The new interface for the level editor is much cleaner and easier to use. All of the options and menus are kept out of the user's way until they need them. This leaves room to see the maximum amount of the level at a time and make editing easier. When they need to access a menu, they just click the corresponding button. All of the menus can then be toggled on or off with the TAB key.
The new file menu allows access to basic file functions via point and click for people who don't know or want to bother with the keyboard shortcuts. Unfortunately, the editor does not yet have new and load features, thus leaving those buttons in the file menu ineffectual. I also have yet to implement the ability to add and remove objects from the object menu on the fly, so the add and remove buttons are also placeholders. The data menu is going to be a whole different can of worms, so it has not arrived at this party yet either. Despite all of this, the GUI is much more usable, intuitive, and efficient.
I'm not sure if I'll ever stop shuffling the colors and style of the game menu around. First it was okay, but blue and orange, which are so cliche'. Then it was a jumble of weird colors that weren't bold or contrasting enough to stand out from each other, and now we have this... which looks pretty good to me actually.
I think I have now had enough GUI design, drawing, and implementation to last for awhile. I'm thinking that my next goal will be the creation of the fifth enemy type. Maybe I'll put together some real art assets for the levels too, just so that we can stop looking at the same blue mesh floor and grey rectangle walls for all of the feature demos I do.
--LazerBlade
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