TrueType font for OpenMW

[psi29a]

If The Open Font License (SIL OPF) is used, we can add it to the OpenMW repo, then we can package it for debian redist... more or less fast tracking it.

Otherwise, you would have to find a sponsor for a new package which would delay use in OpenMW itself anyway.

So I suggest that the font be:
1) Licensed as pvdk suggested as SIL OPF.
2) It be included in openmw's git repo, with documention.
3) Made default over the original bitmap font and make it configurable so we can switch between the two.

[scrawl]

We are definitely not changing the default and this does not go into the repository either. If we start doing that we will have a repository full of art assets sooner or later. I suggest to start a new project with its own repository (call it Morrowind Asset Replacement project or something).

[Zini]

Agreed. We do not deal in assets. We can promote the asset replacement project. But it does not belong into the OpenMW repository.

[Isaskar]

I have put the project on GitHub, as HiPhish suggested, and I used it to create a webpage, located at http://isaskar.github.io/Pelagiad/

I was originally planning to use a Creative Commons license for the font, but as pvdk suggested, I've switched to SIL OPF.

Even if you don't distribute any font replacements with the game, I think a lot of us would appreciate a more elegant way to add and switch fonts. Currently, whichever font is called "Magic Cards" is the one that will get used for gameplay. In the future, OpenMW will be used to create new games, separate from Morrowind, and these may want to use different fonts to create a different athmosphere. This may be a post-1.0 feature though.

[pvdk]

Too bad. I figure shipping it for use in the launcher only is out of the question too then. I dislike the way the Play button looks right now.

For the interface font I definitely agree we need a way to switch fonts without resorting to editing configuration files, but I believe this was on the post-1.0 wishlist anyway.

[HiPhish]

Ideally the font would be a mod like any other mod as well. From an end-user perspective it makes no difference whether you use a mod to replace a texture or a font.

[psi29a]

I suggested in the beginning of this thread to keep it to mods... I wish you guys (scrawl and zini) got in on this thread sooner.

I do not however have a problem with getting this packaged later.

We are definitely not changing the default and this does not go into the repository either. If we start doing that we will have a repository full of art assets sooner or later. I suggest to start a new project with its own repository (call it Morrowind Asset Replacement project or something).

Agreed 100% and I think this was supposed to be "a thing"... that never really got any further than a thread here in the forums.

Agreed. We do not deal in assets. We can promote the asset replacement project. But it does not belong into the OpenMW repository.

Then we should be consequent and remove the other assets in our repo like other fonts, pngs and icons. It was because of the fact that we already shipped fonts, that this might also be a reasonable addition considering it was specifically made for OpenMW instead of DejaVuLGCSansMono.ttf.

If we want to keep the openmw.git repo 'pure', then perhaps we should think about submodules again to link against an asset repo.

[Zini]

Let me clarify. We do not deal in Morrowind assets. Graphical resources that are required outside of MW are of course permissible. When I wrote assets I meant stuff that is part of MW content (changing the font is something a TC or an UI re-skinning mod might do).

Regarding the play button: It's not that bad. What font are we currently using? Looks pretty much like the system font on my box.

@HiPhish: Yes, exactly. That's the idea. But, post 1.0 feature.

[pvdk]

Regarding the play button: It's not that bad. What font are we currently using? Looks pretty much like the system font on my box.

Currently no font is explicitly specified, so it will indeed use the system font.

[Zini]

And that is the right thing to do. Good! Let's stay consistent.