Friday Facts #348 - The final GUI update

[_Attila_]

I'm really disappointed that you are pushing the blueprint library improvements till later. This was the most important change in my opinion. This was the thing that needed the most improvement, and after waiting for years for this, you are still pushing it out.

Really disappointed.

This was my most awaited feature too. Without this, it is really hard to organize blueprints for different mods. Yes, I can have different installations, but this has been promised and then poof, along with the fluid dynamics.

As for the new icons. Not a fan of candy colors and toy-like designs, some of which do not properly convey their meaning.
Sounds - I turn off the sound very low as they all become annoying after many hours of play.

[mrudat]

Perhaps a cut-away icon of a single cylinder would look good for the engine, given that we rarely use just the one engine for anything? Logically, you would be constructing a v20 engine out of individual single-cylinder sub-assemblies when you build a locomotive, for example.

[aljo]

UI/Tabs:
I would like to request one change to the UI, one that I have seen quite a few people ask for: the tabs at the top are in reverse color, and I would hope that the currently active tab would be in Light color, and the hidden ones would be in Dark color. Note that I am requesting just the tabs change color, not the frame of the window or background.

In every Windows application I can think of, the open tab is highlighted, and the hidden ones are dark, so Factorio is directly opposite of that which feels confusing. In Factorio, I always wonder if I am on the correct tab.

The default style for Windows applications is to have bright UI elements and black text. In this logic, brighter elements have a higher contrast to the text – which is why they are used for highlighting.

In Factorio, the style is reversed: the text is bright and the UI elements are dark. Hence, also the highlighting is reversed.

I find this most logical choice of handling a dark UI theme.

This isn't exactly the best argument, but I use a dark theme in Chrome, so I looked at the tabs. They're dark inactive, light active. I went on the Chrome web store and checked out the highest voted dark theme, it is the other way around. Light inactive, dark active. So I went down a rabbit hole because I really have nothing better to do other than play Factorio. Opposite result for the top theme in Firefox, dark inactive, light active.

Here are a few more, but the best example is just after the list.

Chrome top dark theme (light inactive, dark active): https://chrome.google.com/webstore/deta ... ggpeojaadh
Firefox top dark theme (dark inactive, light active): https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefo ... src=rating
IntelliJ darkula theme (dark inactive, light active) (I love this editor, so I'm including it): [sorry no screenshots]
All of the apparently best Linux dark themes according to this article, I wouldn't know, I'm on Windows (dark inactive, light active): https://livingthelinuxlifestyle.wordpre ... or-ubuntu/
The dark theme bundled with MacOS Mojave (dark inactive, light active): https://cdn.osxdaily.com/wp-content/upl ... jave-3.jpg

I'm seeing more instances of dark inactive, light active. As for the best example, you brought up Windows as an example of a light theme, then reversed it to form a dark theme. Well, Windows 10 these days *has* a dark theme (I use it), and it's also dark inactive, light active. https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploa ... plorer.png

Yes, I absolutely spent more time on this than I should have. I am that guy.

Fwiw, in case you'd like to use the dark theme in Windows, here's some instructions https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperi ... -explorer/

Edit: In case it isn't clear in the Windows example, the relevant tabs are the top menu tabs "Home", "Share", and "View" where "View" is the actively selected tab.

[valneq]

But in all the cases, the active tab has the exact same color as the content it is representing – there is no transition of colors from the tab to its content. So if the content is dark, then the tab should have the same color.
The inactive tabs have a different color. That could be even darker (as in many of these examples) or lighter (as in Factorio 0.18).

From what I understand, KoS wanted to switch the colors of active and inactive tabs. But that would break the unity between active tab and content.

I would not mind having the inactive tabs even darker. But I would mind the active tab having a different color than the content.

[Optera]

I would not mind having the inactive tabs even darker. But I would mind the active tab having a different color than the content.

That sums up nicely how perception works. As long as the selected tab shares the color of the window it's easy to see which one is active.

However this does not work in Factorios crafting window, because it has two tabs of different styles right below another.
As you can see on this screenshot the group tabs visually break up the selected tab colors entirely.

2020-05-23 071057.png (70.51 KiB) Viewed 6611 times

1) borders below the tabs have different sizes with the main one being too thin to really stand out as window frame
2) outer and inner frame have different shades of grey

[V453000]

The engine icon is definitely one of the top candidates for another iteration, but so far there've been many iterations of this one, and basically I was getting reasonable "engines", but none of them was also a nice icon. The one shown in FFF is not really an engine, but is a nice icon, even on belts.

I'm hoping I'll be able to make a nice icon and a representative engine eventually.

[Rebmes]

I can't get past how gorgeous the new icons are!!

[Rseding91]

... but this has been promised and then poof, along with the fluid dynamics.

Nobody promised anything.

[steinio]

... but this has been promised and then poof, along with the fluid dynamics.

Nobody promised anything.

Like Coffee stain promised to release on steam in may and now it*s may 33rd.

Just alternate the facts - like blueprint library overhaul will be implemmented in 1.0 in parallel universe x-alpha 232

[VuiMuich]

The new Icons are completely awesome!
Just too things i noticed on the in-game screenshot:
The sulfur seems quite close in its averaged/blurred tonality to GC now that it has this great slight greenish tint.
And the single batteries seem hard to spot on the belt, maybe the body could have some feature to highlight the contour or it could be tinted (maybe in a resemblance to the acid in pipes yellow). The Model of the batteries is absolutely great and transforms so well into the personal variants.
Both are probably less of a problem in motion instead of just on a screenshot and getting better with getting used to, though.

For the engines: I rally like, that they are completely different from their electric brothers. Maybe renaming the item to "Engine Parts" instead of *units might solve this and seems even more consistent with its used for.

I really like LDS and flying robot frames and that blue chips are more blue again.
Also excited for the hinted update on the electric mining drill model

Edit: are the icons due to be released in one of the next updates?

[KatherineOfSky]

I would not mind having the inactive tabs even darker. But I would mind the active tab having a different color than the content.

That sums up nicely how perception works.

Perception indeed. I still look at that window and am wondering what tab you are on. Light means "highlighted" to me, and dark means "hidden". To me, the color of the main color of the window is irrelevant. It can be light or dark or whatever. The tab does NOT have to match the color of the background of the content, which is what my Note was indicating. To give an example: I have tabs in my browser which are light when highlighted, and the background of the web page can be anything: light, dark, red, green. The tab doesn't change color with the background of the web site.

[Drury]

... but this has been promised and then poof, along with the fluid dynamics.

Nobody promised anything.

well it's still a bummer

[irbork]

The sound effects are just too much. Why is there a delete placed bp sound effect? I really liked it being silent. There is zero reason to have most of these sound effects, and I feel the game is going to be a horrible cacophony of noise. (Many people on the steam forums have complained already at the sound changes). In general, I've always felt that Factorio is a very chill game. I love to just sit and listen to the soundtrack while playing. Having sound effects for every single thing you do is not a welcome change, and definitely detracts from the character of the game.

Have you heard about audio settings in games. There is separate slider for "GUI Effects" in Factorio and if it is not enough you can get rid of specific sounds by deleting them. This additional sound feedback is really awesome. Do not force devs to take it out because you do not like it!

[aka13]

UI/Tabs:
I would like to request one change to the UI, one that I have seen quite a few people ask for: the tabs at the top are in reverse color, and I would hope that the currently active tab would be in Light color, and the hidden ones would be in Dark color. Note that I am requesting just the tabs change color, not the frame of the window or background.

In every Windows application I can think of, the open tab is highlighted, and the hidden ones are dark, so Factorio is directly opposite of that which feels confusing. In Factorio, I always wonder if I am on the correct tab.


Sound Effects:
The sound effects are just too much. Why is there a delete placed bp sound effect? I really liked it being silent. There is zero reason to have most of these sound effects, and I feel the game is going to be a horrible cacophony of noise. (Many people on the steam forums have complained already at the sound changes). In general, I've always felt that Factorio is a very chill game. I love to just sit and listen to the soundtrack while playing. Having sound effects for every single thing you do is not a welcome change, and definitely detracts from the character of the game.

Having said that: I turn of ALL sound effects for my OS, disable notifications for my phone, desktop apps, etc. The modern world is far too noisy.

When you have a definite visual confirmation, e.g. clicking the crafting button, or changing tabs on the interface, there really isn't need for a sound effect.

If you don't outright remove the sound effects, I hope you will provide a detailed toggle menu. I would not want to turn off ALL the sound effects, just the extraneous ones.


Icons:
They look AMAZING!

I agree. Specifically I hate the new substation noise, it literally just shits in your ear if you stand by it, and you are forced to go away, for no reason whatsoever and not being an active machine.

But the icons are great, love it.

[Artman40]

I personally like the new menu sound effects. Would be good to switch the volume.

[Rseding91]

... but this has been promised and then poof, along with the fluid dynamics.

Nobody promised anything.

Like Coffee stain promised to release on steam in may and now it*s may 33rd.

Just alternate the facts - like blueprint library overhaul will be implemmented in 1.0 in parallel universe x-alpha 232

Show me one place where Coffee stain promised anything or we promised anything I'm willing to be a large sum of money you won't find anything because nobody promised anything.

[5thHorseman]

I hate the new substation noise, it literally just shits in your ear

Dear God I hope you mean figuratively.

[Ron_Quiney]

New icons look nice, although cartoony. Too much direct lighting imo, tone down of brightness would be nice to see.
And picking on certain icons:
Engine (i presume) is kinda non-representative

and Coal Liquefaction looks messy with ingredients overlayed
Oil drop looks simply dirty Maybe separate a drop and coal like this?

Beside that, great work! Appreciate effort put into remaking this huge set of entities and making it look cooler and more unified.

[T-A-R]

Much love for the coins being solid "gold" on Nauvis.

[Jap2.0]

... but this has been promised and then poof, along with the fluid dynamics.

Nobody promised anything.

Like Coffee stain promised to release on steam in may and now it*s may 33rd.

Just alternate the facts - like blueprint library overhaul will be implemmented in 1.0 in parallel universe x-alpha 232

Show me one place where Coffee stain promised anything or we promised anything

Oh come on, you can make "promise" mean whatever you want. That said, I can easily "show you one place where you guys promised anything."

"Last Friday Facts promised a stable 0.8 release in the beginning of this week. Well, that was a false promise..."
"But we put ourselves together and made the sprint necessary to deliver the 0.9.0 as promised."
"As promised last week we have worked on improving Factorio's accessibility and public image."
"The release happens today as promised."
"We have spent the week doing various stuff. Playing and testing the multiplayer game, working on some promised features (yes, talking about the tank) and also sorting out administrative issues."
"Let's sum up what we promised for 0.12:"

(Okay, okay, that's not quite fair . Let's find some more relevant posts.)
"This time it is pretty much finished so I can tell you facts instead of just speculations."
"Big changes are also coming to the blueprint library."
"Other changes related to the blueprint library will follow soon after 0.17.0."

P.S. Can anyone show me why in the world those quotation marks aren't going on the same lines as the fifth quote up there?