[Beta3][Suggestion/UI] Inconsistent Escape key.

from Elemental Forums

Using the escape key closes some dialog panels, e.g. the city improvement list.

It does not close other dialogs, e.g. the introduction "book" display at start of game, the research display.

When there isn't a dialog active which the escape key will close, it brings up the options dialog.

The worst behaviour is seen when the research dialog is on display. Hitting <esc> closes that and brings up the options dialog.

Suggestion: Escape should always close the active dialog if there is one. If there is no active dialog it should do nothing. Use another key for the options dialog. This would be expected behaviour for many Windows users.

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Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

Well, I'd say that the "expected" behaviour for pressing the esc key when nothing else is open would be to bring up some sort of menu allowing you to save/quit or whatever. In Elemental, that function is shared by the options screen. I think it's a little silly that the two functions share one window like that, but I think it's very important that pressing esc when there's nothing open should not do absolutely nothing.

The larger problem, IMO, is that pressing esc again after the options window is open doesn't dismiss the options window. That behaviour is the most egregiously inconsistent, I think.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

Yes, PLEASE fix the consistency of the ESC key!

I find it extremely irritating that I can't hit ESC to get out of the options window (ESC opens it, but ESC doesn't close it? how annoying!). I'm fairly certain that this will annoy a great number of users come retail release.