[HELP] Menu Overhaul / Beacause - Catalog 3.0 TESTING

[Chrysalis]

I have managed to make the limit bar change colour again for hyper, sadness in battle so its easier to determine your status, found the hext used for that, this hext system is a lot better than just supplying a modded exe.

I am in two minds now to try and make max HP show again so using ???? is easier as that calculates damage based on difference between max hp and current HP but I consider that not as an important change, however I do want to bring the bars back for barrier and mbarrier.

The hyper, sadness colour can be restored in file 01-base_14.txt, commenting out the following two lines.

Code: [Select]

{inner limit bar colours
#0091E970 = 00 00 FF 00 00 00 FF 00 00 30 FF 00 00 00 00 00
#0091E980 = 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 80
Interestingly there was already colours in the main menu but wasnt implemented for battle screen, although the colours in menu I feel are not differential enough so I am going to try and make them match the default colours been used in battle now.

Pic here, cloud is sadness, cid is fury.  Without disabling these 2 hext injections they would be both same colour.

[EQ2Alyza]

The controller icons are just placeholders, so they don't work right now.

As for the PHS crash, it's not difficult to pinpoint which line. Just begin a set of lines with #, for example 10 lines, and then start up the game to test the results. If the game doesn't crash, you can eliminate those lines as the culprit, but if the crash occurs, you can eliminate the lines without the #. Rinse and repeat until it's pinpointed.

Can you share with me your kernel changes? You can make kernel patches with one of the tools (I forgot the name) that will merge results of different kernels into one. This had to be done with the RedWolf models for Red XIIII.

[Chrysalis]

for the lro with fixed PHS and coloured sadness/fury.  I am seeing no glitches with the block removed, so I didnt really concentrate on finding the exact line as the PHS screen looks and works fine.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aX_kPV9u3J_tGMJbyuqlqYGw_Rz2OjW2/view?usp=sharing

I will work on the kernel patch, the reason its never been shared before is because of copyright.  So I cannot just provide the full file, but let me see if I can get a patch done.
Also for all the text to work you have to use a kernel compressor as well as the game has a small limit.

.wm patch (inside zip). Can apply patch with wallmarket.  I think I made the patch against stock kernel.bin (dated 1998).

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1G8FQ--6jRVYw71dt2XCx9iDUdus7Cj2u/view?usp=sharing

For compressing kernel2.

http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=17024.0

[EQ2Alyza]

Sharing kernels is not an issue (plenty of mods share them publicly), but you can create patches and just share the patch. What kernel compressor do you use?

[Chrysalis]

see above I edited my post.

Since you say copyright is ok, if you prefer it, this zip has the full kernel and kernel2 files. (kernel2 also already compressed)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UvytmsLsr2GFuvdw_QzzVGKyHn8RlZ8q/view?usp=sharing

[EQ2Alyza]

Thanks, this helps a lot

Do you have any documentation for your kernel changes? I can add them to the Catalog 3.0 release, if you want.

Let me know of any other changes/fixes you do with MO. It helps a lot to have others chiseling away at the minor details that need work. I'm on Discord (EQ2Alyza) as well. We can communicate in the 7th Heaven channel.

[Chrysalis]

I can write some up, but I feel it isnt finished.

I did a playthru up until just after turks boss battle in midgar raid, and was finding bits to rebalance as I played, final dungeon not play tested.

Also 20 mins ago I had ideas to adjust bits of balance as I am motivated again to work on it, but you are welcome to add it as is now and then can update it later, when I have done documentation and made updated changes.

What do you think of my changes to things like consumables and equipment? bare in mind this is supposed to also match my scene file changes with much tougher enemies, on stock enemies this would be overpowered.  Although some summons/enemy skills have notable downsides now, e.g. kotr has 7/8 chance to grant many buffs on target including peerless. Big guard also affects enemies, most bosses wont be ko'd by kotr anymore due to having much more HP so you have to think about the buffs it leaves behind before using it.

Things like chocobracelet got buffed as in normal game they useless noone uses them and that item is so hard to get more than one as its a super rare prize. 

Also you can see I am learning fast, made my first package earlier today http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=19078.msg266561#msg266561

I think thats a good candidate for 3.0, I think wolfman wont mind if you ask.  He was very happy I made the package.

[Chrysalis]

I will probably start more work this weekend, I have now my exe as game convertor exe.  Previously there was a few things patched in, now any patches will only be loaded via hext loader so is always standard exe.  This is so I can convert some of my patches to 7thheaven for others to use, and also to make sure when testing menu overhaul my config isnt causing problems.

[EQ2Alyza]

The OP said to use the 1.02 ff7.exe from the Game Converter, so I assumed you had already done that. Hopefully everything falls in place this weekend when you work on it more.

[Chrysalis]

I did when testing the mod, but wasnt using it for day to day gaming.  Since I got sick of swapping the exe round, I may even forget to swap it as well and I want to migrate all my patches to hext, I have now made it so its permanently that exe. 

[EQ2Alyza]

And that is why hext is so great

We need to end the days of .exe swapping.

[Chrysalis]

This is proving difficult.

I dont think I will be able to do all my wanted improvements to the menu overhaul but there is good news.

I have made an "enhanced stock".  Using a few of the hext mod's from the menu overhaul and font changes.
The enhanced stock UI has the following changes.
1 - Battle background full screen extending to behind UI.
2 - Font from the menu overhaul, making menu look stil a lot sleaker, and also allows more text to fit in battle menu.
3 - Enhanced icons same as menu overhaul. (not all added yet).

Menu overhaul I am making some fixes, I have found which hex edits manipulate the support materia text on spells and summons (these of course work on the enhanced stock, but working on getting it working on menu overhaul UI), but they look like they will be difficult to fix with my skill level, its still a work in progress.

[Chrysalis]

The one issue with enhanced stock is missing independent and command materia icons as can see in equip screen.

This is enhanced stock.

[EQ2Alyza]

Looks good

"Extreme summoned monsters, Often Grants buffs to target"

Might I suggest some changes to have it sound more natural?

"Extreme summoned monsters. Often grants buffs to target." -> Keeps your wording, but fixes the punctuation.

"Extreme summoned monsters. Applies [buffs names here] randomly to targets." -> Changes the wording to be more natural.

Example:
"Extreme summoned monsters. Applies [Wall/Haste] randomly to targets."

I changed the word grant to apply because grant is an act of reward to another. You grant things like peace, money, time etc. to others. Apply doesn't have that rewarding connotation. Buffs are a rewarding thing, but you're giving it to an enemy, which is a negative thing. Apply fits the mold better.

I'm a little picky when it comes to wording in context, sorry Anyways, keep up the good work.

...however I do want to bring the bars back for barrier and mbarrier.

Yes, I do too, but not in the form of bars. I'd prefer the icons that were made for Menu Overhaul. I've got this fixed already for Catalog 3.0.

[Chrysalis]

I cannot put the names of the buffs there as there isnt enough room, other summons do have the names of the buffs, but KOTR applies too many to fit.  It would be Applies [Shield/Haste/Resist/Crits] to targets (it used to also have peerless as well in the version you got).  It may fit now with the new UI possibly, I will try it, but I think it wont.  But it was like that because I was trying to make it fit on the old UI.  That isnt part of the UI mod tho remember that, its a separate change for my balance mod.  I can work on that later, I did try the change just now and it does not fit, I would have to remove "extreme summoned monsters".

Summons Knights, Often Grants [Shield/Haste/Resist/Crits] to target, almost fits, it loses the last 3 letters, this is why punctuation isnt a priority, so I can remove the apostrophe, and the 2 brackets and that would just fit.  But only on enhanced stock and menu overhaul.  The stock game it wouldnt fit.

If you are already fixing things on menu overhaul I am not sure the point of me carrying on, especially as you prefer the new barrier icons, I will leave the barrier alone and just see if I can get the support information visible again, if I cannot then I think I have done all I can on it.  So by support information I mean all 5x, or quad cast 3x, that type of information which is currently missing.  Hopefully you keep my sadness/fury changes as they are useful in battle.  The version I posted earlier had a little issue with an extra hp text showing, the version I sent you now on discord that is fixed.

Also I will put enhanced stock in a separate mod but are you ok with me packaging your enhanced icons with it, like you did with menu overhaul?  Shiny materia, and coloured inventory.  I will send you the package and it can be added to catalog 3.0.  As I think enhanced stock is ready now.  I fixed all my big issues with it.  It only has very minor issues left.

[EQ2Alyza]

I want to get the support information fixed as well. The All materia also doesn't show how many uses are left. I wonder if it's an issue with the menu PNG files...

The icons are a Menu Overhaul option, so it'd be best to package them with your IRO. Is there a drastic difference between "Stock Enhanced" and Menu Overhaul, or is everything just a fix to the original MO?

[LordUrQuan]

This is proving difficult.

I dont think I will be able to do all my wanted improvements to the menu overhaul but there is good news.

KISS principle... Keep It Stupid Simple   Or rather, in this case, release what's reasonable and easy to do (and it sounds like you've already got a huge amount done), then go back and do the nutso parts later in an update to the original mod, or as a second stand-alone.  I'm not sure what EQ2Alyza has in mind for v3.0, but I *think* an easier update mechanism is part of it.  From what he's posted publicly, I think whatever DLPB has in mind for his mod management method makes updates something the author can push (or at least advertise) themselves, rather than sending them through a catalog "gatekeeper."

[Chrysalis]

I want to get the support information fixed as well. The All materia also doesn't show how many uses are left. I wonder if it's an issue with the menu PNG files...

The icons are a Menu Overhaul option, so it'd be best to package them with your IRO. Is there a drastic difference between "Stock Enhanced" and Menu Overhaul, or is everything just a fix to the original MO?

Most of it is differences in hext used (Enhanced UI uses only a fraction of the hext as it uses stock window layouts and sizes), I also had moved various menu png files around to suit how I wanted it packaged.

However about 8 hours today I decided to enhance the package before sending it to you to have a look and it caused me to do loads of work on it today.  It took me a few hours to find good working tools for lgp extraction and tex to bmp conversion so I could get some stock including the stock X image for support materia in battle menu.  I also added options in my package for the shiny materia etc. but also for bright text/digits and gradient text/digits (on menu overhaul mod those are linked to shiny/standard materia options).    Finally I have spent some hours manually redoing some of the menu png files for the Enhanced UI to polish it up.  So e.g. I have the coloured icons fully functioning on it now, previously a couple were not due to not having some stock data.

Now however there is one issue left and the X is also now not working on enhanced stock, just a black box instead LOL, but I am too tired so will leave it at that until I look at it again, but will send you the package.  I think they should be separate packages given all the work I have done.

However given I have used lots of DLPB's work for the hext etc. and your work also for the enhanced icons, this isnt really my mod, I just kind of mixed parts of them together, with stock to come with this result.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iqwHvrJkpZamfRnzsQQCCy-WVUjxOHvD/view?usp=sharing

Also this isnt really extensively tested either.  In different parts of game which potentially could cause problems, no battle square, chocobo racing, name selection etc.  But you can look at what I have done.  Obviously dont enable this at same time as menu overhaul.

For menu overhaul I know which hext disables the support materia text, its easy to turn back on, but also would need new hext to move it in the new location to fit in menu overhaul UI, and also would have to overcome this weird X symbol issue as well.  As right now the X only works with no custom btl_win_a_l_01.png in place. (my new custom btl_win_a_l_01.png does have the X symbol but unlike all other symbols it doesnt work in game).

Here is my todo list.

Spoiler: show

Add missing divider on battle screen for HP and spell MP cost menu (should be easy add it to one png file its missing)
Reduce line gap on item menu now all icons modernised.
Diagnose missing X on support info, very strange as icon is added.

Planned readme below.

Spoiler: show

I present a early testing version of the Enhanced Stock UI Mod.

I am not calling this my mod, because it combines work from other people on this forum.

It is a combination of the stock UI and DLPB's older Menu Overhaul Mod, and also includes icons from InsertNameHere menu overhaul mod for the new catalog 3.0 on 7th heaven.

My motivation was to have a nicer looking UI which included all the features from the stock UI, as some features are lost on the menu rehaul MOD.

This Enhanced Stock UI has the following enhancements.

Some of the Menu Rehaul design changes are present in the menu, including optional thinner bars.
It uses the Sleaker and Thinner font from the Menu Rehaul Mod. So for those of you who have added text in text boxes, this UI supports more text content.
It extends battle screen size to full screen.
It has field UI enhancements same as menu overhaul.
It is higher resolution, so aside from the issues with stock icons listed below, it will have very little blockyness.

It also maintains the fast menu opening speed that stock has (menu rehaul opens very slowly).
The support materia information inside battle is present.
It keeps the original barrier bars in battle UI.

It is worth noting this mod is not perfect.

The known problems are listed below.  I consider none of them gamebreaking.

In battle UI, the barrier bars have no outline.  The fix is probably to update one of the menu image files, but to do this I need stock texture files converted to png, as and so have not managed to find any.  A tool I used to convert .tex files to .png is creating corrupted files.  What I may end up doing is just ripping game images from stock to insert into the necessarily files manually. - PARTIALLY FIXED
In battle UI, the TIME text at top right is missing the last one and half letters, fix and cause is same as above. - FIXED
In menu UI, the bars on main screen have no proper borders, fix is likely same as above again.
In item's menu, the weapons and consumable items have the old stock ugly icons, I have not fixed this yet for the same reason as stated above.  All materia's, armour, other weapon types, and accessories do have the enhanced icons. - FIXED
Loading screen bar is not sized correctly, but you only see this for a second when loading a saved game.
In the 7th heaven config, when selecting no change for icons, you will actually have coloured icons and enhanced materia icons as default, this is because stock icons are not yet available in the files.  Every single known problem is menu.lgp related.  Same causes and fix. - FIXED
Double/Triple growth equipment slots, have same icon as normal growth.

Previous nasty problems, but should now be fixed.

Crashing PHS screen (was also present on namehere's menu overhaul mod) - FIXED
Crashing config screen - FIXED
Dialog boxes with npc/shops crash - FIXED

At least for now this mod will only be available for use in 7th heaven, its by far the easiest way to use it, it does not require a custom exe, any required exe based modifications are done via hext loading.  It is fully compatible with the majority of other mods such as avatar mods, texture mods, gameplay mods etc.  The only mod you shouldnt be using with this mod is of course menu overhaul mod.

Note the mod itself does not change any game text or avatars as seen in the screenshots, those are present due to other mods in my game.

Of course I welcome other bug reports.  This has not been extensively tested, no chocobo racing, no battle square, no full game run.

[EQ2Alyza]

Unfortunately, I can't get it to work. I get the "Oops" crash shortly after the game launch beep. Disabling the Enhanced Stock UI option will launch, so it's apparently something in that folder or the way your mod.xml is written involving that folder.

[Chrysalis]

Ok I did a post thinking it was certian things but this is basically whats happening.

If I import the mod from the folder it starts every time.

If I package an .iro and then import that, it crashes on launch.

So I cannot share the mod as an .iro with that issue.

It seems having to unpack the .iro on launch is freaking it out somehow.

[EQ2Alyza]

Importing via folder does start the opening Eidos/Square movies, but once it proceeds to the Start Menu, it "Oops" crashes. The only mod being used is this one.

Turning off Enhanced Stock UI in the Configure proceeds to the Start Menu without crashing.

EDIT: I pulled out the .off folders and put them into the Backup folder, and it seems to be okay now.

[Chrysalis]

I found out why the .iro is crashing, I renamed two folders to .off at end and it makes 7thheaven freak out when loading from .iro but not when loading from folder.

A new package will be up in 5 minutes.

[Chrysalis]

ok

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Lt9x8wFejsb6ur-SnALNKT5lA6NP3XAg/view?usp=sharing

If you still get the crash after FMV I dont know what to say on that one, as that hasnt happened at all for me and I am using a clean exe.

Use this ^^ link, it has the .off folders completely removed, works from .iro and has the proper mod.xml.

[EQ2Alyza]

Looks good, I like the nostalgic feel of the old UI. My only suggestion is to work on the positioning of the command box, if possible. It's always hovered over top the area for the Barrier/MBarrier bars, so I can't see the time left on it very well.

[Chrysalis]

I probably wont re position the bar this keeps most of stock layout, but you can hold the switch button to see it on stock.  I will maybe look into it as low priority after other stuff done, but I think its unlikely as moving stuff around is complicated hence how big the menu overhaul mod is.

I think I have an idea why the X is missing, so will try to fix that later, and also to make the item menu compact like menu overhaul since it now has the small icons.

I dont know who made the enhanced icons and thinner bars, are you ok with those been in this mod?