Quick Source Loading Page - Revision history

James at 08:24, 21 September 2008

2008-09-21T08:24:07Z

James: /* User Preferences */

2008-09-21T08:05:30Z

‎User Preferences

James: Source Definition

2008-09-21T07:45:13Z

Source Definition

James at 01:43, 21 September 2008

2008-09-21T01:43:35Z

James: Condense the UI section into a spec and add images

2008-09-21T00:41:25Z

Condense the UI section into a spec and add images

James at 00:14, 21 September 2008

2008-09-21T00:14:12Z

James at 23:45, 20 September 2008

2008-09-20T23:45:00Z

James: New page: The current source loading page is difficult for new users to understand ands is lacking in general guidance on what to do next. As this is the first thing a user sees it is a significant ...

2008-09-20T23:40:17Z

New page: The current source loading page is difficult for new users to understand ands is lacking in general guidance on what to do next. As this is the first thing a user sees it is a significant ...

New page

The current source loading page is difficult for new users to understand ands is lacking in general guidance on what to do next. As this is the first thing a user sees it is a significant barrier to usage.

This specification describes a simplified source selection user interface that allows use by both new and advanced users.

== User Interface ==
When launched, the first thing that pops up should be similar to the
first time "source builder". It should have at least 4 *large*
(200x200 pixel-ish) buttons "out of the box". One is labeled "SRD",
one "RSRD", one "MSRD" and each sets the game mode and loads those
entire sets (e.g. RSRD Complete) if clicked (single shot, no
additional questions for the user).

The 4th button is labeled "Define Sources for this Button". This
brings up a version of James' screen that would set the sources for
just that button, returning the user to the "source builder" after
"OK" is clicked.

There is a small button (vertical size similar to traditional buttons
like "OK", and "Cancel"), which is "Define Source Buttons", which
allows creation, hiding, and deletion of the shortcut buttons. The
screen can probably reasonably handle 8 large shortcut buttons before
it's overloaded visually.

There is an additional small button that's "Load custom sources",
which brings up the screen James proposed...

One important thing to add to this concept - what happens when you are
finished? I'd suggest that either
a) You click on a source button and it opens a new character
b) You select a source button (so radio button style as in the
PowerPoint example below) and then click on New character, load
character or new NPC.
c) It sits in the background like the current source materials tab and
lists what sources are loaded. Possibly with the New/Open/New NPC
buttons on that page.

[http://www.geocities.com/thpr/quicklaunch.PNG Tom's Mockup]

==Source Definition==

Yea, I like this idea. Display 8 buttons, with:
SRD for Players (PC races & classes)
SRD for Game Masters (SRD including Monsters)
RSRD for Players (PC races & classes)
RSRD for Game Masters (SRD including Monsters)
MSRD...

leaving at least one button (preferably more) that users get to
"define sources"

==User Preferences==

==Adding New Sources to the Page==
You'd need to poll for the game mode first, but otherwise, yes this
would work.nicely.

@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 </td></tr></table>
-==Source Definition==
+==Which Sources are Displayed==
 The following use cases need to be supported by the Quick Source Loading dialog:
@@ Line 42: / Line 42: @@
 In supporting use case #1 there are two existing structures that could be harnessed: the DEFAULTDATASET tag usable in the game mode and the SHOWINMENU tag usable in PCC files. The DEFAULTDATASET tag would need to be enhanced to include a title, but this would allow a collection of PCC files to be loaded. The SHOWINMENU only loads a single PCC (which may include references to other PCC files of course) but the title would be from the CAMPAIGN tag and the game mode form the GAMEMODE tag (first mode used if multiple are listed). Data sets would be shipped with the SHOWINMENU flag set. NB: The use of the DEFAULTDATASET tag for this purpose may mean we end up with too many entries if there are game modes which would otherwise be excluded.
 Use case #4 is simply a matter of highlighting the last data set loaded in the last game mode, if the Quick Source Loading dialog is the only way to load sources. If the existing page continues as an 'Advanced' page then the last data set loaded will have to be added as an entry to the dialog in much the same manner as a DEFAULTDATASET would be.
 ==User Preferences==
@@ Line 70: / Line 66: @@
 ==Adding New Sources to the Page==
-You'd need to poll for the game mode first, but otherwise, yes this
-would work.nicely.
+Supporting use case #2 (see the ''Which Sources are Displayed'' section above) would require a PCC file to be written out with the title and the SHOWINMENU flag set to true. This will be the primary way that non-core sources get viewed and selected by the user.

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 * '''Load Custom Sources''' This is a small button (vertical size similar to traditional buttons like "OK", and "Cancel"), which allows creation, hiding, and deletion of the shortcut buttons.  The screen can probably reasonably handle 8 large shortcut buttons before it's overloaded visually.
+Once the data is loaded the next action should be obvious. The primary actions are:
-One important thing to add to this concept - what happens when you are finished? I'd suggest that either:
-# You click on a source button and it opens a new character
+* New - create a new character
-# You select a source button (so radio button style as in the PowerPoint example below) and then click on New character, load character or new NPC.
+* Load - load an existing character
-# It sits in the background like the current source materials tab and lists what sources are loaded. Possibly with the New/Open/New NPC buttons on that page.
+* Generate - generate a new random NPC
 <table>
 <tr><td valign="top">
@@ Line 30: / Line 33: @@
 ==Source Definition==
-Yea, I like this idea.  Display 8 buttons, with:
+The following use cases need to be supported by the Quick Source Loading dialog:
-SRD for Players (PC races & classes)
+# Standard shipped sources - we would like RSRD for Players (PC races & classes), RSRD for Game Masters (SRD including Monsters) etc to appear as selections when the program is first started.
-SRD for Game Masters (SRD including Monsters)
+# User custom combination - it should be easy for users to define their own combination of sources to load, like the existing screen allows, and give that combination a title and then for it to be displayed in the Quick Source Loading dialog.
-RSRD for Players (PC races & classes)
+# GM Supplied Sources - it should be easy for a GM to ship their custom combination to their players and for the players to install that set. Once installed the source should appear in the Quick Source Loading dialog.
-RSRD for Game Masters (SRD including Monsters)
+# Last loaded sources - the sources that the user loaded in their last session.
-MSRD...
-leaving at least one button (preferably more) that users get to
+Use case #4 is simply a matter of highlighting the last data set loaded in the last game mode, if the Quick Source Loading dialog is the only way to load sources. If the existing page continues as an 'Advanced' page then the last data set loaded will have to be added as an entry to the dialog in much the same manner as a DEFAULTDATASET would be.

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 Other buttons on the screen:
-* '''Define Sources for this Button'''.  This brings up the old sources selection screen that would set the sources for just that button, returning the user to the "quick sources" after "OK" is clicked.
+* '''Define a quick launch set of sources'''.  This brings up the old sources selection screen that would set the sources for just that button, returning the user to the "quick sources" after "OK" is clicked.
-* '''Define Source Buttons''' This is a small button (vertical size similar to traditional buttons like "OK", and "Cancel"), which allows creation, hiding, and deletion of the shortcut buttons.  The screen can probably reasonably handle 8 large shortcut buttons before it's overloaded visually.
+* '''Load Custom Sources''' This is a small button (vertical size similar to traditional buttons like "OK", and "Cancel"), which allows creation, hiding, and deletion of the shortcut buttons.  The screen can probably reasonably handle 8 large shortcut buttons before it's overloaded visually.
 One important thing to add to this concept - what happens when you are finished? I'd suggest that either:
 # You click on a source button and it opens a new character
@@ Line 20: / Line 21: @@
 <table>
 <tr><td valign="top">
-Tom's mockup:
+'''Tom's mockup:'''
 [[Image:Quicklaunch.PNG|Tom;s mockup]]
 </td><td valign="top">
-Connor's mockup:
+'''Connor's mockup:'''
 [[Image:PCGen Quick Sources.jpg|Connor's mockup of the quick source loading page]]
 </td></tr></table>

@@ Line 40: / Line 40: @@
 [http://www.geocities.com/thpr/quicklaunch.PNG Tom's Mockup]
-[[Image:PCGen Quick Sources.jpg]]
+[[Image:PCGen Quick Sources.jpg|Connor's mockup of the quick source loading page]]
 ==Source Definition==

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 == User Interface ==
-When launched, the first thing that pops up should be similar to the
+The Quick Source Loading page should pop up when PCGen is first started. It should have '''large''' (200x200 pixel-ish) buttons showing the common sets of sources to be loaded. ''Out of the box'' it should cater for both PC only and game master versions of "SRD", "RSRD", and "MSRD". Obviously other major game modes should be available here too, however we need to be careful not to overload the screen and make it too complex again. When clicked each sets the game mode and loads those entire sets (e.g. RSRD Complete). This would be single shot, no additional questions for the user.
-The 4th button is labeled "Define Sources for this Button".  This
+Other buttons on the screen:
-brings up a version of James' screen that would set the sources for
+* '''Define Sources for this Button'''.  This brings up the old sources selection screen that would set the sources for just that button, returning the user to the "quick sources" after "OK" is clicked.
-There is a small button (vertical size similar to traditional buttons
+* '''Define Source Buttons''' This is a small button (vertical size similar to traditional buttons like "OK", and "Cancel"), which allows creation, hiding, and deletion of the shortcut buttons.  The screen can probably reasonably handle 8 large shortcut buttons before it's overloaded visually.
 [[Image:PCGen Quick Sources.jpg|Connor's mockup of the quick source loading page]]
 ==Source Definition==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 The current source loading page is difficult for new users to understand ands is lacking in general guidance on what to do next. As this is the first thing a user sees it is a significant barrier to usage.
@@ Line 37: / Line 40: @@
 [http://www.geocities.com/thpr/quicklaunch.PNG Tom's Mockup]
 ==Source Definition==