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{{learned|how the game interface relates to the Tygron Engine|what the game interface looks like|what parts of the game interface exist|how to use the game interface}} | {{learned|how the game interface relates to the Tygron Engine|what the game interface looks like|what parts of the game interface exist|how to use the game interface}} | ||
==How does the game interface relate to the Tygron Engine== | ==How does the game interface relate to the Tygron Engine== | ||
Revision as of 08:38, 15 January 2016
How does the game interface relate to the Tygron Engine
The game interface allows users to interact with the 3D world, from the perspective of a stakeholder. It displays the virtual environment, representing the current state of the project, and a number of interface elements which provide the user with access to actions and information related to the stakeholder. Template:Editor Image
Overview Game Interface
The game interface is the most complex interface in the Tygron Engine. During the game, the 3D World is largest visible element on the screen. Near the edges of the screen you can find the most prominent parts of the interface. These are used to provide information to the player, provide means to the player to gather more information, and to interact with the 3D world.
The game interface consists of four prominently available, interactive interface elements, as well as a number of contextually available information panels. The interface elements can be considered to be part of either of two groups: the main interface elements or the additional interface elements. The main interface elements are either always available or vital for interacting with the game. The additional interface elements provide additional information, and are only available in certain contexts or when taking specific actions.
Overview: Main interface elements
3D World: The 3D World is the most prominently available interface element during the game, always centered in the view.
Top bar: The top bar is the large element at the top of the interface, displaying stakeholder name, time, display mode and indicators.
Action menu: The action menu is the list of icons on the left hand side of the screen. This menu contains actions available to a stakeholder.
Minimap: The minimap is the nearly square panel at the top right of the screen, displaying a small overview of the project area, providing access to overlays and ping.
Main interface elements
As a rule of thumb, all interactions with the game can be performed using the major interface elements. The interactive panels provide information, but also provide the ability to effect changes in the 3D World.
3D World
- Main article: 3D World.
The 3D World is the most prominently available interface element during the game. It is the virtual environment you share with the other players. Most, if not all, actions a player takes affect the 3D World. The 3D World is considered a part of the interface because it provides you with information, and can be interacted with directly.
- Use the arrow keys to move east, west, north and south.
- Hold down the right mouse button and drag the world to move east, west, north, and south.
- Scroll up with the scroll wheel to move up, and a larger part of the 3D World.
- Scroll down with the scroll wheel to move down, and see the 3D World in greater detail.
Top bar
Hover over an indicator
- Interface game top bar - stakeholder description panel.jpg
Stakeholder description panel
The top bar is the large element at the top of the interface. Displayed, in order from left to right, are the Tygron logo, the stakeholder name, the time, the display mode, and the indicators. When the Tygron logo is pressed, the credits of the game are displayed. The Tygron logo will also start flashing red when the computer has trouble maintaining a connection with the Tygron Engine server. The stakeholder name indicates which role the player has selected, and thus which party they represent in the game. They can click the name of the stakeholder to view descriptions of other stakeholders. The time indicates how long the game has been running so far. The display mode allows you to switch between seeing the 3D world as it currently is and how it was at the start of the game.
The right section of the top bar is entirely filled with indicators. Starting with the budget indicator and ending with the progress indicator. Each indicator shows the current amount of progress made on that indicator towards the target set for it. By hovering over the indicators, you can see the full name of the indicator, the current score on the indicator, and the importance of this indicator for your total score.
- Click on the Tygron logo to display the credits.
- Click on the stakeholder name for more information about the playable stakeholders.
- Set the "Display" to "Original" to see the state of the 3D World at the beginning of the game
- Set the "Display" to "Planned" to see the current state of the 3D World.
- Click on an indicator to open the indicator panel.
- Click on the "progress" bar to open the progress panel
The action panel
- Interface game category panel - top bar effects .jpg
Effects in the top bar
The action menu is the list of icons on the left hand side of the screen. This menu contains actions available to a stakeholder. Clicking one of the icons, opens the action panel. In the action panel you can select a specific action.
Action panel
The action panel is the most important element to make changes to the 3D World. It's a versatile panel, since this panel can be used to create new constructions, demolish existing constructions, open panels to transfer money, send and receive messages among others. Two main differences occur: Actions and Measures.
Actions
When taking an action, you need to select an area in the 3D World where to take the action. This is done using the cursor to "draw" a selection on the 3D World. Drawing is done by pointing the cursor at the 3D World, holding down the left mouse button, and releasing the mousebutton. If it's an action with configurable settings (such as the amount of floors for a building), an element will be provided to allow you to select a proper value.Making a selection is subject to validity. For more information on validity, please see Drawing validity.
Measures
When using a measure, you will simple be able to "apply" or "cancel" the action. A Measure is a predefined plan, designed by the developer of the project.
Effects
When you have selected an action (and, if required, drawn a selection in the 3D World), the Top Bar will show the effects on the indicators for this stakeholder. Positive effects are noted green, while negative effects are marked red.
Exceptions
A few exceptions exist. One of the actions in the action menu may be the "Messages". When this action is selected, the message panel is opened. Financial actions, such as "Request subsidy" or "Finance View", open their own panels to provide information or continue interaction.
- Click on an icon to open the action panel.
- Select the action you wish to take in the action panel.
- If required, set the amount of floors using the slider in the action panel.
- If required, make a selection in the 3D World.
- Confirm the action by pressing the appropriate button on the action panel.
Minimap
- Interface game minimap - view.jpg
Your current location
- Interface game minimap - exclamation mark.jpg
An exclamation mark
- Interface game minimap - ping.jpg
A "ping"
The minimap is the nearly square panel at the top right of the screen. It is a small representation of the game area. The light blue rectangle on the minimap indicates where you are currently looking at. The text at the top of the minimap panel is the name of the zone you are looking at.
The most important function of the minimap is to allow you to navigate the game area quickly. When you click anywhere on the minimap, you are immediately brought to the location on which you clicked. When you or another player take an action which requires your attention, an exclamation mark icon will appear on the minimap. Clicking on an exclamation mark icon will immediately move you to the area in question, and also open up the popup at that location.
Located at the bottom of the minimap are buttons which allow you to switch overlay. By switching to a different overlay, the 3D World is colored differently to provide you with additional information.
You can also use the minimap to signal a location to other players. This is known as "pinging". By clicking on the ping button at the top right corner of the minimap panel, the minimap of all other players will show your location via a pulsing circle. You can use this to indicate to another player a specific location in the game area.
- Click anywhere on the minimap to move to that location in the 3D World.
- Use the buttons at the bottom of the minimap panel to change the overlay of the 3D World.
- Use the button in the top right corner of the minimap panel to "ping" your location.
Address search
Located directly below the minimap is the address search bar. This search bar can be used to quickly navigate to a precise address in the 3D World.
- Click the address search bar
- Type in an address
- Autocomplete will try to complete the address
- Press the enter key to confirm
Additional interface elements
Besides the main interface elements described above, there are also a number of additional elements in the interface. These will appear and disappear depending on your interaction with the game.
Popups
- Main article: popups.
Popups are an important part of the interface, that are not immediately visible to the player. Instead, they appear whenever an action is taken, and input is required from the player concerning that action. This includes actions which the player takes themselves, but popups more often appear when other players take actions which the player in question must respond to. They also appear in the minimap in the form of exclamation marks.
Indicator panel
When you click on an indicator in the top bar, the indicator panel is opened. This panel displays information about the indicator you have selected. On the left side, at the top of the panel, is the name of the indicator, followed by its importance. A description of the indicator follows, to provide the player with information on what the indicator means, why it is important to the stakeholder and how to increase its score.
Under the "Explanation" heading, an overview displays the current score of the indicator, the target of the indicator, and the amount of progress which still needs to be made to score 100% on the indicator. The exact layout of this information differs per indicator.
On the right side of the panel, two graphs are visible. The top graph displays the total score on the indicator over time. The bottom graph displays the sub scores for the indicator over time. For example, in the case of the parking indicator, the bottom graph shows the amount of parking spaces per zone.
Progress panel
When you click on the progress indicator, located on the far right hand side in the top bar, the progress panel is opened. The left side of this panel displays the assignment for the stakeholder for the current level. The bottom bar on the left side displays the name of an indicator, followed by a bar presenting the current score of this indicator. The right side displays the description for the score of the shared indicators, and displays different colored bars, followed by the indicator names. The length of the bar represents the current scores of the shared indicators. On the bottom right it displays the total score as a percentage.
Budget panel
The budget panel can be accessed in two ways. You can open the indicator panel for your budget, and then press the button "To budget". Alternatively, when a finances category is available in the category panel, one of the available actions may be "Finance view". By selecting "Finance view, the budget panel is opened.
The budget panel displays an overview of your expenses and incomes. The left side of the panel displays the list of expenses. The expenses are collected in categories, which can be expanded by clicking the arrow next to a category. This displays all expenses within that category. At the bottom, in red, the total expenses are displayed. The right side of the panel displays the incomes in a similar fashion. Sources of income are categorized together, and can be expanded where desired to see what sources of income exist in a particular category. At the bottom, in green, the total amount of income is displayed.
At the bottom of the panel, the net balance is displayed. This is the amount of money the stakeholder has at that moment. The net balance is calculated by taking the total income and subtracting the total expenses from this value.
Message panel
The message panel can be opened by selecting the "Messages" category from the category panel. The message panel displays the messages received by this stakeholder from other stakeholders in the game. When a message is selected from the panel, the message is opened in full. Some messages are informative only, and simply hold a textual message. Such messages can be confirmed and closed by pressing "OK" in the bottom right of the panel. This removes the message from the message panel. Other messages require a response. These have the options to "Keep" or "Respond". By selecting "Keep", the message is closed, but remains available in the message panel to respond to later. When you select "Respond", you are given the ability to select a response, and send it by selecting "Send". The message will then be removed from the message panel.
You can also select "New message" from the message panel. This allows you to send a message to a non-playable stakeholder. In the "New message" panel, select the stakeholder to whom you wish to send your message. Also provide a subject and the message itself. When you are ready to send your message, press "Send".
Legend
When drawing in the 3D World, or using an overlay other than the default overlay, a legend will be displayed at the bottom of the screen. Drawing in the world or activating an overlay will cause part or all of the world to be colored. The legend serves as a reference for which colors correspond to what information. For example, when viewing the ownership overlay, the legend will display which stakeholder is displayed with which color. When viewing the livability overlay, it provides a reminder of which colors indicate the most and least desirable values.
Hover panel
When you hold the cursor still over any part of the game area, the hover panel will appear. The hover panel will display information about the area your cursor is pointing at, based on which overlay is currently active. By default, it displays the owner of an area, along with the type of terrain and construction located there. When, for example, the zoning overlay is active, it displays how much of each permitted type of construction is located in the indicated zone.
Cinematic panel
Whenever text is displayed during a cinematic, it appears in the cinematic panel. While the cinematic panel is visible, the flythrough is paused. When you have read the text in the cinematic panel, you can click "continue" to close the cinematic panel and continue the cinematic.
The escape menu is opened by pressing the "Esc" key on your keyboard. The escape menu allows you to access the settings screen by pressing "Settings", and to display the credits by pressing "Credits". In single player and multiplayer sessions, you are also able to exit the session from this menu, by pressing "Exit". In single player sessions, you are also able to save the game by pressing "Save".
Settings screen
The settings screen allows you to adjust the graphical settings of the Tygron Engine. By raising the values, you increase the graphical quality of the virtual environment. By lowering the values, you lower the stress on your hardware and thus increase performance. The settings panel offers four default settings: "Low", "Medium", "High" and "Full". Each of these options set the graphics to predefined values. By selecting "Advanced", you are also able to finely adjust which graphical settings to increase and decrease.
You can also adjust the volume by using the "Volume" slider.
Starting screens
- Main article: Starting screens.
The starting screens are displayed when you enter a game. They provide information on who made the game, what the game is about and what your assignment will be in the game. They also allow you to choose a team name (if one is not already selected), and which stakeholder you would like to play as.