here is a list of quality of life features I would like to see in no particular order.
Copy paste nodes (with hotkey) and area selection to select multiple nodes to copy paste.
Move multiple nodes at the same time with area selection.
Free choice in color management with nodes and lines connecting to nodes.
Free choice in how the lines are spatially organized (control points in lines to reroute them)
Bridges or stop & continue when two lines intersect. Just like professional flow charts.
Symbols or images inside nodes like turbine, valve or pump symbols.
More node shapes like polygons, circles etc.
Free choice in input/output location on nodes (where lines connect to the nodes).
Non functional shapes like transparent colored rectangle to place over or under nodes to group branches or flow groups.
Non Functional Text to place notes or name branches or even a drawing mechanic to draw on top?
Why?
The more complex the flowchart is the more control we need to make it look understandable for ourselves and others. So aesthetics customization are really important in my opinion. Plus customization is a great way to add personal touch to your design.
And if it this becomes very advanced, let us print out the flowcharts just like flow.io
I’ll piggypack on this thread with my main UX suggestions:
The button to expand/contract the graph pane is on the opposite side of the screen from the button to open/close the graph pane. It should be easy to put these together.
Tracing any chain of influence through the system involves a lot of opening and closing the right-side property pane. It would be very helpful if clicking on a different node in the graph while the properties are open would just switch to the properties of the node under the click, rather than closing the property pane and having to right click → properties for the new node.
I don’t know if you ever used Simulink, but in my opinion that node editor is very good and features a lot of the things @vanGamer mentioned above.
I would love a right click on empty background to bring up a node library so you dont always have to go to the + button.
It would also be very nice to be able to label lines as to what they represent, and I think it would be useful to indicate the type of node/branch more clearly than just color/shape coding them. For now this will work fine, but as you add more complex nodes it will become hard to distinguish them.
Finally one feature I love from simulink as well is that you can combine things into subsystems (which encapsulates multiple nodes into one node), this might be very nice to add as projects become more complex.
Thanks for comparing MecoRS with Simulink! For a product just launched and developed by only one person, I take it as a compliment. All very good points and I’ll address them in the coming versions. Keep the excellent feedback coming!
I like the idea about the lines. Wouldn’t it be cool if they are animated when the engine is running? Like in the everyday astronaut videos
(https://youtu.be/bAUVCn_jw5I?si=vZ0ixrLTmvTNqSPE 14:32)
I also love the idea of right click to get the library instead of pressing the + button on the top left corner every time.
Also check out “Children of a Dead Earth”, its module editor somewhat resembles what this game is.
I’m sorely missing the ability to tweak/nudge values with a scroll wheel and getting instant feedback. This sim is for the most part quick enough for that.
Also for the love of god, do not normalize my inputs. Some fields will for example take in a “0.01743” value, and internally use exactly “0.01743”, but then it’ll display the rounded “0.0174”. Never do that, anywhere.
I might make a separated thread about QoL suggestions later. This program/game is very fun, but also is an absolute pain in the ass, and a chore to use. A good UI/UX makes a huge difference
All very good points and I’ll address them in the coming versions. Keep the excellent feedback coming!
