Massive X - the thread

[loungepanda]

But then again, people have different taste so maybe NI should consider developing alternative themes for it.

Personally I think it's very easy on the eyes and fast to navigate. Knob response is also quite nice, even though I thought it was too "heavy" at first.

[Functional]

I’m sure NI has the resources to work with all this, so I’m not as aggressive as some have been in claiming the UI is “bad.”

Mostly coming from a person who hasn't probably said a single good thing about MX. Aside from that performer view being hidden behind the performers, there's probably nothing bad to say about the UI. There's some quirks here and there that truly are not intuitive, but not so much related to UI.

[pdxindy]

I notice a sequencer tab on this iteration? And modulator 2 looks like a 16 step sequencing thing?

There's also the ID tab that is no longer there... and the PM Osc in that graphic has some editable options in the signal flow graphic that aren't there now. Then there are what look like layers beneath the macros. Also looks like the standard envelope had some looping options not there now.

NI announced MX at least a year before it was ready

[Stefken]

People always have different opinions about UI. Heck, I’ve worked with professional UI design studios and the results aren’t always any better aesthetically than one guy with great vision.

Only the results count. But an UI design studio will at least have a decent output standard.
But off course someone can be very good at it without being associated with a studio.

What professional UI design can do is provide a better sense of flow after sustained and scientific observation (there are facilities for this, actually, with equipment that tracks movement, speed, reactions and records all of this as significant data for analysis, alongside human interaction analysis of course). But that only improves, to some extent, usage experience.

A usability lab can improve things, but really a lot you can know beforehand as it's pretty well documented by now.

The aesthetics and familiarization aspects are, I’m convinced, absolutely arbitrary. Simply, the more innovative the UI, the stronger the initial reaction, until users adjust.

That's untrue. The best UI is a UI that feels like 'it's not there'. That is, everything feels completely natural and logical. If people need to adjust, that's not a good sign. Familiarity and designing towards learned expectations and affordances is important.
Aesthetics are pretty arbitrary but an UI that looks good, will always be more pleasant to work with.
And thus add to the experience.

[Stefken]

I notice a sequencer tab on this iteration? And modulator 2 looks like a 16 step sequencing thing?

There's also the ID tab that is no longer there... and the PM Osc in that graphic has some editable options in the signal flow graphic that aren't there now. Then there are what look like layers beneath the macros. Also looks like the standard envelope had some looping options not there now.

NI announced MX at least a year before it was ready

Yep, I wonder what that ID tab is.

[EvilDragon]

"UI that looks good" is exactly what's entirely subjective.

[Forgotten]

"UI that looks good" is exactly what's entirely subjective.

"UI that looks good" is an impossible target considering the broad range of likes and dislikes that every UI gets here.

[Stefken]

"UI that looks good" is exactly what's entirely subjective.

You should quote my complete sentence. Now you're taking it out of context.

[highkoo]

Holy shit, you guys are still just acting like nothing is wrong.

[realtrance]

I’m sure NI has the resources to work with all this, so I’m not as aggressive as some have been in claiming the UI is “bad.”

Mostly coming from a person who hasn't probably said a single good thing about MX. Aside from that performer view being hidden behind the performers, there's probably nothing bad to say about the UI. There's some quirks here and there that truly are not intuitive, but not so much related to UI.

Yep I'm sure NI would be the first to say there's a lot more work to do, though their sense of what matters may differ in some places from ours.

But the good news is, it's already a spectacular sounding synth that's fun to use, which is what matters most.

[highkoo]

Aside from that performer view being hidden behind the performers, there's probably nothing bad to say about the UI. There's some quirks here and there that truly are not intuitive, but not so much related to UI.

Dude....

[martinjuenke]

"UI that looks good" is exactly what's entirely subjective.

You should quote my complete sentence. Now you're taking it out of context.

That should be moved to:
viewtopic.php?f=70&t=304605&start=2805

[Forgotten]

"UI that looks good" is exactly what's entirely subjective.

You should quote my complete sentence. Now you're taking it out of context.

That should be moved to:
viewtopic.php?f=70&t=304605&start=2805

[Stefken]

Aside from that performer view being hidden behind the performers, there's probably nothing bad to say about the UI. There's some quirks here and there that truly are not intuitive, but not so much related to UI.

Dude....

Double dude. Seriously .

[Functional]

Aside from that performer view being hidden behind the performers, there's probably nothing bad to say about the UI. There's some quirks here and there that truly are not intuitive, but not so much related to UI.

Dude....

What? Please, go ahead and substantiate on whatever criticism you might have or quit the yapping, because nobody honestly cares. Our other hero isn't quite capable apparently of doing much except non-concrete rambling. Which incidentally I guess also makes him not the hero of the working class!