Beastlord UI, All Races (Update 19 DEC 02)
 

As of 19 DEC 02 - I am answering the following questions directly at the top of this thread, so maybe people WILL STOP SENDING ME E-MAIL ABOUT IT.

1 No, I don't have any screenshots. No, I am not holding them back, so that you have to send me a personal e-mail requesting them. Please, I have an inbox FULL of people sending me this question, combined from EQBeastlord and EQGUI posters. I am IN NEED OF SCREENSHOTS in case you still don't understand, I am unable to play EQ, for the forseeable future. My screenshots were deleted some time ago, and I need new ones. Please, post screenshots of the UI, I need one of each race, doesn't need to be filled with a ton of windows - just basic screenshots.

2 The UI should work with the latest patches as of this date. As I could not personally test the UI to make sure it was 100%, I am relying on other people telling me it works.

3 No, I cannot shrink, grow, stretch, pull, drag, recolor, or skin any graphics from the UI. That requires time and energy that I have to devote to Real Life.

4 If you want to use a graphic element from my UI, go ahead. I'm not gonna be stingy on the design, especially since I borrowed the layout of this UI from the Techno Donuts design done by Nibbuhlz.

5 No, you will not see me online in the game, no, I cannot give you any help on the UI from within EQ, because I have to focus on Real Life.

6 Yes, I can be a prick. Yes, I do go off on people who may not feel they personally deserve it. But please, before sending me an E-Mail, asking me something about the UI, see if it is something that has been beaten to death in the Message Forum Thread already.

As of 6 DEC 02 - download links work, 99% certian UI works in game as of all the last patches I missed.

Well, the time has come, the mod is completed as best as I can tell. A few things to note:

1. there is a ini file included in the zip. this file has my window settings, including my rather complicated hitsmode configuration that many may not wish to deal with. it is set for 1280x1024 - you can use it if you want (just rename it to your own ini file) and it will have the window positions lined up.

2. the graphics for both male and female versions of the inventory are found in subdirectories in the zip. just copy the .tga file for whatever version you want into the main folder. (male inventory graphic is the default graphic already in place)

3. Windows are rearranged from normal. I have moved the content of some windows into other windows for specific effects. As a result, you may get a little confused. Here is the rundown of what was changed:

Target Window moved to Player Window: Did this so that the flashy red box goes around the target, not the player when attacking.

Player Window moved into the Group Window: The group window's invite/disband buttons will show up around the edge of this window. Please note: there is a slight overlap with the disband button and the first person in your group. Do not be alarmed, and please be careful about selecting players by mouse click if that is what you do (I would recommend becoming familiar with the F2 - F6 buttons for targetting group members).

Player Stats are now the Pet Window: If you liked the pet command buttons, sorry, I didn't. all your vital stats are listed here instead.

Experience & Right-Click Items were moved into the (now empty) Target Window: they are tabbed, just click on the tab to switch between exp bars, which are 5x longer than normal, or the right-click window, which lists the right-click slots that should cover almost everything for a Beastlord.

4. Beastlord "by level" chart is now a seperate tab in the help window. Use the selector window to open the help window, and click on the beastlord table tab to see the chart.

New version - I changed some things around, converted graphics to smaller sizes, and have added a sort of animated epic mouse pointer to it. To ensure you don't keep extra files in your mod folder, please empty the old version's folder before unzipping this one - many .tga files no longer exist in the mod (and are now .png instead). I have noticed a slight improvement in framerate with the new mod from the older version. Due to the recent UI changes in the patch, I've had to simply release the current "Beta" versions of this UI to make it work correctly. Enjoy.

(I guess I should point out, since he's a moderator of eqbeastlord's forums and all.... the compass graphic that is included is Tipop's gold compass. Also the UIMaps mod from eq-toolbox.com is included in this [as I regularly use it, if anything to make a educated guess where I am at], and T.King's spell icons v. 1.04)

I have been redesigning the UI's graphics, as well as making changes people had told me they wanted to see in the UI as well (sort-of bug fixes) and have the containers & inventories to complete for this new rendition to be completed.

I've completed the inventory windows, took me a mere 18.5 hours to design the graphics, and edit the XML from the old version.

Here's screenshots & download links for all the versions. This is the Beta versions of them, not quite completed:

Barbarian:



(Imaginary Barbarian Screenshot Display)



Click here to download the Barbarian Version now (3.36MB)

Iksar:



(Imaginary Iksar Screenshot Display)



Click here to download the Iksar Version now (3.28MB)

Ogre:



(Imaginary Ogre Screenshot Display)



Click here to download the Ogre Version now (3.41MB)

Troll:



(Imaginary Troll Screenshot Display)



Click here to download the Troll Version now (3.31MB)

Vah Shir:



(Imaginary Vah Shir Screenshot Display)



Click here to download the Vah Shir Version now (3.40MB)

Thanks
 

I downloaded this tonight and it works great. The only hang up I had was in getting the windows where I wanted them.

After some fidgiting, I just copied your ini file over mine, set the reso to 1280x1024 and left it as you created it.

Some of you peeps must have really good eyes though, because at this resolution, i have to squint to see the text on a 21 inch monitor. :)

Thanks again,

Negrismorte
33 Beast of Bristlebane

PS I am looking forward to your other race skins.

my ini file configuration has the window positions locked (have to right-click to unlock) also the chat windows have to be resized to move them.

I leave the ini file as an option, because I.....really altered the way my chat windows are layed out with the hitsmode options.

Very nice coding there. :)

Could you send me a PM or Mail how you managed to code the optional gauge backround? I tried that but I couldn't get it to work. :/

I've played around with the idea of including such gauges in my own skin, but for some reason it only displays the gauge I created and doesn't fill them.

Edit: nm, found my error. :)

Really Nice UI ... gonna make a Ogre BST hehe :nana:

and nice new sign too :p

:nana: :nana: :nana: :nana: :nana:

Thanks, I'm gonna start the other races here, just taking a break and actually playing the game.... really didn't get much gameplay in when I was finishing that up.

Ok, I'm beginning the graphics collection for other races. I'm doing screenshots of each race/gender for beastlords, and searching around for other pictures to use too...

Ive got a female troll beastlord, Im confused just a tad on what ya said. New inventory for each only or can you replace the bears with gators etc.?

Wow, there isn't a level of praise that could ever show how great this mod is, it's absolutely spectacular! Usually, when I look for mods, its hard to find a mod that combines both style and functionality.

Currently, I am waiting for the Vah Shir version of the mod, no offense, but the ogre doesn't do it for me :D

Keep up the absolutely terriffic job and I look foward to using your future skins!

Im curious why you chose to convert the pet window, when beastlords are in fact a pet class. I love the graphics and the usability, except for the fact that I miss out on all those handy buttons in the pet window, instead I have to fill up my hotkey bank with stuff like /pet attack and /pet back off ect. Otherwise, awesome job =)

ok.... umm...... /rant on

I personally HATE those stupid pet window buttons. why? Because I use macros. I like having witty little sayings, some sort of emote & animation, etc. Those buttons were a rather lame attempt by Verant to do something that they could have done much better.

That being said - what else would I use hot buttons for? I use ALT + <number> for spells, and hotbuttons for locate, kick, and pet commands. there's like 100 slots for buttons (10x10) as it is.

I won't put those stupid buttons in a mod I make, unless there's some substantial improvements done in making them more flexable. I use the keyboard to operate my buttons, and those pet command ones require the mouse, which slows me down (I only use the mouse for looking, occasionally moving, and maybe to click an invite/decline button - when I don't use the keyboard command - for a group, I don't use it for spell gems or hotbuttons or anything else where I have gottn used to the keyboard commands)

Plus, I had numerous requests back when the UI first was released, by Beastlords. Mages, Necromancers, and Shamen (you know, the classes who use pets) to make a pet window that didn't have those buttons cluttering the screen. I don't mean one or two requests. I mean my inbox was overflowing daily with e-mails requesting such a mod. Guess I'm not the only one who didn't like the buttons.

/rant off
------

Still getting textures for the other mods. Haven't been doing much the last couple days, but the weekends are the hardest time for me to break away to work on this stuff. Cutting the pictures of the different races/genders is currently top priority, then to get the window backgrounds & edges textures gathered. After that it's just a game of swapping one graphic for another (and a little redrawing of the inventory). Then the other versions will be available.

I'll be posting screens of samples of the different skins for each race, hopefully that will reduce the "why didn't you make one for <fill in the blank> race of beaslords" e-mails and PM's I've been getting.

Nice! I love the vah shir and barbarian ones. Tigers and wolves are my favorite animals, bears too of course(especially polar bears) ;) Bah, guess I just like animals in general.

Please please please release them out :)

At least barbarian edition :)

The picture at the top for the barbarian edition is currently the only graphic done up right now. I'm getting the others completed, and am working on reworking them a bit as well.

Any ETA ? :D

PS : I wait more for your interface release than for PoP :)

I think i'll use your UI for my ranger too , because I love your wolves !

I just can't wait to play EQ again and have fun with those UIs


Maybe make a :nana: edition ? :p

Umm ETA? not sure. I tend to work in spurts. What I mean is that I'll have a sort of overwhelming creative brainstorm that forces me to get a bunch done in a little time, then I have to do something else for a bit (usually is actually playing EQ) As the Hotbutton window designs are pretty much finalized - the Player/Group one is too (they are the same size and shape, only a couple minor differences).

The stats window shouldn't be too much of a trouble, and the spell gems won't be hard either. Going to have fun trying to get the container, with it's several varying pieces done up this way, and the target window, due to it's slightly different shape might be interesting too.

Inventory is already half-done as well.

I've been admiring your work for a long time and wanted to thank you for all the time and effort you've put into it. I'm eagerly awaiting your troll version :) I agree with you about the pet window. I do however like using the pet window with my druid since she doesn't use pets very often. Occasionally I'll use animal charm or pull out boo boo for fun and greenie farming. During those situations I'll use the pet window and I find it very handy as I don't have to constantly switch hotbox banks around and can use what I'm accustomed to using. However with my magician and beastlord, I like sticking with macros.

I have updated the zipfile to include access to the new /gems window. That should be the only thing that needed to be changed since this last patch.

Oguler,

I use the GIMP and I would be VERY interested in the gauge XML code and graphics files.... I am trying to create a Paladin (and perhaps enchanter in the future) UI somewhat similar to yours.

I was pondering all day about how to change the gauges, and when I got home I read this post and saw your screentshots (wierd). I would love to know how you did that.... you can e-mail me the files at [email protected] or post here about how to get them....

If I do make a Pally UI, would you mind if I use your invintory concept? With a high elf, obviously : ) I can't belive no one thought of that idea sooner, because it is awsome.

Also, I want to say that this is, by far, THE best UI I have seen. Nothing comes close to the stuff you got here. You have original code, original graphics, and good ideas littered through this UI. Vert and T.King move over......

If I can make a UI that is half the quality of yours I will have made something good.

thanks,
Astin Soulblade

While I appreciate the compliment, actually, my UI has a basis in the Techno Donuts UI that was done. I have done some rather....extensive recoding and remodding of it, added in other elements (the air gauge was from the fatreduction mod, the compass was designed by Tipop, who is one of the Beastlord forum moderators, and a rather awesome graphics artist).

However, there is much of this that is my own design - the hp bars, the casting/spell/mana bars, and a few other bits and pieces are things I've added in. Dunno if I really can say it is a reskinning of Techno Donuts any more, but I still will, as for it anything, it gave me the inspiration, and the basis for the design.

Even the Inventory, is basically very simmilar to Techno Donuts, with some slight modifications to the layout. But yea, I don't mind if you use parts of it.

And umm.... I'm still sorting out the graphics files - I have apparently stored parts of this mod's graphics in scattered directories on my hard drive... :D

hoping...
 

Just wanted to say, first off your UI is amazing and one of the truly original pieces of artwork available here. I have been using it with my VS Beastlord even with the bear graphics and Ogre inventory screen, (if I squint real hard it almost kinda looks like a tiger...sorta, as far as the ogre goes, well, it's an ogre).

I had a problem last night with the new patch that dumped me to desktop when I camped my BL instead of back to character select screen. I went to EQGUI and was pleased to find you had already updated your patch. A quick DL and re-install and everything was fine.

My question or hope is, could you give us a clue as to which race your going to release next? (/prays that it is the VS). /selfishness on, And any kind of time frame as far as when the VS one will be released if it's not the next in the queue? /selfishness off.

I will continue to use the Ogre untill the VS one is ready because to be quite frank, your UI IMHO is the definitive Beastlord UI period. Thanks again for all the hard work and I hope you continue to produce these wonderful UI's.

P.S. I have a SK and a Ranger, any thought as to branching out to other classes?

I like the big exp bars you've got. Which file(s) would I need in order to get just the exp and clickies? :)

Re: hoping...
 

1. Thanks, I'm still working on the elements, I have 2 windows done, a few more left to get the graphics completed on. it moves faster when I don't have to redo the XML - BUT I have been 3D rendering the windows, which required a bit of learning on my part.

2. I do try to keep my stuff updated as soon as I can find out. the change was 1 file, in fact it was 1 line - the line that loaded in the gems window LOL.

3. I will be releasing ALL the races at the same time. The Revised Ogre one as well as Vah Shir, Barbarian, Troll, and Iksar. Due to the nature of how I am doing this mod, it's just easier for me to cut out all 5 versions at the same time rather than 1 at a time. Plus I like to playtest the UI windows myself, and see how well they work. So far, with the player/group and hotbutton windows, it works very well.

4. I don't know, I have some other characters in other classes, I might branch out a bit, but it will be something where I'm not doing a different version for each race/class combination. At most the inventory graphic will have the correct race/gender, that's it.

5. I don't know if you want that window which has the XP & clickies. that is the window formerly known as the target window. So the Target window's XML file, and there's I beleive the OgulerPieces.png graphic file (for the bars) are the two things that are needed. There is a line in the Animations XML file that also will be needed - which loads the .png to make it available. the .png has many, many elements in it that it doesn't need - I have been slowly working on doing away with that file all together.

Ok, all 5 skin ideas are shown with the examples now. I *might* swap the Troll window skin with the iksar one, as gators are more commonly darker than the iksar pets. I'm having fun making "real" animal pics of the iksar pets, as you can see from above, I took elements from shots of the iksar pet and integrated them into a picture of a komodo dragon.

Hmm. I'm afraid I do need my target window. Is there any way I can make something like that in the friends window? How would I do that? Still very new to xml(even though I know a bit of html hehe) I don't really need the clickies, I'm just interested in the huge exp and aaxp bars.

gotta do some editing to the XML. dunno if the friends window allows for tabs offhand, but if it does, then it's just a matter of making the little text/name changes in the XML so that it works as the friends window, and it should work.

Going into any more detail would require me to pretty much do the change myself, and then post the changes.... I'm busy working on my current mod presently, but if someone else knows how to do it, then maybe they can help you.

quick request?
 

Thanks for the info on the new skins. Love the way the tiger looks now for the VS version! I had one little (hopeully little) request though, is there anyway to put a label on the AC, Attack and weight numbers on the player info screen? I know I should know them by heart but I'm old and quickly becomming senile. Raelly would love to see them if it's not too much trouble though.

Thanks again for the skins and can't wait for the new ones. You've made my BL my favorite char to play because of them!

:D

Yea, someone else requested that a while ago, and I meant to include it, but I forgot (d'oh). I'll get the tags in there.

Edit: I have modified the graphics for the xp bars to be a bit cleaner. Still not quite what I want, so I'm going to work more on it. The Player/group window is reskinned, I'm going to be moving the invite/disband buttons around a bit, so that the overlap on the disband button won't exist any more (and also to give another shot at the whole lining them up correctly game)

Edit2: Once this mod is completed - with all 5 versions for the different races, it will be moving to the "Released" section of the forums, probably into the downloads on eqinterface.com after I'm sure it's working the way it should.