Hey all.
I've been a DMB user since the PTP days, and have run various leagues during that time. Like (presumably) most of you, I've tried all the other options out there, and nothing beats DMB in terms of generating realistic results, which in the end, quite frankly, is all that matters.
HOWEVER...
DMB's user interface is quite archaic and clunky. Simple UI operations like drag and drop, being able to highlight multiple entries in a list, being able to sort on a column by clicking on its header, "remembering" the last sort selected, etc. are either supported in limited fashion, inconsistently supported, or not supported at all. Worst of all, there are some utterly counterintuitive UI elements like the sliders for setting manager and player tendencies, where moving the slider LEFT actually INCREASES the tendency, and moving it RIGHT actually DECREASES it. I can't think of another program which operates this way and would love to know the thought process behind this implementation.
I was really hopeful that some of these basic UI issues would be addressed in Version 10, let alone 11, and sadly, none of them were. I know we're all used to dealing with these shortcomings and we put up with them because for us, there is no substitute for DMB, but I also know several people who either gave up on the game or just weren't willing to give it a try because of the learning curve imposed by the UI, and when the UI becomes a barrier to entry, it's a serious problem.
I realize that the game is holding on by a thread as it is, but for it to have ANY chance of gaining traction in terms of attracting new players, it's going to need a UI overhaul. I'm not talking about anything particularly sexy like a full GUI that would require thousands of hours worth of programming, but some simple re-organization and consistent implementation of the basic UI elements already present would really help.
Is there any hope for change here, or am I simply barking at the moon?
I've been a DMB user since the PTP days, and have run various leagues during that time. Like (presumably) most of you, I've tried all the other options out there, and nothing beats DMB in terms of generating realistic results, which in the end, quite frankly, is all that matters.
HOWEVER...
DMB's user interface is quite archaic and clunky. Simple UI operations like drag and drop, being able to highlight multiple entries in a list, being able to sort on a column by clicking on its header, "remembering" the last sort selected, etc. are either supported in limited fashion, inconsistently supported, or not supported at all. Worst of all, there are some utterly counterintuitive UI elements like the sliders for setting manager and player tendencies, where moving the slider LEFT actually INCREASES the tendency, and moving it RIGHT actually DECREASES it. I can't think of another program which operates this way and would love to know the thought process behind this implementation.
I was really hopeful that some of these basic UI issues would be addressed in Version 10, let alone 11, and sadly, none of them were. I know we're all used to dealing with these shortcomings and we put up with them because for us, there is no substitute for DMB, but I also know several people who either gave up on the game or just weren't willing to give it a try because of the learning curve imposed by the UI, and when the UI becomes a barrier to entry, it's a serious problem.
I realize that the game is holding on by a thread as it is, but for it to have ANY chance of gaining traction in terms of attracting new players, it's going to need a UI overhaul. I'm not talking about anything particularly sexy like a full GUI that would require thousands of hours worth of programming, but some simple re-organization and consistent implementation of the basic UI elements already present would really help.
Is there any hope for change here, or am I simply barking at the moon?
