Project 1999 Optimized UI

[Xevin]

I took a break from working on the Character Texture Update Project to do something that has bothered me for some time. Well actually a lot of little things. Basically I went though as much of the default UI as I could and removed things that are not, nor ever will be on Project 1999. I also made a few edits to various windows that I felt makes them better, more streamlined or smaller without sacrificing usability. I remade a TON of the window components to make them pixel perfect. I also overhauled the class animations to make them more fluid with a faster play rate and motion blur. Plus I added back in the classic flash at the end of the animation.

There are so many little changes I may have forgotten a few, but rest assured, they were all for the better on Project 1999.

Update 7.20.11
Thank you everyone for all the useful feedback! I've incorporated as many of the changes as I could.

The tradeskill window for stationary tradeskill stations is glitched or something and will always open to the new (non P99) window and you would have to click "Experiment" to get to the old (P99 compatible) tradeskill container. The best I could do was to simplify that window and remove all the broken options. I also renamed the labels so new people will understand what they do better.

The hotbars was a weird one. For whatever reason my version of that file only had one type (vertical 2x5). I looked at the ones from the actual default UI that Savok had and was able to make a pretty damn good version. I made hotbar 1 the standard vertical 2x5, but hotbars 2 and 3 are horizontal and one is the reverse of the other, so you can have two together and it looks good, or you can shove one to the side of the window and have the spinner on which ever side you like. Finally for hotbar 4, I added a vertical hotbar for some flavor.

During my editing of the hotbars I realized the buttons are really pixelated and ugly, so I decided to remake them in my standard pixel-perfect way. After remaking them and trying them out again, they looked better, but still had artifacts. I did some research and discovered that the EQ client takes the UI .TGA files and then recompresses them to .DDS when you load the game up. Unfortunately it does a HORRIBLE job of it. I decided I'd take the quality straight to the graphics card, so some of the .TGAs are now .DDSs and everything looks perfect!

I intend to eventually convert the entire UI to DDS files as I make revisions.


Download Link:
Mirror 1 (Megaupload)
Mirror 2 (4Shared)
Mirror 3 (MediaFire)
Mirror 4 (HotFile)

To Install:
Download P99OUI.zip
Extract
Place the P99OUI folder into your EverQuest/uifiles/ directory
Run "/loadskin P99OUI" in game
Enjoy

Changes:

v1.1 - Update 7.20.11

EQ Button
-Added 4 pixel invisible border on all sides (for moving and changing the window)

Hotbar Window
-Added 2 Horizontal Hotbars
-Added 1 Vertical Hotbar

Changed Some Textures to .DDS
-Higher Quality Rendering
-Complete Button Overhaul

Tradeskill Window Optimized
-Removed all unnecessary items from the tradeskill window
-Reduced Size of window
-Changed "Experiment" button to "Open Container"
-Changed "Open with CTRL-R Click" button to "Always Open Container"

v1.0 - Initial Release
Inventory Window Optimized
-Removed Charm Slot
-Removed Ebon Crystals
-Removed Radiant Crystals
-Removed AA Guage
-Removed AA Button
-Removed Reclaim Button
-Removed Evolving Items Tab
-Removed Alternate Character Progression Tab
-Repositioned "Skills" "Face" "Destroy" "Done" buttons
-Made "Destroy" button text Orange for Caution
-Added Experience Percentage Text

Containers Optimized
-Removed The bag icon
-Reduced the size of the bag name
-Reduced borders around window
-Removed close button
-Enlarged the "Done" button
-Reduced the "Combine" button

Target Window Optimized
-Reduced overall window size
-Recreated the Target Indicator

Player Window Optimized
-Reduced overall window size
-Recreated the Attacking Indicator

Removed ALL Help Buttons

Recreated Window Borders
-Pixel perfect
-Removed Filigrees where possible

Recreated Window Tab Borders
-Pixel Perfect

Group Window Optimized
-Reduced overall window size

Quantity Window Optimized
-Reduced overall window size

Class Animations
-Retimed animations to play more quickly
-Added motion blur to the animations to make them appear more fluid
-Recreated the "Classic Flash" at the end of animations

Credits:
fenrian1 for SmallerBags which I used as a basis for my container optimizations
Savok for being awesome!

[Taryth]

You got rid of the window frills!!!!! My OCD compulsion to align windows has gone wild!


[You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[Psycher]

Nice work, now get on releasing those textures! [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[Mcbard]

Originally Posted by Taryth [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

You got rid of the window frills!!!!! My OCD compulsion to align windows has gone wild!

Haha ya, I went a little crazy on that myself one day..

[You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.][You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[Reppy]

Could you do the Vert UI when you get time as well ?

[Xevin]

Originally Posted by Taryth [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

You got rid of the window frills!!!!! My OCD compulsion to align windows has gone wild!

HAHA! Yeah. Those things pissed me off so much. You have no idea.

Originally Posted by Psycher [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Nice work, now get on releasing those textures! [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Doh! Yessir...

Originally Posted by Mcbard [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Haha ya, I went a little crazy on that myself one day..

Looks nice. Only one problem; No item names in the Item Display Window. That's gotta suck sometimes.

Originally Posted by Reppy [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Could you do the Vert UI when you get time as well ?

Nope. I just did the default one, because that's what 99% of the people are used to.

If there are any specific elements that you like from another UI, point them out. I might add them into this UI so long as it 1. Does not interfere with usability and 2. Does not take up more screen space then the original.

[Mcbard]

Originally Posted by Xevin [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Looks nice. Only one problem; No item names in the Item Display Window. That's gotta suck sometimes.

I thought it would at first too, but then I realized... when would that ever matter since you have context menus? I don't really use that ui anymore anyway because it just didn't feel classic and playing at 1920 by 1080 really bummed me out! The boxes get so tiny. [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[HallygukRZ]

I get the names in item window. Guess he fixed it [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.] Thanks!

[Savok]

Link in my sig for a working Vert UI.

[Xothos]

Only thing I see it missing is when you hit the "EQ" button to bring up the menus. It still has all the optional menu's for AA's, Leadership, and the such.