Public access to development versions

[datiswous]

9 hours ago, wesp5 said:

One suggestion though: Maybe the font size should be reduced?

Instead of that (or in combination), a font change could help a lot. For example the one used in the current subtitles.

Edited November 20 by datiswous

[nbohr1more]

I reduced the font size in a previous TDM version and the change was reverted because the stripes in the background image didn't match the character spacing. Someone needs to create a new background image with smaller stripes.

[snatcher]

48 minutes ago, nbohr1more said:

Someone needs to create a new background image with smaller stripes.

I think the first step is to settle on a font size, and think about the stripes later.

The stripes aren't images. Stripes are generated with code in mainmenu_defs.gui:

// "New Mission" (gui::new_game_offset wil be set to #str_02279 during init)
#define NEWGAME_BACKGROUND( watermark)		MENU_BACKGROUND( watermark, "#str_02312", 135, "#str_02313" ) \
											WHITE_STRIPE ( 168 ) \
											WHITE_STRIPE ( 200 ) \
											WHITE_STRIPE ( 232 ) \
											WHITE_STRIPE ( 264 ) \
											WHITE_STRIPE ( 296 ) \
											WHITE_STRIPE ( 328 ) \
											WHITE_STRIPE ( 360 ) \
											WHITE_STRIPE ( 392 )

 

 

[snatcher]

Random stuff:

• By reducing the scale from 0.29 to 0.215 we gain 5 missions per page. Any value in between means less missions. Is it worth it?
• Current white strip sizes are uniform across different screens (settings, missions list, download missions...). By changing sizes in the missions list alone uniformity is gone . Does anyone care?
• For a quick-win, changing sizes in the missions list will require a new, dedicated WHITE_STRIPE, let's say WHITE_STRIPE_THIN (in mainmenu_defs.gui). Totally doable but there's that.
• This discussion perhaps requires its own topic...

[wesp5]

In my opinion these white stripes are completely superfluous and I would choose not cut off mission names every time.

P.S.: I quickly removed the stripes and I like it! I never noticed that the background images were different until now :)...

Edited November 21 by wesp5

[stgatilov]

On 11/20/2024 at 3:08 PM, snatcher said:

I have mixed feelings about this change.

We have a radar that visually represents relative location (and to some degree distance although too short to actually be relevant) and a dot representing the source. There is nothing in there that speaks "volume".

Transparency is based on volume in all versions.

In 2.12, it was only using volume modifier that comes on top of the sound sample.
In 2.13, it uses the effective volume --- hopefully, it is the volume of what you hear with your ears.

The original intent was always like it is now, 2.12 just did not manage to achieve it technically.

There are two reason for the radar to exist:

1. To convey position if you don't hear sounds with your ears (for whatever reason).
2. To allow you to match subtitle bars with speakers if they speak simultaneously.

The second point is especially important when you listen to an important conversation, and then suddenly a guard far away starts his "It was a great performance the other night" garbage. And of course for the volume indicator to be helpful, it must reflect the effective volume of what you hear, not some abstract multiplier.

[snatcher]

Thanks for your explanations, @stgatilov

[snatcher]

On 11/20/2024 at 7:09 PM, nbohr1more said:

I reduced the font size in a previous TDM version and the change was reverted because the stripes in the background image didn't match the character spacing. Someone needs to create a new background image with smaller stripes.

I propose this:

• textscale = 0.2255 (4 extra missions per page, only 2 missions with long names are cut)
• Top frame vertically adjusted (better looks)
• Gear icon vertically adjusted (minor)
• Only one file edited: mainmenu_newgame.gui

Find a sample attached to this post. Look for my name for the changes.

mainmenu_newgame.gui

[thebigh]

...or have a background with no stripes at all, and just make the stripes with mostly transparent backgrounds to the text.

[snatcher]

@thebigh

In your 2.13 dev...

Download the file, create the folder "guis" and place the file there:

guis\mainmenu_newgame.gui

Open the file with any text editor and look for this:

MENU_BACKGROUND( "guis/assets/mainmenu/settings_newgame_watermark", "#str_02312", 142, "#str_02313" )
	windowDef stripe { rect 50, 169.0, 242, 12 backcolor 1, 0.95, 0.80, 0.16 }
	windowDef stripe { rect 50, 194.2, 242, 12 backcolor 1, 0.95, 0.80, 0.16 }
	windowDef stripe { rect 50, 219.4, 242, 12 backcolor 1, 0.95, 0.80, 0.16 }
	windowDef stripe { rect 50, 244.6, 242, 12 backcolor 1, 0.95, 0.80, 0.16 }
	windowDef stripe { rect 50, 269.8, 242, 12 backcolor 1, 0.95, 0.80, 0.16 }
	windowDef stripe { rect 50, 295.0, 242, 12 backcolor 1, 0.95, 0.80, 0.16 }
	windowDef stripe { rect 50, 320.2, 242, 12 backcolor 1, 0.95, 0.80, 0.16 }
	windowDef stripe { rect 50, 345.4, 242, 12 backcolor 1, 0.95, 0.80, 0.16 }
	windowDef stripe { rect 50, 370.6, 242, 12 backcolor 1, 0.95, 0.80, 0.16 }
	windowDef stripe { rect 50, 395.8, 242, 12 backcolor 1, 0.95, 0.80, 0.16 }

If you want to remove the strips "comment out" all the "windowDef" lines by adding two slashes at the beginning, like this:

//	windowDef stripe { rect 50, 169.0, 242, 12 backcolor 1, 0.95, 0.80, 0.16 }

The line above means:

windowDef stripe { rect(angle), from x, from y, x size, y size backcolor red, green, blue, alpha }

If you want to toy with the background transparency change alpha.

Experiment with it and share your findings!

[Daft Mugi]

On 11/26/2024 at 1:59 PM, snatcher said:

textscale = 0.2255 (4 extra missions per page, only 2 missions with long names are cut)

I updated the mission list to incorporate a textscale of 0.2255 as you proposed (rev 17225).

However, I didn't incorporate the other changes, because the design would be different from the download screen. Unfortunately, the download screen can't be changed due to its rows and horizontal separators being part of the background image.

Thanks for discovering that the mission list rows could be changed and finding a textscale that works well.

[snatcher]

Thanks @Daft Mugi for the good work with the mission lists.

[datiswous]

On 12/1/2024 at 2:08 AM, Daft Mugi said:

Unfortunately, the download screen can't be changed due to its rows and horizontal separators being part of the background image.

Maybe that should be changed to how it's done in the mission list?

[Daft Mugi]

2 hours ago, datiswous said:

Maybe that should be changed to how it's done in the mission list?

That would be ideal.

The main blocker is that the original watermark images used in the background on the download screen are not available as far as I can tell. So, a layered background (like the mission list screen) cannot be created to match how it is now.

If those original watermark images are located in the future, I'll be able to create new backgrounds that maintain the existing look.