diff --git a/plugin_II/game_II/CHud.cpp b/plugin_II/game_II/CHud.cpp
index 60cc4cee..b3dd7ba7 100644
--- a/plugin_II/game_II/CHud.cpp
+++ b/plugin_II/game_II/CHud.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 */
 
 #include "CHud.h"
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <string.h>
 
 CHud** gHud = (CHud**)0x672F40;
 
@@ -29,14 +31,35 @@ void CHud::DrawSprite(int id1, int id2, int x, int y, char style, int const& mod
     plugin::CallStd<0x4C71B0, int, int, int, int, char, int const&, int, int, char>(id1, id2, x, y, style, mode, enableAlpha, alpha, unk);
 }
 
-void CHudMessage::SetHudMessage(const wchar_t* str, int priority) {
-    plugin::CallMethod<0x4C6060>(this, str, priority);
+void CHudMessage::SetHudMessage(const char* text, eMessagePriority priority) {
+    _SWSTRING_STATIC_INIT(1); _SWSTRING_STATIC_FROM(1, text);
+    SetHudMessage(_SWSTRING_STATIC(1), priority);
 }
 
-void CHudBrief::SetHudBrief(int priority, const char* str) {
-    plugin::CallMethod<0x4C6750>(this, priority, str);
+void CHudMessage::SetHudMessage(const wchar_t* text, eMessagePriority priority) {
+    plugin::CallMethod<0x4C6060>(this, text, priority);
 }
 
-void CHudBrief::Clear(int priority) {
+void CHudBrief::SetHudBrief(eMessagePriority priority, const char* gxt, unsigned int timeout) {
+    plugin::CallMethod<0x4C6690>(this, priority, gxt, timeout);
+}
+
+void CHudBrief::SetHudBriefStr(const char* text, short time) {
+    _SWSTRING_STATIC_INIT(1); _SWSTRING_STATIC_FROM(1, text);
+    SetHudBriefStr(_SWSTRING_STATIC(1), time);
+}
+
+void CHudBrief::SetHudBriefStr(const wchar_t* text, short time) {
+    SetHudBrief(eMessagePriority::MESSAGE_DISPLAY_NOW, "", -1);
+
+    wcscpy_s(this->text, text);
+    length = wcslen(this->text);
+    lines = 1 + std::count_if(this->text, this->text + length, [](auto ch){ return ch == L'\n'; });
+
+    if (time == 0) time = length * GetHud()->m_nTextSpeed; // automatic
+    displayTime = time;
+}
+
+void CHudBrief::Clear(eMessagePriority priority) {
     plugin::CallMethod<0x4C6860>(this, priority);
 }
diff --git a/plugin_II/game_II/CHud.h b/plugin_II/game_II/CHud.h
index 8f0615a1..7ab08353 100644
--- a/plugin_II/game_II/CHud.h
+++ b/plugin_II/game_II/CHud.h
@@ -32,30 +32,44 @@ enum eArrowType {
     TYPE_GREEN,
 };
 
-enum eMessagePriority {
+enum eMessagePriority : int {
     MESSAGE_DISPLAY_NONE,
     MESSAGE_DISPLAY_DEFAULT = 1,
     MESSAGE_DISPLAY_SOON = 2,
     MESSAGE_DISPLAY_NOW = 3,
 };
 
+#pragma pack(push, 1)
 class CHudBrief {
 public:
-    wchar_t str[640];
-    char field_641[36];
-    int* field_642;
-    char field_646[452];
-    char field_647[12];
-    CHudBrief* prev;
-    int field_652;
-    char* field_653;
+    wchar_t text[161];
+    int field_142;
+    char field_146[120];
+    int** field_1BE;
+    char field_1C2[832];
+    char field_502;
+    char field_503; // pad?
+    short displayTime; // render frames
+    short field_506; // pad?
+    int lines; // row count
+    int field_50C;
+    int length; // characters
+    int* field_514;
+    char gxt[8];
+    char field_520[472];
+    CHudBrief* prev; // TODO: is this still member of that struct?
+    int field_6FC; // TODO: is this still member of that struct?
+    char* field_700; // TODO: is this still member of that struct?
 
 public:
-    void SetHudBrief(int priority, const char* str);
-    void Clear(int priority);
-};
+    void SetHudBrief(eMessagePriority priority, const char* gxt, unsigned int timeout = -1); // GXT label
+    void SetHudBriefStr(const char* text, short time = 0);
+    void SetHudBriefStr(const wchar_t* text, short time = 0);
 
-VALIDATE_SIZE(CHudBrief, 0x704);
+    void Clear(eMessagePriority priority);
+};
+#pragma pack(pop)
+VALIDATE_SIZE(CHudBrief, 0x704); // TODO: possibly should be smaller
 
 class CHudMessage {
     char m_nTimeToShow;
@@ -66,7 +80,8 @@ class CHudMessage {
     int m_nType;
 
 public:
-    void SetHudMessage(const wchar_t* str, int priority);
+    void SetHudMessage(const char* text, eMessagePriority priority);
+    void SetHudMessage(const wchar_t* text, eMessagePriority priority);
 };
 
 VALIDATE_SIZE(CHudMessage, 0x1C8);
@@ -173,7 +188,6 @@ class CHud {
 public:
     static void DrawSprite(int id1, int id2, int x, int y, char style, int const& mode, int enableAlpha, int alpha, char unk);
 };
-
 VALIDATE_SIZE(CHud, 0x2AF8);
 
 extern CHud** gHud;