Having Text Rendering with an Outline

[Carim123]

Yet again, I've decided to release something that I decided was gonna be for Iron Prelude. xD


I only made this, to make the text more readable. If you have the same issue as me, where you feel the text is not very readable. Post with a screeny and your FPS!

No credit required, but no claiming as own, either. <3

* * *

Before starting, I ~~recommend~~ want you to put in [Lightning's Text Rendering Fix](http://www.touchofdeathforums.com/smf/index.php/topic,71691.0.html).

Not really a tutorial, more of a copy and paste, as all you must do is simply replace Sub DrawText in modText with this:

```
' GDI text drawing onto buffer
Public Sub DrawText(ByVal hdc As Long, ByVal X, ByVal Y, ByVal text As String, color As Long)
    ' If debug mode, handle error then exit out
    Dim OldFont As Long ' HFONT

    If Options.Debug = 1 Then On Error GoTo errorhandler

    Call SetFont(FONT_NAME, FONT_SIZE)
    OldFont = SelectObject(hdc, GameFont)
    Call SetBkMode(hdc, vbTransparent)

    Call SetTextColor(hdc, 0)
    Call TextOut(hdc, X + 1, Y, text, Len(text))
    Call TextOut(hdc, X, Y + 1, text, Len(text))
    Call TextOut(hdc, X - 1, Y, text, Len(text))
    Call TextOut(hdc, X, Y - 1, text, Len(text))
    Call TextOut(hdc, X + 1, Y + 1, text, Len(text))
    Call TextOut(hdc, X - 1, Y - 1, text, Len(text))
    Call TextOut(hdc, X + 1, Y - 1, text, Len(text))
    Call TextOut(hdc, X + 1, Y - 1, text, Len(text))

    Call SetTextColor(hdc, color)
    Call TextOut(hdc, X, Y, text, Len(text))

    Call SelectObject(hdc, OldFont)
    Call DeleteObject(GameFont)

    ' Error handler
    Exit Sub
errorhandler:
    HandleError "DrawText", "modText", Err.Number, Err.Description, Err.Source, Err.HelpContext
    Err.Clear
    Exit Sub
End Sub
```
And, you're done. Already. xD

**_Will there be any implications on my FPS?_**
Not much, provided you've done as I told you, and put in Lightning's Text Fix.
Previously, my FPS was averaging 160 (Yes, I know, it's crap.), now, it averages 150, so, not that much of a problem here.

Of course, that's just my laptop, and not much of a difference for me, so if you want to help me out, post your FPS before and after adding the fix!

[RyokuHasu]

AWSOME!!!! =D this will help SOO MUCH! >.<  Thanks 7

P.S. this makes the text look less flat too =D

[Carim123]

@Ryoku:

> AWSOME!!!! =D this will help SOO MUCH! >.<  Thanks 7
>
> P.S. this makes the text look less flat too =D

IKR, I was needing this. Glad you liked it.
Just comment with your FPS before, and after, please!

[tsuki]

after I did both tutorials (your and lightning's) my fps still the same (64)

[Carim123]

@Jimmy:

> after I did both tutorials (your and lightning's) my fps still the same (64)

Did you unlock the fps?
As in, do /fpslock?

[tsuki]

@7:

> Did you unlock the fps?
> As in, do /fpslock?

Sorry, sometimes I'm a retard.

Now I unlock the fps before and after and the results are:
before: 136
after:140

[erkro1]

Lol, the FPS is increased :p

[Antisora]

It doesn't work for me. And yes, I did lightnings tutorial.

[Robin]

It's called 'stroke'. Before I started working on the engine text was rendered with a stroke. I'm the one who replaced it with a shadow.

[Carim123]

@Robin:

> It's called 'stroke'. Before I started working on the engine text was rendered with a stroke. I'm the one who replaced it with a shadow.

Stroke, that's the word…couldn't remember the word. ;p

I'm guessing you replaced it with a shadow purely for FPS reasons? If so, it did occur to me, but I personally prefer being able to read the drawn text over slightly higher FPS...buuuut, just my opinion.

@Kermit:

> It doesn't work for me. And yes, I did lightnings tutorial.

You can't've followed Lightning's tutorial properly, this is simply a copy+paste…go back to it, carefully read it, and so on.

[Robin]

I did it for image. The stroke looks silly on a lot of things. What you really need is an outer effect which makes it visible on similar colours but doesn't draw attention to itself.

I wasn't able to realise that system till I switch to DX8, though.

[Antisora]

@7:

> Stroke, that's the word…couldn't remember the word. ;p
>
> I'm guessing you replaced it with a shadow purely for FPS reasons? If so, it did occur to me, but I personally prefer being able to read the drawn text over slightly higher FPS...buuuut, just my opinion.
>
> You can't've followed Lightning's tutorial properly, this is simply a copy+paste...go back to it, carefully read it, and so on.

Wait, is it a seperate feature to have the text off to the side, instead of in the box?