The M3 Interface for M2: A work in progress

[GodzFire]

As some of you may know, I have taken up the challenge to try to port M3's interface as faithfully possible to M2. This is not an easy task, as I have found. Certain size restrictions of the M2 interface really mess things up. However, I was able to put together my first beta of a M3 in-game style for M2:

Download M3 Interface B1 HERE





Colored Arrow Notes:

- Orange: The portrait window for M3 is larger than M2's, and also includes background, as well as being off-centered from the M2 portrait. This proved too hard for the first beta, so I improvised another border.

- Green: M3's top section is larger in height than M2's. Unfortunately, once it reaches that bottom restriction, it crops off anything else. I actually did include that smaller 2 bordered pattern you see in M3's, but in game it gets cropped off.

- Blue: There isn't a bottom bar in M3 unlike M2, so I created a custom one based on the green star pattern from the top, which I thought turned out pretty good. I replaced the formation buttons but not the other ones. Why? Well, while playing M3, I realized I have no idea what each of them were, after all, there was no pop-up explaining. I thought it would be easier to leave them as names only.

- Yellow: Like the Green, I had to cut off the top part of the M3 bar because it wouldn't fit. The lettering is also white instead of M3's tan, which I don't know how to change.

- Red: Whereas M3's Pause and Hints are simple buttons, M2's were both a 4 frame, animated square. What I did was align the buttons where the boxes would be. The problem with this however, is if you click above or below the buttons, it's still considered part of that original "square" and brings up the dialog.

I'm posting all of this, including a download link, because I am happily accepting any help from anyone who might be able to better alter and tweak what I've started. Kinda like an open source project, where everyone can work on it.

If needed, I can upload the M3 interface pieces.

[GodzFire]

Just an update on this. I am still looking for help from anyone familiar with interfaces who might be able to lend a hand.

I've also found that on the current version, when you go to host a new multiplayer map, which the interface on, it will crash Myth, at least on the OSX side.

[GodzFire]

Small update, Beta 2 is available HERE

There are two big changes. The first is that I am using the Mazzarin's Demise interface as a base, so there are no problems hosting games online now.

The second is the inclusion of a custom made M3 main menu:


Besides the obvious placement of the buttons, for some reason the black of the images are transparent, as you will see when you open a window and then cancel it:


The next step I'd like to take is to try to figure out if there's a way to increase the amount of available height for the top status bar, or if it's hardcoded into Myth 2. If anyone knows, please respond.

[GodzFire]

Large breakthrough release here with BETA 3.

Way too many additions to totally count, but here's some of the major ones:
- Updated M2 Main Menu (has some issues, I know. Click on the left side of the buttons in row 1, and on the right side of the buttons in row 2)
- New plugin window
- Mostly accurate text colors
- M3 Authentic buttons/sliders

Still needs work, but I am hoping if you see an issue here and you know how to fix it, please respond, (puppy eyes at Death's Avatar).

[Death's Avatar]

The position of the buttons is related to the dialog. Namely that you have to arrange the dialog to math the location of where you want the buttons.

The need for adjustments in the dialogs is likely the problem with everything listed on here so far.

-DA

[Killswitch]

As has been mentioned elsewhere, get Myrd's Dialog Editor to work with the nuts and bolts of a dialog file. It's not WYSIWYG but much MUCH better than hex editing.

1) Extract dialog file(s)
2) Open dialog files in Dialog Editor
3) Play with the different controls (lower left side) to change their size/position
4) See results in the app

When it comes to dialogs, there is no 'cheat sheet'. The Dialog Editor helps cross the biggest hurdle (actually working with the data) but no one can tell you exactly what each and every control does on every dialog.

[Sonixboom]

looks and sounds good. hope it comes out soon.

-Saint †

[GodzFire]

Myth 3 Interface BETA 4 now available.



Items of Interest:
- Main Menu still messed up (see B3 post above). Gonna need someone to look it over and help with that
- ALL interface sizes are now completed and available for use. This alone should be enough to make Revan cream his pants
- Loading bar now better matches it's constraints
- Game Paused window is now proper size instead of cut off
- Player Stats window updated

[Road]

Wow...that all looks great!

[GodzFire]

TWO updates in one day, can it be?

Yes! Surprising even myself, here is BETA 5.

Why put out a release so quick after the last? Well, check this out:



I had a breakthrough moment with the status bar, and the result is an incredibly accurate upgrade! Before Revan creams again, I need to point out that this new bar is only available for 1280x1024 currently, until I can do some more testing and final tweaks. I still can't figure out how to change the text color though. I'm starting to think it's hardcoded in like the bar sizes.

The other big change is my brain is finally learning Dialog Editor, and I fixed the Main Menu button issues, so you don't have to covertly click on the buttons in a certain area for them to work.

There's a few other tweaks and fixes too, although I can't really remember them

That should be it for rabid updates at least for awhile. I have a wedding tomorrow, and crap Sunday. At this point I would appreciate people downloading this and give feedback on the items changed so far.

[Graydon]

'internal dialog elements' is the collection you need to look at for changing text colours.

There's a bitmap that is i think 2 pixles tall and about 57 pixles long. Each pixle corresponds to an area somepalce in the dialog tags where text is referenced. Many of the pixles are white as this is the common colour found throughout the default interface. Unfortunately nothing documents which pixles do what, so its strictly trial and error to figure out which slot is going to affect statusbar text, but I'm pretty sure it's possible. I managed to change healthbar, selection box, and in-game subtitle colours successfully, so Im sure the other text colours are editable.

Glad to hear you're sticking through this Godz, you're learning alot. I'm proud.

[GodzFire]

30 pixels wide, 1 high.

Yea I am familiar with that and have adjusted it already.

I am pretty sure there are some stuff hardcoded in, since I just turned everything into one color, and there's still some things that are white, including the status bar text.

[Graydon]

This is probably true. I do know some things are definitely hardcoded. You can't alter overhead map player/friend/foe/observer triangle colours on the overhead map for example. Nor the colour for the loading bar.

Sad these things are.

And you're right of course about the bitmap size... my refrence I think was to the image that edits in-game interface items... selection boxes and stuff like I mentioned. Its 2x57 I think. Not that it matters.

Keep up the good work.

[Melekor]

Pixles Graydon? As Canadians we say metres rather than meters, but I don't think that concept extends to pixels (: </spelling nazi>

[Graydon]

Beta 5... felt like a reasonably far along enough number to decide to download and check it out, and do some preliminary bug testing.

I realize many windows aren't completed yet. I don't recall the Myth 3 main menu layout... whether this is true to the original or not, I'm not entirely sure, however I like the layout. This being said, I noted a few 'bugs' (really just simple tweaks in the dialog editor more like) with the buttons on the main menu.

New Game when clicked goes up and left by what appears to be about 1 or 2 pixles. This effect is appealing, as it creates a sort of 'action' in conjunction with the animation, rather than just simply highlighting the words. I'd personally opt to aim to make all the other buttons perform like this one does currently.

Load Game when clicked goes similarly to the left, but it goes up more pixels than New Game does and looks a bit too dramatic of an 'action' effect.

Tutorial when clicked appears to very subtly go down and right (perhaps by only 1 pixel).

Replay Intro and Films when clicked appear to just light up on the spot, like the buttons in the default myth 2 menu do.

Play Online when clicked, similar to Load Game, seems to jump too much both up and left in comparison to New Game.

Options when clicked seems to go purely up a few pixels.

Exit when clicked appears to go slightly to the right and up.


Next obvious bug that comes up for me is the Tabs. It appears the bitmap is physically too long. There's a bunch of black space that I think is supposed to be invisible 'background' colour. You could edit it to be the invisible background colour, or probably safely just crop it down to proper size. Might be worth experimenting both methods to find the best result.

Something I'm not sure I'd quite qualify as a bug, but perhaps you intentionally overlooked it, because you werent able to find any examples of the bitmaps in game: If you are on Mnet and click the 'Prefs' button next to New and Join games buttons there are a set of toggles with 'high, mid, low' settings. You appear to have replaced pretty well all of the other dialog elements (maybe not the slider backgrounds though?) but those ones remain ala Myth 2 style. I know DA ignored them in the Mazz Interface

Next bug I came across when in the Load Plugins screen, which I see you have changed (nice!), involves the text colours. The colour you have works fine for the listed items on the darkened background, but the light sand colour text on the paper texture background is a little bit rough. I don't think M3 had it that way... Is it possible to make the title text colour black and the listed items remain sand? I never really messed around with altering text colours, not sure how refined you can get things.. I know you noted some stuff (that's still white) appears hardcoded.

I don't have time right now to check in-game stuff, but that should keep you busy with some stuff for a little bit Keep up the nice work man, it's looking great.