How to PROPERLY Change Your HUD Panel Colors (Colours) in Windows for All Versions of the Game

[lenna]

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<GraphicsConfig>
 <GUIColour>
  <Default>
   <LocalisationName>Standard</LocalisationName>
    <MatrixRed> 0.1, 0.1, 1 </MatrixRed>
    <MatrixGreen> 0.5, 1, 0.5 </MatrixGreen>
    <MatrixBlue> 1, 0.5, 0.1 </MatrixBlue>
  </Default>
 </GUIColour>
</GraphicsConfig>

gives this kind of result

which I use (mostly a light/bright blue HUD).

 

[DeejayKnight]

The Steam location for Elite Dangerous: Horizons is as follows:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Elite Dangerous Horizons\Products\elite-dangerous-64

My HUD color:

<Default>
	<LocalisationName>Standard</LocalisationName>
	<MatrixRed> 0, 0.38, 0.49 </MatrixRed>
	<MatrixGreen> 0, 0.16, 0.18 </MatrixGreen>
	<MatrixBlue> 1, 0.38, 0 </MatrixBlue>
</Default>

 

[WR3ND]

...

Yes, that's the install location for Steam, but as I mentioned in the OP, the proper override file to change the HUD panel colors is in the same place for all versions of the game, including the Steam versions, which is here. → C:\Users\[Your User Name]\AppData\Local\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\Options\Graphics\GraphicsConfigurationOverride.xml

 

[kofeyh]

The override file works for all versions of the game, 32 bit, 64 bit/Horizons, and Steam installs as tested by me. It just comes down to where the programs look for this file data when loading, and they all look to the override file.

I haven't tested installs to other drives, but since the data is intentionally set up and used as part of "app space" within "user space," I would imagine that it still works the same. You'll most likely still want to use the override file in the Windows install drive and user folder and subfolders. Feel free to test it out and report back your findings though, for greater benefit.

Note that this only works if Elite: Dangerous is installed on the same drive letter as the %USERDATA% is (ie, our user profiles). If it's a different drive, then the override does not function; which makes me think Frontier are actually looking at the root of the same drive the game is installed on, and pathing in to a location that is almost certainly never going to exist.

Presumably if we duplicate the directory structure on the same drive, the override may work; I need to test this to confirm, but suspect this is what is happening. Then again, there may be some other reason the override file isn't read on a system that has a different install drive.

Either way, Frontier possibly need to ensure the config files are read from sane places, even if we ignore that HUD changes aren't supported.

 

[WR3ND]

...

Nope. It also works if you install to an entirely different drive as well, as I have tested this too now, as mentioned here. → https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=217198&page=3&p=3343187&viewfull=1#post3343187

Maybe your Windows install is on an unusual drive and that's what's throwing it off? Only thing I can think of offhand.

 

[DeejayKnight]

Yes, that's the install location for Steam, but as I mentioned in the OP, the proper override file to change the HUD panel colors is in the same place for all versions of the game, including the Steam versions, which is here. → C:\Users\[Your User Name]\AppData\Local\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\Options\Graphics\GraphicsConfigurationOverride.xml

I added the link because the GraphicsConfigurationOverride.xml didn't exist in my folder, so I posted where I found it to already exist on my system. Just trying to be helpful is all.

 

[WR3ND]

I added the link because the GraphicsConfigurationOverride.xml didn't exist in my folder, so I posted where I found it to already exist on my system. Just trying to be helpful is all.

That's strange. On my Horizons Steam install the GraphicsConfiguraton.xml file is located where you mentioned, but not the GraphicsConfigurationOverride.xml file. Regardless, if people want to edit the HUD panel colors for all versions of the game and not have to reedit a config file after the game updates, they should use the location mentioned in the OP in the AppData folder, which is one of the main reasons for me starting this thread. Hope that clarifies things.

Thanks for trying to help all the same though. I'm not sure if you tried yet or not, but if you follow the recommendations in the OP, are you able to get it working that way as well? As mentioned, you may need to create the file.

 

[WR3ND]

Since there was recently a main update (2.1/1.6) and people seem confused about how to do this or are using the wrong file still and have been asking about it again, I thought I'd bump this thread to make it a bit more visible.

Yes, everything still works as described in the OP. Feel free to share any questions that you might have about it though, so that you can be helped.

Cheers and fly smart, Commanders!

 

[Leper Messiah]

Hi just tried this out, found the file ok, opened in notebook, edited in the scheme I wanted, played game.....no change. Went back to the file and checked it, all there. But when I double click on it and it opens in IE it's blank....other XML files in the folder display in IE but not the override. After editing in notepad I saved and didn't "save as", that should have worked?


typical that the thought of backing up the override briefly entered my head, but it all seemed so straight forward that I didn't bother.

 

[N3rd Murd3r3r]

Get it working on Xbox, and you'll be a REAL hero. Appreciate this is basically impossible until FD make it a setting before I get beaten up

 

[Zen17h]

Get it working on Xbox, and you'll be a REAL hero. Appreciate this is basically impossible until FD make it a setting before I get beaten up 

There is a way:
(First Google result, but you get the idea)
https://www.amazon.com/Transparent-Correction-Lighting-Colored-Overlays/dp/B00MU1XP86

 

[Heater]

Thanks for this, works like a champ!

 

[WR3ND]

Hi just tried this out, found the file ok, opened in notebook, edited in the scheme I wanted, played game.....no change. Went back to the file and checked it, all there. But when I double click on it and it opens in IE it's blank....other XML files in the folder display in IE but not the override. After editing in notepad I saved and didn't "save as", that should have worked?


typical that the thought of backing up the override briefly entered my head, but it all seemed so straight forward that I didn't bother.

Open up a blank notepad to copy the matrix color values over to and try replacing all the text in the Override file with the example I have in the OP, then overwriting the matrix color values to what you have. Might be some kind of syntax error in what you have now.

 

[Para Handy]

Hi just tried this out, found the file ok, opened in notebook, edited in the scheme I wanted, played game.....no change. Went back to the file and checked it, all there. But when I double click on it and it opens in IE it's blank....other XML files in the folder display in IE but not the override. After editing in notepad I saved and didn't "save as", that should have worked?


typical that the thought of backing up the override briefly entered my head, but it all seemed so straight forward that I didn't bother.

What WN3ND just posted ^^^ is the trick. It should display OK in IE, if it shows a blank page in IE then something is wrong.

I made a mistake once by missing out a / or something and so it wasn't recognised so just look for a typo and make sure you save the file in notepad as ansi text.

 

[frostypaw]

Now if only doing this didn't make the NPC face pictures change colour too but sadly with my lovely yellow HUD everyone appears to be dying of Galactic Jaundice

 

[Para Handy]

Now if only doing this didn't make the NPC face pictures change colour too but sadly with my lovely yellow HUD everyone appears to be dying of Galactic Jaundice

They all look like extras from the "Thriller" video anyway.

 

[Cataclysm72]

Instead of trying to use notepad to edit xml, my advise would be to get a better editor like Atom or Notepad++ and get free syntax checking and hilighting on xml files.

 

[ph1Lt0r]

HUD colors can only be changed by engineers now. All colors are picked via RNG.

 

[MadDogMurdock]

Hello all

i have just used this colour scheme from here.

<MatrixRed> 0.35, 0.15, 3.5 </MatrixRed>
<MatrixGreen> -0.5, 2, -1.25 </MatrixGreen>
<MatrixBlue> 1.75, -1, -0.4 </MatrixBlue>

The only thing i dont like is the pink in the right panel on the elite rank, can anyone change it to something else while keeping the rest of the colour scheme?

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7484/15990139726_07444e20ce_b.jpg

I tweaked it bit by adjusting the red a bit:
<MatrixRed> 0.35, 0.75, 1.5 </MatrixRed>
<MatrixGreen> -0.5, 2, -1.25 </MatrixGreen>
<MatrixBlue> 1.75, -1, -0.4 </MatrixBlue>

I like the greener primary blue colour and the introduction of the yellow text, not sure where else that will show up.

http://arkku.com/elite/hud_editor/#theme_0.35_0.75_1.5_-0.5_2_-1.25_1.75_-1_-0.4

I've never tried this out, so we'll see what it looks like for real later.

 

[WR3ND]

Instead of trying to use notepad to edit xml, my advise would be to get a better editor like Atom or Notepad++ and get free syntax checking and hilighting on xml files.

Something like that might be better for more involved and frequent editing, but for something as basic as this, which is largely just a copy and paste, I think it would needlessly complicate things for most people. Thanks for the suggestion though all the same; it might be worth looking into for some people.