[jgorset]

Zone transitions currently open with generic artwork until Level_Set activates the destination. With this change, the level artwork shows immediately without any generic artwork first.

Add opt-in g_loading_screen_early (0/1, default 0) to select the destination image before ClientSave and reconnect, and bind it at the first LoadBegin. Set g_loading_screen_early 1 to enable it; 0 preserves the existing loading-screen presentation and selection path. The standard console command saves through the existing configuration mechanism. The same toggle is available under Options → Modded Exes → Visual → UI/HUD, with English and Russian labels and descriptions; it requires no restart.

When enabled, the preview copies CRandom; Level_Set still performs its original RNG draw at the original lifecycle point. Keep the selected image through activation, retain the late fallback for level-local textures, and clear preview state at the outermost LoadEnd without removing the bound image during precache. This does not activate a level early or change menu save loading.

[damoldavskiy]

It's cool and all but there are no tests in this repo, so it's not a great thing to add them just for that specific case

[jgorset]

Sorry about that, I can fix it!

[jgorset]

Done!

[damoldavskiy]

So am I right that with this change the destination logo shows up immediately? If so, let's make it either under cvar or under script-side setter (cvar is fine imo), because it changes the aesthetic of loading screen

[jgorset]

That's correct, the destination logo shows up immediately with this change, which I feel makes the loading experience smoother and more immersive (especially with mods like Atmospheric Loading Screen, which I also tested to work)

Would you like to default this to on or off?

[jgorset]

Thanks for the quick replies, by the way, that's cool! I'm working on a before/after video comparison for you, should be ready in a minute.

[damoldavskiy]

Yeah a small demonstration would be nice, let's make it off by default

[jgorset]

Here are two small demonstrations using Atmospheric Loading Screen:

before-custom-artwork.mp4

after-custom-artwork.mp4

I'll also whip up before/after comparison videos with the stock G.A.M.M.A. loading screen, so we can see how it would be for most users.

[jgorset]

gamma-default-before.mp4

gamma-default-after.mp4

[jgorset]

If you like this and would like to implement it upstream, it'd be awesome if you could test it on your computer as well, since I've only been able to verifiy that it works on mine (he he, famous last words).

[themrdemonized]

Add new cvar into modded exe options scripts so it can be displayed in Options -> Modded Exes