I count about 50 (there are a few more in the CS). Let's assume we just take about 15 different colours (basic VGA palette or similar), and 5 different shapes (circle, square, 5-star, 6-star, triangle) for the background, that's 15*5 = 75 different backgrounds. And then we can let it glow less or more depending on the effect magnitude.And that's not even including variations of the item inside the icon itself, of which there can be dozens more.

That's what I'd try. Seems like it should be able to show a couple dozen 3D "icons", unless there is something that is massively less efficient about loading them into Flash.

I'm cool with text too though.

I'm hoping a great UI redesign such as this will be usable and intuitive with a controller too.

I don't know about anyone else, but I switch between keyboard & mouse and an Xbox controller when playing Skyrim, depending on where I'm sitting, what screen the game is on etc. I find the default UI pretty usable with the controller, but would replace it in a heartbeat for a more functional keyboard & mouse UI.

So yeah, a lovely, intuitive UI for both controlling methods is on the very top of my list for Skyrim must-haves.

It looks really good.
It really doesn't matter, regarding the "webbishness". Either one is light-years ahead of the current, console controller-driven design.

For what its worth, I appreciate any time, and effort put into making a more PC-friendly design.

Which is threadjacking. Can you both please stop arguing? If you must, make your own thread to argue the merits of different UI designs.

EDIT: And the thread has gone over the post-count limit. Someone make a #2 quick!

You missed the most important point, you may be able to make (much more than 75, remember items with multiple effects?) icons, this does not mean they are meaningful, intuitive to the player or even understandable.

Systems which use primitive shape and colour changes only work when there are a limited number of them, their usability can be increased by using in built knowledge, see Civilization 5's unit icons, Shield shaped background means the unit is defending sword icon means swordsmen, bow & arrow means archers.
Pink does not inherently mean dragonslaying, a circle does not mean mana regeneration, these are not concepts built in to our psyches and background knowledge.

You missed the part where they don need to be either. They just need to be distinct. Ideally, the players themselves should be able to chose and manipulate them if they think they aren't distinct enough.

Post limit.

New thread available http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1278538-skyrim-ui-pc-specific-redesign-no-2/page__view__findpost__p__19326414