Dark mode for Hero Designer?

[SoroProject]

Hey all. The former user of this account is my dad. He lost a lot of his sight and it's hard for him to type or read on the computer.

With his limited vision, he may be able to use Hero Designer still if there was some way to turn on a "dark mode" so the light doesn't hurt his eyes too much. Either that or if there was a way to increase the font size on the program or something. This would help him still make and play Champions characters.

Does anyone here know any ways I could help him see hero designer again? 

[Villain In Glasses]

Hi Soro, Does your dad have a Mac? If so he might try "invert colors" in System Settings -> Accessibility -> Display -> Invert Colors.

[unclevlad]

You can increase the font size on startup.  

 

Create a text file in your folder where the HD jar lives;  I use RunHeroJar.bat.  Then paste this line:

javaw -Xmx1024m -cp .\HD6.jar com.hero.HeroDesigner 14

 

-Xmx1024m gives the Java machine more memory...a gig.  I've got 16 gig, so I go big.  If you've got less system memory, you can do less, like 128m.  The last number there is the font size;  you can make it what you want, but going too big may cause problems with labels and fields overwriting each other.  I think 16 is fine, tho.

 

If you're using a desktop shortcut, edit the shortcut;  its execution line should look quite similar.

[LoneWolf]

In a Windows system you can turn on high contrast in the settings, Ease of Access.  But that does not seem to work with Hero Designer.  The program has to support this but it does not look like Hero Designer does.  This might be something @Simon can add in an update. 

 

One thing I would suggest for anyone with limited vision is to use a large display.  Around 32” would be ideal.  Large computer monitors are typically expensive, but most there is a cheaper alternative.  Most computers support HDMI so you can actually use a flat screen TV as a monitor.   I have a 32” LED hooked up to my laptop and use that as the primary display.  I hooked up my Xbox one to the other HDMI port and ran the cable TV through the Xbox.  So, the same TV functions for all entertainment.  LED TVs are a lot cheaper than computer monitors.

[HeroGM]

There is a way to add dark mode, you'd have to put it in the base code though.

[Barton]

STRONGLY recommend large 4K TV as monitor if your computer has HDMI cables, I use two 42" Samsung 4K LED TV from Sams Club [about $300 each] for my programming.

[LoneWolf]

For someone with poor vision the 4K may be overkill.   The main reason to get that is to run it at higher resolutions so more fits on the screen, but the image is still clear.  For a programmer that can be very important.  In this case they will probably run it at a lower resolution so that the image is much larger than normal.  Full HD (1080P) should be enough for that.  Something like that will probably be around $150.   

 

The size is going to be based on desk space, and field of vision.  You want it large enough it can be easily seen, but not so large you have to move your head to see the whole screen.   Someone who is comparing two different things may want something bigger so they can have two copies of the application open on the screen at one time.  When I was trouble shooting programs and logs that was helpful.  But for general use you don’t want to go too big.  
 

[Simon]

I think you're confusing the resolution of the transmission with the pixel size/density of the monitor.  An HD monitor may have the pixel density necessary to render the resolution that you want to run your screen at, but you're still going to have perceptible pixels (depending on your proximity to the screen and the screen size).  Whether or not those pixels are consciously perceived, your brain is still working to "smooth" the image (think Monet paintings) -- this is one of the big sources of eye strain.  Get the highest resolution screen you can afford and run it at the resolution that you are comfortable with - that will give you the crispest/cleanest image and help to reduce eye strain.

[SoroProject]

Thank you all for the replies  I appreciate everyone's help. I'll work with him on some of these suggestions and let you all know what worked best afterward ❤️