Right now there are multiple, inconsistent UIs for managing autons:

• The [C]ommunications menu is used to control deployed autons.
• The [U]se menu can deploy autons in the cargo bay.
• If you have an auton bay, [U]sing the auton bay lets you manage autons in the cargo bay (but not deployed autons).
• If you dock at an auton dealer, you can repair deployed autons, but not autons in your cargo hold.

Perhaps we should unify the UIs. Consider the following proposal:

Squadron UI

[x] Show squadron command in ship status if player has a squadron
[x] Add new command to show Squadron UI and hook up default key
    (But leave original UI in case people want to use that).
[x] Advertise Q key if player has a squadron, C key if other
[x] Squadron UI screen
[x] Show deployed ships and show commands
[x] Show autons in cargo and allow deploy and configuration
[x] Show current damage/status for deployed ships
[x] Add support for naming autons
[x] Scale icons to fit squadron size
[x] Show ships in other systems
[x] If player has Auton Bay, allow configuration changes
[x] Show Auton Bay status (e.g., is Auton Bay is repairing autons).
[x] Auton Bay use key should navigate to Squadron UI screen
[x] Handle unidentified autons
[x] Show status: waiting, attacking, in formation, etc.
[x] Preserve selection after coming back from configuration screen

We add a Squadron UI to the ship screen. If the player has a squadron (defined below) then we show and entry that takes us to the Squadron UI. In addition, the [Q] key takes us directly to the Squadron UI.

The Squadron UI shows a list of all ships in the squadron, as icon. By default, all ships are selected. The player can select a specific ship in the squadron by clicking on an icon. The player can Ctrl+Click to select more than one ship in the squadron. We show status (armor integrity, etc.) on the left-pane icons, so the player can see ship status without having to select every single ship.

We also show indicators (possibly gray out the icon) for autons that are still inside the cargo hold or are in another system (waiting).

The description on the right pane shows the status of the selection.

On the right pane we show the following sets of commands:

• Deploy: If the auton is in the cargo bay, then we show this command. If the auton is damaged, we disable this command and explain.
• Orders: We show each order that applies to the current selection. Perhaps excluding Status, which is displayed here.
• Talk: If supported, this allows us to have a dialog with the selected wingmate.
• Configuration: This navigates to a screen showing the ship's configuration. If the player has an auton bay, they can install armor/devices.

Previous Design

Communications Menu

• Include all autons, wingmates, zoanthropes, etc., including those still in the cargo bay (they have a Launch command).
• Include any autons or wingmates left in other systems (no commands are possible, but at least the player is told what system they are in).
• Group the list by type of object: autons, wingmates, zoanthropes, fleet squadron, convoy members (freighter being escorted), etc.
• Allows the player to select an entire group to give orders to.

Auton Bay

• The auton bay should show a list of all autons, including those that are deployed and those that are in other system.
• For deployed autons, the only action is Return to Ship.
• For autons in other systems, there is no action possible, but at least we tell the player where they are.
• Consider accessing the auton bay directly from the [S]hip Status screen. Or perhaps as a tab in the Cargo Hold screen.

Auton Dealer

• The auton dealer should show a list of all autons, including autons in the cargo hold.
• The auton dealer can repair any auton (deployed or not) for a price.

See Also

• Auton comms improvements