Solved Updating the Interface Textures

[Pieter Boelen]

Doesn't seem to be many opinions about the changes.

@Hammie makes fair points, so the "+1" makes sense to me.
And I like the old Musket Volley picture with the soldiers.
It illustrates well what it aims to represent.

Maybe @Jack Rackham and/or @Bartolomeu o Portugues have some additional opinions to share?

Again, has anyone else any preferences?

That's some really subtle changes.
I guess there's a reason for the new ones and I see no reason why they couldn't be used.
@Baste's work looks fine to me.

 

[Jack Rackham]

Looks good to me too.

 

[Baste]

(And also, as @Hammie pointed out, the muskets themselves extend onto the boundary frame, which makes me wonder why you like it. )

Haha! I was thinking about doing something with it, but if it's not going to be included I guess I'll leave it.

The file in my previous post should have been included in the update you recently uploaded, though. It centers the skill values more properly.
And I suggest that my edit of the 2013 blue dialog interface should be included as well since it has the improvements for the borders. Here it is again.
Any chance you might reupload?

 

[Grey Roger]

Can you show pictures of the character interface before and after the newest version, showing the difference with the skill box? The pictures you posted do not show the skill box in "blueskillcenter.jpg" and "brownskillcenter.jpg" so we can't see what effect the newer version has.

I'll include the newer "Dialg1.tga.tx" in the next update but there's little point in going through all the procedure of reloading it now just for that file. By default, anyone using the blue interface will get your toned down version in "dialog.tga.tx".

 

[Baste]

Here are all the pictures for the Character screen separately. I hope this clears up anything that might be unclear.

Before I changed anything - Version 1 of my change - Version 2 of my change - Version 2 showing values 1 to 10

Before I changed anything the skill values were not centered and the separator was too high and also not centered. This is fixed in version 1 of my change but I noticed that the left value is too far to the left, and so fixed this in version 2. The last picture shows version 2 with everything being centered at values 1 to 10.

The "auto skill system" is used for every picture except the ones showing values 1 to 10, where the skill point system is used.

Also shown is the "Exchange" button being changed to have the same size as the "Choose Outfit" button, with both being the same width as the "Abilities" and "Skills" boxes above them.

 

[Grey Roger]

That, plus some more Russian translating, is enough. I've just re-uploaded the update to include the revised "Dialg1.tga.tx" and "character.c" along with translation of the dialog files for "Hoist the Colours".

 

[Jack Rackham]

I installed the latest zip and there it is again. The changed blue dialog interface. Why can we not keep the blue blue?
Like the other blue interfaces.

 

[Baste]

A few pages back several reasons were given by myself, Grey Roger, and Pieter Boelen as for why the new dialog.tga.tx is the default for the blue interface. However, as to not leave anyone out and in the interest of providing options both are included, and the old one now also has the improvements for the borders and has been made into "Dialg1.tga.tx" and Grey Roger made a way to easily switch between them. Just install the latest update and go to PROGRAM\InternalSettings.h and change this line:

#define DIALOGCOLOUR                    2

Into this:

#define DIALOGCOLOUR                    1

Then that blue will be used.

Speaking of not leaving anyone out, the ship berthing changes were not included, nor were the changes for TradeBook.ini without animation. I however noticed an error that I missed earlier with the ship berthing interface so I will upload a new version of that.

 

[Jack Rackham]

OK!

 

[Grey Roger]

Speaking of not leaving anyone out, the ship berthing changes were not included, nor were the changes for TradeBook.ini without animation. I however noticed an error that I missed earlier with the ship berthing interface so I will upload a new version of that.

Sorry about the unanimated "Tradebook.ini" - that can certainly go into the next update.

As for ship berthing, I still don't like the dark background extending all the way down. Also, when I tried the latest version of the new ship berthing, the problem with missing icons seen in post #234 is still there. So there is a revised ship berthing interface in the 31st March update, but all it does is move the text lines "You can't berth your own ship if your companions have ships!" or "You must be in the shipyard to berth or relaunch a ship" down a little so that they're clear of the command buttons.

Now primed to spot minor details which were previously either regarded as insignificant or not noticed at all, I did see that in some screens, the components aren't fully enclosed within the dark rectanges, so I've been doing a bit of work to fix that. Rather than extend the dark rectangles, I've moved the components to fit the inner, solid rectangle as it is. For example, after you've just gone from the "Ship" interface to "Ship Berthing - original and my new version:


This had a rather nice side effect on the brown interface. With the command buttons moved up, a swirly pattern near the bottom of the screen is now more exposed:


I've a little more tweaking to do, then this is the version which will be in the next update.

 

[Grey Roger]

Update: tweaking done. In the end I had to extend the dark rectangle, but by width rather than length. Here's why - original and modified:


Originally the "Choose Cpt." buttons extend beyond the side edges of the inner, solid rectangle. Widening the rectangle slightly means they fit neatly inside.

 

[Baste]

I'm not sure how that is happening for you with the icons, because when using the files in post #255 that just isn't the case.

That's one of the things I specifically checked before uploading to make sure it didn't happen.

Anyway, about that error I mentioned. Using the files in the update uploaded yesterday, icons for empty slots were blue but now they are corrected.

Furthermore I also included my fix that makes the exit button not be highlighted and instead the "Back" button is highlighted. The exit button being highlighted serves no purpose and does not happen in any other interface, and prevents players from using the Esc key to back out without first highlighting something else. With this fix players have a choice of backing out using the Esc key, activating the Back button with the keyboard or mouse, or clicking the exit button - all without first having to highlight something else.

EDIT: Obviously it should be the same for the empty slots when relaunching a ship. Just uploaded a new version of the file.

 

[Baste]

Here are some suggestions for some interface texture changes. Will split into two posts because of attachment limit.

The background for empty item slots was pixelated so I made it less pixelated.
Before - After

Likewise the background for empty ship slots was pixelated in the blue interface but not in the brown interface, so I simply moved the less pixelated image over to the blue interface as well.
Before - After

Smaller boxes and checkboxes were also pixelated so I edited them as well. I found that the icons for the brown interface already have a less pixelated background that isn't used, so after some adjustments I ended up with this.
Before - After

 

[Baste]

Finally, the "empty face" picture was also pixelated so that was also changed. For the brown interface I used the brown background and came up with this.
Before - After

Hopefully I didn't break anything.

Attachment removed. Please see later posts.

 

[Grey Roger]

Item boxes: I actually like the pixellation there, it looks like some sort of leathery fabric rather than a plain, flat background.

The ship slots and tick boxes are definite improvements.

The original empty face icons show two small projections at the back of the head. The head appears to be wearing a scarf; you can see it hanging behind the head. Those two projections would be part of the scarf, and they're missing from the new versions. Also, maybe it's just me but I prefer the blue/brown graded background to the plain brown one.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Here are some suggestions for some interface texture changes.

Thanks very much, mate!
Appreciated.

Are you familiar with the work @Mirsaneli is doing on Maelstrom New Horizons?
He's been thoroughly upscaling a whole bunch of textures to HD.
One that he did is the "empty ship" icon.
Would be a shame if you guys double up good work...

 

[Baste]

Item boxes: I actually like the pixellation there, it looks like some sort of leathery fabric rather than a plain, flat background.

It is caused by saving the nonpixelated image in a low quality, and I think it looks better if it matches the item backgrounds. However, a version with that image being kept pixelated can be provided so everyone can use whichever they prefer.

The original empty face icons show two small projections at the back of the head. The head appears to be wearing a scarf; you can see it hanging behind the head. Those two projections would be part of the scarf, and they're missing from the new versions. Also, maybe it's just me but I prefer the blue/brown graded background to the plain brown one.

I perceive it as being some form of ponytail and that those two points are smearing, and that it looks better without them. Though as above, a version with them still being there can be provided, and also be with a gradient.

Attachment removed. See next post.

Are you familiar with the work @Mirsaneli is doing on Maelstrom New Horizons?
He's been thoroughly upscaling a whole bunch of textures to HD.
One that he did is the "empty ship" icon.
Would be a shame if you guys double up good work...

I saw some mention of it. Maybe he would like to show some of them here?

 

[Baste]

Here are some updates to my previous files, such as checkboxes having a less flat appearance, and I wasn't satisfied with the empty face so I redid it.

I'm uploading all files in a new package for convenience. Please use this instead.

Available separately for those who prefer it are the less pixelated item background and the empty face with brown background.

 

[Grey Roger]

Unless anyone else has strong preferences, I'll put the less pixelated item background and the graded empty face into the next update. (Why did I change my mind about the item boxes? Because until you posted the comparison, I hadn't noticed, and anyway it's only the blue version which is pixelated. The brown one is smooth, so the blue one may as well be smooth as well.)

Here's another version of "checkbox.tga.tx". This one has frames round the unchecked boxes to match the checked boxes.

 

[Baste]

It was pointed out on the Discord server that "icons.tga.tx" and "icons_new.tga.tx" had remnants of removed icons in them, so for the sake of having clean and proper files here they are again.

Further regarding "checkbox.tga.tx" here is yet another version with the X mark being in the same style as the check mark. Two variants for the unchecked boxes - one with thin frames and one with thick frames.
Variant 1 - Variant 2