forum.freeciv.org

It would be wonder if, next to the minimize/restore chatbar button there was another that would lock the chatbar. Specifically, locking the chatbar would only prevent resizing the chatbar, disable the messages/chat buttons (the ones at the bottom that alter the width of the message/chat areas), and prevent the map from being moved or resized while locked either. Notably, it would NOT block the minimize/restore chatbar button or prevent the map from being hidden.

Coincidentally(?), Qt chat area is getting a revamp: patch #7377.

JTN wrote:Coincidentally(?), Qt chat area is getting a revamp: patch #7377.

Yeah, I didn't actually see that there were changes to the widgets until after I posted (I usually only watch the bugs). I still felt it a valid feature request, though. Accidentally mucking up the interface is kinda annoying.

Why block map from being moved?
Do u mean minimap?
I could do it maybe for 2.5.5 but without blocking map probably, it would require block: clicks on messages, minimap, map, autocentering on units and battles and maybe something else and introduce new bugs.
Im too lazy for that

I was planning interface redesing for 3.0, but it seems there is a lot of time to do it for 2.6.

Tabs would be removed.
There would be sidebar on left, soemthing like in attached image.
Unit information, gold information, resaerch information, would be removed and put to that sidebar.
There would be some icons on sidebar.
So eg first icon on sidebar would some gold, there would be added text eg 50(+10). Clicking on it would open economy report.

Current unit would be shown on next icon, if no unit is selected, then it would be soem general unit info. Clicking on it would open units report.
And so on.
Probably for some icons on sidebar could be added left click and right clicks,. eg left to open units report, right click to center on unit.

Also there would be alternate city screen without tabs, all information on 1 page( should fit I hope). Changing between overall and production tab is annoying.

Any better ideas are welcome.

Oh, yes, quite I mean the minimap. I don't usually think of the overview as a 'map' really. It's strictly the UI deformations I'm talking about, and all but the chat-resizing should just require disabling a button for each thing. I don't mean blocking individual messages either.
The only things disabled would be:
1) [Messages] and [Chat] tab button thingies at the bottom that redistributes area of the chat/messages box.
2) Resize Minimap button
3) Resize Chat/Message box control
4) Move Minimap control

As for not moving the overview, the only thing extra I'd really like is a 'don't center on my auto-explore/auto-settler units' option. The reason I set them on auto-explore or auto-settler is because I don't want to look at them all the time, after all.

Another issue is that the chat/message box blocks right-clicking to move the map. Would it be possible to make it so that only the left-click interacts with the chatbox, while the right-click interacts with (re-centers) the overview? Possibly same deal with anything that is hovering over the overview.

I actually suggest making the messages and chat boxes completely separate, so that people can resize each one to how they want them.

I don't know how I would like the tabs on the left side without a good mockup. I know I'd certainly hate giant white boxes, though. Would it push the overview to the right like GTK, or would it simply hover over the map like Qt chatbox? If it were to hover over the overview, letting the right-click re-center through it would almost become necessity. You might also consider having the option to have the tabs on the left OR right side.

Alright, these tabs, I assume it would be set up kinda like GTK2's?

[gold icon]50(0) {gold icon would also be economy tab button} (gold icon would be the same as gold tax icon?)
[lightbulb icon]0/28 {lightbulb icon would also be research tab button}
[government icon]60% (number is max tax rate)
[tax rate icons]
[global warming icon]-4%/0% (first number is pollution rate, second number is catastrophic warming chance)
[nuclear winter icon]-4%/0% (first number is fallout rate, second number is catastrophic winter chance)
4000 BCE
Turn: 1
off {Turn Countdown}
[Turn
Done] (Turn Done Button)
[Terrain Sprite] (terrain of currently selected unit)
[Selected Unit Sprite] (currently selected unit)
Workers
Moves: 1 (Remaining number of moves)
HP: 10/10
[Unit Stack Sprite]
[units icon]Units (units icon would also be units tab button)
[nations icon]Nations (nations icon would also be nations tab button)
[cities icon]Cities (cities icon would also be cities tab button)
[spaceship icon]Spaceship (spaceship icon would also be spaceship tab button)
[Minimize/Restore Messages Sprite]Messages (Minimize/Restore Messages Button)
[Minimize/Restore Chat Sprite]Chat (Minimize/Restore Chat Button)

The only things disabled would be:
1) [Messages] and [Chat] tab button thingies at the bottom that redistributes area of the chat/messages box.
2) Resize Minimap button
3) Resize Chat/Message box control
4) Move Minimap control

ok, I'll do it for 2.5.5

As for not moving the overview, the only thing extra I'd really like is a 'don't center on my auto-explore/auto-settler units' option. The reason I set them on auto-explore or auto-settler is because I don't want to look at them all the time, after all.

Yeah, taht's annoying. I'll post bug/wishlist to gna, but it wont be before 2.6 for sure. It has to be done outside qt-client.

Another issue is that the chat/message box blocks right-clicking to move the map. Would it be possible to make it so that only the left-click interacts with the chatbox, while the right-click interacts with (re-centers) the overview? Possibly same deal with anything that is hovering over the overview.

Possible and quite easy, but in 2.6 chat takes only 3 lines by default and map can be scrolled outside real map (with map not wrapped, there is 5 or more black squares at map end) so its not big deal. Chat/Messagess wont block edge of map like in 2.5.

I actually suggest making the messages and chat boxes completely separate, so that people can resize each one to how they want them.

If ppl will complain about new design of chat/messages then I will do it.

I don't know how I would like the tabs on the left side without a good mockup. I know I'd certainly hate giant white boxes, though. Would it push the overview to the right like GTK, or would it simply hover over the map like Qt chatbox? If it were to hover over the overview, letting the right-click re-center through it would almost become necessity. You might also consider having the option to have the tabs on the left OR right side.

Yeah, map would be pushed. Damn good mockup - It looks really nice. I was too lazy to do something like that.So i left white boxes
I would not use current icons for gold/sci/cities/units - I'll find something more good looking.
Spaceship report would be only in menu, its almost not used.
Also all icons units/nation/gold/sci would be bigger - and text would be over them - but it would be small and text would be very short - eg for unit with 1 move and 10 hp - it would be 1 - 10HP. Eg. for nations/cities there wont be text at all.
Also units report and currrent units would be 1 icon - if units selected - then icon is current unit, if no unit selected then some default icon.

Also i have in plan configurable shortcuts and themes ... but for sure not before 3.0.
For 2.6 configurable airlift with multiairlift allowing airlift one unit from each city by 1 click. And rally points for cities. And maybe somethting more helping in multiplayer games.
Now Im finishing new city dialog fitting to page.

mir3x wrote:Now Im finishing new city dialog fitting to page.

I'd gladly help redesigning parts of the UI, but I don't know your plans.

I made two "experiments" for the city dialog some time ago. The first one featured little change apart from a new Economy tab, providing more discoverable access to detailed information. The second was meant as a sidebar, with the city map drawn above the main one. The goal was an "unified" layout also usable on some hypothetical mobile version.

See the three screenshots or the UI files for Qt Designer. UI files suppose The Battle for Wesnoth is installed in /usr (for pixmaps), and a suitable FreeDesktop icon theme is present. In short : don't expect them to work well on Windows.

To stay a little on-topic:

• The UI proposal looks overcrowded to me. I think the panel can be 150px wide without problem.
• Tabs on the left are quite unusual. When I start a game, the first thing I do is hitting all keys from F2 (Units) to F6 (Research). So why not start with these tabs enabled ?
• I played some time ago with a list of all units on the current tile, much like in Gtk client's units dialog. I could select one or several unit just by clicking on them in the list and using standard shortcuts. I think it would be a nice replacement for the "active unit" part of the UI. I have some old crashing source code for the model, I can try and adapt it if there you're interested.

Louis

City screen will looks like that on attached screen, but it wont be in separate window, but as widget in QStackedWidget (QTabWidgets will be there also) + probably scrolls in case it doesnt fit on screen, attached image has 1307x998, but with bigger city radius will be be bigger.
But it will be just option - normal city screen or that new one.

Louis:
If u like u can redesign old city dialog to whatevever u want with tabs.

Tabs on the left are quite unusual. When I start a game, the first thing I do is hitting all keys from F2 (Units) to F6 (Research). So why not start with these tabs enabled ?

Bc a lot of ppl still prefers sdl client over gtk, bc those "horrible" tabs.

Or u could do configurable shortcuts but with mouse support.
Or redesigned Start game like in civilziation - few questions with icons and then start game without showing pregame page.
Then normal start game would be as start customized game.
Or maybe customized messageboxes instead standard like in dota:
https://camo.githubusercontent.com/80b5 ... 4a2e6a7067
( it would require customized qinputdialog for picking city name and choice dialog for cravans/diplo actions - so everything would look similar )

Or maybe editor?
Or improve pregame or those load scenario/load saved game/ start page - they looks lame

Also note that the current science bulb icon is incremental: It lights up as you get closer to your next technology.(Likewise with global warming and nuclear winter) Would replacements have that same feature?

Or redesigned Start game like in civilziation - few questions with icons and then start game without showing pregame page.

Having this as an option isn't a bad idea. Rather than replacing the pre-game, have it as a button on the pre-game. 'options walk-through' or some such. One thing I think our server options probably need is more 'pick an amount/option at random' too, preferably with filtered parameters.

Bc a lot of ppl still prefers sdl client over gtk, bc those "horrible" tabs.

Really? Huh, they seem like a good method to me. Small and out of the way. Very functional.
Ohhhh, you mean the fact that they take up the whole screen, instead of pop-up windows? Yeah, I suppose that would be an improvement.

SDL things I like:
for current technology selection, it shows only the currently available technologies
unit command buttons
tax rate slider bars
citizen governor has the city work map shown

SDL things I don't like:
no tech tree
inability to hide unit command buttons
turn done button isn't bigger and more prominent than other buttons
apparently, there's no production queue

The image of a city interface looks rather...cluttered.
I love the different progress bars, though. The current Qt one is terrible. Of course, knowing my luck it's because of my desktop theme.

You also kinda double-display the current production item. Completely separate out the improvements and the production list if you can.

Likewise, the 'results' of the citizen governor are superfluous, because it's already shown in the city map results...which is on the opposite corner of the display.

You have a 'show units' filter, but no 'show improvements' filter. (Wonders would probably use the improvements filter too? Or maybe get their own filter.)

The way change/add production is used is rather clunky, I'd suggest replacing the 'change', 'insert before', and 'insert after' options with normal button selections of their own. This would also free up more space.

The horizontal scrollbar on the unit present/upkeep bars covers up the bottom of the units. This, annoyingly, is where the actual upkeep costs are displayed. It's possible to scroll down with the mouse wheel, but my mouse wheel doesn't work for crap.

How about this UI idea? Features vastly reduced city tabs, but based on your presented version. It strongly favors the map, and should work better with less flat maps.

There's no zoom, either. I just made it from the thumb of yours.