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Thread: Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu

  1. #1

    Default Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu




    Introduction

    This mod aims to spice up the interface of ETW in a manner similar to what Napoleon did the year after the game was released. To do so, this pack includes a selection of my own UI creations to share with the community. The goals were the following:


    • Implement custom loading screens that replace the vanilla ETW ones, and that builds on NTW content
    • Create a static menu background "movie" that calms the eyes when inside the main menu, allowing you to focus on choosing a faction, changing settings etc
    • Differentiate between the campaign and battle UI, giving the latter a look suitable for visually representing combat and field conditions
    • Campaign UI may be added at a later date


    Importantly, all of the above are made from high quality source material and given the polish necessary to not stand out amidst the vanilla Empire interface.




    Changelog

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Version 1.0: Main release, no reported bugs





    Features

    - Custom loading screens based on Napoleon Total War. These have been changed to include items appropriate to the time frame of ETW, such as a central map, sketches, pistol etc. If you play NTW a lot, the changes might be obvious!

    - Static map background for the main menu. Instead of a continuously playing movie on a loop, this background is based on what you often see in other games. The theme also fits in, with a compass, ropes, and a worn maritime map.

    - Battle HUD. This new interface replaces the one used for both the campaign and battle mode, so that the campaign now gives you the feeling of managing things at the government level, while going into battle changes things to get a bit more gritty. The new HUD is based on wood and paper, and gives a nice clarity to unit selection.




    Compatibility

    These files should work with most mods that don't change the loading screens, menu interface or UI. It's meant for vanilla and light gameplay mods, but using it in big overhauls might have unintended effects. I have tested them mainly on my own vanilla install as well as my main modded ETW install.




    Permissions

    All files may be used freely by other modders if they desire to. All I ask is to be given credit. If the download links in this post stop working, any user on the forum may re-upload the unchanged files in this thread.




    Download links and installation




    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Installation: This is a "movie" type file, so just drop it into your Empire Total War\data folder.




    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Installation: This is a "mod" type file, you need to place it into your Empire Total War\data folder and then put it into your user.empire_script.txt like you would activate any other mod.





    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Installation: This is a "movie" type file, so just drop it into your Empire Total War\data folder. Credit goes to user coolgit for updating this file and making it much simpler to install.






    Suggested mods

    I highly recommend Bran Mac Born's Napoleon Effects Pack for getting the complete Napoleon effects on the campaign and battle map. It includes filters, lighting, battle maps, campaign textures and more. Very worth it for getting old ETW up to spec with the more later games in the series.





    Feel free to leave feedback below, as well as suggested changes and expansions. What would you like to see? For the future, a bigger overhaul of the campaign HUD is something that I've thought about, if there's demand for it.



    Enjoy!
    Last edited by -Durango-; January 22, 2021 at 09:41 AM. Reason: 2021 Update
    Try my ETW mods: Interface Enhancement Mod



  2. #2

    Default Re: Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu

    Here are some samples of the contents:

    Battle HUD





    Main Menu




    Loading Screen (land battle)




    (There is also a loading screen for naval battles, but with less changes made)
    Try my ETW mods: Interface Enhancement Mod



  3. #3
    Quintus Hortensius Hortalus's Avatar Lex duodecim tabularum
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    Default Re: Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu

    Great work! I like what you have done.

    If you need any help with editing the UI (especially finding one image file) don't hesitate to ask.

    Under the patronage of wangrin my workshop

  4. #4

    Default Re: Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu

    Thanks a lot! Appreciate it

    I've seen your previous work as well, and it is awesome indeed. If the campaign UI ever gets done, I will surely want advice on that.
    Try my ETW mods: Interface Enhancement Mod



  5. #5
    Alwyn's Avatar Frothy Goodness
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    Default Re: Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu

    Impressive modding work and a well-presented mod, thanks for making this available!

  6. #6

    Default Re: Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Alwyn View Post
    Impressive modding work and a well-presented mod, thanks for making this available!
    Thank you! If you're looking for graphical work done for a new or updated mod (like your great Minor Factions packs) just let me know. I'm enjoying a nice campaign using the unlocked ships you provided.
    Try my ETW mods: Interface Enhancement Mod



  7. #7

  8. #8

    Default Re: Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu

    I hope you don't mind me using your description format https://www.twcenter.net/forums/show...0#post15907780

  9. #9

    Default Re: Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu

    Can someone re-upload the files for this mod?

  10. #10

    Default Re: Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by KermitdaFrog View Post
    Can someone re-upload the files for this mod?
    All the download links work for me. What happens when you click them?
    Try my ETW mods: Interface Enhancement Mod



  11. #11

    Default Re: Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by -Durango- View Post
    All the download links work for me. What happens when you click them?
    Nevermind, I tried again and they work. Thanks for checking though.

  12. #12

    Default Re: Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu

    Do the loading screens show the army deployment positions like in NTW?

  13. #13

    Default Re: Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by MarshallEdin View Post
    Do the loading screens show the army deployment positions like in NTW?
    No, that's a hard coded feature of NTW. To get that working in ETW, you would need the source code for the game itself.
    Try my ETW mods: Interface Enhancement Mod



  14. #14

    Default Re: Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu

    The menu background is rather time consuming exercise. It's not a good idea to modify CA files.

    It worked with my DarthMod mod.

    DarthMod has 2 media pack files and I'd tried adding frontend.bik to the DME_Media.pack with 3 bik files in it and it didn't work.

    I then added frontend.bik to the DME_MediaUC.pack and it worked.

    It seems that the frontend.bik must be alone, the only file in a pack file in order to work.

    Not wanting to override DME_MediaUC.pack the DME_MediaUC.pack with original frontend.bik was placed back in the \Empire Total War\data\DME\Packs directory for future use.

    What I did was create a new pack file and create a new folder - movies - then add frontend.bik. Of course the new pack is a movie type.

    Saved the new pack file as Durango_Media.pack and it didn't work and vanilla bik was showed.

    Renamed Durango_Media.pack to Durango_Movies.pack and it worked.

    Hope this helps.
    Last edited by coolgit; January 22, 2021 at 02:55 AM.

  15. #15

    Default Re: Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by coolgit View Post
    The menu background is rather time consuming exercise. It's not a good idea to modify CA files.

    It worked with my DarthMod mod.

    DarthMod has 2 media pack files and I'd tried adding frontend.bik to the DME_Media.pack with 3 bik files in it and it didn't work.

    I then added frontend.bik to the DME_MediaUC.pack and it worked.

    It seems that the frontend.bik must be alone, the only file in a pack file in order to work.

    Not wanting to override DME_MediaUC.pack the DME_MediaUC.pack with original frontend.bik was placed back in the \Empire Total War\data\DME\Packs directory for future use.

    What I did was create a new pack file and create a new folder - movies - then add frontend.bik. Of course the new pack is a movie type.

    Saved the new pack file as Durango_Media.pack and it didn't work and vanilla bik was showed.

    Renamed Durango_Media.pack to Durango_Movies.pack and it worked.

    Hope this helps.
    Thanks for your work! Very nice to see a way around having to edit CA files, which I could never figure out due to the strange behavior of certain packs.

    Would you be interested in sending the finished pack file to me? I could then credit you with the fix when I update the main post.

    Cheers!
    Try my ETW mods: Interface Enhancement Mod



  16. #16

    Default Re: Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu

    Sent you a message.
    Last edited by coolgit; January 22, 2021 at 09:23 AM.

  17. #17

    Default Re: Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu

    The menu background download is now updated.
    Try my ETW mods: Interface Enhancement Mod



  18. #18
    Goutlard's Avatar Janissary
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    Default Re: Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu

    Just a heads-up! I tried your mod and was impressed. As per your permission policy, it will be included in the Ottoman : Total Overhaul Mod with all due credits to you !
    Wind from the East's Awards :

  19. #19

    Default Re: Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu

    Hi, you should to do the same with background main menu and for Napoleon TW too : ) Thanks, great work!

  20. #20

    Default Re: Durango's Interface Visual Enhancement Mod 1.0 - Loading screens, Battle HUD, and Main Menu

    I dont see a download

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