Configuring Power Trays: a post-Page 7 cheat sheet!

[Shenanigunner]

An update earlier in Issue 27 added the option of numeric recharge timers for power tray icons. With Page 7, this simple feature was expanded with a full range of configurability. Since defaults were changed (with timer display now the default setting) some vast number of players logging on thought timers were new, and the rest howled at the fake moon about how their beloved icons had been besmirched.

 

While a "GO SEE THE POWERS SECTION OF THE WINDOWS MENU" chat macro may be needed for some time, as players return to the horror that are recharge timers, it is true that the configuration of the timers is a bit convoluted. I just updated the Tech Guide with comprehensive information on the features and the associated slash commands, and I really recommend serious (or seriously angry) users refer to it for complete information.

 

But for those who prefer online info, here's a concise rundown of how to get your power tray icons to behave exactly as you want, even if it is the 19-year-old legacy behavior.

 

PANIC MODE!

Super-Quick Gimme Back My Icons Fix: In the Options | Window | Powers menu, set— — Power Tray Animations to Enabled, and — Power Recharge Timer to None.   There. Just like it's been for 19 years. Whew.

 

All of these changes can be accessed through slash commands (and thus binds or macros). All but one can be adjusted using that Power section under the Windows page of the game menu —

 

 

—but there is some fuzziness of terminology and combined actions that can be frustrating. So here's how it works:

 

Tray Slot Labels
From the dawn of time until Page 7, each slot on each tray was given a number label from 1 to 10. The Page 7 update added a menu option (Power Tray Labels) that allows you to set the slot labels to—

• Numbers – those same the numbers (1-10) on each tray.
• Keybinds – the first associated keybind (1, 2, 3 … 0, or C-1, C-2 etc.) on the primary and secondary trays.
• None – no labels at all.

The associated slash command is /tray_labels [0-1-2].

 

I suggest the clean, uncluttered look of None, since the numbers aren't really useful during gameplay and the keybind display is so limited. (Do you really need to be told Tray 1 is activated with 1-0?)

 

Enable Power Recharge Timers

To enable the countdown timers on your tray icons, set Power Recharge Timer to any setting but Off. Selecting Always means all icons will always display a timer while charging.

 

Selective Timer Appearance

You have some choices there, to suppress the timers on short-recharge powers where you don't need detailed info and the timer is just visual clutter and busyness. Set Power Recharge Timer to suppress powers with recharge times under 5, 10, 15, 30 or 60 seconds if that suits, you. The associated slash command is /recharge_timer_threshold, where 0 is off, 1 is always, and any value of 2 or more is the number of seconds under which to suppress timer display.

 

Power Recharge Timer Format

The power timers can be configured in several ways.

 

Time Display Format

The time display can be configured using Recharge Timer Format to show—

• Seconds (including over 60).
• Seconds with tenth-seconds under 10 seconds.
• Minutes:Seconds.
• Minutes:Seconds with tenths.

The associated slash command is recharge_timer_format [0-4] (0 and 1 select Seconds).

 

Time Display Location

Timers can be placed across the top, middle or bottom of the icons using the Power Timers Location option.

The associated slash command is /recharge_indicator [0-2].

Note: this legacy command used to toggle Off/Top/Center/Bottom but was changed for Page 7.
 

Time Display Color & Opacity

Timers are white by default, but two color-change sets can be applied to help indicate recharge status. (The colors slowly blend between stages across the thirds of recharge time.) The Recharge Timer Color option allows—

• None (white numerals).
• Red-Yellow-Green progression across recharge time.
• Blue-Yellow-Red progression across recharge time.

The slash command is recharge_timer_color [0-2].

 

The timer opacity can be adjusted in all cases with the Recharge Timer Opacity slider, from 10-100%.

The associated slash command is recharge_timer_opacity [0.10 - 1.00].
 

Icon Animation/Bloomback

In the original update, the icons still shrunk and grew back whether timers were enabled or not. With Page 7, the animation can be disabled (and apparently is, by default). Follow along carefully; this gets a little tricky.

 

If Power Tray Animations are disabled, the icons will dim but not shrink/bloom.

The associated slash command is tray_animations [0-1].

 

If Power Tray Animations are enabled, the icons will dim and shrink/bloom only if timers are disabled (legacy mode).

 

If you want animated icons with the timers, you're in deep trouble, because there's no menu option for this.

There is, however, a slash command: /tray_always_shrinks [0-1].

Enable that with the 1 argument and you will have shrinky-bloomy icons at all times, with or without timers enable.

 

Any questions?

[Griffin]

I have edited these settings dozens of times. They always revert when I log out and back on. Does anyone have a fix for this?

[Number Six]

11 hours ago, Griffin said:

I have edited these settings dozens of times. They always revert when I log out and back on. Does anyone have a fix for this?

 

tl;dr: Don't use Tequila or similar.

 

The game used to save settings in the Windows registry, which is less than ideal for several reasons. This was redone years ago as part of the new file layout project, and moved into JSON configuration files that live within the new settings\[profile] directory structure. But to not break everybody's install, the old manifest-based launchers pass the -uselegacylayout flag that causes the game to use the old layout, and continue to use the registry for settings.

 

When the HC launcher was introduced, it provided an opportunity to migrate to the new layout; and its installer is capable of helping copy data into the new structure. Installs done by the HC launcher no longer used the legacy mode and all of their settings live entirely in the JSON files.

 

Fast forward to today. Some newer features like the power tray changes in Page 7 don't bother to implement the extra layer that copies settings back to the registry in legacy mode. No real reason to since the vast majority of players have migrated and we officially no longer support the old launchers (though do still update the manifests to make it easier for people who haven't migrated yet).

 

The end result is that if you're still using one of those, certain settings won't be saved because they have no code to write them to the registry, and in legacy mode there are no JSON files present to save to.

[Griffin]

ah thank you. I was actually wondering if there were reasons to switch to the homecoming launcher, and there is. I will do that today. Thanks again!