The Homebrew Browser v0.3 is under development and I would like some feedback on what needs to be changed or what works well. The two main changes will be the main page which the homebrew is displayed and having a proper about page. The Main page is a rough design, the icons/text will look better.
HBB Main page
The idea of the main page is to make it as less cluttered as possible. Maybe the descriptions should be made shorter. The Emulators button would be click-able at which point all the categories would drop down and let you select which one to choose.
HBB About page
A informative page for the application.
Some Feedback questions include:
Does anything need to be changed?
Is there too much text?
Does the About page need an icon?
Is there any information missing?
Is the text describing the application long enough?
I have problems with getting the network to work in HBB. A google search convinced me I am not the only one.
http://www.google.nl/search?q=homebrew+browser+cannot+initialize&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
Looks like WPA/WPA2 using TKIP is not working (at all?). So improvement of network initialisation could be one thing to do. I have seen people ask for a retry button, or maybe error messages to have a clue.
If more information is needed: please contact me. I must be able to provide traces/tcpdumps/logs if you need them.
Yes I’m planning to have it automatically retry connecting to the network in v0.2.5b. I’m not sure about if WPA/WPA2 works. Can you try ftpii or any other applications which use the network?
I know HBC itself is able to make a network connection, will try ftpii tonight. Will let you know the result…would be great if you couls resolve this. Thank you for your time on this one!!!
Found this list at WiiBrew, looks like some users have WPA/WPA2 and it works but for others it doesn’t: http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Wii_Wifi_Tests
This list does give a couple of suggestions that I can try. Will add my name to that list once I have done so. Will try with channel set to 1. Mac filtering off, etc. thank you
Maybe when you select a category (aside from poular) it could randomize the order in which the apps are shown. For example, when I click on the games category all 3 of wplaats apps are on the first page, but both of mine are much farther back.
Also, are you planning on updating the apps anytime soon?
I think 0.2.x main page layout was not bad at all, except for text size (which killed readability) and not intuitive controls. Using larger fonts and clearer icons for controls could improve it greatly. 0.3 design seems to be a little bit cluttered with useless text and unnecessary borders. I made a fast sketch of main screen based on your previous design, maybe you will find this way of UI transformation to be better:
http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/6543/wiihbbwc4.jpg And hey, I’m not a professional designer! 😉
An option to hide all apps etc that are installed and up to date would be nice.
Your idea for a listbox may be good, but not sure what layers to sorting you would apply.
If the options were Snes, Nes etc, there would be no need as you’ve trimmed them down to 1 version of each.
Anyway great stuff.
Added my findings to http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Wii_Wifi_Tests. Changing channels has no effect. Retry would be nice, it works for ftpii.
[…] Entwickler von dem Homebrew Browser Projekt haben in einem Blogeintrag erste Screenshots zur Version 0.3 ihres populären Programms veröffentlicht, mit Hilfe dessen ihr […]
Maybe add a new screen sorted by release date so if you check for new apps on a semi-regular basis you don’t have to click through each download type to find out whats new.
And I like the idea of installed apps. Maybe add a new screen for installed apps only so you can update them without searching through lists.
Arikado: It lists them by the release date at the moment. The next thing could be to sort the list by rating. It’s just that wplatt releases updates more frequently (even for little things) and therefore it’s listed first. I do agree that it’s not quite right. Apps will be updated this weekend (I’m glad I didn’t do it sooner, WiiApple has already been updated like 4 or 5 times).
arbor: That looks pretty good 🙂
Lethal: Installed apps is present in the current version of HBB, just click the little SD card to show apps installed and then click on it again to do an auto update of all apps.
I have problems with getting the network to work in HBB too.
Sometimes I having trouble with updating HBB. And is there this problem, I can start the HBB. So would it be possible to integrate the HBB update in the HBB itself? So that I can start the HBB without instant updating?
Sorry for my bad english. ^^
“And is there this problem, I can start the HBB. ”
Sorry, on mistake…. it should be mean:
And is there this problem, I CAN’T start the HBB.
My Wishlist:
-Smooth music in the background will running HBB
-Sounds when you click on something
– Maybe some animated Icons in the Background
– When you go with the Mouse over an Applikation there should be something that shows it to you… maybe the whole icon may glow a little bit or just be a little bit brighter
Sorry for my englisch, hope you understand what i mean =)
I would like see a very good descreption of the homebrew with all information to do work it. Like special folder for several hombrew.
hi teknecal, looking good, i think maybe have some looping music in the background like a tiny chillut tune, even if its a.midi will be good 🙂
It’s going in the right direction but I think it needs some new as well as tweaked functionality.
– Update all cats button (I hate having to wait for each page to update, make this optional too)
– Download queue (Just keep adding/removing stuff, either on background or at the end of selecting it)
– Auto update by app or global (setting in each app or global by setting, would auto add to queue and pop a messange with the number of new updates)
– Details page (considered already, allows deleting of the selected app)
– Filter modes (newest, rating up/down, most downloaded)
– Drop the date from the list and leave it only on the description
– list pages should slide like in HBC (makes it more consistent, or optionally by a nice big scroll like opera)
– Custom icon support (not sure the best way, either in app details, hash check, a special folder on the app or whatever mechanism that keeps the program not removing the custom icon when updating)
– Eventually cosmetic changes or even skin support, but less important than well implemented functionality and usability
I can make a mockup with these ideas, a quick interaction suty, and I can even make a nice skin for it, let me know if you want a hand!
[…] sodass er sie dann einbauen kann. Wer ihm helfen will sein Homebrew zu verbessern, der schreibt hier in seinen Blog. Screenshots der neuen
Update all cats button: That’s sort of just like going to the settings and selecting No to when the image files are downloaded. If No is selected, it will download all files at startup.
I was thinking of making the listing scrollable which might take some time to get right. I do agree with dropping the date now that I look at it.
Good suggestions and a mock-up is always appreciated.
Hi,
I think it would be very good, if you can download and browse at the same time. Because at the old Version you just can download an app and then the picture freezes (except the download bar).
Hey i love homebrew browser but alot could be done to make it better here are some of the my sugustions and the ones i agree with
An option to hide all apps etc that are installed and up to date would be nice.
If the options were Snes, Nes etc, there would be no need as you’ve trimmed them down to 1 version of each.
Maybe add a new screen sorted by release date so if you check for new apps on a semi-regular basis you don’t have to click through each download type to find out whats new.
music in the background will running HBB
Sounds when you click on something
Maybe some animated Icons in the Background
When you go with the Mouse over an Applikation there should be something that shows it to you… maybe the whole icon may glow a little bit or just be a little bit brighter
Update all cats button (I hate having to wait for each page to update, make this optional too)
– Download queue (Just keep adding/removing stuff, either on background or at the end of selecting it)
– Auto update by app or global (setting in each app or global by setting, would auto add to queue and pop a messange with the number of new updates)
– Details page (considered already, allows deleting of the selected app)
– Filter modes (newest, rating up/down, most downloaded)
– Drop the date from the list and leave it only on the description
– list pages should slide like in HBC (makes it more consistent, or optionally by a nice big scroll like opera)
Teknecal: Never noticed there was an option to download at start, but actually now that I rethink it should just just download them on the background. You can make it use a standard icon to show it’s updating the icon, and if the user uses an option for a custon icon it wouldn’t even download it. Saves bandwidth.
I was also thinking on having a portal for devs/powerusers to add apps wich would make updates faster and less straining on who has to make them. Well tought out would make the system easier to maintain.
Maybe a “offline-mode” too organize HB without internetconnection.
Hi, first used today, showing free mem 1M, start download DOOM. Failed. I free some mem by removing some apps by removing some games(wad) in channel using the std wii chanel deletion. I have now 1500 block free. back to HBB, shows now 0Meg free (?), when I try to download anything, goes back to homebrew channel after couple of sec. When I go to utilities section, saying something like DEBUG : permission denied. Can not even re-download doom…
Using latest HBB. Any hint ?
Thanks in advance.
Thanks teknecal, I really appreciate you responding to my comment. But yeah, changing the lists up would be great if you could do it. What did you mean by “sort the list by rating”? I didnt know we could rate apps.
And thanks for commiting to updating the apps this weekend. I really appreciate that as well.
Great application. A couple things that I would like to see added are an update all installed applications and some sort of search function would be usefully. As more applications get added it is taking longer to sift through everything.
when I try to look at emulators and the 3rd page of popular it crashes so I guess fix that?
Would it be possible to have the browser show the apps that will only work with certain (wii|homebrew channel) firmware? Meaning — some apps right now don’t work with Wii Firmware 3.4, why should we see those when they can’t work with the firmware we have (if you have 3.4)?
Would it also be possible for sub categories for the apps? Like all those of emulators of original physical systems (NES, SNES, n64, Sega Saturn, etc) are shown in the emulator tab but in a (sub tab?) of “emulator”. Or would that be more work (for you?)?
maybe have a tab of just new apps that came that would be great
also maaybe have a rating system
tolzadoom: HBB downloads the applications on the SD card and that’s how homebrew is run; from the SD card. Please check your SD card’s free space.
Arikado: I might of worded it wrong but in v0.2.x you can’t rate anything as of yet. I was saying that yes the next thing that should be added to HBB is rating but it will only appear in HBB v0.3.
Ringo: Update all installed applications is already in HBB. Just click on the little down arrow which appears when you click on the SD card icon.
This makes me think that another thing that should be worked on is a better help screen in HBB and maybe a series of images on how to use it.
Dlf: It would be possible to only show homebrew that works with 3.x versions. This could be added in HBB v0.3.x. Would you have a list of applications which don’t work with say 3.3 or 3.4?
I’m not so sure about the sub tab emulators thing.
It would be nice, if you could get the wiimote rumble to honor the system setting.
The ‘list’ thing (I guess) could be an option — show or don’t show apps that work with your wii firmware. Similar to how some forums — some skins are only shown to certain groups – only certain apps are shown depending on the firmware you have.
What about displaying each HB version beside HB description ?
More text!!!
you can’t even put a url the way it is today.
ditch all text on the chooser, but let it have a dialog with the info, like the hbc.
To make it easier for you, why not use the exact same presentation as the homebrew channel?
down to the same xml file, image area, text space.
you are restricting youself too much on space. that about panel… what if that homebrew also allow wiiboard? where you will drawn another controller there?
Thanks for your suggestions. I’ve contacted DayDreamOz whom has made a much better interface.
http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/7664/wiihomebrewbrowser2blm6.png
http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/2562/wiihomebrewbrowser2coj6.png
The date/controllers can be moved more to the left and the description can be extended more.
What are peoples thoughts?
I wish to implement one or two screenshots of every homebrew to look better if you like it.
Woah, that’s an improvement!
I think a background music would be nice, like the one of the wii main menu, just to show that the application is not “dead” (like freezed), maybe with an on/off option. I know it’s not a must have feature, but i think it would be nice.
Or take music (if any) from the SD card/ USB stick (?) and play that’s on that.
Hmm It’s an improvement but not by much, just a little photoshopping, not really improved functionality, the up/down arrows really bother me since it entirely breaks with HBC / Wii Menus navigation mechanic.
Here’s a powerpoint file I’ve quickly made at work just as a sketch for some ideas.
I’ts not fully developed as some ideas need refining, but the goal ist to make actions easy to understand, and keep navigation simple.
All data downloading should be done in the background and never freeze the application (with the exception of the main data file)
Still need to think on how the download queue should work, but with the several projects I’m involved + work, I just haven’t had the time. Just some tidbits stolen form work hours :P.
I’d particularly like to improve the way the categories work, but no easy ideas have come to mind yet, nor have I dedicated much thought to it.
I’ll see if I can muster some time over the weekend as well as some inner strenght to think about missing things and craft a decent mockup.
Oops forgot the link to the PPT 😛
http://www.mediafire.com/?ldmdt2jlyqg
For anyone who doesn’t have powerpoint here are the images from alfatreze’s PPT file.
http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/7174/hbb1cw3.png
http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/770/hbb2ev3.png
http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/2769/hbb3lc3.png
It does have a clean interface but how would things look at 640×480. It’ll also need things like sorting by date, downloads, rating, etc (maybe there should be a button which brings this selection up?).
Does this one have a cleaner interface? http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/429/wiihomebrewbrowser1atu9.png
Well I wasn’t really concerned about proper sizes, I basically just went with stock :P.
Are you considering adding a download queue for the next version? Or at least have it as a background process.
The same should be true for the images and details download.
It should probably go something like this:
1 – Update list
2 – Homebrew descriptions
3 – Homebrew Icons
4 – Homebrew screenshots
Naturally when opening the details of an hb it would move it’s info download to max priority.
Nice work alfatreze but what’s that got to do with the actual homebrew browser… it’s a windows tool look and feel [using standard icons] in a layout and screen size that is not possible on the Wii and very far off the original code.
The task at hand was not to rework the browser but to reskin it. Reskin in a way that’s visually appealing with as little impact on the code as possible.
And just for the record – it’s not photoshop 😉
As I said in my posts, it’s a study, not a mockup. Mostly concerned on how to improve functionality. As well as eventual new functions.
I don’t get what you mean by “windows tool look, as it has nothing to do with windows (except being sketched in powerpoint) and the Icons are from KDE4 oxygen suite.
The layout is mostly the same as the one taknecal has, with a mix of HBC, except for possible new buttons as well as differently placed functions.
The code is not really important, more so as it concerns mostly size as pos of items. As for new functions and code improvements, those seem as essential if not more than the UI refresh.
Also the “task” you mention was required is nothing about reskinning or any mention of code, rather:
[Teknecal] “I would like some feedback on what needs to be changed or what works well…”
The best way I see to give feedback is to take the good ideas and improve on them, not change the appearance of things.
Even if teknecal is only going to improve some things, my goal is to transmit a whole concept, not only a parcel, and eventually help define goals for future releases.
Don’t pursue change for change’s sake, analise ideas and form, develop and iterate for defined goals.
As for your mockup, it doesn’t bring nothing new and colors are too bright, distracting from the important elements. I’m not pretending mine is better visually, as it’s hardly more than a few built in effects for clarity sake.
Try to rethink your concept based on the users actions and proper hierarchy for the elements on screen, that should give you a better base. I’d also reduce the logo to a much less intruding element leaving more room for navigation, adding a splashcreen with full logo and credits on load while it downloads the update data and on the about screen.
Don’t be too caught on form and think of usage, I’m sure teknecal will pursue whatever path seems best vs the effort he want to put in the app.
I can’t delete boot.dol, trashed my sd card. what’s up with that. windows says there is still a file and won’t let me format the card.
That second mockup looks really good. I think the arrow icons should be removed, though. You should just be able to press ‘B’ and point the wiimote up and down to scroll the list up and down. Maybe there could be arrows on the right and left to flip through the different categories.