Improving the accessibility of Family Tree

[filcat]

Abstract​

Making only the name tags in the Family Tree interface the default view-setup instead of the portraits of the characters may improve the speed of browsing through the generations. This may also help it to function when the number of the dynasty members exceeds the critical point for using the function, which is a general problem occurring inevitably in the mid- to late-phases of any run.

Introduction and Definition​

Current setup of the Family Tree function launches the screen with very few tools to search any character. In addition to that, the screen appears with the character that is the Head of the Dynasty/Family in focus by default.

The player may not be the current Head of the dynasty in that run; in this case, when the player character is selected and then the Family Tree is clicked, it will bring the tree with the Head of the Dynasty that is a different character than the player. The player has to navigate through the available functions to reach the intended character.

In the case of the player being the Head of the Dynasty (which a situation that is usually achieved in most of the runs), the Family Tree function brings the screen with the player character in focus. If the player's character with its immediate family is required to be checked, the current setting brings it to view readily; however, when a different character is needed to be checked, it has to be searched through the tree branches.

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Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Humble beginnings; two generations after the start, checking the Family Tree interface. By default it opens with the focus on the Head of the Dynasty (Fig. 1). Simple only when it is the player character; in this case it is. Checking for previous generations; expanding on the grandparents; after a couple of clicks, the player is able to view the family within seconds, and any other member can be found and viewed. The interface works as the number of family members is below 100.​

As a third case, when any other character from any other dynasty is chosen, and when the player wants to see that character in the line-up within that other dynasty through the Family Tree, the player will be given again the screen with the centre-focus on the Head of the Family of that dynasty by default. Therefore the player will have to navigate through the branches of that Family Tree in order to view the character.

The requirement to navigate through the Family Tree is not a problem at all; the search for a character is a fun side-quest for the player. It could be also improved if there had been a search character function on the interface that would prompt the target, or a better solution in terms of accessibility and functionality would be that if the Family Tree interface could bring the selected character as the focus on the screen.


However, the main problem is that the Family Tree screen will perform poorly when the number of the dynasty members is well above the processing capability.


At this point the Family Tree seems to function as it is designed, but only up to a limit-number of the characters. The tree always shows the portraits, and with every branch clicked to be exposed, the members of that line are delivered to the interface, with all their later generations/descendants in the lower branches. Unfortunately this procedure staggers the performance, while every portrait of each member is called upon, and in the case of viewing a tree with more than 100 members, the screen can freeze until the portraits are processed.

In the late game, when the number of the characters of the family reaches over 500 and beyond, the Family Tree will not be able to function, and it will not be accessible due to the processing requirement for the large number of portraits each time an upper branch in the tree is activated to view. In extreme cases the game will even crash to desktop while looking for a character.

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Figure 10​

Five hundred years into the game; late-phase. The player checks the Family Tree (Fig. 4) The number of the dynasty members is close to three thousand. The interface opens with a slight delay (Fig. 5). Elder years of the player character, therefore even the immediate family members have large number of relatives/descendants. All are opened at once, with all portraits, therefore the initial delay. Zooming out and hiding the later generations; it is still manageable (Fig. 6). Expanding through the generation of the grandparents takes a noticeable delay, yet it functions without any fault (~1second between Fig. 7 and 8). However, all those branches with their descendants are opened, all with portraits; naturally there is the delay. Expanding one more generation takes a delay more than a second (~4 seconds between Fig. 9 and 10). After this point, if one more upper generation is expanded, the screen will freeze until it is processed (~20 seconds to minutes). Beyond that generation, crashes may occur.​

Suggestion​

It may improve the performance in the interface if the character portraits are hidden, and only the name tags of the characters are presented by default, in addition to reducing the number of members when expanding the tree: bringing out only the branch that is clicked without the later generations. When a name tag is selected, only then the portrait will be prompted, and only for that character. This may reduce the processing requirement for the interface, which currently brings all portraits of all immediate branches when clicked upon to be viewed.

The previous example in Figure 3, compared to a conceptual-demonstration (low quality for quick reference) of a simplified tree with only the name tags. The interface could be designed with expanding/revealing the portraits only when the character name is clicked upon. This may improve the viewing speed and it may prevent late-phase crashes.​

Conclusion and Further Points​

The Family Tree is the core interface of the game. It defines the game what it is: Not an arcade-game, but it is Crusader Kings.

The accessibility of the Family Tree is encumbered naturally when the number of the members becomes very large, and the interface struggles to function when branches are clicked to expand. Instead, the design can be simplified with a tree using only name tags, and when the portrait is revealed only when a character is selected on the tree. This may help solving the performance-related issues of the mid- to late-game on the Family Tree interface, and it may improve the access-speed.



Further points for improving the usability:
The focus of the default screen; if it is changed to the selected character, i.e. if the interface opens with the selected character instead of the default Head of the Family (cadet branches)/Dynasty, then higher efficiency can be achieved for/when using the interface.
Expanding only the selected branch; if the branches are opened without expanding the later generations/the descendants of those, then the access-speed of the interface may increase.


Edit: Corrected grammatical error.