Tribes Ascend Custom Crosshair Guide

Tribes Ascend Custom Crosshair Guide by RootbeerAlamode

My preferred Method.

Autohotkey script – tweaked by klyith
You will need to download autohotkey http://www.autohotkey.com/ Make sure to use AHK basic and not AHK_L. This script is not compatible with AHK_L
Then just open the xhair.ahk script.

This script is pretty robust and does a bunch of nice things.
-It supports 2 different crosshairs, so you can have a normal one, and a sniping one, or a mortar ladder.
-The End key cycles between xhair1, xhair2, and off
-It auto centers on the tribes window, works even if your tribes window is not centered on your screen.
-Includes a few crosshairs but you can add your own
-Supports PNG and partial transparency.

Update, version 2.2 link above

New stuff:
A readme! Included are detailed instructions for changing the hotkey to something other than ‘end’.

More sample crosshairs from this thread (files named for credit).

Fixes to windows 7 issues with crosshair falling under the tribes window:
1. The script now has an entry in the alt-tab list. It also uses a function that activates tribes any time the autohotkey window is receives focus. The idea is that when you alt-tab out of tribes for something, you can alt-tab to xhair to go back to tribes (and make sure xhair is visible at the same time).
2. The hidden stage of crosshair cycling now destroys and fully recreates the crosshair gui. So hitting the hotkey 3 times should always restore it to visibility.

To add your own crosshair just save them as .png with transparency in the same folder as the ahk script. Either rename the images to “crosshair.png” and “alternate.png” or edit the image names in the script.
Make sure you disable crosshairs within the games settings menu under HUD.
Note: This and all other methods in this post will only work if you run T:A in windowed mode.

Enjoy.

Alternate methods

Another AHK script.
Another auto-hotkey script Courtesy of CreativeConstraints
Alt+insert to toggle on and off, Alt+arrow keys to align crosshair.

Autohotkey forums
More autohotkey scripts

TribesCastOverlay
An overlay program created by Redra.
-Binary Transparency only, RGB(255, 0, 255) is the transparent color.
-Good for people that like a GUI
-Has other nice features geared towards casters

Overlay Program
Another Overlay program from blecro
-Some people report less performance drop
-Still only works in windowed mode
-Unique crosshairs per class, automatically switches if you use use numpad to change class
-More details in This post.
-Binary transparency only. Whatever color the top left pixel is will be used for the transparent color.
-BMP only, some of the sample images may need to be converted.

Simplified Version of Blecros program
-Only 1 xhair
-Not hotkeys
-Runs only when T:A runs.

These are just simple overlays, basically just an “always on top” window. They will not work in fullscreen mode. They do not interact with or modify the game in any way.
Bart confirmed in IRC that this is ok.

Some people report FPS drops, but I don’t get any, YMMV.

Tips for creating your own crosshairs

-Use a symmetrical image, square or rectangle and make sure your x-hair is centered within the image. This is important if using klyith’s script so it will center properly. It may mean you have a bunch of empty space, for example on a mortar ladder.
-Make sure your image is an even number of pixels, if its odd it will not center properly.
-Screen resolutions are always even, so the center of the screen is not a single pixel, but the space between a 2×2 grid. A 2×2 grid is the smallest centered dot you can achieve.
-Turn on rulers and grids in whatever image editor you are using, start by creating a 2×2 dot at the center to use as reference point.
-When creating more complex crosshairs it may be easier to draw one half, or one quarter of the crosshair then mirror it to maintain symmetry.

Sample Crosshairs:

Myself:
(general) Small elaborate green cross with pink mil dots – AHK
(general) Larger green cross with pink mill dots – AHK
(mortar) Above cross with number mortar ladder – AHK
(general) Cross with transparent gradient – AHK
(general) Rectangular cross with transparent gradient – AHK
(general) Rectangular gradient cross with “bolt mark” – AHK Note: Highlighted dot on lower right indicates path of bolt
(general) Simple small green cross – AHK
(general) Green Tri-Bars with transparent gradient– AHK

Klyith
(general) Green Tri-Bars – AHK

SxxyKate:
(sniping) Very large pink cross – TribesCastOverlay
(sniper) Very large pink T-bar – AHK
(sniper) Very large pink cross – AHK

CreativeConstraints:
(mortar) Red numbered mortar ladder] – AHK
(mortar) Pink numbered mortar ladder – AHK

SenorRaoul:
(general) Green cross with mil dots – AHK
(general) Green disc variant – AHK
(mortar) Green numbered mortar ladder – AHK
(sniper) Very large green cross – AHK
(mortar) Green numbered mortar ladder – AHK

windexglow:
(mortar) Pink mortar ladder

Skeptic
(general) Grey Rectangular cross

Tenub
(general) Small red dot – Belcro

Oroibahazopi
(general) Very small diagonal line/dot – AHK

Schottingham
(general) Small green cross – AHK note: odd dimensions, off center by less than 1 pixel
(general) Small green cross – AHK

Redsnt
(mortar) Numbered mortar ladder – Blecro

Litego
(mortar) Tri-bars with numbered mortar ladder – Blecro
(mortar) Numbered mortar ladder – Blecro
(sniper) Chevron T-bar – Blecro
(mortar) Multipurpose – Blecro
(general) Simple white cross – Blecro

TheEschaton
(sniper) Calibrated falloff sniper reticule – Blecro/TCO
Note: Calibrated for fall off ranges on rifles. See this post for more info.

Shockey
(general) Ornate green cross – AHK
(general) Ornate green cross – AHK

aranha
(general) Black cross with circle – AHK