Best looking Unreal series UI

[GreatEmerald]

This is a poll where you should vote for the Graphical User Interface that was the best looking (graphics- or theme-wise) in the Unreal series.

Additionally, you should also say (not vote though) what was the most functional UI of the whole Unreal series. Normally I would put up a multi poll with 2 questions, but this vBulletin, unlike any modern forum software, won't let me do that. And this is also in the UT3 forum because BU happens to have no "Unreal series" forum

_______________________________

Now, just for reference:

[SCREENSHOT]http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/3414/unrealclassicsj3.jpg[/SCREENSHOT] [screenshot]http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/362/unrealclassic2ut4.jpg[/screenshot]

^ These are first in the list, named "Classic Unreal (not the UWindow)".


[SCREENSHOT]http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/1886/umainwk8.jpg[/SCREENSHOT] [SCREENSHOT]http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/6707/udispdi7.jpg[/SCREENSHOT] [SCREENSHOT]http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/2417/utmainbc7.jpg[/SCREENSHOT] [SCREENSHOT]http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/7554/utdispeh1.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

^ These are the ones that are second in the list, named "Unreal Gold & UT99 (UWindow)".


[SCREENSHOT]http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/4263/uiimainya2.jpg[/SCREENSHOT] [SCREENSHOT]http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/7158/uiidispuo1.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

^ These are third in the list, named "Unreal II & Unreal II XMP".


[SCREENSHOT]http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/8591/utx3mainxb3.jpg[/SCREENSHOT] [SCREENSHOT]http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/8900/utx3dispuw0.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

^ These are fourth in the list, called "Unreal Tournament 2003".


[SCREENSHOT]http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/8135/utx4maineg0.jpg[/SCREENSHOT] [SCREENSHOT]http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/530/utx4dispfi0.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

^ These are fifth in the list, called "Unreal Tournament 2004".


[SCREENSHOT]http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/9369/ut3maindu6.jpg[/SCREENSHOT] [SCREENSHOT]http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/2663/ut3dispym7.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

^ These are sixth on the list, named "Unreal Tournament 3 (Patch 1)".



^ These are the seventh on the list, named "Unreal Tournament 3 (Patch 2)".

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My opinion:
The best GUI graphics-wise IMO is Unreal II and Unreal II eXpanded MultiPlayer because of the style. Everything looks really interactive. The cursor that shuts down after a while is a really original solution, and I haven't seen anything like it yet. The theme is always blue with LED lights that looks similar to UC2's Nakhti equipment really adds to the overall feel. Everything has very elaborate borders, each detail is important - from buttons that have a sharp form and that fade out after the cursor moves away to the border around the Loading and Pause windows. The style is very unified, it has a special feeling - like if you really were in 2251 looking at a holo panel.

 

[urPackage]

UWindow for its simplicity and effectiveness...imo

 

[GreatEmerald]

Did you miss the part "best looking"? Either way, that's OK. Simple might be why it looks good.

Talking about the best ones function-wise, I'd say UT2004. What Unreal II GUI lacks is high resolution support and more options. The former is bad because all those buttons look quite small on widescreens, and it just gives you a lot of unnecessary space. The latter is bad because, well, you can't customise your character and the settings don't actually have a big impact on the performance, so it's impossible to get it to play on older machines even if you set everything to lowest... While UT2004/UT2003 has a really clean GUI, with loads of options and full high resolution support. It's nothing special, but intuitive and doesn't look too bad.
UMenu isn't too good for me because of the same reasons Unreal II GUI isn't: no high resolution support (those windows are really small these days!!) and not enough settings. Actually, you can get all the settings you need, but you have to enter the Preferences mode which is outside the GUI.

 

[Sjosz]

uWindows for UT3.
In before the "but that's not a retail unreal game ui".

 

[urPackage]

Yeah i meant it looks really good because it is simple, but i see your point about widescreen and higher resolutions.

I just like an interface that says "hey this is a pc game" and what better interface than one that pretty much looks like the windows OS gui itself.

Tired of all these console-litus infected UI's that sacrifice options and functions for something that is easy and flashy...

 

[N1ghtmare]

The rusted and scarred metal in Unreal and UT fit perfectly with the theme.

 

[Crotale]

Pix or it didn't happen.

 

[«MechikTaj»]

 

[d3tox]

Uwindows ftw. It looked the best (even had an alternate skin if Im not mistaken). It was a cleaner look, and was just all around kickass.

 

[T2A`]

Functionality-wise I liked UT2003 the most. You could do everything you needed with a few clicks and everything was organized well, IIRC. UT wasn't bad but I'm not a big fan of dealing with more windows (tabs are better). UT2003's didn't look that good, but UT2004's and UT3's are both fugly. D:

 

[Leo(T.C.K.)]

I am struggled between the classical Unreal menu (not uwindows, as uwindows is not about menu at all, while it does have functionality, such GUIs do not fit a game and that is what should people realize) and Unreal 2 ones....
Unreal 2 ones are simple and fast and the keybindind is perhaps the best there, i beleive in u2xmp you can even type in new functions and commands and assign them, yes you can do that in raw key bindings as well, but even in the UI.

But Unreal2 menus don't have keyboard support (which is bad in functionality, but hell even uwindows don't have, nor UT2003 and 2004 menus), though as for mouse support menus these are really the best ones.

UT3 on the other side DOES have keyboard support in most of menus and in campaign too (you can use it always, except that if going from the card selection screen back you cannot use keyboard anymore), but at some situations you cannot use keyboard always, it should be changed to more keyboard support so moue and keyboard is optional, that is especially great fo keyboard freaks and it is good UT3 at least have some keyboard support......

Oh and btw you should add also classic Unreal(not UBrowser) one,
That one is selectable in Unreal still and also in earlier patches that one was standard.

 

[Kantham]

But UT2004's and UT3's are both fugly. D:

UT3's being the worse. UT2004 was not pretty, sure, but it sort of matched the colors of the game itself.
The UT3 UI is just a joke and by any means match nothing else but Jurassic Park lego's.

 

[UBerserker]

The one of Unreal 1 for its theme.

 

[Kazimira]

The one from unreal 1 for the theme and ease of use but I'd have loved an in between print thingy so I could get medium sized text.

 

[Kazimira]

That's crazy - I just logged into BUF with the intention of making a thread on this very topic! I'd even taken example shots:

[SCREENSHOT]http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/1886/umainwk8.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/6707/udispdi7.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/2417/utmainbc7.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/7554/utdispeh1.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/8591/utx3mainxb3.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/8900/utx3dispuw0.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/4263/uiimainya2.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/7158/uiidispuo1.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/8135/utx4maineg0.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/530/utx4dispfi0.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/9369/ut3maindu6.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/2663/ut3dispym7.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

Personally, I still like the Unreal Gold/UT menu the most. I love the background logos, and the velvet red window backgound in Unreal Gold. Second would be UT2003.

As for functionality, I'd choose those two again, in the same order.

UT2004 also get's very high marks for it's sheer wealth of options, and because it features a Skaarj. It looks a bit plastic though. (BTW, does anyone know how to fix the menu so that those other stinkers don't appear - I just want only Dominator to be there)

Unreal II has the best pointer.

I didnt like the one for UT2K4 I wanted more contrast from text and background which is something UT3 dosent do ether. UT was nice there was always good contrast.

 

[Agent_5]

After looking at the screenshots, I'd go with 2k3. I don't like Uwindows and UT3's menu is distracting with pointless transitions between menus. I think the optimal UI would be a combination of 2k3 and U2.

 

[Rask]

I can't decide between UT1 and UT2004. Perhaps a blend inbetween would work well.

 

[Slaughter]

UT2003 for me.
Simple navigation and not too busy on the background.

 

[Grobut]

Uwindows, i like simple and utilitarian interfaces, both in look and function.

 

[ne_skaju]

Whoops I voted for UT2004, before realising it's all about visuals.

UT3 2.0

Nice bloomy background flyby, and my favorite colour scheme (grey/dim blue)