Okay, What Should We Do About Long Descriptions?

Discussion in 'The Temple of Elemental Evil' started by Gaear, Apr 29, 2013.

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  1. Geordy

    Geordy Member

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    The problem with helping you out here is we need a better understanding of what exactly it is you CAN do.

    You said the function in question ("SHIFT-click") is merely a dump. So I take it the function has to tell the computer where to dump, right? Is it possible to change the target of said function from description_window to help_window maybe?

    Another idea is to utilize the tooltip windows that appear when you hover over the item. Usually, the SHIFT-click hint appears. How about changing that into the according description? If I recall correctly tooltip windows resize themselves automatically.
     
    Geordy, May 3, 2013
    #16
  2. AjiTae

    AjiTae God

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    =)
    It is pretty obvious. Now please do it if you can.)
     
    Last edited: May 3, 2013
    AjiTae, May 3, 2013
    #17
  3. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

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    Actually I posted this here (as opposed to the modding forum) to get input/ideas on workarounds, not really technical assistance. e.g., should we truncate long descriptions, should we put long descriptions in the help interface instead, etc.

    As to what we can do ... almost nothing different than we are already doing. We can't change what happens when the item is clicked on, we can't call a second function, etc., etc. I've tried, though there are still some other more outside-the-box things I might try.

    Tooltips: the same message is displayed when you hover over any and every item AFAIK (shift-click for more info). We would would need hundreds of different messages.

    Changing the target of a function: probably moddable by a .dll guru. Not by me.
     
    Gaear, May 3, 2013
    #18
  4. AjiTae

    AjiTae God

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    In progress... :)
    (its not like I forget about reshack, just can't test it fullscreen now)
     

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    Last edited: May 4, 2013
    AjiTae, May 4, 2013
    #19
  5. Geordy

    Geordy Member

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    Apparently, you are trying to do something here, Aj. Can you tell me what I see? What is this?
     
    Geordy, May 4, 2013
    #20
  6. AjiTae

    AjiTae God

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    While working with .dll i figured out that tooltip can be completely styled without hacking dll. =\
    Shame on you co8.)

    Files:
    0_locations.mes - text file, positions config
    genericdialogue_nocheckbox.img - simple 32bit little-endian binary file, contains width & height of ui element
    Code:
    58 02 90 01

58 02 - width (hex. 258, dec. 600)
90 01 - height (hex. 190, dec. 400)
    genericdialogue_nocheckbox_x_y.tga - image(just stretched original), sliced by 256x256px parts from left bottom corner.

    It can affect some other tooltips, so if it does let me know.)
     

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    Last edited: May 6, 2013
    AjiTae, May 5, 2013
    #21
  7. Gehennis

    Gehennis Established Member

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    Kudos for thinking literally about the box, if not outside it... :thumbsup:
     
    Gehennis, May 5, 2013
    #22
  8. Alchemist

    Alchemist Member

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    Wow! :clap: Sir it would be great if you could center the text and buttons . :)
     
    Alchemist, May 6, 2013
    #23
  9. AjiTae

    AjiTae God

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    Button positions and size are freely configurable through .mes, but title position seems to be hardcoded. I can hack the .dll, but first we need nice co8-style design.)
     
    AjiTae, May 6, 2013
    #24
  10. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

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    I think that box is quite a bit too large now for practical purposes.
     
    Gaear, May 6, 2013
    #25
  11. AjiTae

    AjiTae God

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    As i said: it can be any size, you can customize it as you please.
     
    AjiTae, May 6, 2013
    #26
  12. Geordy

    Geordy Member

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    Good work, Aj!

    Gaear, for a man who asked for a workaround (around hacking the .dll to solve the problem) you are now pretty picky. Thanks to Aj's effort you are now getting exactly what you asked for. On a forum. On the internetz! Dude, that is so incredibly rare, you will never win in the lottery now. :mrhappy:
     
    Geordy, May 6, 2013
    #27
  13. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

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    lol, actually Co8 has a rich history of dozens of contributors doing exactly that over the years. :p
     
    Gaear, May 6, 2013
    #28
  14. AjiTae

    AjiTae God

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    It seems that all problems with ui was because you abandoned .img files.
    There was a similar problem with crafting ui if i remember correctly, so i think it can be fixed the same way.
     
    AjiTae, May 6, 2013
    #29
  15. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

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    Actually random1 successfully adapted the dialog boxes to the new routine by modding the .img files, but unfortunately I'm not really a hex/dll level modding guy myself. So less abandoning, more never trying. I also don't rebuild engines, because I'm not a mechanic. The real kicker though is that I still can't do that, because simply saying "mod the .img file" is not enough for someone who doesn't know how to mod .img files, similar to how you can't just tell someone to speak a foreign language they don't know in order to communicate with random person x. ;)
     
    Gaear, May 7, 2013
    #30
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