Let's talk about the DE interface once again

Age of Empires III: DE III - Discussion
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For a while, I can clearly notice that the focus of the regular updates is on adding new content to the game and balancing everything out very well.

While that is important, we should not forget that players navigate through the game almost as much as they are actually playing a game. Finding a game and looking at the interface really takes some time.

Therefore I want to bring under attention that the interface of the game still really feels very buggy and is nowhere close to the ESO interface (from the legacy game). ESO had more options, looks better and feels less buggy.

  • The gamebrowser feels very buggy. It’s slow, updates automatically so the overview gets messed up, filters don’t work well or are useless.
  • There is no friends list on top.
  • You can’t see who of your friends is online. Therefore browsing through the game feels lonely. —> DRASTICALLY NEEDS FIX.
  • When waiting for a quick match, you can’t browse other taps or do other things.
  • Chatting feels buggy. Chats do not open well and respond slow.

So while the focus is mainly on ingame features and balance, please DON’T forget to pay attention to the online interface, as this should also be part of the definitive edition of the game. A well designed and working (online) interface encourages players to play the game. Especially when you can see who of your friends is online :wink:

Thanks in advance.

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Microsoft Published a game without functional User Interface (...)
Why dont get nothing?
What aspects do you think were better in the old version of AOE-3 than in the Definitive Edition?
Why the (online) interface of DE should be improved
NEEDED User Interface FIXES!
Why dont get nothing?
Why the (online) interface of DE should be improved
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Related thread: Why the (online) interface of DE should be improved

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i do agree hiding especially friends list was a mistake in the interface, also thinking just refining the already polished ESOC interface would be a better move, kinda how it happened in aoe2 de, i mean, look no further than options to see what that kind of refinement looks like

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If I had to rate the UI :

Legacy >>> Game Ranger >> DE

Yes, even the game ranger (A public 15yr old software to play multiplayer online) a better UI.

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Yeah the Legacy UI was way better

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I am very, very happy that the online status for friends is now added.

Thank you, devs. I also hope it differentiates between online and in-game.

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also excited that camera rotation reset and minimap ring compass are being added
beautiful stuff

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The ESO UI had a very nice feel to it. The de UI isn’t bad it’s a little simpler looking. It’s pretty easy to navigate when you are new though.

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I had all but lost hope on this! I am thrilled the friends list is being fixed, thank you devs! It’s important to a lot of us and will make setting up lobby games so much easier. This is great for the long-term heath of the game, especially team games.

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I can’t believe that this stuff did not spread out like fire, these things are so self evident, it’s like crucial stuff to allow a community to grow, just like a RTS cannot have a broken rec game system.
Anyway UI\UX stuff that you mention is similar or same stuff to what I mention and it’s not “my dream” it’s actually how it works in a game. It’s not “there is discord” we have steam bla bla bla.

These are naive stories, it’s a game that must feature these services otherwise you cannot really meet others and go play… u need like 100h free time a week to play games with AOE III with people and meet friends.. there is not even a log messaging for offlien sent messages!

It’s like madness, whoever did this must be extremely poor in competence and or also careless.
It’s like they digged the game tomb by releasing it and also damaging the title.

How come microsoft is not aware of these things?
It’s like producing job to check the quality of what is gettign out… who are the people that work at this. Do they know what is a video game? a RTS, do they know what community is, what aplayer does..

EXPERIENCE of an interface is done and understood by living it.
These peoplòe don’t even check what experience the player will have.

Call them game designers?
I am not insulting. THis stuff is hot matter. I also listed now since 1 year stuff that immediately is evident is missing.

Then don’t ask why the ###### doesn’t work.

It’s done like that.

5 clicks to reach the text box of the person u wanna “wishper” (DM\PM) to.. it’s like MADNESS.

Player search non existing

online status
and also IN match status.

Clan members visibile (optional) but must be there!

and many other things that are super simple to implement.

When you people say “it has been implemented” it has not been implemented. it is limited to who is Steam friend.
This stuff is extremely limited.
Often people name is not the same in game! So you can’t find people.
It’s just a huge suicidal plan by this title … relying on third party stuff… what is this a joke?!

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And more: NEEDED User Interface FIXES!