* Add a seperate step for I_STARTUPSKINS - "Load characters" - since it takes a similar length to loading all other types of sprites.

* Adjust several loading strings, and left-align their rendering.
* Don't call HU_LoadGraphics() again (startup cached ALL FONTS twice).
* Adjust when some functions are called during loading to more effectively compartmentalise sections of loading that depend on each other.
    * LOADED_ISTARTUPGRAPHICS now comes after SCR_Startup, as we can explicitly guarantee the palette has been loaded after that function.
    * Make sure everything closely related to configurations (gamedata, console stuff, etc) which is not directly dependent on anything else is loaded under LOADED_CONFIG - "Load settings" (formerly LOADED_MINIT).
    * The `-warp` command line parameter is now checked alongside LOADED_DCHECKNETGAME.
* Don't attempt to draw the loading bar before LOADED_ISTARTUPGRAPHICS, as the palette is not loaded, which means you're wasting cycles on a white screen.

src/console.c

@@ -1880,21 +1880,23 @@ void CON_Drawer(void)
 	Unlock_state();
 }
 
-static const char *CON_LoadingStrings[LOADED_ALLDONE] =
+static const char *CON_LoadingStrings[LOADED_ALLDONE+1] =
 {
-	"Init Zone Memory...", //LOADED_ZINIT
+	"Init zone memory...", //LOADED_ZINIT
 	"Init game timing...", //LOADED_ISTARTUPTIMER
 	"Loading main assets...", //LOADED_IWAD
 	"Loading add-ons...", //LOADED_PWAD
 	"Init graphics subsystem...", //LOADED_ISTARTUPGRAPHICS
-	"Cache fonts...", //LOADED_HULOADGRAPHICS
-	"Init miscellaneous...", //LOADED_MINIT
+	"Cache fonts...", //LOADED_HUINIT
+	"Load settings...", //LOADED_CONFIG
 	"Cache textures...", //LOADED_INITTEXTUREDATA
 	"Cache sprites...", //LOADED_INITSPIRTES
+	"Load characters...", //LOADED_INITSKINS
 	"Init rendering daemon...", //LOADED_RINIT
 	"Init audio subsystem...", //LOADED_SINITSFXCHANNELS
 	"Cache HUD...", //LOADED_STINIT
 	"Check game status...", //LOADED_DCHECKNETGAME
+	"Now starting..."
 }; // see also con_loadprogress_t in console.h
 
 //
@@ -1912,9 +1914,11 @@ void CON_SetLoadingProgress(con_loadprogress_t newStep)
 
 	con_startup_loadprogress = newStep;
 
-	if (con_startup_loadprogress < LOADED_ALLDONE)
+	if (con_startup_loadprogress <= LOADED_ALLDONE)
 		CONS_Printf("LOADING UPDATE - %s\n", CON_LoadingStrings[con_startup_loadprogress]);
 
+	if (con_startup_loadprogress < LOADED_ISTARTUPGRAPHICS) // rendering not possible?
+		return;
 	CON_DrawLoadBar(); // here we display the console text
 	I_FinishUpdate(); // page flip or blit buffer
 }
@@ -1940,8 +1944,8 @@ void CON_DrawLoadBar(void)
 	barwidth = (BASEVIDWIDTH * con_startup_loadprogress) / LOADED_ALLDONE;
 	V_DrawFill(0, BASEVIDHEIGHT - barheight, barwidth, barheight, 0);
 #ifdef DEVELOP
-	if (con_startup_loadprogress < LOADED_ALLDONE)
-		V_DrawCenteredString(BASEVIDWIDTH/2, BASEVIDHEIGHT - (barheight + 8 + 4), 0, CON_LoadingStrings[con_startup_loadprogress]);
+	if (con_startup_loadprogress <= LOADED_ALLDONE)
+		V_DrawString(4, BASEVIDHEIGHT - (barheight + 8 + 4), 0, CON_LoadingStrings[con_startup_loadprogress]);
 #endif
 
 	Unlock_state();

src/console.h

@@ -36,10 +36,11 @@ typedef enum
 	LOADED_IWAD,
 	LOADED_PWAD,
 	LOADED_ISTARTUPGRAPHICS,
-	LOADED_HULOADGRAPHICS,
-	LOADED_MINIT,
+	LOADED_HUINIT,
+	LOADED_CONFIG,
 	LOADED_INITTEXTUREDATA,
 	LOADED_INITSPRITES,
+	LOADED_INITSKINS,
 	LOADED_RINIT,
 	LOADED_SINITSFXCHANNELS,
 	LOADED_STINIT,

src/d_main.c

@@ -1434,7 +1434,6 @@ void D_SRB2Main(void)
 
 	CONS_Printf("I_StartupGraphics()...\n");
 	I_StartupGraphics();
-	CON_SetLoadingProgress(LOADED_ISTARTUPGRAPHICS);
 
 #ifdef HWRENDER
 	// Lactozilla: Add every hardware mode CVAR and CCMD.
@@ -1447,10 +1446,15 @@ void D_SRB2Main(void)
 	// setup loading screen
 	SCR_Startup();
 
+	CON_SetLoadingProgress(LOADED_ISTARTUPGRAPHICS);
+
+	CONS_Printf("HU_Init()...\n");
 	HU_Init();
 
 	CON_Init();
 
+	CON_SetLoadingProgress(LOADED_HUINIT);
+
 	memset(timelimits, 0, sizeof(timelimits));
 	memset(pointlimits, 0, sizeof(pointlimits));
 
@@ -1463,14 +1467,10 @@ void D_SRB2Main(void)
 
 	I_RegisterSysCommands();
 
-	CONS_Printf("HU_LoadGraphics()...\n");
-	HU_LoadGraphics();
-	CON_SetLoadingProgress(LOADED_HULOADGRAPHICS);
-
 	//--------------------------------------------------------- CONFIG.CFG
 	M_FirstLoadConfig(); // WARNING : this do a "COM_BufExecute()"
 
-	G_LoadGameData();
+	M_Init();
 
 #if (defined (__unix__) && !defined (MSDOS)) || defined (UNIXCOMMON) || defined (HAVE_SDL)
 	VID_PrepareModeList(); // Regenerate Modelist according to cv_fullscreen
@@ -1479,36 +1479,18 @@ void D_SRB2Main(void)
 	// set user default mode or mode set at cmdline
 	SCR_CheckDefaultMode();
 
+	if (M_CheckParm("-noupload"))
+		COM_BufAddText("downloading 0\n");
+
+	G_LoadGameData();
+
 	wipegamestate = gamestate;
 
 	savedata.lives = 0; // flag this as not-used
 
-	//------------------------------------------------ COMMAND LINE PARAMS
-
-	// this must be done after loading gamedata,
-	// to avoid setting off the corrupted gamedata code in G_LoadGameData if a SOC with custom gamedata is added
-	// -- Monster Iestyn 20/02/20
-	if (M_CheckParm("-warp") && M_IsNextParm())
-	{
-		const char *word = M_GetNextParm();
-		pstartmap = G_FindMapByNameOrCode(word, 0);
-		if (! pstartmap)
-			I_Error("Cannot find a map remotely named '%s'\n", word);
-		else
-		{
-			if (!M_CheckParm("-server"))
-				G_SetGameModified(multiplayer, true);
-			autostart = true;
-		}
-	}
-
-	if (M_CheckParm("-noupload"))
-		COM_BufAddText("downloading 0\n");
-
-	CONS_Printf("M_Init(): Init miscellaneous info.\n");
-	M_Init();
-	CON_SetLoadingProgress(LOADED_MINIT);
+	CON_SetLoadingProgress(LOADED_CONFIG);
 
+	CONS_Printf("R_InitTextureData()...\n");
 	R_InitTextureData(); // seperated out from below because it takes ages by itself
 	CON_SetLoadingProgress(LOADED_INITTEXTUREDATA);
 
@@ -1516,6 +1498,10 @@ void D_SRB2Main(void)
 	R_InitSprites(); // ditto
 	CON_SetLoadingProgress(LOADED_INITSPRITES);
 
+	CONS_Printf("R_InitSkins()...\n");
+	R_InitSkins(); // ditto
+	CON_SetLoadingProgress(LOADED_INITSKINS);
+
 	CONS_Printf("R_Init(): Init SRB2 refresh daemon.\n");
 	R_Init();
 	CON_SetLoadingProgress(LOADED_RINIT);
@@ -1562,6 +1548,25 @@ void D_SRB2Main(void)
 	ST_Init();
 	CON_SetLoadingProgress(LOADED_STINIT);
 
+	//------------------------------------------------ COMMAND LINE PARAMS
+
+	// this must be done after loading gamedata,
+	// to avoid setting off the corrupted gamedata code in G_LoadGameData if a SOC with custom gamedata is added
+	// -- Monster Iestyn 20/02/20
+	if (M_CheckParm("-warp") && M_IsNextParm())
+	{
+		const char *word = M_GetNextParm();
+		pstartmap = G_FindMapByNameOrCode(word, 0);
+		if (! pstartmap)
+			I_Error("Cannot find a map remotely named '%s'\n", word);
+		else
+		{
+			if (!M_CheckParm("-server"))
+				G_SetGameModified(multiplayer, true);
+			autostart = true;
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Set up splitscreen players before joining!
 	if (!dedicated && (M_CheckParm("-splitscreen") && M_IsNextParm()))
 	{

src/m_menu.c

@@ -3466,8 +3466,6 @@ void M_Init(void)
 {
 	UINT8 i;
 
-	COM_AddCommand("manual", Command_Manual_f);
-
 	CV_RegisterVar(&cv_nextmap);
 	CV_RegisterVar(&cv_newgametype);
 	CV_RegisterVar(&cv_chooseskin);
@@ -3476,6 +3474,8 @@ void M_Init(void)
 	if (dedicated)
 		return;
 
+	COM_AddCommand("manual", Command_Manual_f);
+
 	// Menu hacks
 	CV_RegisterVar(&cv_dummymenuplayer);
 	CV_RegisterVar(&cv_dummyteam);

src/r_skins.c

@@ -133,9 +133,11 @@ static void Sk_SetDefaultValue(skin_t *skin)
 //
 void R_InitSkins(void)
 {
-#ifdef SKINVALUES
-	INT32 i;
+	size_t i;
 
+	// it can be is do before loading config for skin cvar possible value
+	// (... what the fuck did you just say to me? "it can be is do"?)
+#ifdef SKINVALUES
 	for (i = 0; i <= MAXSKINS; i++)
 	{
 		skin_cons_t[i].value = 0;
@@ -145,6 +147,14 @@ void R_InitSkins(void)
 
 	// no default skin!
 	numskins = 0;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < numwadfiles; i++)
+	{
+		R_AddSkins((UINT16)i);
+		R_PatchSkins((UINT16)i);
+		R_LoadSpriteInfoLumps(i, wadfiles[i]->numlumps);
+	}
+	ST_ReloadSkinFaceGraphics();
 }
 
 UINT32 R_GetSkinAvailabilities(void)

src/r_things.c

@@ -546,30 +546,6 @@ void R_InitSprites(void)
 	for (i = 0; i < numwadfiles; i++)
 		R_AddSpriteDefs((UINT16)i);
 
-	//
-	// now check for skins
-	//
-
-	// it can be is do before loading config for skin cvar possible value
-	// (... what the fuck did you just say to me? "it can be is do"?)
-#ifdef SKINVALUES
-	for (i = 0; i <= MAXSKINS; i++)
-	{
-		skin_cons_t[i].value = 0;
-		skin_cons_t[i].strvalue = NULL;
-	}
-#endif
-
-	numskins = 0;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < numwadfiles; i++)
-	{
-		R_AddSkins((UINT16)i);
-		R_PatchSkins((UINT16)i);
-		R_LoadSpriteInfoLumps(i, wadfiles[i]->numlumps);
-	}
-	ST_ReloadSkinFaceGraphics();
-
 	//
 	// check if all sprites have frames
 	//

src/v_video.c

@@ -131,6 +131,9 @@ static boolean InitCube(void)
 	float globalgammamul, globalgammaoffs;
 	boolean doinggamma;
 
+	if (con_startup_loadprogress < LOADED_MINIT)
+		return false;
+
 #define diffcons(cv) (cv.value != atoi(cv.defaultvalue))
 
 	doinggamma = diffcons(cv_globalgamma);