i'm just getting back to the games and looking for "almost-canon-mods": is this the UI to choose if you want to have an improvement over the vanilla 2.3 UI from Candlekeep to Throne, or are there other options? It seems this is the only one maintained actively and works across all the games?
I'm more into functionality over total aesthetics, and best useage of my 1920x1080 laptop screen.
This is definitely "The One" if you're looking for a highly polished and visually consistent UI across the entire saga. Lefreut has put a great amount of thought and effort into the finer details of both functionality and aesthetics.
Thank you so much for this mod! Without it, I would honestly have given up on playing the EEs at this point (what with 2.4 still having the same shitty UI as before).
That said, is it possible to fully revert the item description screen to the classic layout?
Current layout:
Classic (BG2:ToB) layout:
Two big differences: 1.) The first character in the description is not artistically highlighted like it used to be. Can this be restored? 2.) The name of the item is above the icon instead of being part of the description. This behaviour takes a lot of getting used to because the item name is relatively far away from the description in a hard-to-read font.
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There are also a few issues with the current dialogue window. I'm not sure if they are present without your mod: I'm not sure that you have any control over this, but sometimes the log window behaves erratically. If a lot of text is added quickly it sometimes stops working entirely and only displays the current line and no others. Dragging the text in the log can also lead to it jumping to some unpredictable position in the log. Personally, I suspect some kind of concurrency issue (two threads fighting over the same text stream, leading to undefined behaviour), so I'm not sure this can be fixed with modding (I just wish Beamdog would finally produce a sensible UI at some point). Just letting you know.
I made this change because I find it easier to see the name. I don't know what the others think but it's very easy to change to the old behavior if the majority like it more.
I guess it's a matter of personal preference. Making it optional at installation time would be cool, if it's not too tedious.
The dialog window (when you speak with someone) or the log window?
I mean the dialogue window. I cannot reliably reproduce the issues, as it happens pretty much at random. It's no big deal. But even with a few bugs, it's still a huge improvement over the default implemenation.
I made this change because I find it easier to see the name. I don't know what the others think but it's very easy to change to the old behavior if the majority like it more.
I'm also find such change disturbing. So just duplicate item name above the item description and both groups of people will be happy without producing additional tweak.
I think both layouts are okay. What I would keep an eye on is for consistency.
In all versions prior to 2.0, every screen had a "fixed" header text, such as Record, Item, Spell Description, etc.
2.0 made the Record screen header text be the name of the character. Your mod is actually more consistent, because it makes the Item description screen header display the name of the item as well.
In your place, I would take it one step further and make the Spell Description header display the name of the Spell as well (even though this screen's usage is limited because of your tweaked spellbooks).
Or you could go the other way and make every header "fixed": Record, Item and Spell Description, while displaying the specific names in a sub-header.
May I ask why there is no WORLD MAP button on the area map?
You can now open the world map by right-clicking on the map button. After I add this, I no longer used the world map button so I remove it.
It's fine to have the right-click as an alternative way to access the worldmap directly, but it shouldn't be the only way to access it. The other left-nav buttons don't have screens only accessible via right-click (e.g., the journal button doesn't have right-clicking as the only to access the user journal, there isn't a single spellbook button with left/right clicking for accessing the mage/priest spellbooks, etc..), so it is not obvious that there is such functionality to the map button. It's also against general interface design principles for both Windows and macOS, both of which indicate that right-clicking shouldn't be the only way of accessing commands.
Is there a reason not to put the version number in the filename? From where I'm sitting it seems like it would be helpful if each version had a unique filename.
Is there a reason not to put the version number in the filename? From where I'm sitting it seems like it would be helpful if each version had a unique filename.
With a stable link, you can always use the same link and know that you get the newest version. It's useful for BWS for example.
It's also less work for me as I don't have to update the links when I release a new version.
Comments
That said, is it possible to fully revert the item description screen to the classic layout?
Current layout:
Classic (BG2:ToB) layout:
Two big differences:
1.) The first character in the description is not artistically highlighted like it used to be. Can this be restored?
2.) The name of the item is above the icon instead of being part of the description. This behaviour takes a lot of getting used to because the item name is relatively far away from the description in a hard-to-read font.
-------
There are also a few issues with the current dialogue window. I'm not sure if they are present without your mod:
I'm not sure that you have any control over this, but sometimes the log window behaves erratically.
If a lot of text is added quickly it sometimes stops working entirely and only displays the current line and no others.
Dragging the text in the log can also lead to it jumping to some unpredictable position in the log.
Personally, I suspect some kind of concurrency issue (two threads fighting over the same text stream, leading to undefined behaviour), so I'm not sure this can be fixed with modding (I just wish Beamdog would finally produce a sensible UI at some point).
Just letting you know.
Anyway, keep up the awesome work!
Also tagging Ravenslight as she also want this feature back.
The clouds part, once again allowing the dazzling light of heaven to bathe the earth in it’s healing light.
Too dramatic?...
Uhum… This is just wonderful @lefreut ! As someone who utilizes the larger fonts, I think it still works well, even with them.
It is amazing how such little details from the original game contribute to the overall experience, the immersive feel.
Again, thank you for all your hard work on this mod.
I mean the dialogue window. I cannot reliably reproduce the issues, as it happens pretty much at random.
It's no big deal. But even with a few bugs, it's still a huge improvement over the default implemenation.
Thanks again for your hard work!
In all versions prior to 2.0, every screen had a "fixed" header text, such as Record, Item, Spell Description, etc.
2.0 made the Record screen header text be the name of the character. Your mod is actually more consistent, because it makes the Item description screen header display the name of the item as well.
In your place, I would take it one step further and make the Spell Description header display the name of the Spell as well (even though this screen's usage is limited because of your tweaked spellbooks).
Or you could go the other way and make every header "fixed": Record, Item and Spell Description, while displaying the specific names in a sub-header.
EDIT: The first letter in the item description looks great!
I was so sad when the adorned first letter disappeared - it is so elegant!
I am glad you restore it. Thanks a lot!
Lets just say I didn't appreciate the UI changes and this mod saved me the trouble of digging out the old boxed copies.
So thanks!
- Restore adorned first letter for chapter, dream and epilogue screens.
- Re-add worldmap button in the area map screen. Thanks for the feedback @AstroBryGuy and @Nerva.
Is there a reason not to put the version number in the filename? From where I'm sitting it seems like it would be helpful if each version had a unique filename.
It's also less work for me as I don't have to update the links when I release a new version.