I've noticed certain aspects of the new UI are not quite right so I wish to explore how to improve them, if you'll indulge me. Right, so we have Livery Designer 2.0. I enjoy creating liveries, it's a big perk of this game, so I've had a good go playing round with the new version and while it's a step up in some ways it's also less intuitive, cluttered & too compartmentalised than the previous version. (I might well expand this topic with more shots as I go on, so bare with me). I'd say this first one is definitely a design flaw. Basically it's a game of 'let's play spot which shape I've selected!' (it's the outline of a square if you can't tell). But yes, maybe pick a more jarring detectable colour in a sea of white, rather than a barely perceptible yellow please. Like bright red or orange perhaps? Or you know what, just block in the back of the square in one colour instead of it being dark translucent, like in my example. My next gripe is the step backwards in camera control, first it feels pointless to have the bumpers consigned to snapping the camera to sides when you can pan around using the sticks. Like why!? The arbitrary function of the bumpers creates a knock on effect; I get it, there's only so many buttons to work with on a controller, but was it really a stretch to use the left bumper to change between rotate & sheer modes like in previous version's menu? It was fine as it was in TSW2/3, freeing up the right bumper to hold & camera pan as you move a shape around the model, instead of having to stop, cycle through the bumpers, move the shape off the screen to the other end of a loco, bumper cycle back then readjust the camera to catch up with it. It just seems way more awkward & more fiddly to me. The only problem with that prior is accidentally warping it if your finger slips off the bumper, but that's sorted since we have the 'undo' button now. I also notice nobody thought of something that would be superbly useful, a snap rotation tool, something to expediate the tedious process of rotation, making sure something is straight, lined up etc. Four points, 12-3-6-9 clockwise/counterclockwise, switching between the two directions via two control icons; 'counter<--|-->clock'. And that's how it could look if you split the camera back to the way it was, organised like so. Now for the sake of not unintentionally deleting something, perhaps move the bin back to where it was, grouping is a higher priority so it should be close not furthest out. While we're here, bring back the 'x/square' function to clone a layer, there was no need to further clutter the list functions (maybe replace it with a new layer '+'? and get rid of 'add new'?), furthermore I'd suggest making the hover state sit behind the little icon of the layer contents in a toned down colour, so you can actually see what you're doing. Lastly I suggest making use of 'Y/triangle' (since it's currently unused in this menu) to access the 'undo etc.' options underneath the layer list, it's a bloody faff having to scroll down through hundreds of layers to undo one mistake. That's all for now, ta for reading, I'm sure I'll find more things to pick at with this... heheh.
I like this! I was going to do a similar suggestion post about the topics you've covered. I've gotten so used to LD 1.0 that controlling the camera in 2.0 has become so more frustrating & having to relearn it plus the bit of not being able to move the shape with the camera doubles the amount of time that a simple livery should've taken to design. I find the small yellow outline on the selection box makes it difficult to select the shape. I get why they used yellow, especially on a dark background, being the most accessible colour for dark backgrounds, but I much prefer the way you've got where the whole box is highlighted. The snap rotation is a brilliant idea! - I really struggle getting things to re-align after rotating it. I was going to suggestion they build on the mirror option too by adding a flip option, so that it could be mirrored in different 90 degree directions & not just left - right. This would be very useful for not only certain shapes like the fade square, but for the text too! I hope you don't mind, but I'm going put some of my suggestions here so that I'm not having to duplicate your thread.... - Another suggestion would be the ability to group custom text layers. Having to move each induvial text layer over & over again is just.... yeah. - Increase the text limit on custom text, add in more font choices (like symbols!) & don't be so strict. - I tried adding the word 'Neuro-Spicy' which wasn't allowed on my Neurodivergent Pride train the other day. - The ability to copy / import layers from one type of train to another, such as copy / paste / import layers in Photoshop. This would save so much time when creating duplicates of the same custom livery across the variety of rolling stock such as mulipte units, locomotives & carriages. Plus everything @Greyweasel has said.
I think I have done some suggestions elsewhere, but I dont mind repeating myself in this case: - grid/snap functions that would help us align stuff, snap stuff to certain lines/objects - ability to fill in enclosed shape - curve/points - aka creating complex shapes by clicking, dragging a line, making a curved line, then again, being able to fill it - maybe ability to drag/drop a shape with mouse like... elsewhere? ... I mean, moving a smaller shape across a wagon is... gaaah - stop resetting the camera when I do a new shape - let us set a size of an object from the get go, instead of creating it defaultly huge - ability to save some shapes/logos created in the designer - option to enable some sort of outline on a layer thing... sometimes when tidying up layers, it is hard to see which one is which - you have to wait for it to blick or sth - ability to free-draw, like a basic stencil/brush sorry if I mixed in stuff not related to UI
/ The more the merrier, anyone who uses and enjoys the tool can chip in Now I haven't reached the character limit with customs yet, how many is it? I can't remember :s That whole thing is a god send, though the tracking/spacing is a bit too tight with the Rail Alphabet, as those characters are wider than the standard. Also definitely behind the idea of a 'logo library'. They expanded the layer limit to 1000, just like Forza, which is fantastic, but like that game the catalogue feature would be a huge bonus to save time & ensure consistency with designs, do a perfect Freightliner logo once, never have to again. That's a dream feature. I'd also stipulate for the sake of ' further licensing issues' keep it local for the time being, so no creators club sharing. Oh and the censorship, I cannot stand it. This why they need to be told, 2 games later and they STILL haven't whitelisted 'Class' across the board! I agree, stop it resetting the camera & the list when you create a new layer. VERY annoying and spawn this new layer where you wish to spawn it on the list, I notice it always sends new layers to the bottom, it didn't do that in 1.0 afaik. Now, I do like that outline idea as I've felt the same. If a design is overall complex & loaded with layers and you wanna find a specific piece but aren't sure where exactly it is, you have to wait for it to briefly 'glow' in that blue stripey pattern. So why not have a moving outline round each highlighted layer element instead, similar to photoshop's select/wand function so you know what you're hovering on, consistently. So the prior image is for a basic shape but the same can also apply to groups and maybe a 'text box' for the custom text layers. Oh and one more thing that comes to mind; DTG why on earth did you add an exit function to the save icon?! Again more needless compartmentalising, with the added save mapped to 'X'. Two need to be removed as you have 2 buttons for separate functions and one extra covering both! Once again frustrating as this an unlearning exercise because it didn't have this on that icon in LD1.0, so it's very easy to accidentally exit with a wish to save. Especially when you got a big shiny save button, why would you look to the bottom right to see you can save without leaving. In stark contrast, 1.0 had it nailed, clean, no fuss and overall less clutter as the new UI does encroach on the workspace. You didn't have to reinvent the wheel. Ohh and there'll be more yet...
