Smaller numbers?

[BeefBacon]

So I'm a wee bit derp and have trouble reading big numbers. When I build a large ship and am filling it with shields I find that the value given concerning strength of my shields is rather large. At first glance I have no idea if it's in the millions or the billions or somewhere in between. It's just a mass of meaningless numbers.

I'm sure that other people can agree with me that such massive numbers don't really mean very much. It's like getting a bank statement that shows your balance in pennies.

It seems unnecessary is what I'm getting at.

So I propose a small change to the UI that displays the numbers a decimal place or two down. That is to say that if you're generating 10,000 shields per-second the UI will display it as, say, 1,000, or even 100 per-second.

Several thousand power per-second can be generated with just a few power blocks. While I have no quarrel with that it seems silly to display such a big number for what isn't really very much power at all.

So just to reiterate, I don't want any changes to be made to the amount of power that can be produced, I just want the value displayed by the UI to be a little more readable.

 

[ltmauve]

Commas, my friend. Commas. Basically rather than displaying a different value, put commas in so it is easier to estimate the value.

 

[therimmer96]

yes, I have a pen on my desk that I use just for counting digits. I always feel silly doing it

 

[BeefBacon]

Why estimate the value when it\'d just be easier to have smaller numbers? As I said before, the numbers are too big for what they are. If you have a ship that has 1,000 shields then that ship can only take a couple of shots before they fail. 1,000 is a big number, yet it means so little.

 

[ltmauve]

Because those are the numbers. 1,000 atoms of gold is completely worthless to you, but the number is still a thousand. The fact that it is realitively worthless is a reflection of the way the weapons system is and of the opposing ships. Stop suggesting the game lie to the players.

 

[NeonSturm]

+1 to convert numbers, -1 to change numbers.

• 1423A145 -> 14m2 (14m means 14 million and the m2 200k)
• 1201 = 1k2
• 1000k2 = 1m
• 1255k = 1m26

Always display the biggest 3. the third can be 1 larger because of rounding (max. 1% difference to real value)

And put k (kilo), m (mega), g (giga), t tera) and p (peta into the right place.

 

[Megacrafter127]

so simply cutting of any decimals won\'t help.

I suggest showing the number (e.g. 2547450) in the following format: 2.54745E6

If you just want to estimate the overall strength, just care about the first n digits of the number before the \'E\' and the exponent after the \'E\'. Since nothing(except trailing \'0\'s) is cut off, one can restore the original value easily, if required.

 

[BeefBacon]

I could get on that. Simple to read and not needlessly precise. Perhaps allow switching between the actual values and simplified values for people who like to know that they\'re getting that extra .2 per-second.

 

[jzimmerman4]

As some people said before... Commas!!!! So simple and doesn\'t require any major changes.

 

[NeonSturm]

It is not a major change to \"translate\" these numbers in another \"language/format\" like done with text (english->german).

You just have to use consistently output-translators (just a function which replaces numbers like a defined \"EnumShop.outOfItem, EnumItems.x\" in their parameter with a string references for their return value.

That makes translation between languages (maybe later) easier too and it is good to start as soon as possible with this.

 

[BorgCollective]

Id just rather have commas

 

[jzimmerman4]

But won\'t that be really confusing for new players. Always try and think simple, and distorting numbers isn\'t that.

 

[Vyor]

just commas

 

[BeefBacon]

I suppose commas would be acceptable. Things aren\'t likely to get into the billions after all. I\'d still prefer a simplification of the numbers but commas would at least give number-illiterate players like myself a chance at reading the stats.

 

[Ciber]

Scientific Notation biaches!

1.256*10^4 = 12560

 

[jzimmerman4]

Problem with that is a lot of younger players cant read it so that would be a large problem and limit who can play the game. Maybe a setting can be added so that you can change your numbers to scientific notation.

 

[xino]

1000 atoms of gold is worthless but that is why we don\'t measure gold in atoms we use smaller numbers (ounces/grams) just like OP wants. Though I think just adding commas into the numbers would be enough.

 

[NeonSturm]

Just use Kilo, Mega, Giga, Tera. Everybody knows that today.

 

[jzimmerman4]

Not us Americans. We dont know metrics very well since we only use it in physics and other science classes.

 

[awesome270]

im Canadian, maybe im too young still, (gr.9)