UI modifications (suggestions and discussion)

[Thunderbrd]

I found the reference to POPUPS_BACKGROUND_TRANSPARENT

screen.setHelpTextArea( 390, FontTypes.SMALL_FONT, 0, 0, -2.2, True, ArtFileMgr.getInterfaceArtInfo("[COLOR="Blue"]POPUPS_BACKGROUND_TRANSPARENT[/COLOR]").getPath(), True, True, CvUtil.FONT_LEFT_JUSTIFY, 0 )

Assets/ XML/ Art/ CIV4ArtDefines_Interface.xml

<InterfaceArtInfo>
                        <Type>POPUPS_BACKGROUND</Type>
                        <Path>Art/Interface/Popups/PopUpBackground.nif</Path>
                </InterfaceArtInfo>
                <InterfaceArtInfo>
                        <Type>POPUPS_BACKGROUND_DDS</Type>
                        <Path>Art/Interface/Popups/PopUpBackground.dds</Path>
                </InterfaceArtInfo>
                <InterfaceArtInfo>
                        <Type>[COLOR="Blue"]POPUPS_BACKGROUND_TRANSPARENT[/COLOR]</Type>
                        <Path>Art/Interface/Popups/PopUpBackgroundTRANS.nif</Path>
                </InterfaceArtInfo>

They are in \Sid Meier's Civilization 4\Assets\Assets0.fpk

In Assets0.fpk:

\art\interface\popups

I uploaded the files below for convenience.

http://civ4bug.sourceforge.net/PythonAPI/Classes/CyGInterfaceScreen.html

CyGInterfaceScreen isn't in the SDK. It's not a method either, it's an object!

VOID setHelpTextArea (FLOAT fWidth, FontType eFont, FLOAT fX, FLOAT fY, FLOAT fZ, BOOL bFloating, STRING szArtFile, BOOL bExpandRight, BOOL bExpandDown, INT uiFlags, INT iMinWidth)
void ( float fWidth, FontTypes eFont, float fX, float fY, float fZ, bool bFloating, string szArtFile, bool bExpandRight, bool bExpandDown, uint uiFlags, int iMinWidth

Sooooo... what exactly are you saying we need to do to widen the help hovers?

 

[Draakon]

Is there a way to have a better window/info tool to look at whats in a stack? Currently on SVN 6760 and already having 4 soldier stacks means I can't even look at the top most stack info thingy on the left side when you hover over a flag/stack and see what is in the stack. And the more troops you have in a stack, the harder it is to read what is and what is not in a stack.

 

[Thunderbrd]

Is there a way to have a better window/info tool to look at whats in a stack? Currently on SVN 6760 and already having 4 soldier stacks means I can't even look at the top most stack info thingy on the left side when you hover over a flag/stack and see what is in the stack. And the more troops you have in a stack, the harder it is to read what is and what is not in a stack.

Yeah, this is certainly an important task on the list to rework this. I'll hopefully have this resolved during the next version cycle.

 

[Rodnok]

IMO, when that option is not used, these extra info about combat classes, hands, axes and claw sizes shouldnt be shown...

 

[Thunderbrd]

The CCs you see are subject to potential further optionalized isolation. However, there were some concepts I had in mind that gave cause to letting those show for now. Many more are already hidden behind options.

 

[timschuett]

Could you add a scroll feature to unit promotions? I have a rogue that, even with the earlier change, has amassed so many tiles in its profile window that I can't see its health, moves or XP

 

[Thunderbrd]

Could you add a scroll feature to unit promotions? I have a rogue that, even with the earlier change, has amassed so many tiles in its profile window that I can't see its health, moves or XP

No we can't but there are a few ways to sort these out to make these displays more valuable that I'll be working on this weekend in fact.

 

[Yudishtira]

I think there needs to be a combat odds 'in reverse' mouseover: ie. one that tells you what the (mouseovered) enemy stack's top attacker's odds would be if they attacked your (selected) stack/tile.

Most of the time these are the odds that are important to you, and you're trying to estimate them without UI help.

Or perhaps there already is a way....(if so do tell...)

 

[platyping]

No we can't but there are a few ways to sort these out to make these displays more valuable that I'll be working on this weekend in fact.

Both displaying valuable promotions and with scrollbar are done

 

[Thunderbrd]

Both displaying valuable promotions and with scrollbar are done

If you can pull this off or guide me (or DH) to where and how this has been done, by all means light the way bud! I agree with him that we could really use this!

 

[platyping]

Naturally, it is in the dreaded file of course.

Valuable promotions are done, by hiding lower grade promotions when you have a higher one of same type, such as hide Combat I and II when you have III.

Scrollbar is easy by scrapping the whole BTS promotion format and replace with a table.

You should know where to find my codes

 

[Thunderbrd]

The first part we have done (in our C2C way).

The scrollbar would be interesting to setup... would the way you've done this work with BUG?

@DH: is this something you'd be able to implement?

 

[platyping]

There is nothing which is done in default BTS, which cannot be ported to BUG.

Lemon ported my specialists.
AIAndy ported my WB.
Azure ported my civics screen.
Xyth ported bits here and there.
Cruel ported bits as well.
Even Horatius who just started python recently ported scroreboard and made modifications.

Depend on whether modder wants to do it or not

 

[Dancing Hoskuld]

Currently every time I touch any python I break the lot. So I am ignoring it all until March. I'll be away for a few weeks in Feb as my Mum is having a significant birthday.

 

[JosEPh_II]

@DH,
Enjoy the celebration DH with your mum .

Mine had her 80th this last September. As much of the family as could gathered in Oklahoma to be with her. (Dad also had his 86th the same month).

Sometimes I wonder if my kids will ever consider mine.... times and old ways they do change.

JosEPh

 

[Dancing Hoskuld]

Yes, it is Mum's 80th or as she likes to say 60th time she has turned 21 since women only ever get to 21 then repeat it every year.

 

[JosEPh_II]

+1

JosEPh

 

[Thunderbrd]

There is nothing which is done in default BTS, which cannot be ported to BUG.

Lemon ported my specialists.
AIAndy ported my WB.
Azure ported my civics screen.
Xyth ported bits here and there.
Cruel ported bits as well.
Even Horatius who just started python recently ported scroreboard and made modifications.

Depend on whether modder wants to do it or not

Sigh... maybe I should try it so as to attempt to get over some of my revulsion with python.

 

[platyping]

You will be easily pissed off by my codes. Whatever is redundant in bts codes, I simply removed rather than commented away

And generally there aren't much comments except a header, so good luck

 

[DRJ]

Sorry bringing this up again but since noone answered:

is there a way to replicate the "pre-chop" autoworker action for ALL improvements - aka a new "pre-work" gameoption?

Or in another way: in which file could I find the "pre-chop" code that I would have to use to enable all other improvements to be "pre-choppeable" as well?

Since I am using the autoend-turns option, and gatherers are rare in the longlasting first hundreds of turns in eternity games, I have to call attention to the situation that I have to watch after my guys so they don't actually build the improvements final if I just want to pre-build them, for example, so once I unlock new worker actions, like paths with tracking, I can have the gatherer build a road to the improvement and then built it and "die" for it...

However, right now, all we have is a "pre-chop and stop 1 turn before finishing" button.
I liked a "stop 1 turn before finishing any worker action" button, which would be very useful for the combination of eternity prehistoric start and autoend turn. Gee, I really had plans for dozens of gatherers just realizing they finished the stuff before I could stop the autoend turn in time, to stop them in time of being spent...

In ancient/classical I then will deactivate the option for quicker flow but in the beginning its much needed, I think