Author Topic: RELEASE - The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt! - Updated February 3 2018  (Read 28904 times)

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Offline Axem

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RELEASE - The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt! - Updated February 3 2018
Hidden in the sparky_hi VP are a bunch of hud ani files that start with 2_. In the interface section, 2_ mean files that are meant for 1024x768 resolution. So its my guess that the 2_ hud files were meant for a 1024x768 hud, but Volition never actually used the files (aside from the radar and center reticle stuff).

I've been meaning to build up this hud again, but some things were still hard coded. With some of the recent additions to the hud gauge code, I now had all of the pieces to do it!

One year later edit: Here are some nicer pics to show it off! These pics have my amazing scripted message gauge!




Here's a link so you can try yourself.

(Shout out to TheDagger for his cool redone HUD art that I used!)

Update: June 3 2017:
HUD now scales up when used on resolutions above 1080p (so 4k users can rejoice)

FS2 style HUD:

You only need one, don't install both!
Install one of the two in your MediaVPs 2014 folder

2HUD.vp
A low maintenance handy vp version.

Ax2HUD.vp
Includes my Message Script which makes message more readable.


FS1 style HUD:
Install in your FS Port Media VPs folder

Ax2HUD-FS1
Includes my Message Script which makes message more readable.

If you would like to add the files right into your mod check out these downloads that are the unpacked versions.
Ax2HUD
Ax2HUD-FS1

Hidden Text: Tips and tricks for configuring • Show
axmessage.cfg is a JSON file. Use something like this to edit it!

TitleFont and TextFont are font entries from font.tbl. They can be numbers or font names.
Image is the image to use where the scrolling text will be displayed. A copy of that image with a 2 at the end is needed for monochrome mode so it darkens the box a bit so its easier to read.
Speed is the time in seconds it takes to draw each character.
Length is the time in seconds the game will guess you need to read each character. If you feel text is vanishing too quick, increase this.
TitleColor and TextColor are the color the text will draw. Format is RGBA.
Position: Origin is the percent based origin of where everything gets drawn. Offset is the pixel offset from origin for the message gauge. Headani is... where it would move the head ani but we can't actually do that yet.

Backlog:
Enabled turns it on or off
Timeout is how long in seconds a message will be visible in the backlog
Font is the font to use
MaxSize is the max number of entries in the backlog
Origin and Offset are just like the message gauge above
Height is the height of the backlog. The origin and offset will define the top left of where it gets drawn, but backlog lines fill in backwards (from bottom up). So adjusting the height will also adjust where the text starts getting drawn

Offsets:
Sender/Text, pixel offsets from the top left of the message gauge image to draw the sender and message text

SystemMsg:
Doesn't do anything. Ignore that!

Monochrome should be set to true if you want the gauge to copy the color of your talking head gauge. If false, it'll use the true color data of the image.

GenericFiles is a list of generic message files. Normally if there is a sound file attached to a message, the gauge will appear for as long as the sound file is. But generic message sounds are sometimes really short. So if any of these items in the list are attached to messages being played, the message gauge will ignore their length and keep the message as if there was no sound.

Unicode, set to true you're using a unicode font, you'll want this on or else it'll cause PROBLEMS

Hidden Text: Old dev post • Show
First let's see what this new hud looks like in the intended 1024x768 resolution...
http://lazymodders.fsmods.net/axemart/FreeSpace/2Hud/screen0422.jpg
Takes you right back to the 640x480 days...

Now lets go take a look in the 1920x1080 realm...
http://lazymodders.fsmods.net/axemart/FreeSpace/2Hud/screen0414.jpg
http://lazymodders.fsmods.net/axemart/FreeSpace/2Hud/screen0416.jpg
http://lazymodders.fsmods.net/axemart/FreeSpace/2Hud/screen0417.jpg
http://lazymodders.fsmods.net/axemart/FreeSpace/2Hud/screen0420.jpg

2_HUD_BETA1!!! OOOOLD

The hud file is named mv_root-hdg.tbm so it'll override the mediavps stuff, and there's a few fixed hud gauges included to make things work correctly.

I'd call this a Beta Release right now, let me know if there are any overlapping gauges, something I missed, or other helpful suggestions. Hopefully this should make for easier reading of the gauges...

***Note this won't work with my scripted message gauge! You'll get 2 headanis appearing. I'll... find a way to fix that later...****
« Last Edit: February 03, 2018, 08:39:22 pm by Axem »

 

Offline niffiwan

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Re: The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt!
nice work!  :yes:
Creating a fs2_open.log | Red Alert Bug = Hex Edit | MediaVPs 2014: Bigger HUD gauges | 32bit libs for 64bit Ubuntu
----
Debian Packages (testing/unstable): Freespace2 | wxLauncher
----
m|m: I think I'm suffering from Stockholm syndrome. Bmpman is starting to make sense and it's actually written reasonably well...

 

Offline The Dagger

  • 29
  • I like zod ships
Re: The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt!
I'm pretty sure that FSO uses the files with the 2_ prefix as high-def files since my Slighty better HUD replaces ONLY those files (and it works without table changes).

 

Offline Axem

  • 211
Re: The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt!
Sort of.

Quote
(aside from the radar and center reticle stuff).

The stuff you have in your VP are some of the few files the game does use for "hi def", but this mod now uses other files present that the game didn't actually use before such as the 2_directives, 2_escorts, and other gauges that are along the sides.

(Also I think people can probably use our stuff together for even higher quality stuff since you don't have any table edits to yours!)

 

Offline The Dagger

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Re: The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt!
Oh, great then! And thanks!

 

Offline Axem

  • 211
Re: The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt!
Ok, so here's a slightly more refined version. Things are more aligned and main message font size isn't as obnoxious. Also includes The Dagger's aforementioned hud art so its now 9% nicer as well!

It's in a handy VP so you could throw it in a MediaVPs 2014 folder of your choice and it should work with 99% of campaigns. Hopefully anyway.

2HUD.vp

Also here's a bonus Ax_2HUD release, includes my message script, which in my opinion makes messages 999% more readable. This should work with 90% of campaigns, there might be an odd ball on that doesn't. Also it might not work for cockpit mods, still not sure what's up with that.

Ax2HUD.vp

Just don't install them together. They do not get along!

 

Online Thisisaverylongusername

  • 27
  • This is fine.
Re: The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt!
I'm on 1600*900 resolution and head anis aren't scaling to fit the HUD. I'm on 3.7.2 Final. Help?
If the opposite of pro is con, then is the opposite of progress Congress?

 

Offline Axem

  • 211
Re: The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt!
I guess I should have mentioned you need a recently nightly build to run this properly. There have been some new additions to the HUD code (like headani resizing) that got added. Sorry about that. :(

 

Offline Axem

  • 211
Re: The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt! - Updated March 13 2017
Hello! I updated this a bit. If you were using this with a nightly build, you may have noticed the scripted message gauge being much much brighter than usual. This now fixes that issue, and also has some new parameters so the weapons gauge with ballistic primaries looks correct.

 

Offline Admiral Nelson

  • Resurrecter of Campaigns
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  • The GTA expects that every man will do his duty.
Re: RELEASE - The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt! - Updated March 13 2017
I notice that If I try and use this with a mod dependent on the fsport-mediavps the head ani is displayed at top left, where it is overwritten by the regular message flows.  If I place your vp (with the FS1 recticle added) in the fsport-mediavps folder, it works as expected.  It does not work when placed in the dependent mod folder (fsport-str is a good example).  I ask about it here since many old campaigns used empty message files to pad out the time the old style messages stayed on screen.  Now, when your box is used with such emptymessage files, it takes the length of that pad file into consideration in how long to display the box.  This behavior is much worse than to just use your inbuilt length calculation which is pretty good now.

All this leads to a mod packaging concern -- I'd like to get rid of those emptymessage files and use only your box, as it is 1000x better than the old method, but I don't have a way to force your vp to be present in the fsport mediavps folder.  I don't suppose you have any idea what causes this oddity, or how to cure it?
If a man consults whether he is to fight, when he has the power in his own hands, it is certain that his opinion is against fighting.

 

Offline Axem

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Re: RELEASE - The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt! - Updated March 13 2017
Okay, I'll look at fsport stuff and see how I can smartly override the files.

And what filename were they using for the empty message files? In the config file for the message box, I have a list of filenames that basically are known to be super short, like message beeps, so the script ignores the wave file length and goes back to the precalculated way. I can add some new filenames so those campaigns won't have that odd message behavior.

 

Offline Admiral Nelson

  • Resurrecter of Campaigns
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  • The GTA expects that every man will do his duty.
Re: RELEASE - The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt! - Updated March 13 2017
Thanks, Axem.  Your message box is indispensable, at least IMO!  The files are "emptymsg.wav" and "Emptymsg_LNG.wav".  I've seen quite a few older campaigns with these...
If a man consults whether he is to fight, when he has the power in his own hands, it is certain that his opinion is against fighting.

 

Offline Axem

  • 211
Re: RELEASE - The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt! - Updated March 13 2017
Admiral Nelson, can you give this a try and see how it works out? In theory all you should need is the new hud gauge table, but I think just to make everything super foolproof, I just made a whole new package. It should work in a campaign's mod folder or a fsport-mediavps folder.

 

Offline Admiral Nelson

  • Resurrecter of Campaigns
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  • The GTA expects that every man will do his duty.
Re: RELEASE - The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt! - Updated March 13 2017
Looks good from an initial test. :yes:  I appreciate the quick fix!
If a man consults whether he is to fight, when he has the power in his own hands, it is certain that his opinion is against fighting.

 

Offline hxazgalor

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Re: RELEASE - The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt! - Updated March 13 2017
Axem, does that new fix work for FS2 as well? As in, will it work if I place it in the regular MediaVPs_2014 folder? Thanks :)
"Stars looking at a planet
Watching entropy and pain
And maybe start to wonder how
The chaos in our lives could pass as sane"
~ Switchfoot, 'Stars'

 

Offline Axem

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Re: RELEASE - The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt! - Updated March 13 2017
2HUD or Ax2HUD should go in your mediavps 2014 folder. Ax2HUD-FS1 should go in your fsport mediavps folder. Anywhere else and you might not get expected results. Let me know if something appears wrong!

  

Offline hxazgalor

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Re: RELEASE - The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt! - Updated March 13 2017
Roger that. Thank you Axem! :)
"Stars looking at a planet
Watching entropy and pain
And maybe start to wonder how
The chaos in our lives could pass as sane"
~ Switchfoot, 'Stars'

 

Offline ThatGuy

  • 21
Re: RELEASE - The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt! - Updated March 13 2017
These HUDs are very nice! But I was wondering if it was possible to get the .vps with scaling enabled? I just got a 4k display and Freespace looks absolutely gorgeous on it (thanks to the hard work of this community), except for the HUD. I tried The Dagger's original assets that aren't using table modifications and those scale and look acceptable at 4k, but those don't have the fixes for reticule and other misaligned stuff. I tried editing these 2HUD VPs or using tables with them but I really don't know what I was doing wrong the scaling just never worked. :blah:

If I could get my hands on the original artwork I could make vector versions of them and output/tweak them for any resolution required (if it's not an obscure format) so there can be a good 4k (or more :eek2:) HUD...

 

Offline Axem

  • 211
Re: RELEASE - The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt! - Updated March 13 2017
Could you try putting the attached table in something like mediavps_2014/data/tables/ (make the folders if its not already made). I can't quite test it since I don't have a 4k setup, but this should force scaling if the screen resolution is above 1920x1080 (I mean that's all the table is, a single line that says that :p). Let me know if it works and I'll add it to the packages.

[attachment stolen by Russian hackers]
« Last Edit: June 02, 2017, 07:26:27 am by Axem »

 

Offline AdmiralRalwood

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Re: RELEASE - The Lost 2_ HUD: Rebuilt! - Updated March 13 2017
scaleup-sct.tbm
Uh... did you mean to name that scaleup-hdg.tbm?
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