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

[Erik V. <eri...@xs...>]

This is a very interesting idea, and I understand that such a feature would
be much more useful that the existing editing option.

The main issue is about the sequence of actions. You say: "Instead, we want
to be able to simply associate a message-text with each move" and "from a
user-interface pov, the 'current player' is speaking". If taken literally,
this would mean, that the message should become part of the move*, and that
the message must be entered _before_ the move is completed and executed (by
pressing "Pass", "Buy", "Done", "Lay Tile", etc.). This way, we can easily
ensure that a message becomes part of the move and is logged, saved and
undone with it. (The messages would always be displayed either before or
after the existing move text.)

There may be one catch: players must remember which actions relinquish a
turn and make sure that any messages are entered before completing such
actions. Keep in mind that in several cases players have only one action per
turn, such as in private company auctions and during state company
formations.

>From a usability POV, a case could me made for allowing to enter a message
_after_ a move has completed (by the player having the turn at that move).
This would amount to making message entry a separate move*, which is quite
possible. However, we would then run into difficulties in defining to which
player (current or previous) the message should be ascribed, and to which
action move (the previous or the next) it should be linked for undoability
purposes. Perhaps we can define solutions for these problems, but is there a
need?

Erik.

*Technically: PossibleAction and MoveSet.

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Black [mailto:ji...@ko...] 
Sent: Thursday 12 August 2010 19:28
To: rai...@li...
Subject: [Rails-devel] please allow simple player
text-messages/annotations,within main save-file & report window


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
  


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
This SF.net email is sponsored by 

Make an app they can't live without
Enter the BlackBerry Developer Challenge
http://p.sf.net/sfu/RIM-dev2dev 
_______________________________________________
Rails-devel mailing list
Rai...@li...
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/rails-devel