OHR - A modern GUI / interface for custom.exe

Like I said, one reason I love OHRRPGCE over other RPG creators is that it doesn't require scripting (except for optional cutscenes) and allows the user to create their games by menu. On the downside, the current console interface feels a little limited compared to other applications, and also looks rather old (logical for a project this lengthy). I've been thinking how custom.exe would be like if someone could give it a cleaner and more compact interface... such as high-res icons and fonts, mouse support, and tabbed / parallel menus. This shows an example of what I'm talking about (RPG Maker):



The GUI could still work in a console, although my thought is a window interface (using GTK or something else that works cross-platform). I'm not saying it should replace the current custom.exe either, as it could even be a separate project with another exe (a framework to put the normal custom.exe in). Console or windows form, I'd still love to see an interface like that

Closest I found is someone's attempt to port OHRRPGCE to Bitzmax, which can be seen here. The interface resembles the current GUI, but uses higher quality styles and seems to support full mouse interaction.

If I was a better developer I'd try this myself, but all I can do is ask. Doesn't matter if it's a separate sub-project, although an official method would be nice too. I'm curious how possible this is and how difficult it would be achieve it. If so, has anyone done this yet or plans to try it out?

You might be interested in this:

http://rpg.hamsterrepublic.com/ohrrpgce/Plan_for_an_Editor_Editor

The plan would allow us to re-create the existing editor menus in a more uniform and flexible format. One of the really cool things about that plan is that it would open up the way to adding features like mouse support to all menus in custom, and that the same editor definition files could be re-used in an alternative editor interface, like something done in wxwidgets or gtk.

We also do plan to add mouse support to the map editor, although I don't think it will resemble the RPG Maker XP interface very closely.

EDIT: Oh, and you also mentioned the confusingly named ohrrpgce2/ohrrpgcex project. I haven't heard anything new from its developer lately. He got off to a great start, but I guess he has been busy with other things and has not updated it in a while.

That plan sounds nice. I hope it will happen sometime

Yeah... if there is ever a more "Windowsish"/"RPG Makerish"-looking GUI for the OHRRPGCE, it should definitely be optional.

I'd hate to have to be stuck using an older version and missing out on other, actually-useful new features if the program gets a redesign and I can't stand how the new version looks.

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FYS:AHS -- Swapping out some step-on NPCs for zones + each step script
Puckamon -- Not until the reserve party is expanded.[/size]

I'm against something like this.
I personally love the feel of the old dos editor. It's one of the reasons I use OHR instead of something else. But most of all, I'm against something like this because it's a big project that won't help the OHR do something it can't already do. I'd rather Dev's spend their time making the ohr do new and exciting things (like battle scripting) then make a prettier GUI.

I'm pretty sure the developers already think this way, but I'll say it anyway:

I'm all for any updates anyone feels like AS LONG AS THE CURRENT KEYBOARD FUNCTIONALITY STILL EXISTS. Basically, the main reason I like the OHR is because I don't have to touch a mouse at all, and even if more mouse support were added, I'd simply be praying that I could still do everything with the keyboard (or at least, still do everything I can do now with the keyboard).

I also like the look of the OHR now, but I wouldn't stop using it just because it looked totally different.

PS: I hate that all of these new web browsers seem to think that new TABS are better than new WINDOWS. I have to use the mouse to switch between tabs. I can use ALT+TAB to switch between windows. This is infinitely better.

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I am Srime

You can usually use ctrl+tab to switch tabs, which is obviously more efficient than dozens of windows.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKYQ5ibxslI

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My website, the home of Motrya:
http://www.jshgaming.com

Or Ctrl+PgUp/PgDown, or Ctrl+1/2/3/etc., or, or, or

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Mega Tact v1.1
Super Penguin Chef
Wizard Blocks

Hahaha, do you know that I've complained about this to several of my friends, and even though they ALL say that tabs are better than windows, NONE of them have told me any of these things?

...that said, alt+tab is a little bit more comfortable on my laptop keyboard, and I never have more than 3 or 4 windows at a time. Also, holding down alt+tab and picking the window I want is something I've kinda gotten used to. All the same, thanks for the info!

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I am Srime

...And I see we have our first bronie.

I like the DOSy GUI we have now. It's really convenient to be able to do pixel art with a keyboard.

If people like the current DOS interface, then sure, not suggesting a default replacement. Also not for mouse to become a requirement in the menus, except for my optional windows form idea. But even for the current interface, I'd still enjoy some menus getting tabbed and made a little clearer, so you can always see the menu tree and access related menus easily.

For people who want a modern interface without abandoning the old one, maybe custom.exe could be made customizable optionally. So for example, you can give it normal console fonts so it looks like cmd.exe / terminal, rather than the pixelated fonts used in the game. And possibly icons for each menu so you can see more easily what each does.

Here I can relate to the interface of the abandoned Blitzmax port again as an example. Another inspiration would be something like the Norton Commander interface, in terms of menu arrangements with hotkeys and tabbing.

I'm pretty sure people already know this, but I'll say it anyway: total agreement.


A common complaint is the difficulty of comparing/referring between (multiple) enemies, heroes, items, and so on. I want to allow multiple windows so that you can edit/view multiple things at once. (I also think tabs wouldn't be very useful here.) However, we're limited by our graphics libraries: fbgfx (used by gfx_fb) and SDL don't support multiple windows, and I haven't managed to talk Jay into adding support to gfx_directx yet. After we write a new SDL2 graphics backend we can start working on multiple windows. Also, I actually started on a wxWidgets-based backend supporting multiple windows several years ago. I would dig it up if I had the time.

It's no coincidence that you posted a screenshot of RPG Maker's map editor. The OHR's map editor definitely has the most to gain from an overhaul, and an overhaul is planned. Might start on it before the next release. I mean, just look at the zone editing modes: I've filled up most of the available screen space with information. We badly need to support larger window sizes, and move all of that stuff off the map viewing area if there's enough room. I currently think that a good default would be to have the window size increase automatically (dependent on your screen resolution) when you enter the map editor, and stick to 320x200 elsewhere. 320x200 in the map editor would probably still be supported until it becomes untenable. Also, Custom needs to start supporting editing preferences and allow remembering them between sessions.

The sprite and tile editors are due for a near-complete rewrite. The code for these is so terrible that it actually holds the rest of the engine back. And it's virtually impossible to implement new features like 256-colour sprites without a rewrite. Screen space is quite limited here as well, so running at higher resolution should be supported. I would change the look of these a bit.

Jay was working on some (non-native) GUI framework code which would be very useful in the map and sprite editors, but nothing has become of it yet.

In summary: multiple windows, higher resolutions.



I would not call ohrrpgce-x abandoned. It's only been inactive for three months. If we were placing bets, on the other hand...

Let me make something clear, the "modern gui" existed back when the OHR was created in 1997.

And that is when I started using it. RPGMaker9x, verge and so on had such interfaces. But I used the oldschool OHR and so did many of us. There is a reason people picked this engine over those ones.

The big reason is NOT that we were backwards dos users, (mostly); it's because those game makers are about importing and sorting contents that you make in other programs, OHR is a "one stop" rpg editor/maker, thus the game creation is fluid. Rather than managing assets you actually construct most the game in the editor. It also promotes more creativity since importing isn't the name of the game (and our games have had 300 times more creativity than the competition!)

Anyway, if people wanna go ahead, fine this is opensource by now; but if the main engine ever goes this way I'll call the engine dead.