Added friendly advice on character creation screen - thanks to Brian Wiser for the suggestion.

Platform/Apple/virtual/src/plasma/gamelib.plh

@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import gamelib
   predef clearEncounterZones()#0
   predef clearPortrait()#0
   predef clearWindow()#0
+  predef centerStr(str, windowWidth)#0
   predef countArray(arr)#1
   predef countList(p)#1
   predef countListFiltered(p, offset, filterFunc)#1

Platform/Apple/virtual/src/plasma/gameloop.pla

@@ -1517,6 +1517,17 @@ export def rightJustifyNum(num, rightX)#0
   rightJustifyStr(convertDec(num), rightX)
 end
 
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+export def centerStr(str, windowWidth)#0
+  word x
+  x = (windowWidth - calcWidth(str)) >> 1
+  if (x >= 0)
+    rawDisplayStr("^T")  // do not use printf variants, since it might overwrite str
+    rawDisplayStr(convert3Dec(x))
+  fin
+  rawDisplayStr(str)
+end
+
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // Display the party data on the screen
 export def showParty()#0

Platform/Apple/virtual/src/plasma/party.pla

@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ def showInventory(player, page, select)#1
   n_page = page * INV_ROWS
   item = player=>p_items
   totalPages = (countList(item)+INV_ROWS-1) / INV_ROWS
-  showColumnTitle(INV_X-10, "Inventory", page+1, totalPages)
+  showColumnTitle(INV_X-10, "INVENTORY", page+1, totalPages)
   if page
     while item and n_item < n_page
       item = item=>p_nextObj
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ def showDerived(player)#0
   word weapon, dmg
 
   //rawDisplayStr("^V023")
-  showColumnTitle(STAT_X, "Stats", 0, 0)
+  showColumnTitle(STAT_X-5, "STATS", 0, 0)
 
   rawDisplayf2("^T%DLevel %d\n", STAT_X-5, player->b_level)
   if player->b_skillPoints
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ end
 // Show aquired skills in lower right panel
 def showSkills(player)#0
   word skill
-  byte y, x1, x2
+  byte x1, x2, cursX, cursY
 
   nSkills = 0
 
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ def showSkills(player)#0
     x1 = 0
     x2 = STAT_X - 40
   fin
-  showColumnTitle(25, "Skills", 0, 0)
+  showColumnTitle(25, "SKILLS", 0, 0)
   if player->b_aiming; displaySkill(x1, @S_AIMING, @player->b_aiming, TRUE); fin
   if player->b_handToHand; displaySkill(x1, @S_HAND_TO_HAND, @player->b_handToHand, TRUE); fin
   if player->b_dodging; displaySkill(x1, @S_DODGING, @player->b_dodging, TRUE); fin
@@ -261,9 +261,10 @@ def showSkills(player)#0
     fin
     skill = skill=>p_nextObj
   loop
+  cursX, cursY = getCursor()
 
   // Second column: attributes
-  showColumnTitle(STAT_X-5, "Attributes", 0, 0)
+  showColumnTitle(STAT_X-20, "ATTRIBUTES", 0, 0)
   rawDisplayStr("^V024") // starting Y
   displaySkill(x2, @S_INTELLIGENCE, player+b_intelligence, TRUE)
   displaySkill(x2, @S_STRENGTH, player+b_strength, TRUE)
@@ -282,6 +283,15 @@ def showSkills(player)#0
     rawDisplayf2("^T%D%s", x2+SKILL_LABEL_OFF, "Gender")
     rightJustifyStr(sprintf1(" %c ", player->c_gender), x2+SKILL_JUST_OFF)
   fin
+
+  if player->b_level == 1 and player->b_skillPoints and cursY < BIGWIN_HEIGHT - 46
+    setCursor(0, BIGWIN_HEIGHT - 42)
+    centerStr(sprintf1("Use keys A-%c to distribute your skill points.", nSkills - 1 + 'A'), BIGWIN_WIDTH)
+    rawDisplayStr("\n")
+    centerStr("To undo a choice use Ctrl-A, Ctrl-B, etc.", BIGWIN_WIDTH)
+    rawDisplayStr("\n")
+    centerStr("When done, press X to see starting items.", BIGWIN_WIDTH)
+  fin
 end
 
 // Returns 1 to redisplay everything, 0 if only minor change
@@ -673,7 +683,9 @@ def _showPlayerSheet(player_num)#1  // funcTbl functions always have to return a
     if !player; beep; return NULL; fin
     if redisplay >= 2
       clearWindow()
-      rawDisplayf1("^Y^I %s ^N\n", player=>s_name)
+      rawDisplayStr("^I")
+      centerStr(sprintf1(" %s ", player=>s_name), BIGWIN_WIDTH)
+      rawDisplayStr("^N")
       redisplay = 1
       totalItems = countList(player=>p_items)
       if mode == 'I'