Consistent UI by merging fabricator build menu into PDA

slayer.faith

When im coding, i tend to look for functionality that shares a common 'idea' and can be merged.

It seems to me that the fabricator UI should pop up the PDA (on a special tab for construction) and you click to build within that. This would give users a consistent UI for menus and interactions and [tab] would always pop you out of it, [esc] would always bring up the game menu. It would probably save you building a second menu just for the fabricator (which hangs in the air weirdly and also has a totally different set of keys to exit control).

Currently:
* PDA: [tab] to quit, [esc]ape brings up game menu, [e] does nothing
* fabricator: [esc]ape to quit, cant access game menu at all, [tab] does nothing, [e] does nothing
* piloting ship: [e] to quit, [tab] does nothing, [esc]ape brings up game menu
problems:
* confusing change of keys (is it escape or tab to quit)
* there is already a pda tab with all the construction information for parts, duplicating the pop up info in the fabricator

Suggestion:
* structure the PDA blueprints tab to be like the life form database (tree on the side, detail on the right)
* sort the items like they are in the fabricator (except with category names on the tree on the side)
* add a disabled build button to each blueprint
* clicking on fabricator opens the PDA build tab and enables a 'build' button (if materials are available (*))
* also allow 'e' (exit/holster) to quit PDA

So you drop one whole UI (the fabricator). Add [e] to always 'quit what you are doing' ie, holster item/quit PDA/quit fabricator (now is PDA)/stop steering ship. Can always hit [esc] to get the game menu. Nice and consistent!

(*) = And as a bonus this sets you up perfectly for being able to do the "lockers also add to your inventory" mod easily ;-) http://forums.unknownworlds.com/discussion/141485/lockers-should-auto-supply-fabricators