A sneak preview of the new UI in progress...

[Dermott of LS]

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Worked on (and I think finished) the Target Window tonight, since this is a completely new UI look, it will only retain small portions of earlier UIs (unlike how Stone was evolved from Copper). The start of the new UI was the "gridless" container (which is still not entirely finished), this is the second step.

 

[Old Man of UO]

I LIKE! MORE PICTURES!

What other changes are you planning? Any chance to upgrade the spellbooks, rune books and craft gumps? I really like what Lucitus did with the runebooks, but can't use his interface without the item properties.

 

[Dermott of LS]

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More are coming as I get each piece completed. I'll probably make this the "unveiling" thread. Gonna be a little slower as I have had to order new RAM since one of my 2 sticks is going bad, so I'm running kind of weakened (2gig instead of 4, going to be 8 when the new sticks come in) in terms of being able to go heavy on the graphical work (which tends to involve multiple Gimp windows as well as the EC logged in to test each change).

 

[Dermott of LS]

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Tonight's preview, the ongoing work with the Container Window and by extension the DefaultOuterWindow used in many UI elements:

First, the concept version as it looks in Gimp... this is what I plan the final version to look like, but currently dealing with XML issues on how the texture is displayed (tiling with the grey corners as well as the overlapping of the background)

So for the time being, the current version of the windows looks like this, which is decent, but not the final desired outcome:

 

[Dermott of LS]

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Little more preview goodness... the paperdoll as it is right now... again, not sure if this is going to be the final version. I tried one idea, but didn;t like the outcome already, and I think this one probably needs a bit of refining, but here it is for the time being:

 

[jojo_la]

looks great Dermott! Can't wait to try it out.

 

[jtw1984]

Absolutely love everything except backpack.

Constructive criticism. lol

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

I like everything but the paper doll. Just don't care for the way the item slots look next to the doll background.

 

[Dermott of LS]

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The paperdoll is proving to be tough, the concept is really to minimize a lot of the UI elements and have a bit more of a "freeform" UI look (in fact I took out the internal border you see in the paperdoll and other gumps after I took that screencap). The item slots are a bit wonky in that the "empty" icon (the hand, head, etc) stays visible, the only way to create a "background look" so far like that is by making a "background slot tile", but unfortunately, if it doesn;t line up perfectly with the rest of the background, it becomes noticeable. Not sure how I plan on fixing that yet.

I'm taking it slow on this one because I really want this one to shine and be more than just an evolution of previous UIs the way Stone was from Copper.

Input is always wanted, and I'll keep releasing updates as I get certain pieces done.

 

[Fink]

That's looking really good, especially from a skinner's point of view.

 

[Dermott of LS]

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The weird thing about the paperdoll aside from how I have to do the slots, is that different characters of mine have a different "black backdrop"... some have a large one, some have none at all.

Also, I finished the StatusWindow (your main health/mana/stamina bar with our additional quick details window) tonight.

So here are the updated versions of the Paperdoll (also showing a different character with a different black backdrop), the Status Window, and the tweaked Target Window

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

Hum. I'm torn on your latest paper doll pic...

On one hand, I like the background you put behind the character. It renders the item slot issue I mentioned previously moot... at least for me.

On the other, I know the 'aura' around the character and certain items can have severe issues (like the simitar for example)

 

[Dermott of LS]

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Like I mentioned above, different characters of mine have a different "black backdrop" that doesn;t seem to be part of the UI textures. It's weird.

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

Right, I think that comes from what you are wearing. Change your outfit and see if that changes the black aura.

 

[Dermott of LS]

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With the character in the second paperdoll (my miner/smith/imbuer), it's the robe that causes the small bit of black backdrop, without the robe, there's no black at all... all my other characters seem to have the backdrop for some reason.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure how to get rid of it or how to make the slots work with it and maintain a more "freeform" look.

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

OH! I know why the robe has the black area around the head! Its the lazy way they did clothes layering!

If you had a helm on the robe is designed to cover it completely. Instead of simply not drawing whats under the robe they elected to give it an aura to cover whatever is under it.

This is why they need to stop cutting corners in client development & art.

 

[Dermott of LS]

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Yeah, that explains that character, but why do the rest have a HUGE area of black around them even when naked and how to get rid of it in the UI itself... that's my main issue at the moment in regards to the paperdoll.

 

[Martyna Zmuir]

You probably won't be able too, sadly Unless you can alter the actual wearables art... But even if you could, they would just add more headaches for you...at wich point they should really pay you to make their UI more versitile.

You already make it look waaaaaaay better.

 

[Dermott of LS]

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Making it look way better wasn't that hard to do... hell the first step (Copper) was simply toning down the existing artwork to begin with. That alone proved pretty popular.

The ONLY reasoning behind the difference between the characters I can think of would be that the miner character did the race change quest from human to elf, but then that was during the old 3d client days LONG before KR, so I'm not sure why that makes a difference.

But then I did an off character via the body sculptor and that didn't do anything to the backdrop, so I'm kind of stuck in that regard.

 

[Fink]

OH! I know why the robe has the black area around the head! Its the lazy way they did clothes layering!

If you had a helm on the robe is designed to cover it completely. Instead of simply not drawing whats under the robe they elected to give it an aura to cover whatever is under it.

This is why they need to stop cutting corners in client development & art.

I would have thought with the modern client they could use an alpha mask to blot out unwanted detail, but it seems they've fallen back on tired old 8-bit (two-bit?) tricks.

 

[Dermott of LS]

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Another small portion to show, hotbars for tonight, currently how they look in the "locked" setting with items in them.

Currently for icons I'm using the old KR standard icons (they're a bit less garish IMO than the EC default ones) as well as some of Zym's icons (Virtues and stats). Not exactly sure what I plan to do for an icon pack for the base version of this mod yet, however the hotbar slots are going to be a LOT more friendly to custom icons than Copper was (Copper was built to work with the old KR version of Bitter Black's format for icons which were in general smaller to fit inside the slot instead of filling the whole graphic of the slot).

I have the handle portion for the unlocked version partially done but I want to tweak it a little before I call it "good to go".

 

[Fink]

These updates are fascinating. It's great to see it developing.

Keep them coming.

 

[Hildebrand]

Looking good.
Is there a way to make the items look larger to fill in the grids? Rings are nothing but a dot, gems are a colored dot, daggers are a little line. I'm guessing we rely on the devs to make them bigger. It would have been great if gems actually looked like gems and rings looked like rings.

 

[lucitus]

Looking good.
Is there a way to make the items look larger to fill in the grids? Rings are nothing but a dot, gems are a colored dot, daggers are a little line. I'm guessing we rely on the devs to make them bigger. It would have been great if gems actually looked like gems and rings looked like rings.
View attachment 5004 View attachment 5005

Yes in grid/list/tradewindow is a way to change the art of the items, but you cannot change the items ingame so easily.

 

[Dermott of LS]

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Unfortunately, while we could make an icon that uses the ring graphics you shwo in your post, there's nothing we can do about the ingame item graphics in the hotbar slots (or any other slot for that matter), at least from the UI perspective. Sucks I know... yet another downgrade from KR... at least in KR a ring looked like a ring and not a non-descript blob.

 

[Dermott of LS]

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New pieces to show:

- Tweaked the Status Window a little
- Did the Menu Bar and I think I like the outcome, yes I kept the shield, it's long since been one of my best creations for a UI and basically a "signature piece"
- Unlocked Hotbar (with a test Icon, I don;t know if I'm going to go this route with the icons yet, haven't really decided what I'm doing iconwide yet)
- Object Handle Window

 

[MalagAste]

Now that's really neat Dermott.... if you do get around to doing an Icon Pack... could you please put in Icons for Slayer weapons....

Like a Dragon Icon for Dragon Slaying .... spider for spider... you know the most popular ones....

Dragon
Spider
Undead
Repond
Ogre
Demon
Reptile
Elemental
Fey


I know I'm forgetting some... can't think of it now... But I think you get the idea.

 

[Dermott of LS]

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Right now I'm working on the Actions icon folder. I have the basica design I'm going to use for those. Spell icons I think are going to be the default ones from KR (and EC for the post-KR spells), Stats and Virtue icons will be Zym's work. Beyond that I haven't decided, however the UI will be icon pack friendly graphics-wise I think.

I might do some new icons once I get the rest of the UI done. I still have a ways to go though.

Once I get the Actions icons done I think I'll be ready to show a full screenshot of it in action, at least as it is up to this point, and then people will probably be able to guess (if they haven't already) what the theme is.

 

[Dermott of LS]

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Now for some icons

The newer ones are the pet commands and target ones, the rest are either default (skills) or KR (spells).

 

[Dermott of LS]

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Got a BIG portion of the UI done today. I FINALLY figured out how to make the concept I had for UI windows to work properly. Also made a change to the Close Window and Change View buttons and the results:

 

[Frarc]

I realy like it.

 

[jojo_la]

looking great Dermott! Can't wait to download it!

 

[MalagAste]

Same!

Did you add some slayer icons?

 

[Dermott of LS]

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Where I'm at right now on the new UI:

I have finished all of the major textures and will be starting on all of the minor ones (buttons, arrows, etc).

I have completed the work on Stats, Actions, and Spell icons and have begun work on the Skill icons.

I'm hoping I can get things worked out with Lucitus to add in a certain mod (if I remember correctly) that he created during KR that is essential to this specific package, gonna try and fit in Zym's Legacy book textures/formats, and still have a general run through of the skin as a whole to flesh out ideas, details, and get the niggling little bugs taken care of (i.e. like a working pet bar with spell buttons).

I'm not going to say that slayer icons (or any new icons for that matter) are "not on the radar", what I will say is that "I'm not at that point yet".

 

[Merion]

Legacy rune books and that mobiles bar thingy from lucitus would be fantastic!

 

[Dermott of LS]

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Legacy runebooks are on "The List", the one mod I'm thinking of from Lucitus I don't think is in his current UI, but is one that he did during KR that would be a defining portion of this UI.

I don't want to give away exactly what the un-named mod is because I'm not sure who here has guessed the theme (and thus name) the UI will have, and I'm not quite ready to officially "announce" it yet.

I'm also open for seeing what Lucitus UI mods he would like to add into this skin as well.

Also, I'll see what I can do about porting over at least some of Decor's icons, but that will probably be a later portion of UI building.

Right now I'm starting the process of taking the newer default code for the pet health bars and making it work with the texture I want to use as well as the spell buttons, but NOT getting things messed up by clicking on the name in the gump.

 

[doctoreclipse]

This UI looks neat!! some of the stuff looks like the old 3D client I loved!

awesome! how far before you have a first beta we can test ?

 

[Dermott of LS]

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That depends on when the devs decide they want to substantially work on the EC again.

There are also a couple of LUA-based ideas I want to add in, but will need someone to handle that portion for me.

 

[lucitus]

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That depends on when the devs decide they want to substantially work on the EC again.

There are also a couple of LUA-based ideas I want to add in, but will need someone to handle that portion for me.

I need some art designer on my site i will talk to you tomorrow .