[FreeCiv-Java] Freeciv look and feel

[Artur Biesiadowski <abies@xxxxxxxxx>]

Project: create swing l&f for freeciv (civilization clone) java client.

Swing l&f is very powerful thing - but unfortunately for now there are
no alternatives to ones provided by sun. Few tries that happened was
aiming very practic and "professional" look. I'm thinking about
something not perfectly suited for normal applications but about
something with specific theme in mind. In this case I'm talking about
freeciv, but given that l&f is done well it could be reuse for other
games.

Ideal situation would be to have many l&f for specific periods of time -
few ancient ones (roman, egyptian, african), renaissance one, modern and
sf. But as it is 5 times as much work, I would propose to focus on one
of the ancients.

Some ideas:
- image backgrounds for almost all components - buttons done from rock,
desktop pane with papirus like background etc (kde themes could be good
source of images/ideas here)
- internal frames not similar to normal windows/motif/metal ones; it
really spoils atmosphere when such window pops up in middle of map.
- scrollbars from chain (chain with handle indicating current position,
moving up and down during adjust); maybe similar thing with rope and for
renaissance sharf (like one that was used to call servants)
- radiobuttons looking like holes in rock/ground with stone placed in
selected one



If you want to discuss this idea, please respond only to
freeciv-java@xxxxxxxxxxxx - gjt-ideas is not a place for discussions.