im just recreating my game again from scratch (new rendering techniquies) and im using most of my old code. im just introducing my console, (and with it the HUD) but i dont think the way ive been doing it is the best. at the moment, i have a routine called "drawhudsqaure()" the method basiccly runs as so, it sends an x,y,width and height, in the form of 0 to 1 (0 left, 1 far right of the screen, like a percentage) but, its all messy working out the width of the screen by trial and error and such, but i do get a global number for every resolution. i was just wondering how everyone else was doing it, pixel based? or percentages or what? also, im drawing my console, with each charcter on its own quad, is there a better way? (using a texture) say blt''ing or something (but in opengl ) __________________ graham "red" reeves. red@deadpenguin.org www.deadpenguin.org

check the faq

http://www.frii.com/~martz/oglfaq/transformations.htm

http://members.xoom.com/myBollux

Welcome to the world of the HUD! I have never made a hud myself (no need to yet but what little experiance I have should be a help to you. I programmed Half-life mods for a while, so I know how they did it too.

First of all, I recommend you disable depth testing (speed baby) and shove her into ortho mode. Ortho mode is just a ton more ideal for any 2d situation. Set it to a good resolution(can be ANYTHING, even if the app isnt that) and that will be your coordinate base. For instance, if you set it to 640x480, 0,0 is the bottom-left of the screen, and it increments from there.

Rendering a giant quad like you said sounds really REALLY static or really clunky. In half-life, numbers, pictures, ect where drawn by sprites on the hud (unreal tourney has a "canvas" to draw to). Each object you see on the hud is a sprite (save text output, which is the titles- what you see in the tram ride eg "Subject: Gordon Freeman").

What I do is I use bitmapped (or in my specific case tgaed) fonts to display text, and then when I begin to need pictures I will implement a sprite hud system that will be similar. In ortho & no depth-test mode you wont have to worry about the scene distorting your hud at all.

Good Luck!

L8r,
Destiny Interactive Lead Coder,
The Rainmaker

i was using quads before, becuase i could easily use the transparencies and blending, and all the other effects avaible to me, rotation and such too for simple effects. i think the transformations are all i need

__________________
graham "red" reeves.

red@deadpenguin.org
www.deadpenguin.org