0003984: The main UI (server browser) can present too much (unnecessary) information at once - MantisBT

Zandronum

Chat on our Discord Server Get the latest version: 3.1
Source Code

View Issue Details [ Jump to Notes ]

[ Issue History ] [ Print ]

ID

Project

Category

View Status

Date Submitted

Last Update

0003984

Doomseeker

UI

public

2022-03-24 15:18

2022-05-28 14:51

Reporter

WubTheCaptain

Assigned To

Priority

none

Severity

minor

Reproducibility

sometimes

Status

new

Resolution

open

Platform

OS

OS Version

Product Version

1.3.2

Target Version

Fixed in Version

Summary

0003984: The main UI (server browser) can present too much (unnecessary) information at once

Description

Discussion in issue 0003968's notes brought up conversation about where server details should be shown. After some thought, I think the main UI presents (at worst) too much information. I see this as an accessibility issue, particularly for new users. The UI makes me think (too much) what I need to do, even as an experienced user. Sometimes I need to read to know what a checkbox, a text field or something does, it's not a fondly memorable part of the interface. (For me, the memorable parts of the interface are: Double-clicking a server joins a server, where the "Create Game" button is located, and where the search is located.)
I don't want to see the "address" or "WADs" information presented to me immediately, or fine server details about what it's running. The server name most likely conveys that information me already.

Steps To Reproduce

Attached illustration, mimicking my common configuration and how I may feel about Doomseeker when returning to it from a hiatus. I drew it deliberately to make it more challenging for experienced users, to have a little bit of insight how a new user may see the program.
Some food for thought. Imagining using this illustrated interface (as a new user), could you...

...find (or search) for a server by name?
...find and join your Hungarian friend's server (by flag)?
...find and join your German friend's server (by flag)?
...find and join your Brazilian friend's server (by flag)?
...understand what the bars on the left represent? Can they be understood as progress indicators? What do the colors represent?
...understand what the icons left-most of the bars represent? How do you feel about them perceived as illustrated?
...navigate effortlessly to the "Create Game" dialog?
...search and limit display to all servers hosted in $country?
...describe or make use of each of the server browser columns from the illustrated information? Could you do so when allowed to read the server name?
...tell what the bottom panel says on the left?
...tell what the bottom panel says on the right?
...describe each of the checkboxes on the right from off the top of your head?
...describe each of the textboxes on the right from off the top of your head?
...describe what the numbers and "N/A" are at the bottom right corner (without the tooltip)? Is "N/A" understandable?

Doomseeker 1.3.2 main UI illustrated by WubTheCaptain.png [^] (27,608 bytes) 2022-03-24 15:18

Doomseeker reduced UI illustrated by WubTheCaptain.png [^] (16,629 bytes) 2022-03-24 15:19

Relationships

related to

acknowledged

Unable to search and sort servers by country flag

Notes
(0022159) WubTheCaptain (reporter) 2022-03-24 15:24 edited on: 2022-03-24 15:24	Imagining using this illustrated interface (as a new user), could you... with an user interface that presents the "X" buttons, find the correct "X" button to close the program?

(0022162) WubTheCaptain (reporter) 2022-03-24 16:01	If this issue needs to be summarized someway else, it's imho that any panels attached to the main server browser UI suck. I can't imagine them being improved to the extent of being good (an exception may be the "buddies" panel, which I don't use).

(0022165) Blzut3 (administrator) 2022-03-24 22:58	The buddies panel definitely has room for improvement, and honestly the panel that I'm least happy with from a design perspective. People definitely use it, but I can't say I've been particularly happy with the UX. Just been short of ideas on how to do it better.

(0022232) WubTheCaptain (reporter) 2022-05-28 12:41 edited on: 2022-05-28 12:42	I proposed in note 0004002:0022231 replacing the server filtering checkboxes (or the advanced version of it) with text based syntax, such as "country:CH" to search for servers the IP2C database returns geolocation data to Switzerland, or "-TSPG" to exclude servers with "TSPG" in name. It could solve a lot of issues listed in OP, at a cost of plausibly decreased new user experience if the syntax is too intricate.

(0022239) WubTheCaptain (reporter) 2022-05-28 14:37 edited on: 2022-05-28 14:39	Quote from WubTheCaptain "country:CH" This may run into issues with localization support, unlikely to be ever localized. But also, support for Unicode representation: 🇨🇭.

**Issue Community Support**
Only registered users can voice their support. Click here to register, or here to log in.
Supporters:	No one explicitly supports this issue yet.
Opponents:	No one explicitly opposes this issue yet.

Issue History
Date Modified	Username	Field	Change
2022-03-24 15:18	WubTheCaptain	New Issue
2022-03-24 15:18	WubTheCaptain	File Added: Doomseeker 1.3.2 main UI illustrated by WubTheCaptain.png
2022-03-24 15:18	WubTheCaptain	File Added: Doomseeker reduced UI illustrated by WubTheCaptain.png
2022-03-24 15:18	WubTheCaptain	File Deleted: Doomseeker reduced UI illustrated by WubTheCaptain.png
2022-03-24 15:19	WubTheCaptain	File Added: Doomseeker reduced UI illustrated by WubTheCaptain.png
2022-03-24 15:24	WubTheCaptain	Note Added: 0022159
2022-03-24 15:24	WubTheCaptain	Note Edited: 0022159	View Revisions
2022-03-24 16:01	WubTheCaptain	Note Added: 0022162
2022-03-24 22:58	Blzut3	Note Added: 0022165
2022-05-28 12:41	WubTheCaptain	Note Added: 0022232
2022-05-28 12:42	WubTheCaptain	Note Edited: 0022232	View Revisions
2022-05-28 12:43	WubTheCaptain	Priority	low => none
2022-05-28 14:37	WubTheCaptain	Note Added: 0022239
2022-05-28 14:39	WubTheCaptain	Note Edited: 0022239	View Revisions
2022-05-28 14:51	WubTheCaptain	Relationship added	related to 0004005

Questions or other issues? Contact Us.

Links

Copyright © 2012-2024, Torr Samaho & Zandronum Team.

Doom and Doom II are the property of id Software.

Copyright © 2000 - 2024 MantisBT Team