Unconfirmed Bug Colonies menu drops mouse FPS for duration of background video

[MrMister]

ISSUE

The Colonies menu (F2 -> Colonies tab) has a ~3.5s video on its background of people moving cargo about that plays every time you enter/reenter that tab, and after it's done it stays on its last frame (I think; it may be an image file identical to it).

During those 3.5 seconds of playback, the FPS drops to the same as the video, which I *think* is 30FPS. This is particularly obvious when playing on a 144Hz monitor (and at 144FPS using RivaTuner to cap framerate as described in a guide in the forums), as the mouse will become handicapped until the video ends.

While the little video is cool, the mouse FPS detracts more from the experience than the video adds. To me personally, at least.

PROPOSED SOLUTION

Change the background video to a background image. If too much work, the technically easiest workaround would be to chop the video to 1 frame only, which would surely be small enough in filesize to warrant including in the next round of post-Jan1 fixes.

 

[Hammie]

Can confirm this happens, even on the newer engine.

 

[Baste]

Main Menu -> Options -> Interface Settings - Select "Static" to disable the background video playing.

That however also disables some useful text on that screen. I see no reason for why that text should be disabled, so I suggest to do this:
First download the ZIP file in this post: Solved - Updating the Interface Textures
Then extract and place the files in the corresponding folders. Afterwards, download the attached file in this post, extract the TradeBook.ini file, and place it in RESOURCE\INI\NEW_INTERFACES.

With these files in place and the setting set to "Static", the video will be disabled and the text showing.

 

[Grey Roger]

Main Menu -> Options -> Interface Settings - Select "Static" to disable the background video playing.

That however also disables some useful text on that screen.

That is correct and it is intentional. Presumably some people don't want the extra text.

You can also disable the video by choosing the blue interface. The choice of whether to show the extra text still applies but the blue interface has no video - there isn't a blue version of the video.

 

[MrMister]

Then I'll go with Baste's option of extra/animated text without FPS drops; thanks.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

During those 3.5 seconds of playback, the FPS drops to the same as the video, which I *think* is 30FPS.

30 fps is a good framerate though.
Says Pieter, who lives in the previous century where framerates are concerned.

That is correct and it is intentional. Presumably some people don't want the extra text.

We merged some toggles together once upon a time.
If really considered objectionable, I don't mind dropping the video backgrounds altogether.

 

[Baste]

That is correct and it is intentional. Presumably some people don't want the extra text.

I can understand not wanting unnecessary text and animation in general, but for the Colonies screen in particular, I don't see why anyone wouldn't want the "importing/exporting/contraband" and "sell/buy" texts. They are useful and pertinent to the information presented on that screen, not superfluous. Also in the blue interface and whether set to "Static" or "Dynamic" those texts are shown on the Colonies screen - why not be the same in the brown interface?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I can understand not wanting unnecessary text and animation in general, but for the Colonies screen in particular, I don't see why anyone wouldn't want the "importing/exporting/contraband" and "sell/buy" texts. They are useful and pertinent to the information presented on that screen, not superfluous. Also in the blue interface and whether set to "Static" or "Dynamic" those texts are shown on the Colonies screen - why not be the same in the brown interface?

Good question.
Sounds like that doesn't make sense to me.
Feel free to make it consistent.

 

[Grey Roger]

Fair enough - the optional text in other screens is often things like character names on their icons, which if removed makes the icon clearer. Major headings aren't generally disabled.

And it can always be put back the way it was if someone does complain...

 

[Pieter Boelen]

And it can always be put back the way it was if someone does complain...

As if!