Help needed on non-distorted menu background

Dietrich · 09-24-08, 10:18 AM

I'm trying to put a new background onto one of the menus in SH3 (data\Menu\Net\Session.tga). As there is some text on this background, I've noticed that this particular screen has been scaled. Note that I am using GWX-2.1 as a base, here.

To give you an example, here is a small fragment of the screen as it appears in my graphics editor, and then as it appears if I capture it as a screenshot from the game:

Note how the text on the right is slightly distorted? Well, I know why that is... it is because of the entry in the data\Menu\menu_1024_768.ini file. In particular, the entry is:

Code:

[G29 I23]
Name=Background
Type=1030;Static bmp
ItemID=0x290000FF
ParentID=0x29000000
Pos=0,768,1024,768
Materials=1
Display=2
Mat 0=data/menu/net/session.tga
MatFlags=0x1
TexFmt=0x9

Now, I've gone and checked the documentation on this (Reference = http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=111832) and the "Display=2" seems to be the problem. This seems to be a stretching option, and by having it set this way, the image is distorted slightly as the game attempts to rescale it.

So, I then tried setting it to "Display=0", which is the "no stretch" option. However, this causes a rather bizarre effect... the background then only occupies the top part of the screen. It is as if it is being squeezed to only use up the top portion of the screen, and the bottom half is left black. It is almost as if the graphic should somehow be normalised to 1024x1024 or something.

I've tried looking for another full screen graphic that has "Display=0", but they are all either small or are stretched.

Can anyone help, or even suggest something I might be able to try?

Many thanks!

onelifecrisis · 09-24-08, 02:15 PM

Try this:
Display=2
...
...
TexFmt=0x29

HTH
OLC

Dietrich · 09-26-08, 01:01 PM

Thanks for the reply, OLC. But, unfortunately, this made it worse. What it did was reduce the number of available colours, making the background even more grainy. Certainly, there was no improvement in the text clarity.

I'm curious that it is not going to be "Display=0", rather than "Display=2".

I'll keep experimenting...

onelifecrisis · 09-26-08, 01:35 PM

Well it was worth a try.
Make session.tga into a 1024x1024 (with bottom part of image empty/black) and then use the same settings as intro.tga (search for that in menu file). That should do it.

09-24-08, 10:18 AM	#1
Dietrich Sparky Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 152 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Help needed on non-distorted menu background I'm trying to put a new background onto one of the menus in SH3 (data\Menu\Net\Session.tga). As there is some text on this background, I've noticed that this particular screen has been scaled. Note that I am using GWX-2.1 as a base, here. To give you an example, here is a small fragment of the screen as it appears in my graphics editor, and then as it appears if I capture it as a screenshot from the game: Note how the text on the right is slightly distorted? Well, I know why that is... it is because of the entry in the data\Menu\menu_1024_768.ini file. In particular, the entry is: Code: [G29 I23] Name=Background Type=1030;Static bmp ItemID=0x290000FF ParentID=0x29000000 Pos=0,768,1024,768 Materials=1 Display=2 Mat 0=data/menu/net/session.tga MatFlags=0x1 TexFmt=0x9 Now, I've gone and checked the documentation on this (Reference = http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=111832) and the "Display=2" seems to be the problem. This seems to be a stretching option, and by having it set this way, the image is distorted slightly as the game attempts to rescale it. So, I then tried setting it to "Display=0", which is the "no stretch" option. However, this causes a rather bizarre effect... the background then only occupies the top part of the screen. It is as if it is being squeezed to only use up the top portion of the screen, and the bottom half is left black. It is almost as if the graphic should somehow be normalised to 1024x1024 or something. I've tried looking for another full screen graphic that has "Display=0", but they are all either small or are stretched. Can anyone help, or even suggest something I might be able to try? Many thanks!

09-24-08, 02:15 PM	#2
onelifecrisis Maverick Modder Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: England Posts: 3,895 Downloads: 65 Uploads: 3	Try this: Display=2 ... ... TexFmt=0x29 HTH OLC __________________ Freedom of speech - priceless. For everything else there's Mastercard.

09-26-08, 01:35 PM	#4
onelifecrisis Maverick Modder Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: England Posts: 3,895 Downloads: 65 Uploads: 3	Well it was worth a try. Make session.tga into a 1024x1024 (with bottom part of image empty/black) and then use the same settings as intro.tga (search for that in menu file). That should do it. __________________ Freedom of speech - priceless. For everything else there's Mastercard.

09-26-08, 01:01 PM	#3
Dietrich Sparky Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 152 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Thanks for the reply, OLC. But, unfortunately, this made it worse. What it did was reduce the number of available colours, making the background even more grainy. Certainly, there was no improvement in the text clarity. I'm curious that it is not going to be "Display=0", rather than "Display=2". I'll keep experimenting...