Re: [Rails-devel] Making Rails more suited to fast interactive play.

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

> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: Erik Vos [mailto:eri...@xs...]

> This should not be too difficult to do. The trigger would not be any
button,
> but just a change of who has the turn.
> Every, say, 30 seconds Rails could check for new files, load these, and
display
> the results. A popup would signal your next turn.
> 
> I'll try to write down a more detailed specification shortly.

Here it is.

1. Autosave/load is activated by checking a menu option. Steps 2 and 3 apply
only if this option has been activated.

2. Every time that an active player loses the turn, the following is done:
2a. A saved file is written to the default location (the first time the
usual popup will ask for it) and with the usual filename:
<prefix>_<timestamp>_<player>.rails.
2b. The name of this file is written into another (new) file, named
<prefix>.last_rails.
2c. Rails goes into polling mode. (Ideally, all actions should be prohibited
except Quit and perhaps some more).

3. In polling mode, Rails regularly reads the .last_rails file to check if
the filename has changed. The interval is configurable (default 30 secs?).
If a new filename is found:
3a. This file is read and processed in the same way as Reload does it.
3b. Rails checks if the player has got the turn. If so, polling mode is
suspended, and normal operation resumes. Otherwise, polling mode continues.

4. When Rails is restarted for an ongoing game, the last saved file must be
loaded manually. Autosave/load can only be activated after that. If the
local player does not have the turn, Rails will enter polling mode at that
point.

Notes:
1. Normally, each game should use a separate directory.  In theory it should
be possible to run multiple games in one directory, if each game is given a
unique <prefix> at the *first* save action, but this is not recommended.
2. Repeated reloading during polling mode ensures that actions by other
players show up with a reasonable delay.
3. It does not matter if a saved file is missed because the interval is
longer than the time between two saves by other players. Each saved file
contains the whole game history.

Comments welcome.

Erik.