I want to make a complete GUI mod. How?

[Inoheiwa]

Hello!

So, this isn't a glitch or anything with the game. I just want to learn how to make a full custom GUI.
I've already changed the bulletin, and several in-game buttons using tutorials, as well as the title image. However, I want to know how I would completely alter the face of my game.
By this, I mean compressing the login and bulletin to show the whole logo I made(582 pixels is apparently too tall) and changing the scroll-like textures of the buttons/chatbox/sliders/login screen, and altering the watermill background.

So, I know SOMEONE has to know how to do this without shattering the game. Please, teach me!

[Shazadah]

Luckily I and plenty others have experience in doing what you're asking for. Don't worry floof, we'll help ya out!


To change the Watermill background (which I've done to make it match the current real time season I'm in), you have to edit the actual Watermill map which is very easy. You must go into Map Maker and scroll all the way down to the bottom until you see Watermill and load it. You can change the textures, objects, sky, weather, etc. Have some fun in doing so! And I have a tutorial in changing objects without changing the placement in your maps which is GREAT for creating seasonal maps, and you can find it here: https://youtu.be/RfTBPlFQYUs.

However as for changing the Watermill heightmap itself, that can prove to be a little more difficult, and that's only due to the way the camera moves throughout the map on the login screen, which as far as I'm concerned is unchangeable, so your height map must either work with the way the camera tours you around the map or remain as WatermillTerrain.png.


For the scrolling buttons and such, you should be able to find some textures with these names:

-mover.png
-nametag.png
-panelboard.png
-reminder.png
-slider.png
-sliderMarkerDown.png
-sliderMarkerOver.png
-sliderMarkerUp.png
-tabDown.png
-tabOver.png
-tabUp.png
-textArea.png
-textField.png
-button2Up.png
-button2Over.png
-minimapMarker.png
-minimapMarker2.png
-minimapMarker3.png
-cursorTex.png (OPTIONAL)
-cursor.png

All you have to do is edit these files, but use the original images as guide templates so you can be sure everything fits and looks good.


Now, for changing the actual size of the login menu box itself...I'm not aware of how to do that, or if its even possible. At least not without changing some more complex codes, I would guess, and the only codes I've ever messed with is texturing codes, the text in the Announcements box you see on the login screen, and the music. So, if nobody else comes thru with help for that, you might be out of luck and will have to change the size of your logo (which if you subtract say 100 pixels from each of the dimension measurements, width and height, it should remain relatively the same but smaller). If you're using GIMP, you can change the size without skewing the image by making sure the little chain link icon is connected, such as below:




That is about all I can offer help-wise, hopefully it's what you were looking for. And if not, then I'm sure someone else will know. Good luck floof!