UI Customization

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UI Customization - 12/31/2006 5:09:13 AM

handeman

Posts: 8
Joined: 10/27/2006
Status: offline

Hello all,

I have been quitely following this forum for a while. I am impressed with the work that Shannon has done with this project.

I have a suggestion on the User Interface and other aspects of the the game. I would recommend using an XML based user interface similarly to the way World of Warcraft does theres. This will allow the user community to create there own UI's and modifications to the game using a scripting language like LUA.

Post #: 1

RE: UI Customization - 12/31/2006 5:59:22 AM

Shannon V. OKeets

Posts: 22095
Joined: 5/19/2005
From: Honolulu, Hawaii
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: handeman

Hello all,

I have been quitely following this forum for a while. I am impressed with the work that Shannon has done with this project.

I have a suggestion on the User Interface and other aspects of the the game. I would recommend using an XML based user interface similarly to the way World of Warcraft does theres. This will allow the user community to create there own UI's and modifications to the game using a scripting language like LUA.

I am not familiar with World of Warcraft.

The player interface for MWIF is quite complex. For example, there are 77 different phases in the sequence of play, with the choices available to the player during each phase equally diverse, running to over 100 in aggregate. To support that range of decisions, the player interface has over 100 forms. Some of the forms are very simple, most are moderately complex, and then there are a few real bears (production comes to mind). And lets not forgot the 80 optional rules which at times modify the sequence of play and affect the choices available to the player.

The thought of controlling all that through the use of a scripting language boggles my mind. It is very laborious to make it function correctly using static form layouts.

_____________________________

Steve

Perfection is an elusive goal.

(in reply to handeman)

Post #: 2

RE: UI Customization - 12/31/2006 11:11:43 PM

handeman

Posts: 8
Joined: 10/27/2006
Status: offline

So, It wouldn't be easier to create html/xml based menus/ui than coding each form statically using pascal or whatever language you are using? The application would pass data to the interface which could be customized using html/xml. Of course if the menus/ui are already in place it would be a waste of time :)

Thanks

(in reply to Shannon V. OKeets)

Post #: 3

RE: UI Customization - 1/1/2007 4:21:04 AM

Shannon V. OKeets

Posts: 22095
Joined: 5/19/2005
From: Honolulu, Hawaii
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: handeman
So, It wouldn't be easier to create html/xml based menus/ui than coding each form statically using pascal or whatever language you are using? The application would pass data to the interface which could be customized using html/xml. Of course if the menus/ui are already in place it would be a waste of time :)

Thanks

105 forms are already in place, though I might add another dozen or so new ones to support PBEM, game replay, and some other new features on my task list.

Creating complex forms in HTML (XML) would not be easy because: (1) of the need to zoom and scroll maps and (2) the diversity of the information to be passed from the application to the HTML browser. A couple of other problems would be: needing to support the use of different browsers (or versions thereof) by players, and the extra processing (CPU time) required to parse the HTML script continuously. The fundamental problem is that the desire to provide finer details to the player interface would push the HTML language to the edge of its capabilities. A lot of bleeding goes on at the cutting edge of technology, by both the developer and the player.

The Delphi application development environment is WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) so the creation and modification of forms is very easy. For instance, resizing and repositioning components, changing fonts and colors are quickly and easily done with immediate feedback on what the changed form looks like.

The HTML packages I have seen are still evolving in their ability to support application development. This is a phenomenon I have bourne witness to for 4 decades: a new language/operating system/programming technology makes a splash, it becomes trendy or even popular, the tools to support it (e.g., text editors and compilers) are large hammers and chisels which gradually evolve into a more complete (and safer) toolset which enable faster and more reliable application development (and which also cause fewer bodily parts to be lost during development). As things start to stabilize into a productive work space, a new language/operating system/programming technology makes a splash. I could give about 100 examples of this.

_____________________________

Steve

Perfection is an elusive goal.

(in reply to handeman)

Post #: 4

RE: UI Customization - 1/2/2007 5:28:36 PM

handeman

Posts: 8
Joined: 10/27/2006
Status: offline

Thanks for your detailed answers. Just curious, what kind of database are you using to store the data?

(in reply to Shannon V. OKeets)

Post #: 5

RE: UI Customization - 1/2/2007 6:35:26 PM

wfzimmerman

Posts: 660
Joined: 10/22/2003
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

quote:

ORIGINAL: handeman
So, It wouldn't be easier to create html/xml based menus/ui than coding each form statically using pascal or whatever language you are using? The application would pass data to the interface which could be customized using html/xml. Of course if the menus/ui are already in place it would be a waste of time :)

Thanks

105 forms are already in place, though I might add another dozen or so new ones to support PBEM, game replay, and some other new features on my task list.

Creating complex forms in HTML (XML) would not be easy because: (1) of the need to zoom and scroll maps and (2) the diversity of the information to be passed from the application to the HTML browser. A couple of other problems would be: needing to support the use of different browsers (or versions thereof) by players, and the extra processing (CPU time) required to parse the HTML script continuously. The fundamental problem is that the desire to provide finer details to the player interface would push the HTML language to the edge of its capabilities. A lot of bleeding goes on at the cutting edge of technology, by both the developer and the player.

The Delphi application development environment is WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) so the creation and modification of forms is very easy. For instance, resizing and repositioning components, changing fonts and colors are quickly and easily done with immediate feedback on what the changed form looks like.

The HTML packages I have seen are still evolving in their ability to support application development. This is a phenomenon I have bourne witness to for 4 decades: a new language/operating system/programming technology makes a splash, it becomes trendy or even popular, the tools to support it (e.g., text editors and compilers) are large hammers and chisels which gradually evolve into a more complete (and safer) toolset which enable faster and more reliable application development (and which also cause fewer bodily parts to be lost during development). As things start to stabilize into a productive work space, a new language/operating system/programming technology makes a splash. I could give about 100 examples of this.

To be frank, none of these sound like insuperable objections.

But the project is in Steve's capable hands.

_____________________________

Contribute to the Steve H. thank you book! http://www.nimblebooks.com/wordpress/2009/04/contribute-to-the-wargamers-wwii-quiz-book/

(in reply to Shannon V. OKeets)

Post #: 6

RE: UI Customization - 1/2/2007 7:31:23 PM

Shannon V. OKeets

Posts: 22095
Joined: 5/19/2005
From: Honolulu, Hawaii
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: handeman

Thanks for your detailed answers. Just curious, what kind of database are you using to store the data?

I wrote a long answer to this and then the message was trashed by the system.

In brief: TXT, CSV, and JPG to enable the greatest # of players to access the data. This is in spite of my experience working with datebases, going back to 1973.

I'll compress some files just prior to release to minimize the time it takes the program to load.

_____________________________

Steve

Perfection is an elusive goal.

(in reply to handeman)

Post #: 7