Solved Interface Texture Changes

[Hylie Pistof]

It sounds like you have some good pain killers there Pieter.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

As in... I don't seem to be quite there...?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

1) The Build 13 Archipelago Map interface looks much nicer than the B14 Beta 3 version, to me. Not just the map itself, but the background compliments it better.
The Beta 3 interface looks a little 'washed out' in comparison.

Here are some quick alternates I whipped up:

View attachment 12420 Replaced the "cabin" background with the Build 13 "chart table" one.
Hardly makes a difference, because the map is so large, you don't see the background anyway.

View attachment 12421 Also added the border from the Build 13 version. But since the chart is so big, the border got rather big too when I resized it.
Not final quality, but at least shows you the general idea.

If anyone else can figure out something substantially better, I'd quite welcome it!
The map is quite an important feature of the game and it would be nice if it looked as good as it can be.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Just noticed that Select Sails technically has the wrong type Left/Right arrow images.
This is what it would look like with the correct Brown Interface type ones:

Any thoughts or comments?

 

[Armada]

Two columns? OUCH! DIFFICULT!!!
I do like the new one. VOC logo!
It is perhaps a bit too yellow though....

OK, OK, maybe the column idea was stupid. I just like the symmetry of the Build 13 version because it doesn't consist of a book partly hanging off the screen.
And the way the national tabs are arranged makes them look like bookmarks, which is quite clever.
Maybe we could keep the VOC paper but arrange it like the Build 13 book?

Here are some quick alternates I whipped up:

I like the second one there. It was probably the map being transparent that made it look washed out before.

Just noticed that Select Sails technically has the wrong type Left/Right arrow images.
This is what it would look like with the correct Brown Interface type ones:

I noticed that too; looks more consistent now.

As long as I don't have to do it.
Would that be for the blue or the brown interface? Or both? That'd be quite a lot of double work if both.

We should indeed figure out what aspect ratio people use at some point. If most people use widescreen, we could just go with that as Build Default and be done with it.
Would at least save us the (BIG!) trouble of adding some sort of toggle.

Fair enough, but if I'm going to do it, you'll have to choose between that and fixing ship cameras for the short term, because both are going to be a lot of work.

I strongly suspect we'll have to rework both the brown and blue interfaces, because some people do still use the latter.
That is, unless there is some kind of correlation between those with 4:3 monitors and those using the blue interface...

 

[Pieter Boelen]

OK, OK, maybe the column idea was stupid.

I wouldn't call it a stupid idea. Just not an easy one.

I just like the symmetry of the Build 13 version because it doesn't consist of a book partly hanging off the screen.
Maybe we could keep the VOC paper but arrange it like the Build 13 book?

I'm happy with whatever anyone is willing to improve. Problem there though would be that the text doesn't appear as if it is sort-of on the page.
The separation between the two pages would ruin that idea. Which is probably why Thomas the Terror opted for having half the book off-screen in the first place.

And the way the national tabs are arranged makes them look like bookmarks, which is quite clever.

I do wonder why those nation icons were ever added though. It looks nice to be certain, but they serve exactly zero purpose.
We couldn't even make them click-able as filters because quests in general aren't nation-specific anyway.

I like the second one there. It was probably the map being transparent that made it look washed out before.

It's just not very well-done. That border is too big and the resizing made it look low-resolution too.
I wonder if anyone who is actually good at textures could see about making a better version of it.

Fair enough, but if I'm going to do it, you'll have to choose between that and fixing ship cameras for the short term, because both are going to be a lot of work.

Sounds like we can put the idea on the backburner again. Unless a third person is willing to help out with one of the two.

I strongly suspect we'll have to rework both the brown and blue interfaces, because some people do still use the latter.
That is, unless there is some kind of correlation between those with 4:3 monitors and those using the blue interface...

Well, who knows.....?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

How about this version of the map interface? I've redone it and now at least the border matches up better than it did before.
It's also smaller.

 

[Armada]

I'm happy with whatever anyone is willing to improve. Problem there though would be that the text doesn't appear as if it is sort-of on the page.
The separation between the two pages would ruin that idea. Which is probably why Thomas the Terror opted for having half the book off-screen in the first place.

Well, I won't mess around with it until we start on widescreen compatibility. I have a feeling the existing Quest Book would look better if it weren't so stretched, anyway. The only other thing I might try to address is the paper colour.

I do wonder why those nation icons were ever added though. It looks nice to be certain, but they serve exactly zero purpose.
We couldn't even make them click-able as filters because quests in general aren't nation-specific anyway.

I sort of assumed they did act as filters, but never actually tested that theory.
Do you think we ought to remove them, in that case?

Sounds like we can put the idea on the backburner again. Unless a third person is willing to help out with one of the two.

I'll take that as a preference for fixing ship cameras, then.
I do like the idea of a small army of helpers, but you know how these things usually are.
It's a vicious circle, too; if I want help with Maya jobs, I have to write extensive tutorials. Writing tutorials means I can't focus on said jobs.

How about this version of the map interface? I've redone it and now at least the border matches up better than it did before.

That looks good to me, but...

Spoiler

Stop giving away the Isla de Muerte location!

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I sort of assumed they did act as filters, but never actually tested that theory.
Do you think we ought to remove them, in that case?

I do sort-of like them. And I recently updated them to show the new nations and personal flags properly too.
I just consider it decoration.

I'll take that as a preference for fixing ship cameras, then.
I do like the idea of a small army of helpers, but you know how these things usually are.
It's a vicious circle, too; if I want help with Maya jobs, I have to write extensive tutorials. Writing tutorials means I can't focus on said jobs.

True, that!
Anyway, the look of the interfaces on my widescreen doesn't bother me. Though since I make my own interface adjustments based on my own computer,
it might not look as good for people using 4:3 as it does for me. But oh well....

That looks good to me, but...

Spoiler

Stop giving away the Isla de Muerte location!

Spoiler

Uhm..... oops. I do believe I keep using the wrong savegame for those screenshots.
Files removed for now. Not that it makes a different to know where it is. You can't get there if you don't have the compass.
You could sail right through that location without ever seeing it. Because as far as the game is concerned, it literally doesn't exist.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

So included here is the slightly improved Map Interface and Choose Sails modification:
http://www.piratesahoy.net/threads/build-14-beta-3-progress.20686/

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I moved our recent posts on further interface updates here so it won't get lost outside the PotC Build forum somewhere.

So, what I've done is changed the brown interface's buttons to a design similar to the blue one, which still blends in well with the rest of the brown interface.
[...]
So, what do you think of the design? I can still tweak it further if needed, and it might be a nice addition to the next update.

I'd just like to mention how much better these new buttons are. I know I once said it would take some getting used to.
Well, I got used to them and now I can't stand how it used to look in older Build versions. So thanks a lot for this one, Armada! Again.

 

[Armada]

The new buttons do make quite a difference, if I say so myself.