Re: gnibbles, choosing time to spend on level

[Callum McKenzie <callum physics otago ac nz>]

On Mon, 2005-04-04 at 10:03 +0100, Luke Page wrote:
> so you are suggesting ... (to check)
> 
> Network Game
> ----------------------
> 
> 1) Settings pause the player who clicks settings (this would be
> backwards compatible but means disabling pause would be a waste of
> time)
I wasn't actually thinking of pausing the game. Not pausing a
multi-player game to change the settings avoids having the game
unexpectedly paused for the other player and provides a realy good way
to discourage fiddling with the preferences. 

> 2) The normally disabled options that break the game e.g. number of
> players, level start etc. (I forget them all) will be enabled but on
> close options say "are you sure, this will end the current game?".
> 
> 3) The normally disabled options that don't break the game e.g. speed,
> random level will update the options via network if the version is
> high enough and carry on, otherwise warn user.
> 
> 4) The local options that are enabled will continue to work as normal
Otherwise this is a correct summary.


> Normal Game
> --------------------
> 
> I don't see how any option has to break the game...
> 
> Having defined what I think your saying I'll disagree (sory!).. As
If you couldn't disagree what would be the point of this mailing list?
Besides I can't claim to have thought long and hard about it.

> above but I think that options that break the game, e.g. number of
> players in network game should be disabled. I think this because
> seeing it enabled the user will assume it updates instantly..
> otherwise what reason does a user have for changing options that will
> break the game?
Sounds right. Although for a network game we could just let people join
at any time (the perpetual relay nibbles!), but this is just a random
thought. Ideally for the network game the number of players is decided
via the network game dialog rather than preferences.

As a general policy I would like the minimum of options disabled.
However we have to be sensible. The other policy is that commands are
disabled when using them doesn't make sense (e.g. undo when there is
nothing to undo). For the network game the UI should possibly give a
reason since it may not be obvious why we have disabled stuff.


 - Callum