LE3D GUI Support

[Marcus]

What will LE3D provide as far as a GUI library is concerned? Or do we basically have to reinvent the wheel?

[Josh]

I'm of the opinion that every feature we add needs to be really well thought out, and really well done. I'd rather wait on this so we can come up with something that really meets the need well.

[Rick]

@Marcus +1. I would love a GUI system with LE3D.

[Benton]

+10 I think it is a very important feature

[Josh]

I agree completely. However, I think if we simply add a command set for creating buttons, sliders, etc. the next request will be a visual designer built into the editor. Then we'll be in the position of having to go back and redo something, because we didn't do it right the first time.

[Marcus]

I would love to see a GUI system based on XML and a CSS like system, that would make the editor a very trivial thing to implement later.

[shadmar]

Html / css based : http://librocket.com/

 

[Marcus]

Html / css based : http://librocket.com/

 

Nice, MIT license. Looks pretty cool.

[Marcus]

It looks like it has built in support for binding to other scripting languages. It would probably be pretty trivial to add Lua support.

[Daimour]

Don't forget about tables (grids). It's common way to manage key bindings, table of records, list of players, character attributes, list of saved games, list of levels etc. So making universal GUI is not the easiest task.

[Josh]

It looks like it has built in support for binding to other scripting languages. It would probably be pretty trivial to add Lua support.

Right, but the next step is an actual HTML-based GUI. So it's not a complete solution at all, just an extra step that might lead to a solution.

[Scott Richmond]

Right, but the next step is an actual HTML-based GUI. So it's not a complete solution at all, just an extra step that might lead to a solution.

Is it? Looks like a pretty complete solution to me.

I'd interested to understand whether you intend to build a GUI system from scratch yourself or not, as from my limited experience cross-platform GUI frameworks are actually fairly complex and full of many corner cases. Not sure I would be very happy personally if you decided to postpone such a critical feature because you want to develop it yourself your own way, despite how good it may be in the end.

[Marcus]

I agree with Scott. There is no reason why you couldn't use something like this for now and if it really does suck, replace it with your own later.

[Benton]

Yeah, GUI is needed to call LE3 a compleat solution for designing games.

[Alistair]

You can use awesomium for this.

[Alessandro]

Hello,

this topic is so interesting!

In the meantime, can you give me a link how to read how I can do a GUI system with the current tools?

Menu, HUD, etc...

 

Thank you!!

[Rekindled Phoenix]

+1 This is a must have

 

I believe Wolfire games uses Webkit for their UI. Might work with your HTML integration.

[L B]

Do it well, but don't release it months after the release -- it's a critical feature. I also go by the philosophy of doing from scratch, yourself, but sometimes you have to admit that some libraries exist that already do it well. Weigh the possibilities.

 

People will start coding crappy GUI alternatives from scratch and redo them later.