Hello All,
I would like to propose a new option to the Menu Overhaul. Character Portraits next to the names of the Characters. I understand that this would be very difficult to do, that is why I would need other members of this forum to help me do this. It would great if @DLPB could tell me his opinion on this idea of mine. Other members of the forum, your input is also requested. This is currently going to only be for the 1998 PC version of the game.
I hope you like my humble artist rendering:
I understand that is a graphical topic, yet I also understand that getting these graphics to actually happen as shown is a Huge Reverse Engineering Project that would take months on end to figure out.
Update: I just realized that in the Menu Overhaul, the text and bars for the MBarrier and Shield were replaced by Graphics:
This may mean that the names of each Party Member could be replaced by a .PNG image of their portrait. Hmmmmm........
This image was made by @Felix Leonhart. I will ask about how it was created.
Credits:
Menu Overhaul was made by @Luksy, @DLPB, @sl1982 and @Kranmer as well as many others.
One of the biggest issues is the spacing, and the programming required to correctly insert the correct spacing for different screen resolutions.
@LeonhartGR has pointed out to me that this project should support the .PNG files in the Menu folder of the Mod folder. This is an important part of the project itself.
UPDATE:
I understand that as of right now, 0 members on this forum will help me with this project. So, I have decided to do things the hard way.
I have discovered that you can place three tiny squares in one spot - next to the text in red (for most, it is grey) that says, "NAME." I will make a total of 24 different variations of the .PNG file called, "btl_win_a_l_07."
Now you may ask, why would one do that?
Quite simple.
Let one say that you have a party of the following
Aerith / Cloud / Tifa
A btl_win_a_l_07.png with the portraits in that order should be put into the menu folder inside the folder currently being used in the mod folder.
For example, this directory:
C:\Games\FF7\mods\Bootleg\menu\btl_win_a_l_07.png
I will add an extra number to the end of each .PNG file so that each .PNG file can easily be changed out to the one that a player wants to be used.
I got this idea from @Grimmy. He did this with the different images for Cait Sith's Limit Break called "Lucky Girl."
Another question you may have is why all the hassle.
Answer: Not too many members on this forum have free time to make this pending release less of a hassle, so one will have to wait until a method of switching out each of the 24.PNG files is no longer a hassle.
Result One
Not exactly what I wanted, yet it is a result. I used Photoshop to get this result.
Result Two
Hey, this will work! Now I need to see if I can do the same for the Final Fantasy X styled Battle Menu.
For now, I shall release a Photoshop file for anyone to use. Original artwork by @DLPB and @sl1982.
I will have the files ready for download and release soon. Please send request for your portraits to be used.
If anyone has any ideas to help me, please let me know.
The creators should have left the following portraits in the Battle Mode...