[Freeciv-Dev] (PR#7127) [FS] Screen design

["Raimar Falke" <i-freeciv-lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

<URL: http://rt.freeciv.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=7127 >


This sub-project is divided into:
 1) determine the screen size to use
 2) determine what screens the game should provide
 3) determine what each screens should contain
 4) layout of the elements of a screen
 5) drawing the screens, buttons

I will now give my opinions. The idea is to minimize the amount of
popups/dialogs.

1) most safe size: this would be 640x480

2+3) 
   - connect screen
     * input field: user name
     * input field: password
     * input field: host
     * input field: port
     * button: Connect
     * button: Quit
     * button: Show metaserver games
     * button: Show LAN games
     * list: of games, a click copies the host and port into the input fields

   - nation select screen
     * list: of nations
     * list: of rulers
     * list: of male/female
     * list: of city styles
     * button: Ok

   - main screen
     This one is hard. So far we collect the following items which
     should/could be contained:
     * the main map
     * the mini map
     * buttons for quick access (cities, research, players, nation) 
ALTERNATIVE: menu
     * buttons for unit commands ALTERNATIVE: menu
     * info about focus unit
     * info about current tile (current tile=tile of the current focus unit)
     * list of units on the current tile (optional also the city)
     * general purpose area (messages, power graphs, ...)
     * turn done + menu button
     * general info (turn, population, money, ...)
     * input for chat ALTERNATIVE: shift-return or similar to bring a popup
     * chat output area ALTERNATIVE: fading output at top-left corner like in 
Diablo2
    This may look like a mix between SMAC and GalCiv.

   - city screen
     This also needs further fleshing out. I know that I can abandon
     the happiness display and also the city options. Like GTK2 but
     without tabs.

   - player screen
     Contains a list of all players. And the diplomacy.

   - empire/nation screen
     Contains goverment control. Contains tax rate changes. Contains
     unit info like GTK's unit report. Other reports can also go here.

   - city list screen
     Equal in controls and info shown to the current gtk one.

   - research screen
     Equal in controls and info shown to the current gtk one.

   - help screen
     Equal in controls and info shown to the current gtk one.

There are also some dialogs which doesn't need the whole screen
size. So these aren't screens but dialogs.

   - find city dialog

As you can see there is a lot of work to do. Please give input.

        Raimar

-- 
 email: rf13@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 "Just because you put a flag on the moon doesn't make it yours, it just
  puts a hole in the moon."