I am curious how many avatars would be shown? My understanding is that there won't be a ton of servers, so will there be literally thousands of avatars to display? If true, then there would have to be hundreds of individual channels to make it even remotely manageable by users.
If you know anything about online chatting, a prominent chat window like this will never, ever happen - especially an unmoderated chat window. Oh the horrors.
This.
I don't get why people are raving so much about this mockup. Sure, it shows a lot of dedication and thought from the person who designed it, with some added Diablo 2 nostalgia and such. But really, why such a huge chat window? And why the idiotic puppets in the bottom left? They're nostalgic, sure, but they add no value to the user at all. Also there really is too much stuff on the screen now. From an HCI (Human Computer Interaction) point of view, this is not a very good design. The eyes don't know where to look at first.
Not that I love the current chat implementation in D3, not at all. But a solution like this mockup isn't really a solution at all.
You have some really good points. Again I don't want Blizz to implement my cluttered HCI disaster. But I want to highlight features that are simply social or fun.
I strongly disagree with your quoted statement though. My mockup goes on the basis that you won't start in chat, that it will just be news, and then you could join it which would make it like my image shows. Regardless of this, Blizz ALREADY added unmoderated chat, and look at their past games:
Sad those 3 chat systems are 834975043890 better than whats in sc2 at the moment...even wc3's was AWESOME
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I can't personally say I like this.
It's far too cluttered.
It also isn't that far of an off shoot of battle.net 2.0 back in the day.
But in all honesty, for a game like Diablo. I want to log in and play, not sit in channels to socialize.
As such I would much prefer a cleaner, streamlined interface.
Okay I tried to take the feedback and make it nicer, whilst also mixing in a more War3-esque 'header bar'. I think that helps it look a tad better. Also included non wide screen version.
Thanks! I'm glad it turned out good, you never know when you start something lol.
At first I wasn't convinced because of the smaller chat channel, but after looking at your first renditions, I agree that it looks even better!
Very well done and thanks for taking the time to try more variations!! It is very much appreciated by myself and I'm sure many of the members of this community!!
Thanks! I'm glad it turned out good, you never know when you start something lol.
At first I wasn't convinced because of the smaller chat channel, but after looking at your first renditions, I agree that it looks even better!
Very well done and thanks for taking the time to try more variations!! It is very much appreciated by myself and I'm sure many of the members of this community!!
Yeah that was a risk I took. But a big chunk of feedback was to make it cleaner, and I felt the giant chat frame wasn't sexy enough. Though I wonder how it would have turned out if I had made the chat full-frame like before... well I implied with the [=] button that you can resize the chat up and down!
First of all, the demon and angel have no place here.
Secondly, the chat window is way too wide. Reduce the number of player avatars showing (3 would seem perfect - just a bit smaller than on the non widescreen version). It should be scrollable for you to find anyone on your current channel anyway, so it doesn't really need to be large. Incidentally, 3 is also the maximum number of other players you could bring with you to a game so it's a sensible reduction!
Now, use the saved space better. Your own character on center = win. I like the original column with the current quest title, game, privacy, auction house. I know it's hard to edit but maybe you can find a way to move those to the right of the banner. You could have the 4 smaller icons underneath this with a lot of room left. I can see you're trying to put the Friends icon close to the chat but it looks bad when isolated and with no clear landing spot.
I also feel the latest version's title bar is too cluttered, the date and time are a nice touch but actually feel excessive and wheighing down on the already heavy bar. If you had only the Diablo art creeping out from above (with nothing on the sides), that would work really really well.
Great that you're getting so much nice feedback on US forums, hope someone emails these to the art peeps.
Agree about the demon and angel, but I needed some border piece... I'll leave it for now. Well, key thing is that art specifics are Blizz's specialty, not mine
I disagree about only showing 3 avatars. You could hardly see anyone in the chat channel I think 4 minimum so you can see yourself and the party. Well we're nitpicking here haha.
I don't know about the game buttons moving to the right, because that makes them feel less signifigant, you know what I'm saying? In v1/v2 a big complaint was that your guy and buttons were on the right side... but we all know moving chat to the right side would even be worse (no game has chat on the right). Agree about Social button moving though... was just playing around.
The inspiration for V3 was Warcraft 3, which also had a heavier top-bar but they have great Blizzard artists to make buttons and frames that fit, rather than me copy+pasting from screenshots to do this mockup.
Well, what other options would there be for character at center?
If you make the game buttons proportionate enough with the space you use for chat (you can take up all vertical space, no problem), they might blend naturally enough. I think less backgrounds/panels fit better with the vivid landscape - the more you show of it the better, so some gaps between buttons would help the chat interface to "breathe". And it would also compare better to the game buttons. I just like that idea and would like to see you make it work!
Did you get any inspiration from the new banner customization screen yet? It also has banner on center now and looks pretty decent.
Yeah definitely valid points. I need some time away from it to get a stronger vision.
Well, what other options would there be for character at center?
If you make the game buttons proportionate enough with the space you use for chat (you can take up all vertical space, no problem), they might blend naturally enough. I think less backgrounds/panels fit better with the vivid landscape - the more you show of it the better, so some gaps between buttons would help the chat interface to "breathe". And it would also compare better to the game buttons. I just like that idea and would like to see you make it work!
Did you get any inspiration from the new banner customization screen yet? It also has banner on center now and looks pretty decent.
Also I wanted to agree with this about 'breathing'. I may or may not try and do V4, either under the goal of more landscape or the complete opposite (ie more like D2) using your banner suggestion.
The thing about Blizz's current design is that it's very easy to make programmatically. Every button and view is anchored so if someone is running 2560x1600 or 1024x768 it doesn't matter because every button and view and frame anchors to adapt. My designs are less conducive to that, but anything can be done with money and time
You have some really good points. Again I don't want Blizz to implement my cluttered HCI disaster. But I want to highlight features that are simply social or fun.
I strongly disagree with your quoted statement though. My mockup goes on the basis that you won't start in chat, that it will just be news, and then you could join it which would make it like my image shows. Regardless of this, Blizz ALREADY added unmoderated chat, and look at their past games:
D3 Channel: OnetwoD3
If you want to arrange it
This world you can change it
If we could somehow make this
Christmas thing last
By helping a neighbor
Or even a stranger
And to know who needs help
You need only just ask
The mock up of the rune/skill system thats on the D3 boards is awesome too!
It's far too cluttered.
It also isn't that far of an off shoot of battle.net 2.0 back in the day.
But in all honesty, for a game like Diablo. I want to log in and play, not sit in channels to socialize.
As such I would much prefer a cleaner, streamlined interface.
1920x1080 social open:
1920x1080 social closed:
1280x1024 "Non widescreen":
D3 Channel: OnetwoD3
Thanks! I'm glad it turned out good, you never know when you start something lol.
D3 Channel: OnetwoD3
Very well done and thanks for taking the time to try more variations!! It is very much appreciated by myself and I'm sure many of the members of this community!!
Yeah that was a risk I took. But a big chunk of feedback was to make it cleaner, and I felt the giant chat frame wasn't sexy enough. Though I wonder how it would have turned out if I had made the chat full-frame like before... well I implied with the [=] button that you can resize the chat up and down!
D3 Channel: OnetwoD3
Agree about the demon and angel, but I needed some border piece... I'll leave it for now. Well, key thing is that art specifics are Blizz's specialty, not mine
I disagree about only showing 3 avatars. You could hardly see anyone in the chat channel I think 4 minimum so you can see yourself and the party. Well we're nitpicking here haha.
I don't know about the game buttons moving to the right, because that makes them feel less signifigant, you know what I'm saying? In v1/v2 a big complaint was that your guy and buttons were on the right side... but we all know moving chat to the right side would even be worse (no game has chat on the right). Agree about Social button moving though... was just playing around.
The inspiration for V3 was Warcraft 3, which also had a heavier top-bar but they have great Blizzard artists to make buttons and frames that fit, rather than me copy+pasting from screenshots to do this mockup.
D3 Channel: OnetwoD3
Yeah definitely valid points. I need some time away from it to get a stronger vision.
And no I haven't seen it I think?
D3 Channel: OnetwoD3
D3 Channel: OnetwoD3
Also I wanted to agree with this about 'breathing'. I may or may not try and do V4, either under the goal of more landscape or the complete opposite (ie more like D2) using your banner suggestion.
The thing about Blizz's current design is that it's very easy to make programmatically. Every button and view is anchored so if someone is running 2560x1600 or 1024x768 it doesn't matter because every button and view and frame anchors to adapt. My designs are less conducive to that, but anything can be done with money and time
D3 Channel: OnetwoD3
D3 Channel: OnetwoD3
I actually tried but it was kind of strange with his glowing eyes AND the gem there... too much going on.
D3 Channel: OnetwoD3