New bigger resolution for the GUI not wanted?

[Chromos]

EDIT: Those who want to test such a "widescreen resolution GUI", could check out the link in my signature.. But please post in this thread your thoughts..-Thank you!


Hi,
I just checked some download-numbers and was surprised, that even that here many wrote that they use a higher resolution and would love to have one ingame, it is not used much when available.

I asked in this thread about the used resoulution of forumites:
Wich-resolution-are-you-using
And the outcome was that nearly over 95% uses a resolution above 1024*768.

So most used higher ressolution was 1280*768. And the average highest res is around 1920*1080 already.. :wacko:
Can also be seen at Steam Hardware survey(Thanks again for Raptor83 for the link):
http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey

Res. ................. % ........ change during last month(March2011)
1024 x 768 ......6.30% ..... -0.65% -Now ist is about some 5%
1152 x 864 ......1.22% ..... -0.13%
1280 x 720 ......0.74% ..... +0.01%
1280 x 768 ......0.67% ..... -0.06%
1280 x 800 ......5.35% ..... -0.46%
1280 x 960 .......1.10% ..... -0.04%
1280 x 1024 ...13.54% ..... -0.46%
1360 x 768 .......1.31% ..... -0.10%
1366 x 768 .......6.22% ..... +0.06%
1440 x 900 .......9.78% ..... -0.34%
1600 x 900 .......3.98% ..... +0.16%
1600 x 1200 .....0.94% ..... +0.04%
1680 x 1050 ....18.25% .....+0.35%
1920 x 1080 ....18.86% .....+1.25%
1920 x 1200 ......7.15% ..... +0.18%
Other ............... 4.58% ..... +0.19%

Based on that in mind, I did a rework of the HOI3 GUI. So that one will have more overview about convois, builds and such..

Now, surprisingly for my own Mod, even made it the easiest way to add it, the average use is 1 out of 8.

So 7 users out of 8 don't use the higher resolution. A near whole opposite result!

I did also a version for Std-HOI3 and one for the HPP-Mod but the feedback and usage(donwloads) is nearly zero.


So the question is.

Is a higher resolution contrary to the Wich-resolution-are-you-using -thread not important for the game for you, or is it something else?


Kind regards,
Chromos


UPDATE: Reasons named for not using a new GUI
1) Bad eyesight, use everytime 1024*786 even with the biggest monitor.
2) Not an official content1, could harm psychological health due to?
3) Not official content2, use only official releases. (Because of what?)
4) "Not official content3", how should I install this? "Because of low computer skills, afraid of damaging the installation because it's a mod."
5) Not aware of such a possibility("Bad naming" of the Mod in the past).
6) High resolutions makes handling hard. To press small buttons, zoom in and out buttons etc..(<- Mousewheel can do that to!)
7) Play generally all P. games in 1024*786.
8) Afraid of slower game experience, as ist was reported to run slower on higher resolutions.
9) Have older hardware that can't run higher resolutions as 1024*786.
10) I'm just fine with how it is in std-HOI3


Update for point 5 as it may be interesting for others.
After naming the widescreen Mod for HOI3 FTM different as before for SF the dl-numbers are 3x as high as before.
Also changing the way the widescreen gui is offered for the AHOI-Treasure-Mod changed the dl ratio to 2:1(Std/wide) wich was before 7:1..
So offering the player to "upgrade" a Mod to a widescreen version later(The "GEM-concept" of the AHOI-TREASURE-Mod) seems not appreciated, or just forgotten. While having a choice of two versions, leads already to a much more different behaviour.
I wonder how much would ask for a 1024*786 version if only the widescreen version would be available..



New example how it could look like:
First teaser of WIP:

Some examples hows it looks ingame below:
==Diplo==

==Prod==

==Tech==

==Tech from the Mod-AHOI-Treasure with more technology branches==

==Pol==

==Spy==

==Stat==

==Messages==

 

[ADragonsFang]

hey your mod looks good, would definatly use it if it was compatible with DiDay's ICE. There was a widescreen mod by OrrieKM which i tried once but the reason i stopped is i play alot of hoi3 on both my desktop and laptop and as you an imagin my desktop has a phat resolution (1920x1080) whilst by laptop has a average res(1366x768). And so i never liked it on my laptop, this then made me uninstall from my desktop cause i didnt like chopping and changing between the interfaces.
I really like your tech and production screens, but i personally would switch the sliders and the div flotilla air wing tabs with each other, so the tabs were to the left and sliders to the right.

 

[Dzanic]

I can only say that there is a problem with having a high resolution in such games. Its much harder to press the buttons because they become smaller and so its just gets more frustrating. Especially the zoom in and zoom out button. But thats what I can say.

 

[senior_hombre]

I would like to have a higher resolution GUI but i do not want to use mods for that, because i think there is much psychological research to do before creating a GUI which is not turinig the user into a zombie or something like that. So i only use official expansions and improvements, because i want to stay healthy.

 

[lastmantodie]

i use the higher resolution GUI in your mod but havent played it in a long time. i am concentrating what little time i have on my DI:G AAr but if i get more time or when i ffinaly finish my aar i will be playing it again.

 

[Sakura_F]

I use 2560x1440... I need a good resolution mod like this.

 

[Garmorn]

I tried using similar mod but every time a minor change to the interface was made I would have to completely reinstall and then wait for the update to the GUI was made. It became a hassle.

 

[madprofmike]

hmmmmm your work looks familiar???

 

[Chromos]

Ah, an interesting start. I'll answer all in appearance.

hey your mod looks good, would definatly use it if it was compatible with DiDay's ICE. There was a widescreen mod by OrrieKM which i tried once but the reason i stopped is i play alot of hoi3 on both my desktop and laptop and as you an imagin my desktop has a phat resolution (1920x1080) whilst by laptop has a average res(1366x768). And so i never liked it on my laptop, this then made me uninstall from my desktop cause i didnt like chopping and changing between the interfaces.
I really like your tech and production screens, but i personally would switch the sliders and the div flotilla air wing tabs with each other, so the tabs were to the left and sliders to the right.

Hi ADragonsFang,
thank you. It is atm not compatible as I thougt there is already a widescreen Mod for it?

I especially put efford on the borad usage of it. Therefore my screen is optimzed for 1280*786 as that is also usable on the most notebooks..

If I got you right you mean I should switch the production section back to the left side and trade to the right?
The same with the technology actual research section. Again back to the left side?

Just want to mention a bit why I changed it the way I did.
One design approach was to have a clear flow from the left to the right. So left all the trade and then the choice of what to build etc., and finally the outcome, the actual production section. Same approach to all screens.

I can only say that there is a problem with having a high resolution in such games. Its much harder to press the buttons because they become smaller and so its just gets more frustrating. Especially the zoom in and zoom out button. But thats what I can say.

Hi Dzanic,
you could also use the keyboard for it. I use the keyboard usually fo such task like game speed, pause, and higher/lower resolution, regardless of the resoultion used. It is just mostly faster to use. Maybe that could do the trick for you too?

I would like to have a higher resolution GUI but i do not want to use mods for that, because i think there is much psychological research to do before creating a GUI which is not turinig the user into a zombie or something like that. So i only use official expansions and improvements, because i want to stay healthy.

Hi senior_hombre,
I guess I don't fully understand your answer. What do you have in mind with research and disease? Would be nice to explain further.

i use the higher resolution GUI in your mod but havent played it in a long time. i am concentrating what little time i have on my DI:G AAr but if i get more time or when i ffinaly finish my aar i will be playing it again.

Hi lastmantodie!
That is all ok. So that you use both. Can you tell something about the difference in game experience about the resoultion used? Would be very handy to know.

I use 2560x1440... I need a good resolution mod like this.

Hi Sakura,
just check out the Modding section or click my signature. There you find all Mods listed.

I tried using similar mod but every time a minor change to the interface was made I would have to completely reinstall and then wait for the update to the GUI was made. It became a hassle.

Hi Garmon,
do you write here from the official interface changes? Or are you writing from changes in Mods? And then the GUI-Mod for the Mod has to be changed again?

hmmmmm your work looks familiar???

Hi madprofmike,
of course as there is not much space to have it arranged in a totally differnt way. You could have also said your work looks familar to the original gui..

If you have a closer look you will see all the differences with your widescreen solution.
And then you could maybe imagine how much time and nerves it cost me to have even more amount of information as in your work and that also in a lower resolution!
I had alone 6 different test designs for the diplo-screen until the final outcome..
Not to mention the "pain" I had with the production and espionage screens..
Looks all simple, but I had to change a lot(!) of little things so that it shows up that way..
ATm I do another overhaul of the complete GUI to have a different style(exotic woods and steel) used and also again many little tweaks here and there..




Thanks for all the input so far.
I hope I get some more answers.


Kind regards,
Chromos

 

[unmerged(264432)]

Lovely, I am going to give this a whirl myself.

Is there any way to make the tabs into windows? Would be great to have production and diplomacy windows open and on the left side of the screen, stacked so they could be monitored while actively engaging the enemy.

 

[ADragonsFang]

Hi ADragonsFang,
thank you. It is atm not compatible as I thougt there is already a widescreen Mod for it?

I especially put efford on the borad usage of it. Therefore my screen is optimzed for 1280*786 as that is also usable on the most notebooks..

If I got you right you mean I should switch the production section back to the left side and trade to the right?
The same with the technology actual research section. Again back to the left side?

Just want to mention a bit why I changed it the way I did.
One design approach was to have a clear flow from the left to the right. So left all the trade and then the choice of what to build etc., and finally the outcome, the actual production section. Same approach to all screens.

Yes there is one for ICE, its by OrrieKM however i don't think its uo to date and yours looks better for/to me.
what i mean with the switch around is this below(sorry for the crappy 2 second paint job)

 

[zeekater]

I tried a mod for bigger resolutions once, but it wasn't compatible with the 1920*1080 I have. The screens were all screwed up, so I figured I had a resolution that almost noone uses and gave up

When you get it to work for FtM, I will definatly try it out

 

[Chromos]

Lovely, I am going to give this a whirl myself.

Is there any way to make the tabs into windows? Would be great to have production and diplomacy windows open and on the left side of the screen, stacked so they could be monitored while actively engaging the enemy.

Hi Casacerian,
Afaik it is not possible. You would have to change the code, and this can only Paradox.
Good that you like it. Would be nice to have some more feddback on it after you used it.

Yes there is one for ICE, its by OrrieKM however i don't think its uo to date and yours looks better for/to me.
what i mean with the switch around is this below(sorry for the crappy 2 second paint job)

Hi ADragonsFang,
thank you for the flowers and explainig it for me with the sliders in such a nice way.
I agree it looks better that way. Will consider it for the next version! I can't say enough how helpful such feedback is!

I tried a mod for bigger resolutions once, but it wasn't compatible with the 1920*1080 I have. The screens were all screwed up, so I figured I had a resolution that almost noone uses and gave up

When you get it to work for FtM, I will definatly try it out

Hi zeekater,
IIRC it was the UXGA-Mod back then..

I'll have a working version ready maybe this weekend and you could check it out.



Would be nice to have also some answers from the others to my question of post 9.
New-bigger-resolution-for-the-GUI-not-wanted post 9


And of course what others thing in gerneral about this topic in regard to the OP.

Kind regards,
Chromos

 

[Jarpie]

I can't understand why Paradox have still not made scaleable UI, I don't think it would be that hard; just make graphics for bigger/biggest resolution, and then program the game to scale interfaces to smaller resolutions. Of course they would have to check all resolutions that fonts and buttons are not too big or small.

What annoys me most in Paradox UIs is that all graphs are too small, like the triangle in HOI3 diplomacy screen, and piecharts in statistics.

 

[Surray]

I almost couldn't find it because of the name.. "AHOI-Treasure-GEM-GUI".
That's not a very informative title unless you know exactly what you're looking for. Maybe that's why it's not used? People don't know it exists?

Now that I know it exists I'll definitely grab it.. as soon as there's a FtM compatible version. Thanks for your work, Chromos. The UI looks really nice.

 

[podcat]

wow this is impressive work!

 

[vgo]

You should make one for ICE and DI:G too.

It's really annoying to have a small postcard sized panel in the middle of the screen when there's tons of room around.

 

[Modo]

I can't understand why Paradox have still not made scaleable UI, I don't think it would be that hard; just make graphics for bigger/biggest resolution, and then program the game to scale interfaces to smaller resolutions. Of course they would have to check all resolutions that fonts and buttons are not too big or small.

You answered yourself there. As long as the UI is made out of static bitmaps, you need a lot of additional work to make it compatible with different resolutions. And writing/licensing a new one is not cheap, either.

 

[Jazumir]

Actually, it is possible to make things scale to resolution dynamically. I dont know how ressource-taxing that would be for HoI3, but in theory, it would be possible to have the whole thing run in a window, and have it scale as the window-size is changed by the user - in both directions independently. But that´s not what´s needed here. What is desired is: scaleable tab-screens (=bigger on higher res, than is today), a non-scalable map (so you can see more provinces on higher resolution, instead of just finer grained borders) and dynamic (maybe even user-defined) GUI-elements going along with it. How to achieve it: tab-content in a scalable container. map as is. various standard GUI-element setups for various width/heights (e.g. if screen_width >= 1280, Y-position_outliner -= 30, max_outliner_rows +=2...).

 

[WarDog]

I'm impressed with your work! I use 1920x1080, and would like a higher GUI resolution.
The reason I do not use your work is that it is a mod.
You have now gotten the attention of the devs. It would be nice if something like this would be a part of the core game.