progress bar for furnace

[Sadie]

A new separate wish: have for the furnace the same type of progression bar as is used for the forge.
Thanks!
Sanrai 

[bilbous]

What do you mean a progression bar? Is that the timer window that shows how long the action is going to take? If you have 32 sludges in the furnace would you need 32 timers?

[Gilrond]

Just a stack of 32 small progress bars. Similar to how for example a browser UI shows progress for parallel downloads.

[Caraick]

Each progress bar could be independent, no need to stack them.  Imagine you're spell-casting. Each spell is cast, finished, and the progress bar filled before the next bar is engaged.

[Gilrond]

That won't work for the furnace, because unlike sequential spells, it processes items in parallel (up to 32). I.e. any particular melting process can start before some other finishes. The same applies for the casting step. So practically, the UI can work with stacking parallel progress bars, unless you have some other idea how to do it.

[tman]

If multiple bars is going to be a huge issue, only show the bar for the process that will finish next. Then when that finishes it moves on to the next item (which could be at like 95% but who cares?)

[Vakachehk]

Why doesn't the progress bar just be the background of each stock/ingot/whatever in the furnace.

For example you have the image of the ingot in the furnace, the background to that will slowly change colour from left to right as you progress.

[Gilrond]

That's a good idea Vakachehk.

[Caraick]

Seconded. Much simpler, code-wise, and graphically as well. Nice one, Vaka.

[Chessire]

and it can be used with cooking and alchemy too probably

[bilbous]

Still I have to wonder if you are going to flood the client with all that data, similar to the way armor training can. If it is all done client side you will have to ensure synchronization with the server is maintained. It seems more thought might need to be put into it than at first glance.

[Pakarro]

This only makes sense when it can be done in the client alone, without server usage. Otherwise the cost is too much for the marginal gain in comfort.

[Vakachehk]

Still I have to wonder if you are going to flood the client with all that data, similar to the way armor training can. If it is all done client side you will have to ensure synchronization with the server is maintained. It seems more thought might need to be put into it than at first glance.

Indeed, I'm sure the devs know a good way to keep it only within the client and to keep it synchronised with the server. They could possibly get most of the information needed from the magic/anvil progression window.

[Korumak]

how bout instead of a bar, you just put a number on that slot say in the far up left corner of the time left till that process is completed.  Say like secounds or -1:27 and time it down, keep track of it on the client side.  This way as you progress, instead of "is it moving faster now i have a met of 14?" can see the numbers in front.  Help modivate to continue to the next level as well.

[Vakachehk]

That's a very good idea, it sounds simpler, it could even work temporarily if they ever want to change it.