Flexible UX customization and controllability support

[BenCheung0422]

Before the main content, please note that there were several issues for changing the UX, the GUI for different purposes, like #204, #367, #343, etc. However, even that they are closed by the issue creator, this should not eventually be ignored. There is even no implied or explicit consensus about minimalism, so this argument is not significant or effective.

Background

As mentioned, there were different ideas aiming to improve user experience in this game, but coming across with an idea of being minimalism with a lack of consensus. This makes both sides of the opinions conflicting, and so is not ideal. This should rather be built on the players' perspective instead, as most of the players would not care about minimalism, and with a trend to have more functionalities, features, customizations, options, etc.

Benefits

Different people come with different favours and preferences, so when this project is not really limited on this field, it should be able to allow more and make the game meet different favouritism. Minimalists can choose to use neater styles; ordinary people can choose to use the modern styles; traditionalists can choose to use the classic styles, as in the recent versions of Minicraft+. This really opens a door for people to choose what they would like, as what they would like to. As Minicraft+ is also a mod of Minicraft, this would not be a big problem.

This should be able to convenient players that would tend to have different user experience in the game, without extra needs of other mods or plugins.

Aspects

In terms of menu styles, some people like neat screen; some people like functional menus; some people like the original looks. Minimalists would like to have menus being in minimal, without animations and visual effects, and less information on the screen. There should be an option to use the styles of the current menus, with some suitable tweaks. As for a game in modern, it should be able to have more modern feelings from the latest display menu styles in systems, so mouse would be greatly supported but keyboard-only control should also be supported for convenience.

In terms of in-game object abundancy, some people like neat world; some people like to be in moderation; some people would like to have full experience. Mostly this is related to renderings and particles. Like in Minecraft there are options for clouds, player shadows, etc., but here, there can be controls over particles and some renderings if possible.

In terms of audio effects, some people like quiet place; some people would want to have only essential effects; some people would like to have some more effects; some people would like to have sounds everywhere. For sound effects, it would be mostly related to sound events on the in-game world, from tiles, entities, etc. Essential sound effects would include warnings. Other than sound events, there would be a separated control for BGM. Different themes of BGM can also be used, but with options.

In terms of controls, some people would just use keyboard; some people would like to use controllers; some people would like to use mouse. In general, players should be able to access all the menus and actions with only keyboard. Players should be able to access major functions with controllers and an option to disable keyboard when necessary. Advanced controls should also be allowed on controllers, making use of the analog sticks and D-pad, like other console games. Some controls should still be able to be accessed by mouse even in minimal menu styles, but the modern menu style would have the full control support of mouse, with flexibility.

Customization systems

For customization, currently there is only the resource pack system support and later there should be more flexible controls in resource packs and extra supports for data packs. This can also allow better constructions of maps and customized survivals.

Maps, as from Minecraft, provide players flexibility in gameplay experience, not only the vanilla storyline, but their own "minigames". This should be able to be realized also in Minicraft+.

Conclusion

As being the major community of Minicraft, Minicraft+, the major mod, should be able to allow more player controls and functionalities for them. Advanced discussions and implementations would be held when the corresponding specific part of this is being worked on, but in their places other than here.

There might be some opinions about mods or even mod loaders, but not discussed here. I will cover this part later in either GitHub issue or the Wiki blog.

Last but not least, this is an important user-oriented feature should be aimed as with the major mod, without unnecessary concerns about minimalism and themes, or even the conservation of styles. Players are our target audience and thus should not be ignored when even talking about other important fields as well.

See also

• Related discord post: GUI, rendering and audio customizability or controllability
• QOL additions  #291
• Adjust and improve interface structures and GUI experience #581