- Moderator
- #1
I've been thinking a lot about Navigation (at least for a new Home Screen) in MP2. It is the first thing the user sees when he fires up the all new shiny MP2, and in my eyes that first look must blow him away instantly or otherwise we will not get that much good feedback. We should show how capable the new architecture is.
This new concept must fulfill two key requirements:
a) make navigating inside the screen fun for the user!
b) allow the user to quickly get to the target screen he is looking for
To summarize the current status:
Almost all homescreens (MP1 and 2) use the same layout: A looped list (either horizontal or vertical) with the menu items. This is largely due to the limitations of the engine and available controls. But it does not fulfill both criteria above. It's definitely boring to scroll though a long list and it won't get the user fast to his goal.
My Idea:
One thing to inspire here: The human brain will much better remember angles than positions in homogeneous lists. therefore I'd like to arrange the menu items radial around a center. To get around the limited space in one radius, there should be more "circles" around the center holding items. For example an inner circle with 5 items and an outer circle with 8 items (and even more circles). The items can be visually connected with line towards the center and also along their circle. This would form a spiderweb
In order to make it even more fun, on opening the screen the item should all explode from the center to their designated position int he web. Upon focusing an item, it can grow and wobble to clearly state the current selection.
The items themselves are free to the designer as templates (if we are really good some kind of shadow effect on those items will give the whole web a 3D look).
Share your thoughts!
Here's a really rough mockup (beware I am really bad with drawing skills)
This new concept must fulfill two key requirements:
a) make navigating inside the screen fun for the user!
b) allow the user to quickly get to the target screen he is looking for
To summarize the current status:
Almost all homescreens (MP1 and 2) use the same layout: A looped list (either horizontal or vertical) with the menu items. This is largely due to the limitations of the engine and available controls. But it does not fulfill both criteria above. It's definitely boring to scroll though a long list and it won't get the user fast to his goal.
My Idea:
One thing to inspire here: The human brain will much better remember angles than positions in homogeneous lists. therefore I'd like to arrange the menu items radial around a center. To get around the limited space in one radius, there should be more "circles" around the center holding items. For example an inner circle with 5 items and an outer circle with 8 items (and even more circles). The items can be visually connected with line towards the center and also along their circle. This would form a spiderweb
In order to make it even more fun, on opening the screen the item should all explode from the center to their designated position int he web. Upon focusing an item, it can grow and wobble to clearly state the current selection.
The items themselves are free to the designer as templates (if we are really good some kind of shadow effect on those items will give the whole web a 3D look).
Share your thoughts!
Here's a really rough mockup (beware I am really bad with drawing skills)