MOARdV
commented
4 years ago A second reason to do this - it looks like I've accidentally deleted the first work-in-progress MFD design. And a 3rd reason - I started documentation on how to make touch screen MFDs, but I burned out before I finished it.
Some brainstorming on the MFD:
- Single MFD that contains all functionality. The IFMS design I started on required the use of a kOSMonitor as a 'management' MFD, and a second MFD type for the 'display' MFD.
- Use a nested menu style design. It may require drilling down one or two layers to find the right page, but I don't think that can be helped.
- Include "tool tips" for each of the menu entries. Not in the sense of real tool tips, but a short description next to the touch button.
- Add separate "Back" and "Home" keys (button props). Sort of like the Home key on a smart phone - something that jumps to the starting page of the menu. But also a "Back" button that moves up one level in the menu. Although the MFD pages can have a "Back" button, as well. (this are working around the fact that I can't model props, and alexustas isn't available)
One idea I have is, at the top level, have a button on the left for "Display", and on the right for "Manage". Touching one of them brings up a menu along that side of different screens (Launch, Flight, Orbit, Intercept, Dock, Landing, Navigation, etc). Using the same labels in the same order makes it easier to learn your way around. There are other pages that I'll need, but that's a start.
Something like an uber-MFD that does everything? See how far I can push MAS and the touch-screen implementation.
EDIT 26APR22:
Top level home page contains the standard verbiage, plus DISPLAY and CONFIG touch-buttons. Pressing either of them brings up a new page with multiple buttons, each of which select either a functional MFD display page, or the configuration page for the MFD page:
[ ] FLIGHT: DISPLAY - Conventional aircraft-style instrument cluster. CONFIG - options to reconfigure the display (eg, switch between a navball and an aviation horizon, and maybe some of the other options found in the existing flight display)
[ ] LAUNCH: DISPLAY - Orbital craft instrument cluster focused on surface-to-orbit operations. CONFIG - MechJeb ascent guidance + some sort of support for non-MechJeb (such as, still set the target Ap, and the display page can show progress to that goal).
[ ] ORBIT: DISPLAY - On-orbit display (navball and orbit-relevant ladders, other data). CONFIG - TBD
[ ] MAP: DISPLAY - Orbital track display + orbital metrics. CONFIG - TBD
[ ] MNVR: DISPLAY - Maneuver node info. CONFIG - Configure a maneuver node.
[ ] DOCK: DISPLAY - A new approach / docking display. CONFIG - TBD
[ ] LAND: DISPLAY - Return-from-orbit / landing (including distance-to-landing zone, cross-track info, etc). CONFIG - Set a surface target.
[ ] TARGET: DISPLAY - Target-specific info. CONFIG - Target selection.
[ ] RNDZ: DISPLAY - Rendezvous info (closest approach, etc). CONFIG - TBD
[ ] SAS: DISPLAY - SAS modes, MechJeb SASS modes. CONFIG - Maybe SASS-specific stuff (surface-relative roll/pitch/yaw offsets?)
[ ] CAMERA: DISPLAY - Camera display. CONFIG - Camera controls (select, pan/zoom, mode switch)
[ ] NAV: DISPLAY - waypoint and radio navigation. CONFIG - Select waypoint, set radio nav settings.
[ ] ENGINE: DISPLAY - Engine/fuel status. CONFIG - Engine management (gimbal, engine disable)
[ ] ACTION: DISPLAY - Action groups + lights / brakes. CONFIG - TBD
[ ] ROVER: DISPLAY - Rover / land navigation. CONFIG - TBD.
[ ] POWER: DISPLAY - Power production / consumption, production by source. CONFIG - Deploy solar panels, toggle fuel cells.
[ ] RSRC: DISPLAY - Resource status (stage / total), CONFIG - Select which resources are displayed?
[ ] SCIENCE: DISPLAY - Experiments that can run, science that can be transmitted. CONFIG - more management settings?
[ ] WBI: DISPLAY - Flying saucers-related flight systems, when they're detected. CONFIG - TBD
All pages but the home page include a square button in the top-left corner with double left-arrows (a rewind icon) or a house to indicate returning to the home page.
All pages but the home page also have a square button next to the home page that contains a single left-arrow to go one level up (from the DISPLAY or CONFIG page, this goes home. From one of the functional MFD pages, this goes back to DISPLAY or CONFIG).
All DISPLAY and CONFIG pages have text next to the two back navigation arrows that identifies the page (such as LAUNCH DISPLAY). This will help with fixing reported bugs.
All DISPLAY and CONFIG pages have a button in the upper-right corner that shows either DISPLAY or CONFIG (whichever mode is NOT the current mode). This button allows switching between the display mode and the config mode for a given functional page.