Am I the only one who finds the interface a significant step backwards from the original? Sure, it looks prettier, but I find it noticeably less useable.
* Magic is modal:
In the original, you could begin entering a spell into any character's box while still having full access to the action area. You could also change from one char to another with a single click, easily holding multiple readied spells, while in DM2 you must explicitly close the interface and then reopen the new character's interface.
I use spells in combat a lot less, because it's that much harder to enter them while still keeping up the attack sequence.
* Variable character positioning:
In the original, the action area (and the spell menu) always listed the characters 1-2-3-4, in the same order as they appeared across the top. Now, action menu is ordered by party location and linked to the top area by colour (only). I find that I keep forgetting which character is which (especially when casting spells).
One could argue that this helps distinguish shooters from melee characters, but I put it to you that I'm not likely to get the crossbow confused with the sword.
* Smaller buttons
All the buttons seem smaller than in the original. Considering that time taken to hit a button with a pointing device is proportional to distance * size, this is an issue.
* Poor spatial positioning of action buttons:
The original DM had large action buttons that were always in the same place. DM2's buttons are much smaller, and in two widely separated rows (top and bottom). Worse, the menus for the top row fold *down*, while the menus for the bottom row fold *up*. Thus, the action to trigger the top two character's is completely different than from the bottom two.
Further, the bottom two characters still have their menu items stacked from the top. The top character's arent too bad: you click, the menu appears underneath your mouse with the mouse on the first item, and then you skim down (basically same as the original DM). To click a bottom character, you first move the mouse to the bottom of the area and click, then your eye needs to scan back *up* to find the first entry, and only then can you move the mouse. Shooting a weapon takes about 3x as long as it needs to.
On a less grumpy note, is food consumed faster (or time passes faster) in this version? I seem to run short on food a lot more quickl.
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