Jump to content

Minimalist UI 1.5


Kinophile

Recommended Posts

http://cmmodsiii.greenasjade.net/?p=2744

Work In Progress.

Alternate User Interface and Front End graphics mod.

I've completely revised the look & feel of the in-game interface, going for a quite stark black/grey/white base with pops of colour. There are  various graphical glitches to iron out (eg the support panel button highlight sequence)  but it is fully functional.

I've also simplified the front end sequence of screens,  going for a full black background where possible. This is to remove the 'window'  effect of looking at 1024 wide backgrounds floating within a 1920 wide monitor :-). There iis still a lot of refinement to do with these, especially with font style and size. 

My alternate loading backgrounds are also included. RUS is the only nation somewhat finished. US & UKR to follow.

Currently,  this mod feels like an adjustment -  I need to more clearly define my core stylistic element. Font will be key here. 

Feedbackglitch reports/critique is welcome.  No,  really :-) 

KP

 

 

 

Edited by kinophile
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, gave this a download and look.

LOVE:  Order buttons and simple feel of UI.  Really nice job..I like that the whole button "lights" up so you know what you selected.  The UI is clean and well laid out.

OK:  The mission briefing screens and load screens.

NOT FOND OF:  Honestly, I like the current layout of the mission parameter screens (For QB) and the SPLASH Screen...your mod felt compressed on my screen...

SO, once you refine it...maybe you could provide JUST the UI as  one mod and the full Interface as the another...I would definitely download the UI...but I have already modded my splash and screen and music and would like to keep them...however, if you could magically find a way to make that stinkin' briefing font bigger you would truly be my hero...:ph34r:

Edited by grunt_GI
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great feedback,  thank you.

I can certainly restructure the zip file into two parts,  Front End and In Game.

As I noted,  the Front End screens still need some work.

But I'm a little confused by your SPLASH screen note -  do you mean the very first,  front  end menu &  background  (once loaded)  - or the Loading screens once a battle is starting up?

Those loading screens were deliberately designed to remove a sense of windowing,  something the very front end menu BG still has to avoid.

Re font,  I'm testing out various fonts -  iIdesperately want to replace the serif Trajan -  but with what? Ah therin lies the rub..  

Currently I copied the modern font that comes with BG, renamed it to the Trajan font and deleted the original Trajan file. This beats building a whole new font bmp (which I've done, but want to avoid repeating  until I'm absolutely certain of my chosen stylel )  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, I guess there are three screens...I call them the SPLASH screen..where you select SCENARIO, CAMPAIGN or QB...I already have a mod loaded for that I would like to keep..then the QB screen where you select force/time/weather screen so I have no issues with the stock layout of that either..then the LOAD screen, where you watch the ol' % progress as it loads whatever you are playing...I don't mind "windowing" on those as I have a 1920 wide monitor...and they look fine.  But, as a minimalist approach, yours work just fine..the whole black/white thing threw me off a little...

If you want my opinion, it doesn't really matter what font you use for the briefing...JUST make the damn thing bigger, ya know?  I have whined about briefing fonts in all the CM games..geez, make the damn things at least 10pt...I use a workaround of CMD-OPT-8 on my Mac which gets the job done, but wowza..10 or 12pt would be nice, especially for those novel length briefings, ya know? :D

In any event, I love the UI itself...I have modded ALL of my CM games with better UIs..mostly JuJus and they have really made the game better...so I think yours will also be a big hit with the CMBS crowd

If you can separate them, I would be the first to download your UI...for sure...I think you're really on to something here...thanks for your effort...

SPLASH.jpg

QB.jpg

Load.jpg

Briefing...BIGGER FONT.jpg

Edited by grunt_GI
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah the Russian portraits were a test;

i quickly realized that the same portrait is used for both mortars and other units,  which is a pity.

Will definitely update in next issue.

I've been bouncing around with tweaks to the modifiers,  a little tricky to find a balance of colour grades. 

Incidentally,  what's the opinion on the suppression meter? I'm debating to put it all red -  ie no gradation,  just an increasingly dangerous block of red. This will clash with many people's familiarity with the current green-yellow-red gradation, but iIreckon if I'm going minimal iIneed to be rigorous. We can become used to anything, if it works smoothly.

I think I can enliven the Front End selection screens with a series of faint background  battle scenes. Tricky to describe,  but you'll see what I mean. My current brawl with @abbassid111 has some crazy **** going on, should provide some great shots! 

The loading screams are pretty stark alright -  I believe I can add load screens endlessly, so expect new and different view angles.

Thank you for the feedback,  delighted to see the work is appreciated. 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Incidentally,  what's the opinion on the suppression meter? I'm debating to put it all red -  ie no gradation,  just an increasingly dangerous block of red. This will clash with many people's familiarity with the current green-yellow-red gradation, but iIreckon if I'm going minimal iIneed to be rigorous. We can become used to anything, if it works smoothly.

If you ask me, I like the gradation. 

Edited by Euri
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

Oh thank you,  that's great to know! 

Nah don't own them; got enough to do with CMBS! Plus I'm not terribly interested in WW2 - it's been done to death, for me.

Dead horse and flogging, all that. 

I'm slowly ploughing away at flipping the weapon and vehicle portraits,  and building some new loading background splashes. 

If anyone figures out how to mod the 3D Arty impact explosions I'd LOVE to have a stab at them. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...