Enhanced User Interface v1.29i

Natan35 · Oct 2, 2015

Though it makes vanilla leaders look uglier, it indeed makes Janboruta's leader screens look better, so good job, I suppose.

JFD · Oct 2, 2015

bc1 said:
easy: I changed LoadScreen's code (lua + xml) to upscale the image, see attachment to post #2033

what is now needed are nicely upscaled x2 versions of each civ's graphic asset file referenced by their <DawnOfManImage> XML tag, since the game's image scaler is not very good and the results are pixelated. The game's upscaled assets would be included with EUI, so they would load instead of the base versions. For mods to supply HD assets useable by EUI while retaining compatibility without EUI, I could either add a new <DawnOfManImageHD> XML tag or implement an xxxxHD.yyy file naming convention.

I think you should go with the xxxHD naming convention, as with EUI, including DawnOfManImageHD will probably throw too many errors.

bc1 · Oct 2, 2015

Zyxpsilon said:
the dom_???.dds files are pre-defined as 1024x768 & are archived_packaged in UITextures.fpk along with every other vanilla-stock versions. Soooooo - you'd want each of the images to be exactly 2048x1536 (doubled!) without losing any perceivable resolution qualities, right?

yes

Zyxpsilon said:
This would be done rather easily but if someone were to include *ALL* possible stuff (DLC, etc)... you'd end-up with a fairly big set of files.

maybe easy for someone who knows how to, not my case. DDS files can be created using one of several possible compression types, the key is to find which ones work and provide the best look/filesize compromise

Zyxpsilon said:
I could do that for you... but let's try a test-sample first. I'd need to know your choice of a Civ?

I can code the HD image selection bit but I am aesthetically challenged, perhaps it's best if I post the code and you make the trials

Natan35 said:
Though it makes vanilla leaders look uglier, it indeed makes Janboruta's leader screens look better, so good job, I suppose.

Firaxis probably used a bit too much compression, not enough to show at 1024x768 native resolution but quite noticeable when upscaled

JFD said:
I think you should go with the xxxHD naming convention, as with EUI, including DawnOfManImageHD will probably throw too many errors.

I don't understand your sentnece after the 1st comma

JFD · Oct 2, 2015

Sorry, I meant without. Without EUI, there would be no DawnOfManImageHD tag, and so this would be the least compatible route.

Zyxpsilon · Oct 2, 2015

bc1:

I can code the HD image selection bit but I am aesthetically challenged, perhaps it's best if I post the code and you make the trials

Nope, i just meant that i'd make a single try-out pair (old & new) and simply post both of those images right here for you (or anyone) to judge for proper (or acceptable) quality and rendering standards.
There are numerous ways (filters & more magic via special programs) to upscale any type of graphics... the trick is to strike good balance in hues and/or contrast when pixelization starts to blur areas in certain conditions.

Soooo, i'll have to stick with our dear Theodora (which offers plenty of rational graphic features and should make up for a good enough decision on you part -- challenging or not

) and dump the results once ready.

As for DDS, i normally never use any compression (your_my icon sets were all created like that, btw) for that specific format -- AFAIK, even DXT5 can ruin an otherwise perfectly fine picture -- technically.. it's a 4x4 least common and-or random sets of grouped pixels "determination" that can spoil between 20-40% of each compressed "blocks" when they are targeted for re-sampling by the code!!

PS; Heck, even JFD might want to contribute his skills to your attempts!

PS2!!

Okay, i just ran various tests with Lanczos, B-Spline & Bi-Cubic Smooth_40% and the highest quality i could achieve was with the third filtering process. There's no noticeable "artifacts" in the resulting image. That's the good news.

BUT -- the really bad reality is more about how VERY high the DDS file size can get! I had DXT5 applied and the doubled up image is simply packaged at 3,145,856... going from the usual Firaxis 786,560 default. It's not worth trying to use DXT3 in fact.. since that compression ratio would certainly pixelate MUCH further as to turn this experiment in ugly territory.
Soooooo... i think you might want to reconsider how to proceed. Or even *IF* this whole feature (with dozens++ of custom dom versions) should be added to your Mod as it would augment your archive distributable limit beyond any sort of rational proportions, AFAIC.

bc1 · Oct 3, 2015

yes you are right size is much too large thanks for your help I will find another way
cheers

Nutty · Oct 3, 2015

Certainly it could be an optional feature where the art need only be downloaded once...

Zyxpsilon · Oct 3, 2015

True... one Zip package with everything could be offered as an "external" optional asset (for EUI) to anyone willing to grab it from some hosted location.

Here's what i might do then; i'll just do each of these new doubled-up DOM versions and pack them all in a single ZIP file (or individually). If anybody should ever want that big file (one such DDS file can zip nearly @1.3MBs when alone), i'll temporarily host it on my One-Drive server and provide the unlock-access code via PM from here on CivFanatics.

PS... Nutty, about "Eras-Center" -- anything new to report for its development??

Vicevirtuoso · Oct 3, 2015

Hello,

I was wondering if it would be possible for you to look into integrating my Dynamic 2D Leaderscenes into your LeaderHeadRoot.xml. I've had numerous users who have trouble understanding that they need to delete all but one copy of this file for it to work, and especially having trouble understanding how to merge the changes into EUI. The mod shouldn't have any effect on the leader view itself without other mods specifically adding in override images.

If you have questions on how it would need to be implemented, let me know.

bc1 · Oct 3, 2015

Nutty said:
Certainly it could be an optional feature where the art need only be downloaded once...

Zyxpsilon said:
True... one Zip package with everything could be offered as an "external" optional asset (for EUI) to anyone willing to grab it from some hosted location

I simply forgot the sampler statement in the BETA EUI
The updated BETA EUI seems to give reasonable upscaling results, so no need for a huge side download

Vicevirtuoso said:
Hello,

I was wondering if it would be possible for you to look into integrating my Dynamic 2D Leaderscenes into your LeaderHeadRoot.xml. I've had numerous users who have trouble understanding that they need to delete all but one copy of this file for it to work, and especially having trouble understanding how to merge the changes into EUI. The mod shouldn't have any effect on the leader view itself without other mods specifically adding in override images.

If you have questions on how it would need to be implemented, let me know.

Ok I will look into it: there is very likely a solution to do this independently of whether EUI is used, without modifying EUI itself

Vicevirtuoso · Oct 3, 2015

bc1 said:
Ok I will look into it: there is very likely a solution to do this independently of whether EUI is used, without modifying EUI itself

I'm hoping it actually is possible; the main issue is that everything my mod adds needs to show up below all of the other controls. When you add new controls from another context, they appear on top of any other controls, which would just cause everything on the leaderhead screen to be covered up.

bc1 · Oct 3, 2015

Vicevirtuoso said:
I'm hoping it actually is possible; the main issue is that everything my mod adds needs to show up below all of the other controls. When you add new controls from another context, they appear on top of any other controls, which would just cause everything on the leaderhead screen to be covered up.

yes it's possible, see attached example (stand alone override with a civ's DoM image)

Zyxpsilon · Oct 3, 2015

bc1 said:
I simply forgot the sampler statement in the BETA EUI
The updated BETA EUI seems to give reasonable upscaling results, so no need for a huge side download...

I took a glimpse at the Beta Code and that new function context (Re-sampling with "Linear", etc) would indeed produce fair enough results. Effectively upscaling the 1024x768 assets in very reasonable doubled-up outputs to the screen;

Code:

-- Sets Dawn of Man Image
				Controls.Image:SetTexture(civ.DawnOfManImage);
				local x, y = UIManager:GetScreenSizeVal()
				local a = math.min(x,y/0.75)
				local b = math.max( 500, x-a )
				Controls.Details:SetSizeX( b )
				Controls.BonusDescription:SetWrapWidth( b-40 )
				Controls.Quote:SetWrapWidth( b-40 )
				Controls.Image:Resize( a, math.min(y,0.75*x) )
				Controls.Details:ReprocessAnchoring();

Such is the magic of LUA code when performed by the proper hands & brain (Yours

)!
Issue solved.

bc1 · Oct 4, 2015

Zyxpsilon said:
I took a glimpse at the Beta Code and that new function context (Re-sampling with "Linear", etc) would indeed produce fair enough results. Effectively upscaling the 1024x768 assets in very reasonable doubled-up outputs to the screen. Issue solved.

High contrast areas such as Catherine's eyes and hairline are better but still a bit pixellated, her neckline is OK though: since most civ players are male no one will notice

Vicevirtuoso · Oct 4, 2015

bc1 said:
yes it's possible, see attached example (stand alone override with a civ's DoM image)

The UI wizard works his magic again. Thanks! I will take a look at it and implement it into my code.

Strigvir · Oct 5, 2015

So we get worse vanilla loading screens simply because some mod uses an ultraHD image for its civ?
I thought EUI was all about "vanilla-only" with minimal mod support.

DeadInTheWater · Oct 5, 2015

Whenever I mouse over a wonder or building icon all i get is a message that says:

Assets\DLC\UI_bc\Core\EUI_tooltips.lua:11
21: attempt to call field
'GetPovertyHappinessChangeBuilding' (a nil
value)

I manually installed CPP,CBP,EUI. Then I used the auto installer. Then I manually installed just the UI_bc1 file into the DLC folder after deleting the existing same file.

Lynnes · Oct 6, 2015

I just switched to the latest Beta, and it looks great!! :wow:

However may I request two things?

1. When a tooltip exceeds the height of the screen (can easily happen for the iron resource-tooltip for example), could you make it so that there will be a second column, instead of the tooltip being cut / projected beyond the edge of the screen?

2. Would it be possible to include Condensed Promotions into EUI?
The Condensed Promotions Mod isn't compatible with EUI's UnitPanel.lua, but its functionality imo is a must have addition for EUI (all kind of info is summarized and shown as efficiently as possible, so why not the promotions?)!

cheers

kimme · Oct 6, 2015

linuxHow to install this in Linux? Namely Linux Mint 17.2

I have opened up the directory "~/.local/share/Steam/" in caja, but where do I place this MOD? I have searched the "/home/kimme/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/Sid Meier's Civilization V" directory, but do I place it there?

Edit: I placed the "UI_bc1" directory in "/hoame/kimme/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/Sid Meier's Civilization V/steamassets/assets/dlc" and hope it's the right folder

Tip: Press "Ctrl-L" and paste the directory in the text window that appears to get the GUI path correct...

Edit: Found out on how to install this MOD almost imidiately after I posted this after reading on how to unzip this archive with all lowercase characters.

RMcD94 · Oct 7, 2015

Does this lock the mouse to Civ V? I've got it in Windowed mode and in interface options mouse is on never bind. none the less I have to window key or alt-tab to get out of it. It doesn't happen without EUI.

Enhanced User Interface v1.29i

Natan35

Mayor of St. Natansburg

JFD

Kathigitarkh

bc1

JFD

Kathigitarkh

Zyxpsilon

Running Spider

bc1

Nutty

Deity

Zyxpsilon

Running Spider

Vicevirtuoso

The Modetta Man

bc1

Vicevirtuoso

The Modetta Man

bc1

Attachments

Zyxpsilon

Running Spider

bc1

Vicevirtuoso

The Modetta Man

Strigvir

Emperor

DeadInTheWater

Chieftain

Lynnes

King

kimme

Chieftain

RMcD94

Chieftain

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