I don't like the Unity interface.

[x4000]

With regards to my earlier comment "higher contrast colors" was inaccurate phrasing, what I really mean is that the color choices seem more muted in many cases, and I liked them brighter. The particular example that springs to mind is the "friendly/mixed/hostile" wormhole linkage scheme, which used to have bright green/yellow/red and now is more muted. This is purely a matter of taste, of course, though I'm curious as to what prompted the change.

I gotcha.  On those, the colors are actually the same, but the thing is that we made the lines thinner.  It just looked more professional and cleaner this way, I felt, and with the antialiasing on those lines in particular it also looks smoother but a bit thinner.

I'm very glad to hear the color coding on planet summaries and the like is coming back, it's very useful.

Referring here just to the intel summary on the galaxy map, right?  The planetary summary colors on the far right of the screen are color-coded, just a lot more subtly than they used to be -- I thought it looked cleaner, and was more distinct from the player colors to reduce confusion along the lines of "does that red mean my color, or 'enemy,' etc."

[Vinraith]

I gotcha.  On those, the colors are actually the same, but the thing is that we made the lines thinner.  It just looked more professional and cleaner this way, I felt, and with the antialiasing on those lines in particular it also looks smoother but a bit thinner.

Wow, I'd never have guessed those were the same colors. It's remarkable how much impact line thickness has.

Referring here just to the intel summary on the galaxy map, right?  The planetary summary colors on the far right of the screen are color-coded, just a lot more subtly than they used to be -- I thought it looked cleaner, and was more distinct from the player colors to reduce confusion along the lines of "does that red mean my color, or 'enemy,' etc."

Yes, I meant the intel summary, scrambled my terms on that one.

[x4000]

No worries, and all good.  Yes, I was surprised with how much line thickness also changed things.

[Collic]

Not to worry about the font size, it certainly isn't something I'd ask for if it was anything other than a trivial change - but if you don't ask, you don't get

I think the unity version is a huge step forward and vastly easier on the eyes, any minor quibbles are just that - I'd even accept some regressions there to be free of the the old dot net dependencies anyway. I hope the release has shown good indications of helping the financial situation so far as well, I just wish I was in a position to help you out myself.

[x4000]

It's definitely looking up -- thanks a ton, and thanks for the kind words there!

[doctorfrog]

Throwing my 2 pennies way late in the conversation:

I haven't played AIW since the SlimDX version, and I breathed much easier with the refinements that have been added:
- the glowy border around text blocks does allow for better contrast. The pixel art frames were good also, and TBH, I do miss them... but usability (and performance) wins out here.
- the font with much improved readability over the coolness factor. Bigger, too, or maybe the font is just better at being small.
- the overall "app faking as a game" feel that the SlimDX version always had is now gone. This feels like, and moves like a game.
- I also kinda miss the minimap but the overlay is a vast improvement. It's a good design decision, but one that doesn't immediately make sense, as we're all used to having everpresent minimaps. I'd like the option to have an overlay toggle key in addition to the 'hold,' and maybe someday later be able to have my minimap back, but I'm cool with the change in the meantime.
- As stated by others, some of the dialogs do need more refinement, but that's a) to be expected in a game that's as information dense as AI War and b) highly likely to be addressed in future revisions. I'm not worried a bit.

Even though I continue to have other ideas about the actual visual design of the game (I would have preferred to see tasty pixel art take over the whole interface), I do look forward to seeing the game continue to improve in the direction its gone in. It's really improved, feels more complete, and it can only get better!

If I'm any indication, you definitely have folks who have wanted these changes, and are relieved and happy that good design sense won out in the long run.

I'll be counting out coins for the Spire addon soon!