Font size for console messages

[Slikkster]

I just got a spiffy Dell 20" LCD (rebranded LG monitor).  It wants to run natively at 1600x1200, and looks fine in Q2 in that mode.  But the text size for console messages is exceedingly small, as you might imagine.

Is there a way to change that on a client without changing the screen size?
By the way, if I try to run at any screen size other than the native 1600x1200, it stutters quite a bit.  So, that's where it will stay.

[q2dude]

On a few of the updated Q2 engines, they have a cvar that you're able to play around with, to scale up or down the console font thingamabob.

NoCheat may or may not have this (if anything, 2.40 would/should have it), and then I think Quake2maX might have this.

You might try these out and see how it works for ya.

[no_life]

I know that it can be done via engine code but have you thought of the possibility of editing conchars.pcx (image file containing console text)? I am pretty sure that I have seen some modified conchars which made them appear bigger.

[Slikkster]

I wasn't aware until now that the text came from an image file (conchars).

That's too bad, as I have no expertise in editing files like that, but thanks for the info.

[M^tster]

Next time you see Chattanoo...ask him about that slikk...hes modified his console a bit..so maybe he knows how to help.Gl!

[no_life]

Ive edited them before to change the colors.
Here is a screen shot of editing the conchars.pcx image in wally.

[[BTF]EyEsTrAiN]

Where exactly is the conchars.pcx file? Is it in one of the pak files?

[no_life]

It is in pak0.pak, in the pics folder.
You can open the paks with pak editor or if you have a copy of wally, you can explaore and extract stuff from the paks.

[Slikkster]

But how would one edit the font size?  These aren't scalable fonts.  These are actual graphics images.  I tried making the whole pcx file larger, but it didn't display correctly in the game.

[no_life]

I suppose that some engine code tweaks would add on the finishing touch. It can be done with ease(assuming that you know some basic c++).. all you need is access to a compiler. I would be glad to create a client with this feature, possibly creating a new cvar named "text_size" that allows you to alter the size with a command. I don't really have the time to mess with it or a place to store it right now(so that you guys could dl it). All that one would need to do is declare the cvar and replace the chat hud display integers with "text_size->value"

I think that this is the function that would need to be edited... cant say for sure unless i changed some things around to test the theory.

Code: [Select]


/*
================
Draw_Char

Draws one 8*8 graphics character
It can be clipped to the top of the screen to allow the console to be
smoothly scrolled off.
================
*/
void Draw_Char (int x, int y, int num)
{
byte *dest;
byte *source;
int drawline;
int row, col;

num &= 255;

if (num == 32 || num == 32+128)
return;

if (y <= -8)
return; // totally off screen

// if ( ( y + 8 ) >= vid.height )
if ( ( y + 8 ) > vid.height ) // PGM - status text was missing in sw...
return;

#ifdef PARANOID
if (y > vid.height - 8 || x < 0 || x > vid.width - 8)
ri.Sys_Error (ERR_FATAL,"Con_DrawCharacter: (%i, %i)", x, y);
if (num < 0 || num > 255)
ri.Sys_Error (ERR_FATAL,"Con_DrawCharacter: char %i", num);
#endif

row = num>>4;
col = num&15;
source = draw_chars->pixels[0] + (row<<10) + (col<<3);

if (y < 0)
{ // clipped
drawline = 8 + y;
source -= 128*y;
y = 0;
}
else
drawline = 8;


dest = vid.buffer + y*vid.rowbytes + x;

while (drawline--)
{
if (source[0] != TRANSPARENT_COLOR)
dest[0] = source[0];
if (source[1] != TRANSPARENT_COLOR)
dest[1] = source[1];
if (source[2] != TRANSPARENT_COLOR)
dest[2] = source[2];
if (source[3] != TRANSPARENT_COLOR)
dest[3] = source[3];
if (source[4] != TRANSPARENT_COLOR)
dest[4] = source[4];
if (source[5] != TRANSPARENT_COLOR)
dest[5] = source[5];
if (source[6] != TRANSPARENT_COLOR)
dest[6] = source[6];
if (source[7] != TRANSPARENT_COLOR)
dest[7] = source[7];
source += 128;
dest += vid.rowbytes;
}
}


[Slikkster]

no_life, that would be too cool.  Instead of "HalfLife", we could have the "No_Life" Q2 Mod.  Hope you get a chance to play around with it.

Q2 at 1600x1200 looks pretty, screenwise, but the text is almost impossible to see.  What good are "Camper" taunts if I can't read people's responses to them?  lol

[no_life]

I see what you mean,
I am sure that I will get around to messing with it one of these days. I enjoy messing around with the engine code, its pretty fun somtimes.. I have spent countless hours on it in the past.

[spikeq2]

dude you have no life!! He He...... sry there isnt and easy way for you slikk. Ill mess around witht he image when i get time....though there is prolly nothign that can be done without messing up the code like no_life stated

[no_life]

The name is sarcastic and to make fun of myself. Actually I dont have a whole lot of time. I do all sorts of shit during the week. I work and attend classes, on the weekends I end up staying up all late with my insomnia and look for things to do on the computer. Everyone else I know goes to bed at normal hours. Over the years ive taught myself some useful things, coding in several languages like c/c++ and assmebly/reverse compiling(cracking). These things are of much use in the job market.
Since I have a compiling environment all set up and ready to go, I dont see why I shouldnt offer to help. The more practice the better... especially since I am in the business of marketing software that I helped develop.
Besides, took 2 secs to take that screenshot and paste that code into here. so its not like I've got nothing better to do... just trying to offer advice since ive been involved in quake2 for so long.

ok well toyed around with it for a few and got the letters bigger but, you can see theres a few alignment probs which can be worked out... ill mess with it some more another time.

[Cheaters-r-Scum]

Just use an alternative quake2 client, such as "nocheat" or "quake2max".

Quake2max has a command (you can enter it in the console): con_font_size, just use a higher number than the default.

Nocheat has a nice command "gl_scale", simply use a number higher than 1, like 2, for instance.

If only my favourite client "icculus quake2" (the most beautiful graphics I ever saw in quake2) had such a feature...


later
Cheaters-r-Scum