Would you like a complete redesign of MCT?
Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 11:46 pmI have been thinking on the possibility of redesigning MCT.
There are some features I was going to add to version 1.9, which are aftertouch mapping for using Addictive drums, easy tweakable drummaps, presets, etc...
THe thing is that from the user point of view, it would be easier to have different screens for each thing so he can focus on any of them without getting lost. Currently, in the main screen you have all the configuration panels, and part of a midi monitor, but you can open a more detailed monitor in other window, and then the drummaps, and so on... I think that maybe the application, as it´s growing, it´s getting messier.
My idea is to have a tabbed panel, in which each tab represents a different logical part of the application: Monitor, Configuration, Drummaps, Curve Editor, Firmware updating, Tools & Options, Log
In the monitor tab I will put a good monitor, with individual bars for each input, log of hits, xtalk spotting, etc. This is the only screen that the user would like to see when playing or when trying to find configuration problems.
In the configuration I will put all the configuration panels (misc, hihat and inputs) but removing midi channel, midi note and curve from the hihat and the inputs
In the Drummaps tab, I will put all the inputs with midi channel, midi note and curve parameters, with options to map their corresponding aftertouch notes to other notes. Also here you can select which VST you are using so instead of midi note numbers you can select the name of the element to trigger (for example, I say I am using Superior 2 and the midi note box gives me a list of all the elements of the Superior 2 drumkit, that internally will be converted to midi notes)
In the Curve editor the current curve editor
In the firmware updating a nice interface to change input names, update firmware, with instructions step by step (all in the same panel, without popups)
In the Tools and Options tab, the options of the application and other things I still haven´t thought about
In the Log tab, the application log
I want to know if you people like this new approach and if you have any suggestions to do for this new design. What do you think?
PD: I will update soon MCT to 1.83 including the new option dmitri included: Inputs priority. And then I will stop any development of that version of the program to work on this new one. It may take me some time, but the result I think would be nicer
There are some features I was going to add to version 1.9, which are aftertouch mapping for using Addictive drums, easy tweakable drummaps, presets, etc...
THe thing is that from the user point of view, it would be easier to have different screens for each thing so he can focus on any of them without getting lost. Currently, in the main screen you have all the configuration panels, and part of a midi monitor, but you can open a more detailed monitor in other window, and then the drummaps, and so on... I think that maybe the application, as it´s growing, it´s getting messier.
My idea is to have a tabbed panel, in which each tab represents a different logical part of the application: Monitor, Configuration, Drummaps, Curve Editor, Firmware updating, Tools & Options, Log
In the monitor tab I will put a good monitor, with individual bars for each input, log of hits, xtalk spotting, etc. This is the only screen that the user would like to see when playing or when trying to find configuration problems.
In the configuration I will put all the configuration panels (misc, hihat and inputs) but removing midi channel, midi note and curve from the hihat and the inputs
In the Drummaps tab, I will put all the inputs with midi channel, midi note and curve parameters, with options to map their corresponding aftertouch notes to other notes. Also here you can select which VST you are using so instead of midi note numbers you can select the name of the element to trigger (for example, I say I am using Superior 2 and the midi note box gives me a list of all the elements of the Superior 2 drumkit, that internally will be converted to midi notes)
In the Curve editor the current curve editor
In the firmware updating a nice interface to change input names, update firmware, with instructions step by step (all in the same panel, without popups)
In the Tools and Options tab, the options of the application and other things I still haven´t thought about
In the Log tab, the application log
I want to know if you people like this new approach and if you have any suggestions to do for this new design. What do you think?
PD: I will update soon MCT to 1.83 including the new option dmitri included: Inputs priority. And then I will stop any development of that version of the program to work on this new one. It may take me some time, but the result I think would be nicer
so I am pretty busy doing Objective-C programming (sounds like I will get some practice to help Dave finishing those drivers for being able to connect MCT and Megadrum in a Mac computer).