[Rails-devel] please allow simple player text-messages/annotations, within main save-file & report window

[Jim B. <ji...@ko...>]

If you're doing some work in the report window, I'd like to request/revisit the notion of a feature for a player annotation/message, along with each move.

This came up earlier, and Erik implemented a feature that allows edit/save of the report-window/file- but that's not the feature pbem users want.  

Instead, we want to be able to simply associate a message-text with each move, and have that message-text saved in the GAME FILE (.rails), and, logged in the report window.

So the report window might read like this :

<snip>
Jim buys a 10% share of PRR from Pool for $90.
JIM:  Now, I wish I'd floated PRR earlier.  :-(
Fred buys a 10% share of NYNH from IPO for $67.
FRED:  If PRR came out earlier, I wouldn't have bought the #4 train- either way, NYC will get that #5.
Aliza buys a 10% share of PRR from Pool for $90.
ALIZA:  Would you guys keep the noise down?
Jason buys a 10% share of PRR from Pool for $90.
Jim passes.
Fred passes.
etc...
<snip>

To summarize, I think this feature has these aspects:

a) a new text-control in the main user-interface (maybe in the report-window toolbar, maybe somewhere else)- the current player can type text into the control, and it will be saved as a comment in the game-record (at this point in the game).
b) these player annotations are saved in the regular .rails file, along with the traditional player moves
c) the report-window reports these player texts/messages, simply interleaved in it main game log.  (as in my example, above.   alternatively, a different window might just list player's messages- but, personally, I'd prefer a single log, w/ everything reported there.)
d) there is no additional save/edit action required (or desired), to save the text-message- it's /automatically/ appended to the main game record, during a normal Save...
e) undo/etc should also undo the message- the messages are attached to moves (from a user-interface pov, the "current player" is speaking).

I'm trying to be precise, to be helpful- but, I don't think it's very difficult, as described here?

This would provide a /huge/ social benefit in pbem games.  

(The Rails record is too dry- no player interaction, eg compared with VASSAL pbem games.  Rails does everything else, though- so, pbem players don't use email for much game chat, either- and, even if they did, it wouldn't be saved along with the game.)

thanks for the consideration,
 - jim