Hacking Let's make WiiFlow Simple and Beautiful Again

[spacepimp]

So, that's iot.
I have some further ideas of my own, one about an "eye" icon in coverflow to display viewing options - some other ideas brewing. I want to have a bit more of think. Just have a read, tell us what you think.
Thanks for reading this far.
spacepimp

 

[pepxl]

Wow is all I can say about your 12 post mega streak to bump your thread every other hour, its seams you beat AbdallahTerro steak without breaking a sweat.

I might actually take some time reading this when I get the chance.

 

[AbdallahTerro]

It's called dodecatuplet

 

[Centrix]

ok so I find stuff like this interesting as I am a Ui/Gui designer I enjoy revamping interfaces as with any program or softmod there's always room for improvement to the interface. Personally I agree, I do think Wiiflow needs an update am I putting the team down for saying this, No, no I am not I have actually been in the works for a redesign for Wiiflow for a while now as it is my favorite USB Loader. There just sketches on drawing paper at the moment but now that I see there is interest in making this a possibility I say go for it. I'll start getting something ready in Photoshop for you all I was also responsible for the awesome redesign for Zack's Snes9x Euphoria emulator

I've also got several new features that I would love to see incorporated with Wiiflow if my Ui gets brought to life even if it doesn't I'd like to see them, I'll post them with my screen shots later!

 

[spacepimp]

Wow is all I can say about your 12 post mega streak to bump your thread every other hour, its seams you beat AbdallahTerro steak without breaking a sweat.

I might actually take some time reading this when I get the chance.

It's called dodecatuplet

Gents, just wanted to say that I decided to chunk one mega post down to make it a bit more easier to handle, not simply to bump the thread. This post is however, purely designed to bump the thread.
BUMP!
p.s. not really.
Looking forward to reading your thought's...
sp

 

[Maxternal]

It's called dodecatuplet

I feel silly. I had to Google that word. I get it now.

 

[drakorex]

I was literally just about to ask you to do the same thing.
Honestly, I don't feel qualified. Given the display above, I've proven it ! I was thinking of doing a really half arsed one, with the hope that it would irritate someone who actually knows what they're talking about to do it. really tho, you should just do a first draft. You well deserve a sticky more than me, anyhoo!

Nah, I'm just an outsider looking in. The biggest contribution I've made is the idea for source menu icons. Anyway, it shouldn't be too hard to just gather up all the little pearls of wisdom dropped by the big wigs and gather them up along with any helpful download links and organize it into a How To. I just don't have the time.

 

[Maxternal]

I was literally just about to ask you to do the same thing.
Honestly, I don't feel qualified. Given the display above, I've proven it ! I was thinking of doing a really half arsed one, with the hope that it would irritate someone who actually knows what they're talking about to do it. really tho, you should just do a first draft. You well deserve a sticky more than me, anyhoo!

Nah, I'm just an outsider looking in. The biggest contribution I've made is the idea for source menu icons. Anyway, it shouldn't be too hard to just gather up all the little pearls of wisdom dropped by the big wigs and gather them up along with any helpful download links and organize it into a How To. I just don't have the time.

Actually [member='fledge68'] took care of that today.
http://gbatemp.net/topic/329590-wiiflow-31-mod-installation-and-setup/

 

[temps]

One very important thing guys, words are not very good for describing visual things .... pictures?

 

[spacepimp]

I agree, pictures would help. Unfortunately I lack the skills. If a passing artiste can help users visualise what has been described that would be superb! I might suggest that submitted artwork, even if not used directly, will certainly inform and influence whatever potentially ends up in wiiflow, but I would hasten to add that most of the icons and much of the general aesthetic has already been developed. Can you give a bit more of an idea of what you want help visualising?

Anyhoo, I found this on main wiiflow thread (spoiler removed by me) - thanks Maxternal!

You know what would be cool? A 3D model of each of those images.

Yeah, that would be cool. It would be like a coverflow of coverflows ... or a "sourceflow."
It would be a little bit easier to implement, though, if loading a 3D model was as easy at loading a PNG image.

you could use something like this for the testures

but unfortunately not all the consoles are as simple to render as the NES

 

[Maxternal]

The coolest way to implement source flow that I can think of without having to get rid of the source menu images people have put together is to just use a bunch of floating cubes with the same source menu images on all the sides of each cube. It would also be cool looking if they were slowly rotating in random directions, perhaps having that direction change as it is "bumped" by the passing cursor.

On the other hand, I think the simplest to implement would be to use the images in a coverflow similar to what you get when you set "box_mode=no" in WiiFlow.ini since there's not likely to be a full cover image if we're just using the same ones we already have.

Either way, I'm just thinking about what would look cool. All of these would be rather difficult to code but the floating, rendered console concept would LOOK the coolest. A simple box would only work to render a couple of them. The rest have added curves or an otherwise more complicated shape to them that would be a pain to render on a case by case basis ( Imagine the US version of the SNES or a freaking VirtualBoy ) and that would have to be hard coded unless someone could find a commonplace file format to represent 3D objects. Anyone can make some sort of image for the current source menu, just open up Paint and save it as a PNG but I don't think that many people know much about rendering their favorite console for a customer plugin setup they're making (I sure don't. Wouldn't even know where to start.)

 

[kineticUk]

I don't use the source menu yet but I agree the floating rendered console look would be nicest.
A stylized look rather than really accurate (comic-ish cardboard cutout like what was posted previously a few threads back. simple-ish)

As far as other parts of wiiflow I think its well possible to have all the functionality and still keep things simple enough and minimal for example,

I heard right clicking type context menus mentioned,
individual game options which appear when a cover is selected with "A" could instead be accessed differently and better hidden away.
When a game is selected in coverflow, focus can just center on this cover magnified enough so the user can have a better look at the front / back, but have "+" on the cover bring up the game settings. Remove those from where there they are now.
This same format could be used throughout the program in all sections, nand, games, dm(l).

I have not yet used categories but I think a show/hide (for example channel, vc, wiiware in nand coverfow) function for sorting/organising coverflows would be useful

I think a button on the wiimote should switch usb/nand/dm(l)/emu etc and maybe have another cycle coverflow types.

I think button wise "A" should confirm/select, "B" should cancel/deselect, "home" should bring up the home menu, "1" should cycle usb/nand/dm etc, "2" change coverflow...

Basically I think the best way forward interface wise would be to try to keep the minimal beautiful coverflow interface seperate to the technical advanced settings etc

I think if you press "home" on coverflow it should show the help text on screen and have the update icon top left. The reload cache button could be in another corner or centre and the global settings and exit wiiflow buttons.
Have the "1" or "2" button on wiimote switch coverflows it seems more natural. Having the update and help credits on "home" menu, you could get quite a few things neatly organised into that one screen where now they are more scattered if you know what I mean..
I feel a simple design would work really well with all of the functionality and its something that would have room to grow/advance with wiiflow.

I could go on thinking about this sort of thing sorry if I'm boring people,
I wish I knew more about code, I'd really wanna get involved in this.

 

[spacepimp]

TBH, 3d rendered consoles is a bit of a pipe dream, I was just hoping to find a way to make it practicable. It is a bit specialist to implement, maybe one day.... I'd be absolutely chuffed to bits with the current 2d artwork in a coverflow. As time goes on, larger, "front and back" covers may come along, but even so, any flavour sourceflow would be lovely.

I had a couple of ideas that didn't make it into draft form, but I'll outline one hat seems relevant to kinetic.

Simply, within wiiflows interface, it'd be nice to have a button config page - that has behaviors on one axis and functionality on the other. thus users could customise exactly what opened what, and how. i'm not sure this is even possible, or the coding involved makes it impractical to implement. However, it might simplify config in the future...
Anyhoo
Does any one NOT like the order for submission, or strongly like or dislike the ideas?

 

[MassiveRican]

TBH, 3d rendered consoles is a bit of a pipe dream, I was just hoping to find a way to make it practicable. It is a bit specialist to implement, maybe one day.... I'd be absolutely chuffed to bits with the current 2d artwork in a coverflow. As time goes on, larger, "front and back" covers may come along, but even so, any flavour sourceflow would be lovely.

I had a couple of ideas that didn't make it into draft form, but I'll outline one hat seems relevant to kinetic.

Simply, within wiiflows interface, it'd be nice to have a button config page - that has behaviors on one axis and functionality on the other. thus users could customise exactly what opened what, and how. i'm not sure this is even possible, or the coding involved makes it impractical to implement. However, it might simplify config in the future...
Anyhoo
Does any one NOT like the order for submission, or strongly like or dislike the ideas?

Here's the thing, with all the customization that a button config has, it wouldn't really be something the simple user does, but something more along the lines that an advanced user would do. I love the idea of button configuration, but would it really simply things or complicate them? For the coder obviously a complication, since considering buttons and having to have all the different code that would align with all the choices that are possible, and making that work bug free might take some time, or it might not.. I'm no coder so I don't know. For the advanced user it would be a dream to be able to layout WiiFlow however we like lol.

I'm back now 'pimpin' so I'll be posting my replies to some of your ideas posted earlier if they're still relevant as well as to the enhancement suggestions put on google code

 

[MassiveRican]

If you could mention your preferences, in order if you feel like it, ones you hate, one's that aren't intuitive or are clearly too difficult to code, ideas that aren't mentioned that you think should be there...or one's that are just too darn mental.

I'll basically touch upon those ideas that I like or warrant my attention, those that I don't comment on are basically one's I don't really have much interest in, e.g. the roulette scrolline ones. While the ideas are cool, they're not such a hot topic for me, and [member='spacepimp'] maybe you should give theme creation a try. If you speak with some of the talented themers around maybe there are ways to get a similar effect that might please you and possibly get similar results that you and [member='Maxternal'] are describing.

5/10. Sourceflow - displaying the source menu in a coverflow/Sourceflow Refinement
For me, this is my number one quirk with WiiFlow. While I'm thoroughly enjoying the efforts of all involved in creating the sourceflow menu (shot out to [member='mastershoes']), [member='abdallahterro'] and [member='Fledge68']) I still feel it does fall short on how Wiiflow can 'Flow' and present things.

I'll keep it short and simple. My preference would be 3D icons of the consoles themselves that we scroll through just like covers for Wii/GC games. We then click on a console it takes us to the games and we continue "Flowing" through game views, if not then a cover for the console itself. Whether they have the icons already created by community members on the cover or new fanart w/fullcovers that have a synopsis on the back, I would be pleased, as long as the 'Flow' is maintained it feels consistent,neat and part of a whole experience. Even something similar to the hombrew view with console icons would be cool.

I don't know if anyone else agrees but the source menu sometimes feels out of place in an environment like WiiFlow which is full on 3D, up until you start scrolling through the games for the console of course

6. Coverflow button options
Awesome idea, after a stable release maybe something like this can allow an advanced user full control over how they like to navigate through WiiFlow. Would be neat and interesting to see if it could be pulled off. Maybe somewhat of a challenge for Fix or maybe not since he's pretty fucking skilled

7. Tool Tip
This would take away from the minimalism of WiiFlow and while the idea is neat, I think the icons themselves are fairly self explanatory and I think that the icons are going to start getting cleaned up even more since we have a home menu now (Great Idea by the way Fix, been waiting a long time for that one). If someone really needs to see what everything does there's a help file now that can be seen right in WiiFlow, which should help clear things up for the technologically challenged

8. Right click context menus with icons and/or text
Again I feel this falls into the range of the tooltip idea where it takes away from the minimalism feel and would clutter the screen and overall experience that WiiFlow is intended to have. Hopefully since things are starting to get cleaned up thanks to the Home Menu, WiiFlow will have the capability to keep everything intuitively simple and as shortcut free as possible, unless we "the users" want to keep the shortcuts and can enable them or disable them in the .ini at our leisure.

 

[Maxternal]

Actually, the main reason I thought the tool tip thing would be good was because I really like the d-pad shortcuts and they're not something a noob would immediately know about and be able to enjoy. I've always envisioned something like the following and been unable to explain it so I made a crappy GIF to illustrate the idea.

(http://makeagif.com/i/nEzi4Z)
The idea is when you point at the mode icon the others come out from behind it and rotate into position when you press the corresponding direction.

 

[spacepimp]

^ digging this! So in the above animation, the user is holding the pointer over the icon - all the icons pop out, user then presses down and then right arrows?
So much to talk about. so tired. Tomorrow!

 

[Maxternal]

^ digging this! So in the above animation, the user is holding the pointer over the icon - all the icons pop out, user then presses down and then right arrows?
So much to talk about. so tired. Tomorrow!

That's the idea. I was thinking up then left but whatever ends up being most natural for the user.

 

[masterjakeway]

@ spacepimp
since you were gone by the time i threw this together, i thought i would post this here.

yeah see, i knew it was gonna look like crap against a black background... just a quick concept, lol!

 

[kineticUk]

Just wanted to say I feel all of MassiveRican's suggestions in his last post were spot on... agree with all of it.
Also I think that idea of maxternal is very interesting, cool hadn't thought of anything like that but I would like it if it replaces shortcuts.

See I dunno but I kinda feel like the wiimote setup could be more to control simple commonly used stuff
A - Select/Load (Hold 2 secs to Load)
B - Cancel/Back
1 - Switch source (Cycles through those you have enabled, Nand, Wii Games, GC Games, Emulators, etc)
2 - ?
-/+ - These could be used to cycle through coverflows styles and maybe other things...
For example, you have selected a game from coverflow but not loaded it (you did not hold "A" when selecting the game but simply pressed "A") and are getting "more info" and can see the close up of the box, banner, settings, etc. In this view these buttons could cycle back/forth through your games but in the more info settings view.
There are I'm sure more places these buttons could be used.
Home - Home menu (Hold 2 secs to exit wiiflow) - shows time/date, help/version info on screen and also buttons for update wiiflow (so removed from coverflow), reload/build cache, global settings (again removed from coverflow), exit wiiflow and maybe a button for source menu.

Now I seem to have a spare button, 2. But the idea is just to simplify controls wiimote wise and then build from here if needed.
I would wanna try to keep shortcuts to a minimum but like I mentioned above I think there are certain things which are really cool, feel right/make sense and make things better etc.

I'd like to hear what others think, I understand I may only scratch the surface when I use wiiflow and this simplification maybe doesn't cut it...