What in game UI customization options would you want?

[crowhound]

Alright so here is my question for everyone on the forums, if someone was to make a UI script for the menus in game what would you like to be able to customize.


I mean for RPG Maker MV.


Examples


Placement of all the HUD


Background images


Have animations of some type. Examples are a rotating gear or magic circle or maybe have a crystal in the corners that have a hue shift making them change colors.


Extra images that can be placed anywhere with choice of which image is drawn first for sorting control.


Busts or face choice for showing characters.


Common Plugin compatibility such as Yanfly plugins.


Icons for gold, different images for Mp, Hp or Tp bar.


Basically what would you like to be able to control on every game menu? Share your thoughts below please.

 

[Sausage_Boi]

*whisper whisper* psssst... hey, you. Yeah, you! This reminds me of the Luna Engine...

 

[crowhound]

*whisper whisper* psssst... hey, you. Yeah, you! This reminds me of the Luna Engine...

This is mainly for MV. The Luna engine is for Ace. Yami, as far as I know, is working on an MV version, but for now I was thinking of trying to make my own UI system. I am looking for ideas to what people would like control over. I will be starting with the main menus in game, then work toward a unified combat UI. I know it will be a long progress, but I want ideas from people on what they would like to see. That and the Luna engine cost money. I want to try to get something for people to just pick up for free. So like a community effort.

 

[cekobico]

Main Menu & Battle Status Window, mainly. 


We are getting shade thrown at Steam for having the 'same look' and able to modify two screens that are most prominent in the game are sure to show a difference here and there.


While we're at it, we 'suffer' from Plugin Maker who customize their Menu for small screen; while we as Game Dev attempt to emulate larger screen. I'm sure it's not unusual for us to see Project Dev screenshot, where everything is stretched away up and about that you see HP/MP bar that almost stretch half of the screen size. Being able to 'condense'/push/pull each windows of any plugin would allow us to have a more neat and organized look. 

 

[crowhound]

I am thinking about making two different systems.


One that uses the window system for MV AKA the window look that your project starts off with, but have it where you can change the size, positioning and how the data inside of it is read for alignment. Example is have the player's status on the main menu go horizontal. Also have the commands for the menu appear on top. So like the altmenu plugin, but give full control over the user's.


The second system and the one I have already started with, is having it where the default windows opacity to 0 so you do not see them. Then have custom images you can bring in to replace the default drawn windows. So have a custom background, window frame or anything else. Possible add a particle system that appears behind the menus. I will make a plugin parameter that allows you to add also extra items that do not have anything to do with the menu. That way people can add their own little flare. For an example for the last one I am going to have crystals in the corner and use hue shifting to make them change colors to fake an animation.


Another thing would people prefer the systems to be split in multiple plugins. So main menu as one plugin,the status screen as it's own plugin and so forth.


I will be using the full system for the game I am working on, but I thought if people liked it I could share it.


I hired an UI artists to make some UI elements for me. I will try to give a demo once I get it more polished out.

 

[Sausage_Boi]

MMMMM... For MV? I would really like to see animated menus, like maybe a cursor that blinks when selecting or an icon that gets larger and smaller if you select it?

 

[crowhound]

MMMMM... For MV? I would really like to see animated menus, like maybe a cursor that blinks when selecting or an icon that gets larger and smaller if you select it?

That wouldn't be too hard to do. I could make it where you have an image put inside of a folder and that image is read in as a cursor. Then have it where the command image you are putting has a scaling animation when the onButtonOk function is called.

 

[cekobico]

I am thinking about making two different systems.


One that uses the window system for MV AKA the window look that your project starts off with, but have it where you can change the size, positioning and how the data inside of it is read for alignment. Example is have the player's status on the main menu go horizontal. Also have the commands for the menu appear on top. So like the altmenu plugin, but give full control over the user's.


The second system and the one I have already started with, is having it where the default windows opacity to 0 so you do not see them. Then have custom images you can bring in to replace the default drawn windows. So have a custom background, window frame or anything else. Possible add a particle system that appears behind the menus. I will make a plugin parameter that allows you to add also extra items that do not have anything to do with the menu. That way people can add their own little flare. For an example for the last one I am going to have crystals in the corner and use hue shifting to make them change colors to fake an animation.

Here are some Menu-Related Plugin, for your references:


Rito's Menu Background and Windows Opacity


N.A.S.T.Y. Replace Window with Picture


Tsukihime's Window Background Designer


Soulpour's Animated Menu Wallpaper


MogHunter's Menu Background


Moghunter's Menu Particles


None of them does what you explain in your number 1; so I suggest you prioritize working on that one xD

 

[mcp293]

I dont know if this is already available, but the ability to navigate menus more easily with the mouse would be great.

 

[Wavelength]

All of the things you proposed would be nice... here are a few extras that would be very useful:

• Ability to display extra text and stats/variables on any menu screen (and ability to remove any unwanted text/stats/variables that are already there)
  
• Option to change font (font face, color, size, etc.) for a menu
  
• Use of different background colors/patterns for each menu
  
• Transition animations in and out of menus
  

Ideally I think a WYSIWYG editor for menus would be ideal for RPG Maker, but I know that is asking a lot.