In Game Text Dialog Box

A text dialog box can be opened when a new colony mission is started to give background story and mission briefings.

Creating the text dialog box programmatically requires the following steps

Write up the briefing/backstory in rich text format (RTF).
Add a resource script (.rc) to the project detailing the design of the dialog box.
Add a resource header file (typically resource.h) to the project providing a link between the resource script file and the rest of the source code.
Add code to the scenario that formats and opens the dialog screen through the windows API.

Rich Text Format documents include metadata such as font and text color which are not available in text (.txt) format. Depending on the program used to open an RTF, the metadata may be hidden. Microsoft Word and Wordpad will default to showing just the text and the effect of the metadata on the text. Notepad or Notepad++ will show all of the metadata.

Outpost 2 uses Arial font size 10 for Campaign Mission Briefing Screens.

Note: Although Microsoft Word can create and save RTF documents, it is not recommended. Microsoft Word adds large amounts of metadata to the document that is not necessary for Outpost 2, typically increasing a small amount of text from about 3 kb to about 50 kb.

Example RTF file

{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033\deflangfe1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fprq2\fcharset0 Arial;}}
{\colortbl ;\red0\green255\blue0;}
{\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.21.2510;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\cf1\lang9\f0\fs22 Commander,\par
\par
Resources on this planet can no longer support our operations. Our last chance for survival is 
launching a starship before the last resources are depleted. We have established our new base at 
the northern end of Haise Valley. Plymouth has taken control of a mineral rich area 120 kilometers 
outside of the valley and off your local map display. Plymouth also recently established a small, 
secondary mining outpost in the southern part of Haise valley.\par
\par
Both our colony and Plymouth\rquote s colony suffer from the lack of resources. However, 
Plymouth\rquote s colony still has better resource access than our new base. Your orders are to 
construct an evacuation starship for 200 colonists and if possible prevent open warfare with 
Plymouth. So far, we have avoided harsh combat. However, do whatever you must for our survival.\par
\par
Good Luck Commander,\par
Failure is not an option\par
\par
}

Microsoft Visual Studio will autogenerate resource script files. Some of the auto-generated content are unnecessary comments.

For more information on TEXTINCLUDE, see: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/6t3612sk.aspx.

// Microsoft Visual C++ generated resource script.
//
#include "resource.h"
 
#define APSTUDIO_READONLY_SYMBOLS
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// Generated from the TEXTINCLUDE 2 resource.
//
#include "afxres.h"
 
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
#undef APSTUDIO_READONLY_SYMBOLS
 
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// English (United States) resources
 
#if !defined(AFX_RESOURCE_DLL) || defined(AFX_TARG_ENU)
LANGUAGE LANG_ENGLISH, SUBLANG_ENGLISH_US
#pragma code_page(1252)
 
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// Dialog
//
 
IDD_MISSIONINFO DIALOGEX 0, 0, 282, 250
STYLE DS_SETFONT | DS_MODALFRAME | DS_SETFOREGROUND | DS_3DLOOK | DS_CENTER | WS_POPUP | 
      WS_VISIBLE | WS_CAPTION
CAPTION "MISSION INFO"
FONT 8, "MS Sans Serif", 0, 0, 0x0
BEGIN
    DEFPUSHBUTTON   "&CONTINUE",IDOK,75,230,130,15
    CONTROL         "",IDC_TEXTAREA,"RICHEDIT",TCS_HOTTRACK | TCS_RAGGEDRIGHT | TCS_MULTISELECT | 
                    WS_BORDER | WS_VSCROLL | WS_TABSTOP,5,5,270,220
END
 
 
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// DESIGNINFO
//
 
#ifdef APSTUDIO_INVOKED
GUIDELINES DESIGNINFO
BEGIN
    IDD_MISSIONINFO, DIALOG
    BEGIN
        LEFTMARGIN, 7
        RIGHTMARGIN, 275
        TOPMARGIN, 7
        BOTTOMMARGIN, 243
    END
END
#endif    // APSTUDIO_INVOKED
 
 
#ifdef APSTUDIO_INVOKED
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// TEXTINCLUDE
//
 
1 TEXTINCLUDE 
BEGIN
    "resource.h\0"
END
 
2 TEXTINCLUDE 
BEGIN
    "#include ""afxres.h""\r\n"
    "\0"
END
 
3 TEXTINCLUDE 
BEGIN
    "\r\n"
    "\0"
END
 
#endif    // APSTUDIO_INVOKED
 
 
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// TEXT
//
 
IDR_MISSIONTEXT         TEXT                    "briefing.rtf"
 
 
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// AFX_DIALOG_LAYOUT
//
 
IDD_MISSIONINFO AFX_DIALOG_LAYOUT
BEGIN
    0
END
 
 
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// Version
//
 
VS_VERSION_INFO VERSIONINFO
 FILEVERSION 1,0,0,0
 PRODUCTVERSION 1,3,0,5
 FILEFLAGSMASK 0x3fL
#ifdef _DEBUG
 FILEFLAGS 0x1L
#else
 FILEFLAGS 0x0L
#endif
 FILEOS 0x40004L
 FILETYPE 0x0L
 FILESUBTYPE 0x0L
BEGIN
    BLOCK "StringFileInfo"
    BEGIN
        BLOCK "040904b0"
        BEGIN
            VALUE "CompanyName", "Outpost Universe"
            VALUE "FileDescription", "Plymouth Colony Game Starting over"
            VALUE "FileVersion", "1.0.0.0"
            VALUE "InternalName", "cOver.dll"
            VALUE "LegalCopyright", "Copyright (C) 2016"
            VALUE "OriginalFilename", "cOver"
            VALUE "ProductName", "Outpost 2"
            VALUE "ProductVersion", "1.3.0.5"
        END
    END
    BLOCK "VarFileInfo"
    BEGIN
        VALUE "Translation", 0x409, 1200
    END
END
 
#endif    // English (United States) resources
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 
 
#ifndef APSTUDIO_INVOKED
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// Generated from the TEXTINCLUDE 3 resource.
//
 
 
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
#endif    // not APSTUDIO_INVOKED

Microsoft Resource Naming and Numbering Conventions can be reviewed here: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/t2zechd4.aspx.

ID Prefix Naming Conventions

Prefix	Use	Recommended Range
IDB	Bitmap resource	101 through 0x6FFF
IDC	Command identifier, cursor, or control	101 through 0x6FFF
IDD	Dialog box resource	101 through 0x6FFF
IDI	Icon resource	101 through 0x6FFF
IDR	Multiple resource types, possibly common to an entire application or window	101 through 0x6FFF
IDS	String resource	101 through 0x7FFF

Note: 0x prefix on a number indicates it is in hexadecimal form.

//{{NO_DEPENDENCIES}}
// Microsoft Visual C++ generated include file.
// Used by RisingFromTheAshes.rc
//
#define IDR_MISSIONTEXT                 102
#define IDB_PIC                         104
#define IDD_MISSIONINFO                 907
#define IDC_TEXTAREA                    1001
#define IDC_PIC                         -1
 
// Next default values for new objects
// 
#ifdef APSTUDIO_INVOKED
#ifndef APSTUDIO_READONLY_SYMBOLS
#define _APS_NEXT_RESOURCE_VALUE        105
#define _APS_NEXT_COMMAND_VALUE         40001
#define _APS_NEXT_CONTROL_VALUE         1005
#define _APS_NEXT_SYMED_VALUE           101
#endif
#endif