OFPEC Forum
Addons & Mods Depot => ArmA - Configs & Scripting => Topic started by: Bullman on 24 Dec 2008, 03:20:41
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Hello
I am a complete noob to ArmA editing, but there is one thing I would just want to go ahead and mod myself rather than wait/hope someone else does....the map icons/markers/text font size.
The actual topogrpahical map underlay is an aesome looking map, one fo the best things about the game, but when it is cluttered with blocky/crappy/overlapping/illegible text and markers, it just spoils it all.
This is a list of things that I don't like about either the vanilla map icons/markers or the ones I see when I play on MP servers etc.
1. Generally all the icons, markers and font sizes are too BIG. So big that in many cases they just overlap each other and you can't make anything out. Unfortunately the sizes of these things also increase when you zoom in to the map. I would want them to stay the same size if posssible when zooming in/out (though I have been told that this is not possible. Correct?)
2. The actual shape/form/colour of some of the markers themselves could be changed (though really reducing the size of them if the main priority). In particular, the actual vehicle icons you see on the map: not only too big but also I question their form. I would really like to have a go at creating a new series.
So, I am on a mission to try to edit these (client side at first). Can some of you more experienced modders out there perhaps offer a few comments and hints on the appraoch I should be taking. eg what files should be edited?
Cheers
Bullman
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To 1.:
Only on "area" marker, the zoom stays on icon marker.
To 2.:
Those are created via the map and aren't marker, so you can't change them.
In general you can change the size of the marker and switch the icons for them. But that should be all you can do at that point.
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1. Well, actually, the marker/font sizes stay the same regardless of zoom (rather than scaling along with zoom), but I know what you mean. This is, indeed, impossible to do without owning the markers yourself (that is, it is something I might do eventually for SPON Map, since other people want what you want, but I don't think you could affect the default markers placed on the vanilla map).
2. The problem with changing the default sizes of existing markers would be that anyone who has made the markers smaller already (by using setMarkerSize in a script) will then get super-tiny markers! Thus, I'd advise against making global changes like that.
If you want to control "vehicle tracking markers", you are better off using a decent tracking script rather than making a lot of effort altering the completely naff vanilla tracking system. Something a bit more advanced, like SPON Sensor (part of PRACS AWACS plane (http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=4006), but usable separately), might actually suit you better.
The current WIP version of SPON Map (v0.6.0RC6) allows players to choose marker size when they are placed (from 50% to 150% of default size). Yes, I'll get around to releasing it very soon; just keep getting sidetracked!
I'm planning to make marker text to be visible only when you hover over them within SPON Map (yet another thing I'll get around to eventually, but sadly don't expect it in 0.6.0).
Anyway, to affect the default font/marker sizes you'd need to redefine them in class RscMapControl (if you want them changed globally, which would affect all maps, so probably not a great plan) or in class Map within class RscMap (both in ui.pbo::config.bin).