Could the new clear text be made optional?
GreenWarlock
Member Posts: 1,354
I suspect it is way too late to make this feature optional, but also know that if you don't ask, you are unlikely to get 
In the latest stream-cast, Amber pointed out how the new text rendering has a background that makes it much easier to read, regardless of the background. I agree that the effect works, and is a clear gameplay improvement. However, the text appears to the *on* *top* *of* our view of the game world, rather than *in* the game world, and that breaks my immersion a little. Depending on how I am playing the game, I might prefer the other effect.
To put it in a bit more context - sometimes I am having fun throwing stuff at the D&D rules, and mostly playing the number/kit game, I am roll-playing. In this mode, the clearer text clearly make for a better game. Other playthroughs are a lot more about the immersion into the characters and the story, I am role-playing. In this mode, I prefer to minimize the chrome around the game, and play with a more immersive interface. This is why it is nice that different UI elements can be toggled today, supporting my own variety of play styles for the same game, and a trend that I see is supported for some of the new features like health-bars too - which is much appreciated!
In the latest stream-cast, Amber pointed out how the new text rendering has a background that makes it much easier to read, regardless of the background. I agree that the effect works, and is a clear gameplay improvement. However, the text appears to the *on* *top* *of* our view of the game world, rather than *in* the game world, and that breaks my immersion a little. Depending on how I am playing the game, I might prefer the other effect.
To put it in a bit more context - sometimes I am having fun throwing stuff at the D&D rules, and mostly playing the number/kit game, I am roll-playing. In this mode, the clearer text clearly make for a better game. Other playthroughs are a lot more about the immersion into the characters and the story, I am role-playing. In this mode, I prefer to minimize the chrome around the game, and play with a more immersive interface. This is why it is nice that different UI elements can be toggled today, supporting my own variety of play styles for the same game, and a trend that I see is supported for some of the new features like health-bars too - which is much appreciated!
1
Comments
Thanks for the feedback and we'll give it some thought.
Pretty certain every new feature they put in is toggleable. Even the font can be swapped in the end.
I, too, felt the new hover-text underlay was somewhat immersion breaking and felt out of place in BG.
Would be nice if it could be turned into an optional feature as it is the only thing so far I don't like about SoD.
The red highlight on red text makes the dialogue options harder to read though. That may be worth thinking about.
Personally, I am neutral on the red-highlight on the conversation choice, although if find red a particularly awkward color for text, and the red background is emphasizing that choice. A dark-grey background for the highlight might be better (for me).
I happen to like it because its useful especially on white backgrounds (so like IWD2). When working on my Eve of War mod I reused one of Rasaads bgee areas. Without that you couldn't see all of the gory descriptions (white snow with white text) unless you clicked on the info text with fog of war overtop of it.
(To be clear i understand that this thread is about having this as optional, and I myself wasn't involved in proposing this. I just happen to like it)
Ironically, the only feature that I noticed right away was how the feedback circles "adapt" to terrain heights in SoD and yet I haven't seen a single soul even comment about it.
Is this seriously annoying people? It's even in IWD yeah
The hover part I saw and honestly, I was never able to finish iwd2 in part because I just could not get into it (and also did not get the hype on 3e).
Perhaps an Opacity slider? So we can make it more/less prominent in increments of 0-100 to suit everyones tastes and eyesight condition? 100 being opaque and 0 being completely invisible/transparent.
As it was way way darker then what the actually game will be it may already be subdued and immersive compared to the screen shoot or the stream we saw.
That being said, im not opposed to an Opacity slider or a way to disable it. Just thought it would be worth telling the facts
http://redmine.beamdog.com/issues/20454
http://redmine.beamdog.com/issues/20456
I see the developers have moved two issues @Franpa reported to "features" from "bugs".
Please, could you reconsider it, @Dee / @elminster , because right now it may lead to an odd situation, when one background is over another background and so forth, actually not letting you see game NPCs.
Also, the famous intro to BG2 looks broken when the words of Irenicus cover the main character's body:
I made a Redmine report for the Irenicus text.