OpenMW Launcher

[pvdk]

You are right that this information is not visible in the screenshots. However, it is implemented: additional information about the plugin is shown in a mouse-over tooltip. Here's how it looks:

OpenMW Launcher tooltip

It allows for a cleaner interface while providing the same usability as the original launcher.
Thanks for the worries though, reminds me I should upload a decent screenshot of this

[psi29a]

Just a question about game data: What exactly is necessary to run OpenMW? Or to ask another way, what is required from Morrowind (and it's expansions) to run OpenMW? Is just the esm files?

[Zini]

The esm files, plus all resources (textures, meshes, sound files and such). Also, the Morrowind.ini file will be required at some point (we are not using it yet).

[corristo]

About the image plugins I'm not sure. Maybe this page has more info on that.

Thanks, also seen this link, it clearly states image format plugins should be deployed always. So I'm deploying them.

regarding libpng dependency, I'm removing it only on Mac for now.

[psi29a]

I would rather not. We should keep the launcher slim. My point of view is, that if you have a non-standard MW install, you can also be expected to manually adjust the data path in your local openmw.cfg.

Installing morrowind via wine on Linux is about as non-standard as you can get so I do not buy your argument. Some people will choose to copy their directory over from Windows or run it from a fat/ntfs volume. It is not so problematic to allow the user the ability to set his/her own path via a launcher, otherwise what is the point of the launcher since everyone can just edit cfg files.

I even posted a feature request for this:
http://bugs.openmw.org/issues/197

Something for in the future.

[pvdk]

Yes, I agree with BrotherBrick. I suggested this before, because I think it would be trivial to implement and it would mean a massive improvement in user-friendliness.

And it would not mean the launcher would be much less minimal, because this is how it would look:

Code: Select all

QString dir = QFileDialog::getExistingDirectory(this, tr("Open Directory"),
                                                 "/home",
                                                 QFileDialog::ShowDirsOnly
                                                 | QFileDialog::DontResolveSymlinks);

[Greendogo]

I have a quick question, what is the black console-ish window that opens before the OpenMW Launcher opens and stays open during it's operation? And is that going to go away after a few releases? Because it's kind of ugly.

Edit: Also, why are there two ways to "Play" and "Close"? I'd think it would be better to just eliminate the bottom two buttons "Play" and "Close" which already have their functions fulfilled by the "Play" tab/menu and the always present [X] exit button in the top right.

[pvdk]

I have a quick question, what is the black console-ish window that opens before the OpenMW Launcher opens and stays open during it's operation? And is that going to go away after a few releases? Because it's kind of ugly.

I agree, noticed it myself last week when testing the launcher on Windows. It's a Windows-specific issue caused by CMake not setting the right subsystem (Console instead of Windows.)
I will fix it as it is indeed ugly.

Edit: Also, why are there two ways to "Play" and "Close"? I'd think it would be better to just eliminate the bottom two buttons "Play" and "Close" which already have their functions fulfilled by the "Play" tab/menu and the always present [X] exit button in the top right.

O god another minimalist
Well, I don't agree with you, I added the buttons for convenience and I think it fits the flow of the application, at least for me. The Play button might be debatable (and we did debate about it before) but I don't see the Close button going, as it would annoy the hell out of me when I would have to click the [x] all the time.

Edit: And it's not like we're the only ones doing it like that, look at the launcher for Amnesia: the Dark Descent for example. (Which is a great game btw.)

[Yacoby]

and the always present [X] exit button in the top right.

Not really always present. For example XMonad doesn't render program title bars so I don't have the X.

While I could just close it using Mod4 + C, having a close button adds. a certain symmetry. (Also, if I am using the mouse at that point I don't want to switch to the keyboard)

[Greendogo]

Alright, point taken on the play and close buttons. I still don't like it and it would make me happier if you could remove the [_][R][X] buttons, but that would be way more difficult, me thinks, so whatevs.

Also, pvdk, I think after having some issues with the launcher I realized the black console window is supposed to be for error reporting. Maybe you should make it an option to log errors instead of removing it altogether?