[Unknown Target]

I've been toying with this idea for awhile now, and I was wondering what you guys thought. A lot of the smaller mods out there don't have the manpower to create interfaces like BTRL or WCS, yet still want to have a different "look" than FS2, and want to be released standalone to expand their player base. That's where the idea comes in...with scripting and some new code, would it be possible to create a more generic interface that could be freely distributed by any mod that wants it? I'm thinking more of an interface overhaul, that would more look like Half Life 2's interface - i.e., window-based, and with a background image that's easily changeable per mod. Heck, if that's not possible, how about just a more generic looking interface based on the regular FS2 one.

Obviously it's a lot of work and will probably entail a lot of coding, but it could become a community project to help the smaller mods attain that "we're not FS2" look, without having to have someone redesign the entire interface.

Thoughts?

[Black Wolf]

Been proposing this since the SCP was formed, so it's obviously got my support.

[RazorsKiss]

I'm for it.

[jr2]

Put a link to this in that Feature request thread that Razor's Kiss is maintaining...

[Unknown Target]

It's not really a feature, jr2, unless we decide to make it more like the HL2 implementation I suggested.

[jr2]

It isn't?  But it's large enough a job that most small mods can't handle it?  Hmm.... Well I suppose it's not a feature per se, but it sure seems like it would require of work like a feature...

[Unknown Target]

A feature would be something that requires a code change. Unless we request a code change, it's not a new feature.

EDIT: Which brings us to the first question. Do we want to redesign the interface with a code change? It's major, but I feel it's necessary - the old (current) interface is very convoluted and confusing for new people these days. But if no coders say they want to do it, then I don't think we can. It's the preferable option IMO though.

[chief1983]

I actually love the idea of seeing a new generic looking interface coded into the game, maybe not quite HL2 style, cause I can imagine that's a lot of new coding, but maybe something cleaner.  But I agree, even a replacement of the stock FS2 stuff with a generic set would be nice, it'd also give those mods an idea of what they might need to change to get their own customized look started.

[Turey]

I can put together a really cheesy default interface set if anyone would like it.

[RazorsKiss]

cheese ftw.

Yeah, go for it

[Unknown Target]

Cheesey? How so?

[TrashMan]

IT will be made out of chesse naturally... bottuns would be chesee rolls, the loading bards will be slices..etc..

[Unknown Target]

I remember some time ago how a main menu was created completely out of scripting, which had the buttons on the right and a spinning 3D model on the left. Can scripting be expanded to the other menus as well?

[WMCoolmon]

For simple things like the techroom, yes. For things like the options screen, mission screen, player selection screen (Which all require special hooks to the internal FS2 code) the answer is not at this point.

[Black Wolf]

Reding a generic interface pretty much needs SCP cooperation. There's no point to redoing thousands of files if the SCP is going to simplify the process (which is an immensely important thing to do IMO)

[Unknown Target]

*Bump*

So, should we start a seperate discussion with a poll, to vote whether or not to code a new interface?

[Turey]

*Bump*

So, should we start a seperate discussion with a poll, to vote whether or not to code a new interface?

If we could get the other parts of the interface done up in a similar matter as the Main Hall (with it's table), I think that'd be enough.

[Unknown Target]

But you'd still have to make 2D bitmaps, no?

So it comes to the same problem.

[Turey]

But you'd still have to make 2D bitmaps, no?

So it comes to the same problem.

Not really. Making the bitmaps is easy. The problem is, no matter what you make for the bitmaps, most of the elements of the interface are fixed in place. So it still looks like FS2.

[Unknown Target]

Remaking an entire interface full of bitmaps isn't easy - just go ask Lt.

That's why I'm saying a reprogrammed interface would be better.