PDA

View Full Version : Public Poll - Crazy Eddie's GUI System


Mantis
05-01-2009, 10:55 PM
Myself and ReGeX have been discussing whether VCO RC2 should implement Crazy Eddie's GUI system.
We've come to the conclusion that the public should have their say on it, seeing as it's a huge change for Vice City Online. So I'm creating a poll for your feedback.
Please when you vote, leave a comment/feedback aswell, as we'll be looking at player reactions besides the total vote count.
The GUI could add alot more functionality to VCO, in RC2 and beyond. This could be using the GUI to give us a new scoreboard, a new ammunation system and even future dynamic systems for players.
The possibilities are huge, the entire spawn selection could be changed to a gui system, like names and images, rather than player models, etc.
Additionally, the GUI would use less calculations than the older systems, thus improving performance.
For now, the GUI would replace text-based systems in an attempt to provide an organized environment. For instance, the player could easily view the weapons available at a specific ammunation with the click of a button instead of helplessly scrolling through the selection. Remember SA's nice menus? Well, this would be a way to implement GTA:SA's menus into the VC environment. ReGeX does not intend to replace or diminish VC as a game by making fancy things to create cars or trees with a color changer like MTASA, but rather to exploit the basic menu features in SA that could finally be put into VC.

The following images highlights show functionality and appearance:

http://pds2.egloos.com/pds/1/200604/10/53/a0006553 _10484093.png

http://gpdev.net/img/ND2_gui04.jpg

Example of VCO Implementation (http://imagestack.deceifermedia.com/images/7/GUI_ Example_Implementation.png) - Please note, this is a photoshopped example.

If you think that VCO should implement the GUI system, please click on Yes and leave feedback.
If you think that VCO shouldn't implement the GUI system, please click on No and leave feedback.
If you unsure about it, don't decide on a answer just yet, ask questions and read other peoples feedback.

[NoN]Bruno
05-02-2009, 08:59 AM
I dont know what Crazy Eddie's GUI System is ... can some one tell me?

tuntis
05-02-2009, 09:48 AM
Bruno;1983679']I dont know what Crazy Eddie's GUI System is ... can some one tell me?
A GUI system - for example, all VCO windows (scoreboard, etc.) would be based on it instead - and scripts could possibly show custom GUI's clientside. Take a look at MTASA - it's used for it.

Boylett
05-03-2009, 04:18 PM
Looks good. Can you display images too (that the players would download from the server)?

Mantis
05-04-2009, 09:21 PM
I'll give this topic 1 more day, then I'll close it. The answer is pretty much a yes, but I'll leave it open for people who have been away for the weekend.
Remember, you can still say no, there isn't a definate answer until the poll is locked and confirmation has been posted. Feel free to discuss anything as you wish.

*Auto Merge - Read below here too :P*

I've added a new example image in the main post. It demonstrates usage of GUI in VCO. It's not actually implemented, just a photoshopped image. The possibilities for the GUI are greater than the image shows, so it's not 100% accurate to what VCO may implement in the future.

I'll provide a link here too : Clicky (http://imagestack.deceifermedia.com/images/7/GUI_ Example_Implementation.png) - Just because you're too lazy to scroll up ;)

GaMeR_123
05-04-2009, 10:19 PM
It's very stylish. I think you should definitely implement it.

Knucis
05-05-2009, 09:33 AM
Yeah.. thats cool. I like it!
And we should be able to script that :D (menus like in SA:MP)

VRocker
05-05-2009, 06:28 PM
I would highly recommend against CEGUI. It looks nice yes and does give more functionality, but it comes at a big price.

CEGUI is pretty badly coded and has a big impact on performance. The code is not very well optimised at all.
I did try CEGUI once in my own project and i am so glad i scrapped it. With CEGUI my FPS dropped from 250 down to 70, with just a simple 10 line chatbox. It tends to hammer the CPU doing complex calculations when it could be done a lot better.

Just look at MTASA. Thats know for bad performance and its not the way the mod is coded, its mainly down to CEGUI. See how many FPS you gain from changing the text drawing mode next time you play. On some systems the fps nearly triples. Yes, the latest versions of MTASA arn't that bad but thats because they have recoded several parts of CEGUI to make it run better.

Implementing a GUI system is a great idea, but finding a decent one that doesn't kill performance is hard.
If you have the time, i would advise creating your own GUI system. It really pays off, and if it hurts the performance then you only have yourself to blame :)

I do think if performance is hit hard by a gui system then VCO will lose players, since theres still a lot of people playing VC that cant even run san andreas due to their computers not being powerful enough.

SyncBD
05-06-2009, 08:12 AM
Can the skin be changed? IMO that GUI looks very ugly. Btw, would it be difficult to make the new GUI optional and let the player use the one that suits his needs?

Mantis
05-06-2009, 09:08 AM
The skin can be changed, in VCO it would be coloured and styled for Vice City. As for individual players, I'm not sure if it will be possible for everyone to change it to their needs, but that depends on what you mean exactly.

Mantis
05-07-2009, 09:10 PM
Ok, we've decided to test-run the GUI (Complete overhaul of graphics and what-not) and test it's performance. The majority have voted yes, so we'll test it and get back to you.

So far for the graphics interface is looking pretty great.

Colonel V
07-02-2009, 02:17 PM
I'd say yes to implementing it, but re-work most if not all the code like the MTA team did for 2 reasons:

1. Its YOUR own gui
2. Its optimised and actually usable.

Also, please change the skin as it wouldnt fit the style of the game at ALL; just like clothes, its all gotta match :)

[NoN]Bruno
07-13-2009, 05:49 PM
I would highly recommend against CEGUI. It looks nice yes and does give more functionality, but it comes at a big price.

CEGUI is pretty badly coded and has a big impact on performance. The code is not very well optimised at all.
I did try CEGUI once in my own project and i am so glad i scrapped it. With CEGUI my FPS dropped from 250 down to 70, with just a simple 10 line chatbox. It tends to hammer the CPU doing complex calculations when it could be done a lot better.

Just look at MTASA. Thats know for bad performance and its not the way the mod is coded, its mainly down to CEGUI. See how many FPS you gain from changing the text drawing mode next time you play. On some systems the fps nearly triples. Yes, the latest versions of MTASA arn't that bad but thats because they have recoded several parts of CEGUI to make it run better.

Implementing a GUI system is a great idea, but finding a decent one that doesn't kill performance is hard.
If you have the time, i would advise creating your own GUI system. It really pays off, and if it hurts the performance then you only have yourself to blame :)

I do think if performance is hit hard by a gui system then VCO will lose players, since theres still a lot of people playing VC that cant even run san andreas due to their computers not being powerful enough.

I belive ReGeX is too busy to make VCO's own GUI system.
If CEGUI is used in VCO RC2 the plan is to use own VCO Functions, insted of the CEGUI functions.
Im not sure what to say about the FPS...With some tests we can asure that ...