[Kde-games-devel] KPat Progress and Regressions

[Ian Wadham]

On Tuesday 24 November 2009 5:31:27 am Parker Coates wrote:
> There's no need to use the word "game" to describe "a round of
> playing" in KPat, because solitaire games already have specific
> terminology for that: "deal". If we use this terminology, that frees
> up "game" to be "a named set of rules".
> 
> That gives us this [1] [2]. Note that other actions have changed to
> match the new terminology. The layout has also been changed for better
> grouping. This feels right to me. Much more natural. I still think
> there's a chance that players will click "New Game..." when they
> really wanted "New Deal" but that mistake does no damage, is easy to
> learn from and will cost them at most one click.
> 
> Unless someone has suggestions or criticisms, I think this is the
> version I'm going to go with.
> 
> [1] http://imagebin.ca/view/4MhGwr
> [1] http://imagebin.ca/view/M874mVob
> 
Thanks very much for forwarding copies of those screen shots to me,
Parker.  Much appreciated.

I think "New Game Type..." might be slightly clearer than "New Game..."
in the main menu (only), even though I usually hate the use of the word
"type", which is even vaguer than "game" imo.

Using "Deal" seems odd at first, but as you say one could swiftly get used
to it.  "Restart Deal" sounds a bit strange though.  How do you restart a
deal, without reshuffling etc.?  How about "Replay Deal" or "Start Again"
or (American) "Start Over" (ugh, my English soul twitches, but you can't
fight City Hall) ... :-)

Sorry to keep harping, but I still think you should include "Save..." and
maybe also "Load..." in the toolbar, if only as a buffer zone for quick
action guys like Aaron.  Should "Save" have a "..." in the menu version
anyway?  I think it brings up a dialog.

Cheers, Ian W.