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[Feature Request] UI overhaul for simplicity & usabilty #335

@kenbot

Description

@kenbot

I have a vision of sorts for what I'd like the UI to eventually turn into....

On first run after install

  • Automatically finds Steam/GOG IWads
  • Failing that, downloads FreeDoom
  • Automatically downloads a managed copy of GZDoom
  • No forms or dialogs
  • Start on Discover screen, start playing in two clicks

Main screen

Inspired by Steam & Netflix

  • permanent side bar sorted by tags, or recent activity with a search bar. Similar to current but less clunky
  • Small number of top level tabs
    • DISCOVER, which has idgames and curated Cacoward browser;
    • LIBRARY which has all your wads; maybe a Netflix-style dashboard with different collections, or tags. "Recent" subheading is pinned, with one-click resume buttons
    • GAMES which has the IWADs, and maybe some way to link to all the mods that are built for that IWAD
  • Get the other sidebars, screenshots, demos, etc out of the way. Make it all tiles

Obviously don't actually plagiarize Steam like in the screenshot - use colours and fonts that are Doomy, so DoomLauncher doesn't feel like a janky 00s business app. Maybe... techbase theme for light mode, hell theme for dark mode

Image

Launch screen

  • Full screen other than the sidebar, which stays. Not a modal dialog
  • Huge image
  • Easy to get back to where you were
  • 80s/90s VCR inspired design:
    • Play button with a green triangle
    • Record button with a red circle, which when enabled, will record a demo with a generated name once you press play
    • VCR cartridge metaphor. Cartridges include:
      • Map / difficulty. Difficulty represented by a green -> yellow -> red skull colourful scale
      • Demos
      • Saves
      • Clicking on the cartridge brings up the cartridge selection screen, which keeps up the metaphor
      • Eject button "ejects" the cartridge, which means Play will just play the mod
      • If you have played the mod before, by default the cartridge will be the latest save, or if unavailable, the map/difficulty they are up to. Otherwise empty
    • Large description text field
    • Plugin metaphor for additional files, like a Nintendo 46 memory stick. Select from known gameplay mods. (you have to dig out a submenu to do pick arbitrary files).
      • The plugins stack on top of each other and you can drag and drop them to reorder
    • All the other stuff - screenshots, iwad/source port selection (assuming iwad auto detect is good enough), command line args, profiles, the screen filter thing - it all goes behind the cog icon

Image

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