I am new to the forums, and I tried to search for any suggestions about this but its kind of hard to search for something that I am not even sure what its technically called.

Anyways, what I am referring to is the information display at the top right corner of TPT. I find myself always looking this information bar to get an idea of what material are layed, temps, etc.

The biggest problem of this information area is that doesn't have a uniform size so its always changing rapidly and resizing. Its very difficult to go from element to element when spacing is being resized, especially if they are flying around, it changes way too fast. I propose that it retain default spacing so that it doesn't require a resize.

Element: ______ Pressure: _______ Temp: ________

Therefore when I switch from "Empty" to say some Sand it would go from:

Element: Empty Pressure: 0.00 Temp: 0.00 C to:
Element: Sand Pressure: 0.02 Temp: 22.0 C

The decimal points should always line up to easily compare numbers. The spacing should still allow the max to be reached 9000 some degrees to 0 without every moving. Obviously a monospace font should be used.

That is what I feel is "wrong" with the information area. Now How I think it can be improved:


Idea 1: Allow everything within your cursor parameters (Your circle or square) to display all unique information in that area. For example if I have a 10 x 10 pixel box containing Sand, Stone, and Concrete and my cursor is set to a box big enough to encompass the whole thing, the information bar would then display:

Element: Stone Pressure: 0.04 Temp: 25.00 C
Element: Sand Pressure: 0.02 Temp: 22.0 C
Element: Concrete Pressure: 0.02 Temp: 22.0 C

This would exist up to say 5 element, and then have a "+More" indicating there is more than just the 5 being display. It would sort the information based on Pressure or Temp, whichever would hold the most deviation. The idea of this feature is that you can get a feel for the "big" picture and actually see how each element changes over time in relation to the others.

Obviously each particle differs even though they may have the same element. Therefore this "area" calculating would use an average within your cursor scope. I understanding that averaging thousands of particles at once, in real time would be CPU intensive so perhaps there should be a hotkey to "activate" the group calculation/information that needs to be held...and updates every 0.5 seconds or something. Whatever it would take to keep it to lag less, but still allowing the ability to see "snapshots" of the big picture.


Idea 2:

When display an element, display its group icon (liquids, solids, special, radioactive, etc) to the left of the Name, and then also include the picture/color os the element. Numerous times when looking at other peoples work I see an element say: PTCT. I am new to TPT so I am thinking to myself "what the hell is PTCT"...so then I attmept to figure it out...I have to go through each group and try to find the word "PTCT". The idea here would be that I would automatically know...oh PTCT is Electronics, because it has an electrontics symbol by it, and then I also know its like a dark green color, so I know that its the dark green material. This would fall into improving idea 2...where you could have up to 5 element information displayed, this "color-coding" would allow you to know off the bat which is which.

Note: The examples given are poor because of the inability to use more than 1 space, and the non-monospaced font. But I think you guys get the idea.