"Auto-hide the menubar" and TRS19 Driver

Hi all,

I just wanted to conduct an informal poll about the "auto-hide the menubar" feature in TRS19. Please understand that this poll refers to the new Driver menu layout, and not Surveyor or other locations in the game.

My feeling that this setting has outlived its usefulness. My reasoning is as follows:

* The auto-hide mechanism allowed the game to hide the menu bar when the user was not actively interacting it (determined by whether the mouse cursor was placed near the top of the screen). This was definitely not to everybody's taste, but for some people it meant that you could reclaim the portion of your screen that was otherwise entire blocked out by the menu bar, which was fully opaque and which wasn't particularly relevant most of the time.
* In TRS19, the Driver menus no longer reside on an opaque bar, so a lot of the rationale for autohiding is gone.
* Additionally, some gameplay-relevant features (score, clock, etc.) go away along with the menu icons.
* Some other elements in the same are (eg. objectives) stick around, leaving a (imo) fairly disjoint user experience.
* The menus are now more useful, but simultaneously less intrusive than they used to be.
* While the ability to hide the whole UI is not new, it's now more prominent and (to me, at least) seems more likely useful than hiding a relatively small part of the UI.

Let me know your thoughts. Do you use the auto-hide feature? If so, do you find it useful in Driver, or are you only using it for Surveyor? If you're using it for Surveyor, do you care about the fact that it also affects Driver?

thanks,

chris

I do agree that the auto hide feature has probably outlived its usefulness. I never used it in TANE but preferred to use the F6 and F5 keys to hide the opaque command bar and other screen real estate thieves.

As for TRS19, just today I used the F6 key to give me a completely clear screen, no menus or control icons. That did make a big difference to my "viewing pleasure" in Driver despite the fact that the game-play HUDs or various sorts now have transparent backgrounds and are now far less intrusive.

I would vote to retain the ability to hide all the control and menu icons in Driver via manual intervention by the user (e.g. the F6 key or similar). Perhaps add the ability to also manually hide/show any on screen messages such as objectives as well.

My thoughts.

Chris,

I don't recall ever using the auto-hide feature in my 14 years of Trainzing. Should this "feature" disappear, I say I wouldn't miss it.

Hi Chris --

Auto hide? I use it all the time and would would be very disappointed if it was removed.

One the same topic, what I would like is the ability to show or hide parts of the bottom HUD. For instance, hide the zombie face at the extreme left bottom or the gradient profile.

Phil

For me, it's similar to the option to auto-hide the Taskbar in Windows OS - a known, available feature that is hardly ever used or needed.
The top menu bar is less intrusive and smaller than ever before, so not highly distracting.
I prefer to remove all overlay elements at once when needed (rarely) by using the F5 function key and Ctrl+H for the junction overlays, etc.
Guess it might also depend on the amount of screen real-estate that people are throwing at Driver.
I have large, high definition monitors, with the Interface (HUD) overlays typically set to 20% in Driver. so I enjoy a large amount of uncluttered viewing area in Driver Mode.
What I do miss, however, is the discrete onscreen Trainz icon from later versions of T:ANE which allowed you to quickly add consists or load commodities to wagons, etc. during sessions.
(Would be just as happy, however, for this feature to remain less visible - but made quickly accessible from a keyboard shortcut or function key assignment).

As long as the Function (F) key operations are maintained, I am not concerned. I like a totally clear screen when driving (F5). Thx. for asking. Colin.

Auto hide? I use it all the time and would would be very disappointed if it was removed.

One the same topic, what I would like is the ability to show or hide parts of the bottom HUD. For instance, hide the zombie face at the extreme left bottom or the gradient profile.

Phil​

Click to expand...

Agree with the above +1

Hi, I have used it a lot in driver back in Trainz A New Era, but with SP1 and forward it just became a mess, which was then solved in SP3, but the menu bar returned everytime I changed camera. With that said, in TRS2019 it's still glitched, and I cannot use it, but I would definitely use it if it works correctly.

Never used the Auto hide, I just use F5 in driver if required.

For me "choice" is the word. I do like the total removal with a key stroke, is it F5 or F6? (There's a clue to how often I use it, LOL). But I can see where removing all but the lower right item, my DCC throttle control. The one thing I would like is if the "clock" could be move down to the lower right somewhere. I have trouble "seeing" what time my session is at.

Hi Phil,

philskene said:

Auto hide? I use it all the time...

Click to expand...

Could you go into a bit more detail about your use-case in TRS19 Driver please. For example:

* what advantages do you find from auto-hide of just the menu icons over (eg) hiding the UI as a whole.
* do you drive any sessions with Objectives, or do you always free-form?
* what do you find that the menu icons interfere with that the rest of the UI does not?

thanks,

chris

Hi Chris --

I think we all agree that there are times, for instance when taking screen shots, that we should be able to clear all the head up displays from the screen.

But then, for actual driving, what is the essential information? I generally set up open ended sessions, see for example, the many "Chuck & Joe" sessions I've uploaded to the Download Station. In these sessions I need all the information required to drive and control the locomotive and consist. But I really don't want any more because it just clutters up the screen.

What is essential? I'd suggest all the information shown in the bottom right of the TRS19 HUD with the addition of the clock time and the gradient. An odometer would also be useful. But I think it all needs to be better grouped. For example, the critical information when driving a steam locomotive is boiler pressure, coal level and water level. Group these together. And would it be possible to use symbols instead of "CO", "WA" and "BP". It's not at all intuitive what these are. I agree that there is no longer a need to show cut-off or regulator because this is now clearly visible with the larger sliders.

For brakes the important information is the brake cylinder pressure and the flow. But again the abbreviations used are not intuitive and this makes it hard to quickly determine the values of these. Coupler stress is important but needs to be better executed. A colour based representation (red, orange, green) perhaps?

The zombie face is not needed. It's too much of a distraction. And some faces are damn ugly. The track profile is interesting but not essential if you incorporate the gradient in the right side bottom displays. My recommendation would be to allow us to toggle the face and the profile on/off, independently of each other. That is, cycle through -- no zombie and no profile; just zombie; just profile; both.

As for the auto hide. The only essential information it contains is the clock. Moving the clock (important information) down to the right bottom displays will allow you to clear the upper part of the screen completely. And I certainly prefer the T:ANE way of accessing the upper display - just move the mouse to the top of the screen and it appears. The present arrangement of moving the mouse to the top right and then hoping the displays remain visible as the mouse is moved to the left is not particularly good. Often the display disappears before I get to the left side to access "Edit Trains" and "Session Options".
_____

On a separate issue, can I suggest a numeric setting instead of those dials in "Environment". I sometimes get requests about what settings I'm using in screen shots and videos. It would be much better if I could say, for example, Red =7 rather than the very vague Red = 4:30 o'clock.
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Thanks for the offer to provide feedback on the HUD. It's appreciated.

Phil

I do so agree with philskene. The auto hide is extremely useful and I also use it constantly. I agree too that the new driver faces are horrific and bear no relation to the chosen driver in Driver setup. Where I used to have Charlie driving coal trains in 1950's Brittain, I now seem to have a supermodel with a flowing blonde wig, unless Charlie has forked out for a deal of plastic surgery. Please give us back the option for UK drivers with proper uniforms and hats.

ingha

Instead of trying to find another choice to take away from us, how about giving some back - like the F6 & F9 options to hide/display the driver hud and other bars on an individual basis.

I used the hide function in Tane, but it is a pain to use in trs19. I am with Phil and his suggestions. I'd like to be with Phil also. Watch his building for many years have been awesome!!!! Bob Artim

philskene said:

And I certainly prefer the T:ANE way of accessing the upper display - just move the mouse to the top of the screen and it appears. The present arrangement of moving the mouse to the top right and then hoping the displays remain visible as the mouse is moved to the left is not particularly good. Often the display disappears before I get to the left side to access "Edit Trains" and "Session Options".
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Phil

Click to expand...

Hmmm, I haven't had that problem at all, it works for me the same as TANE - just move my mouse pointer anywhere along the top and the menu appears.

ingha said:

...I agree too that the new driver faces are horrific....
ingha

Click to expand...

I agree too and
-popup menu (window) for driver and driver face is too big and
- the most important information where the train go (navigate to st...) is to short
For me the photos of drivers are much better

I also don't like the current driver face animations and prefer the old style. Also the display of the route across the bottom takes up a lot of room and I would prefer a return to the HUD style in the top right hand corner and showing route information and distance covered etc. Even if this was turned on or off as an option is better than what we now have been given in TS19. think of it as like a car sat-nav as used by many now. having it running along the bottom with little real information is not of much use sadly. Also can we have a return to drive so you can just let the particular train driver rather than the offering we have now where you have to name a point you have to want.

I agree with steviez ... Turn it on when needed and forget the artsy appearance. A professional concise direct info display without weird pictures is best.

You can shrink or grow the size of the new hud at the bottom in the settings. Also I discovered if you put the mouse cursor in the track line part and roll your mouse wheel it will zoom in and out. So you can see more of the upcoming track or less if you like. Nice but please quick working in my territory. Get your own it is only free and give a name and password. Once you use the password for forum will be there to use. So please leave my area for me. Bob Artim aka RJ Artim