I hate the new UI. I really, really hate it. I tried, I really did, and I love the game itself, but the UI just bounces me right off.
To be clear, I'm not talking about the new esthetic/graphics of the game, they're fine. But the UX suuuucks.
I can't make any promises, but when I have the time, I'll see about adding another layout toggle to the legacy mode that's a "pre-legacy" style--essentially the layout from the Flash version of the game. Though do note, with how the game's current UI layout is, I can only implement it for when the UI is in its Main Text state (the portion where you navigate and interact in scenes)--all other states, such as the Inventory, Shop, Codex, etc. will likely remain unchanged.
The original TiTS UI was an iterative improvement on to original CoC UI, and the ported TiTS UI was an iterative improvement on the old TiTS UI. The main reason why we went with how the default UI is now is because the past Flash UI felt a bit scatter-shot and it was throwing way too much information at the user for no specific reason (basically you are always having your character sheet out most of the time). For the JavaScript port, we condensed a bunch of the information and tried to make it as mobile-friendly as possible (conserving screen space and making text the legible), with intention to iterate further as portions of the game solidified (and we are continuing to do so today).
Moving a bunch of what was once on the right side to the left side was an intentional design choice as that didn't lock the right side out (of other potential UI features) and it made it clear that all the player-related info was on the left side of the screen (such as stats, navigation, etc.). Also, from a design standpoint, and naturally reading left-to-right, anything on the right side would be "secondary" in terms of importance of information, so having as little clutter on that side as possible was ideal. This is how the first JavaScript layout was established and it was a mostly welcome change for mobile players, with large bars and buttons that were easy to interact with. When we iterated again to allow the map to squeeze into the side bar better, the mobile players had a hard time interacting with the UI because of the smaller buttons but the Desktop players had better clarity due to the screen space economy.
To better accomdate mobile players, Gedan created an alternate control display and I invested some time to bringing back parts of the initial JavaScript UI as an option and that became the "Legacy" layout. So now the user has multiple options to choose how their interface looks and plays that best fits their devices... and we are still iterating as we develop. I believe the inital plan was to have a more device-responsive UI, with several toggle and pop-up boxes for extra information (like how the map and bust image is currently), so that may be an option down the line for a less cluttered UI. Ultimately, we are trying to make the layout(s) as accessible on as many devices as possible, but within reason (such as ideal browsers being limited to Chrome and Firefox--your experience may vary in other browsers).
And no, we aren't catering to mobile devices as part of following a design trend. It really is for accessbility (staying up-to-date with the new tech), and we are also continuing to iterate our designs based on that as well. For example, keybinds have been implemented for all UI states recently (mostly--I would say about 90% compatible), so keyboard players can now have an easier time playing and enjoying the game. But I do understand the sentiment of "why change it if it wasn't broken," it just overlooks the fact that while things aren't exactly broken, they could definitely be a lot better (though even that is subjective, I know).
If a "pre-legacy" option is implemented, I probably won't make the layout 1:1 exactly like how it was in Flash, but I'll roll with the symmetrical two-bar design, as I think that's what original players liked most about that UI design. Most likely, I'll have the portrait, stats and menu buttons on the left side, and the map and navigation buttons on the right side. If it all works out, I think the layout will be a happy medium for those who prefer the OG layout with all the intricate data displayed at once.
As a side note: during play testing, I change the UI layout and settings every so often, not only to make sure that they are in working condition, but also to make sure they feel good to play. So I suggest finding a layout that works best for you as we put some thought into how the layout is constructed and a lot of time implementing the functions to make them work. If you can't find one that gives you a good experience now, perhaps a new layout will emerge in the future that better suits your tastes.
Again, I can't promise if and when I'll be able to start on the UI edits, but when I do, I have a pretty good idea on how to execute it. If there are any constructive criticisms you may have on the current and possible future of the UI, feel free to share (ideally on another thread, if so).