PlaneShift

Development => PlaneShift Mods => Topic started by: Nikodemus on August 28, 2007, 02:35:53 pm

Title: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Nikodemus on August 28, 2007, 02:35:53 pm

So, Naekis in his recent topic has motivated me to update my own piece of mod a bit.

Besides all the new arty elements, I eliminated the duel points coz as far as i know they are going out \o/
The window is thinner than the previous production of mine and i suppose uses the space more efficiently.
No images for the two other skins though.
The backdrop image is here (http://crimsonorder.freepgs.com/things/ps-mc/skills.png)
the xml is here (http://crimsonorder.freepgs.com/things/ps-mc/skillwindow.xml)

Oh and in case you wondered where the hell get that title bar, it's here (http://crimsonorder.freepgs.com/things/ps-mc/title_bar.png)
And a note about borders we define in xmls. This one has borders off. I drew them by hand, including the title bar. Due to nature of the xml borders, if you set them back to visible, you won't see these a did, because they all will be overlayed. That in case someone was borders freak ;P

There is a screenshot:

(http://crimsonorder.freepgs.com/things/ps-mc/skills-example.jpg)

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Induane on August 28, 2007, 03:12:35 pm

Amazing work as always.  I really like this particular layout.

:) Keep it up!

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Naekis on August 28, 2007, 05:11:49 pm

Very nice, Niko.

It's clear, easy to handle, every thing is on a good place and the most of all i like is the backround.

Very good Work  \\o//

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: LigH on August 28, 2007, 05:52:31 pm

Karyuu -- grab it while it's hot! ;)

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Karyuu on August 28, 2007, 07:04:36 pm

Is it possible to remove the character doll with the XML? It really serves no purpose being in the Stat&Skill window.

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: LigH on August 28, 2007, 07:56:05 pm

Of course it is "possible".

Any suggestion to use the space there with anything more useful?

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Karyuu on August 28, 2007, 08:00:42 pm

No need to replace it with anything :) I'd rather the GUI be restructured to become cleaner and less bloated anyway.

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Nikodemus on August 28, 2007, 08:01:59 pm

It is possible. If not completly, then make it hidden, just like i did ith duel points to avoid crash (width 0 hight 0 and below something else ;))

Possible, but honestly i like it ;P I'm waiting for a time when we see wounds, diseases, dust and alike on our char. Then the doll will be helpfull.

I can remove it, but then the backdrop image will need serious changes. It's geometry will go to hell without serious changes and in fact work from scratch with the borders.
This means I can do it, if i see the complete thing in the next release ;P I only wonder if it is really that good idea to remove it, if it may turn to be helpfull in a year or so.

hm 2 new replies.
Without the doll, the window will be just thinner by it.
EDIT: the font on buttons smaller, space beetwen each decreased a lot. And if this wouldn't be enough, the window wouldn't be as thin as could be.
It would be much more simple if it were possible to make text display turned by 90^o. Then the buttons would be located at left edge.

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Karyuu on August 28, 2007, 08:25:38 pm

The way I and several other people on the team feel is that character dolls in general provide nothing significant. Even wounds, diseases, etc., can be seen on your character itself by rotating your camera view. Character dolls are not a "preview" before some changes are made, which is the only time they would truly be necessary.

I guess we can hold off on removing the doll until more of the GUI is completely redone. I do however think that the BG in this mod needs more work to make it similar to the current default style (in both color and design).

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Nikodemus on August 28, 2007, 09:21:55 pm

In what way similiar?
Colors or design?

After I made it, I realised it is oversaturated in ralation to the rest. So it is easy to fix.
Harder is decreasing the level of exposed detail, because i don't know what filter is opposite to clarify ;P I would just cut holes in new background and apply it.

This was colors

If you are speaking about design, i can as well make new backdrop then, because this means these metalic elements are bad.
So add these popular brown thingies i actually don't like at all :P darken rectangles and done. Oh, and then removing doll is a piece of cake ;)

Honestly, making the thing at the top of this thread i wasn't thinking seriously about seeing it in game. XML yes, image no.

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Naekis on August 28, 2007, 10:23:54 pm

What would be if you replace the doll with the tab-buttons, put them to the side of the list, under each other (like i did, just in one column)?
Then you can cut out the line where they are now!?
And the widget becames a bit smaller

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Nikodemus on August 28, 2007, 10:26:52 pm

Quote from: Naekis on August 28, 2007, 10:23:54 pm

And the widget becames a bit smaller

It gets smaller in the wrong direction.

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Naekis on August 28, 2007, 10:30:08 pm

Oh, sorry, I didn't recognize you want to decrease it in vertical direction, not in horizontal. It was only an idea

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Nikodemus on August 28, 2007, 10:42:03 pm

if you place the buttons where the doll is, the horizontal width won't change at all ;)
If something, decreasing in horizontal direction is good ;)

Also, your two posts are opposites of each another ;P just look
and there is nothing to sorry about.

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Caarrie on August 29, 2007, 02:13:43 am

Nikodemus have you tested this at different screen resolutions and font scaling?

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Nikodemus on August 29, 2007, 11:41:00 am

If someone set his font scaling above the normal (in setup) then everything will obviously overlay where it shouldn't.
If they set it too low and they can't read the font, it's their fault again ;)

The gui is designed to scale perfectly as the resolution change. Well, in general, beceause the skillwindow has bugs. The Progresion points widget and possibly also tria, won't scale proportionally. It willl be scaled down as resolution decrease. But scalled not enough. In effect, The Progression points will overlay where they shouldn't in resolution like 800x600.
But it is not up to me to fix it. This reaches beyond xmls.

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Caarrie on August 29, 2007, 12:53:27 pm

Well as someone that has done some major changes to the skills window [fixed the faction tab] it is not outside the relm of the xml to get it to work with different font sizes and screen resolutions. It is hard but not impossible to get this to work right.

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Nikodemus on August 29, 2007, 01:06:11 pm

care to explain how?
And, is there something wrong with factions tab?

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Caarrie on August 29, 2007, 01:41:01 pm

you just have to work with the size of the tabs and the font size. if you look at the skill window for the .017 release you will see what was wrong with it and that it is fixed now [in the client not your stuff]

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Nikodemus on August 29, 2007, 02:26:30 pm

Font size is exactly the same as original :s
Tabs are different size, yea, for better space use.

Is the exact shape and layout of the tabs as in original that you want?


You told: "to get it to work with different font sizes"
Where is it wrong and how you want to see it.
It is what i mean't by asking if you can explain.

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Caarrie on August 29, 2007, 02:29:03 pm

Quote from: Nikodemus on August 29, 2007, 02:26:30 pm

Font size is exactly the same as original :s
Tabs are different size, yea, for better space use.

Is the exact shape and layout of the tabs as in original that you want?


You told: "to get it to work with different font sizes"
Where is it wrong and how you want to see it.
It is what i mean't by asking if you can explain.

I have not downloaded it, i was just asking i use 1440x900 with 75% font scaling and i have had problems with editing the gui then having it looking right for others at different resolutions or font scalings.

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Nikodemus on August 29, 2007, 03:26:53 pm

I can't think of what would look wrong with fon't scalling <100% The font is going to be simply smaller. Nothing can go outside its boundaries.

I thought you know when problems arise when some thing are changed in the xml and you want to show me them.

I have a question. Why do you use the font scalling?

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Caarrie on August 29, 2007, 03:32:17 pm

if at my screen res i had it at 100% font scaling it would have very large fonts and i dont like that so i scalled it down to make it how i like it.

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Nikodemus on August 29, 2007, 03:35:50 pm

would you use it too, in 800x600 ?

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Caarrie on August 29, 2007, 03:46:15 pm

for my native screen res 800x600 is too small imo to use so i will not answer that question

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Nikodemus on August 29, 2007, 04:06:27 pm

You can open in windowed mode.

Anyway, the point is, if you scale font down, you get absolutely nothing. the widgets remain all the same. They cover the same area. A button remain the same size, but the writing, which is smaller on the button. You don't save space. Unless if you see two writings:

Various skills

Various skills

you read the first faster

Anyway, in the end, font scalling <100% can't have negative effects on the layout. Or at least i can't think of one.

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Morla Phlint on August 30, 2007, 04:48:03 am

Hello!
Sorry to post such a stupid question but I'm still new to this  :-[
Nikodemus, could you please explain where exactly I have to put the backdrop and the title bar image files? Thanks in advance.

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: LigH on August 30, 2007, 07:58:37 am

In case you are using Windows, and the default installation path:

skillwindow.xml goes to:
C:\Program Files\PlaneShift Crystal Blue\data\gui

skill.png goes into:
C:\Program Files\PlaneShift Crystal Blue\art\skins\dafault.zip
and its "backdrop" folder inside
using an archiver able to handle ZIP files (and may it simply be the XP builtin "Compressed Folders" feature)

If you are using a different OS or location, you are probably smart enough to adapt the folders mentioned here.

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Morla Phlint on August 30, 2007, 08:03:28 am

Thank you, LigH! You rescue me!  :sweatdrop:
Ah, yes, I'm using Windows  :)

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Nikodemus on September 03, 2007, 12:20:56 pm

Does this look better, more consistent with the rest of the gui?

(http://crimsonorder.freepgs.com/things/ps-mc/skills-example-beta.jpg)

Title: Re: New nikos skillwindow GUI mod.
Post by: Nikodemus on April 23, 2008, 10:35:53 pm

new release, new adjustments. Since the size behaviour is different now - the main widgets sizes are counted in pixels, the size you see below will be the one you see in game if i'm understanding well the whole thing. For people not in the topic, installation details are in this thread. (http://crimsonorder.freepgs.com/things/ps-mc/skills-new.png)

This one shows how would i relayout it if i knew it is going in game and it is worth the hassle (and it is a lot of time ;)) the magenta areas would be cut off to make window smaller the green areas are elements to be cut off so the window can be slimer, since te doll wouldn't be there. the blue areas would be moved as the arrows show. The writing with scurlock font would be made 1-2 points bigger too and everything would be aligned well to use the remaining space. Also, the background image would be colored with the corresponding bar color, a little different, so the bar changes would be visible, but good enough that the valuses were better visible. That collumn is for Caarrrie whos window is going into next release i suppose. Maybe what i'm doing isn't good enough or i'm just a wrong person. Eighter way i'm hoping Caarrie will look through the xml code and take ALL the elements, which will look best in any vision. http://crimsonorder.freepgs.com/things/ps-mc/skillwindow.xml (http://crimsonorder.freepgs.com/things/ps-mc/skills-future.png)