My only concern is that, at least for me, the tutorial button looks as if it is only related to Baldur's Gate and the credits button is related to Black Pits. But maybe that is just me.
Archaic Start Screen for BETA 6 Preview (in-game): I'm still in the early stages of the design process so there is still plenty to touch up and tweak. I'm unsure if this will remain the start screen or become the BG main menu and then I would develop a different start screen. Either way I'm trying to bring a better BG fantasy D&D feel to future designs and in order to do so I may be getting rid of the custom background options. They created too many limitations and issues when creating designs.
ANd I thought that you can't get much better than previous screen... I was so wrong! This is epic!
I like the balers gate/black pit split screen. Maybe center credits and get rid of tutorial entirely? Back to my previous point that people who are modding the game knw how to play it. And that ONE theoretical person that likely doesn't exist who mods AND needs the tutorial? They can rtfm.
@mars0124 - I tend to agree with you on this however - there are a few in the thread that would like to see the tutorial button included. I'm working on possibly moving the tutorial button to the BG main menu and then putting the credits button on the top area section similar to where the quit button is located. Not sure its possible yet but I'm looking into it.
While we're on the topic of moving things around, did you see my thread on moving the pause button? Do you know if this is technically possible? I haven't had any bites on the topic yet...
Pause is crucial as everyone knows. When you hold the iPad your thumbs rest about 50% up the screen, not down at the bottom with the pause button (if you did hold your iPad this way you would be very likely to drop it).
The options button is 50% up the screen and very seldomly used. I was thinking it would make sense to swap their position for the iPad for a more fluent gameplay.
If you down own an iPad pick up a textbook like you would a tablet. Place your thumb tips at the halfway mark for easy access to the whole screen. Now try and tap the bottom corners. Also if you don't own an iPad you wouldn't know that I am documenting the hell out of making mods accessible to iPad users. I'm even writing a script with a GUI to automate it.
Now, all of this being said, I'm not looking for someone to bend their mod to my whims, but rather help on how I might get there myself. Though that being said, any graphic mod might benefit from that setting being a WeiDU selectable for iPad users.
@mars0124 - Yeah thats really easy to do - I'd more than happy to supply you with the tweak. I'm not going to implement it in to my GUI as its really only benefits iPad users.
I do own an ipad but I don't have BG for it yet. If you get full modding working on iPads I would be very interested. Please keep me updated on the status of your script. I may even consider offering an iPad tweaked version of Archaic GUI. Let me know how I can help.
@Balquo - I don't think it's possible as when game is saved, portraits and a screenshot are stored and they have quite specific dimensions.
@Archaic - last time you told me it's the first time you see me here, but you wasn't right :P We discussed the possible images for inventory, main menu etc But I have to say that I like the new version much more - I think it may be better to avoid non BG art (like the "dragon-menu", to be honest, as I think it has nothing to do with BG and including art just because people like dragons may be considered a bit cheesy; even if you say it's dragon from BG2, I would ask the question "why"). But now I think you're doing some great job. The main menu is GORGEOUS! The save menu -- well, it's rather ok. I think I was quite attached to the classic view. Oh, and thanks for your compliments on portraits I was just a coder, though, as if I did them on my own, they would rather look like strange homunculi rather than possible PC/NPC characters xD
Also, I agree with @LavaDelVortel that the best looking themes are the ones that relate directly BG. Still, other people don't have to agree with me and I know some don't... they'd like the choice.
@Archaic - did you add those strange coloured buttons above the game-shot on the load/save screen? Also, there's something strange about the delete (x-thing) button. Too modern and seems a bit off, I believe.
@LavaDelVortel the "strange coloured buttons" you are referring to are gems. I've placed gems throughout the other screens as well. If the delete button is not to your liking what would you suggest and where?
I have tried to install the mod but seem to be unsuccesful so far. I have read through the forums and tried the linking of the language file but I seem to have no luck.
Your installer extracts to \\GameDir\data\00766\override
Inside my dir ( which is C:\Program Files (x86)\Beamdog\Baldur's Gate - Enhanced Edition ) there was no 00766 folder originally, within the data folder. Also in that root directory there was already an override folder so path was ( C:\Program Files (x86)\Beamdog\Baldur's Gate - Enhanced Edition\override ) with a Elmin.bcs file inside. I have tried copying the contents of your install to that override folder and all I get is a crash. When I leave it in your original extration nothing happens. Does anyone have any idea what I need to do to get this to work correctly? Or is my version simply fubar?
This has probably been said before, but are you able to rework how screens link to each other or just skin them? One the bigger issues with the menu screens is their sheer number and redundancy; if you could make something more streamlined it'd be awesome.
@Zeckul@mlnevese - I wish I had control over button creation and function. At this point its not possible however it's in the works but it doesn't sound like it will be done anytime soon. They have started to softcode the UI in BGEE.gui and BGEE.sql which can be found in the GUIBGEE.bif file. They only have a few UI elements converted over at this point which basically consists of the options language page, credits screen, key bindings and few others. I've looked in this extensively and even contacted Coriander for assistance but its just not possible right now.
I remember Trent Oster saying multiple times that the new UI system was data-driven, i.e. that everything was controlled by external data files. Anyway, guess once again I set my expectations too high with BG:EE :S .
Comments
This is epic!
The options button is 50% up the screen and very seldomly used. I was thinking it would make sense to swap their position for the iPad for a more fluent gameplay.
If you down own an iPad pick up a textbook like you would a tablet. Place your thumb tips at the halfway mark for easy access to the whole screen. Now try and tap the bottom corners. Also if you don't own an iPad you wouldn't know that I am documenting the hell out of making mods accessible to iPad users. I'm even writing a script with a GUI to automate it.
Now, all of this being said, I'm not looking for someone to bend their mod to my whims, but rather help on how I might get there myself. Though that being said, any graphic mod might benefit from that setting being a WeiDU selectable for iPad users.
I do own an ipad but I don't have BG for it yet. If you get full modding working on iPads I would be very interested. Please keep me updated on the status of your script. I may even consider offering an iPad tweaked version of Archaic GUI. Let me know how I can help.
As for the script... It'll be out in the next few days, but I have two other methods documented until then.
http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/15979/howto-modding-bgee-on-the-ipad
I'm still making adjustments to this screen but here is a preview.
@Archaic - last time you told me it's the first time you see me here, but you wasn't right :P We discussed the possible images for inventory, main menu etc
Oh, and thanks for your compliments on portraits
Also, I agree with @LavaDelVortel that the best looking themes are the ones that relate directly BG. Still, other people don't have to agree with me and I know some don't... they'd like the choice.
http://www.designdownloader.com/item/pngl/cross_15/cross_15-20110903142132-00004.png
As for the gems - I see. Maybe you could make it like 2-3 px smaller? But that's just a minor thing, ignore the request if you want
Your installer extracts to \\GameDir\data\00766\override
Inside my dir ( which is C:\Program Files (x86)\Beamdog\Baldur's Gate - Enhanced Edition ) there was no 00766 folder originally, within the data folder. Also in that root directory there was already an override folder so path was ( C:\Program Files (x86)\Beamdog\Baldur's Gate - Enhanced Edition\override ) with a Elmin.bcs file inside. I have tried copying the contents of your install to that override folder and all I get is a crash. When I leave it in your original extration nothing happens. Does anyone have any idea what I need to do to get this to work correctly? Or is my version simply fubar?
Cheers looks wonderful!