[WIP/ALPHA REL]Battle Interface Reconstruction

[FeliX Leonhart]

  It's gettin better and better)

[DLPB_]

It's just been finished.  All little niggles are gone.  back to exe altering now   Kranmer isn't gonna be happy cause he has to recompile window.bin again, for the 3rd time.

 

I am afraid I am a bit of  a slave driver...

[Prince Lex]

I haven't had FF7 installed since the time-before-last I installed Windows (last year at some point). This has made me want to install it again.

[DLPB_]

I was just about to finalize the font when Kranmer noticed I had aligned the height wrong because some letters go under others in the proper font.  Now it looks correct.  Finally.  Always something.

[Bosola]

One problem: using Helvetica isn't legal. Even if we bought a license, we'd still need redistribution rights, or else we'll get a CnD from Linotype.

[DLPB_]

Perhaps, we shall see.  This isn't for commercial reasons, it is non profit.  I am hardly a company And I doubt it will come to that.  If linotype are really concerned they can start by the 100 torrents and rapidshare downloads of their main font.
  I don't think they go round looking to persecute a menu mod.

Tell you what, if I do receive a genuine CnD, I will swap to Ms Sans Serif which is basically the exact same font.  MS don't seem to get sued.

[Kemlin]

I am somewhat amused at the prospect of a small scale, niche interest mod project using a copyrighted font being Ceased and Desisted. Just promise us that you'll post the letter in the eventuality you do get one. It would prove an amusing read.

[DLPB_]

Sure will, I will then post ms sans serif replacement and say "lol"

[Kranmer]

Well we could make it so that only people with the helvetica font can install this mod (a few checks should be easy to do in the installer)

[Terid__K]

Well we could make it so that only people with the helvetica font can install this mod (a few checks should be easy to do in the installer)

Bad idea. If you feel the need to do that for just a mod, then change the font. This is supposed to be accessible by everyone, not just a few people.

[Kranmer]

yeah i suppose so, it was just an idea (possibly a stupid one), oh well its really upto DLPB, the font is mostly his project (i am helping but he is doing 99.9% of the work on the font) so how to do it will be upto him i just thought i would throw the idea out there.

[FeliX Leonhart]

Btw, is it possible to use png for the background of the text messages/menus?

[proJ3CHT]

Damn, those menu's look lush.. now if only someone can remaster those blocky backrounds...

[BlitzNCS]

Check out This, or This.

[DLPB_]

Btw, is it possible to use png for the background of the text messages/menus?

probably takes some major reprogramming.  The normal background is not a texture... it is just a drawn shape.

As for helvetica, it stays until I receive my CnD, and then I will just alter the offending few letters.  In fact technically speaking it isnt helvetica anymore because I have already altered a few.

[drfeelgud88]

Just finished checking out what I have missed and WOW amazing!! Awesome work indeed!

I have a question -- Will it ever be possible to have pop-out menus, sort of like FF8-related? If this has been discussed, answered or done, please, slap me on the back of the head. 

All in all, loving this so far. Like Prince Lex said, makes me want to install FF7 again.

[DLPB_]

rocketronnie.net/81.rar

Ok bare in mind:

- This is nowhere near complete
- There may be bugs
- You need to backup the files before you overwrite
- This does not support non english game
- This is here sorely to demonstrate the white text and dialogue as well as the general feel of battle

Enjoy.  I will take this down in 24 hours.

Place texture files in modpath menu folder.
Place window.bin in kernel folder
place exe in root.

BACKUP FILES.

[Terid__K]

Nice. Really like the new text, plus the battle interface is cool as heck.

I assume everything looks messed up and out of place because the other graphics are missing.

[DLPB_]

yup, plus not finished alignment.

[DLPB_]

Just a quick update here.  The battle menu will be done pretty soon but the normal menu is basically back to square 1.  It will need a total overhaul which may take weeks.  Now in order to speed this along, this is what I intend to do:

1.  Option for new battle and new menu.
2.  Option for new battle and new menu +9999

1.  Option for new battle and new menu +retranslation
2.  Option for new battle and new menu +9999 +retranslation

It is unlikely I will add support for the old battle menu simply because it is a duplication of effort for little reward.  For all purposes there is now only 2 main options.  With 9999 and without.  Other smaller options may be added

On another note, I have been looking through the menu at things which I can improve.  So far I have identified the following:

• Closer text now the font is smaller
• More items in menus because there is more space (requires slight coding but I managed it)
• Restructuring of windows

As I said, this is a monumental task to alter this stuff by hex and all the work that goes into getting all this sorted, so it may be a while until there is a main release.  It is a pity we didn't do it this way from the start.

progress report will begin soon.  Rough outline is the following:

Texture files:  90% done
Battle menu: 80%
Normal Menu: 10%

The following problems cannot be rectified due to lack of coding knowledge:

Main Battle option window transparency.  Only Aali would be able to add this.  I understand how the game uses transparency and how it opens menus, but the way it does it means I do not know how to make it set transparency on specific windows.  I am guessing it is much more difficult in assembly than it would be for someone using C. 

Technically, 1 section of code opens EVERY window and and everything inside it.  It is just that code is fed different values which govern it.  So for example mov [ecx+eax+1c],edx will move a value (like window height) into a certain area, that area depends on ecx and eax which change.  I lack the understanding in assembly to tell the program "Look, if this value is in ecx and eax, do this".  Perhaps I am missing  a much easier way of dealing with this problem, but so far, no luck.

[Timber]

• More items in menus because there is more space (requires slight coding but I managed it)

That's really impressive! Good stuff.

[DLPB_]

I've revised the graphics one last time and finalised the font. I am satisfied with it all now   It won't be long now until the battle interface is finished.  The menu as I said will take longer.  The following textures are present and I will note how altered from Team Avalanche:

colob_00.png: Not altered
coloa_00.png: Not altered
buster_00.png: I think this was made by blitz?  I have a memory like a sieve.
btl_win_a_l_11.png: Not altered
btl_win_b_l_11.png: Not altered
btl_win_b_l_12.png: Not altered, but I am debating it...
btl_win_b_l_01.png: Text altered, TA hands made smaller, Slot smooth edge
btl_win_a_l_01.png: Text altered, Slot smooth edge, added new limit/time bar
btl_win_b_l_07.png: Font altered and added new menu limit bar.
btl_win_b_l_00(to 06).png: New font, New stars, Romeo materia but very slightly altered.
btl_win_c_l_04.png: New Font
usfont_a_l_14.png: New font
usfont_b_l_00(to 14).png: New font
btl_win_d_l_00(to 07).png: New font
btl_win_c_l_07.png: New font, slightly altered Target graphic
btl_win_c_l_00.png: New borders
btl_win_c_l_01.png: Not altered, just cleaned up
btl_win_c_h_01.png: Not altered, just cleaned up
btl_win_c_h_00.png: New borders
btl_win_a_l_07.png: New font and smaller TA hands

If I am using 1 border texture for both menus I can minimise this further but at the moment I am thinking of using thinner ones for menu.  Battle has to use slightly thicker ones cause of the nature of some crap you don't really wanna hear about.

I will try and get this battle interface done in next 2 days.

[FeliX Leonhart]

That's really good news^^

[DLPB_]

http://rocketronnie.net/88.rar

There you go Felix.  Let's see what you can spruce up there   Feel free.   These pngs aren't "complete" until I fix transparent layer but chances are you will not notice any difference at all.   These are ready for you to edit, and pretty much finished regardless.

window.bin > into kernel folder
menu files > into modpath and menu folder
exe > run from root

[FeliX Leonhart]

Is it possible to change the colors of these bars?