Tech Tree Tooltips- HYPERSPEED

[iancmtaylor]

Oft requested over the past year, I would like to announce a mod that adds tool tips to tech tree entries.

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Tooltips for every tech tree entry-

• What is this/ what does it do?

• Compared to similar items, what are the pros/ cons?

• In-Universe commentary.

When this project is complete I will update Customizable Mod Pack to new modding system.

I welcome any ideas, suggestions or In-Universe commentary you would like to provide to be put into the mod for a particular tech tree entry.

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Will likely have to make submods for different vertical resolutions, let me know if this is the case, I'm too lazy to test

How gamey should the tooltips be? I have spreadsheets breaking down component stats, so... I can go there.

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TTT_2023_May_26.zip

(52.82 KiB) Downloaded 109 times

Releases-

0.3--- May 26 2023 for Hyperspeed update 1.1.4.4-

Maintenance-
moved mod to use new ResearchProjectDefinitions.xml, in case there were any changes in Vanilla (I totally forgot to just check the modified Date, but too late now lol)

added-
two tooltips by Nightskies

0.2--- March 19 2023 for Main 1.1.2.4

added-
--tooltips for weapons that are non-specialist weapons (ion/Area/grav/tractor/pd).
--tooltips only for first and last entry in tree, and non-upgrade techs. some upgrade techs did get tooltips if there was something useful to say
--some tooltips are lore tidbits. all of these tidbits aside from Bulwark Missiles and Dealbreaker Beams are written by Nightskies

0.1--- March 12 2023 for Beta 1.1.2.2 (should be compatible with main branch- untested)

added-
--tooltips for all Tier 0 weapon techs

[frankycl]

Hey, that looks really nice - but the pic is too small to read any of the text

Also, it looks like really MUCH text - could this also be made a bit more brief (additionally/optionally)

I think the most importat thing of this would be to get a brief/quick overview what this or that tech is about, respectively for what it could be used or what's the benefit of it.

[mordachai]

Looks fantastic!

It's a lot of info in a single blurb - but it's probably as good as it gets at this point. Helluva nice bit of insight for newbs (hopefully you don't repeat this basic knowledge for higher levels of missiles).

Might want to make this for XL at some point

[iancmtaylor]

Looks fantastic!

It's a lot of info in a single blurb - but it's probably as good as it gets at this point. Helluva nice bit of insight for newbs (hopefully you don't repeat this basic knowledge for higher levels of missiles).

Might want to make this for XL at some point

Yes, Tier 0 gets general info and tactics, Tier 1 will get mostly pros/cons vs the other options, Tier 2 will show the trajectory of the branch. Tier 3+ i'm not sure will have much, outside of pros/cons for the new branches that occur. End techs will pros/cons vs other end techs, like a capstone counterpoint to the opening tech.

<Description>words
line breaks are organic, does not read indents i don't think (haven't tried to see if can indent for paragraphs)
so you
just keep
typing for new line breaks</Description>

Put it inline with <Name> and such, doesn't matter which line it takes. Probably best to standardize it as being next line after <Name>.

[frankycl]

Yes, the pic looks much better now - but if I recall it correctly, the original had 4 componets + texts, right ? - So, the text is/was for 2 componets, each (in the original), yes ?

Hm-still looks like a lot of text (at the same time) for 1 tech - although it looks like you really had put much (and good) thought in this whole thing.

Yes, Tier 0 gets general info and tactics, Tier 1 will get mostly pros/cons vs the other options, Tier 2 will show the trajectory of the branch. Tier 3+ i'm not sure will have much, outside of pros/cons for the new branches that occur. End techs will pros/cons vs other end techs, like a capstone counterpoint to the opening tech.

Well, I gues with "Tier" you mean the steps of the tech-upgrades you can have, yes ?

But that's not what I meant. I meant several steps of different tool-tips/texts with increasing/detailed content for 1 tech, that are NOT displayed all together, but one after another (starting with a brief description for "What is this/ what does it do?" up to the detailed "in-Universe commentary" you are planning).

Ok, but if it isn't possible to make those steps one after another, it should at least be possible to split the texts over the display of the different pics and texts that are already in the game, I think.
So, I'd suggest to put the brief descriptions in " next line after <Name>" (above the pic of the components, etc.), but to put those more detailed things below those pics.

Btw. where are those other things that are shown in game, like e.g. intiating-costs, etc. - where should those be displayed ?

[iancmtaylor]

Ui is not moddable. The Description goes where it is told to go, nothing I can do.

[frankycl]

Ui is not moddable. The Description goes where it is told to go, nothing I can do.

No, it doesn't have to - because the other text-things in the display of the tech (like, e.g. research speed /-duration, etc.) are also only text/text-codes in other files (the txt-files, like e.g. GameText.txt in the data-folder).
So, if you'd exchange/enhance those texts in the files they will be displayed in game accordingly (I know this because I've allredy done it in another project).
The only problem might be the space that you have for the texts in the displays in game - and if those spaces are to be extended (automatically) when the text would be too long. But this could be tested easily I gues.

Just a though, though - and only tests and trial+error can tell us/you if it would be possible. But I think it might be worth a try.

[76mm]

OMG, thank you! As a new player, I can't tell you how frustrating it is to have no idea what the various techs do! Now I just have to figure out how to install it!

[iancmtaylor]

bump

Most weapons filled out. Specialist weapons ignored, my assumption is that the first tooltip in the relevant tech tree should provide all the info you need about that weapon type.

[iancmtaylor]

Maintenance update.

[Suikostinger]

Really dumb question, where does the file go? I put it in the mods folder where the main game is located under commonapps on Steam. Doesnt seem to be working in that spot.

Also, are you thinking about carrying it over to Steam Workshop?

[100thMonkey]

I think this is badly needed by new players (current and future). I remember when I started playing DW:U, the game's tech tooltip (stats) didn't help me understand at all what each weapon was for. And I didn't play DW:U long enough to learn all that stuff (the interface was just too frustrating for me, and retrofitting management when using multiple designs for a hull / role was a total nightmare!). It's only now, with DW2, that I'm starting to understand the purpose of each weapon type.

So an absolutely great idea for a mod!

Would be nice if it was available on the Steam workshop. Meanwhile, installation instructions would be helpful. I've tried a few things to "install" your mod, and none of them worked.