General Usability Suggestions 3
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This is quite a large list, and I don't expect all of these to be implemented, but it would be great if some of them were. Most of the ideas are mine, but some are from Bodgybuilder's thread (https://powdertoy.co.uk/Forum.html?action=vthread&forum=2&topic=624) and one is from SerGreen's thread (https://powdertoy.co.uk/Forum.html?action=vthread&forum=2&topic=632).
If anyone needs any clarification, please don't hesitate to ask.
You're welcome to suggest your own, I'll incorporate it into the first post.
Shortcuts
1. CTRL + N - New simulation (requires confirmation box before opening)
2. CTRL + O - Opens server
3. CTRL + R - Reloads simulation
4. CTRL + Z - improvement: should save multiple states.
5. CTRL + SHIFT + Z - Redo
6. E - Makes secondary element particle eraser.
7. SHIFT + E - Makes secondary element wall eraser.
8. X - Switches primary and secondary elements
9. CTRL+F - Element search box (see Icon Customization > #6.).
10. Ability to use YUIOP (or similar) keys as customizable binding keys - users can set an bind with Shift+Y/U/I/O/P. This makes the primary element accessible by simply pressing that key.
11. SHIFT + ALT clicking/middle-clicking a pixel should make secondary element the underlying element.
12. Middle-clicking/ALT-clicking a blank space should make primary element eraser. (+ Shift to make secondary element eraser).
13. F1 - Access splash screen help text. Does not fade away until F1 is pressed again. Has an option to view temperatures/pressure levels for state changes and element conversions and another to view a brief history of TPT.
14. Include all shortcuts in the splash screen.
15. SHIFT + TAB to enter keyboard navigation mode. Menus should switchable via arrow keys. Elements can be selected via Enter - Enter selects element as primary; shift+Enter selects element as secondary.
Icon Customization
1. Ability to rearrange section order
2. Ability to change order of element icons in each section.
3. Ability to make sections and place element icons in them
4. Ability to pin element icons to the side.
5. Profiles - stores information for categories, element order, primary/secondary element, pinned element icons, etc. Can be saved by pressing Ctrl+P, profile library can be loaded with Ctrl+L. Profile library would show a screenshot of the game window along with plain text stating primary and secondary elements. Profiles can be uploaded and shared with other users. Consecutive profiles would be mapped to the F# keys (e.g., first one would be mapped to F1.)
6. A instant search box (elements appear as you type). Icon should go right after the view indicator button (the tags box can be made smaller). When pressed, the current element drop out would contract, and a search box would appear above it next to the Specials category icon. Elements appear to the top and they can be arranged in a 4x3 array. I think any more than that would be impractical. For example, if I typed in RBD, both rubidium and liquid rubidium would show up. The algorithm should search actual element names too. For example, the search term "bla" will also bring up black hole (BHOL). The box will be tinted red if no results appear. If the search term has an exact match (only one result), pressing Enter will select the element as the primary element. Shift+Enter would select it as the secondary element.
7. Have the 2 erasers have their own separate icons above the category icons. This will be the actual element icon themselves, not a category.
Element Creation and Element Creation Tools
1. CTRL+DRAG - elements should spawn inside of the area selected, not have a 1 px border around the selection.
2. ALT+DRAG - creates hollow rectangle.
3. A snap-to function to limit angle of lines (SHIFT+drag) to 45 degree increments. F9 to turn on, F10 to turn off.
4. Ability to create guidelines (just drag them on to the screen from a bar to the top and to the side). Ability to lock them in place and hide them.
5. Ability to snap cursors in the line and rectangle-making process to guidelines (2 px within the range of a guideline would make it snap to it). F7 to turn on, F8 to turn off.
6. Signs - Ability to drag pointer to where user wants, ability to remove pointer all together. When using CTRL+X, initial note should disappear.
7. Ability to CTRL + SHIFT-left click multiple elements to be used in replace mode. CTRL + SHIFT-left click again will toggle off.
8. CTRL + SHIFT+middle click/alt click makes underlying element replace mode element (toggles on); a CTRL + SHIFT-middle-clicking a blank space turns all off).
9. Replace mode should be sensitive to temperature and pressure (AIR/VAC/HEAT/COOL) as well.
10. A small cross at the center of a circle larger than 5 px in diameter to allow for pinpointing without reducing cursor size.
Element Interactions
1. A single line of diamond or void does not stop a particle from getting through. A single line should completely block/destroy a continuous stream of elements.
2. Metal should be able to overlap a detector wall.
Display
1. Dual/Tri/Quadview: Expands the window such that another copy of the simulation may be placed next to the original, but with a different view (such as Normal in one view, but pressure in another. Changes made in one view will apply to all the others as well. When dealing with multiple views, there should be only one "control strip", but multiple element category pickers for each view.
2. Ability to zoom all the way out.
3. Wider range of colors for pressure view. (Right now, the box becomes completely red at 10 pressure.)
4. Grid block size should be changeable by pressing G+1/2/3, etc.
Server
1. Popular tags should only be listed when a "Tags" link is pressed. Possibly tell how many times the tag is used, or make the tag font size bigger for each time it is used (like this: http://www.universitiesandtheweb.com/images/tag-cloud.gif).
2. Popular tags appear on the right (Electronics, Art, Nuclear, Stickman). A user can click any of these to add a tag. A user can still set custom tags. This will unify tagging and make it easier to search.
3. Ability to place simulations into a category - Art, Electronics, Explosions, Stickman Level, etc. when saving. Access to these categories by typing category:[category name]::[search term] in search box.
4. Allow other users to see the amount of votes for each simulation (Right now, we can only see green vs. red).
5. Splash screen should contain the user:* and category:*::* functions
6. Advanced searching option - syntax could go like this - bchandark: Electronics:: Timebomb. Wildcard (*) could be placed anywhere, e.g., *:Electronics::*. (Username: Category: Search term)
Typing
1. Ability to hold [ or ] and have it continuously scale up or down.
2. Ability to hold backspace or a letter and have it continuously type the letter/delete.
Forum
1. Profile Statistics. Along with profile information, statistics relating to the account. For example, include:
Rank: Administrator/Moderator/User
Join Date: 21st December 2012
Overall Positive Votes: 300
Overall Negative Votes: 21
Forum Reputation: 13
and more.
2. A system for voting each post up or down. Would show rank of post next to "Permalink" button; access could possibly be denied to misusers.
3. A way to keep track of new posts in a thread a user has made posts in; possibly only activated if a "Watch this thread" button is pressed.
Miscellaneous
1. Choice between JPG and PNG screenshot output, ability to change file name and automatically upload to imgur.com or similar image hosting site. Possible: Shortcut 'V' for video automatically assembles into an animated gif.
2. Ability to make stamps where the snap size can be less than 4x4. Include an error message if the user attempts to stamp part of a wall.
3. Ability to name stamps.
4. Ability to view more than eight pages of stamps.
5. Ability to organize stamps into folders.
6. The Powder Toy Information Center (see https://powdertoy.co.uk/Forum.html?action=vthread&forum=2&topic=93 for details.)
7. A donation section on the website that goes toward maintaining the website and server.
8. Make the borders consistent; right now, there are 4 different borders, for 1) paused air pressure 2) unpaused air pressure 3) paused elements 4) unpaused elements. A single unified white 1 px border should enclose the entire particle drawing area.
Thanks for reading! -
I want to say this is old, CTL+DRAG is already in there.
