New UI - Time for a change!

[docj101 99]

I have been doing some work putting together a new GUI (re-skinning, not changing functions).  At first I thought this would be easy, but it's been harder then I thought.  Piecing together several PNGs in layers to make things appear as one piece is required for all areas of the interface, it was a pain.  I am not finished refining anything yet, but I do have a preliminary example of how it can look.  Now that I have all of the pieces needed found and organized (out of ~2500 files) it will be much easier for me to go back and overhaul the visuals as much as I want. 

 

I plan to eventually make some GUI uploads to the STEX of various themes/colors.  I'll share what I currently have with you to see what you guys think about the idea of changing the GUI, but keep in mind this is a sample.  I have to refine the whole design yet;  adjust text colors,  feather edges, antialias, add borders, adjust fades, etc, etc, before I would call this ready for primetime.  The theme of my first new GUI will be greyscale.  Note:  this is an in-game screenshot; not a photo-shopped screenshot.  This GUI will be ready for download in a few more days!  I include the 'before' and 'after' pictures for side-by-side.

 

 

 

What do you think?  Does the old blue UI need an overhaul?

 

-Docj

[nosferatu247 20]

That looks amazing! I definitely think there needs to be an overhaul for the game's UI; the JSPEC mod from 2011 (which I use) never made it past beta stage, and dobdriver never even released his, so I definitely look forward to your own mod.

[Magneto 316]

Pretty neat stuff doc, GJ

 

The blue from the Maxis UI does get old indeed... Yours look better.

 

I'd like some cherry blossom camo for my UI, what do u think?

[docj101 99]

Pretty neat stuff doc, GJ

 

The blue from the Maxis UI does get old indeed... Yours look better.

 

I'd like some cherry blossom camo for my UI, what do u think?

Looks like somebody plays Black Ops 2.  I know your kidding but I tossed some cherry blossoms on it just for you!  Camo would take a bit longer, took me 5 minutes to whip this up, hosting the photo and all!  Gives you an idea how limitless this potential is.

[AcronShinra 60]

You can modify UI?! D:

Warmly waiting for your black UI so I can put my dirty hands on it and add more neat, indecent stuff!

[Magneto 316]

 

Looks like somebody plays Black Ops 2.  I know your kidding but I tossed some cherry blossoms on it just for you!  Camo would take a bit longer, took me 5 minutes to whip this up, hosting the photo and all!  Gives you an idea how limitless this potential is.

 

 

Ain't totally kidding

Cheers for the preview, will definitely try this.

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

Wait... You can do that?

My suggestion would be to make designs that fit in with common played building styles. For example, you could make a European classical one, a glass Asian style and a brick New York feel one.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Give 'em an inch and they'll want a mile.

[Prophet42 1,501]

Looks cool!!  Looking forward to its release.

[Lot Creator 304]

Neat! This would bring fresh air to mayorial-built cities! Keep up the good work!

[Cougar2004 127]

I like the UI Mod idea, but my favorite would be a mostly clear UI because im always trying to see what is behind it. But it would have to be one that doesn't make the graphs and stats any harder to see. If you happen to make a pack of 5 or 10 UIs that we can download and use, perhaps a clear-based one for users like me might be one of them.  Thanks for sharing your ideas here!

 

[KonstantinII 1,106]

 

 

What do you think?  Does the old blue UI need an overhaul?

 

-Doc

 

I already seen the black icon mod is available for downloading from a Japanese website. I did not however use your mod because I already have a lot of mods. It would be good if you upload it to STeX also because I can't read Japanese.

You can modify UI?! D:

Warmly waiting for your black UI so I can put my dirty hands on it and add more neat, indecent stuff!

Actually he already uploaded it on a Japanese website but I forgot the link. You can ask him though.

[docj101 99]

KonstantinII, on 30 May 2013 - 10:01 PM, said:

I already seen the black icon mod is available for downloading from a Japanese website. I did not however use your mod because I already have a lot of mods. It would be good if you upload it to STeX also because I can't read Japanese.

AcronShinra, on 28 May 2013 - 10:43 AM, said:

You can modify UI?! D:

Warmly waiting for your black UI so I can put my dirty hands on it and add more neat, indecent stuff!

Actually he already uploaded it on a Japanese website but I forgot the link. You can ask him though.

Actually I am not quite finished with my greyscale overhaul, and I definitely haven't uploaded it on a foreign site. I've never even been on a Japanese website. I'm sure somebody else has done similar overhaul somewhere since it only takes time and Photoshop, but It couldn't all be the same because I made some custom elements to add to the greyscale. I'll upload what I have so far a little later on today. I am not finished quite yet' still some buttons and obscure windows to do. When I first upload this "most" areas of the UI have been adjusted, but I'll have more work to do, so it'll be called beta at first. It won't be a large plugin; only about 1.5MB so it's impact on load times is negligible.

The hard part isn't making the changes. What is hard is organizing all of the pieces so that I can easily make more UI's. What may appear to be a single picture for the budget panel (for example) is actually more then10 pictures layered together so finding and organizing all of those pictures just takes time. Now that I have almost all of them located and named/grouped in folders I'll be able to focus on the changes.

Just imagine.. To find out where a piece is used and how it is seen in the game I have to adjust each piece one at a time,load the game and find out where that piece belongs. Using the UI files helps me locate which PNG pieces I need but it doesn't help you understand how the piece is displayed until you load the game. Now imagine that there is hundreds and hundreds of pictures to do this with.

-Docj

[AcronShinra 60]

Just imagine.. To find out where a piece is used and how it is seen in the game I have to adjust each piece one at a time,load the game and find out where that piece belongs.  Using the UI files helps me locate which PNG pieces I need but it doesn't help you understand how the piece is displayed until you load the game.  Now imagine that there is hundreds and hundreds of pictures to do this with.

-Docj

I know your pain. It reminds me of time when I was modifyng UI of my old MMO, before they reorganized files and went from hundreds of images to bunch of template .dds'es. Feels bad man, feels bad.

[docj101 99]

Here is link to the beta release of my greyscale UI:

 

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

If you want to see behind the UI, the NUM lock key is the toggle for that.

[docj101 99]

I just uploaded the full version of my greyscale UI.  It is a complete overhaul as-is, however I plan to tweak it just a bit more before I leave it alone forever.  So keep that in mind for now;  check on it for newer versions until it's v1.0.  Only another week of development on it at most.  Same link as above, but: 

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Thanks.  Works as advertised.

 

This really is a nice change from the default.

[docj101 99]

Thanks.  Works as advertised.

 

This really is a nice change from the default.

Your welcome!

 

I have updated once again.  The file is now .97 beta.  It is refined and complete; not considering it final quite yet to leave room for a few final tweaks.  This file might be the one I rename 1.0 final for greyscale after further thought and feedback.

 

[docj101 99]

I have a sneak peak at my next theme which will be "Doc's Modern Black UI". 

 

New corner:  enlarged to anchor the god mode button onto it and provide space for larger navigation buttons (since they are used so often I felt they should be more prominent).  The navigation buttons now actually look like buttons and are anchored on their own panel.  The mini-map and navigation buttons have also been relocated slightly.  Sidebars and their associated panels will open differently; now the corner connects them together, not a ribbon.   All areas will be black, transparent black, black shadows, and grey buttons; similar to what you see below.

 

[infamousjbe 592]

Been waitin' on the black UI.

 

I have a sneak peak at my next theme which will be "Doc's Modern Black UI". 

 

 larger navigation buttons (since they are used so often I felt they should be more prominent).  The navigation buttons now actually look like buttons and are anchored on their own panel. 

 

 

I personally don't ever touch the navigation buttons and could do without them. Rather just use the Home/End keys to rotate the view and the #s for zoom. Matter of fact, I use hotkeys more than any button on the screen. Once I figure out which hot key will expand/minimize the God/Mayor/Sim menus, that's just more buttons I WON'T need. 

 

Any future plans for players like me that would rather have a streamed lined UI with minimal buttons? Maybe just the Map, Date, Speed, City Name (or not), & Settings Menu button. Which brings up a question I'll ask in my own thread.

[Cyclone Boom 16,875]

I have a sneak peak at my next theme which will be "Doc's Modern Black UI".

Wow, that certainly looks sleek -- I particularly like the transparency effect.

 

Just a suggestion: the new navigation controls do appear a bit overpowering.

It might be worth making the back panel a bit darker, to blend in more with the overall theme.

 

Otherwise, as it's a modern minimalistic theme, maybe your original icons would fit better with this design:

 

[docj101 99]

I personally don't ever touch the navigation buttons and could do without them. Rather just use the Home/End keys to rotate the view and the #s for zoom. Matter of fact, I use hotkeys more than any button on the screen. Once I figure out which hot key will expand/minimize the God/Mayor/Sim menus, that's just more buttons I WON'T need. 

 

Any future plans for players like me that would rather have a streamed lined UI with minimal buttons? Maybe just the Map, Date, Speed, City Name (or not), & Settings Menu button. Which brings up a question I'll ask in my own thread.

I understand where you are coming from, there is a hotkey for just about everything.  I personally use the mouse for just about everything.  I do in fact plan to do a completely transparent UI with all buttons made minimal.  I actually have already checked out what it looks like completely missing and it's pretty cool.

[docj101 99]

 

I have a sneak peak at my next theme which will be "Doc's Modern Black UI".

Wow, that certainly looks sleek -- I particularly like the transparency effect.

 

Just a suggestion: the new navigation controls do appear a bit overpowering.

It might be worth making the back panel a bit darker, to blend in more with the overall theme.

 

Otherwise, as it's a modern minimalistic theme, maybe your original icons would fit better with this design:

 

 

Thanks, it looks even better in person!

 

I agree with you on the navigation buttons.  The arrows and their buttons are going to be redone, this is a rough draft.  I do however plan on keeping buttons to make them more prominent; as I mentioned above I use the mouse for everything and I would like them this way for myself.  I think you'll find I will tone down the size and effect and it will blend nicely into the theme.  One issue I have with my greyscale navigation buttons is that the 'counterclockwise arrow' gives me an optical illusion that it is off by a pixel in one direction or another, when in fact it isn't.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Main Function key review:

 

NumLock - toggle the entire GUI

F1 - God mode

F2 - Mayor Mode

F3 - My Sim mode

F4 - Aux mode (camera, etc.)

F5 - Daylight on

F6 - Night

F7 - Alternate Day/Night

F8 - Exit to Region menu

F9 - Graphics Options

F10 - Sound Options

F11 - Play Options

F12 - Quit Menu

 

CTRL+s - in game save

CTRL+SHIFT+s snapshot.

 

These are the ones I most commonly use.

[infamousjbe 592]

thanks for the list Nonny. Can't say I've messed around with the "F" buttons much. Some programs can have negative affects when pressing those, so I tend to stay away unless I'm sure of what the results are.

 

 

Is there an alt button for toggling the GUI if I don't have a "# lock" on my laptop? Cause I would in fact use that hotkey quite often.

 

Other than that, I'd really only use F2 & F9. 

 

Now only if we could custom hotkey certain menu items that are used frequently. 

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

NumLock is a required button on all keyboards.  Your laptop must have an equivalent, or how do you get into numeric lock?  It may be a second function key, check your manual.

[infamousjbe 592]

NumLock is a required button on all keyboards.  Your laptop must have an equivalent, or how do you get into numeric lock?  It may be a second function key, check your manual.

 

Well, here's a pic of the keyboard layout. You tell me what the equivalent would be cause I don't have a clue to which it would be....

 

[docj101 99]

Those mini multimedia laptops actually don't come with number pads that are activated with the function key, so they don't come with a numlock key.  Instead the function key activates the F1-F12 secondary features on the multimedia keys.  There may be a way to mimic a num-lock press on the keyboard, that would be found in documentation for the PC.  Try the 'fn' + 'alt' combination; it would be something similar to that if it works at all.  There could also be some sort of option in your BIOS that changes what keys do while the 'fn' button is depressed.

[Cyclone Boom 16,875]

Is there an alt button for toggling the GUI if I don't have a "# lock" on my laptop? Cause I would in fact use that hotkey quite often.

Other than NUM Lock, an alternative way to toggle the GUI is by clicking the icon in the bottom left corner.