Documenting Xbox UI differences from PC
Posted: 09 Jul 2019, 20:54
I was working on modifying the mygui xml files to more closely match the xbox version of the interface.
I know some things will require button combinations which was requested here. https://gitlab.com/OpenMW/openmw/issues/4000
I thought I would document the difference in the base goty games for pc and xbox.
I will start with a comparison of the text colors from morrowind.ini
Xbox fonts & colors
PC fonts and colors
The xbox colors were probably better for the popular CRT TVs of the time. There are also color differences in the Weather sections.
One fun difference someone put in is the Level 13 text. xbox vs pc
There are 3 main data files used by the game. Morrowind.esm, Morrowind.esm.map and Morrowind.bsa. These integrate the Tribunal and Bloodmoon expansions. The esm.map is also a esm of some kinda with full of CMAP types. I get errors/crashes loading either esm in morrowind editors. Some of the definitions for the types changed some data size definitions so error out. (Expecting length 12 instead of length 8 etc.)
The Morrowind.bsa for the xbox isn't extractable with any tools I could find. The filenames section of the file is mangled in some fashion. All the DDS and INFs are just data. I just dumped them based using their file headers as cut offsets so I could look at them. The nif and dds are usuaslly low quality versions of the PC versions. Many simple textures and nifs are identical. I don't know enough about NIFs to tell you how they are simplified.
I did find all the xbox_button_XX.dds files in the bsa for the xbox controller keys which I was going to use as a base to re-add their textures to the interface. I was thinking new icons could we switched out for other controllers types.
I am having some trouble understanding why NeedKey and NeedMouse properties used in the mygui xmls sometimes. I can disable some NeedMouse properties and then some elements work with directional keys and enter and but some don't. I might need to start looking at the source to see how things work because there will probably need code changes to get what I want done. I have been documenting the xbox interface with screen shots and then modifying the mygui interface to match as much as possible. I was kinda just playing around here with increasing the mini-map size and moving elements around.
I have tons of in game screens from the xbox interface if anyone is interested in them or maybe cooperating on this. I don't really have a good understanding of the game engine or anything so will just have to learn as I go.
I know some things will require button combinations which was requested here. https://gitlab.com/OpenMW/openmw/issues/4000
I thought I would document the difference in the base goty games for pc and xbox.
I will start with a comparison of the text colors from morrowind.ini
Xbox fonts & colors
Code: Select all
[Fonts]
Palettize=1
Font 0=century_gothic_font_regular
Font 1=century_gothic_big
Font 2=daedric_font
[FontColor]
color_normal=244,177,53
color_normal_over=249,208,134
color_normal_pressed=253,239,215
color_active=96,112,202
color_active_over=159,169,223
color_active_pressed=223,226,244
color_disabled=179,168,135
color_disabled_over=249,208,134
color_disabled_pressed=253,239,2159
color_link=90,96,139
color_link_over=114,120,163
color_link_pressed=139,145,180
color_journal_link=24,43,146
color_journal_link_over=44,70,222
color_journal_link_pressed=117,135,234
color_journal_topic=0,0,0
color_journal_topic_over=24,43,146
color_journal_topic_pressed=44,70,222
color_answer=150,50,30
color_answer_over=249,208,134
color_answer_pressed=253,239,215
color_header=249,208,134
color_notify=249,208,134
color_big_normal=169,128,65
color_big_normal_over=202,168,117
color_big_normal_pressed=225,206,179
color_big_link=90,96,139
color_big_link_over=111,117,162
color_big_link_pressed=136,141,179
color_big_answer=150,50,30
color_big_answer_over=202,168,117
color_big_answer_pressed=225,206,179
color_big_header=202,168,117
color_big_notify=202,168,117
color_background=0,0,0
color_focus=80,80,80
color_health=150,50,30
color_magic= 53,69,159
color_fatigue=68,166,83
color_misc=0,205,205
color_weapon_fill=150,50,30
color_magic_fill=150,50,30
color_positive=249,208,134
color_negative=150,50,30
color_count=249,208,134
Code: Select all
[Fonts]
Font 0=magic_cards_regular
Font 1=century_gothic_font_regular
Font 2=daedric_font
[FontColor]
color_normal=202,165,96
color_normal_over=223,201,159
color_normal_pressed=243,237,221
color_active=96,112,202
color_active_over=159,169,223
color_active_pressed=223,226,244
color_disabled=179,168,135
color_disabled_over=223,201,159
color_disabled_pressed=243,237,221
color_link=112,126,207
color_link_over=143,155,218
color_link_pressed=175,184,228
color_journal_link=37,49,112
color_journal_link_over=58,77,175
color_journal_link_pressed=112,126,207
color_journal_topic=0,0,0
color_journal_topic_over=58,77,175
color_journal_topic_pressed=112,126,207
color_answer=150,50,30
color_answer_over=223,201,159
color_answer_pressed=243,237,221
color_header=223,201,159
color_notify=223,201,159
color_big_normal=202,165,96
color_big_normal_over=223,201,159
color_big_normal_pressed=243,237,221
color_big_link=112,126,207
color_big_link_over=143,155,218
color_big_link_pressed=175,184,228
color_big_answer=150,50,30
color_big_answer_over=223,201,159
color_big_answer_pressed=243,237,22
color_big_header=223,201,159
color_big_notify=223,201,159
color_background=0,0,0
color_focus=80,80,80
color_health=200,60,30
color_magic=53,69,159
color_fatigue=0,150,60
color_misc=0,205,205
color_weapon_fill=200,60,30
color_magic_fill=200,60,30
color_positive=223,201,159
color_negative=200,60,30
color_count=223,201,159
One fun difference someone put in is the Level 13 text. xbox vs pc
Level13=It's the most amazing thing. Yesterday it was hard, and today it is easy. Just a good night's sleep, and you forget how to be stupid.
The music is just wma rather then mp3. The sounds are a lower sampling then the PC version. The videos are also just lower bitrate version of the PC videos. There is one additional video mw_attract0.bik which isn't in the PC version which is demo type video when the main menu idles.Level13=It's the most amazing thing. Yesterday it was hard, and today it is easy. Just a good night's sleep, and yesterday's mysteries are today's masteries.
There are 3 main data files used by the game. Morrowind.esm, Morrowind.esm.map and Morrowind.bsa. These integrate the Tribunal and Bloodmoon expansions. The esm.map is also a esm of some kinda with full of CMAP types. I get errors/crashes loading either esm in morrowind editors. Some of the definitions for the types changed some data size definitions so error out. (Expecting length 12 instead of length 8 etc.)
The Morrowind.bsa for the xbox isn't extractable with any tools I could find. The filenames section of the file is mangled in some fashion. All the DDS and INFs are just data. I just dumped them based using their file headers as cut offsets so I could look at them. The nif and dds are usuaslly low quality versions of the PC versions. Many simple textures and nifs are identical. I don't know enough about NIFs to tell you how they are simplified.
I did find all the xbox_button_XX.dds files in the bsa for the xbox controller keys which I was going to use as a base to re-add their textures to the interface. I was thinking new icons could we switched out for other controllers types.
I am having some trouble understanding why NeedKey and NeedMouse properties used in the mygui xmls sometimes. I can disable some NeedMouse properties and then some elements work with directional keys and enter and but some don't. I might need to start looking at the source to see how things work because there will probably need code changes to get what I want done. I have been documenting the xbox interface with screen shots and then modifying the mygui interface to match as much as possible. I was kinda just playing around here with increasing the mini-map size and moving elements around.
I have tons of in game screens from the xbox interface if anyone is interested in them or maybe cooperating on this. I don't really have a good understanding of the game engine or anything so will just have to learn as I go.