[Freeciv-Dev] Re: (PR#12837) newbies never know how to declare war

["Christian Knoke" <chrisk@xxxxxxxxx>]

<URL: http://bugs.freeciv.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=12837 >

On Mon, Apr 18, 2005 at 04:30:54PM -0700, Jason Short wrote:
> 
> <URL: http://bugs.freeciv.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=12837 >
> 
> The vast number of bug reports of this type indicate there is a problem.

I think the main problem is that the message appears only in the chat
window. The first point to fix it is give the message in the message window.

The second step is, improve documentation. A 'First Steps' very short manual
comes to mind.

The third step is improving the players dialog. I have no straight
plan/idea, but this dialog has other drawbacks, for example, it is too easy
to declare war accidentally ('cancel treaty' item).

> I think a way to fix it is by adding a "declare war" button to the
> players dialog, alongside the menu and very prominent.  "Cancel treaty"
> is not only in the menu (hard to find) but isn't a good synonym for
> "declare war".
> 
> The Declare War button should either cancel _all_ treaties or cancel
> just one treaty (so the player may have to hit it twice).  It should
> probably have a confirmation dialog (as should the cancel treaty menu
> item).  Many's the time I've chosen cancel treaty by accident instead of
> meet.

Ah you write it here. I don't think adding various buttons solves the
problems. Either there is a very clear command (good feedback) or there
should be a confirmation question. At the very least the menue item needs a
'!' mark at the end.

> On a related note there should be a "meet" button as well.  This action
> is too common to have to go into a menu for - especially since there's
> no shortcut (only keyboard accelerators which are very tedious).

Christian

-- 
Christian Knoke            * * *            http://cknoke.de
* * * * * * * * *  Ceterum censeo Microsoft esse dividendum.