren UI for over a year citing the player base can write Add-ons.
That's all well and good until the authors stop updating their work for what ever reason.
As soon as ZoS starts worrying about the QoL of the PC UI, then they can work on adding them to the Console version after we beta test them like we've done for the console release of the game all last year.

I'm hoping they will port the console UI design over to the pc version.

Heromofo

A buff tracker - Ever tried tanking without a buff tracker? Or tried keeping up multiple dots with little overlap?

Chat box
Buff tracker
Location checker i.e all skyshards etc
Research timer
Boooooom

Rook_Master

YOUR PICK

All of them

Gandrhulf_Harbard

Nyghthowler wrote: »

My pick is NONE! ZoS has refused to do anything about the PC versions lackluster and barren UI for over a year citing the player base can write Add-ons.
That's all well and good until the authors stop updating their work for what ever reason.
As soon as ZoS starts worrying about the QoL of the PC UI, then they can work on adding them to the Console version after we beta test them like we've done for the console release of the game all last year.

^ This.

If Consoles get a better UI out of the box it will be definitive proof that the PC version has been sidelined ready to be abandoned.

All The Best

NadiusMaximus

None, it's working as intended.

That's what we were told after asking for the same stuff, before said addons were finished and released.

Lol, "finishing and releasing" I can see ZOS employees asking each other what the fug those words mean?

Varicite

A buff tracker - Ever tried tanking without a buff tracker? Or tried keeping up multiple dots with little overlap?

Buff tracker most definitely.

PKMN12

PRetty much all or at least most of them. the ESO UI is the WORST UI i have ever seen for an MMO. TES game or not, there are some MANDATORY Things it is missing.

Heromofo

A buff tracker - Ever tried tanking without a buff tracker? Or tried keeping up multiple dots with little overlap?

Vaerth

spoqster wrote: »

This post is mainly about identifying necessary additions/changes to the UI and not so much about new game features.

I deliberately left out addons like the Skyshards addon, combat text or a damage meter. These functionalities were consciously left out of the game. I am looking for necessary interface improvements and added convenience: Absolute must have time savers. Addons like Advanced Filters, but I think that one is included in the new console UI, that's why it is not included here.

If you don't use or like addons, please don't comment here, but feel free to voice your thoughts in this thread instead: http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/157506/is-eso-console-ready-without-addons/p1
This poll is meant to identify necessary UI improvements, not as a discussion about addons in general.

So, which addon is the one you can't do without?

No addons will be on console, it is a CONSOLE and can not be edited. PC is for addons, deal with it...

Psychobunni

YOUR PICK

My pick is whichever ones they are adding to the pc UI

EJRose83

I would go with none. I hate cluttered UIs and actually like the vanilla console interface.

Lionxoft

Attorneyatlawl wrote: »

Cuyler wrote: »

Bah, just looking at this list is making me cringe even thinking of playing the console. So much quality of life missing from the native UI.

If it wasn't for my RL friends I wouldn't be caught dead attempting to enjoy the console and it's potentially completely lacking UI.

In other words, I want them all available.

Agreed... I won't be playing on the consoles, but I just can't imagine it being enjoyable to play without these relatively simple, but missing, quality of life features not being available.

@Attorneyatlawl Like text chat >_> <_< Still can't grasp why they think it's smart to exclude such a huge feature from a social game. Stating that consoles have voice chat as a feature is not acceptable either. Not everyone has a voice and not everyone can hear voices.

Wing

YOUR PICK

ftc

Varicite

A buff tracker - Ever tried tanking without a buff tracker? Or tried keeping up multiple dots with little overlap?

Lionxoft wrote: »

Stating that consoles have voice chat as a feature is not acceptable either. Not everyone has a voice and not everyone can hear voices.

Not everybody wants to listen to your voice. Or talk to you.

/shrug

vyndral13preub18_ESO

I still cackle every time I get a mail saying I sold something in the store. I always wonder what it is. Quit being lazy and letting the add on makers carry you. And really this doesn't even have anything to do with the UI.

Attorneyatlawl

YOUR PICK

Lionxoft wrote: »

Attorneyatlawl wrote: »

Cuyler wrote: »

Bah, just looking at this list is making me cringe even thinking of playing the console. So much quality of life missing from the native UI.

If it wasn't for my RL friends I wouldn't be caught dead attempting to enjoy the console and it's potentially completely lacking UI.

In other words, I want them all available.

Agreed... I won't be playing on the consoles, but I just can't imagine it being enjoyable to play without these relatively simple, but missing, quality of life features not being available.

@Attorneyatlawl Like text chat >_> <_< Still can't grasp why they think it's smart to exclude such a huge feature from a social game. Stating that consoles have voice chat as a feature is not acceptable either. Not everyone has a voice and not everyone can hear voices.

Voice chat is not a substitute for text chat, certainly. They have some functional overlap, but they are absolutely not the same thing in use, practice, or experience, and almost always are just used alongside eachother in groups, from small to giant. If you're not using voice because you're sick, it's late at night and you're tired, you don't want to wake a spouse, or you don't want to go onto voice chat to kill an easy dungeon and would be fine if you had some way let eachother know when you're ready or when you need to afk a minute... well, not having text chat available which can handle those just fine, isn't exactly a good thing . And with no visible history if you miss something, voice chat is found wanting there, as well.

Voice chat is great for organization and some socialization, but in larger groups it becomes less effective for enjoyment's sake and due to only one person being able to be audible understandably at a time, you need to keep the comms clear so that chat or call-outs by people important to the actual game can be heard reliably such as a big group slamming into your raid's flank in Cyrodiil, or a stealther sniping your healer that fell behind 10 feet, or that the raid boss is about to drop one of his biggest attacks and you need to block, etc. While voice is typically considered better for immediate communication, it isn't as good at groups (and gets worse with group size getting larger) for socialization. Conversely, text is considered better for relaxing, and in many cases socialization, but it's not as easy or reliable for most people to type while fighting as it is for them to talk, nor is it as easily noticed during combat by the rest of the group or raid.

In larger groups, they compliment eachother by providing a primary and secondary chat outlet, where important comms during battle or potential battle can be reserved from voice with some chat other times... and stuff you'd just like to chat about that may not be very relevant to playing can be chatted about in text whenever, and voice occasionally when things are slower.

tl;dr: I agree, @Lionxoft.
(for you internet new'uns, that means "too long, didn't read" with an implied "section" on the end )

Heromofo wrote: »

The number of serious high-end MMORPG players that find a UI layout like that useful, informative, practical, and enjoyable and use it, is probably in the single digits worldwide . You'd be amazed, but the best players actually prefer minimalistic user interface designs that convey vital combat information in a clear and concise format, while leaving less important things visible but not as immediately so. They tend to bind a key for any larger or cluttered window type, and leave only indicators visible full-time, though some of us like having a combat log visible as well but that's not even as far as most run with.

You know why I run half of the addons for ESO that I do, @HeroMofo? No, it's not that I want a cluttered screen: it's that the stock user interface in ESO is extremely cluttered and bulky for no good reason ! Those giant resource bars that collapse inward and are hard to get a read off of quickly? That's why I have unit frames that make them smaller, behave in a normal fashion (it depletes from full to empty from right to left), and add a text label on the bar to give a precise reading when I need it by glancing over there. That's why I have @Wykkyd's Enhanced Chat: it lets me get rid of the jumbo decorative border on the sides and top/bottom of the chat box that don't do anything for me except look pretty while eating up a bunch of extra room on the screen. That's why I have a small minimap in the top right of my screen: instead of bringing up a full-screen map like the default game one does, I can see the majority of what I want to by simply flicking my cursor over it and zooming in or out with the mouse wheel if it isn't near me, and if it is, well, I already can without doing anything but looking at it a moment (it also lets me see my direction more readily instead of relying on one fourth of a compass being visible at a time like the default interface shows you, and provides me with little arrows for groupmates nearby so I can tell where I am in relation to them).

Honestly, it's fine if you enjoy the stock interface: no one cares whether you do or not and no one is judging you or applauding you for doing so. However, jokingly dismissing any complaints about it, and it is both objectively and subjectively lacking a great deal, not only shows that you don't particularly know what you're talking about, but also does a disservice as it distracts from constructive talk and suggestions to Zenimax about what we as players want to see improved.

sk8ingeckoub17_ESO

YOUR PICK

In all honesty i really think there are a few that would truly be nice to have included.

Minimaps nice but i hardly use it on my pc so i wont miss it but the rest all have their place.

Having some floating damage or really some way of seeing your active damage would be nice. Buff tracking is definitely important. I hate that its not a standard part of the UI on PC let alone consoles that cant edit it in.

Some things i really really want though (let them be optional toggle with default set to off if you need) is the skyshard hunter and mage lorebook tracker. without them ill be having to get a prima guide or map pack download for my tablet just to track those down on any new toon i get just so i can make sure i dont miss one.

spoqster

Research Assistant/Craftstore - How would I keep track of researchable items without it?

Vaerth wrote: »

spoqster wrote: »

This post is mainly about identifying necessary additions/changes to the UI and not so much about new game features.

I deliberately left out addons like the Skyshards addon, combat text or a damage meter. These functionalities were consciously left out of the game. I am looking for necessary interface improvements and added convenience: Absolute must have time savers. Addons like Advanced Filters, but I think that one is included in the new console UI, that's why it is not included here.

If you don't use or like addons, please don't comment here, but feel free to voice your thoughts in this thread instead: http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/157506/is-eso-console-ready-without-addons/p1
This poll is meant to identify necessary UI improvements, not as a discussion about addons in general.

So, which addon is the one you can't do without?

No addons will be on console, it is a CONSOLE and can not be edited. PC is for addons, deal with it...

I'm not asking for addons on console. I am asking for the missing UI functionality addons provide on pc to be added to the new console UI. Deal with your incompetence to read.

Attorneyatlawl

YOUR PICK

spoqster wrote: »

Vaerth wrote: »

spoqster wrote: »

This post is mainly about identifying necessary additions/changes to the UI and not so much about new game features.

I deliberately left out addons like the Skyshards addon, combat text or a damage meter. These functionalities were consciously left out of the game. I am looking for necessary interface improvements and added convenience: Absolute must have time savers. Addons like Advanced Filters, but I think that one is included in the new console UI, that's why it is not included here.

If you don't use or like addons, please don't comment here, but feel free to voice your thoughts in this thread instead: http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/157506/is-eso-console-ready-without-addons/p1
This poll is meant to identify necessary UI improvements, not as a discussion about addons in general.

So, which addon is the one you can't do without?

No addons will be on console, it is a CONSOLE and can not be edited. PC is for addons, deal with it...

I'm not asking for addons on console. I am asking for the missing UI functionality addons provide on pc to be added to the new console UI. Deal with your incompetence to read.

I would like to see the same things integrated for the PC, too .