Hey, I’ve noticed a few folks suggesting purely graphic-based tweaks or solely relying on external editors like Illustrator for the gradient effects, but it’s important to remember the limitations of your game’s rendering engine and UI framework. Applying a gradient in Illustrator might make perfect visuals, but when you import that back into the game, it can lose quality or cause performance issues depending on how the game handles textures or alpha transparency.

One key point that wasn’t emphasized enough in previous replies is considering the use of layered sprites or dynamic shaders, if your modding tools allow it. Instead of a flat gradient baked into a texture, sometimes it’s better to create multiple layers—say, a solid base text, a gradient overlay with alpha blending, and maybe a subtle drop shadow. This can keep readability intact and avoid those weird artifacts people mentioned.

Also, remember to check if your mod framework supports vector-based text rendering or if it only works with raster images. In some cases, redoing the gradient effect inside the game’s UI scripting (like using CSS-like styles in web-based HUDs or game engines supporting shaders) produces better results than just image editing.

Lastly, image compression formats and resolution matter here. Low-res textures with gradients can band or look blurry, so try working with higher-res assets and experiment with compression settings. Hope this helps clarify some of the earlier points and gives you a smoother workflow!

I ran into the same issue with overlaying text elements in the HUD mods. What helped me was switching from the default font rendering to a bitmap font, which seemed to handle layering better without flickering. It might not be perfect if you’re aiming for dynamic text changes, but for static labels, it cleaned things up a lot.