91 replies to this topic

[evilC]

Download

Advanced users may also be interested in the Github Page

Please see the second post for known issues and workarounds, plus configuration hints.



From the Readme:

MWO-Intelligent-Zoom
====================

An Autohotkey script to provide proper zoom controls in Mechwarrior Online

Features:
Allows you to bind zoom to mouse wheel.

Irons out MWO's quirky zoom controls (eg Adv zoom popping up briefly)

Allows you to chose if Advanced Zoom is reached via zoom in / out or on a seperate button.


Quick Start Instructions:
=========================

In MWO, open the bindings menu.

Bind "Reset Zoom" to 7
Bind "Zoom 1" to 8
Bind "Zoom 2" to 9
If you are using Advanced Zoom module, Make sure it is bound to v

You can change these keys if you wish, this is just an example.

Now run zoom.exe and go to the Bindings tab.
IMPORTANT! Tick the "Limit to Application" box. If you do not, the script will do stuff when not in MWO.
Click the "Bind" button by "Zoom In" and roll the mouse wheel up.
Click the "Bind" button by "Zoom Out" and roll the mouse wheel down.

I recommend ticking BOTH the boxes on the right - when ticked, this will allow the zoom to work when you are holding CTRL, SHIFT or ALT.


Options:
========
Enable Advanced Zoom Module
On: When you roll the wheel up enough, advanced zoom will activate
Off: When you roll the wheel up, it will stop at zoom 3.0

Skip zoom 1.5
On: Zoom level 1.5 will be skipped - if you zoom in from zoom 1.0, you will go straight to zoom 3.0


Zoom Repeat Delay
This sets the amount of time that is left between sending keys.
This is VERY IMPORTANT. Do not think that as a delay of 0 works in Testing Grounds, it will work properly in matches - it will not!

Edited by evilC, 04 July 2014 - 05:59 AM.

[evilC]

Known Issues
The script will remember what zoom it thinks it is in between matches. If you ended the last match zoomed in, then you may get slightly strange behavior at the start of the next match. Deal with it or spam wheel down on Loading...
This can also happen if you power down, as when you do so, you go back to zoom 1. For now, we are going to have to deal with it.

Changelog

Key:
! : Warning
* : Comment
= : Change / Fix
+ : Added feature

5.1 12th May 2014
+ Added "Toggle Advanced Zoom" binding that lets you toggle the state of the checkbox.
So now, if you change mech or module loadout, you can enable or disable advanced zoom without tabbing out.

5.0 27th April 2014
PGI adds zoom in/out controls, but botches the job.
= Complete rewrite - Pixel detection removed.
= Script is now authoritive - IT tells MWO what zoom to go to, not tries to see what zoom MWO is in.

4.3.1 24th Feb 2014
= Oops, had left a debug message in ADHD
Hotfix

4.3.0 24th Feb 2014
+ NEW Bindings tab
! All your bindings will be lost, sorry!
+ New "SnapShot" based detection system.
Instead of making 2-4 pixel checks (each taking ~30ms and maybe the screen changes between each),
the new system takes one snapshot (~50ms) and then can do multiple checks quickly on a section of the same frame.
+ New SnapShot preview GUI item.
Now you can see what the code is looking at - A picture is displayed of the area surrounding the pixels in the coordinate boxes.
! The SnapShot preview only shows whilst in Calibration or Debug Mode
= Clearer debugging info when trying to detect zoom

Edited by evilC, 12 May 2014 - 09:41 AM.

[evilC]

I will look into making the app more usable in the future if it turns out to be stable in the long run, this is just a proof of concept for now.

[Update: Re-uploaded ZIP file with AHK source code included]

Edited by evilC, 27 August 2013 - 04:50 AM.

[evilC]

OK, a minor problem...

In Fullscreen mode on Win7, you have to disable Aero to get it to work.

Edited by evilC, 27 August 2013 - 05:31 AM.

[evilC]

New version up
Should be a lot more reliable now

[evilC]

New version up

Default settings should now work for people running the game in 1080p (1920x1080).

This should make installation much easier for a lot of people.

Oh, and if anyone running 1080p could confirm that this works, please let me know as I had to test it by setting my 1200p monitor to 1080p, not 100% sure it will work.

Edited by evilC, 27 August 2013 - 08:24 AM.

[evilC]

1080p default settings have been confirmed to work.

It has also become apparent that if you have turned up Brightness or Gamma in the MWO options, the default colour settings will not work for you.

Please see the second post for info on how to fix this.

Thankyou to all those who have helped to test the software.

I will be looking to add an option for zoom in to zoom straight to 3x sometime over the next day or two, stay tuned.

Edited by evilC, 27 August 2013 - 09:51 AM.

[Edson Drake]

This looks wonderful.

However. Could we get word from someone in charge if it's okay to use it? Seems handy and provides no advantage, just convenience, but I'd like to get the clearance first.

[WayBadMojo]

It's not-illegal but I'd expect a ninja-zoom heat penalty in the next patch so you don't press zoom any faster than 0.5 seconds lest you risk shutdown...

[Flying Judgement]

yep i like to know if its legal and we can use it in game or is it a risk of banning
waoo i hope they make it in game with a patch zooming is annoying

[Edson Drake]

I am very curious about PGI response on this. Quick: hire that guy and put it inside MWO!

[evilC]

New version up.

1.5 28th Aug 2013
+ Added "Max Zoom Only" setting - Enable to only use 3x zoom (skip 1.5x zoom)

[evilC]

New version up

1.6 28th Aug 2013
+ Fixed max zoom - was only working in Testing Grounds

[t Khrist]

This is a great post. I've been wondering if there was a way to set the wheel for zoom ever since I got a Nostromo. Perhaps I will give this a go someday when I have spare time to mess around with it.

Also..

WayBadMojo, on 27 August 2013 - 10:41 AM, said:

It's not-illegal but I'd expect a ninja-zoom heat penalty in the next patch so you don't press zoom any faster than 0.5 seconds lest you risk shutdown...

..hilarious.

[evilC]

Two new versions

1.8 28th Aug 2013
+ Max Zoom option is now a dropdown - Normal / Max Zoom / Toggle Min/Max
Use the Toggle Min/Max feature to only need one button to toggle between min and max zoom

1.7 28th Aug 2013
+ Further tweaks to max zoom mode

[evilC]

WayBadMojo, on 27 August 2013 - 10:41 AM, said:

It's not-illegal but I'd expect a ninja-zoom heat penalty in the next patch so you don't press zoom any faster than 0.5 seconds lest you risk shutdown...

It is not doing anything dodgy like zooming in more than you could otherwise, it is just a simplification of the controls, so I doubt very much that PGI would have any issue with this seeing as I am basically doing them a favour.
The fastest keypresses MWO allows is 50ms. My zoom script defaults to 150ms between zooms, because the animation takes a while to zoom in or out, so it falls well outside the definition of "Spamming" the client.
I have MWO scripts that spam keys up to a rate of 50ms (20 times a second) and they are fine also, so this is not going to cause any issues I don't think.

[Domenoth]

evilC, on 27 August 2013 - 02:33 AM, said:

1) Double click the EXE, you should see a GUI pop up
Note: It is not recommended to place the EXE on your desktop!
An INI file containing your settings is created in the same folder as the EXE.
Put it somewhere else and drag a shortcut to your desktop

You should take a look at NSIS. I think you might like it as a good alternative to the above instruction for various reasons. http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Main_Page

[evilC]

Yeah, I did consider using an installer to help me work around the issues with UAC, but to be honest an installer is more work on my part - another step I need to go thru for a release.
Also, there is something to be said for "Portable" apps - some people do not want to install a program, but are happy to run an EXE.

[Goose]

Ignoring the "hates Aero" thing, is there a limited set of resolutions one could use this on?

[evilC]

Goose, on 28 August 2013 - 01:08 PM, said:

Ignoring the "hates Aero" thing, is there a limited set of resolutions one could use this on?

It starts to get problematic with low resolutions, due to the numbers in Zoom Readout getting a little garbled.
As long as you can find pixels that are a specific colour only in 1.5 and 3x, you should be able to get it to work.