Configurable GUIs was Re: (GUI) Playfield aspect ratio

>To make it makes sense to let the player choose the layout of all
>status windows. 

I actually stridently disagree (as a generalization).  I think 
completely configurable interfaces are a sign of lazy designers, 
because instead of thinking about careful layout and optimal 
configuration, they force the player to do this.  The player gets a 
default configuration that's "okay", and they're expected to tweak 
until it's ideal.

Unfortunately, if not much thought has been put into the GUI design, 
then achieving an ideal state is extremely difficult.  For example if 
you have collapsible status windows, the player may find themselves 
with a completely cluttered screen because there isn't much room to 
place all the status windows they may find relevant on the screen.

If, instead, a talented game designer had laid out the information in 
a manner that makes the game streamlined and accessible then this 
actually reduces the burden on the player.  They just play the game, 
instead of configuring the game constantly in order to play it.  
Games are games, they should not become applications.

In addition, configurable interfaces often don't go far enough, or 
they have poorly defined semantics when it comes to tasks like 
switching between windows, collapsing/minimizing windows, etc.

Console games are the masters of "proper GUI" because they have to be 
intuitive and approachable to a diverse audience using a limited 
controller.  That's not to say all console games have great 
interfaces, but in my experience console games tend to have much 
better thought put into their interfaces than PC games.

I've had a pretty much 180 degree turn on this.  Two years ago I was 
a staunch believer in "ditch the layout tools, just let the player 
configure it", and now I'm a fairly big believer in the other 
direction ("ditch the layout tools, just make it work").

I think it was Tom Forsyth that said (on another list?) something 
like "the user interface can only ever be considered a hindrance", 
the gist being that the more of an interface you consciously interact 
with, the less ideal it is.

Brian




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