Is it possible to....?

DominionsFan · #1 September 18th, 2006, 09:27 AM

Just 3 modding related questions.

1. Is it possible to change the graphics of the in-game interface?

2. Is it possible to change the symbols in the game? [Example: The symbols of the various magic paths, like the skulls for death magic]

3. Is it possible to change the font type in the game?

Arralen · #2 September 18th, 2006, 11:32 AM

1) At least somewhat, yes.

2) no

3) Not for modders. Needs only replacement of 1 file, which the devs could provide. BUT: several, more fancy fonts have been tested and didn't work for longer gaming sessions, as they turned out rather fuzzy and made reading smaller characters somewhat strenuous.

DominionsFan · #3 September 18th, 2006, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Arralen said:
1) At least somewhat, yes.

2) no

3) Not for modders. Needs only replacement of 1 file, which the devs could provide. BUT: several, more fancy fonts have been tested and didn't work for longer gaming sessions, as they turned out rather fuzzy and made reading smaller characters somewhat strenuous.

1. Nice

2.

3. Hm...I've got like 500 different fonts on my main HDD, so I would give it a try to change the in-game font with a more "fantasy" themed one.

Of course if the devs will allow it someday. [I guess we won't be able to change it in the vanilla game...at least "not for modders" makes me think that]

Arralen · #4 September 18th, 2006, 10:59 PM

Quote:

DominionsFan said:
3. Hm...I've got like 500 different fonts on my main HDD, so I would give it a try to change the in-game font with a more "fantasy" themed one.

Of course if the devs will allow it someday. [I guess we won't be able to change it in the vanilla game...at least "not for modders" makes me think that]

Don't get me wrong. It's not about allowing or not.
The in-game fonts have to be pre-rendered and whatever with 2 different programs to be fed to the game engine in a way it could use them.

No way to simply drop in a true type font .. and no way for the devs to try out 500 fonts

We tested half a dozend, and Johan was somewhat reluctant to do that, because it was quite some extra work.

Acutally, we found that the font has to be bold and serife-less to result in easily readable text. More fancy fonts -and we even tried the one from Dom 1- only result in worse rendered, partially hard to read characters.

DominionsFan · #5 September 19th, 2006, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Arralen said:

Don't get me wrong. It's not about allowing or not.
The in-game fonts have to be pre-rendered and whatever with 2 different programs to be fed to the game engine in a way it could use them.

Ah I see. Thanks for the info Arralen.

Nerfix · #6 September 19th, 2006, 08:20 AM

Ohh, Dominions 1 font would have been cool...but I think Trebuchet bold is a good compromise.

Cainehill · #7 September 19th, 2006, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Arralen said:
Don't get me wrong. It's not about allowing or not.
The in-game fonts have to be pre-rendered and whatever with 2 different programs to be fed to the game engine in a way it could use them.

Still, no reason why the community shouldn't be able to play around and try to find a font they like, if only people know the two programs and have access to them.

DominionsFan · #8 September 19th, 2006, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Cainehill said:

Quote:

Arralen said:
Don't get me wrong. It's not about allowing or not.
The in-game fonts have to be pre-rendered and whatever with 2 different programs to be fed to the game engine in a way it could use them.

Still, no reason why the community shouldn't be able to play around and try to find a font they like, if only people know the two programs and have access to them.

Yup I agree. If we can access to those 2 programs, I will surely try out my "fantasy themed" fonts. Maybe one will be excellent for the game.

Kristoffer O · #9 September 26th, 2006, 04:49 PM

> Yup I agree. If we can access to those 2 programs, I will surely try out my "fantasy themed" fonts. Maybe one will be excellent for the game.

I don't think you could make use of the programs if we gave them to you. At leas one of them is probably made by JK. Knowing JK they don't have any UI at all, everything needing shortcut keys that are unexplained and no help command since he doesn't need it. I feel pretty confident I can't operate them. Explaining them to you would probably take more effort than rendering and converting a number of fonts for the game.

In short: it is rather unlikely that there will be changes to the fonts. The other fonts used in the beta could be used if you replace some of the existing files in the game. If there is wide consensus on trying a new fonte it could perhaps be made, but it would take time from something more fun. The results might be or might not be good, but the converting will be rather booring work, so don't expect it.

Gandalf Parker · #10 September 26th, 2006, 05:27 PM

I would guess that the minimum for even CONSIDERING a font would be that someone would have to be willing to convert a bunch of screen grabs to display using the suggested font.

If its generally thought to be a good suggestion then someone who can do that, and wants to, will pop up. Otherwise its not worth the effort to put it in just to see that it does/doesnt work.
IMHO