T3D GUI Template Preview
by Jesse Allen · 10/09/2014 (2:51 pm) · 15 comments
Torque is awesome, and it deserves a facelift. Just in time for the new 3.6.1 release I have been preparing a GUI template for T3D. I've had some simple updated GUI improvements on my hard drive for some time that I recently dusted off. I am in the process of getting it finalized to share with the community. To raise community awareness and also take any suggestions before letting this out, I wanted to share some preview screenshots of what to expect. The art with the GUI Template is for the project GUI's (MainMenu, Host/Join, Options, etc.), not the Editors...at least not just yet :) The purpose of the GUI kit is to introduce newcomers to more of Torque's functionality right up front, without the need to dig for additional tutorials. Simply copy the /game folder over to the newly created project, replace the files when prompted, and enjoy a new look and additional functionality. Then you can later crack the files open and see what took place under the hood. Enjoy the preview images:
MainMenu GUI
Options GUI
Host GUI
Functionality
In addition to just making things a tad more modern looking, I've also added some scripts to introduce new users to more functionality right out the box. The most notable includes:
Choosing character skin before start of the mission. Server saving client data on login to the server(.xml). Server saving character data on exit or on server shutdown for any connected clients(.xml).
The .xml templates provided will be very baseline examples but enough to show how it's done and how to pass the data:
Note that in the above image the login is saved under the name of LocalClientConnection, which only occurs when hosting and playing on the same PC(should be improved by release regardless). In any event, this is normally the name of the character for other connecting clients.
Feedback
I welcome any feedback or questions so that I can put this out there in the best possible state when it's ready. Please share any comments or concerns here and I'll get back as soon as I can. Let's rock!
MainMenu GUI
Options GUIHost GUIFunctionality
In addition to just making things a tad more modern looking, I've also added some scripts to introduce new users to more functionality right out the box. The most notable includes:
The .xml templates provided will be very baseline examples but enough to show how it's done and how to pass the data:
Note that in the above image the login is saved under the name of LocalClientConnection, which only occurs when hosting and playing on the same PC(should be improved by release regardless). In any event, this is normally the name of the character for other connecting clients.
Feedback
I welcome any feedback or questions so that I can put this out there in the best possible state when it's ready. Please share any comments or concerns here and I'll get back as soon as I can. Let's rock!
About the author
Skilled Artist and Musician. Intermediate Torque Developer.
#2
10/09/2014 (7:41 pm)
Thanks for your feedback Danny. Describe what you mean by Metro/flat; the art is the easy part. I'd be more than willing to setup options around the art styles. As a matter of fact, part of the usefulness of this template would be introducing new users to the power of Torque's modular art templates. Giving users the ability to swap said art styles would actually be a great addition to this project for the community. 
#4
10/09/2014 (8:10 pm)
That looks awesome Jesse, it really does modernize the look of Torque. That white style was starting to get old looking really fast. Looking forward to it :D 
#6
10/09/2014 (8:46 pm)
I appreciate the kind words. And I wouldn't go grabbing the pitchforks just yet. Danny's inspired a good idea to improve the end result and introduce more options! The art is easy, and being able to provide a couple templates will not only expand the options but only serve to further show the power of the modular art. Something like what Danny's proposing will literally take like half an hour, and it will be up to the user which they want to use :) 
#7
10/10/2014 (12:04 am)
I think we should just kill dB for mentioning the whole metro thing. It is bad enough MS is going to the crapper with that junk, we don't need to follow them... And the use of the term Metro makes me want to punch a Hipster for the hell of it. 
#9
10/10/2014 (6:41 am)
Looking better as the original old UI. Good job!
#10
10/10/2014 (7:39 am)
I... I'm with Buckmaster *runs away in fear* 
#11
PS. I like the style of the letters in the screenshot, there is support for such a style, for other character sets not only the Latin category?
10/10/2014 (8:06 am)
Unlike Daniel, I prefer the style gray and convex square buttons, it looks respectable seriously, more constrained and modern, and the style of "METRO" I suppose it is also possible to create one in the style of shades of gray, but personally I like this idea is not very much, of the fact that the style of the metro itself can not seriously, has acted in the role, design solutions I think so ... PS. I like the style of the letters in the screenshot, there is support for such a style, for other character sets not only the Latin category?
#12
As far as the release, I am just improving the quality right now. I'm adding a little to the 'Join' GUI, and improving the Host/Play GUI's a bit. The Host/Play GUI's are visually the same, the only difference really being that the Host GUI launches the game so that others can join. Rather than use the old 'Host' checkbox, users now choose from the main menu if they are headed in the single or multiplayer direction, and use the correct GUI accordingly. This way if you're building a game that uses single and multiplayer you are able to further segregate the differences of each GUI and where it may eventually lead the player if necessary.
I originally had a 'Login' GUI that would pop up when choosing the Multiplayer option, but ultimately just ended up merging that into the Host/Join GUI's. Anyways, more on that later when I push it all out.
@Olexiy: You can add new fonts to Torque in the game/core/fonts folder. From there, all you need to do is create the profile for the new text. You'll be able to see the examples in this project once it's out. In the meantime, you can investigate game/core/art/gui/profiles.cs to see how Torque uses the current fonts.
10/10/2014 (11:26 am)
@All: I appreciate the feedback. I see the Metro suggestion has received mixed reviews, so I may just skip that for now. Part of the usefulness of this project will be for others to see what I've done with the art and be able to replicate it. That metro stuff looks to be so simple that if you wanted to implement it, that's exactly what the project introduces you to. As far as the release, I am just improving the quality right now. I'm adding a little to the 'Join' GUI, and improving the Host/Play GUI's a bit. The Host/Play GUI's are visually the same, the only difference really being that the Host GUI launches the game so that others can join. Rather than use the old 'Host' checkbox, users now choose from the main menu if they are headed in the single or multiplayer direction, and use the correct GUI accordingly. This way if you're building a game that uses single and multiplayer you are able to further segregate the differences of each GUI and where it may eventually lead the player if necessary.
I originally had a 'Login' GUI that would pop up when choosing the Multiplayer option, but ultimately just ended up merging that into the Host/Join GUI's. Anyways, more on that later when I push it all out.
@Olexiy: You can add new fonts to Torque in the game/core/fonts folder. From there, all you need to do is create the profile for the new text. You'll be able to see the examples in this project once it's out. In the meantime, you can investigate game/core/art/gui/profiles.cs to see how Torque uses the current fonts.
#13
*Finished the login pane merge into the Host GUI.
*Fixed the naming so that even a LocalClientConnection can have its character name saved (so that a host can have multiple characters on the server).
*Fixed the return on info so that the skin selections are returned properly 100%!
Getting closer, just need to push the changes to the SinglePlayer and Join GUI's. Also a little polish on the Character Pane, which could lead to an additional feature(no promises :P).
10/10/2014 (8:35 pm)
*Changed arrow images to use stock T3D arrows(didn't want to get in any trouble using those old arrows from the Chinatown Demo).*Finished the login pane merge into the Host GUI.
*Fixed the naming so that even a LocalClientConnection can have its character name saved (so that a host can have multiple characters on the server).
*Fixed the return on info so that the skin selections are returned properly 100%!
Getting closer, just need to push the changes to the SinglePlayer and Join GUI's. Also a little polish on the Character Pane, which could lead to an additional feature(no promises :P).
Torque Owner Daniel Buckmaster
T3D Steering Committee