[Feature Request] UI overhaul for simplicity & usabilty

[kenbot]

trafficstars

I have a vision of sorts for what I'd like the UI to eventually turn into....

On first run after install

• Automatically finds Steam/GOG IWads
• Failing that, downloads FreeDoom
• Automatically downloads a managed copy of GZDoom
• No forms or dialogs
• Start on Discover screen, start playing in two clicks

Main screen

Inspired by Steam & Netflix

• permanent side bar sorted by tags, or recent activity with a search bar. Similar to current but less clunky
• Small number of top level tabs
  • DISCOVER, which has idgames and curated Cacoward browser;
  • LIBRARY which has all your wads; maybe a Netflix-style dashboard with different collections, or tags. "Recent" subheading is pinned, with one-click resume buttons
  • GAMES which has the IWADs, and maybe some way to link to all the mods that are built for that IWAD
• Get the other sidebars, screenshots, demos, etc out of the way. Make it all tiles

Obviously don't actually plagiarize Steam like in the screenshot - use colours and fonts that are Doomy, so DoomLauncher doesn't feel like a janky 00s business app. Maybe... techbase theme for light mode, hell theme for dark mode

Launch screen

• Full screen other than the sidebar, which stays. Not a modal dialog
• Huge image
• Easy to get back to where you were
• 80s/90s VCR inspired design:
  • Play button with a green triangle
  • Record button with a red circle, which when enabled, will record a demo with a generated name once you press play
  • VCR cartridge metaphor. Cartridges include:
    • Map / difficulty. Difficulty represented by a green -> yellow -> red skull colourful scale
    • Demos
    • Saves
    • Clicking on the cartridge brings up the cartridge selection screen, which keeps up the metaphor
    • Eject button "ejects" the cartridge, which means Play will just play the mod
    • If you have played the mod before, by default the cartridge will be the latest save, or if unavailable, the map/difficulty they are up to. Otherwise empty
  • Large description text field
  • Plugin metaphor for additional files, like a Nintendo 46 memory stick. Select from known gameplay mods. (you have to dig out a submenu to do pick arbitrary files).
    • The plugins stack on top of each other and you can drag and drop them to reorder
  • All the other stuff - screenshots, iwad/source port selection (assuming iwad auto detect is good enough), command line args, profiles, the screen filter thing - it all goes behind the cog icon