[JGZinv]

No big secret that I'm working on the
classic style Gal Span HUD for FringeSpace.
but I've got some bumps along the way.

1. Is there a more up to date exe build that
includes the custom HUD stuff from Antipodes 7?
Latest in that thread is from Nov '10.

2. Based on the thread here:
http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=73746.msg1456109#msg1456109
Swifty added JPG,PNG,TGA support for HUD graphics. Since he did both I'll assume it's compatible with #1, but which of the three formats is the best to use? What is the impact on making a proper palette vs. pcx.

3. I've got simple graphics to use as part of the HUD design, they are not a "gauge" as they don't display anything, it's just art. What's the recommended way of setting that up, beyond the obvious that I'll have to use a custom gauge type?
Not sure if I should be adding something to the HUD listings in sexp.cpp as there doesn't appear to be a "art" gauge type.

4. Is the WCS multiplier still functional with the custom HUDs? Thread: http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=66876
Any chances of getting that expanded on?

5. I hear that Goober didn't like the 2 part shield code from Wanderer's branch, is there a less work intensive way of doing this with the custom HUD code?


I imagine I'll have some more questions as I get knee deep in it this week, but that should get me quite a ways to start with.

[Zacam]

1: Antipodes 7 went in to Trunk a while ago. Hence why we are on Antipodes 8.
So, any Nightly will have the features of Antipodes 7 since it's commit to Trunk.

2: *shrugs*

3: Just as a Custom Gauge. I don't think it needs to be attached to a code function, but I could be wrong.

4: Yes, and in fact is now fixed to properly show non-modified speeds (instead of 0ms) and accept half's (eg 0.5 and 1.5) for the multiplier.

5: I don't know where it was heard that he didn't like it, but indeed, it's not yet anywhere that I can find.

[FreeSpaceFreak]

1. Is there a more up to date exe build that
includes the custom HUD stuff from Antipodes 7?
Latest in that thread is from Nov '10.

Yes, like Zacam said.

2. Based on the thread here:
http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=73746.msg1456109#msg1456109
Swifty added JPG,PNG,TGA support for HUD graphics. Since he did both I'll assume it's compatible with #1, but which of the three formats is the best to use? What is the impact on making a proper palette vs. pcx.

You need to be careful when paletting the PCX, and artefacts may occur since it only uses, what, 8 shades of grey instead of full-greyscale 256-shades. JPG has artefacts as well, and TGA is uncompressed so much larger in filesize than needed. PNG is the best option here (actually DDS would be, but Swifty didn't say he implemented that for HUD usage). You'll probably have to use full-colour PNGs, since greyscale PNGs aren't fully supported in FSO.

3. I've got simple graphics to use as part of the HUD design, they are not a "gauge" as they don't display anything, it's just art. What's the recommended way of setting that up, beyond the obvious that I'll have to use a custom gauge type?
Not sure if I should be adding something to the HUD listings in sexp.cpp as there doesn't appear to be a "art" gauge type.

You can make the art part of an other HUD gauge. TVWP did this with 2_toparc1.ani, for instance. Positioning may be tricky, but it should work.

4. Is the WCS multiplier still functional with the custom HUDs? Thread: http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=66876
Any chances of getting that expanded on?

Don't know about this one.

5. I hear that Goober didn't like the 2 part shield code from Wanderer's branch, is there a less work intensive way of doing this with the custom HUD code?

Not really AFAIK. You could fake it with a shield ANI that only has the front- and back- (or left-/right-)section frames and black frames for the other quadrants, but damage to those other quadrants won't be shown then, so that's not a great solution.

[JGZinv]

@ Zacam - on #4 - looking at the wiki I can't tell how to get it to "display"  tenths and hundreths though.
In other words I've got it showing 10- or 10+ distance using a value of 0.01. I need it to show 10.01, 10.25, 10.99 etc.

#5 - it's in his SVN, but not in trunk or anything.

@ FSF -

#3 - I probably "can" - was just hoping to keep it separate if people wanted to change the colors of the gauges via the options menu.

#5 - I'd assume pure white would be the best choice for PNG's then.



New question:

This is probably getting ahead of myself here...
When editing I guess you could call it the "data" or "content" of the gauges...  for example the information in the Target Monitor might need to be moved around or made into a fillable bar instead of a number - or the size of the Talking Heads need to be changed. A good example might be if you swap the radar image with something at a different size, what file/data tells the game to draw within the space restrictions of the picture?

Some of my modding has to be done via changing how the graphic files themselves are filled (Ex. ETS, Talking Heads).  But there should be some other control files that specify more about how the gauge info is filled in/rendered - what am I missing?

Swifty's custom HUD really only handles the image used, type, and position.

[Davros]

wouldnt a vector format be best for hud graphics, because it could scale to any res without getting blocky ?

[Swifty]

You'll probably have to use full-colour PNGs, since greyscale PNGs aren't fully supported in FSO.

This is pretty misleading. There is no requirement as to what the color palette can be when using a PNG/JPG/TGA for the HUD. The game will convert it to grayscale anyway.

Some of my modding has to be done via changing how the graphic files themselves are filled (Ex. ETS, Talking Heads).  But there should be some other control files that specify more about how the gauge info is filled in/rendered - what am I missing?

Swifty's custom HUD really only handles the image used, type, and position.

There are a lot more options and settings for each HUD gauge written in the Wiki: http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Hud_gauges.tbl

[JGZinv]

Can someone explain usage of these radar hud table settings?

            Infinity Distance Offsets:
            Long Distanace Offsets:
            Short Distance Offsets:


Also in the case of gauges in general... I've noticed that the game refuses to accept anything that
doesn't have the same number of frames (ANI) as the original ANI used. Is there a way I can bypass that
restriction or at least change it? Some files like the radar don't need 2 frames.. it's pointless to have 2 copies
of the same thing in there.

[Zacam]

The radar has 3 distance toggles. That affects what happens under each one.
I'm guessing in case you want a different dimensions or display type for each of the levels.

[Davros]

Since we are talking huds has anyone created an eyefinity compatible hud. 3 screens but the hud stays on the centre screen ?
if of course fs2 supports eyefinity (or the nvidia equivalent)

[rscaper1070]

Reprobator put one together, you can find it here.

[z64555]

The radar has 3 distance toggles. That affects what happens under each one.
I'm guessing in case you want a different dimensions or display type for each of the levels.

I tested the Short, Long, and Infinity Distance values, and only got the the Short values to respond

Code: [Select]

;Short Distance Offsets: (X,Y)             ;This entry moves the Short Distance Text (i.e. "2K") to a position other than the default.
        ;(X, Y) is the integer offset from the Upper Left corner of the Radar Graphic.
        ;X is the horizontal offset (Left/Right)
        ;Y is the verticle offest(Up/Down)
Nightly Build 6974 (Windows)

[swashmebuckle]

I had the same problem I think but The E pointed out on IRC that it was caused by a simple typo (like "distance" being "distrance" or a missing colon or something) which made it so that nothing after that until the next gauge was read, which meant that the other two distances just used the default values.

[JGZinv]

There a file with the names of all the original graphics used for building the HUD?
I'm having trouble tracking down ani's so I can take a look at how many frames they are made out of.

Is there a simple way to cause a filling gauge (AB, weps energy, ETS, etc) to fill/defill horizontally rather than vertically?
I've changed the image to suit, but the gauge is still filling the original direction, which on a horizontal bar is quite thin.

Other problem - take the AB and weapons energy vertical bars for example. I need to make the BG frame one color, and the
fill another color. This is not possible in the same ANI. I could attach the BG frame to another gauge, and fill the "missing" frame in the weapons/AB gauge with black, but would it still know how to properly fill when the game doesn't have a reference BG frame in the same ANI?

[JGZinv]

Still sorta need answers to the radar controls and the 3 above guys.

I do check the wiki before asking, but either I get to start ripping the VPs
apart looking for the retail hud config file or I'm stalled.

Appreciate it...