Pinco's UI

[Pinco]

Sorry.....editing the post created a duplicate.....dunno why.

there is no connection with template editor, the item export is a separate thing

 

[Jonathan Baron]

Thanks, Pinco.

One thing though. I understand that it's certainly not a matter of calculating the unraveling yield. We don't get those sorts of imbuing ingredients when we unravel imbued items after all.

But the columns of the gump imply some sort of imbuing planning function.

Is there more to it that I'm missing other than producing a report of the ingredients that went into making a piece that's dropped into the box at the top?

 

[Pinco]

Thanks, Pinco.

One thing though. I understand that it's certainly not a matter of calculating the unraveling yield. We don't get those sorts of imbuing ingredients when we unravel imbued items after all.

But the columns of the gump imply some sort of imbuing planning function.

Is there more to it that I'm missing other than producing a report of the ingredients that went into making a piece that's dropped into the box at the top?

You should drop a plain item then you should add mods to test what's the weight and what do you need to complete the item
This obviously must be done BEFORE imbuing or became pointless

 

[jack flash uk]

Hi Pinco

wanted some help on the following issue


crab traps, is there a way to target a stack of say 500 traps on my ships deck?

i want to pick them up one at a time and then drop them over the side so in 1 action

it targets the stack, takes one and then produces a target gump for me to then decide where to drop

rinse and repeat etc?


thanks

Jack

 

[Jonathan Baron]

We're not communicating here very well, alas.

I figured it out yet sometimes it's difficult to understand the question when you not only know the answer, you created it.

Drop base piece into the slot.

Then select the property you wish to add from the drop down menu, select the quantity (e.g. Mana Regen 2) and you see what you'd need, if you do not fail, to get that.

Nifty!

My only suggestion is that the menu contain possible added properties appropriate to the piece. I dropped a leather tunic into the box and got a list of every possible property than can be imbued into anything.

And to make this wonderful tool even clearer, one simple line at the top would help:

"Drag an item in your backpack you wish to imbue and drop it into the box below."

It has to be in your backpack. I tried doing it from another container and it didn't work. It didn't tell me to put it in my backpack either. You might want to add that error message.

Once the item is dropped in the box the entire feature, and how it works, then becomes clear.

I have been heavily promoting this UI and have been writing a series of tutorials on what is, fortunately for this purpose, a very active forum for the largest guild in this game. Thus, I have been exploring every feature of the UI and come at each one fresh. I've no choice as I've never used an imbuing calculator. I have it in my head and use pen and paper to plan my suits. That's not ideal. Hence all the questions, Pinco.

But it's working. I'm getting a lot of converts.

 

[Pinco]

We're not communicating here very well, alas.

I figured it out yet sometimes it's difficult to understand the question when you not only know the answer, you created it.

Drop base piece into the slot.

Then select the property you wish to add from the drop down menu, select the quantity (e.g. Mana Regen 2) and you see what you'd need, if you do not fail, to get that.

Nifty!

My only suggestion is that the menu contain possible added properties appropriate to the piece. I dropped a leather tunic into the box and got a list of every possible property than can be imbued into anything.

And to make this wonderful tool even clearer, one simple line at the top would help:

"Drag an item in your backpack you wish to imbue and drop it into the box below."

It has to be in your backpack. I tried doing it from another container and it didn't work. It didn't tell me to put it in my backpack either. You might want to add that error message.

Once the item is dropped in the box the entire feature, and how it works, then becomes clear.

I have been heavily promoting this UI and have been writing a series of tutorials on what is, fortunately for this purpose, a very active forum for the largest guild in this game. Thus, I have been exploring every feature of the UI and come at each one fresh. I've no choice as I've never used an imbuing calculator. I have it in my head and use pen and paper to plan my suits. That's not ideal. Hence all the questions, Pinco.

But it's working. I'm getting a lot of converts.

it works also with other containers, just remember to keep the cursor over the slot when you drop it. If you don't wait with the cursor on it, nothing will happen...

Hi Pinco

wanted some help on the following issue


crab traps, is there a way to target a stack of say 500 traps on my ships deck?

i want to pick them up one at a time and then drop them over the side so in 1 action

it targets the stack, takes one and then produces a target gump for me to then decide where to drop

rinse and repeat etc?


thanks

Jack

you can always recycle the "target the boat wheel" action for that

 

[Jonathan Baron]

it works also with other containers, just remember to keep the cursor over the slot when you drop it. If you don't wait with the cursor on it, nothing will happen...

Great! That does make it easier

I'm finding that the intensities are not working out quite right - it's going over 500 prematurely - but I'm sure you're aware of that. It's keenly accurate at showing the materials needed with great precision.

 

[Pinco]

Great! That does make it easier

I'm finding that the intensities are not working out quite right - it's going over 500 prematurely - but I'm sure you're aware of that. It's keenly accurate at showing the materials needed with great precision.

you must ignore the properties bonus from materials and the others that doesn't count in order to get the real value.

 

[Jonathan Baron]

you must ignore the properties bonus from materials and the others that doesn't count in order to get the real value.

Yes, I discovered that after working with it for awhile. It's quite accurate indeed, Pinco.

I think I can finally do that feature justice now.

Your UI is much like the game itself. There is so much in it it can nearly boggle the mind at times. And that makes it worth obsessing over

 

[Pinco]

Here is the news about the next version:

I've finally completed the new region system that will brings a lot of interesting features in:

1) You will be able to enable new musics tied to the regions, and also you can read the shop names in the map (player locationa area)

2) The "guards" button on the status will be more accurate

3) Open the way to future features tied to the areas.


Also the new music system is on the way:

1) Allows new music based on the region system (all customizable by overwriting the mp3 file in the music folder)

2) New war mode songs that starts not only when you enter in war mode, but also when you start to do or get damages.
The war mode songs will vary between sea or land fight.

3) Opens the way to Music Packs. Like texture pack but for songs


There will be also more toggle: Toggle Danger Bar, Toggle Status/Healthbars Spells Button and Toggle New Animal Lore Gump.

 

[Jonathan Baron]

Sounds splendid, Pinco

 

[Pinco]

Sounds splendid, Pinco

If you have suggestions/requests about now is the time

Actually I've added the following musics:

- 12 different battle musics (randomly started when a fight begins)

- 5 different sea battle musics (randomly started when a fight begins on sea)

- 7 inn/tavern songs (randomly started when you enter in a tavern/inn)

- 1 sea ambient song (started when you enter in the water). Is just the sound of the sea with the creaking of a wooden boat

Now I'm going to add a song for every dungeon/city also there will be some song for the wild (like when you run in the woods).

 

[Jonathan Baron]

When I worked on UO all we had were miserable little Midi files (copies of which I still possess) and the crudest of all possible context music code. This was odd, as Origin had developed such keenly state of their day context music engines for their high profile stand-alone titles such as Wing Commander. But UO was a bit of a basement project I imagine.

It remains crude and I'm so happy you've set out to fix it. Having the music score reflect player damage state is so, so overdue and would be wonderful.

I have but one request though. Give poor Magincia a soundtrack please? It still bewilders me that they failed to do so.

 

[Pinco]

When I worked on UO all we had were miserable little Midi files (copies of which I still possess) and the crudest of all possible context music code. This was odd, as Origin had developed such keenly state of their day context music engines for their high profile stand-alone titles such as Wing Commander. But UO was a bit of a basement project I imagine.

It remains crude and I'm so happy you've set out to fix it. Having the music score reflect player damage state is so, so overdue and would be wonderful.

I have but one request though. Give poor Magincia a soundtrack please? It still bewilders me that they failed to do so.

ah yes, all cities will have a song, it just takes some time to select which one

Technically I could also remake the footstep sound, but unfortunately the buffer is not strong enough to reproduce 1 sound per step without using some system resources... that is not a big problem for a good level machine, but on low level machine could cause a lot of trouble
I really hate the parquet footstep effect on every terrain when they can do something MUCH better with just few check on the tile where you on

 

[Jonathan Baron]

ah yes, all cities will have a song, it just takes some time to select which one

Technically I could also remake the footstep sound, but unfortunately the buffer is not strong enough to reproduce 1 sound per step without using some system resources... that is not a big problem for a good level machine, but on low level machine could cause a lot of trouble
I really hate the parquet footstep effect on every terrain when they can do something MUCH better with just few check on the tile where you on

And you don't truly noticed how horrid it is until you're in Vent with someone who plays the game using speakers and you hear that puh-duh-puh-duh-puh-duh like a broken machine....never varies no matter the surface tread upon or the creature walking. Riding a massive black meat eating Warhorse sounds the same as the footsteps of an llama.

It's not like they got it all wrong. How many of us have crossed a porch covered in switched on statuettes SEVERAL TIMES, laughing hard each time at the Lizardman's hiss, the dragon's turbine idle and roar, the Ogre mumbling to himself, the gargoyle's signature loud declarative gibberish, punctuated with llama noises and a cow.

Music and sound are the most under appreciated features of games. Music associated with locations deepens your sense of place. Sound effects heighten emotion. I bank at Skara because I like it's soundtrack, which is completely different in every way from that Boccherini-like chamber music of Castle, the soundtrack for Nujulm.

Sorry....tangent!

 

[Jonathan Baron]

Is it just me or did the recent undocumented patch mess up the virtue path status tool tip you worked so hard to get us?

 

[Pinco]

Is it just me or did the recent undocumented patch mess up the virtue path status tool tip you worked so hard to get us?

yes last patch destroyed the ability to have tooltips on the virtues gump... fortunately I found a way to get the virtue level, but you will be unable to get the name of the other virtues :/

 

[Jonathan Baron]

yes last patch destroyed the ability to have tooltips on the virtues gump... fortunately I found a way to get the virtue level, but you will be unable to get the name of the other virtues :/

Sorry, Pinco, but I don't understand. I suppose I'll see what you mean when you release your next version.

These undocumented software updates of theirs have become a habit. I'm now understanding why many players simply run the executable, bypassing the patcher as long as the game lets them.

 

[Pinco]

Sorry, Pinco, but I don't understand. I suppose I'll see what you mean when you release your next version.

These undocumented software updates of theirs have become a habit. I'm now understanding why many players simply run the executable, bypassing the patcher as long as the game lets them.

yes, sorry in short:
last client patch has changed the gump tooltip retriving metod from cliloc to string (who knows why...) and obviously the virtue gump have all blank strings so in order to see at least the virtue level you must wait the next version of my UI

If everything goes as it should in few days the new version should be ready....
I have just to finish to record the areas of Trinsic and Skara Brae and the area of all their shop
Then the composer should have finished the 2 song made for New Magincia and Delucia and I should be able to create the patch

Since I'm here I warn everyone about the content of the next patch:
there will be more than 120 new songs, mainly recycled from other games.... unfortunately I had not enough cash to pay the composer for more than 2 songs, however everything should fit well

There will be 1 specific song per dungeon/city/special area.
The bad news is that the patch will be something like 150 MB.

I hope all of you could appreciate this music upgrade

 

[Jonathan Baron]

That's wonderful Pinco!

The composer they appear to be taking their cue from seems to be Stephen Sondheim....bring on the clowns

Just kidding. No updates...that would be bad.

But I actually look forward to yours.

 

[Woodsman]

Wow, the music upgrade is amazing

 

[CorwinXX]

1) How to install Pinco's UI?

I have downloaded the last file (Sep 20 2011 07:56 PM) from "http://www.guain.it/pincoUI/" and extracted it to the "c:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\Ultima Online Stygian Abyss" folder.
When I started "UI Patcher.exe" I have got:

Checking internet connection... Done.
Downloading version file... Done.
Unable to recognize the current version, reinstalling the UI...
Your patcher is outdated, please download the latest version.

2) Are there some guide that I could read?

I tried to listen "STORM Client Settings Video Guide" but I'm not able to understand what he says. (I read a lot but I haven't any opportunity to listen English speech up to now)

 

[Pinco]

1) How to install Pinco's UI?

I have downloaded the last file (Sep 20 2011 07:56 PM) from "http://www.guain.it/pincoUI/" and extracted it to the "c:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\Ultima Online Stygian Abyss" folder.
When I started "UI Patcher.exe" I have got:




2) Are there some guide that I could read?

I tried to listen "STORM Client Settings Video Guide" but I'm not able to understand what he says. (I read a lot but I haven't any opportunity to listen English speech up to now)

just do what is write... re-download the latest version of the patcher....

 

[A Thought Elemental]

Pinco, question - - if someone wanted to begin to learn to write in LUA, and presuming they would be coding for UO's UI for a start, where/how would you suggest they begin? For example, would you recommend any particular LUA editor, or what other stuff might you suggest?

 

[CorwinXX]

What does buttons "Start UO Patcher" and "Start UO Game" do?

Why "UI Patcher.exe" downloads 40Mb every time I run it?

 

[Storm]

What does buttons "Start UO Patcher" and "Start UO Game" do?

Why "UI Patcher.exe" downloads 40Mb every time I run it?

Start UO Patcher= starts uo and attempts to patch it if a patch is available

Start UO Game=Starts uo without patching the files

Why "UI Patcher.exe" downloads 40Mb every time I run it? not sure here are you sure its downloading? it may be just checking to make sure pinco is up to date

 

[Dermott of LS]

...

I really need to update my UI and get back to work on texture stuffs... just sayin'.

Work has been crazy busy so the last thing that's been on my "want to do" list is more work, even different types. I'll get back into it though.

 

[Pinco]

Pinco, question - - if someone wanted to begin to learn to write in LUA, and presuming they would be coding for UO's UI for a start, where/how would you suggest they begin?

Is like to ask how to begin to build a house, there is no answer at this question

For example, would you recommend any particular LUA editor, or what other stuff might you suggest?

windows notepad

What does buttons "Start UO Patcher" and "Start UO Game" do?

One starts the game patcher and the other starts the game....

Why "UI Patcher.exe" downloads 40Mb every time I run it?

There is no resume, if you don't finish the patch or there is an error at the end it will start over next time...
Make sure to start it as administrator in order to allow the file writing.

 

[A Thought Elemental]

Pinco, question - - if someone wanted to begin to learn to write in LUA, and presuming they would be coding for UO's UI for a start, where/how would you suggest they begin?

Is like to ask how to begin to build a house, there is no answer at this question

For example, would you recommend any particular LUA editor, or what other stuff might you suggest?

windows notepad

I guess I am not surprised that you're coding in notepad. The lua editor I found, which people seemed to say was good, was a turd when I tried it. It didn't run properly and was... useless.

So like, no book you'd suggest? website? tutorial about the basics of LUA? eh??? eh??

 

[Pinco]

I guess I am not surprised that you're coding in notepad. The lua editor I found, which people seemed to say was good, was a turd when I tried it. It didn't run properly and was... useless.

So like, no book you'd suggest? website? tutorial about the basics of LUA? eh??? eh??

I can't help about that... I'm a software engineer and for me all the languages are the same... I just need to see few code line and I can write programs with any languages

 

[A Thought Elemental]

I can't help about that... I'm a software engineer and for me all the languages are the same... I just need to see few code line and I can write programs with any languages

Aite, understood. You picked it up the way I picked up Oblivion/fallout3 scripting language =p . LUA is more cryptic, though.

edit: reading the code in your UI... this is kinda evil, to the uninitiated!

 

[A Thought Elemental]

So, I found some tutorials which were interesting, such as lua-users wiki: Tutorial Directory , and Lua: demo was a nice little gadget.

I think I see why I'm having a hard time understanding how the Pinco UI scripts get things done, but was able to understand some of my WoW addons almost right away. Your stuff here is like, totally pro, dude. The stuff I'd seen before (and was even editing for my own preferences) wasn't. What a difference...

u sure ur not on EA's payroll? mebbe you should be!

 

[CorwinXX]

I can't help about that... I'm a software engineer and for me all the languages are the same... I just need to see few code line and I can write programs with any languages

But you need an API documentation, don't you?

 

[Pinco]

But you need an API documentation, don't you?

probably you don't know how much all languages are almost the same thing, same function etc... sometimes is enough improvise, for the rest is enough to read some of the existing code...

 

[CorwinXX]

API Documentation for UO UI specific functions

 

[Pinco]

API Documentation for UO UI specific functions

you just need to read the code, some other little things are described in the ui docs...

 

[Pinco]

while I'm waiting for the composer to get his copyright license, I have completed another research: reading item properties without having the cursor over.

This new results open a whole world of new features, here is the one I've already added to the next version:

- Now with the object handle you can see the "Lost Items" highlighted in light green (you can customize this color through user settings).
- Added the option "Lost Items Only" to the object handle window.
- Now the relic items will be highlighted in gray on the loot and moved before the others (if the loot sorting is enabled). 
        The new loot order is:
        * Gold piles
        * Artifacts
        * Sets
        * Paragon Chests and Treasure Maps
        * Crafting/Imbuing materials
        * Magical reagents
        * Relic items
        * Other items
- Added 3 new options in the User Settings -> Pinco's UI tab:
        * Block War On Pets: put you in Peace mode when you have your own pet as current target.
        * Block War On Party: put you in Peace mode when you have a member of your party as current target.
        * Block War On Guild: put you in Peace mode when you have a member of your guild as current target.
        NOTE: those 3 options DO NOT WORKS if you are using legacy targets.

and here we have more features almost ready:

- Added the buff for Enchant and Immolating Weapon.
- Added a new debuff: "Broken Equipment"
        * This buff will appears when one or more piece of your equipment reach a customizable value (0 to 50%)
        * If you put the mouse over you'll see the list of the items that needs to be repaired

 

[Storm]

love it pinco especially the broken item buff ! with the new items from shame comin g I have the feeling this is going to be invaluable !

 

[Pinco]

The almost completed features now are completed:

- Added the buff for Enchant and Immolating Weapon, both have no timer.
- Added a new debuff: "Broken Equipment"
        * This buff will appears when one or more piece of your equipment reach a customizable value (0 to 50%) - Default 20%
        * If you put the mouse over you'll see the list of the items that needs to be repaired. Example: "Left Hand: 25/255"
- Now if you set the object handle to "Items Only" you will not be able to see corpses labels.
- Added the stat changes messages, now when your str, dex or int vary, you will read the changes in the chat window.
        * On New Chat Window you will see the stat increase in green (like in CC) and stat decrease in red.

Now 2 more features are almost ready:

- Added the backpack button on pet's healthbars (available only on pets with pack).
- Added the skill Auto-Lock system:
        * On each skill you can set an "auto-lock value" and when you reach that value the skill will lock.
        * The system is based on REAL skill values.
        * The auto-lock value will be considered as the skill cap.

 

[A Thought Elemental]

Pinco, there's 2 things that that the EC client doesn't do well that I'm wondering if you can fix in a mod. If I was half-a-**** good at LUA myself, I'd give it a try....

1). You are there, and so is a mob. The mob is running all over your screen. You want to drag the mob's health bar, so you hold down ctrl-shift, viewing the object handle, then reach toward it with your mouse cursor, and attempt to 'grab' the bar so that you can drag its health bar.

But it is difficult because your cursor must not be moving at the moment that you click the object handle. If your mouse is moving when you click, you get no health bar to drag.

But it is a moving target.

So, you really need for the mouse to be able to drag the healthbar off of the object handle based upon the location of the mouse click being on the object handle, regardless of if the mouse is moving at the time. The present behavior is a problem when your target is running around and therefore moving the object handle out from under your mouse cursor before you get to make your mouse be still and do your click.

2) Option to remap the function of "view object handles" to another key instead of ctrl-shift? ctrl-shift can be prone to causing hand-injury and is not nice for everyone. This is something that ppl have wanted for a long time, in 2d as well a 3d. If it exists and I'm unaware of it just let me know =p

 

[Pinco]

Pinco, there's 2 things that that the EC client doesn't do well that I'm wondering if you can fix in a mod. If I was half-a-**** good at LUA myself, I'd give it a try....

1). You are there, and so is a mob. The mob is running all over your screen. You want to drag the mob's health bar, so you hold down ctrl-shift, viewing the object handle, then reach toward it with your mouse cursor, and attempt to 'grab' the bar so that you can drag its health bar.

But it is difficult because your cursor must not be moving at the moment that you click the object handle. If your mouse is moving when you click, you get no health bar to drag.

But it is a moving target.

So, you really need for the mouse to be able to drag the healthbar off of the object handle based upon the location of the mouse click being on the object handle, regardless of if the mouse is moving at the time. The present behavior is a problem when your target is running around and therefore moving the object handle out from under your mouse cursor before you get to make your mouse be still and do your click.

2) Option to remap the function of "view object handles" to another key instead of ctrl-shift? ctrl-shift can be prone to causing hand-injury and is not nice for everyone. This is something that ppl have wanted for a long time, in 2d as well a 3d. If it exists and I'm unaware of it just let me know =p

both can't be done.
1) The labels are anchored to the world item and there is no way to know where it is so there is no way to avoid the moving of the labels, just use the mobile bar for that....

2) There is no way to change ctrl+shift, just use a software (like the one on the G- series keyboard of logitech) that allows you to assign the CTRL+SHIFT to a single button.

 

[A Thought Elemental]

Interesting.. as it turns out I'm having trouble getting the health bar drag thing to duplicate 100% of the time.

I don't like the dynamic adding of mobile healthbars to my screen, it's too many health bars up.

But yeah .. it's not as simple as I thought at first anyway :>

 

[Pinco]

Interesting.. as it turns out I'm having trouble getting the health bar drag thing to duplicate 100% of the time.

I don't like the dynamic adding of mobile healthbars to my screen, it's too many health bars up.

But yeah .. it's not as simple as I thought at first anyway :>

then reduce the number from the mobile bar settings

 

[Old Man of UO]

I like the new features, especially the one that will block accidental attacks on my pet when I meant to heal my pet and cast a fireball at a renowned boss. Instead, I fireball my dragon and he takes a bite out of my butt.

 

[Pinco]

I like the new features, especially the one that will block accidental attacks on my pet when I meant to heal my pet and cast a fireball at a renowned boss. Instead, I fireball my dragon and he takes a bite out of my butt.

well, actually just blocks the war mode, because block the negative actions can't be done for now


I have 2 questions for everyone, the answer will change a lot the mechanics of the healthbars so it's better for you all to say something before it's too late

1) Removing the "Extract" button from the healthbars in the mobile bar. Would you like to press ctrl + click instead of the button?

2) Removing the "Close" button from healthbars outside the mobile bar. Would you like to press alt + click to close the healthbars?

This 2 improvements will alllow to have less buttons and removes the chance of drag/close an healthbar for mistake.
Note: the option to close the healthbars with right click will remain as it is.

 

[Pinco]

Here is a preview of the new healthbars design:

In order you can see:

- Summons: Now has a purple bars indicating the time remaining.
- Bods NPC: By clicking the button you can retrieve the bod without using the context.
- Bankers: By clicking the button you can open the bank box
- Quest Giver: By clicking the button you do the action "Talk" (available only for Classic Quests)
- Pack Pet: By clicking the button you will open the backpack.
- Normal bar: a bar without special actions.

 

[A Thought Elemental]

1) Removing the "Extract" button from the healthbars in the mobile bar. Would you like to press ctrl + click instead of the button?

2) Removing the "Close" button from healthbars outside the mobile bar. Would you like to press alt + click to close the healthbars?

I don't understand what you mean by extract button.

I right click to close healthbars so a missing X doesn't make a difference to me.

Hope that helps.

 

[Pinco]

I don't understand what you mean by extract button.

I right click to close healthbars so a missing X doesn't make a difference to me.

Hope that helps.

extract button is the button to take an healthbar from the mobile bar list....

 

[Old Man of UO]

extract button is the button to take an healthbar from the mobile bar list....

There's a button for that? I've always just dragged the healthbar from the list when I needed it somewhere else. The drag and drop works well for me - simple.

 

[Pinco]

There's a button for that? I've always just dragged the healthbar from the list when I needed it somewhere else. The drag and drop works well for me - simple.

It doesnt... probably you just confusing with some other mod or older version since it's not possible to drag bars out of the mobile bar list.... unless you don't take the bar from the mobile itself.