Hey,
Thanks for your reply.
This has nothing to do with image size. what you see in game will be always the same size in the same resolution. What may change, is the image quality, but paws (the system thnx UI workd) screws up the images anyway, like they were resized 2 times (up and down), before we can see them on the screen
No, that's not really true. I'm aware that the game doesn't display images at their native resolution and either resizes them down or up. However, the original image size plays a large role in this. If the original image is 32x32 pixels and it displays it at 64x64, you get a blurry effect with loss of detail. If the original image is too large of a resolution, like the 128x128 pixel buttons on the main toolbar, then you get a pixelated image at smaller size because it resizes down too much (this is more noticeable with the "Default" skin tool bar).
For example, in the "Default" skin, the "Purify" and "Research" icons are 32x32 pixels in their original size:
But inside the game they are displayed at a larger size, closer to 48x48 or 64x64, making them appear blurry.
On the other hand, the same icons in the "Elves" skin are originally at 64x64 pixels like so:
So, they look better.
Also, some of the "backdrop" images are at a much larger resolution in "Elves" and "Stone" skins than in "Default" but some are the same. So, you get a mishmash of things all over the place.
This is what I meant about inconsistency. Either they need to display every skin at the smallest common denominator or increase the icon image sizes (and the rest that isn't consistent) on the "Default" skin to match other skins or the displayed resolution. And match the layout and formatting accordingly and consistently.
Talk with devs about the art, it is ask for permission, if you should ever do it. Also, keep in in there are 3 skins. If you want to contribute something, you have to do it for all 3 sins ;P Furthe, I gues devs has the bigger versions of backgrounds and it is they who should do the backgronds, but skilled artist may do similiar job, basing on what is in the client. Unfortunately it is the only way for us to do it, when we arent devs.
There is no way I'm dragging along all the older skins.
The whole point of my approach is not to make an "alternative" UI like a few people have done but to make a new "Default" UI, to drastically change the whole foundation, to give it a better start with more efficiency and consistency, to "Reboot" the UI, so to speak. And the rest of the UI designers can adapt their skins later to match. I realize that it's nearly impossible not to offend the original UI designers in the process. But dragging along old skins will either result in the same layout problems or way too much work for me, considering I never designed the other skins, don't have the original work files for them, and am not getting paid for already a huge undertaking.
look for money.xml or something like that and test it out.
Yea, already did and tried messing with it. Without knowing exactly what some of the things do in it, it's nothing but poking in the dark.
No 
All not possible.
Shame.
Also, i think there should be one prefs.xml for each skin.
I think there should be way more than just prefs.xml for each skin. There should be an entire independent XML structure for each skin. And not the largely value and attribute based one (like right now), which is against every XML standards recommendation but with the emphasis on tags.
Nope, i think the way to go is inventory in segments, and you can choose to display only some of the segments. Ultimately the way to go, are resizable segments, where for example also area for items is resizing, giving different combinations of width x height.
No, I think you didn't understand me because this is exactly what I suggested.
Here is an example from Vanguard: Saga of Heroes:
http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/6264/equipmentty9.pngSee how equipment and inventory are separate? The "Inventory" window can be dragged or expanded, like regular operating system windows, and it automatically fills in the inventory slots as you expand the window. THIS is what I suggested, which is why I said they should be separate.
There is no need to access the whole "Equipment" window, if you only need to use an item in your inventory, which you should be able to resize as large or as small as you want to.
Also, I dont think i want to see only one way's glyphs grid at a time. It was said some time ago, glyphs from different ways may be combined. I couldn't see this happening yet, but i don't know what's planned.
There is absolutely nothing you gain by seeing all glyph grids at the same time, and doing it the way I suggested would not prevent anyone from combining glyphs of opposite ways. I'll illustrate it again with existing "Elves" UI bits:
This is a really quick and dirty copy/paste example, and a little different variation on the original concept (can be arranged in many ways, really). But the point is that when you click on any Magic Way tab, it switches the main 3x3 grid to that way's grid. The rest is exactly the same as before - you still drag each glyph into those slots (opposite way glyphs or not, doesn't matter), you still have all the same icons below those slots (I didn't include icons in this example). The only thing that changes is it becomes much more efficient and doesn't block the main view.
So far, it doesn't look like it's possible to adjust it the way I suggested without modifying the game's source code.
This is where the underlying problem with UI modding in PS comes from - it's ingrained too much into the main XML that affects everything. The way it's coded doesn't allow for UI independence and it's own unique XML that affects a new UI exclusively without breaking anything else.
The kind of UI and icons I was willing to try and make (already made some graphics too) are of similar quality (and better) to these examples:
http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/2585/equipmentmm7.jpghttp://img170.imageshack.us/img170/5435/wowbc01wq8.jpgExcept, I wanted to make them clearer and more transparent. The default UIs in those games are great but when you go to their respective UI modding sites, the most popular UIs are those that are even less intrusive, more transparent, and more efficient.
The reason I wanted to edit the item icons (before their number has gotten too big) was to have their own backgrounds for each item. Currently, you only have a clumsy black outline around each item, and even with that, they still overlap with equipment slots' graphics because those graphics are visible on the background. So, you may have an axe that overlaps with a sword, one style of gloves that overlaps with another style seen in equipment slot, and so on. If I included different backgrounds for each item, as well as a nice but not intrusive frame around them, exactly like in the two game examples I posted, everything would look much more professional.
Also, since "Hand" equipment items are square, like everything else, it would again look more professional to have the slots themselves as squares rather than a vertical rectangle. Not to mention it displays a sword and shield, which not everyone wants to use. My graphic would've included a drawing of a hand. And I would not call it "Right Hand" or "Left Hand" either, since some people are left-handed. I would call them (when tooltip pops up) the "Main Hand" and "Off Hand". Come to think of it, I would also change "Right Fingers" and "Left Fingers" to "Main Fingers" and "Off Fingers", and used a "Ring" image ingrained in the background, just like in the "Vanguard" screenshot example.
And if you doubt why a glaring yellow border can ruin a UI, take a look at the examples again. Not only is the border blocky with its sharp corners (meaning it breaks a design with rounded corners), it also is too bright and takes attention away from the UI and items. The UI should not be too messy, busy or intrusive, it should be as transparent as possible.
After further consideration about current limitations and a surprising lack of interest by modders and devs in this topic, considering I'd be doing the work for free, I think I'll just let the original skin and UI designers to worry about future UI modifications and improvements. Perhaps they'll find my advice useful when considering their own future designs and layouts.
Anyway, no offense meant and none taken. Just an honest evaluation and my personal opinion.
Thanks and ciao.
