[Kde-games-devel] Proposal for UI changes in KFourInALine

[Eneko Nieto]

Hi Albert, thank you for your feedback.

2013/5/16 Albert Astals Cid <aacid at kde.org>:
> El Dimecres, 15 de maig de 2013, a les 22:20:50, Eneko Nieto va escriure:
>> I would want to discuss some changes in KFourInALine's user interface
>> before coding them, to receive feedback and to ease the approval of
>> the patch.
>>
>> PRESENT BEHAVIOUR
>>  * When you start the game there is a pretty nice "Quick Launch"
>> window that let you select some options (who starts, your color, game
>> dificulty or two player game). Once you start the first game this
>> window cannot be launched again.
>>  * After starting first game you must go Settings -> Configure
>> KFourInLine to change game options. Here there are more options but
>> presented in a totally different way (Starting Player Color, Player
>> Names, Black Plays With and Red Plays With, Computer Difficulty, Use
>> AI learning).
>>  * To play a network game both players need to go Settings -> Network
>> Configuration. There both clie   nt and server see the same dialog but
>> fields change according to the option selected in first radio button
>> (Create a network game or Join a network game).
>>  * Players can select Keyboard or Mouse as control method. If Keyboard
>> selected you must type from 1 to 7 to drop chip.
>>
>> PROPOSED BEHAVIOUR
>>  * Create an unique dialog with all options (new game, options and
>> network game). Behaviour should be something like this:
>>     - A tab selector or similar in the top: Human vs Computer, Human
>> vs Human, Network Game (and Computer vs Computer? It's funny to see
>> your computer playing against itself, it remembers to WarGames :) ).
>>     - If Human vs Computer selected: Player name, Player color, Who
>> startts (add random option), Computer Difficulty, Use AI learning.
>>     - If Human vs Human selected: Player1 name, Player1 color, Who
>> starts (add random option), Player2 name, Player2 color.
>>     - If Network game selected: two panels, the first for server
>> (Player name, Player color,  Who starts, Game name and port) and the
>> other for the client (Player name, Host, Port and Game name). Another
>> option is to split this in two tabs, Create game and Join Game.
>>     - If Computer vs Computer selected: Computer1 Difficulty,
>> Computer2 Difficulty, Who starts (add random option), Use AI learning
>> (I don't know how if this option works in C vs C).
>
> This means removing the quick start thing?
No, my idea is doing the quick start the default for new game, with
more options, so we can simplify options dialog. This affect bug
101063:
https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=101063

Removing the Network Configuration would also close bug 79865:
https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=79865

>>  * Create a Play again button to play again maintaining options. The
>> New button should launch the new dialog now.
>
> This doesn't seem to how most of our games do, as far as i remember, most have
> the options on the options menu and "New Game" just starts a new game. Not
> sure it makes sense to change it just for one game.
I have been studying other games and I found Naval Battle similar to
KFourInLine. Both are 2 player games and have networking option, but
Naval Battle has no Player vs Player in same computer for obvious
reasons. How Naval Battle handles new games seems more intuitive and
elegant than how KFourInLine does:
 * Quick Launch is the only way for new games and is present when
opening the application and when you push New game.
 * Options specific to each game are in Quick Launch (for example game
type) and more general options are in Options menu (for example player
nickname).
 * There is a Restart game button so you play a new game without
choosing again game type. Really useful in networked games to avoid
the need to reconnect. I think in KFourInLine it should have another
name because the game is prepared for consecutive rounds (there is a
score with won games by each player), perhaps New round button or
something like that? I have seen most of the games only have New game
button but they are only 1 player game and/or each game only have one
round.

Do you see interesting I to modify the proposed idea to resemble how
Naval Battle works or do you know other idea?

>>  * Delete input method for players to clean up UI. Both should be able
>> to use keyboard and mouse in their turn. Undo function is implemented
>> to solve if you drop other player's chip by mistake.
>
> Makes sense, don't see the need to limit just to one input method.
>
> Cheers,
>   Albert
>
>>
>> What do you think about this changes? Feedback would be greatly appreciated
>> :)
>>
>> Eneko