[Freeciv-Dev] patch to allow more : on chatline

[Reinier Post <rp@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> > I think the idea of the present system is that it feels fairly natural
> > New system described seems klunky,

I agree ...
 
> It doesn't have to be that klunky.  You'd naturally add the number to
> the player dialog box, so names/numbers are available at a glance,

I must add, often I have no time to even glance.  This doesn't speak
against the proposed change, for I find it equally difficult to remember
the nicks of my fellow players.  I don't see what they're good for, anyway:
just using the race names would be more convenient for me.

i: go away!

would be a private message to the *Indians* (after all, I can see
on the map that the vessel is Indian).

Alternatively, we might add support for a special click on units to show the
player name (or even insert it into the message window).

> Yes, and it works fairly well, but breaks down when you want to use ':'
> more freely in your messages.

Not really, they can be patched up.  My patch already fixes the urgent
cases (URLs and time indications).

> use, compared to the method I'm proposing.  Let's face it, which would
> *you* rather type?
> 
> Lord PooBaa the XVII: Hello

The smallest unique prefix for 'Lord PooBaa the XVII' already works, and
has worked for a long time.  This deserves to be mentioned somewhere.
  
> The interface I'm advocating is currently used with great ease in the
> world of netrek, where fast and easy message directing is critical to
> team coordination.

I agree that it's critical to Freeciv, too, in games where alliances
are used.

> It can actually
> hurt players, if they have to prefix each message with "Alexander:"

(But they don't.)

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Reinier Post                                             rp@xxxxxxxxxx