FoG:AM v2 - improvement suggestions for electronic format

[nikgaukroger]

Posting this at the request of Iain - a topic to collect suggestions from users and potential users of what features they would like to see in the electronic versions of FoG:AM v2.

If you have ideas and suggestions please post, and discuss them here so that Slitherine can see and evaluate them. This includes "I agree with X" posts as this helps Slitherine quantify demand.

[nikgaukroger]

I have the iPad version and the one feature I have glaringly found to be missing is a Bookmark facility to allow users to quickly jump to the bits of the rules they most frequently use. The contents pages just don't quite cut it for this in what is, after all, an electronic reference book.

[kevinj]

I'd like the chapters to be numbered in the contents to make finding rerefences much easier.

[shadowdragon]

An ability to add "notes"; it would be nice to add clarifications, etc. that come from the forum / FAQ, etc.

[ValentinianVictor]

Is it possible to include a link on a page which you can click and it bring up a pop-up of a example diagram or even an animation illustrating a point?

[batesmotel]

Other nice to haves would be:

1) Search function.
2) Fuller index like the one for V1 and posted on the FieldOfGlory.com site.
3) Change bars or some other indication from the previous edition(s) of the rules.

I'll definitely second the requests for adding bookmarks and notes.

Chris

[nikgaukroger]

Is it possible to include a link on a page which you can click and it bring up a pop-up of a example diagram or even an animation illustrating a point?

Adrian, I take it you have no experience of the existing product? Diagrams are embedded into the rules as they were with v1 and (on the iPad version at least) have the ability to be enlarged for better viewing.

Some, where more than 1 diagram is used to illustrate a point, could be animations, however, I am not sure it would really add much although it could be a cool feature.

[ValentinianVictor]

Is it possible to include a link on a page which you can click and it bring up a pop-up of a example diagram or even an animation illustrating a point?

Adrian, I take it you have no experience of the existing product? Diagrams are embedded into the rules as they were with v1 and (on the iPad version at least) have the ability to be enlarged for better viewing.

Some, where more than 1 diagram is used to illustrate a point, could be animations, however, I am not sure it would really add much although it could be a cool feature.

I admit I've not downloaded a copy of the rules for my Laptop as of yet (mainly because I want all the bugs sorted out first and also I prefer paper to digital), however, I thought it may be better if you have a rule and then say a high-lighted word such as 'example' where you just click and it brings up the diagram or animation. I've got a wonderful Encyclopaedia that when you click on high-lighted words in the text it brings up pop-up maps, diagrams and even short-film clips. Probably a bit much to ask for a wargames ruleset though!!!

[NickW]

Simple - I'd like it to work!!

[magister]

Thank you for upgrade...now on ipad2 run well!!

Rgds
Francesco

[NickW]

Now mine seems to be working (fingers crossed it continues to do so), I'd like to see:

- search function
- bookmarks
- note taking (can often be incorporated into bookmarks - see Bluefire Reader or iAnnotate apps for example)
- a back/return button
- hyperlinks from reference section into relevant part of rules
- hyperlinks within the main body of the rules, where you would logically be looking for information across different sections (which the rules often require).

[nikgaukroger]

- a back/return button
- hyperlinks from reference section into relevant part of rules
- hyperlinks within the main body of the rules, where you would logically be looking for information across different sections (which the rules often require).

I like this as a package of ideas - logically you'd do this lot as a whole

In fact I think I'd actually rate this above bookmarks on a wish list.

[sgt.steinerbtinternet.com]

"In fact I think I'd actually rate this above bookmarks on a wish list."

Yes those are great ideas.

The iPad rules have improved with last update as they were very clunky/slow/buggy before.

A printable QRS for purchasers my only suggestion at this stage

Cheers
Gary

[nikgaukroger]

A printable QRS for purchasers my only suggestion at this stage

Not really something for the electronic product though

FWIW I've been asking about this and will feed back when I hear something

[IanB3406]

A search function is pretty basic. Compare this to any PDF rules I have purchased and I believe it is less functional.

A built in ARMY builder that can send files to a PDF. Blitzkrieg commander has this and it's great. Possibly tied to the army books.

So far the app is functioning better.

The qrs pages can be made easily with iPad print screen, so I don't see this as a big problem.


Ian

[madaxeman]

In a thread that the moderator had just deleted elsewhere it has been suggested that a search function will be impossible to implement in the current incarnation of the Abannan reader, as it handles the pages as "images" rather than "text + formatting".

Can someone confirm if this is true, as if so it will rather seriously affect what sort of improvements can realistically be implemented

[pyruse]

There's no reason search can't work even if the pages are held as images.
An index entry holds the pages and an X,Y offset to where the word is.

[IainMcNeil]

You'd have to have every word indexed to do that, which would be a massive amount of data and that unfortunately wouldn't run at all.

[AlanCutner]

So thats a 'no' to a search function? Looks like I'll stick to paper version.

[spike]

So thats a 'no' to a search function? Looks like I'll stick to paper version.

Alan,

After what I'm reading on the v.2 threads, I can't agree more with you. This whole exercise seems like a dead end, so roll on the paper version that works, is easy to use and requires no power to make it operate!

Spike