Re: [Rails-devel] IfOption in Map.xml

[Jim B. <jim...@ya...>]

I wanted to interject a couple of comments related to the xml-

a) in the privates auction- it's nice to see the privates info under the info (i) button, but it sure is cryptic.  could a textual description be added to the xml record, so that annotation/text displays instead? (if present) 

b) afaik, I can't get back to that help info later- that's problematic (the info is often critical, when you're trying to use the private)

c) similar comment applies to trains- it's nice that the roster is listed in 1.1.1, albeit tersely- the rusting info is a key omission, in practice

so, someday- throughout the game- maybe when you hover-over a private, a train-inventory, a particular major, etc- the help text could show in a popup.  

in general, rails' users might could use a little more care-and-feeding, in this area.   %-}

this seems related to the thread issues here, but, my apologies if it's too tangential- just wanted to slip these comments in.

-  jim
 
On Jan 15, 2010, at 12:13 PM, Erik Vos wrote:

> <IfOption> in GameManager did not work because the game options were not
> passed down the Tag hierarchy from the top in that part of the tree.
> Now they do. I have put the 2-player 70% limit in 1830/Game.xml and it works
> for me.
> Actually, I wonder if there shouldn't be an additional GameOption to enable
> that conditional replacement of 60% by 70%.
> 
> I found that the GameOptions in Game.xml are parsed but not used, so these
> are in fact redundant.
> For a while I'll leave them in. I could use these to validate the selected
> options from the UI. 
> In principle everything that comes from the UI should be validated.
> But in this case the price of having duplicate GameOption specs might be too
> high. 
> 
> While I was at it, I found the GameManager contents a bit messy and have
> added another level by changing the structure of the GameManager component
> by putting <GameParameters> and <GuiClasses> tags around some of the
> existing tags. I would have done something similar for the GameOptions, if
> these wouldn't have turned out redundant.
> Rick, sorry for your documentation work - I'm afraid it will have to
> describe this additional level!
> But I think it's more logical this way.
> 
> BTW in the code I'm also increasingly making a sharp distinction between
> values that exist in the game engine only, and those that are shared with
> the GUI. This should help making a future client/server split easier to do;
> but I think we are still pretty far away from that enhancement.
> 
> Erik.
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rick Westerman [mailto:wes...@pu...] 
> Sent: Wednesday 13 January 2010 21:29
> To: Development list for Rails: an 18xx game
> Subject: Re: [Rails-devel] IfOption in Map.xml
> 
> Erik Vos wrote:
>> Hmm, yes, apparently the options cannot be used on the same level
>> where these are defined (although in fact the IfOption tags are processed
>> first).
>> Perhaps these should be lifted out of the Component tags entirely.
>> If you think it's really important, I could have another look at it.
>> 
>   Well, yes, it is important.   Two reasons:
> 
>   First is silly since 2-player 18xx is silly but for many 2-player 
> variants the holding limit is raised from 60% to 70%.
> 
>   Second is important.  As I recall a couple of Tresham's titles ('25, 
> '53 if I have this correct) have a variable share limit depending on the 
> number of players.  So at some point this point will have to be addressed.
> 
>> Erik.
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Rick Westerman [mailto:wes...@pu...] 
>> Sent: Wednesday 13 January 2010 19:42
>> To: Development list for Rails: an 18xx game
>> Subject: Re: [Rails-devel] IfOption in Map.xml
>> 
>> Erik Vos wrote:
>> 
>>> Yes, <IfOption> is a generic feature that should be honoured by all Rails
>>> XML files.
>>> 
>>> 
>>   I think I have found one place where it is not.  But there may be a 
>> work-around.
>> 
>>   The place is in the 'GameManager' component within the 'Game.xml' 
>> file.  The GameManager is, of course, where the GameOptions are defined 
>> so this may be a clue to the problem.  Or as usual I might be doing 
>> something wrong.  Anyway I wanted to change the PlayerShareLimit based 
>> on a GameOption.  Could not do it in there.  Other component sections in 
>> Game.xml do accept options.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Rick Westerman wes...@pu... Bioinformatics specialist at the 
> Genomics Facility. Phone: (765) 494-0505 FAX: (765) 496-7255 Department 
> of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture 625 Agriculture Mall Drive 
> West Lafayette, IN 47907-2010 Physically located in room S049, WSLR 
> building
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> --
> This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Verizon Developer Community
> Take advantage of Verizon's best-in-class app development support
> A streamlined, 14 day to market process makes app distribution fast and easy
> Join now and get one step closer to millions of Verizon customers
> http://p.sf.net/sfu/verizon-dev2dev 
> _______________________________________________
> Rails-devel mailing list
> Rai...@li...
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/rails-devel
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Throughout its 18-year history, RSA Conference consistently attracts the
> world's best and brightest in the field, creating opportunities for Conference
> attendees to learn about information security's most important issues through
> interactions with peers, luminaries and emerging and established companies.
> http://p.sf.net/sfu/rsaconf-dev2dev
> _______________________________________________
> Rails-devel mailing list
> Rai...@li...
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/rails-devel