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ESC menu behavior

Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 6:14 pm
by zuzuf
It seems that ESC menu behavior is still far from being obvious/convenient for everyone (cf http://www.tauniverse.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40114).

What do you suggest to improve it ?

Re: ESC menu behavior

Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 3:09 pm
by milipili
There's a lot of random data structures in misc/ - stacks, matrices, superqueues(?) etc - why these and not just Boost or something?
You can also that will be probably changed in the future.

ESC:
For my mind, it should pause the game and display the menu. In a multiplayer battle, the game may continue anyway, according the settings :
Player Pause allowed : y/n (when hosting a multiplayer battle, false by default)
If allowed, a chat box must be available (especially useful for internet players).

In any cases, the next time the key `esc` is pressed, all players get back in the game (multiplayer mode : +countdown 3...2...1... Go !).

Re: ESC menu behavior

Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 1:44 pm
by slogic
I recommend the following.

Single player.
ESC pauses the game.

Multiplayer.
ESC sets player property AFK to true. This property is replicated among other players so they can see in player list that this player is AFK. Game is NOT paused.
Host can always pause a game with PAUSE button only. Other players can PAUSE game if host allowed this. When game is paused, tell everybody who is paused the game. I don't think we should countdown on unpausing.

Re: ESC menu behavior

Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 3:59 pm
by zuzuf
I don't like the AFK stuff, player should be given the choice to tell others when he is AFK otherwise others could launch an unfair attack on him just because he is AFK.

Re: ESC menu behavior

Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 6:56 pm
by xpoy
The ESC should be a place like main UI, I mean it able effect a bit much of game coutrol...

Re: ESC menu behavior

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 8:27 pm
by slogic
zuzuf wrote:I don't like the AFK stuff, player should be given the choice to tell others when he is AFK otherwise others could launch an unfair attack on him just because he is AFK.
Sensible, until player explicitly sets this option in TA3D settings. For example it may report AFK for teammates only. So we get a new multiplayer option:

Report AFK on Escape: yes (to everybody), yes (teammates only), no.

Re: ESC menu behavior

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 8:31 pm
by zuzuf
That's interesting in this form :)

Re: ESC menu behavior

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 9:14 pm
by Balthazar
Seems useless to me, since pause state in multiplayer game mean that the player have to DO SOMETHING ELSE, than play the game.

Re: ESC menu behavior

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 9:37 pm
by zuzuf
Balthazar wrote:... the player have to DO SOMETHING ELSE ...
Indeed, for instance he might need to go to the loo ...

Re: ESC menu behavior

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 10:27 pm
by slogic
Balthazar wrote:Seems useless to me, since pause state in multiplayer game mean that the player have to DO SOMETHING ELSE, than play the game.
I see gamer has the following possibilities in breaking a multiplayer game:
1) just block input (AFK)
2) leave it (& loose) to menu or by exiting an application
3) go to spectator (& loose)
4) pause the game (host only feature)
5) save the game/state (host only feature)

So 1) is just default action for Escape key + Escape menu popups. From Escape menu he can do 2) ... 5). 4) & 5) are enabled for host only. 5) may be dependent on 4).

By the way, are dedicated hosts supported or is it planned?

Re: ESC menu behavior

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 10:29 pm
by zuzuf
dedicated server is planned but not before 0.6 becomes stable.

Re: ESC menu behavior

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 7:47 am
by Balthazar
Why don`t use Starcraft multi AFK system? It`s working and it`s really good. Each player have 3 times to set Pause ingame. Everyone else can resume it. After loosing (he can be destroyed or blow his own forces to go spectate) player can stay and watch the game as observer if Ta watching option is on.

1. Not block - set pause (i.e. Starcraft).
2. Obvious
3. As mentioned above. (i.e. Ta)
4. See pos 1
5. It should be done by any player (if possible - i.e. Starcraft).

What for the dedicated server? IMHO there is no need in such thing for RTS game :P

Re: ESC menu behavior

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 12:27 pm
by zuzuf
A dedicated server could be interesting if you are bandwidth limited or if you fear the game might not be completely fair because of network latency.

Re: ESC menu behavior

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 1:44 pm
by slogic
I still vote for ESC as AFK default action. I hate people pausing multiplayer game & everybody hates them usually. Also i don't like to enter some command in chat to tell my teammates that i'm going to be AFK. Just press ESC & quickly go to toilet for example.

As for singleplayer. I changed my mind about ESC should pause the game. It should just bring menu like in tauniverse.com/forums was said. There should be universal behaviour as much as possible to remember less differences.

Re: ESC menu behavior

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 6:18 pm
by xpoy
Well, for ESC's pause game, it's simple

PAUSE when play single or watch demo, ESC shouldn't pause game in multi game.

Re: ESC menu behavior

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 6:56 pm
by Balthazar
xpoy wrote:Well, for ESC's pause game, it's simple

PAUSE when play single or watch demo, ESC shouldn't pause game in multi game.
+1