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Summary Panel Redesign

L

liz

Ex-Staff
As some of you may have saw, whether in our release notes or after opening Hero Lab, the Summary Panels have been redesigned.

What do you think about the redesign at first glance? How does the redesign affect your game play if you're using a computer with Hero Lab at the table?

We look forward to hearing your feedback!
 
I updated my work copy, checked it quickly and LOVE IT!!!

I will chime in on how much better it is with my Surface 3 Pro once I get home and update it. With fewer panels and the ability to scroll I am sure it will be just what the RPG doctor ordered! The panels were the only issue I had with HL on the hi-res tablet screen, with that looking fixed, I could not be happier.

As far as better at table, quicker and faster lookups, less huting and pecking for tabs as I disabled so many panels now I think I won't have too. Much cleaner look.

Great work HL team!
 
The new panels are much more useful than the old ones. I pretty much ignored the old ones, except the basics, and even that one was just so I could see if modifiers were applying when I toggled them on and off. Just by being wider and slightly more spaced out, these ones are useful enough that I won't have to change tabs just to look information up. This change is enough that I could see using Hero Lab directly in play rather than the character sheet.
 
comments: new interface changes (v.6.0a#457)

.
everything seems all right except for the few visual changes...

white shapes in basics tab housing ability scores / hp / save = eh.

  • distracting; add no improvement to usability
  • too cutesy and unrefined: heart looks hokey; shield not looking like shield; no apparent reason for the minor variation in rectangle boxes
would rather have design layout since before this version; simple but effective.


i've got interface design kung-fu. get in touch with me if interested in overhauling look-and-feel. herolabs could use a major update.
 
Looks quite nice, I know I'm always searching the tab for my saves and AC, and it'll be nice to see ability scores and their bonuses right there too.
 
I like the boxes around key stats. I don't care so much about the shapes one way or another, but they do make it easier for the eyes to go right to the HP, AC, saves, or ability scores without having to hunt for even a fraction of a second. The previous version that was just a list of text made it difficult to immediately find the particular stat I wanted.
 
First off, I like the new look of the panels. Even the white boxes (actually love em), so much easier finding what I need. In fact, I'd like the same for Initiative and Speed if possible.

One nit pick, it would be nice if it handled long text better. Long weapon text or when you get 3-4 attacks, the text can be too long and chop off. It can also loose spacing between the to hit numbers and damage dice (ie +11/+61d8+6). Even if I only show 3 panels, it's not enough room for weapon display.

On the weapons tab, It looks like it does a much better job wrapping long text but the "container button" can get pushed in the critical numbers area.

One request, it would be nice to show active "conditions" in a panel (at the bottom, maybe before feats or something). Sometimes you check that "Fatigue" or "sickened" box and forget about it...

Second request would be that HL still doesn't recognize input boxes for soft (or virtual) keyboards in windows 8.1. eg to enter HP damage, I have to click in the box, then click the keyboard button on the task bar, enter damage, close keyboard. It would be nice if it auto popped the soft keyboard straight to number pad and closed if you touch/clicked outside the input box.

Here are some screenshots from my Surface Pro 3. Note, I have modest screen scaling turned on at 150% (vs 200%) as it's a HDPI screen. I supplied another shot without scaling turn on (which causes HL to be way to small to be usable and a lot of wasted space).
 

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On first look, I'd put the Specials tab right after the Skills & Feats, since I always have to move it over after I open the character anyway (seriously, class features and the like should be next to Feats, they do many of the same sorts of things). I'd also put the magic items above the mundane gear instead of vice-versa.

I also have a hard time telling the greyed out items from the regular black ones. Maybe lighten it up another shade, or add a touch of color one way or another?
 
I like the new look and overall it works much better. I am just not fond of the heart and shield token where your HP and AC are displayed. I have never liked seen that type of thing on a character sheet. I prefer cirlces or squares that's just me
 
liz said:
As some of you may have saw, whether in our release notes or after opening Hero Lab, the Summary Panels have been redesigned.

What do you think about the redesign at first glance? How does the redesign affect your game play if you're using a computer with Hero Lab at the table?

We look forward to hearing your feedback!
Click to expand...

It's a bit easier on the eyes than it was. I like the extra width and less panels too. I think this will make things easier in the long run. Looks wonderful to me so far.
 
In general I liked, bu as a GM I liked to see the class/race and level in the Basics Summary Pannel.
Jamz said:
One request, it would be nice to show active "conditions" in a panel (at the bottom, maybe before feats or something). Sometimes you check that "Fatigue" or "sickened" box and forget about it...
Click to expand...
I agree. Maybe in the basics bottom.
 
tahltwo said:
.
i've got interface design kung-fu. get in touch with me if interested in overhauling look-and-feel. herolabs could use a major update.
Click to expand...

following up on my comments from above.

below is a drastic design direction, keeping many good usability considerations in existing interface layout.

some usability considerations in this comp:

  • larger type for quick scan and legibility
  • tabs are color-coded and clustered into similar contents
  • more space around lots of bits of info to reduce visual clutter
  • data clustered into blocks of similar info for quick-scan
  • additional info (beginning with "skills" to the right of screen) intended to auto-hide on smaller viewing area, or when window is made smaller
  • info block is flexible at bottom for any stat section that grows (e.g. feats; weapons; etc)
  • secondary info grayed out to reduce distraction while quick-scanning but still available for viewing
feedback expected and welcomed! :-)
 

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tahltwo, the picture should really be in a separate thread if you want comments on it.

I see that your screen is missing the In-Play column which is essential for seeing how many of the per-day uses I have left and the spells I have. I certainly don't need to see the full abilities table or complete table of movement rates in the summary columns.
 
Farling said:
tahltwo, the picture should really be in a separate thread if you want comments on it.
Click to expand...

as in the whole post, or just the image? as in create a new thread?

Farling said:
I see that your screen is missing the In-Play column which is essential for seeing how many of the per-day uses I have left and the spells I have. I certainly don't need to see the full abilities table or complete table of movement rates in the summary columns.
Click to expand...

good feedback. also as someone mentioned (which i saw after posting) that the conditions should be up front too.
 
Jamz said:
First off, I like the new look of the panels. Even the white boxes (actually love em), so much easier finding what I need. In fact, I'd like the same for Initiative and Speed if possible.

One nit pick, it would be nice if it handled long text better. Long weapon text or when you get 3-4 attacks, the text can be too long and chop off. It can also loose spacing between the to hit numbers and damage dice (ie +11/+61d8+6). Even if I only show 3 panels, it's not enough room for weapon display.

On the weapons tab, It looks like it does a much better job wrapping long text but the "container button" can get pushed in the critical numbers area.

One request, it would be nice to show active "conditions" in a panel (at the bottom, maybe before feats or something). Sometimes you check that "Fatigue" or "sickened" box and forget about it...

Second request would be that HL still doesn't recognize input boxes for soft (or virtual) keyboards in windows 8.1. eg to enter HP damage, I have to click in the box, then click the keyboard button on the task bar, enter damage, close keyboard. It would be nice if it auto popped the soft keyboard straight to number pad and closed if you touch/clicked outside the input box.

Here are some screenshots from my Surface Pro 3. Note, I have modest screen scaling turned on at 150% (vs 200%) as it's a HDPI screen. I supplied another shot without scaling turn on (which causes HL to be way to small to be usable and a lot of wasted space).
Click to expand...

As I use a Surface 3 Pro as well I was wondering what you were saying, then when I looked at your screenie's I understood, you really do scale up, I run default noscaling.

However for me I use the panels as "quick glance" only, when it comes time for skill checks, weapons, spells etc. I switch over to that tab, which may be why reading the panels is not such an issue, however I do like the view with it scaling somewhat. Going to play with this a little.
 
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