Moving select Units off-Center, a way to Show the whole unit

[Eleazar]

As part of my unending quest to keep the HP/XP bars from unneccesarily obscuring the unit graphics, i make this proposal.

Since most units don't come near the limits of their hex, a Unit WML tag (something like "image offset") could be created to allow some units a custom offset.
In the attached image, the orcish leader is moved 3 pix to the right, and without breaking out of his hex, escapes from beneath the bars.


And why don't we just edit the images to do this? Because if done that way when the unit looks to the left, he would go even further under the bars, because such images are mirrored.

If i may venture a guess, this should be relatively easy to code.

This proposal is independed of this proposal but could be used in conjunction with such changes.

[Boucman]

I think that wouldn't work because lot of the problematic units are mounted => can't move in their hex

OTOH, it is probbly doable to have the bars go to the other side when the unit is facing left...

[Eleazar]

I think that wouldn't work because lot of the problematic units are mounted => can't move in their hex

OTOH, it is probbly doable to have the bars go to the other side when the unit is facing left...

I realize some units are too large to have any wiggle room. That's why i'm proposing that the offset by controlled by and OPTIONAL tag in the unit's CFG.

It is only the main unit image, (not the defend attack frames) that needs to stay within the hex boundry, correct?

The bars should not move. It's more user friendly for them to always have the same relative position to the unit.

[JW]

I think that wouldn't work because lot of the problematic units are mounted => can't move in their hex

OTOH, it is probbly doable to have the bars go to the other side when the unit is facing left...

I think it would be confusing for the hp/xp bars to flip when the unit flips...

And I like the idea Eleazar. It wouldn't have to be applied to every unit if not every unit could be shifted. All the option would do is make some (many) units more recognizable be being more visible.

[Sapient]

Yeah, I can't think of any downsides to this proposal. So, it would be a nice little feature... (unless it makes the attack/defend animation appear misaligned).

[Eleazar]

Yeah, I can't think of any downsides to this proposal. So, it would be a nice little feature... (unless it makes the attack/defend animation appear misaligned).

I think all frames (including attack/defend and walk cycles) would have to have the same offset. I'm expecting the average offset to be about 3-4 pixels so it shouldn't noticeably off-center. (especially if you have the grid turned off.)

[JW]

I just noticed that the unit does look off-center with respect to the ellipse. Will this be an issue?

[Darth Fool]

I don't particularly like this solution, although you are right that this would work for some units. What we need is a solution that works for all units. Adding this in will just make a bigger maintenance headache. So, unlike other suggestions you have made that definately improved the look feel of the game, this is not one that I immediatly feel should go on my to-do list. This week I should be getting high speed internet, so hopefully I can start knocking off some of that to-do list again.

[Eleazar]

I don't particularly like this solution, although you are right that this would work for some units. What we need is a solution that works for all units. Adding this in will just make a bigger maintenance headache. So, unlike other suggestions you have made that definately improved the look feel of the game, this is not one that I immediatly feel should go on my to-do list. This week I should be getting high speed internet, so hopefully I can start knocking off some of that to-do list again.

DFool, i'll be glad to have you back, weather or not you work on this.
I'm not a coder, but i'd guess this would be almost the easiest thing to code i've ever suggested. Are you saying you think this idea would be an especailly big maintenance pain, or it's just one more thing to keep working?

I haven't given up on solutions that work of all units, but i don't see a problem with also using a (seemingly simple) solution that works for lots of units.

[Darth Fool]

DFool, i'll be glad to have you back, weather or not you work on this.
I'm not a coder, but i'd guess this would be almost the easiest thing to code i've ever suggested. Are you saying you think this idea would be an especailly big maintenance pain, or it's just one more thing to keep working?

It would be relatively easy to code, although I suspect that there are a few gotchas that have to be kept in mind, such as making sure that the offset is applied to all animations so that things look smooth. Thus, I suspect, that it will be a little more cumbersome then some other changes. Also, I imagine that we would need to define a reasonable maximum number of pixels that a unit can be shifted to prevent units from seeming like they are in a neighboring hex. I am also not sure how good the melee attacks with a shifted initial center will look. All that said, however, the maintenance pain that I foresee is not so much in the code as in keeping WML and artwork matching. Also, as has been pointed out, for those using ellipses, this causes some units to not be centered. There is already a problem with the uniformity of the vertical placement of units relative to the ellipse, adding in a horizontal offset just makes things worse. So, while we eliminate one graphical problem for some units, we add in a new one. All told, I just don't think that it is worth it.

I haven't given up on solutions that work of all units, but i don't see a problem with also using a (seemingly simple) solution that works for lots of units.

Well, hopefully we can together work out a solution that looks good for all units once I am back working on wesnoth again and you and I can iterate between ideas and code realizations.