Don't auto-dismiss notifications

[mbriggs]

I didn't like this at game launch, starting to get back into stellaris now that utopia is out, and its the first thing that is bugging me now.

In EU4, if I have enough money to build buildings, a notification pops up under the main bar with a nice tooltip. It auto-dismisses if the situation changes (i.e. I don't have enough money anymore), or if I right-click it, it will dismiss until it would normally auto dismiss, and then become valid again.

In stellaris, if I have an anomaly I can research but I want to wait for a scientist to level first before checking failure rate again, the same type of notification shows up in the same place. But gaining another scientist level may take 20m, and WAY before that, it blinks and then auto-dismisses.

The hallmark of these types of games are there are a lot of things competing for brain space / your attention. In the eu4 style, I can ignore it for now, and it effectively becomes a "todo" note for me I can go through periodically as I play the game. With stellaris, it brings something to my attention, but now its up to me to remember it is something I need to care about later, sometimes much later.

I don't really see an upside to the current way stellaris handles this, although maybe I am missing something.

 

[Brucesim2003]

It's the same with auto pause that the older games (including EU4) have. You could set the various messages to behave the way you wanted. The later games seem to have a 'correct' way to play and a 'don't play at all' way.

 

[DreadLindwyrm]

Conversely, if all the messages stuck around until dealt with, then the screen would be full of notifications at some points.

 

[mbriggs]

Conversely, if all the messages stuck around until dealt with, then the screen would be full of notifications at some points.

Three things prevent that -- 1) they _should_ auto-dismiss if the condition which trigger them becomes invalid. using my example, if you can no longer research any anomalies, the tooltip disappears 2) group up similar notification and then list them in the tooltip. If i can research 3 anomalies, don't show me three notifications, show me one with 3 location entries in a tooltip. 3) If i actually don't want to deal with it, I can right click and it will go away. Building on that example, if I can research an anomaly but don't want to for some reason, I right click and it will stay dismissed until there is another anomaly available for research.

This is actually a very standard paradox UI element that is quite successfully used in most (all?) of their games. I am using EU4 as an example because I feel that game it is used to the greatest effect. I think the worst variant is how stellaris works now.

 

[mbriggs]

It's the same with auto pause that the older games (including EU4) have. You could set the various messages to behave the way you wanted. The later games seem to have a 'correct' way to play and a 'don't play at all' way.

I am still holding out hope that a "Message Options" dialog is in our future, and more a matter of prioritization then them believing the lack of one is ideal

 

[Acidictadpole]

After starting another game in Utopia I really think stellaris needs this. EU4s notification system is really good and helpful, but every time a notificatoin appears in stellaris I feel like I need to write it down so I don't forget about it.

I think Stellaris already implements this style for a few of its notifications, like the inactive buildings, the losing energy credits, and the unemployed worker ones.

 

[Aequinoctis]

I am still holding out hope that a "Message Options" dialog is in our future, and more a matter of prioritization then them believing the lack of one is ideal

It would definitely be nice to be able to sort out requests that need a response from those that are just a notification of something between two other empires.

 

[redharo]

Sounds like someone had never became a huge threat to galactic peace and flooded with "borders closed" + "defensive alliance" + joined federation message spam

 

[Arnovitz]

There just needs to be a window that holds all of the available anomalies in your territory, preferably with a "send science ship" button on it or something. Right now it's a bit overwhelming to look for each of them individually.

 

[Aequinoctis]

There just needs to be a window that holds all of the available anomalies in your territory, preferably with a "send science ship" button on it or something. Right now it's a bit overwhelming to look for each of them individually.

Would be nice to see them in the outliner...

 

[redharo]

There just needs to be a window that holds all of the available anomalies in your territory, preferably with a "send science ship" button on it or something. Right now it's a bit overwhelming to look for each of them individually.

Yeah! Let's also create a notification for pre-space-faring species and colonizable planets! Would suck to forget about that. Let's also get a notification for idle colonies that are not building anything even though minerals are availible and upgrades/buildings are possible...

Oh look! The window is cluttered again

 

[Acidictadpole]

Yeah! Let's also create a notification for pre-space-faring species and colonizable planets! Would suck to forget about that. Let's also get a notification for idle colonies that are not building anything even though minerals are availible and upgrades/buildings are possible...

Oh look! The window is cluttered again

No need to be that way. Pre-space-faring species might be interesting but the colonizable planets already has a window for it in the expansion planning area.

 

[Dutch Empire]

And on top of that I would like to see the message icons reworked and prioritised.
Instead of the black white universal make up they could add some colour, flags maybe like in EU4. Also for example an icon apears on top of the screen. These are easily ignored since there are so many and they are not all meant for you.