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In-Game Font Overhaul

Level 6
Joined
May 6, 2009
Messages
89
This tutorial aims to help you spruce up your text visuals, away from the vanilla font, making the map feel more like a custom than ever before!

Changelog:

(10 October 2017)
  • Overhauled the thread.
  • Included fixes and amendments provided by comments.
(11 October 2017)
  • Added Changelog to the thread.
  • Removed some confusing text for review; might re-add at a later stage.
  • Removed attachments for the time being in order to provide more recent screen captures.
(12 October 2017)
  • Updated screenshots to show multiple variations of font, as well as multiple uses of font within the same instance

Note: "I am fully aware of the thread on the same subject as this tutorial in the forums section, however that tutorial is a little unclear, should you be unfamiliar with the editor, or overhauls. This tutorial aims to provide a simplified and step-by-step mean to achieving this overhaul"

Note: "Remember that if you have any other .txt files imported, none of them, including this one, will work, and it may cause map crashes. All .txt edits must all be in a single .txt file, and that .txt file must be imported as war3mapskin.txt"

Getting Started:

1. First you will need to locate the Windows Fonts Directory; the folder containing the globals fonts used by the Windows System. This folder can be found at the following location: "C:\Windows\Fonts"

2. Now import the font(s) that you would like to use, into your map using the Import Manager. It is vital to remove the "war3mapImported" from the import path! You can then set the path to whatever you'd like, but the path MUST end with .ttf / .TTF / .otf / .OTF or it will not work!

If you are unable to import from this folder to the World Editor, a work around can be performed by saving the font you want to use into an alternate directory (such as C:\\Documents\War3EditorImports for instance).

3. Now open Note-Pad, and either type in or copy/paste the following:
Code:
[CustomSkin]
ChatFont=your font here.ttf
EscMenuTextFont=your font here.ttf
TextTagFont=your font here.ttf
InfoPanelTextFont=your font here.ttf
MessageFont=your font here.ttf
MasterFont=your font here.ttf

"your font here" must be EXACTLY the same as the path of the imported font file, or the map will encounter a crash.

For instance, if you have used Arial.ttf as your custom font, your .txt will look like this:

Code:
[CustomSkin]

ChatFont=Arial.ttf
EscMenuTextFont=Arial.ttf
TextTagFont=Arial.ttf
InfoPanelTextFont=Arial.ttf
MessageFont=Arial.ttf
MasterFont=Arial.ttf

"ChatFont" - Will change the player message font
"EscMenuTextFont" - Will change the menu and dialog fonts
"TextTagFont" - Will change the "Allies, All players, Observers, etc" font
"InfoPanelTextFont" - Will change quests, Menu, Allies, Message log button's font
"MessageFont" - Will change the game message font
"MasterFont" - Will change the base font used in-game

Note: "Some fonts will appear small in-game, and may be hard to read. If this happens with your chosen font, it is possible to increase the size by entering / copying the following into a new .txt called war3mapMisc.txt, and importing it into your map using the Import manager;"

Code:
[FontHeights]
// in-game ui
ToolTipName=0.011               // tooltip name (first line)
ToolTipDesc=0.011               // tooltip description and ubertip
ToolTipCost=0.011               // tooltip cost value
ChatEditBar=0.013               // chat edit bar text
CommandButtonNumber=0.009       // little number at the bottom right of command buttons
WorldFrameMessage=0.015         // single line of error text that appears above the console
WorldFrameTopMessage=0.024      // large upkeep text that appears below the time of day indicator
WorldFrameUnitMessage=0.015     // small text that is used for in-game trigger based dialog
WorldFrameChatMessage=0.013     // in-game chat text
Inventory=0.011                 // "Inventory" text above your inventory
LeaderBoard=0.011               // leader board text
PortraitStats=0.011             // hit points and mana text below 3D unit portrait
QuestDescription=0.011          // quest description text in Quest Dialog
UnitTipPlayerName=0.011         // player name on unit tooltip
UnitTipUnitName=0.011           // unit name on unit tooltip
UnitTipDesc=0.011               // description text on unit tooltip
Note: "0.011 is font size 11 and these are the default settings."

Note: "It is possible to change the font of the player inputted text, however it requires the use of an mpq editor."

Code:

[ChatFonts]ChatFont0="FontName.ttf"

Also, there are two easy ways to save interface settings:
1. Export old war3mapSkin.txt with mpq editor, add these lines there, and import it again
2. Put these custom changes in war3campaignSkin.txt and import that file, it works exactly the same as war3mapSkin.txt
4. Now import the .txt using the Import Manager. Set the import path of the .txt to war3mapskin.txt, and remember to remove the "war3mapImported" from the import path.

Note: "I have heard rumors of games crashing because of this overhaul. In my opinion, this is because the game isn't using English as it's selected language option. I currently do not know how to fix this without changing the language options, or creating an entirely new map that uses other languages as it's selected language option.
This could also be caused by the user not actually having the font(s) that are being used in-game in their C:\Windows\Fonts directory"


Credits:

  • CBX Entertainment (Creator of Tomb of Jarachon)
  • Ap0calypse
  • M0RT
  • The Hive Workshop Community for their ongoing support for Map Modding
Screenshots:
  • Capture 1 shows the font Harington used globally.
  • Capture 2 shows the font Papyrus used globally.
  • Capture 3 shows Papyrus as the main font, but Harington as the game menu font.
 

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Last edited:
Level 28
Joined
Jan 26, 2007
Messages
4,789
I can't import FONT from PC to WE?
Yeah, some people have problems accessing the folder from another program (such as the world editor), but you can work around it.
First of all: go to the screen which contains all your fonts (config screen -> fonts), then copy the font you wish and paste it wherever you want (somewhere you can remember, I use "C:\\Documents\WC3 Imports" myself).
Then just... import it o_O
 
Level 28
Joined
Jan 26, 2007
Messages
4,789
I tried to copy and it seams to work, I will test tutorial later and edit post!
Thanks :thumbs_up:

EDIT: Damn map crash each time -.-
Btw when I import notepad file it shows 0 KB?
Yes: it's supposed to be 0Kb (since a notepad file is usually only a few bytes and warcraft rounds down to the nearest integer :p).

Make sure that inside the notepad file, you copy the exact name of the font as it is in the import manager.
So if you import a font called "EpicFont.ttf", it will look like "war3MapImported\EpicFont.ttf".
Just remove the war3MapImported and make it something like "Fonts\EpicFont.ttf".

Then the notepad file should look like this:
Code:
[CustomSkin]
ChatFont=Fonts\EpicFont.ttf
EscMenuTextFont=Fonts\EpicFont.ttf
TextTagFont=Fonts\EpicFont.ttf
InfoPanelTextFont=Fonts\EpicFont.ttf
MessageFont=Fonts\EpicFont.ttf
MasterFont=Fonts\EpicFont.ttf

I might make a tutorial about this as well (but I'll include a few more things).


Edit: for those willing to know, here are the things that will change with the different values:

ChatFont: Font when typing a message (not the message itself, but "All:"/"Team:" and "Observers:")
EscMenuTextFont: Quest main title ("Main Quests / Optional Quests") / F10 text.
TextTagFont No idea.
InfoPanelTextFont Unit name, attack, armor, status.
MessageFont Error messages and Game messages
MasterFont Everything that isn't summed up above (does not include player messages).

You can never change the player messages, unless you add a message system that will convert player messages to game messages.
 
Last edited:
Level 6
Joined
May 6, 2009
Messages
89
Hey there, sorry I havnt been helping, even when its my tut, its just that iv had somuch stuff to do, and so very little time to do it in... I hope to be done with all this crap and get back to mapping and helping out by the middle of May =)

And thanx sooooo much Apocolyps for helping out with the questions =) =rep for that
 
OMG it works!

My bad created because I don't put that Fonts\

Thanks ap0calypse
+REP

EDIT: Damn I must spread some first but I will not forget this, and first one goes to Hodge-Podge for this tutorial

EDIT ANOTHER: It will destroy all else, in my case more than 100 changes in Game Interface, any help?
I can try to write text for text changes but what is with icons and else, I need to write for exp: Doodads\Outland\Props\Altar\Altar or what?
 
Last edited:
Level 6
Joined
May 6, 2009
Messages
89
Crap... What I forgot to mention about this, is that when you change the in-game text font, you overwrite all the custom changes that you make in the advanced section, like game interface etc... I'm still (sorta) trying to find a way around this, but I think it's kinda impossible...
Sorry
 
Level 28
Joined
Jan 26, 2007
Messages
4,789
Crap... What I forgot to mention about this, is that when you change the in-game text font, you overwrite all the custom changes that you make in the advanced section, like game interface etc... I'm still (sorta) trying to find a way around this, but I think it's kinda impossible...
Sorry

I'm really sorry for 'stealing' your thread, lol.
There is a way around it: just add everything you've changed in the game interface in the notepad file as well ^^

Open the attached file and then do this:
  • Press CTRL + F to find all values you have changed.
  • Copy/paste those values in a notepad file (might be the same one as the one you put your font in, I'll come to that later ^^).
  • Check the subtitle of the value (e.g.: "[CustomSkin]" or "[errors]").
  • Check the title of the subvalue (such as "war3mapskin" or "war3mapMisc"), this will be the exact name of the file (leaving out the .txt, which you need to add as well of course).
    So if the title is war3mapSkin.txt, put the values in the same file as you put your font in.
  • Save and import it in the map and you're done.

It took me quite a while to complete this list, so I hope you enjoy it xD
There's a small tutorial on top of it as well, but if you still don't understand anything feel free to ask.

View attachment 75969
 
I'm really sorry for 'stealing' your thread, lol.
There is a way around it: just add everything you've changed in the game interface in the notepad file as well ^^

Open the attached file and then do this:
  • Press CTRL + F to find all values you have changed.
  • Copy/paste those values in a notepad file (might be the same one as the one you put your font in, I'll come to that later ^^).
  • Check the subtitle of the value (e.g.: "[CustomSkin]" or "[errors]").
  • Check the title of the subvalue (such as "war3mapskin" or "war3mapMisc"), this will be the exact name of the file (leaving out the .txt, which you need to add as well of course).
    So if the title is war3mapSkin.txt, put the values in the same file as you put your font in.
  • Save and import it in the map and you're done.

It took me quite a while to complete this list, so I hope you enjoy it xD
There's a small tutorial on top of it as well, but if you still don't understand anything feel free to ask.

View attachment 75969

Lol i tryied with raw data, to copy text and make something like above, but that want work! I needed that [CmdMove] or
[CmdBuildOrc] or [CmdUnivInt]

Thaks ap0calipse!

Btw, // in text file means that that order will be ignored! am I right? :con:
 
Level 28
Joined
Jan 26, 2007
Messages
4,789
Lol i tryied with raw data, to copy text and make something like above, but that want work! I needed that [CmdMove] or
[CmdBuildOrc] or [CmdUnivInt]

Thaks ap0calipse!

Btw, // in text file means that that order will be ignored! am I right? :con:
I believe that in one of the standard warcraft textfiles there's a comment with // in it, but I'm not really sure.
I think it's best to remove it, just to be on the safe side xD ( + it removes a few bytes of filesize :wink:).

O yeah, if you're going to use the "Units\CommandStrings.txt" or whatever it's caled, make sure you've got all values, otherwise it will show up as "no tooltip" :p
(This only matters for that specific textfile, just add the values you want in the others).
 
Sry for bothering but I still can't make this:

Text - Unit Classification - Undead (UndeadClass)
Text - General - |N%d-%d Food: %s|R (%d%% G, %d%% L) (RESOURCE_UBERTIP_INFO_WOOD)
Text - General - |N%d-%d Food: %s|R (%d%% income) (RESOURCE_UBERTIP_INFO)
Text - General - |Cff00ff00No Upkeep (UPKEEP_NONE)
Text - General - 'Upkeep' (COLON_UPKEEP)
Text - General - 'Upkeep is determined by the amount of food your forces are currently using' (RESOURCE_UBERTIP_UPKEEP)

In one word I need to change that text in up right corner of screen (ingame)
and unit classes!

Any help?

*Display RAW DATA
 
Once you can, please update the tutorial with a screenshot of the final result and make sure the method described works without crashing. (Since some people might not go scroll down to ap0calypse's post) It is a cool effect and would be a great addition to our depository.

EDIT:

No updates have been made within a week. Please notify me if you are willing to update again/if I have made a mistake.
~Graveyarded.
 
Last edited:
Level 12
Joined
Apr 15, 2008
Messages
1,063
You can change chat fonts
Code:
[ChatFonts]
ChatFont0="FontName.ttf"
Also, there are two easy ways to save interface settings:
1. Export old war3mapSkin.txt with mpq editor, add these lines there, and import it again
2. Put these custom changes in war3campaignSkin.txt and import that file, it works exactly the same as war3mapSkin.txt
 
Level 28
Joined
Jan 26, 2007
Messages
4,789
Well, can I change the size of the font? It's really small ...
Yeah, you can.

Code:
[FontHeights]

// in-game ui
ToolTipName=0.011               // tooltip name (first line)
ToolTipDesc=0.011               // tooltip description and ubertip
ToolTipCost=0.011               // tooltip cost value
ChatEditBar=0.013               // chat edit bar text
CommandButtonNumber=0.009       // little number at the bottom right of command buttons
WorldFrameMessage=0.015         // single line of error text that appears above the console
WorldFrameTopMessage=0.024      // large upkeep text that appears below the time of day indicator
WorldFrameUnitMessage=0.015     // small text that is used for in-game trigger based dialog
WorldFrameChatMessage=0.013     // in-game chat text
Inventory=0.011                 // "Inventory" text above your inventory
LeaderBoard=0.011               // leader board text
PortraitStats=0.011             // hit points and mana text below 3D unit portrait
QuestDescription=0.011          // quest description text in Quest Dialog
UnitTipPlayerName=0.011         // player name on unit tooltip
UnitTipUnitName=0.011           // unit name on unit tooltip
UnitTipDesc=0.011               // description text on unit tooltip

Add this to war3mapMisc.txt
0.011 = font size 11.
(These are the default values).
 
Level 15
Joined
Aug 20, 2009
Messages
658
i dont get this

i import font named kremlin in path "fonts\kremlin.ttf"
and i import txt file

[CustomSkin]
ChatFont=Fonts\kremlin.ttf
EscMenuTextFont=Fonts\kremlin.ttf
TextTagFont=Fonts\kremlin.ttf
InfoPanelTextFont=Fonts\kremlin.ttf
MessageFont=Fonts\kremlin.ttf
MasterFont=Fonts\kremlin.ttf

just like that in path "war3mapskin.txt"
but nothing happens :(

help please
 
Level 7
Joined
Apr 12, 2009
Messages
188
Thanks to all of you guys for this information. I find this really adds an additional layer of professionalism to a custom map.


By the way: Hodge Podge, you may wish to add some of the info in these comments up into your tutorial. Primarily, I found this info VERY useful.

Yeah, you can.

Code:
[FontHeights]

// in-game ui
ToolTipName=0.011               // tooltip name (first line)
ToolTipDesc=0.011               // tooltip description and ubertip
ToolTipCost=0.011               // tooltip cost value
ChatEditBar=0.013               // chat edit bar text
CommandButtonNumber=0.009       // little number at the bottom right of command buttons
WorldFrameMessage=0.015         // single line of error text that appears above the console
WorldFrameTopMessage=0.024      // large upkeep text that appears below the time of day indicator
WorldFrameUnitMessage=0.015     // small text that is used for in-game trigger based dialog
WorldFrameChatMessage=0.013     // in-game chat text
Inventory=0.011                 // "Inventory" text above your inventory
LeaderBoard=0.011               // leader board text
PortraitStats=0.011             // hit points and mana text below 3D unit portrait
QuestDescription=0.011          // quest description text in Quest Dialog
UnitTipPlayerName=0.011         // player name on unit tooltip
UnitTipUnitName=0.011           // unit name on unit tooltip
UnitTipDesc=0.011               // description text on unit tooltip

Add this to war3mapMisc.txt
0.011 = font size 11.
(These are the default values).
^I haven't tried that myself yet but if it works it's really good to know.

You can change chat fonts
Code:
[ChatFonts]
ChatFont0="FontName.ttf"
Also, there are two easy ways to save interface settings:
1. Export old war3mapSkin.txt with mpq editor, add these lines there, and import it again
2. Put these custom changes in war3campaignSkin.txt and import that file, it works exactly the same as war3mapSkin.txt
^This saved me a lot of work, (both in figuring out how to do it and then actually doing it was easy), namely points 1. and 2. I did have to re-enter my custom changes as new strings however; when I exported my old war3mapSkin.txt it used those TRGR_STRING_1093 string callouts that I don't understand.

Another thing was I don't know how to implement the [ChatFonts] suggestion. If by chatfonts you mean player typed messages, that would be really cool. But putting it into war3mapSkin.txt didn't do it for me.
[EDIT] MORT seems to have confirmed that this might not work, or the instructions are incorrect in some way.



Also:

Edit: for those willing to know, here are the things that will change with the different values:

ChatFont: Font when typing a message (not the message itself, but "All:"/"Team:" and "Observers:")
EscMenuTextFont: Quest main title ("Main Quests / Optional Quests") / F10 text.
TextTagFont No idea. [Svenski: this changes 'miss' and critical strike text tags, but seemingly not triggered text tags]
InfoPanelTextFont Unit name, attack, armor, status.
MessageFont Error messages and Game messages
MasterFont Everything that isn't summed up above (does not include player messages).

You can never change the player messages, unless you add a message system that will convert player messages to game messages.
This seems to be more accurate than your description in the main tutorial atm.


One other question: the field:
Code:
TextTagFont=your font here.ttf
didn't seem to change triggered applications of texttags, just the tags of innate crits and misses and stuff like that. Anybody have any idea if it's possible to change the font of a triggered texttag?

Awesome work guys, thanks again
~Svenski
 
Last edited:
Level 6
Joined
May 6, 2009
Messages
89
You should delete the war3mapskin.txt from the map after you have imported it, and saved. This does something (I don't know what) that just leaves all the changed settings as default. It should work if you do that. if you want to make changes, just do the whole system over again, but don't have a war3mapskin.txt imported.
 
Level 6
Joined
May 6, 2009
Messages
89
Pretty much, and that is why you don't actually need it, once it has been imported, and the map is saved.

I wonder if this would work with StarCraft II:vw_wtf:
That would be really sick, because then you could just use a mod, to import like every font known to man into, and then custom inport the .txt and use it. Then nobody would get a map crash, ever:grin:

I'll have to check it out :xxd:
 
Level 7
Joined
Apr 12, 2009
Messages
188
Just found out that the Chat font must be in the misc file, not the skin file, in order to work (war3mapMisc.txt or war3campaignMisc.txt)

Confirmed, this does work. It modifies the text entered into the chat bar while you type, as well as the message displayed after entering the chat text. Looks really awesome.
Code:
[ChatFonts]
ChatFont0="FontName.ttf"
^placed in war3campaignMisc.txt did it for me.



CHECK IT OUT!
attachment.php
 

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Level 7
Joined
Apr 12, 2009
Messages
188
By the way, Svenski, what font did you use in your print screen? It looks sick :p

Yeah dude, out of all the 'handwritten' style fonts it is the best one I could find. All the letters and numbers are easy to read and it looks good small or large or in bold. And it seems to have all the symbols done nicely as well.

http://www.1001freefonts.com/Ashcan.php
 

Vunjo

Hosted Project: SC
Level 14
Joined
Jul 1, 2010
Messages
1,340
Well, it crashed to me, don't know why. Followed every step, still crash.
I am using this font:
BrushScriptStd.otf

Tried in a new map, with no other .txt files still crashed. Also, I wasn't able to import the font right way (double click), but I typed the name of it, and hit ok, when it showed me in import manager, meaning i imported it after all :D
The path for font is:
BrushScriptStd.ttf

And path for notepad text:
war3mapskin.txt

In notepad there is:
[CustomSkin]

ChatFont=BrushScriptStd.ttf
EscMenuTextFont=BrushScriptStd.ttf
TextTagFont=BrushScriptStd.ttf
InfoPanelTextFont=BrushScriptStd.ttf
MessageFont=BrushScriptStd.ttf
MasterFont=BrushScriptStd.ttf

So, anyone got an idea what's wrong?
 
Level 3
Joined
Jun 7, 2010
Messages
15
I tried doing this, and did exactly what the tutorial said, but now my game crashes, even after I completely delete the font from my computer, and the war3mapskin.txt completely as well. I am confused and pissed and will never be without a backup map ever again.
Please Help.

-----------EDIT----------
I had to export the main files for the map and then import all of them into a new map. It really screwed me up. I don't think I will try it again...
 
Last edited:
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