Non skeuomorphic interface

[Clear Air Turbulence]

Is it possible? I am thinking about the altitude indicator at the top, but maybe the navball & other metres. The clunky, mechanical look does not work for me?

(My main hobby is electronic music, and I prefer the Ableton Live look versus the Reason look, if you know what I mean)

[Coyote27]

Can you photoshop an idea of what you'd want it to look like?

This might be more modder territory, but let's see what you have in mind.

[Alshain]

He's talking about the Stewart-Warner odometer (aka Auto-Meter), which is a mechanical device that uses magnets to rotate metal discs for displaying numbers and is what the altimeter in game is modeled after. They are an older technology not really used anymore. He is saying he would prefer a digital altimeter.

Also, the NavBall is a water/oil filled Ball Compass. Those too aren't all that common in mechanical devices anymore (still good for handhelds though).

Personally I like the UI the way it is, I wouldn't be opposed it having it selectable though.

Edited September 30, 2015 by Alshain

[Clear Air Turbulence]

I would have to learn photoshop first

But Ashlain: yes, that's exactly what I mean.

[mattinoz]

Have to say I'm not a fan of the current UI with the 80's clunky fonts and buttons but it's seems that is just what you get with games.

<Old man yells at cloud> Damn you Mindcraft </>

The only thing that has really bothered me about the Altimeter readout is that is at the top of the screen and would be to me if all the info was clustered together near the Navball.

I don't mind a change of the style. Indeed I'd love to see a Pixie Tube Readout sticking up from the bottom of the screen but that would be just as skeuomorphic as current.

[Clear Air Turbulence]

http://typesetinthefuture.com/

[Nothalogh]

I would like to see an actually unified UI format

[John FX]

It would be nice to have themes, like retro, futuristic, NASA, and Aero (for all the spaceplane people) for the readouts.

Also for this to be easily modded so you could just download a new theme for the UI.

Then if someone releases a particular craft, it could be released with a theme, for example Flash Gordens rocket, or Tintins or Apollo 11.

If it was just a .cfg and some bitmaps in a folder, that would seem to make most sense.

[DuoDex]

Considering that there's a UI (re)design in the works for 1.1, I wouldn't be surprised if we get a more unified and better looking interface with 1.1...even if it does still have a bit of the '80s and '90s feel to it.

[RocketBlam]

I think it's designed that way to reflect the "found on side of road" design philosophy, which makes sense to me. It's supposed to look kind of old and clunky.

[XrayLima]

Thought.... What if the UI changed as VAB/SPH or Tech tree was upgraded. It could go from Analogue to Digital LED (Think 80's tech) to VDU (Modern glass cockpit type) as your technology improved. That would be quite cool I think.

[pincushionman]

It should be tied to the control part - if you pick an old one you get an old interface. Just because the state-of-the-art is glass cockpits doesn't mean the old mechanicals aren't still being made.

[Alshain]

Thought.... What if the UI changed as VAB/SPH or Tech tree was upgraded. It could go from Analogue to Digital LED (Think 80's tech) to VDU (Modern glass cockpit type) as your technology improved. That would be quite cool I think.

That isn't a bad idea.

[Whirligig Girl]

I have issues merely with the style of the U.I. it definitely seems to clash with the Atompunk/Rocketpunk 1950s-80s aesthetic the game seems to have (and the promotional imagery, have you seen the televisions on the console announcements? They look distinctly 60s). A few 7-segment displays, less cartoony graphics on the interface. Less shiny, more matte. Mechanical looking devices like the altimeter should not look like a cartoon drawing of an altimeter. The flight U.I. is one of the oldest pieces of artwork in the game. And at the time, it did fit with the rocket parts available. So I think the U.I. design should be redesigned.

Style to go for:

Some space shuttle type tech or something could also work I suppose. Just nothing too sleek and glossy.

Of course the optimal would be moddability of the G.U.I. You could make your own U.I. style. Alternatively, I like the idea about having multiple G.U.I.s that are tied to each control unit. Mk1 could be Mercury/Gemini styled, Mk1-2 could be Apollo styled, Mk3 cockpit could be shuttle styled, etc.

Edited September 30, 2015 by GregroxMun

[pizzaoverhead]

The flight U.I. is one of the oldest pieces of artwork in the game. And at the time, it did fit with the rocket parts available.

This is exactly the problem. These elements were designed for a completely different game. This one:

Note the altimeter. When you've been working on a game for so many years, things like this become invisible; part of the furniture. They've had plenty to keep them busy in the meantime, but now that the GUI is being overhauled, the time has come to evaluate what they want from the GUI. The difficulty is that they may not want to just bin the designs and start again. The GUI is as recognisable and iconic a part of KSP as the kerbals themselves, and in a large part defines the look and feel of the game: