Hello raiders!
We emerge from the coils of Neterun to tell you about one of the most important tasks we are tackling during this period, which you will find in a future Hell Galaxy patch and that we particularly care about. We are talking about crafting and ship customization. It is an update that many of you have asked for and, at the same time, was already something we had been wanting to improve for a long time. For this reason, we decided to rethink the way information regarding the ship, modules, and their management is presented to the player.
To approach this work, we started from the basics, focusing on improving the UX. We created several interactive prototypes to find different solutions and strike the right balance between aesthetics, readability, and information management. Keep in mind that the images show mockups from different stages of development.
The first full version already had a structure very close to the current one, organizing the three main elements more clearly: sockets and modules on the left, the ship in the center, and ship information on the right. From there, a long refinement process began, which is still ongoing.
We gave more space to the Hull selection, introducing a clearer display of those already unlocked to highlight progression. We also improved the selection and sorting of equipped modules. Ship information was also revised to give greater emphasis to the quality and rarity of characteristics, while the cargo section was updated to better highlight module rarity. In the subsequent iteration, we cleaned up the interface, bringing module information closer to the sockets and making the selection of elements mounted on the ship clearer. We introduced visual connections between module information and the 3D model to make the relationship between the UI and ship configuration more immediate. The ship selector was moved to the center, and the information panel on the right was simplified while keeping feature quality highlighted.
Once the main structure was defined, we worked primarily on readability, spacing, and proportions. We lightened the top bar, reducing the impact of the orange color, and added graphical elements to create greater continuity across the three main areas of the interface.
We then dedicated ourselves to visual consistency. We aligned the ship information with the socket panel, adjusting text sizes and opacities to give greater prominence to individual values. Options regarding module removal and replacement were also revised in terms of spacing and proportions, integrating them better with the rest of the interface.
This is the latest step we have reached so far. The work is ongoing because we want to make the interface even cleaner and interact organically with the ship's Hull.
But the update doesn't end here. We are working on another experience tied to the expanded universe of Hell Galaxy, set in a different era of human expansion in the Galaxy of Neterun. Here too, Raiders will be at the center, but with a different approach, starting from a real expedition to undertake…
Okay, stop spoilers. We just wanted to give you a small sign, which you will see become clearer and clearer in the near future. Now it's time to dive back into Neterun. Thank you, as always, for your vital feedback. We will meet again in the next update.
Farewell, raiders!