Author Topic: Transparent Dialog Boxes (Read 34837 times)

Phyltre · « **on:** 2005-11-11 18:36:25 »

Another little idea I've always had...how hard would it be to have the option to make dialog/console boxes in-game to be transparent? Some menus in the game are transparent in a few places (the materia explanations menu comes to mind) but we can't set the most common thing in the game--those huge klutzy dialog boxes--to be transparent! (Not as in nonexistant, just semitransparent, like a few set menus in the game are.)

Does anyone know what it would take to give us that option? Since we can change the dialog box color in-game already, and some menus are already transparent, it seems like it would just be using what controls the already transparent ones and enabling it in the standard dialog ones.

I ask because with as much work as you guys have put in the graphics, it's a shame to have those antique boxes coming up and covering them up! Really, it's one of the last bad-looking things in the game.

EmperorSteele · « **Reply #1 on:** 2005-11-11 18:46:13 »

I think those transparent dialouge boxes (also seen in battle) would need to be defined individually. I've never takena clsoe look at the text properties in field.lgp, but for each section, it defines the color of words, and maybe, just maybe, may define if a box is transparent or not.

So, it may be possible, it would just be a lot of monotonous, time-consuming work.

Phyltre · « **Reply #2 on:** 2005-11-12 02:35:29 »

Yeah, I was basically thinking about just changing dialog boxes and the HUD box during battles, since those are always around in the game.

dziugo · « **Reply #3 on:** 2005-11-12 19:44:51 »

Applying the patch requires some hex editor or debugger with memory-editing option.

Code: [Select]

When editing memory:
Offset: 006EB022     Before: JE 006EB1EF
Offset: 006EB022     After:  NOP

When editing file:
Offset: 002EA422     Before: 0F 84 C7 01 00 00
Offset: 002EA422     After:  90 90 90 90 90 90

Results:

dziugo

Phyltre · « **Reply #4 on:** 2005-11-13 00:43:29 »

You never cease to amaze me! Now, if we can just get that into a patch...

dziugo · « **Reply #5 on:** 2005-11-13 07:40:05 »

Check it first

. It requires only a hex editor (IMHO the easier way) and few seconds of work. Go to offset 002EA422 and write 90 90 90 90 90 90 (6*0x90) in there.

dziugo

Qhimm · « **Reply #6 on:** 2005-11-13 14:33:23 »

Is this the same code used for battles? Because I recall that FF7 doesn't actually bother to render the scene at the bottom covered by the UI box.

Phyltre · « **Reply #7 on:** 2005-11-13 16:24:04 »

Quote from: dziugo

Check it first . It requires only a hex editor (IMHO the easier way) and few seconds of work. Go to offset 002EA422 and write 90 90 90 90 90 90 (6*0x90) in there.

dziugo

Making me do work! You should be ashamed!

Edit:

Success!

http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/1845/image14nc.png

Mod Edit: Do not post large images directly

zero88 · « **Reply #8 on:** 2005-11-13 17:30:35 »

Sweet! This looks awesome!

dziugo · « **Reply #9 on:** 2005-11-13 19:02:05 »

Quote from: Phyltre

Making me do work! You should be ashamed!

Call me "Mr lazybones"

.

And... AFAIK, this patch affects only field dialogs.

dziugo

EmperorSteele · « **Reply #10 on:** 2005-11-14 07:28:00 »

Quote from: Qhimm

Is this the same code used for battles? Because I recall that FF7 doesn't actually bother to render the scene at the bottom covered by the UI box.

Actually, they have an Aeris resurection code hidden under there

(waiiiit for it...)

The SaiNt · « **Reply #11 on:** 2005-11-14 07:34:42 »

Yeah, FFVII lazily renders only half the screen for battle, you can easily set it to render more but it messes up the auto camera pan for effects.

YUffie · « **Reply #12 on:** 2005-11-25 17:35:12 »

this seems really cool and i wanna do iot but i dont have the faintest idea what u r talking about can u help me?

EmperorSteele · « **Reply #13 on:** 2005-11-26 02:50:13 »

Seeing as how you can't even form a gramamtically correct sentance, I'd say that hex editing is a bit beyond your cognitive capabilities.

That's a "no", btw.

Or, we could help you, but you could very well end up destroying your ff7 beyond repair, and, I don't think anyone wants to be liable for that.

Just wait till someone makes a patching utility, I guess =)

Chrisu · « **Reply #14 on:** 2005-11-26 07:48:32 »

i've got a question:
which file did u edit with a hex editor?
the ff7.exe or the field.lgp or another?

dziugo · « **Reply #15 on:** 2005-11-26 08:21:15 »

Quote from: Grisu

i've got a question:
which file did u edit with a hex editor?
the ff7.exe or the field.lgp or another?

ff7.exe

dziugo

Chrisu · « **Reply #16 on:** 2005-11-26 08:25:47 »

and what hex-editor can edit the "memory", even if i dont know, what that is?
pls help me
Grisu

The Skillster · « **Reply #17 on:** 2005-11-26 14:56:48 »

you can use L.Spiro's MemHack to monitor memory and "force" custom values, and also use it to search memory.
Search the forum for it.

YUffie · « **Reply #18 on:** 2005-11-26 17:01:36 »

dont call me stupid ok just because i use shorthand because it is quicker than writing things out fully does not make me stupid.

Chrisu · « **Reply #19 on:** 2005-11-26 17:13:38 »

hey, could u explain what to do with MemHack?
i do not understand how to use this programm... :isee:
pls help me
oh, and does anyone of you know how to make the game render the full battle screen?

Aaron · « **Reply #20 on:** 2005-11-26 17:34:37 »

Quote from: YUffie

dont call me stupid ok just because i use shorthand because it is quicker than writing things out fully does not make me stupid.

Please review the rules.

Quote

Please try to use good spelling and grammer. Don't run round the house looking for that old, dusty dictionary you've never used if there's a word too difficult to spell, just try and spell as well as you can. It wouldn't hurt to read over your post before you hit submit now would it?

The Skillster · « **Reply #21 on:** 2005-11-26 17:43:42 »

Hi
Just select FF7.exe under Select Process in the 1st menu
Then what you do is search for the values you are looking for with the search function (remember you need to convert Hex values into decimel equivelent).
Once you have tracked down some possible values, look under the results viewer and add the addresses (so they appear in the main window), now you can set a value to each address and "force" it so it is locked.

Chrisu · « **Reply #22 on:** 2005-11-26 17:57:16 »

Sorry, but i have no idea what to do when i opened the ff7 process.
btw, when i shut down ff7, i get an error message "onrecognised value" or sth like that
and when i open the process with mem hack, i think it does nothing.

dziugo · « **Reply #23 on:** 2005-11-26 19:52:47 »

Early BETA (ALFA? ).

Just don't send a bomb to my house if it formats your HDD.

A program which will apply the "Transparent Dialog Boxes" patch to your FF7 version. See "info.txt" (included in the package) for instructions. I didn't want to release the patcher that early (it was meant to be used with "Removing the 9999 cap" patch), but I just can't watch those people asking for help, and not really getting it (with all respect to those who tried to help).

Download link:
skerb.rar

Calling this a BETA is a big misunderstanding.

EmperorSteele · « **Reply #24 on:** 2005-11-27 06:17:41 »

Quote from: YUffie

dont call me stupid ok just because i use shorthand because it is quicker than writing things out fully does not make me stupid.

Try:

"Don't call me stupid, okay? Just because I use shorthand --because it's quicker than fully writing things out-- does not make me stupid."

There. See, the problem is that you SEEM to be "stupid", "when u talk like this with shorthand and no punctuation so it seems like ur talking like a 5 y/o on speed and maybe crack i dunno and its all in 1 breath lol".

See the problem? You wanna play with the big kids, you play by big kid rules. And my main point was, if you don't even know propor grammar, then hex editing is probably a bit beyond your capapbilities. Hell, I can't wrap my head around hex editing either, so, I fear about how confused somone like you would get if others tried explaining it. that's all. I suppose I shouldn't discourage you from trying, though.

Just... try to learn how to use commas before you break the forum's collective sanity. Please?