Enhanced User Interface v1.30m

[Sony_]

My game crashes on startup when I downloaded this mod. Im not sure why this is happening because i swear in the past I have used this mod before.

 

[bc1]

I tried some of JFD and Janboruta's Civilisations, and felt the Civ V load screen did not adequately showcase Janboruta's magnificent art. So I did something about it. Care to try it out ? See attached file (remember to remove any existing EUI version before trying this one)

 

[Dray]

I tried some of JFD and Janboruta's Civilisations, and felt the Civ V load screen did not adequately showcase Janboruta's magnificent load screens. So I did something about it. Care to try it out ? See attached file (remember to remove any existing EUI version before trying this one)

I don't see an attached file? Am I missing something?

 

[Mfdas]

For Linux systems with case sensitive file systems, an easier way of converting the filenames to all lowercase than using the script would be to use the unzip command with -LL argument, which forces conversion of every filename to lowercase.

Example usage: 'unzip -LL EUI_ZIP.zip'

 

[Natan35]

I tried some of JFD and Janboruta's Civilisations, and felt the Civ V load screen did not adequately showcase Janboruta's magnificent art. So I did something about it. Care to try it out ? See attached file (remember to remove any existing EUI version before trying this one)

Tried it with the Mayas. The problem is that the DoM image is lower quality when displayed at this size...

 

[Strigvir]

Yeah, default civs background gets pixelated.

Spoiler :

 

[bc1]

the DoM image is lower quality when displayed at this size...

civs background gets pixelated

if one of the artists on this forum was willing to make nice double size DoM images for EUI, it would look much better (for mods I could add xml support for mod-supplied double size DoM images)

 

[Zyxpsilon]

if one of the artists on this forum was willing to make nice double size DoM images for EUI, it would look much better (for mods I could add xml support for mod-supplied double size DoM images)

Well... anything can be "custom-made" for these DoM assets -- but, i really don't get how or what you did to display alternate (Janboruta's or not, btw) versions of such various Artwork from within EUI.

Care to explain?

 

[bc1]

Well... anything can be "custom-made" for these DoM assets -- but, i really don't get how or what you did to display alternate (Janboruta's or not, btw) versions of such various Artwork from within EUI. Care to explain?

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.

 

[Zyxpsilon]

Oh... now i get it!

The actual default versions which are shown during the "Load" process before we start any given games (saved or not) for each corresponding Civ assets.

For example; the dom_???.dds files are pre-defined as 1024x768 & are archived_packaged in UITextures.fpk along with every other vanilla-stock versions.

PS; Quick JPG-snapshot of an Apolyton source for precision of intent...

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.

Soooooo - you'd want each of the images to be exactly 2048x1536 (doubled!) without losing any perceivable resolution qualities, right?

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

 

[Natan35]

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

 

[JFD]

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]

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

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

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

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

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]

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

 

[Zyxpsilon]

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]

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

 

[Nutty]

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

 

[Zyxpsilon]

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]

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]

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

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

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