PC UI, Why?

"This in not a console port..." yea, right. Maybe, they just didn't bother to make the UI convenient for PC users, like the folks on DAI did.

First off, the forum joining process has nothing to do with Bioware/Ea - it is merely a safeguard against bots and internet trolls.

As for PC UI... it has been a trend ever since DA 2 - their PC UI has been getting worse and worse, under the guise of console/PC equality.

Dragon Age Origins had a beautifully crafted UI for its time, with almple space for majority of your abilities. And even when new dlc and expansion added new powers and skills, it could be modded so pc players could fit everything on their hotbar.

Come DA II - and 'ui streamlining'. Gone were artistic hotbars, and intuitive inventory system. We got console clone in its place. And it did not get any better.

By the time Inquisition rolled around, it was glaringly obvious that UI design for PC never even entered their designers' radar. There was a huge outcry, much louder than all the complains about DA II UI, but we barely got some hotkey functionality back and that was it.

Andromeda? On top of convoluted UI design that only makes sense when you are on a console, we also lost control over squad-mates. Remember when we could design our team/choose squad-mates to compliment our character and be able to execute powerful combos? Yeah, if you look at the trend it will never happen again.

/end disillusioned and disappointed costumer rant

I despise every aspect of the UI with a burning passion, and I play on console. I can't even imagine how frustrating it is on PC.

It honestly feels like the team responsible for the UI in the original trilogy - which while never truly stellar, was above average - was horribly murdered and replaced by a group of perpetually aroused bonobos.

Not worth it for them when in the long run, more people will have pirated the PC version than actually purchased it.  EA's gotta follow the dollars.  

It would be interesting to hear from a console user. I suspect that at least some of the problems are common. My particular issue is with the map process - hit M key to enter map, press ESCAPE TWICE to return to game. This really has to be a toggle. They have give choices for other keys, why not here?

 Also, map appears in fully zoomed out view, so the space ship view is incredibly small. Is there ever going to be anything OUTSIDE which will show up on the map? If not, why not expand each map to use the full available area?

These are like an incurable itch, you either want to scratch it or the person who gave you the itch.

I know, but at least they made some afford...

Also, they is zero utilization of the keyboard and mouse... no holding R to holster, no mouse button 4 to go back, etc.

Another user found you can get out of Map by hitting TAB.

Totally agree with the map being zoomed out. Be nice if it zoomed to the size of explored area, but I don't know how difficult that would be.

When was the last time you saw them play their games, and what were they using? An Xbox pad. BioWare have been using an Xbox pad to play their games on PC for years. So it is sadly not surprising that the UI in the PC games has suffered. I think DA:O has been about the only exception to that.

You actually worked out how to use the Favourites screen?

Kudos to you

After God-alone knows how many wasted minutes of fruitless clicking, and seeing various skills replaced with an exclamation mark, I just gave up.

Many of the in-game systems are very poorly explained. Planetary mining in the Nomad is another such system. I had to use Google to work out how to use it - and any game mechanic that forces users to look outside the game for help and instructions is a poor game mechanic.

During DA2 development Mike Laidlaw said somewhere that most sales for DA were on console, so they would focus their efforts there from now on.

It's really odd. I have a Belgian AZERTY keyboard but it's set to Dutch in Windows. The problem isn't specifically MEA, though. It was unfair of me to imply that.