[SUG] Improvements to Level Select / Menus

[littbarski]

Hello, as mentioned in the other NeoLemmix topic today:

Thank you very much, I really enjoy playing your SuperLemmix!

If you will consider new ideas:
- add an option to disable the advanced options (at the right) of the level selection screen just like in NeoLemmix (or can I add a row in the settings file for that?)
- add font and symbol size option for the level selection (as discussed)
- allow different cursors in menu (I actually took the files from the normal playing cursor also for the menu...)
- perhaps: allow disabling the level countdown timer / counting up, but only an option, I like both ideas.

Some of the ideas are also because we play this in family with kids.

[littbarski]

I just saw that you can change some things very easily with the QuickMod, great tool too!
So there I can increase the time countdown for each level, this is absolutely ok and no direct need for any counting up countdown anymore.
I tried to disable the advanced options with the line from the NeoLemmix settings file, but it did not work.
So this and the tree design thing would be nice to have, still .

[WillLem]

Thank you very much, I really enjoy playing your SuperLemmix!

Glad to know!

- add an option to disable the advanced options (at the right) of the level selection screen

I could add an option to hide the buttons, but the functionality would still be active. What's the reason for not wanting to see the Advanced Options? If I understand better what the problem is, I might be able to find a more suitable solution.

- add font and symbol size option for the level selection (as discussed)

Sure, this can be added. I'll put a control on the form itself for this, so it can be changed on the fly.

- allow different cursors in menu (I actually took the files from the normal playing cursor also for the menu...)

It's already possible to edit the menu cursor as you wish by changing "menu.png" and "menu-hr.png" to whatever image you wish to use as the cursor. The only thing to be aware of is that the hitpoint (the active part of the cursor) needs to be in the centre of the image, so it may be necessary to add empty space at the edges to allow for this.

If you're using any of the existing cursor images, they don't need to be edited. They can simply be swapped in as desired.

- perhaps: allow disabling the level countdown timer / counting up, but only an option, I like both ideas.

I'm not sure exactly what you mean here. Could you rephrase, or clarify the idea further?

EDIT: Just seen your new reply. As I understand it, you're wanting to change the time limits for the levels themselves?

If it's purely for your own purposes, or for a new player learning the game, that's fine. However, just be aware that any replays generated from user-edited levels would not be valid if shared on the Forums.

[littbarski]

thank you very much. Some of my questions just appeared as we play it in the family - just for fun.
Of course when we will be better players we will use the levels as they are. But the countdown change is a good option for children. Not because they can't do it in time but because it is just a more relaxed gaming.

The advanced options disable (like in Neolemmix) in the level selection is only for usability, also kind of family option or beginners option. It is just cleaner to have less buttons there, so that the play button is more in the focus (could be larger by the way, not horizontally, just a larger button or bold text or something).

[WillLem]

The advanced options disable (like in Neolemmix) in the level selection ... is just cleaner to have less buttons there, so that the play button is more in the focus

I see. I'll certainly consider this, but may do it as a Show/Hide tab feature rather than a checkbox in the F2 menu.

the countdown change is a good option for children. Not because they can't do it in time but because it is just a more relaxed gaming.

I've replied to this in its own topic.

[WillLem]

Implemented a working slider to change the text size in the level select Treeview:



Should the position of the slider be remembered between sessions? It currently opens at the default size every time.

I'm thinking the treeview should be made wider to accommodate the largest text; this will also boost visibility/readability of expanded trees at the lower sizes as well. Thoughts?


EDIT: Also added a button to Show/Hide the Options panel - this simply resizes the Level Select form so that the Options buttons are not visible. Status is currently not remembered between sessions; I'll sort that out tomorrow.

[littbarski]

wow looks good! Yes, probably those players who change this (including me) will want to have this permanent, so the font size and the advanced tab look should be permanent.

Indeed the treeview is too narrow anyway, the window could be a bit wider in total and the treeview as well. Either options to change it by the user or just make it wider

[WillLem]

OK, after taking another look at this today, the text size slider is a bit of an eyesore.

So, I've opted instead to simply widen the level select treeview and set the text to a larger size than before. We can trial this for the next update and see if it's a good compromise for everyone; in the event that some people prefer the smaller text and some want it to be even larger, let's cross that bridge if and when we come to it.

Implemented in Commit 21a44824e

The Show/Hide Options button can also be trialled for the next update. This one's a bit neater, and keeps the various features (Replay Manager, Playback Mode, etc) readily to hand rather than having to head back to the F2 Options menu to make them visible again.

The status of Show/Hide is now saved between sessions.

Implemented in Commit d0b459d67

[littbarski]

your thoughts are good here, thank you. the show/hide button is perfect.
About the font size I will probably be one of those who wants it even larger .
If you perhaps look at it again, what I wrote at the beginning of this (also for Neolemmix) was that I have really a hard time sometimes to open a tree or choose a level, because I miss the arrow or symbol on the left side. So the symbols would also have to be a bit larger. It happens really quite often that I want to open a tree and nothing happens (I guess it's not only in my system, Win 10 or 11).

[WillLem]

I have really a hard time sometimes to open a tree or choose a level, because I miss the arrow or symbol on the left side. So the symbols would also have to be a bit larger

Ah OK, this is a classic Delphi treeview problem.

Clicking the actual arrow itself won't expand the tree; it's necessary to click the dotted line to the right of the arrow to get it to respond more consistently:



I know, it's daft!

[littbarski]

ok, good to know - but when we talk about UI in many topics, this is certainly an important UI issue, because everybody using Neolemmix or Superlemmix probably sees the level selection and statistics (=this window) as one of the most interesting tools of a "reloaded" lemmings game. As said before I don't know anything about developing, but for me as a non-expert it seems an easy thing to have a selection tree like that with functioning arrows / symbols to open and choose 

[littbarski]

Hello and thank you for the new update, great news! The options to hide button works well (and also the displayed lemmings numbers in the level is a good solution I think).

I made two versions on my PC, the new downloaded and then I tried to just copy the exe and the bass.dll (?) to my old version which also worked (I was not sure whether I would loose any level saves, settings and so on, as well as the image files that I had changed).

You can also answer in the main update topic, but when is it better to just copy the exe, and when not, and which files do I need then and so on . Of course it would be best to only copy the exe and some needed files perhaps. After all, for me it works now really well.

The font size (to get back here) is also better, could be larger for me personally, but here I won't be too much involved probably. More important actually would be a "normal" behaviour of choosing a tree and a level by a symbol (larger arrow) but as you wrote this is due to the program used there.

[WillLem]

this is certainly an important UI issue, because everybody using Neolemmix or Superlemmix probably sees the level selection and statistics ... as one of the most interesting tools of a "reloaded" lemmings game. As said before I don't know anything about developing, but for me as a non-expert it seems an easy thing to have a selection tree like that with functioning arrows / symbols to open and choose 

I agree that the current treeview isn't ideal.

I've considered adding third party trees in the past but realised how much work it would be to overhaul everything whilst maintaining current functionality. At this point, it would almost be easier to re-build the level select screen completely from scratch.

I might get around to making further improvements to the level select screen in due course, but I'm not going to make any specific promises about it at the moment.

when is it better to just copy the exe, and when not, and which files do I need then and so on . Of course it would be best to only copy the exe and some needed files perhaps. After all, for me it works now really well.

This is managed on an update-by-update basis.

If you're looking for a general rule, it's nearly always best to install a fresh directory and then move any levels/replays/custom gfx/etc over from your old directory to the new one.

Sometimes though, only the .exe needs to be updated. If this is the case, I'll attach the updated .exe to the update post and then all you need to do is drop it into your existing directory. N.B: if the .exe hasn't been attached to the update post, that's because it's best to download the full directory (and, I'll usually state this clearly in the update post).

I certainly wouldn't recommend downloading a fresh directory and then moving the .exe from the new one to the old one. Doing so might seem to work at first, but you'll probably run into problems (most likely with missing .png files) sooner or later.