[crossfire] Improved/redone client.

[Ben Kelly]

Mark Wedel wrote:
 > Standardize on 19x19 map size.
If the interface is also changed to be more of an overlay, this could work, but 
with the current UI...at 1280x960, 19x19 leaves very little room for the rest of 
the interface.

> Make client fullscreen.
> 
> Reasoning here is that most games run in fullscreen mode, so it becomes more 
> like most games.  It can also ensure that other applications are not grabbing 
> keystrokes/button presses (eg, window manager, etc), so if we tell the player to 
> press a key, we can know for sure that if the player presses that key, the 
> client gets it.  For lots of reasons, would still need to support a windowed 
> mode of operation.
> 
> My thoughts: I personally find fullscreen applications annoying, so would also 
> use the window mode (I think most people using unix don't expect full screen 
> apps).  While we can run fullscreen, I don't think we can or should attempt to 
> switch resolution.  This does then mean that client could be asked to run at odd 
> dimensions.  I think this issue needs to be investigated further - it may be 
> possible to make the pointer captive in a non full screen window.  I also think 
> that if we do full screen window, it needs to be pretty clear how to get out of 
> it (nothing more annoying than an app taking over your system)
A fullscreen/windowed option seems reasonable. Perhaps also a grab mouse/free 
mouse toggle?

> Standardize on one client
> 
> Doesn't make sense to be supporting 3 clients in the current client distribution 
> alone, plus a few others hanging around out there.  This is just more work when 
 > [...]
> exist in the 1.x branch).  Related to this, SDL mode in gtk2 client should 
> probably just go away (opengl will give us the features we need long term)
On SDL/OpenGL: I have to disagree. SDL does the job well and has ports on almost 
everything. OpenGL may do it better (hardware scaling go!), but SDL should at 
least be available as a fallback on systems where OGL is unavailable or doesn't 
work properly.

> My thoughts: As the writer and user of the gtk2 client, I'm biased, but keeping 
> the gtk2 clients seems fine to me.  I know there are complaints about it, as 
> [...]
> wouldn't have to update it, just like the unofficial clients out there now)
The problem here is settling on a client that satisfies everyone. I'll be 
clinging to the X11 client until you pry it from my cold, dead finger-analogues 
- it's noticeably more responsive than the GTK2 one, and on windows (built with 
Cygwin, for those interested) it's much more stable, too. One of my friends 
feels the same way about the GTK2 client and can't live without his tabbed 
inventory pane. Etc.

> 
> ==
> Improve client UI
> 
>   This is often discussed, but I hear few concrete suggestions.
> 
>   I'll be the first to admit I'm not wholly satisfied with the gtk2 client.  Yet 
> at the same time, I'm not exactly sure what I'd change to make it better.
> 
>   Here are various thoughts and some suggestions I think people presented:
> - Pop up window for inventory handling (one gets so many items in crossfire, 
> that the normal scrolled area really isn't sufficient)
Having a scrollable inventory always present like that can be very useful given 
CF's realtime nature. At least, so long as you keep it organized (or use the GTK 
client's tabs?) so that you can quickly find that potion of fire resistance 
before the dragon catches up to you.
Perhaps have two flavours? A roll-out scrollable side pane a la classic CF, and 
a larger popup that shows you everything at once, more suitable for when you 
aren't in a hurry?

> - Maybe use themes to make the appearance more that of a game and less that of 
> an application (font size, background colors, etc)
As long as there's a "classic X11 client" skin :)

> - Improved help - I don't think the help in the client has much useful content - 
> I think a lot of the information currently in various places could make it to 
> the client so it has a real help system.
Seconded. The in-game help is a lot better than nothing, but has some serious gaps.

	- Ben