Yesterday, on our Twitch channel, we finished the last bits of UI redisign for Gangs of Space. So this is a perfect time to show you pretty pictures and compare them to the ugly old stuff

Tooltips

They look pretty simple, but they are everywhere. Tooltips are where we put useful information when there is no obvious way to fit it always on screen, whether it is about buttons, items, skills...

The new format is lighter, more readable, and allow us to better show comparison elements.

Ship status

With the new levelling system, we had to show a lot more stuff on this interface (level, subsystems, abilities, crews...). We used the opportunity to replace the old shadowy ship representation by a big full-3d model of the ship that you can rotate around freely.

General UI

Here goes all the small interfaces that are visible during the main gameplay phase. And with the goal of clearing the top and bottom part of the screen to allow for better visibility of the space around you during the fight (especially on wide monitors that are now very commonplace), we re-designed almost everything except the chat, and moved them in the corners.

So you have a new XP/DNA bar on top, the main controls and contract interface on the top left, a round minimap on the top right, and all the ship status on the bottom right.

Level Up

We needed a new interface to allow you to choose your subsystem after each level up. This interface is small and concise. All details about the subsystems will be on tooltips.

This is an interface you will learn to love (or hate) a lot!

Contracts

The old Contract mechanism is back, but we re-designed it to be something closer to a combo bar than a full-fledged MMO quest system. As with everything with the new Gangs of Space, the goal is: simple, efficient, and action-packed!

Contracts will be automatically generated inside Fight Systems, and chaining them without going back to the Motherbase will give you incremental drop and DNA bonuses.

Motherbase

With less game systems in place, the Motherbase interface is quite simplified. On the left, your warehouses (both for you and your Gang). On the right, your ships (and the Ship Builder).

Navigation

One of the main changes in V4 is the removal of the dynamic Universe map. We will now have 2 lists that will display the same information, but in a much simpler form. Less time spent wondering where to go and how to go there, and more shooting stuff!

BEFORE//AFTER

And as a conclusion, a series of comparison shots of the new UI with the old one.

Tooltips

Ship status

Navigation

General fight UI

What do you think?

And now?

While Erhune implements all these new interfaces in the game , Grouroux will focus on more content-centric game design tasks. Like filling lots of spreadsheets with numbers. So go follow our Twitch channel if you don't want to miss this!

(You can see the images in their original format on the forum. And give us your opinion while you are at it!)

#