Should resource counter be moved near mini-map?

[ArcherofAiur]

Strykjarnet (TL.net) recently created a thread that caught my eye. He proposed moving the resource (and supply) counters down to the bottom right. Here they would be right above the mini-map. This could help new players learn to watch the mini-map more. But enough babble, what do you guys think?

NOTE: We are talking about the rescource and supply counters in the top RIGHT of the screen. Not the replay info overlay.

[DemolitionSquid]

Players will learn to use the mini-map just fine. It has never, ever been a problem before.

[MattII]

Nah, top-right corner serves well enough., that place is already practically a menu-bar, so it's not like it's taking up much space, certainly not as much as what they appear to be proposing.

[KillaKhan]

I think It should be left in the top right corner, it gives something to fill that space and people who already play will be so used to it being there.

[Blazur]

I can get behind this idea. There's a lot of wasted space in the main UI which translates to wasted potential. The less surface area your eyes need to travel to get pertinent information, the more informed a player will be.

But at this point I have my doubts about the possibility of this since Blizzard shows very little signs of any desire to innovate or change from the accepted UI.

[Gifted]

While it's an interesting idea, the ultimate reason why it's put into the upper left corner is a basic of UI design. Here are some basic facts:

1. The center of the screen is the most comfortable point the eye can watch.
2. It is more comfortable for the eye to move to the left, right and down. To a lesser degree, it's comfortable for the eye to move up. Diagonals provide more stress, the farther that your eye moves.
3. It's important that when your eye is observing the interface at a natural point (the center) that all the information in the most comfortable regions (left/right/down) is as consistent as possible. (This is why the left/right edges are typically clear and there is typically a "dip" below the center of a screen) To define "consistent", it should nearly the same information.. in other words regarding SC, "the battlefield". (However, if you want to create a claustraphobic interface as part of the identity, you can intrude upon this diamond.. think Airplane sims and how the bottom center "peak upwards)
4. Anything outside of the natural playing area is something that typically involves mental choice to look at. For this reason, if there are parts of the interface that you wish to be constantly aware of, it should intrude upon the nautral vision of the eyes. BUT if you have information that involves a choice, it should be in a place that involves choice. It activates the same parts of the brain. (This is ALSO why airplane sims put the specific instruments you want to watch into the diamond.. you "react" to those.)

There are more than that, but these are the only ones off the top of my mind that are relevant to this suggestion. For these points alone, and understanding the point of the UI, I feel that it should stay in the upper right. While the information it provides creates a "pro" of watching minimaps more (which should be a choice... I think that the cons it provides to the interface can be more distractive.

Oh yeah, I forgot a final point:

5. Right handed people naturally look right more than left when interacting with video games. The majority of the playerbase is right handed. Combine this along with the mentality that it's easier to view upward when "contemplating choices or thinking" (I dare you to put your hand to your chin and go "Hmmm". You will feel your eyes drift upward) upper right is the most notable point to put information regarding mental choices. Since "down" is more natural, it's to provide instinctive reaction points to look at. This is why the minimap on RTS is typically on the bottom if it's a "reactive" style game... and put in the upper quadrants if it's a game that involves mentally making a choice regarding it (Such as WoW by default)

I learned all of these little nuances and more when assisting veteran designers create a UI in one of my contracts. It's pretty interesting stuff... it also explains why some interfaces "feel wrong" for some people and others "feel right".

[ArcherofAiur]

While it's an interesting idea, the ultimate reason why it's put into the upper left corner is a basic of UI design. Here are some basic facts:

1. The center of the screen is the most comfortable point the eye can watch.
2. It is more comfortable for the eye to move to the left, right and down. To a lesser degree, it's comfortable for the eye to move up. Diagonals provide more stress, the farther that your eye moves.
3. It's important that when your eye is observing the interface at a natural point (the center) that all the information in the most comfortable regions (left/right/down) is as consistent as possible. (This is why the left/right edges are typically clear and there is typically a "dip" below the center of a screen) To define "consistent", it should nearly the same information.. in other words regarding SC, "the battlefield". (However, if you want to create a claustraphobic interface as part of the identity, you can intrude upon this diamond.. think Airplane sims and how the bottom center "peak upwards)
4. Anything outside of the natural playing area is something that typically involves mental choice to look at. For this reason, if there are parts of the interface that you wish to be constantly aware of, it should intrude upon the nautral vision of the eyes. BUT if you have information that involves a choice, it should be in a place that involves choice. It activates the same parts of the brain. (This is ALSO why airplane sims put the specific instruments you want to watch into the diamond.. you "react" to those.)

All of those reasons seem to be consistant with putting the resource counters above the mini map.

Your final point about right handed people would indicate that the resources should be at the bottom right.

[Norfindel]

What!? No psi interface?

[Xeonio]

While it's an interesting idea, the ultimate reason why it's put into the upper left corner is a basic of UI design. Here are some basic facts:

1. The center of the screen is the most comfortable point the eye can watch.
2. It is more comfortable for the eye to move to the left, right and down. To a lesser degree, it's comfortable for the eye to move up. Diagonals provide more stress, the farther that your eye moves.
3. It's important that when your eye is observing the interface at a natural point (the center) that all the information in the most comfortable regions (left/right/down) is as consistent as possible. (This is why the left/right edges are typically clear and there is typically a "dip" below the center of a screen) To define "consistent", it should nearly the same information.. in other words regarding SC, "the battlefield". (However, if you want to create a claustraphobic interface as part of the identity, you can intrude upon this diamond.. think Airplane sims and how the bottom center "peak upwards)
4. Anything outside of the natural playing area is something that typically involves mental choice to look at. For this reason, if there are parts of the interface that you wish to be constantly aware of, it should intrude upon the nautral vision of the eyes. BUT if you have information that involves a choice, it should be in a place that involves choice. It activates the same parts of the brain. (This is ALSO why airplane sims put the specific instruments you want to watch into the diamond.. you "react" to those.)

There are more than that, but these are the only ones off the top of my mind that are relevant to this suggestion. For these points alone, and understanding the point of the UI, I feel that it should stay in the upper right. While the information it provides creates a "pro" of watching minimaps more (which should be a choice... I think that the cons it provides to the interface can be more distractive.

Oh yeah, I forgot a final point:

5. Right handed people naturally look right more than left when interacting with video games. The majority of the playerbase is right handed. Combine this along with the mentality that it's easier to view upward when "contemplating choices or thinking" (I dare you to put your hand to your chin and go "Hmmm". You will feel your eyes drift upward) upper right is the most notable point to put information regarding mental choices. Since "down" is more natural, it's to provide instinctive reaction points to look at. This is why the minimap on RTS is typically on the bottom if it's a "reactive" style game... and put in the upper quadrants if it's a game that involves mentally making a choice regarding it (Such as WoW by default)

I learned all of these little nuances and more when assisting veteran designers create a UI in one of my contracts. It's pretty interesting stuff... it also explains why some interfaces "feel wrong" for some people and others "feel right".

Heya Gifted, I was just wondering if this was somewhat compiled somewhere? I tried googling a couple of different things and couldn't really find what you are talking about. It makes sense, but I was looking for a bit more information on the data that you provided.

Thx,
Xeonio

[Operatoring]

It should be customizable. You should be able to put the Resources and Supply counters anywhere on the screen you want.