[UI-MOD] All-In-One Package

[Arahatree]

in STA_ETT1.HAPX change
bpopupmenu 1, to
bpopupmenu 0,
(line 4) and it should be able to get larger (played around a little and changed theater to continental selection like in the start new game setup)

How did you know that?! You guys are wizards. It took me hours and still didn't couldn't do it.

Now it's sooo nice! To monitor autotrading is easier now

THANK YOU!!

[mrgenie]

Arahatree

The thing you're missing with your enlarging the list is that there are 2 modes of using panels in the game
1) embedded into another panel
2) "popping up" as it's own panel in the sense of an overlay to the other panels..

in the first case, it's tricky because it can't outgrow the original boundaries of the parent panel, which means you need to adept settings in the child panel, the parent panel and the
proper offset between child and parent.

in the 2nd case it can get as big as the game window, even beyond although you wouldn't see that obviously.. Whatever you set here is always related to the actual game window itself..

[mrgenie]

so the "modular" approach to supply mods as "stand alone" or "all-in-one" is a bit tricky..

because as I noticed the graphics can't be modular.. well they could given enough PNG files we can use BUT the csv is always 1 and the same file..

so basically I figured it's best any addition to the game (increased titlebar, different backpanels, different tooltips)
to define them on their own in new png and APPEND this data to the csv.. ALL of it.. so you keep 1 csv which simply holds all the information

And then the HAPX files just loads whatever bitmap nr. that's applicable..

anyway updating the 2nd post with the downloads.. (as always, with every zip/upload something can go wrong obviously)
the "Extended UnitManagement" is just an example how to make own bitmaps, how to load them in the csv and how to write a complex panel from scratch ..
appending it to the extended titlebar..

It's basically an example (no functionality) for any modders out there who might be interested how to make own panels, own png and basically extend the game adding own thoughts/ideas from scratch.

[mrgenie]

In the supply system we have now, small villages, villages, small towns and towns are providing military supplies to tanks, artillery, infantry, etc. in very unrealistic. They shouldn't have heavy armament factories in every single small village.

So the mod I have tried is that only from town ahead provide supplies, and let those small urban buildings to provide only 1% supplies (to make them act more like roads). That way, when you are planning an invasion into the enemy, you are paying attention to the sources of supply and you will plan accordingly. Also this makes strategic bombing less micromanage.

So, with this mod, units surrounded as those in Dunkirk pocket would be doomed if they don't receive airborne supplies. Without need of strategic bombing every single small town inside of that pocket.

And I made the mod. And it was wonderful in Europe!!

Well my point of gaming is more or less:'keep the AI going and prevent it from getting stuck"
And with less supplies especially in the Gobi, Sahara, Siberia, Northern Canada, Amazons and few other areas units get stuck and the AI does a terrible job at providing supplies.
Even worse, quite often units get stuck, let's say northern Siberia. then the AI sends supplies, they also get stuck, since nothing is moving it then sends more units, more getting stuck
more supplies, also getting stuck.. in the end in a scenario where China is invading Russia, you end up with 2500 Chinese forces stuck in Siberia and Vietnam conquers China because all their
units are stuck.

So your mod is more realistic, I figured it's better to remain a bit more unrealistic and simply have more supplies on the world map..

The best would be if I had hands on the actually code.. I'd write additional routines specifically for supplies..
make an AI decision to invade and move into territories based on supplies.. or simply bypass if 10+ hexes no supplies than PATH around it..

Many ideas here I could do..

But after making it I realized that countries like Brazil, most of South America and most of Africa, have small village as the capital, and small villages as the rest of urban hexes.

So, I just wasted my time

But now I'm thinking about making all those small villages with very low indirect fire defense... that way the pocket will become more realistic after a previous unrealistic strategic bombing. But now again the problem would be that strategic bombing would be overpowered on countries as Brazil, etc. which should be able to resist until the last of their guerrillas and garrisons... I'll keep thinking about it.

Well a game can be made more realistic with more sophisticated AI programming.. which takes a lot of time to balance things properly..
but until then, my main experience with games is.. first ensure the game keeps going and no units getting stuck..

From there on you improve..

Since units do get stuck.. I'd say what the game needs is more supplies not less.. until the AI coding is improved in this regard..

I will get to this units manager as soon as possible.

Thank you Mrgenie for creating that space to placing units manager button!

Yes, I'd like to help to this combined effort to make the best UI mod SRU has ever seen!

So, you can include any of my mods to this package (including the units manager if I'm actually able to do it ), and you can assign me tasks for other features.

I will.. but I work slow hehehe

I think first of all we should organize our thoughts, we should talk about what do we want, how do we want it, and then make a UI design. Discuss that design, and when we all three agree to it, get our hands working on it

Well just get a design off the ground is the most work.. changing,adapting and tweaking is usually not much work..

And I think we could also discuss about the philosophy of the project. For example here are some of my ideas:
- we would appreciate the help and collaboration of any new modder that wants to join us for this project.
- we would include as many features as possible, as many buttons and options as possible, in order to allow several different styles of playing.
- we would design the ui trying to save as many clicks and mouse miles as possible, avoiding micromanagement.
- The UI should be clean and nice to the sight (no black background with white characters, and no white background with black characters... as far as I know the most smooth and nice for the sight is black characters on light brown background).
- The UI should provide as much information as possible, about units or other stuff. And try to fill all empty spaces with that information or with more buttons and functions.
- Decisions taken on the design of the UI should be under a total agreement, not only because of a majority. This is to avoid having one of us working and spending time and effort on something that he actually doesn't agree.
- We have to respect and be happy with each of us skills and limitations. For example if one of us try to do something and he's unable in the end, we all should be happy with that and redistribute the work to give him something that he actually knows how to do it.
- The project is altruistic, and there's not personal glory to be expected, just to improve the game because we like it this way.

What do you think about all this guys?

most of that sounds reasonable.. but this game isn't that much modifiable really.. with 2 or 3 you can pull off everything that can be done..

Without hands on the source code to recompile our own stuff..

if we had access, I could include more resources, a chain of production, for which we need more icons, etc..

but that's speculation since we don't have the source code.. unfortunately..

I can only hope for the next release with the space race they have a SDK like Civilization so we can compile at least the DLL and expose as much as possible to the DLL
I'd also like to add stuff like tanks can never cross mountains.. I don't see how a Sherman crossing the Alps into Germany.. But you can build tunnels.. sea-tunnels..
also military production facilities you can now build 100+ I'd make that MUCH less .. it's insane how the AI floods the map with these..
or research LOL I wonder how he can finance the 100 research labs.. I know I can't LOL

[mrgenie]

Oh, i forgot to include this other philosophy idea:

- The UI design should be as big as possible in order to include as many units, technologies and items as possible. No more one inch sized window to manage 3000 units

I'd say 1920x1080 should be supported as minimum.. because that's still a common setting for laptops.. even if they support 2560x1800 a lot of users still run 1920x1080 for the sake that else
everything gets too small..

I mean sure we can make it 3840x2160 for my 3 monitors.. but I really think 1920x1080 should be the goal.. because laptops are still widely used LOL

[mrgenie]

i used the spreadsheet program Planmaker lately even exported styles.csv and it worked - did not pay attention to the trailing commas.

Thanks that's exactly what I've been looking for.. although I wrote already a little macro for notepad++ to handle trailing commas better to have it all in 1 program without the use
of macros (since that can be forgotten)

[arakan94]

Any hope of continued work on this?

Thinking about starting a new game and having all-in-one with all the nice UI mods would be AWESOME!

[mrgenie]

Any hope of continued work on this?

Thinking about starting a new game and having all-in-one with all the nice UI mods would be AWESOME!

After we stopped working on it for 1.5 years - right now indeed a bit more works on it. we may be able until Christmas to release it - but since a new SR is coming - we may even try to adept it to the new version but then that would postpone the project a bit further - but this time we'll finishing it - unless again another Novel SARS-CoV-2 leaks from the WIV - that's then again something beyond our control.

[arakan94]

Any updates? Still having my fingers crossed about this

[NanbanJim]

Dude, now THIS is what should have always been!!

[sic_transit_gloria]

Hi,
thank you for your work,
i just reinstalled SRU and unfortunately the >All-In-One (Incl. Overview)< download link is down :(

A reupload would be very much appreciated!

[mrgenie]

Sorry - due to private issues in the medical field this has been abandoned for now.. sadly..

might catch up with it again some time in future as this game is worth it.. but for now we have to skip it