C&C 3 Designer Diary #3 - Introducing the New Interface

[Sonic 296]

GameSpot have posted the latest Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars Designer Diary - Introducing the New Interface. Executive producer Mike Verdu discusses the new look interface that you will be using to command your GDI and Nod armies. The article also includes 3 new screen shots. Here is a sample.....

 

So how does our new UI work? At its core, it consists of a traditional C&C side bar interface with the contextual information and object-level control of the Generals UI. This allows players to easily control all production structures from anywhere on the map without the use of control groups, select and control any structure individually, purchase unit-level upgrades, and use tactical unit abilities. Players have an unprecedented level of control over their forces, allowing high-level strategic management and tactical-level micromanagement that's par with any modern RTS game. Additionally, and possibly most importantly, we have found this UI to be both familiar and intuitive to players, regardless of what RTS games they've played in the past.

 

We've been playing the game with the new UI for a few months, and even our diehard C&C fans on the team are excited about how well the side bar and controls work. The design seems to be living up to its potential in terms of flexibility, power, and accessibility. Personally, I'm delighted that it's a snap to use in addition to packing all of the features that hardcore gamers need. I can't wait to get it into the hands of gamers everywhere.

3 new screen shots were included with the article:

 

 

Click here for the rest of the designer diary.

[Gben 20]

This is a re-post - because I wasn't sure if anyone saw my previous post before the new changes.

 

But if you re-watch the gameplay videos from Leipzig, you will notice that the building/unit cues and the unit information only appear when the relevant item is selected.

 

I think this helps in reducing the apparent clutter, and I wanted to point that out.

 

-gben

[F15pilotX 4]

What I really like about the new taskbar is the aircraft tab.

 

I always thought there weren't enough aircraft in the C&C series (until Generals/ZH), and I'm glad that there will be more than 2-3 aircraft in C&C 3

 

That's one thing EA got right..let's see how many others they do

[Mario 0]

do u mean different types of aircraft?

[Gben 20]

Well TD had 1 aircraft each team (orca & hind???)

TS - GDI had 3 aircraft and (fighter, bomber, carryall) NOD 2 (banshee & harpy)

 

But I don't think it's really relevant to have more aircraft unless they can't truely interact with each other (ie dogfight, dodge etc). In ZH they only seems that "first in best dressed" is the rule for air combat... even though they have 7 different air units (raptor, aurora, stealth, apache, chinook, mig, helix - 8 if you include drones I guess). But I don't play it online much so I'm happy to be corrected.

 

As a mainly 'building-killer' unit - I think limited numbers of aircraft are okay. (Using them to pick of individual units - ie harvestors - is besides the point). I liked the RA2 style - it was simple and effective to me each unit with particular strengths and weakness (superfast and weak armoured harriers v superslow super strong kirovs).

 

Balance is a must, but sameness is blah...

 

What's the point of giving each side a fast powerful jet like in the Mental Omega Mod??? Or making Allied Prism tanks strongly or adding a heavy allied tank to match the soviets... these ideas disrupt the idealogy of the game sides... rather Deezire should've allowed vehicles to be produced cheaper when the allies build the ore purifer or something - so that the allies tanks easier to build sufficient numbers to match the soviets. Why not, for example, develop new units that fit into existing technological trees... like developing air-raid balloons for the soviets as a stationary air defense that explode when enemy air units stray too close.

 

But I digress...