[Rails-devel] Splash Screen

[Frederick W. <fre...@go...>]

Master now contains logic that is aimed at improving the user
experience during game initialization (new/load). A major motivation
for this is that loading a rails game on a docking layout takes close
to 40 secs (on my old computer).

Most important aspects are as follows:

- Splash screen provides information about initialization progress
     - no java.awt.SplashScreen but a custom one as it is only
displayed after the choice in the game setup window
     - can be turned of by an option in the Windows section

- Windows become visible at once initialization is completed
     - no more one-by-one popping up of the windows
     - windows are already painted when becoming visible (important
for the ORWindow with background maps - which were inited white
before)

- Moderate reduction of initialization time:
     - class loading / window setup/wiring is done in a non-EDT thread
     - painting triggered early and done concurrently by EDT
     - third (minor) thread for visualization of initialization progress
     - performance test (loading 1856 game with docking frames and
background map):
          - Time until all windows become operational (and background
map is completely drawn):
              - before: 38 secs
              - now: 31 secs

-- Frederick