[TCotD2] Journal and objectives system

[nashmuhandes]

This is one of the big ones that I want to add, before I consider my obligations to this project as "done".

I'd like to add an in-game journal that will keep track of player objectives and may some other misc info.

I already have working code for this from another project, I just gotta port it over and reskin the interface to look like a journal/book.

This will require some edits to the map to remove the linedef + ACS-based "letter reading" script.

I have not started on this yet so it is safe to continue editing the map. When I want to start on this, I will announce it to make sure our works to the WAD do not collide

[nashmuhandes]

Implemented. Press F1 in-game, or use the journal from the inventory bar.

Let me know your thoughts.

Some issues I'm already aware of:

• No scrollbar support yet for the journal. Though we don't have enough content to warrant a scrollbar, it should still be added, in case more content gets added and there's not enough space to show everything in 1 page. Also, depending on scaling settings (if we visually redesign it), scrolling may be necessary - Journal has no keyboard/gamepad input support yet. Note reader, however, is 100% gamepad/keyboard-ready done with https://github.com/Realm667/Re-Releases/commit/1a95eb50889fa16ed4a72be6e906214d8350ad92
• Would be nice to be able to close the menu by pressing F1 again
• Objective status isn't properly synched across all players in multiplayer moved to its own issue https://github.com/Realm667/Re-Releases/issues/217 - Performance dips if the journal is open too long (infamous GC problem with ZForms - upgrading to a later version of ZForms will fix this. Very inconvenient and annoying work to do the code migration) All performance issues fixed
• Should change the "back" button graphic to something more thematically suitable - Add a fade-in effect when opening the note reader interface Done

Some other considerations:

- Font looks very aliased and dirty with no texture filtering in the journal page (NOT the note reader). Either increase font scale, or use a different font (something more handwriting-looking?). This problem doesn't exist when texture filtering is used (for obvious reasons) Fixed

[Tormentor667]

Brilliant implementation so far.

• One suggestion from my side: Make the text tan, not blue, fits better (keep the background darkblue though)

[Blue-Shadow]

Make the text tan, not blue, ...

Is this color acceptable? It doesn't exactly match the color in your screenshot, but it's the closest to it from the stock colors available in GZDoom.

[Tormentor667]

That’s perfect

[Blue-Shadow]

Done.

[Tormentor667]

Thank you!

[Tormentor667]

After taking a look at it once again after playing the mod, I really think we are done with it. Looks awesome and works perfect in my eyes. Feel free to reopen if you feel different @Blue-Shadow @Ozymandias81 @nashmuhandes but I think we are done here.

[Blue-Shadow]

Font looks very aliased and dirty with no texture filtering in the journal page (NOT the note reader). Either increase font scale, or use a different font (something more handwriting-looking?). This problem doesn't exist when texture filtering is used (for obviosu reasons)

I'd like to see this resolved if possible, because I don't run the game on a high screen resolution (960x600 is what I use), and I don't use texture filtering because I generally dislike it (at least when playing Doom and the like). So this is how the journal looks for me (click on the screenshot to see it in full size).

The text is pretty much illegible.

[Tormentor667]

Yes, good point. I have no idea what could be done about it though

[nashmuhandes]

Journal UI code needs a lot of fixes but I am currently undergoing heath issues (already personally messaged Torm beforehand) this is something that should be left to me to fix when I come back in a couple of weeks perhaps

[Tormentor667]

@nashmuhandes here as well - do you think that it's even possible to get this sorted before the release?

[nashmuhandes]

@nashmuhandes here as well - do you think that it's even possible to get this sorted before the release?

The journal needs some rework to address all the problems mentioned in this thread, I hope to complete them ASAP

[nashmuhandes]

Font looks very aliased and dirty with no texture filtering in the journal page (NOT the note reader). Either increase font scale, or use a different font (something more handwriting-looking?). This problem doesn't exist when texture filtering is used (for obviosu reasons)

I'd like to see this resolved if possible, because I don't run the game on a high screen resolution (960x600 is what I use), and I don't use texture filtering because I generally dislike it (at least when playing Doom and the like). So this is how the journal looks for me (click on the screenshot to see it in full size).

The text is pretty much illegible.

I've made the journal and text larger on the screen - let me know if it's any better. :)

(still need to do scrollbars and finally keyboard/gamepad support... that will come later)

[Blue-Shadow]

I've made the journal and text larger on the screen - let me know if it's any better. :)

Miles better! I can actually read the stuff now.

[Tormentor667]

Same here, it's a very good improvement.

[nashmuhandes]

Don't close this yet, there's still several issues left LOL

[nashmuhandes]

Added keyboard/gamepad navigation. Now all that's left is scrolling and scrollbars.

Good lord, UI coding is pure suffering LMAO

[Tormentor667]

Someone should create a framework for GUIs...

[nashmuhandes]

Someone should create a framework for GUIs...

There already is one, it's called ZForms and TCOTD's journal is precisely using it. :P It's still not as simple as a WYSIWYG editor though :P But it's hell of a lot better than not having ZForms at all

[Tormentor667]

With "framework" I mean something like a WYSIWYG environment for people like me :)

[nashmuhandes]

I ultimately had to scrap the idea to implement scrollbars as I simply don't have the time and resources left to do it, but I did implement clickable buttons that simply scroll the pages up and down.

With this, the journal is technically feature complete and fully operation for all users of mouse, keyboard or gamepads, therefore I am closing this thread