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

Tue May 28 22:04:58 UTC 2013

El Dissabte, 25 de maig de 2013, a les 00:12:51, Eneko Nieto va escriure:
> 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?

Seems like a very good idea to me, as far as i've heard people like the 
NavalBattle UI for starting new games so adapting it for KFourInLine makes 
sense I think :-)

Cheers,
  Albert

> 
> >>  * 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
> 
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