[Freeciv-Dev] Re: (PR#4543) scaling overview map

["ChrisK@xxxxxxxx" <ChrisK@xxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, Jul 15, 2003 at 07:44:35PM -0700, Erik Johansson wrote:
> 
> > (1) At 1x1, the overview is _very_ small. 
> 
> In other games this is done by letting the user choose the
> scale/clipping, so I press 'm' (in total war) to change the zoom of the
> overviewmap. letting this change dynamically in game is a VERY good thing. 

I'm indifferent here.

> Suggestions for future patchers:
> * clipping might be a good idea, you usually don't need to se all of the
> biggest map.

Then you will loose the overview effect. You can't be sure anymore that your
enemy is a red point on the map. And clipping means there must be a way to
change clipping, what makes things worse/more complicated.

> * popup window so you get a zoom which is not abound by the GTK vertical
> split. that is like a modalwindow overlapping the playmap. (see pathetic
> ascii  graphics under)
> 
> .----+---------------------.
> |    |                     |
> |----+-----.               |
> |          |   playmap     |
> |  mini    |               |
> |  map     |               |
> |  zoom 2x |               |
> |          |               |
> |-----+----'               |
> |     |                    |
> | left|                    | 
> | bar |                    |
> |     |                    |
> '-----'--------------------'

This is an interesting suggestion. I would do it different, though. Keep the
minimap in the topleft corner but let it steal a rectangle from the top left
corner of the main map. It is important that this rectangle is *not* part of
the main map any longer, so that units cannot appear/blink here. Like this:

.----+---------------------.
|          |               |
|  mini    |               |
|  map     |               |
|          |   main map    |
|-----+----'               |
|     |                    |
| left|                    |
| bar |                    |
|     |                    |
|     |                    |
|     |                    |
|     |                    |
|     |                    |
'-----'--------------------'

With greater maps, you save a lot of screen estate, which makes everything
more playable.

But I fear, neither GTK nor the window manager support such window forms? I
dislike the overlapping mini map you suggested, because this *will* conflict
with the handling of the main map, units and so on. Fx units getting active
are not visible, because they are below that window.

Christian

-- 
Christian Knoke     * * *      http://www.enter.de/~c.knoke/
* * * * * * * * *  Ceterum censeo Microsoft esse dividendum.