Change the Font?

[Delite]

Is there any way to change the default font for the player/npc names? When I started playing back in April, the names were easily readable, now I'm straining to try to read them (and don't tell me I need glasses - have those and that wouldn't solve this problem).

Biggest problem I can discern is with the letter L being so faint and so kerned close to the other letters it is practically illegible.

The amount of letter-spacing in text can affect legibility. Tight letter-spacing, particularly in small text sizes, can diminish legibility. The addition of minimal letter-spacing can often increase the legibility and readability. Added whitespace around the characters allows the individual characters to emerge and be recognized more quickly.

So please tell me how I can fix this. Thanks

[GlindorOcculus]

After some poking around I think I found out how. I can't jump in game to verify but try this:

Navigate to your Istaria install folder
Then go to prefs
Then open ClientPrefs_Graphic
About 9 lines from the bottom should be a line that says:

string floatingFont = "GaramondMed"

Simply change the font GaramondMed to another font of your choice ect. TimesNewRoman
Be sure to keep it in those quotes.

Also, below that font line is the font size configuration.

int floatingFontSize = 16

You can probably change that to a bigger size if you think it might help.

Hope it works for you!

[Delite]

Thanks for trying to help Glindor. I copied the ClientPrefs_Graphic.def file to resource_override folder then changed the font to Tahoma. This didn't work so I changed the original file and that didn't work either

[GlindorOcculus]

Try the font type "CARLETON"
I'm not sure what it looks like but it might work.

[Delite]

That didn't work either. Thanks again for the suggestion.

[Thicklesip]

Random thought from someone who favors running in terror from editing the game files: does Istaria itself have to set up a list of available fonts? If so, that might keep these suggestions from working because they're not on the "available" list. (Please excuse the no-doubt incorrect terminology. )

[GlindorOcculus]

Random thought from someone who favors running in terror from editing the game files: does Istaria itself have to set up a list of available fonts? If so, that might keep these suggestions from working because they're not on the "available" list. (Please excuse the no-doubt incorrect terminology. )

The fonts in Istaria's interface font folder are:
CARLETON
CELTG__
GaramondNo2DCDMed
GaramondNo2SCTMed
tahoma

tahoma and Carleton should've worked =(

[Firebrand]

I haven't tried, but just a thought:

1) Add the font file (you can find some in C:\Windows\fonts) you want in ..\resources\interface\fonts

2) Go to ..\resources\interface\theme\<name of the theme you use>\defs and open UIFonts.def with the notepad.

2-1) First you should have to define a keyword for your font.

Example:

UI_FONT	GaramondMed
{
	string	FontFile = "GaramondNo2SCTMed.ttf"
	int		FaceIndex = 0
	bool	Default = false
}

Keyword "GaramondMed" refers to GaramondNo2SCTMed.ttf font. Do the same with the font you want.


2-2) Not sure, but you may have to define alternate colors for your font (color, shadow, antialiasing). Try to skip it first and see if it works without.

Example:

UI_PROPERTYSET FontGaramondMedBlack
{
	string	Font = "GaramondMed"
	float	FontColorR = 0.0
	float	FontColorG = 0.0
	float	FontColorB = 0.0
	float	FontColorRSelect = 0.0
	float	FontColorGSelect = 0.0
	float	FontColorBSelect = 0.0
	bool	DropShadow = false
	bool	AntiAliased = true
}

3) Edit your ClientPrefs_Graphic as GlindorOcculus told you.

To reduce the amount of editing, you can try with already defined font keywords: FontTahoma, GaramondMedDrop or CelticGaramond.

Have a try.

[Thicklesip]

The fonts are already in Istaria's interface font folder; tahoma and Carleton should've worked =(

Ah, thank you! I was wondering.

I haven't tried, but just a thought:

(I have a horrible urge to see if I can add the Papyrus font to Istaria, that I may troll all font-nerds in spirit. Bad Thickle, bad.)

[Delite]

If it actually used the Garamond font that would be great -- unfortunately it doesn't and even trying the new suggestions, nothing happened.

A serif font like Garamond would be preferrable to whatever sans serif font that is currently being used.

Thanks for trying but it's still

[Delite]

Here's what I see with npc's and player's names:

[Thicklesip]

Here's what I see with npc's and player's names:

<screenshot>

Assuming that screencap hasn't been distorted by resizing or saving (which I don't think it has given how perfectly pixelated the aliasing is) no WONDER you're having problems! Jeez! Here's what a similar tableau looks like for me:



It's still just as unsoftened around the edges-- look at the box against the green grass in the upper-left-- but the text is... INFINITELY more legible. All the other textures are less indistinct to boot.

Here's a side-by-side comparison of Milicent:



Having thought about this for a minute I suspect you could improve your text legibility just making use of in-game options.

1. Menu gem
2. Options window
3. Video tab
4. Standard Video Options (first heading)
5. Texture Detail slider: turn it up!

If that doesn't seem to help, or your system can't handle it, bump up the Graphic Detail slider right next to it. You might need to relog Istaria for them to kick in, I can never tell with this game's options, but I'd be somewhat surprised if neither of those helped.

Good luck, and tell me if any of this improves things for you!

[Delite]

I turned both the graphic and texture details all the way up and no change at all. I even relogged after doing this and nothing changed

Thanks for trying though - much appreciated.

[Thicklesip]

Bah! I guess you could always monkey with the other video options, but beyond crossing your fingers and hoping you stumble across the magic button, I'm out of ideas. So sorry, I really wish I knew how to make your floating fonts less terrible!

[Firebrand]

Have you tried to reset your graphical options (or just delete ClientPrefs_Graphics.def) then change them to better quality?

[Delite]

In the UIFonts.def I tried changing the font size and color for both the Tahoma light blue and the gray. This changed the color in the plot planning application window but not the NPC names or titles.

I had no problem reading their names/titles before we went to the java launcher

[Shadowedraven]

Your problem started with the Java Launcher? This may sound silly but maybe you should make sure you have the most up-to-date version. I know I was recently advised of an update for my java and I went ahead an installed it... I haven't had any problems with reading names etc.