just put a hud.png in a faction dir and you got a HUD overlay

source/glest_game/game/game.cpp

@@ -353,6 +353,48 @@ string Game::extractTechLogoFile(string scenarioDir, string techName,
     return result;
 }
 
+void Game::loadHudTexture(const GameSettings *settings)
+{
+	string factionName = "";
+	string techName			= settings->getTech();
+	string scenarioDir =settings->getScenarioDir();
+
+	for(int i=0; i < settings->getFactionCount(); ++i ) {
+		if(settings->getFactionControl(i) == ctHuman){
+			factionName= settings->getFactionTypeName(i);
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+	if(factionName != ""){
+		Config &config= Config::getInstance();
+		vector<string> pathList= config.getPathListForType(ptTechs, scenarioDir);
+		for(int idx= 0; idx < pathList.size(); idx++){
+			string currentPath= pathList[idx];
+			endPathWithSlash(currentPath);
+
+			vector<string> hudList;
+			string path= currentPath + techName + "/" + "factions" + "/" + factionName;
+			endPathWithSlash(path);
+			findAll(path + "hud.*", hudList, false, false);
+			if(hudList.size() > 0){
+				string hudImageFileName= path + hudList[0];
+				if(SystemFlags::getSystemSettingType(SystemFlags::debugSystem).enabled)
+					SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugSystem,"In [%s::%s Line: %d] looking for a HUD '%s'\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__,hudImageFileName.c_str());
+
+				if(fileExists(hudImageFileName) == true){
+					if(SystemFlags::getSystemSettingType(SystemFlags::debugSystem).enabled)
+						SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugSystem,"In [%s::%s Line: %d] found HUD image '%s'\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__,hudImageFileName.c_str());
+
+					Texture2D* texture= Renderer::findFactionLogoTexture(hudImageFileName);
+					gui.setHudTexture(texture);
+					//printf("Hud texture found! \n");
+					break;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 string Game::findFactionLogoFile(const GameSettings *settings, Logger *logger,
 		string factionLogoFilter) {
 	string result = "";
@@ -483,6 +525,8 @@ void Game::load(LoadGameItem loadTypes) {
 		SDL_PumpEvents();
 	}
 
+	loadHudTexture(&gameSettings);
+
     string scenarioDir = "";
     if(gameSettings.getScenarioDir() != "") {
     	if(SystemFlags::getSystemSettingType(SystemFlags::debugSystem).enabled) SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugSystem,"In [%s::%s Line: %d]\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__);
@@ -1840,6 +1884,9 @@ void Game::render2d(){
 	//init
 	renderer.reset2d();
 
+	//HUD
+	renderer.renderHud();
+
 	//display
 	renderer.renderDisplay();
 

source/glest_game/game/game.h

@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ public:
 	static string extractFactionLogoFile(bool &loadingImageUsed, string factionName, string scenarioDir, string techName, Logger *logger=NULL, string factionLogoFilter="loading_screen.*");
 	static string extractTechLogoFile(string scenarioDir, string techName, bool &loadingImageUsed, Logger *logger=NULL,string factionLogoFilter="loading_screen.*");
 
+	void loadHudTexture(const GameSettings *settings);
 
 	bool getGameOver() { return gameOver; }
 	bool hasGameStarted() { return gameStarted;}

source/glest_game/graphics/renderer.cpp

@@ -3044,6 +3044,15 @@ void Renderer::renderWaterEffects(){
 	assertGl();
 }
 
+void Renderer::renderHud(){
+	const Metrics &metrics= Metrics::getInstance();
+	const World *world= game->getWorld();
+	Texture2D *hudTexture=game->getGui()->getHudTexture();
+	if(hudTexture!=NULL){
+		renderTextureQuad(0, 0, metrics.getVirtualW(), metrics.getVirtualH(),hudTexture,1.0f);
+	}
+}
+
 void Renderer::renderMinimap(){
     const World *world= game->getWorld();
 	const Minimap *minimap= world->getMinimap();

source/glest_game/graphics/renderer.h

@@ -382,6 +382,7 @@ public:
 
 	void renderSelectionEffects();
 	void renderWaterEffects();
+	void renderHud();
 	void renderMinimap();
     void renderDisplay();
 	void renderMenuBackground(const MenuBackground *menuBackground);

source/glest_game/gui/gui.cpp

@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ Gui::Gui(){
 	selectionCalculationFrameSkip=10;
 	minQuadSize=20;
 	selectedResourceObject=NULL;
+	hudTexture=NULL;
 
 	if(SystemFlags::getSystemSettingType(SystemFlags::debugSystem).enabled) SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugSystem,"In [%s::%s] END\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__);
 }
@@ -125,6 +126,10 @@ void Gui::init(Game *game){
 
 void Gui::end(){
 	selection.clear();
+	if(hudTexture != NULL) {
+		Renderer::getInstance().endTexture(rsGlobal, hudTexture, false);
+	}
+	hudTexture = NULL;
 }
 
 // ==================== get ====================

source/glest_game/gui/gui.h

@@ -139,6 +139,8 @@ private:
 	CardinalDir selectedBuildingFacing;
 	const Object *selectedResourceObject;
 
+	Texture2D* hudTexture;
+
 public:
 	Gui();
 	void init(Game *game);
@@ -151,6 +153,9 @@ public:
 	Vec2i getPosObjWorld() const			{return posObjWorld;}
 	const UnitType *getBuilding() const;
 
+	Texture2D *getHudTexture() const {return hudTexture;}
+	void setHudTexture(Texture2D* value) { hudTexture = value;}
+
 	const Mouse3d *getMouse3d() const				{return &mouse3d;}
 	const Display *getDisplay()	const				{return &display;}
 	const Selection *getSelection()	const			{return &selection;}

source/glest_game/main/main.cpp

@@ -1407,7 +1407,8 @@ void runTechValidationForPath(string techPath, string techName,
 				for(unsigned int j = 0; j < foundFiles.size(); ++j) {
 					string file = foundFiles[j];
 					if(	file.find("loading_screen") != string::npos ||
-						file.find("preview_screen") != string::npos) {
+							file.find("preview_screen") != string::npos ||
+							file.find("hud") != string::npos) {
 						continue;
 					}
 					if(file.find("/factions/") != string::npos) {