Changes to Allegiance's UI

[apathos]

I voted to use some, but really, I'm with TE, except that all I prefer not to have is the different HUD.

I love Cort UI, and can't imagine playing without it. But, I have no problem reinstalling it myself, either.

[parcival]

I use CortUI, all features enabled.
I even made a HUD that is already included and I am currently working on a new one (Bunnywabbit graphics).

CortUI let you choose what to install, everything is optional. Could we merge the two installers?

[Tigereye]

Culm, yes it's always possible to run the CortUI installer and add the features you wish.
We're trying to find out if there are any mods that everyone wants to make permanent.

Pretty much anything that people are "against" won't be thrown in. Everything we can agree on though will likely be added.

The main issue is the deployment of R3. When it's released, some of our .mdls will be overwritten to "original" status + the new features. If you have any mods installed now, parts of them will be removed when R3 is pushed.
You will need to re-run CortUI's installer to fix things. That part is a certainty.

What the devteam is wondering is: Since we're pushing the "original + new features" on that date, perhaps there are some mods that should be included and made "standard"

If too many people want no mods included, then we'll just push the current standard. That's not a problem: those who want mods can still install them on their own.
But if everyone seems to want certain features, then why not add 'em now while the opportunity presents itself?

--TE

[madpeople]

i tried cort ui.

i didnt like the broken minimap thing. and my lobby didnt look so nice with the bigger chat pannel.

i removed cort ui and made my own (with advice from cort) ui instead (see blog)

[Raveen]

I would like to see those items which give CortUI users an advantage become part of the default installer. Things like the minimap being usable in the launch animation and the scrollable chat. Maybe leave the variable chat lines to the discretion of the user (or ideally, make it an option in the Esc menu).

As for the variations on the software HUD (My one, Shiz's one and Parci's one) the ideal would be to include them as additional HUD options. So instead of having just Software and Normal you can choose from a list of, Classic Normal, Classic Software, Raveen Style, Shizoku Style, Parcival Style with the option to add more HUDs as/when they become available (I'm thinking of the higher res HUDs when they happen).

As for the buggy doubling effect; surely if you're going to include the always on minimap in the installer you could delve into the code and remove the standard one which is causing the problem? I wouldn't add any CortUI features until they can be properly integrated rather than just being included mods like you're suggesting.

Of course, I have no idea how much hassle that's going to cause.

[Next]

If some of these features were to be made permanent, changes should be made to the source code and not mdl or some may require a mix of both to work best. This should not be hard to do. It would be best if we made the UI customizable (ex, text size, lines of text in chat), but I fear that might take too much work.

edit: oops wrong forum account

- aem

[ogorass]

# Ten lines of chat are shown in the lobby
# Ingame chat has up to ten lines instead of five, including a scrollbar
# The HUD's autopilot and vector-lock status icons have been moved and the graphics have been resized so they do not overlap the chat
# Some HUD-controls are shown during launch animation (chat, minimap (F7), inventory (F4)). Unfortunately, this makes these panes onscreen all the time producing a "doubling" effect which may be seen as "buggy."
# Sector-view (F3) mode shows all info available from cockpit view (F2) in upper left corner of the screen. (ie: hull, shields, energy, signature, Kill Bonus, etc)
# A completely new software hud (called "Raveen-style") which replaces the old "Software HUD"
# Inventory (F4) and minimap (F7) panes have been moved to the sides when in sector view (F3), making more room to see the sector
# The Ship Loadout screen's chat area has been resized to show more chat, and can show the minimap (F7). Unfortunately the minimap does not update properly.
# 10 lines of chat are always visible when in the hangar. Some panes have been moved slightly to make room. In addition, the "back" button has been removed from the hangar since it is now covered by these panes. You can still exit the game with Esc, q.
# The 'last orders list' is displayed in the cockpit, in the hangar and on the map when in base.
# The 'default loadout' button at the loadout screen has been moved to the lower right to lower the chance of clicking it by accident.

Red ones are a no-no for me. Rest should be in IMO. Especially the parts which fix the overlaying f4 menu in f3 view. Rest is extremely usefull as well. F7 minimap is too screwed up to include it (never happened to me, that it would work (refresh) properly, and it is mighty annoying).

[bahdohday]

I'd be cautious about integrating any changes which are simply an issue of preference. Also I agree with the sentiment that things like the minimap are probably best fixed in the code in the long run, adding another layer of complexity is only going to cause problems.

Specifically longer chat in the lobby sounds like a sensible idea, since I spend most of my time looking at chat not the team list in the lobby, the team list probably shouldn't be 80% of the screen.

Perhaps a good middle ground would be to offer a button on the installer marked "Advanced user customisation" or something which downloads and runs the CortUI installer. This would mitigate the problems for CortUI users upgrading somewhat. Perhaps the CortUI installer could whack a registry key somewhere reminding it what it installed last time around.

[madpeople]

QUOTE (Raveen @ Sep 27 2006, 09:09 AM) I would like to see those items which give CortUI users an advantage become part of the default installer. Things like the minimap being usable in the launch animation and the scrollable chat.

thats basically my ui mod. i allowed things that we already have to be displayed in more places (e.g. minimap in launch animation), i havn't added things like cort has though (target stats on f3) or changed things (lock course and ap logo size and location etc)
scrollable chat? we have that already, pg up and pg down. or if you have my hotkey mod, its on your scroll wheel with a combo button (scroll wheel by its self is zoom)

p.s. what change is it that requires the overwriting of dialog.mdl ??
i am interested in this because of my mods etc, is there a change happening allowing easier modding (something relating to the panes / rectangles / windows )

is there a another change list somewhere, that lists things your thinking of adding,
http://www.freeallegiance.org/forums/index...showtopic=23828
says nothing that would indicate a need for dialog.mdl to be overwritten

is it just when you put it on the au, it alleg will see what fles are different, and replace them with the default ones on the AU?

[Pook]

There's a key part of this conversation that's been missing until madp hinted at it:

Some of the upcoming changes require changes to MDL files. To push these updates, the new MDL files will be placed on AU and everyone will get them, overwriting any modifications.

(... here's the sucky part ...)

The next time the AU is updated, those MDL files will be pushed AGAIN. and AGAIN. and AGAIN. As long as these files are part of the update source, any time ANY update is published via AU those MDL files will again overwrite any modifications. This means reinstalling your mods after each and every AU push.

This is why you're being asked which features should be made "standard"... so that the AU source would contain these features.