Larian Studios Forums Divinity: Original Sin 2 Divinity - Original Sin 2 - Suggestions and Feedback UI suggestions (inventory, zoom, pause, etc.)

(EDITED FOR BETTER ORGANIZATION - 10/23)

I first posted many of the below suggestions among others in 2014 during the D:OS 1 alpha, then again during the D:OS 1 beta (http://www.larian.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=485218#Post485218). I've now copied below only those that are a) "uncontroversial" UI/convenience suggestions - many other forum topics discuss more subjective things like game balance issues - and b) still not implemented in D:OS 2 (though please correct me for any that are, since I haven't been playing the early access).


1) Items should be consistently arranged in the same item grid slot order in all NPC trading and current player inventory menus

2) An option to tag/mark items as "junk" for later quick/one-click sale
See the system used in the most recent Avernum games by Spiderweb Software.

3) All items of an identical type (except equipment) should stack in inventory/trading menus

4) An option to manually type the number of items to move/trade from within a stack

5) Each NPC's Identify/Repair ability levels should be displayed in the NPC's trading menu
(This one will depend on how the current identify/repair mechanics are eventually reworked.)

6) The effects of all player and NPC stats on price should be clearly shown in item trading tooltips

7) After drinking from a container, an empty container should generate in the player's inventory
This should affect bottles, cups, mugs, flasks, etc.

8) NPC dialogue options previously chosen by the player should be "dimmed"/"grayed"

9) A more convenient method of ending an NPC dialogue at any time
E.g. by hitting "ESC" to exit the dialogue screen, and/or moving the "end dialogue" speech option to the top or side of the list from its current usual position at the bottom. In situations where dialogue can't be skipped for quest reasons, the "end dialogue" option may then be disabled.

10) "ALT" (item highlight) should optionally function as a toggle (always on vs. always off)

11) The camera "zoom out" height/range should be increased

12) A "pause" function
The game should have the option to auto-pause when a popup appears, or when the game menu is opened.

13) All custom map markers should be fully editable
Currently, you can add a marker by left-clicking on the map, and can delete a marker by right-clicking it, but there should be an easy way to select and edit the description for each existing marker as well.

14) Hotbar/skill menu enhancements
Add the ability to assign an entire skill category to one hotbar slot, such that right-clicking the "Fire Magic" slot (for example) would open the player's Fire Magic skillbook menu; for sample mockup, see http://www.larian.com/forums/ubbthr...Main=34882&Number=494624#Post494624.

15) Anti-theft toggle to prevent accidental stealing actions

16) Link/unlink all nearby party members button

17) Easier way to see the effects of buffs/debuffs on non-party members

18) Double-clicking a spot on the map should move the camera to that location

Always for a junk sell option.

The junk bag idea is a really good one. There's so few video games that have a useful junk management system. And don't mark it as "valuables" like Inquisition did...

I see this desired across almost every game with loot in it these days and while I personally don't see the benefit in any game where you don't also have moments where you also can't do anything else except sort through your inventory. This isn't one of those games but I know how much people love their junk markers and it would be really easy to implement so sure, why not?

I'd also like to again bring to Larian's attention three more relatively simple convenience suggestions from the large list linked in the OP of this topic, most of which weren't implemented in D:OS 1. Hopefully the devs have enough resources this time around to put some of these ideas in for D:OS 2! (I haven't been playing the early access, so if any of these suggestions are already in the game, please let me know.)

A key ring (functioning as an "openable" container) to automatically store all acquired keys should be added

All items of an identical type (except equipment) should stack with each other in the inventory and trading menus

After drinking from a container (bottle/cup/mug/flask/etc.), an empty container should generate in the player's inventory

Another one from my original D:OS 1 alpha/beta suggestion list above, which I just noticed others are asking for again with D:OS 2 (http://larian.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=594110#Post594110). I'm not sure whether Larian is interested in this, as they seem to be fans of pixel hunting, but here goes one more time:

"ALT" should consistently highlight all items/containers within the player's sight range
Currently, most items as well as chests (but no other containers, like barrels/baskets/crates/vases) are highlighted; however, some useful items are never highlighted (e.g. pillows, soap, whetstones), and neither are any "junk" items (bowls, broken bottles, fabric dyes, (flower) pots, forks, globes, lab junk, plates, vials, although the non-highlighting of junk may be intentional). Also, although this should be an optional toggle in the main menu to satisfy both those who enjoy and those who hate pixel-hunting, there should be an option to make item/container highlighting always automatically active.


I also think I saw others ask for a true gameplay "pause" function recently, but I can't find the topics now. Either way, from my original list:

A "pause" function should be added
The game should have the option to auto-pause when a popup appears, or when the game menu is opened.

Biggest ones for me, will continue to be

1. Anti-theft toggle to prevent accidental stealing actions
2. Link/unlink all nearby party members button
3. Easier way to see the effects of buff/debuffs on non-party members
4. Better map navigation

I'll just go over all of the points in the order they've come up in this thread.


I don't feel strongly about this one, since you can just use bags anyways, but adding it couldn't possibly detract from anyones experience so there's no reason not to add this.

Very important, and it's been added! So that's progress.

This would only be confusing since there are multiple characters, and only the one with the key should be able to use it. Just find a bag and use it as your key ring.

The only reason not to do this is for inventory management, and the only management is your weight since your bag will extend infinitely. Definitely should be added.

Yes.

Containers should not be highlighted. Items are understandable because they can blend with the ground, but containers should be something the player has to search the room for by running their mouse over things that seem interactable. It effectively replaces a 'search' mechanic (like in d&d) by making the player search for themselves, and I love it.

Yes.

Yes.

Like the junk marking, I don't think this is very important, but it couldn't possibly hurt.

Visual clarity is always good.

I'm not sure I understand this one, could you explain what you mean?


And on a side note, never think that Larian or really any dev doesn't care about the community feedback. The reason devs ignore community suggestions is because the community doesn't agree on it whole sale, and it loses it's impact. It's important to comment on threads like this with whether you agree or not because it shows the devs it's more of a unanimous thing and not just a small part of the community rambling. (Although it would be better if everything were in one place, which is why I've put the good things you mentioned on my list.)

Nivv - I'm all for those (anti-theft toggle would be really nice), but I also don't quite get what you mean by number 4?

Chocolate - thanks for the feedback, and for confirming the left-click thing is finally in (was a pet peeve of mine since D:OS 1 alpha); I also totally agree about the need for topics like this to collect suggestions and make things clearer for the devs to review. Hopefully Larian will continue to make convenience improvements like these that are requested here and elsewhere; the somewhat clunky UI (for inventory management especially) was one of my biggest issues with D:OS 1.



You could use a bag to sort stuff you want to sell, true, but that requires you to first manually separate the junk into the bag, and then sell the stuff in the bag individually (or the whole bag, if you don't want to keep the bag). But if you could instead just mark each individual item as "junk for sale" either at the time you first pick it up or later on, no further micromanagement would be needed.



I don't see how automatically sorting keys onto a key ring vs. manually sorting keys into a bag would cause confusion here.

Also, it sounds like this one still isn't in? And I'm going to edit the OP of this topic to organize all the stuff I had leftover from my old list that I don't think is yet in for D:OS 2.

Items should be consistently arranged in the same item grid slot order in all NPC trading and current player inventory menus

Aaaaand one more added to the OP from the old list: as with the D:OS 1 alpha/beta, I've seen others asking for ALT to be an always on/off toggle (rather than something you have to manually hold down). Simple fix, big convenience impact. From http://larian.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=585517#Post585517.

I meant the only reason for items not to stack is so you have to manage the inventory slots, but that isn't a concern in Divinity so there's no reason for anything to not be stackable. (I'm looking at you, tongs.)

And the auto key ring feature would be confusing because there are multiple characters and the key ring would only be on one character. People would either be annoyed that the keys have to all go to one person, or they might not know about the key ring and be confused why they can't use keys because the key ring is on the wrong character.

It's just confusing for players. Much better to just let them handle it themselves with bags.

Sure, I get you and agree there - was just clarifying my original statement. But I don't get what you meant about a key ring confusing things with multiplayer? You can see I'm trying to weed out stuff from the list that would actually have a clear negative/subjective aspect, so I'm not sure on that one.

(I'm starting an awkward edit-conversation here) With the key ring, what if it only automatically went to the ring of the person who picked up the key? So to me, no difference with that compared to any other item only being usable by the person who nabs it first. And each person would have one, and keys could still be manually moved. It would just add a useful inventory slot to avoid key clutter elsewhere.

Yeah I edited it in while you were responding, sorry forgot about it lol

I don't know. It feels like an annoying step. What if you want to transfer a key to another character? Now you have to go into an extra key ring container to get out the key and then give it to their key ring. I just think mandatory organization is bad for a game like this, and a key ring isn't really an option you can toggle in the menu.

I keep finding stuff from the OP list cropping up again for discussion in D:OS 2 - on the issue of identical items still not stacking in inventory: http://larian.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=592112#Post592112. Larian, I know you have nothing else to do these days, so please fix it!

And chocolate, I think I see what you mean on the key ring now. Editing to remove from the OP list. That way Larian can just do everything in the list with no worries for the next patch, right? Heh

lel we can dream

By the map navigation issue, I mean I would prefer it to be more like in the Infinity Engine games (Icewind Dale/Baldur's Gate, etc).

It's a little difficult to explain I guess if you have not played those games.

The way it is now, when you open the map you can only see the map, and drag it around. You cannot double click a spot on the map to move the camera over to that physical location.

This makes traveling to and from places kind of annoying, as well as trying to figure out exactly how to get from one area to the other, as you have to navigate the camera over to map locations manually.

OK - I'd really like to see this as well (I'm a big fan of the old IE games and this mechanic), and I think I and others had also requested it for D:OS 1, though not in the OP list. Anyone see any problems with this? It seems it would be another UI change that would have no real negative impact on gameplay for anyone, while adding to the convenience factor for at least some players, which is what I'm looking for here.

Didn't the last patch finally fix the stacking issue? The did some stuff with the roots to make more stuff stackable at least.

But I did not test it out so far.