Custom themes

[DustyPorViva]

Right now, Graal uses the WBA format for themes... this is great and all, but if I want to make my own theme, I don't want to have to mess with the Window Blinds system for making them. It's pretty damn complicated, not to mention it's not free. Now, I know Graal can use the GUI system for themes, as you can set it to default and use the blue GUI graphics for everything...

What I suggest is a way for us to create our own themes using the GUI set-up. Perhaps a file like... mytheme.gut(graal user theme?) that is just a text file that directs Graal to the appropriate profile images:

PHP Code:

GuiWindowCtrl=DustyTheme/dusty_windowctrl.png
GuiScrollCtrl=DustyTheme/dusty_scrollctrl.png 


So on and so forth. This way we can make our own themes really easy, without having to rely on a non-free, third party program that is pretty convoluted. Sorry, but I don't want to make a whole Windows theme, I just want to make my Graal look half-way decent... not to mention most WBA themes have something wrong with them.

Sadly, I can't think of a format that would allow us to customize the profiles(text color, transparency and such)... perhaps an XML format that expands the GUIprofile variables?

PHP Code:

<GuiWindowCtrl>
  bitmap = "DustyTheme/dusty_windowctrl.png";
  textcolor = {255,255,0,255};
  transparency = .5;
</GuiWindowCtrl>

<GuiScrollCtrl>
  bitmap = "DustyTheme/dusty_scrollctrl.png";
  textcolor = {0,0,0,255};
</GuiScrollCtrl> 


[xXziroXx]

I support this idea.

[Crow]

I support this idea aswell.

[Crono]

I support a more nicer (and possibly oldstyle) base theme to begin with, throwing away the current one.

Also read below.

[Dean]

I disagree, though not with your idea but the premise behind it.

Personally I think I would prefer one unified style that reflects Graal more clearly, and if need be a few color changes to match tastes or server styles, but it is really not important. The themes for skinning your Graal client took customization too far. Sure a lot of experienced players (nerds) love to edit the entire game so it suits them down to the ground, but an option for actually skinning the client is overboard. Too many interface options make games feel like they are not entirely sure what they want to be, especially the general client interfaces though I don't think I've ever seen another game offer that. I feel as though the client is being changed to promote to investors what it can provide rather than showing professionalism and progression as a game, and this is what should probably be addressed.

[DustyPorViva]

Originally Posted by Dean

I disagree, though not with your idea but the premise behind it.

Personally I think I would prefer one unified style that reflects Graal more clearly, and if need be a few color changes to match tastes or server styles, but it is really not important. The themes for skinning your Graal client took customization too far. Sure a lot of experienced players (nerds) love to edit the entire game so it suits them down to the ground, but an option for actually skinning the client is overboard. Too many interface options make games feel like they are not entirely sure what they want to be, especially the general client interfaces though I don't think I've ever seen another game offer that. I feel as though the client is being changed to promote to investors what it can provide rather than showing professionalism and progression as a game, and this is what should probably be addressed.

I would love a more unified Graal, but I doubt that will ever happen so I at least hope for this. There is a lot that a majority of the playerlist disagree with when it comes to the design of Graal... like the website, the blue GUI and so on, but Stefan seems to disagree so it's probably gonna stay. At least give us the option to change the way it looks. The blue GUI is ugly and I can't find a decent WBA that I like and that works.

Either way, what's the difference if we can skin the client? The option is already there, just poorly implemented... What I suggest is a default skin that looks nice, to detract players from wanting to change it in the first place. But skinning is always good, people all have different taste and to give them the option to make something look the way they want it is always a plus. To say the a customizable interface detracts from the unity of the game is pretty preposterous. Only the default look matters, as that is... well, what's defaulty seen. Customization is only seen by the person, and has no effect on the game outside of them.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by DustyPorViva

I would love a more unified Graal

You're promoting the wrong ideas then

[DustyPorViva]

Originally Posted by Dean

You're promoting the wrong ideas then

No I'm not. I just know we're not going to get what we really want, so instead of beating a dead horse I want to at least improve what's there. I mean, would you say WoW, or the other countless big games out there that allow mods and such are not unified simply because they allow users to customize just about every feature of the game? Graal can be just as unified as any other game while allowing themes and skins... they just haven't done it right, yet. I care more about how my PMs and other frequently used GUI's while playing look than the overall theme. They're meant to mimic actual OS visuals anyways, so if Graal used actual external windows(like it used to), they wouldn't be able to be unified with Graal anyways.

Either way, I don't want this to derail into some big debate about the direction of Graal since I really want this idea to happen... so if you feel that strongly about it maybe another thread on that. It's been brought up many times before and pretty much ignored, though.

[cyan3]

I support the idea. mainly because I don't really like the GuiBlue and would like to use the normal Gui style and would like the chance to create my own style.

[Soala]

Custom GUIs would be cool, I totally support that idea.
It would give us more freedom

[cbk1994]

Originally Posted by alexandralove

Custom GUIs would be cool, I totally support that idea.
It would give us more freedom

You do know they already exist, right? He wants to add a better way of making them.

Sorry if I'm wrong, it seems from your post you didn't know.