Is the HUD in this game just really big?

[Ace Savoron]

Hello. I'm not really sure if this is a technical support question, but maybe you guys can point me in the right direction. Just installed this game a couple days ago, and I run all of my games at their highest settings. Yeah, my computer can do that... :D

 

Anyways, I have it set as 1280x1024, 75hz, but IMO, the HUD interface is absolutely intrusive into my game play. I'm used to tiny little icons, but these things are huge. I took a couple screenshots for you to compare:

 

KotOR 1

 

KotOR 2

 

Now, both of those shots are UNEDITED. If you look at the dimensions for both, they are 1280x1024. However, as you can see from the shots, the HUD does NOT look like a high-res HUD.

 

On the config screen, I double checked to make sure the 1280x1024 res was selected. I also opened up my *.ini file and changed the Display section to the higher res dimensions, but it seems to have had no effect. Here is my *.ini file (edited to remove the unneccesary lists, indicated by a ...):

 

[Display Options]
FullScreen=1
Disable Movies=0
Disable Intro Movies=0
Sort Modules=1
Width=1280
Height=1024
BitsPerPixels=32
RefreshRate=75

[Sound Options]...

[Graphics Options]
Anisotropy=4
Frame Buffer=1
Grass=1
Soft Shadows=1
Shadows=1
Brightness=57
EnableHardwareMouse=1
FullScreen=1
RefreshRate=75
Width=1280
Height=1024
V-Sync=0
Texture Quality=2
Anti Aliasing=4

[Game Options]
UnlockedPlanetSongs=3
Enable Tooltips=1
Keyboard Camera Deceleration=2000.000000
Keyboard Camera Acceleration=500.000000
Keyboard Camera DPS=200.000000
TextureVariation=9
BodyVariation=3
AppearanceType=176
PCGender=0
GameCompleted=0
CurSithLord=0
Hide InGame GUI=0
Use Small Fonts=0
Hide Unequippable=0
Tutorial Popups=1
Subtitles=1
Mini Map=1
Floating Numbers=1
Status Summary=1
Enable Mouse Teleporting To Buttons=1
Mouse Sensitivity=28
Difficulty Level=1
Auto Level Up NPCs=0
Mouse Look=0
AutoSave=1
EnableScreenShot=0
Reverse Mouse Buttons=0
Reverse Ingame YAxis=0
Reverse Minigame YAxis=0
Combat Movement=1
TooltipDelay Sec=1
Disable Movies=0

[config]
firstrun=0

[Keymapping]...

[Autopause Options]
End Of Combat Round=0
Mine Sighted=0
Enemy Sighted=1
Party Killed=1
Action Menu=0
New Target Selected=1

[Movies Shown]
Movie10=0
Movie 9=0
Movie 8=0
Movie 7=0
Movie 6=0
Movie 5=0
Movie 4=0
Movie 3=0
Movie 2=0
Movie 1=0
Movie 0=28

 

Is everyone dealing with this huge HUD, or is it just me. I have a BFG GeFX 5900, and have the same problem with both the Dec. and March drivers.

 

--Ace

[Judge Hades]

In KotOR 1 the HUD size was static. No matter what size of resolution you had in KotOR 1 they take up the same pixels. In KotOR 2 the HUD scales to resolution size.

[Ace Savoron]

In KotOR 1 the HUD size was static.  No matter what size of resolution you had in KotOR 1 they take up the same pixels.  In KotOR 2 the HUD scales to resolution size.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

So essentially, there is no way around this... I am forced to endure the health bar of an enemy filling 1/3 of the screen. I guess at the price of visual quality, I could reduce the resolution, but this makes little sense to me as to why it was mandated as such.

 

Thanks for the input, however, it is appreciated, albeit bad news...

 

--Ace

[Judge Hades]

You can get rid of some of the HUD in the the options area.

[Master Dahvernas]

The Devs claimed the HUD was scalable... But I have serious doubts about this claim just from playing the game myself (obviously) and looking at screenshots like above.

 

It is as if the HUD is really a 540x344 HUD (TV Screen) that would fall in line with it since this is essentially a very bad XBox port any way you cut it.

 

However, it would not surprise me if this feature (scalable HUD) wasn't implemented given the rushed shape this game is in along with the multitude of other problems it has.

[GMan2]

Yeah, I have the same issues as you! Great screen resolution but a HUD that fills the friggin screen during gameplay. And it sucks that at this point in time the only way to clear any of it up is to shut it off in the options screen. (Which really only amounts to shutting off the mini-map) in the screen shots you've provided.

[Judge Hades]

I had no problems with the HUD. How is it blocking the action any way. Its not like its blocking the center action with a huge pic of Waldo or something.

[Ohma]

Yeah, it would be nice to scale the HUD down but it never blocks anything that you can't rotate the camera a fraction of a degree to look at, so meh.

[GMan2]

I'm sorry for the confusion...I don't want to make it sound like it's so obtrusive I can't play or move it out of the way with camera angles. I was just trying to imply that I wish there was a smaller scale version like the screen shot from KOTOR shows.

But there are times where it does block the center action for an opponent that may be center screen, but a distance away where you can't see what you're attacking. Not even rotating the camera resolves it. So, like I said I just wish it was scaled a little smaller....And maybe if it was placed a little higher might prevent some blockage. That's just wishfull thinking though...I can play the game fine & this isn't that big of a problem for me.

 

Thanks!

[Sarjahurmaaja.]

"The Devs claimed the HUD was scalable... But I have serious doubts about this claim just from playing the game myself (obviously) and looking at screenshots like above.

 

It is as if the HUD is really a 540x344 HUD (TV Screen) that would fall in line with it since this is essentially a very bad XBox port any way you cut it.

 

However, it would not surprise me if this feature (scalable HUD) wasn't implemented given the rushed shape this game is in along with the multitude of other problems it has."

 

Duh, the above screenshots just prove that the HUD IS scalable. It sticks to scale with the higher resolution (and since it won't get pixelated or anything, uses different pictures for them, too), instead of just being rendered at a higher resolution (and thus resulting to HUD shrinking when resolution went higher).

 

Also, the KOTOR2 HUD is a ****ton better than what we got in the original: I can actually tell how much HP my party has left when we're in combat!

[Feargus Urquhart]

There are multiple versions of the interface, so that at higher resolutions you are getting different art - not just something scaled up. [someone could look in the game files if they don't believe me. ]

 

I guess it never occured to us that some people would want the non-scaled version of KotOR1 as well as the scaled version. I'll ask if we could maybe put that in a future patch (if we do one).

[Kiwegapa]

I find it really big myself. I know this isn't an option for a lot of people, but for me the UI is much more reasonable at 1600x1200 resolution.

 

A 'small fonts' option like KOTOR 1 and a 'small UI' option in the prefs would have been nifty.

[LadyCrimson]

It is better at 1600, but still a little too obtrusive. I also would have liked it to be a bit smaller. I often feel as if I'm missing half the action with the big attack-options bar going over people's faces and bodies, sometimes, as you swirl the camera angle around.

[Judge Hades]

There are multiple versions of the interface, so that at higher resolutions you are getting different art - not just something scaled up.  [someone could look in the game files if they don't believe me. ]

 

I guess it never occured to us that some people would want the non-scaled version of KotOR1 as well as the scaled version.  I'll ask if we could maybe put that in a future patch (if we do one).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Well, that is good news. Thanks, Feargus.

[GMan2]

There are multiple versions of the interface, so that at higher resolutions you are getting different art - not just something scaled up.  [someone could look in the game files if they don't believe me. ]

 

I guess it never occured to us that some people would want the non-scaled version of KotOR1 as well as the scaled version.  I'll ask if we could maybe put that in a future patch (if we do one).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Well, that is good news. Thanks, Feargus.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Absolutely! Thanks for considering the idea!

[Judge Hades]

Only thing now is to have Lucas Arts order another patch. Doubt that will happen though.

[Ace Savoron]

Hey, sorry that I kinda started this topic then abandoned it. I was outta town for a few days.

 

Anyways, yes, I am playing through just fine with the oversized HUD. And I wasn't saying that I wanted the FEATURES of the KOTOR 1 HUD back. I like what has been implemented into K2.

 

My point was simply that for me, it is intrusive into my immersive experience in the RPG. I would rather have the screen filled with the visuals themselves, instead of the overlay of the controls. As someone else mentioned, this is especially noticeable during battle, when the health bars of your enemies are displayed. Just so many graphics covering up the actual game itself seems intrusive to me.

 

A lot of people still play around the 800x600 range, so it's probably not a noticable issue for them. But for someone who plays everything with high-res + tiny HUDs in all other games, it just seemed out of place.

 

Thanks to the Dev for the comment of consideration though. Seems that a few of us here would enjoy a fix being implemented.

 

My two cents...

 

--Ace

[iamthelorax]

There are multiple versions of the interface, so that at higher resolutions you are getting different art - not just something scaled up.  [someone could look in the game files if they don't believe me. ]

 

I guess it never occured to us that some people would want the non-scaled version of KotOR1 as well as the scaled version.  I'll ask if we could maybe put that in a future patch (if we do one).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Never occurred to y'all, huh? That's interesting, cuz I know I mentioned it in at least two posts on dev questions forums back in Sept or Oct., at least one of which was replied to by a programmer (although the reply didn't reply to my HUD question in particular). If we could just set the resolution from whence our HUD comes in our .ini file, independently of resolution, everyone would be happy. For instance, you could run 1600*1200 with the HUD from 1024*768. K1's fixed-res HUD was designed for 800*600 resolution, at which it was huge. I ran K1 at 1280*960, though, so I was fine. What I'm asking for (and asked for 6 months ago) would have been easy to implement before release, but hoping for it in a patch is wishful thinking. However, as long as the HUD elements are in four pieces and simply stick in the corners of the screen, it should be fairly easy to mod. If, on the other hand, each res's HUD has the HUD elements on a transparent plate, modding it might be hard. Why they would do the latter, though, I don't know, so hopefully they didn't.

 

BTW, does K2 have a HUD trasparency option?