Mod Release The loading screen tips

[Baste]

This thread continues from the posts starting here: http://www.piratesahoy.net/threads/reclassifying-the-ships-again.19523/#post-434874

As can be seen from those posts, there are unused tips and a help section in the game's files. Should they be enabled?

The tips can easily be enabled, and might be useful, but I don't know if players ever will be able to read them. In the PC versions of the stock game the loading screens are short, and if it's the same in the Build Mod players won't have time to read the tips. My hardware isn't fast enough to run the Build Mod properly so for me the loading screens are slow in the Build Mod. What do others think, could the tips be read during the loading screens in the Build Mod even with fast hardware?

To enable the tips, download the ZIP file attached to this post and extract the textures, then go to "RESOURCE\Textures" and see if you have a folder called "tips". If not, create it. Now place the textures in this folder and then open your "engine.ini" file and change the line "numoftips = 0" to "numoftips = 78".

The help section might also be useful, but I haven't been able to make it work. I could probably finish it, but I would need some help making it work. The problem is that no matter which selection is chosen in the menu, it still only loads the first selection. Someone who understands the code better than I would have to fix this before I can finish the rest of the help section. Again, what do others think, could the help section be something to have?

To access the help section, open your "init_pc" file in "PROGRAM\CONTROLS" and find this code:

//            Help chooser
    //CI_CreateAndSetControls( "", "Help", CI_GetKeyCode("KEY_I"), 0, false );
    /*CI_CreateAndSetControls( "", "HelpChooser_LeftClick", CI_GetKeyCode("VK_LBUTTON"), 0, false );
    CI_CreateAndSetControls( "HelpChooser", "HelpChooser_Cancel", CI_GetKeyCode("VK_ESCAPE"), 0, false );
    CI_CreateAndSetControls( "HelpChooser", "HelpChooser_Action", CI_GetKeyCode("VK_SPACE"), 0, false );
    CI_CreateAndSetControls( "HelpChooser", "HelpChooser_Next", CI_GetKeyCode("VK_NEXT"), 0, false );
    CI_CreateAndSetControls( "HelpChooser", "HelpChooser_Prev", CI_GetKeyCode("VK_PRIOR"), 0, false );
    CI_CreateAndSetControls( "HelpChooser", "HelpChooser_Left", CI_GetKeyCode("VK_LEFT"), 0, false );
    CI_CreateAndSetControls( "HelpChooser", "HelpChooser_Right", CI_GetKeyCode("VK_RIGHT"), 0, false );
    CI_CreateAndSetControls( "HelpChooser", "HelpChooser_Up", CI_GetKeyCode("VK_UP"), 0, false );
    CI_CreateAndSetControls( "HelpChooser", "HelpChooser_Down", CI_GetKeyCode("VK_DOWN"), 0, false );
    */

Uncomment these lines. You will now be able to access the help section in the game by pressing "I".

The code for the help section is in the "helpscreen" file located in "PROGRAM\INTERFACE".

Also, there's something I think I should mention. In the init_pc file, there is this code:

// Teleport
    //CI_CreateAndSetControls( "", "TeleportActive", CI_GetKeyCode("VK_F4"), 0, false );
    //CI_CreateAndSetControls( "", "TeleportUp", CI_GetKeyCode("VK_UP"), 0, false );
    //CI_CreateAndSetControls( "", "TeleportDown", CI_GetKeyCode("VK_DOWN"), 0, false );
    //CI_CreateAndSetControls( "", "TeleportSelect", CI_GetKeyCode("VK_RETURN"), 0, false );

If you uncomment these lines you will be able to use the "teleport mode" in the game by pressing "F4". You can use this to instantly go to any location in the game. You can also use it to load any dialog file and to move your ship. Use your key for "Run" to go through the menu faster. Press "Esc" every time you've made a selection so you don't accidentally select a fast travel location.

Here are better example pictures of tips and also pictures showing the teleport mode.

 

[Armada]

I think this is definitely worth looking into. If the loading times are too quick for some people, we could always shorten some of the tips to cover the most important points.
In fact, I'm sure we could add several new tips relevant to the Build Mod content, which would be very useful for new players.

ZIP files are a supported file format for attachments, so I'm not sure why you can't upload the textures. Maybe a different archive format would work?

Interesting stuff about the 'Teleport mode' BTW, I didn't know that existed!

 

[Hylie Pistof]

I would install this if I could. A zip file doesn't work?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I couldn't upload a 7-Zip file before; maybe the forum attachment system is bugged again?

I definitely have to give this a try soon! Please remind me if I forget.

 

[Armada]

I hope it's not bugged. A lot of problems before were caused because we hadn't yet allowed certain file types to be uploaded, but quite a few are supported now.

 

[Hylie Pistof]

This is a test. These are a small zip file and a small 7zip file.

 

[Baste]

I tried RAR as well but it also didn't work.

Is there a limit on file size?

 

[Armada]

Ah, that might be the problem. I found a setting that caps the upload size at 1024KB, and rejects files larger than that. Just doubled it to 2048KB; does that help?

 

[Baste]

Thanks, Armada! That did the trick. The file is now uploaded.

 

[Hylie Pistof]

I finally remembered to install this tips mod, and it works as advertised. The instructions in post #1 are not clear enough as there is no existing "tips" folder to drop these files into. I wasted some time before just dropping the whole folder in there.

The tips themselves seem to work fine. The font is large and easy to read. The loading time between maps seems to vary some. Sometimes I had plenty of time to read them and at other times they disappeared too fast to completely read. Overall they will work just fine.

 

[Armada]

I just had a look as well, and they seem to work pretty well. Luckily they don't obstruct the new loading screens, and I'm sure people will find the tips quite useful.
As expected, sometimes there isn't enough time to read them, but generally that's not a problem.

I like the way they can all be turned off with one simple tweak in Engine.ini, so if players don't want them, they don't have to see them. Everyone wins!

Now we just need to see if we can come up with any new tips specifically for the new Build features...

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I downloaded the file now and will include them in the next update after trying them myself. Pretty cool, Baste; thanks a lot!

 

[Baste]

I finally remembered to install this tips mod, and it works as advertised. The instructions in post #1 are not clear enough as there is no existing "tips" folder to drop these files into. I wasted some time before just dropping the whole folder in there.

You're right, it's not there even though it's there in the stock game. Oh, well, the instructions should be more clear now.

Nice that you all like them. I thought they wouldn't be of much use because of the relatively short loading screens, and thought that must be the reason for why they are only used in one of the X-Box versions and not any PC version. Now I guess we should also try to fix the help section.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I have just given this a try. VERY cool indeed.

How about we link that Teleport menu thing to the Cheatmode like so?

    // Teleport
    if(ENABLE_CHEATMODE)
    {
        CI_CreateAndSetControls( "", "TeleportActive", CI_GetKeyCode("VK_F4"), 0, false );
        CI_CreateAndSetControls( "", "TeleportUp", CI_GetKeyCode("VK_UP"), 0, false );
        CI_CreateAndSetControls( "", "TeleportDown", CI_GetKeyCode("VK_DOWN"), 0, false );
        CI_CreateAndSetControls( "", "TeleportSelect", CI_GetKeyCode("VK_RETURN"), 0, false );
    }

I consider the cheatmode to be a "test mode" anyway. Otherwise... any other thoughts?
Too bad that those lists are sooooo long!

For the tips, this is what they look like on my 1600x900 resolution. Should we enable them by default now or not? Looks a bit dodgy like this to me.

 

[Armada]

Certainly adding the Teleport function to the Cheat Mode would be useful, at least for testing.

Some of the tips do look a bit odd, mainly because they're too long. If your example had the second sentence cut out, for instance, it would look fine.
The quickest solution would be to include them but disable them by default. A better (but temporary) one would be to take out all the unnecessarily long tips, and leave in the remaining ones turned on by default. Better still, we could shorten all the long ones to keep them, and add new ones relevant to some of the Build's new features.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Could we move all the tips to the top of the screen instead? Anyone willing to try doing anything with them? I'd like to have something added that can be enabled by default.

 

[Armada]

They are all textures, so the position of the text is fixed unless the textures are edited. Then again, most of them would need modifying to make them shorter in their current positions, so they will end up being edited either way.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I know they'd have to be edited; I was just thinking moving them to the top might be the easiest way of ensuring they don't interfere with the new loading screen style.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

So I ask again: Anyone willing to edit the tips textures so they'll display properly in the next update?

 

[Baste]

Sorry for my absence, mates. I haven't been able to check the forum lately.

About the teleport mode being included in the cheat mode, I'd say it sounds like a good idea.

As for the tips, I can try to move them, unless someone else knows that they can move them in a good way.