The Powder Toy

The Powder Toy Information Center

  • bchandark     21st Jul 2010 Member 0 Permalink
    Powder Toy Info Center

    An information center to the side detailing lots of info.
    Note: if its implemented, the current info at the top should be removed.
    I really think this would be a good idea.
    I'm not the best designer, and I think my design looks cluttered..so I'll leave it up to the community and Simon to decide what other info should be there/what info should be taken out.

    Clarification:

    Zoom level: A new suggestion. Right now, if my creation is a little bigger than the zoom level, I keep having to move the zoom square around. Let us change the level of the zoom (not the window size).

    Primary element: left click

    Secondary element: right click

    Simulation: if it wasn't loaded from the server, the creator, updated, creator's notes, and creator's e-mail would just be blank.

    Rating: Still not sure how the system works, but raw numbers would be nice.

    Number of particles: Number of particles on screen for reference.

    Creator's notes: Suggestion: Let the creator add notes when uploading a simulation so users know stuff about the simulation (instructions, etc).

    creator's e-mail: Only shown if creator checks a checkbox when uploading to release his/her e-mail.

    Wall: Suggestion: Let us see what wall we're hovering over. Right now, it's just particles

    State change: Tell us the temperature or pressure changes we need to make a state change to the element we're hovering on. For example, if I was hovering on water, it would say
    + TEMP STATE CHANGE (WTRV)
    Temp: 29 deg
    - TEMP STATE CHANGE (ICE)
    Temp: 22 deg

    the other fields would be N/A as water is not affected by pressure.

    Notes: just random notes that can be edited like any other textbox.

    Hope this clarifies any doubts about the picture.

    Thanks for taking the time to read this suggestion.
  • Simon     21st Jul 2010 Administrator 0 Permalink
    That would be awesome, but it would take FOREVER to make.
    The more I look at it, the more I want it :P
  • bchandark     21st Jul 2010 Member 0 Permalink
    Simon
    All right, I guessed that anyway.

    But please consider this when you're not busy (even parts of the entire suggestion would be awesome)
  • Awesan     21st Jul 2010 Member 0 Permalink
    I don't think the Simulation part should be there, because if you work on your own stuff it's just blank and it takes up a lot of the screen.
  • alexthesax     21st Jul 2010 Member 0 Permalink
    wow that would be awesome to have!!! i vote for a new update with it, lol, jk, yeah it would be awesome to have, but a TON of time im sure. anyways, just a side note, correct me if im wrong but i belive you have heat simulation off, not on.
  • bchandark     21st Jul 2010 Member 0 Permalink
    Awesan:
    I don't think the Simulation part should be there, because if you work on your own stuff it's just blank and it takes up a lot of the screen.

    How about if it is from the server, it would show that, but if we didn't get it from the server, it would show something else?
    Right now, no ideas for what could go there. Maybe a space for pinning elements.
    alexthesax
    Thanks for the support and yeah, I noticed that too.
  • Andrewrox     21st Jul 2010 Member 0 Permalink
    bchandark, I am very impressed with this idea! And nice job compiling the image as well. I actually had a similar idea to this one, only not as complicated.

    Currently, only having the Simulation name and the Creator (only visible from the online menu) is probably not enough. But I do understand that Simon does not have the time to do everything. However, maybe a simpler version of the "Information Center" would be great. Some of the stuff on the picture is probably a little to confusing and time consuming to make.

    I love the idea of the notes and additional information. Also, the thing should not permanently be there, a keyboard shortcut and/or a button can "open and close" the drawer, because there's a chance that it could get in the way or hinder the frame rate (actually, I have no idea!)

    But I really am impressed by this idea, and hopefully a variation of this can be made, because currently there is only a very small amount of information on the creation. (and signs are annoying)
  • kamikai     21st Jul 2010 Member 0 Permalink
    wow...

    I'm with Simon, the more i see the more i want. the particle count is an awesome idea, but does that incorporate wall particles? and do walls count as one or 16 particles? the cursor information might be handier if it had the name, description and icon as well.

    bchandark
    Would it not be convenient if the side info panel were to be collapsible, along with another collapsible panel to display info if its a downloaded simulation?
  • Andrewrox     21st Jul 2010 Member 0 Permalink
    kamikai:
    Would it not be convenient if the side info panel were to be collapsible, along with another collapsible panel to display info if its a downloaded simulation?

    Yeah, the "Information Center" cannot just be there. it has to be opened or something. A little icon can be pushed, and the thing will open (like a drawer in many applications).
  • plypencil     21st Jul 2010 Member 0 Permalink
    I think this idea would be good to add in stages. One bit at a time. As simon said it would take ages to implement.
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