Greatest Annoyance in X3TC - Menu Randomness

[zymurg]

I admit, there are many annoyances in X3TC, but the MOST annoying one to me that has been consistant through all versions and EgoSoft continues to ignore is the menu Randomness of cursor placement.
If you go to the "Property Menu" (the one you get from the "R" key) select any property item with a mouse click, when you exit that item where you will be in the property listing is a mystery and often appears total random. Occassionaly you will return to the place you started, but not often.
This item has been talked about in several other threads but EgoSoft has continued to ignore it in all their updates and patches. However, I find it without a doubt, to be the greatest annoyance of X3TC.

When are they going to fix it? It should be a simple task to remember where you were in the menu before you clicked on a property, and when you exit out of there to return you to where you were. Period!

[kurush]

Check the new feature in 2.5. You can now change the sort order of your ships and if you sort them by type, this is no longer an issue.

[zymurg]

[Targ Collective]

The menu does remember.

When a ship changes sector its position in the sector list will change - so the whole list is changing, dynamically, all the time.

Unless you sort by type.

[zymurg]

[Smacksim]

No no no. (j.k., it is annoying)

The annoying thing is that docked ships and flying ships have different #s for commands. Docked and 'return home'? "c", "1", "7". Flying? "c", "1", "8" (or is that 6?). For those that can actually type this is sinfully evil.

[Targ Collective]

Remembering a position is how it works. Locking you onto a specific ship is pointless if the menu itself is in a consistent state of flux. If you need to give orders to a large group of ships in one sector, dock them all to one station or ship and select one and use "transmit to all ships of type". Wing commands can also be used for bulk commands. In short there are ways around whatever your problem is.

Please detail exactly why this is an issue and I will swiftly explain why it needn't be.

[zymurg]

[Targ Collective]

Politician? Hardly.

If you simply have a problem with the way the system works *on principle*, then I and no-one can help you. Linking the menu cursor by ship ID rather than menu placement would require considerable development effort that most will agree would be better spent elsewhere. For those who have an issue, a little bit of thought can make it a non-issue. Besides, ordering by sector can actually be useful if you want to jump a group of ships out of a sector to another one without making them a wing.

Given that the system is not going to change because the odd person finds it annoying, the next stage of thought leads us to consider how it can be less annoying for those irked by it, or even not annoying in the slightest.

[stavros]

just use the "Up, Down, Left, Right" arrow keys.

That way, there is no need for a mouse cursor and you are always kept in the same position when you have to leave your ships menu to go back to your list of ships.

Problem solved methinks!

[zymurg]

[Targ Collective]

So far I fail to see *why* this is a problem for you. List by shiptype; problem solved.

There will be those out there who find uses for the system as it is. Why is the function you propose intrinsically better than the way things are now?

[zymurg]

[Smacksim]

I would say "apologist" (in the classical greek sense) rather than politician. The modern vernacular suggests 'fanboi', but that is generally considered derogatory.

There is an issue. It could be improved. Nobody (so far) is arguing that. Which is to say that your point is accepted, albeit on less than courageous terms (by arguing another point others are in fact accepting the argument verbatim). I've never had an issue with it myself, but the larger the empire.... the more insane the property list, flags or no flags.

I would point out that the argument: "They should spend their efforts on more important things" is classic rubbish. Its either an ad hominem attack on the poster's choice of complaint values, or is a simple deflection. It is not an argument, it is a concession masked in turpitudes.

You've said it's an issue for you. I believe you. I can see how it would be as you've described it. I agree with your suggested solution. Whee, that was easy!

[Targ Collective]

zymurg, please stop. You are bordering on personal attack. I could have chosen to completely ignore this thread (and am on the verge of wishing I had); however, in the spirit of goodwill which seems so prevalent in these fine forums - most of the time - am actually taking an active interest and trying to think of ways this could be made less of a problem for you, using the system as is.

This is all I can do for you lacking the power to actually change things for you. And if you are serious about requesting change you should be posting in the L3 Ideas forum right now instead of complaining here, or alienating people.

You still haven't given a good reason that this should be changed either, beyond that you find it annoying. This is not terribly descriptive. Explaining *why* you find this annoying would actually give us a way forwards with this discussion.