Editing Fonts (How To)

Mon Mar 15, 2004 7:39 pm by GS Destroy

A while ago I wanted to edit the fonts in the game, but couldn't find any instructions on the forums, so I decided to try myself. I figured I'd post what I found incase anyone else wanted to have a go at it, as I can't seem to find any fonts that fit quite as well as the originals.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Files To Modify: fonts.ini and rich_fonts.ini
These are located in ...\Freelancer\Data\Fonts
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
fonts.ini
These are the basic fonts in the game, they are the usual light blue color.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
First, the basics:

[TrueType
nickname =
font =
fixed_height =

[TrueType ;Specifies the type of font, you should probably leave this as
;true type.

nickname = ;refers to a text used in the game, basically what you are
;defining the font for, like the equiptment text, etc.

font = ;the name of the font, its file must be in the defualt font
;directory, use the Windows name for the font (the one you
;see in MS Word).

fixed_height = ;The size, this is given in a decimal, SMALLER IS BETTER,
;i.e. 0.043500 is a good size to start with.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now the file, and what each part does (as far as I know):

[TrueType
nickname = ButtonText ;Fonts on Buttons Ex: Load Game,
font = Agency FB ;New Game, etc.
fixed_height = 0.043500

[TrueType
nickname = PageHeader ;Menu Titles and Subsections
font = Agency FB
fixed_height = 0.045000

[TrueType
nickname = SubHeader ;Menu Objects
font = Agency FB
fixed_height = 0.038500

[TrueType
nickname = ItemName ;Items Ex: Equiptment Readout
font = Agency FB ;Names
fixed_height = 0.035000

[TrueType
nickname = ListText ;?
font = Arial Unicode MS
fixed_height = 0.030000

[TrueType
nickname = ToolTip ;The font on the Tool Tip screens
font = Arial Unicode MS ;when you start the game
fixed_height = 0.030000

[TrueType
nickname = Rollover ;?
font = Arial Unicode MS
fixed_height = 0.026000

[TrueType
nickname = HudSmall ;HUD Text - All HUD Text
font = Agency FB
fixed_height = 0.030000

[TrueType
nickname = MissionObjective ;In-Space Mission Text (Instructions
font = Agency FB ;Displayed At Top Of Screen)
fixed_height = 0.060000

[TrueType
nickname = Normal ;Nav Map Sectors, Speed & Thruster
font = Agency FB ;Readout, Version Number, Etc. - AKA
fixed_height = 0.035000 ;Other

[TrueType
nickname = NewsMission ;Listings In Mission and News
font = Agency FB ;Selection Bars, excluding lower
fixed_height = 0.030000 ;description

[TrueType
nickname = NewsTicker ;Scroling Ticker At Bottom Of News
font = Agency FB ;Screen
fixed_height = 0.045000

[TrueType
nickname = PlayerName ;?
font = Arial Unicode MS
fixed_height = 0.025000

[TrueType
nickname = TradePlayerName ;?
font = Arial Unicode MS
fixed_height = 0.025000

[TrueType
nickname = DebugText ;?
font = FixedSys
fixed_height = 0.030000

[TrueType
nickname = ConfirmPlayerText ;?
font = Arial Unicode MS
fixed_height = 0.040000

[TrueType
nickname = ConfirmText ;?
font = Agency FB
fixed_height = 0.040000

[TrueType
nickname = NavMap1600 ;seems to effect the nav map, but
font = Agency FB ;can't figure out when and how
fixed_height = 0.015000 ;exactly...

[TrueType
nickname = NavMap1024 ;seems to effect the nav map, but
font = Agency FB ;can't figure out when and how
fixed_height = 0.024000 ;exactly...

[TrueType
nickname = NavMap1280 ;seems to effect the nav map, but
font = Agency FB ;can't figure out when and how
fixed_height = 0.022500 ;exactly...

[TrueType
nickname = NavMap800 ;seems to effect the nav map, but
font = Agency FB ;can't figure out when and how
fixed_height = 0.027500 ;exactly...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, that's the first font file, it's pretty simple to modify, you just change the 'font =' line to a font you want, and find a size that works. The fonts currently used are very compact, anything much larger makes the text overlap other things, so you will want to take that into account.

You may want to try using fonts that come with a clipart program or something like that, as most of Window's won't go with the game very well. Keep in mind that if you include fonts in a mod that are not in the Windows directory, you will need to distribute the file in the mod, and the font file must go into the appropriate directory, so that might be a minor problem.

The ?'s are for things that I couldn't find had any effect, a lot of them I know, so if someone finds out what they do, please post it.

Note: Some fonts are defined in the fonts and rich_fonts files, and if you change them in one and not the other, it can have strange effects. I don't know which these are right now, just so you know, if you have a problem, this could be why.

Next, I will post the rich_fonts file, probobly tomorrow, those are all the fonts that have colors to them, like chat and menu titles. Good luck.

Edited by - Clone on 3/15/2004 7:41:19 PM

Thu Mar 18, 2004 6:32 pm by GS Destroy

Here's the rest:

rich_fonts

[TrueType ;Fonts are in corresponding #'s to below
font = 0, Arial Unicode MS, 22
font = 1, Agency FB, 30
font = 2, Arial Unicode MS, 26
font = 3, Agency FB, 38
font = 4, Agency FB, 100
font = 5, Agency FB, 24
font = 6, Agency FB, 34
font = 7, Agency FB, 22

[Style
name = STYLE_CONSOLE ;Message text ONLY to and from Console
font = 0
bold = false
italic = false
underline = false
color = 255, 255, 255

[Style
name = STYLE_DIALOG ;?
font = 1
bold = false
italic = false
underline = false
color = 135, 195, 224

[Style
name = STYLE_DIALOG_SMALL ;Warnings/Notices, LAN/INTERNET
font = 5 ;title top Multi Ex: ESRB notice
bold = false
italic = false
underline = false
color = 135, 195, 224

[Style
name = STYLE_BUTTON ;Sub Buttons Ex: Lan/Internet Choice
font = 6
bold = false
italic = false
underline = false
color = 135, 195, 224

[Style
name = STYLE_LOCTABLE ;Player readouts in player list Ex: Rank, Group, etc.
font = 0
bold = false
italic = false
underline = false
color = 135, 195, 224

[Style
name = STYLE_LOCTABLE_SELECT ;?
font = 0
bold = false
italic = false
underline = false
color = 245, 234, 82

[Style
name = STYLE_LOCTABLE_INACTIVE ;?
font = 0
bold = false
italic = false
underline = false
color = 182, 182, 182

[Style ;Only found on player readout screen
name = STYLE_SMALL_HEADER ;Some Column Titles Ex: Player,
font = 5 ;Rank, and System (sort by)
bold = false
italic = false
underline = false
color = 135, 195, 224

[Style ;Only found on player readout screen
name = STYLE_SMALL_HEADER_ACTIVE ;Some Column Titles Ex: Group (sort by)
font = 5
bold = false
italic = false
underline = false
color = 245, 234, 82

[Style ;Only found on player readout screen
name = STYLE_SUBSUBTITLE ;Subtitles Ex: Chat History, Channels, Etc.
font = 1
bold = false
italic = false
underline = false
color = 135, 195, 224

[Style
name = STYLE_TITLE ;Some Top Of Page Titles
font = 3
bold = false
italic = false
underline = false
color = 135, 195, 224
justify = center

[Style
name = STYLE_ERROR ;?
font = 0
bold = false
italic = false
underline = false
color = 191, 29, 29

[Style
name = STYLE_NN_AGENCY ;?
font = 5
bold = false
italic = false
underline = false
color = 135, 195, 224

[Style
name = STYLE_PRIVATE ;Private Chat, meassage and tag
font = 0
bold = false
italic = false
underline = false
color = 59, 191, 29

[Style
name = STYLE_CONSOLE_SENDER ;'Console' tag when console sends messages
font = 2
bold = false
italic = false
underline = false
color = 0, 255, 0

There, that's the richfonts file, the numbers after the 'color =' line indicate red green and blue, 255 being the max and 0 being the min. (For those who don't know) red is the right, green the middle, and blue the left (I think).

You can use the italic bold and underline lines by putting true instead of false. The font used is the one with the same number at the top of the page, so 'font = 2' would be the font with the number 2 at the top.

I think that's all, so mabe someone will have better luck with a font mod than me.

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