1 Topic by Zer

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Topic: GUI is almost done

Hm. The GUI code is almost done. All the major pieces are in place (aside from Cut & Paste, docking, fancy window animations, etc. but I figure I can get those in later since they aren't important to the meat of the project). All of the controls work well, and can be deserialized from XML files. There are also two events (ButtonClick and ButtonSelect) to which actions can be attached directly from the XML file. There are only three actions at present: Close, Select, and SetPicture, but that's okay because anything past that should really be done in code. Tomorrow I'm going to put the last few tweaks in and make the ListBox more efficient (at present it would get slow if it had a couple thousand items), and after that I'll be having a look at the network code I wrote a while ago, to see whether I should keep it or write something nicer.

About the XML deserialization, the encoding the program expects is UTF-8 (no big surprise), and that's also the encoding the language files use now. Unlike the old Faldon client which had a custom binary file for languages, the new format is the same as CommonCode.Object's. So it looks like:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Object Parent="Gui/Languages/English (US).xml">
  <Strings>
    <String Key="whatever text key" Value="the translation"/>
  </Strings>
</Object>

All language files will (or should) have English (US).xml as the root, that way any strings with no translation will get their text from the English file. Anyhow that supports Unicode and will make it very easy for people to make translations. It also supports (by setting Key="@file-alias:filename" and Value to the new file name) aliasing of text files which are loaded into text boxes. So that'll let us support language-specific tutorial files/help.

FWIW, right now, not counting blank lines or comments, the CommonCode solution checks in at 4983 lines, Illusory.Images at 7601, Illusory.SdlDriver at 1049, and Illusory.Gui which is now almost finished checks in at 5986 lines of code. It's pointless, but to me it's interesting to see that the GUI was in some ways a smaller project than the image library. So thus far the Faldon rewrite is 19619 lines of code long (24996 if you count blank lines and comments). Which is a lot but the old client was much more and this is cleaner and more featureful, so... smile

2 Reply by Zer

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Re: GUI is almost done

I'm not sure. Graphically I think it'd be trouble since one would need custom art for both docked and undocked varieties instead of just one or the other. It works well in Windows because everything just has a gray background, but I'm not too keen on doing that in a game. OTOH it would be nice if one could see chat more easily. But that could be fixed any number of ways. At present I'm at "There are more important things to do, do them and then come back to it." It'd be nice but I don't think it's critical. More polish than something that must be done before I continue on

3 Reply by Zammbi

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Re: GUI is almost done

Sounds like its going great. Still open for ideas?

I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.

4 Reply by Zer

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Re: GUI is almost done

Yes. I won't be putting in more features for the GUI again until things are further along, but ideas are always welcome.
Any to do with the interface, especially (seeing as I'm thinking I don't like the way the one we have now operates,
I mean with the chat tab, the skill tab, you know), is welcome, as that is up-coming. That and since there aren't a
billion posters on this forum things don't get lost in a mass of noise, so I can find things here, and I suspect I'll be able
to later on also. smile

5 Reply by Zammbi

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Re: GUI is almost done

Really none care about if they really die, really I think people lvl15-100 should loose 1/4 of there next level xp and lvl100+ loose 1/2xp of there next level up, level<15 don’t loose xp. If the go into - xp then they loose a level (the 5 stats will be removed at random, of course don’t drop under 20), also all inv items should drop. Another thing if a player kills a player then they get all there xp that they loose, heh so it’s possible to level when killing people. Also when you log out you should need to wait 10 seconds; this would stop people logging out before they die.

I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.

6 Reply by Spectre

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Re: GUI is almost done

Problem with getting XP from killing people is that players will use that to level their other chars.  They let their lvl 20 kill the level 200 and suddenly the level 20 is level 100.

Spectre's Website

7 Reply by Jesus

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Re: GUI is almost done

But as he mentioned Spectre the person can also lose XP/Levels so that lvl20 player will be say lvl100 but the lvl200 player will also be lvl100 or so.

I think 1/4 and 1/2 HP is a little harsh but some XP loss would make sense.

8 Reply by Zammbi (edited by Zammbi 2005-03-27 18:33:29)

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Re: GUI is almost done

Well as it is players still lvl on other players, but if higher lvls loose alot more xp and 2 kills would drop them a lvl or so. Also If you die you shouldnt be able to use any skills/magic/hitting for about a min, this would stop most death abuse.
Also whats the current xp loss? 10%?

I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.

9 Reply by Zammbi

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Re: GUI is almost done

Well it depends , you can also gain xp too, or maybe that grave yard idea might be good then. And it would be for the new client not now, so I would expect other changes before this one.

I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.

10 Reply by Zammbi (edited by Zammbi 2005-03-28 04:04:15)

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Re: GUI is almost done

Interface ideas, hm... Well you could try have small icons on the side of the screen which when you click on them it does the main window of it. Which the list of icons could go something like this: one for quitting, game options, mail, help page, guild window, and quest log maybe? Though we would need more quest then tongue, spell page, chat window, inv window, skills window, stats/xp window + res? , open trade window.
Another note on the trade window, make it larger easier to read, and always telling who you’re trading with, also maybe a double check window. Double check window just tells the items names and you can’t change the items.
So that be 12 icons on the side of the page or so, maybe a religion page also... but if so then you would need to make all options work, if its going to stay like the current one then it could join with the stats window.
On the guild page, guilds should only use letters in there titles, there should be an option to add there own guild titles rankings for guildys. Which guildys could see there guild title beside all there other titles e.g. under the rep title. Maybe have a trust ranking on the guild page.
On the bottom of the page you could do shortcut tiles for skills/spells/items or what not. Each main window that pops out maybe moveable? If not just bottom of the screen like the current.
A small map on the top right corner which is transparent, which shows the basic outline just around the char, and maybe just what the char can see. Also some caves and what not, the mini map might not show at all.
The hp/mana/stam bars can be under the mini map.
The inv page could be larger and clearer, saying what gp you hold, what arrows in your pack, and maybe an option to remove them. Really some items should have a max stacking, e.g. potions 10, feathers 200, etc and what not.
The help page could have all the help areas that a player needs how to get started, chat commands, magic/fighting, licence, petitions window. Petitions window is where to write a problem, or a cheat, or a player that is cheating, and what not. Which will send the problem to all gm’s to see, and a gm will assign to that problem.
Depends on how the chat will be will depend on its options on the chat window, but the chat could be spilt up and maybe a buddy page.
Hm a fair amount of ideas heh, I hope this helps, I have more ideas, but another day heh.

I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.

11 Reply by Zammbi

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Re: GUI is almost done

Yea I know visual, thats why I said I expect other changes before that idea, but my main point was really none fears death.

I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.

12 Reply by Jesus

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Re: GUI is almost done

This idea would be good also as it would all but eliminate Repping. You could only get so far before your lvl moves out of the range.

How about an all items lose one dura when you die sort of thing ?

This would force people to respect their equips a lot more and make more educated decisions on what to wear to lvl and pk.

13 Reply by Zammbi

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Re: GUI is almost done

Ok a few more ideas big_smile
Really to compete with all the other games now, its has to have better graphics. Really it needs a heap more art sets, and more movement tiles, and stay away from the cartoon look. Examples: the water tile shouldn’t be a ground floor tile it really should be a wall, it should be transparent, and do small movement waves, when walking into it, also kind of the same thing with lava, and any other ground liquids. If you go into real deep water the you start to die.
Torches should have a real flame, kind of like fire wall, of course smaller, also same when holding it. Waterfalls should move, and not be a still picture heh.
The current particle effects kind of suck, there’s only about 15 of them and you can’t really do much with them. You need to add a real particle system tongue
So you could create smoke, smog, water particles, fog, etc
Really lighting is what sets the scene/mood, so really there need to be better lighting. E.g. sunsets could have a nice reddish glow or w/e, different shadows in the time of day. In an evil area have dim light and fuzzy shadows and in fields with flowers have a bright yellowish light, with clear shadows.
Mail should only be able to be used in town, same with Market. Blacksmith can only make ingots when near a furnace, and make weapons/armour near an anvil. Carpentry should only work when near a bench or so. Maybe making potions may need a table.
Monsters kind of need to be smarter, town guards really should say something over there heads when running after a villain heh. Monsters should have a better path finding system which normal player’s do; if they want to get to a spot then it works it out how to get there. A monster should stop running after its target if it can’t see it, or can’t get to him after 8 seconds or so. They also shouldn’t be able to climb up walls/zhack or able to target players above them, if they cant see them.
Players should auto log out if they don’t move for 5-10 min, would stop most macro’s and no movement abuse/bugs.
And a real macro pop up window, if a gm or w/e thinks a char is macroing then a window will pop up on there screen which you will have to write a random word that it says you to write. Of course if the don’t write it, or keep getting it wrong for over a X amount of time then the char will be jailed, maybe banned since it would have to be a movement macro. Every skill should have a max amount of clicks, e.g. like stealth that only works every 5 seconds or so, and skills like telek /animal lore/trade don’t. This would stop auto clicking advances.
Hm that will do~

I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.

14 Reply by Zammbi

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Re: GUI is almost done

Jesus wrote:

This idea would be good also as it would all but eliminate Repping. You could only get so far before your lvl moves out of the range.

How about an all items lose one dura when you die sort of thing ?

This would force people to respect their equips a lot more and make more educated decisions on what to wear to lvl and pk.

Yea I like that idea, dura drops on all items when dieing. Items like boots or the right ring slot would loose dura too~

I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.

15 Reply by Zammbi

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Re: GUI is almost done

Yes I know visual, infact If I could upload it I would, but it would be better if it was a writing one other then a clicking one. eg if a person was clicking to raise stealth, they dont noice it and click the wrong one, I would get the message he isnt there. but I guess If the window keep poping up if he did the wrong one, and if you had to scroll down to the right one, maybe...

I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.