Although Nixie Tubes are Undeniably Splendid, They Date from Long After the Age of Steam Ended...
...not so on Planet Gymnome!
The culmination of a week of art by myself and implementation by @msasterisk is finally here:
Introducing the new skeuomorphic G.U.I. for controlling the Advanced Steam Tank Engine in Train Misconductor:
Previously the controls were simple u.i. sliders for the brake, reverser, and throttle, and plain pixel-font text for the timer and move counter.
Now, the control u.i. has been completely revamped, featuring highly skeuomorphic controls based around the controls in the cab of the engine.
More info below the cut!
Due to being a 'modern' steam loco, it features an electric control stand similar to what you might find in a typical Diesel loco, albeit with some analogue elements. In addition to the control levers, there are also gauges and indicator lights to provide a little more information to the player.
For example, when the brakes are on and the throttle is opened, a red warning light appears, so it's easier to tell why you're not moving. The Reverser is interlocked with the Throttle, and it won't budge when the loco is in motion. There's even a really satisfying clunk sound when trying to move the reverser in situations where it is not allowed.
The brake gauge and the steam chest pressure gauge give secondary visual feedback for the setting of those levers, which is especially helpful for the brake.
There's also a speedometer, which can be configured for multiple different speed units.
On the top of the screen is the new timer and move counter.
The move counter is based on a mechanical counter I have in my desk drawer, although its proportions have been altered to suit the characteristics of the actual numerals being used.
Any time you see Arabic numerals in Train Misconductor, do keep in mind that's merely an illusion created by your Universal Translator implant. Turn it down and you'll see the truth.
And of course the timer, like the speedometer, uses nixie tubes for their digits.
The key, with the Engineer's charming little keychain attached, will eventually be used to allow the player to change locomotives when multiple are available in the level.
The main brake gauge shows the pressure in the brake cylinder. I have plans for the second brake pressure gauge, currently dimmed out; more to come on that eventually.
The controls are no more complicated than they were before (all that's changed is how it's displayed to the player), but for those who might get overwhelmed by the Advanced Controls, there are still the Simple Controls, where W is Forwards and S is Backwards.
The current behavior is that using the simple controls will still animate the control stand, but I do eventually want an option to hide the control stand for simple controls users who might find it distracting, so it'd show only the speedometer and key.
There's also more sound design yet to be done, and the water sight glass will need to look nicer than blue paint in the boiler.
Here's a render of the control stand. Like many assets in Train Misconductor, the look of 'pre-rendered sprites' is an illusion; the control stand model is rendered in real time using a pixel shader.
"A Nixie tube (/ˈnɪk.siː/NIK-see), or cold cathode display,[1] is an electronic device used for displaying numerals or other information using glow discharge."
