Gamesetup - Improve match setup support for special (trigger) map

[fabio]

Special maps (such as using triggers) should be able to use an improved match setup setting, other than the Scenario currently used.

This is the current match setup when using A Silent Day In Gaul trigger map:

Some suggestions:

• the user should not be able to change Player Placement ("You" and "AI" type should not be changeable);
• AI setting (the gear) should be able to be hidden;
• eventually part or the whole players section, as well as "Number of players" and some options inside "More Options" sub-window, should even be hidden in the setup interface, to avoid spoiling the map (with a trigger map they may don't have a real meaning anyway);
• DONE in r18179 special maps should have a new category other than "Scenario" (e.g. "Mission", "Special", "Trigger" or something similar);
• the map should eventually not be selectable in a multiplayer game.

See also #3049.

[fabio]

See also #3049.

[mimo]

Put back in backlog as no activity

[fabio]

The attached patch add the new map filter "Trigger Maps", along "Naval" and "Demo". It also add the trigger Keyword to trigger maps, as well to the two tutorials that don't use triggers but use a dedicated ai.

[fabio]

"Trigger Maps" map filter

[elexis]

Why do we need all these gamesetup changes? There is no map in vanilla 0 A.D. which requires those change, is there?

With regards to the trigger-maps patch. Why do we need that, can't we just use Demo maps? I'm worried that it might be a bit confusing to have multiple filters for demo-maps. Better keep it simple imo

Scenario maps already are special maps and we definitely need to fix some things in the gamesetup for scenario-maps. Hiding information seems to be plausible.

[fabio]

Replying to elexis:

Why do we need all these gamesetup changes?

As I said in the first post, and mainly to avoid users tampering/seeing settings that should not be changed to avoid ruining the intended play experience. E.g. if you change the AI of the tutorial map to Petra you won't get the tutorial.

There is no map in vanilla 0 A.D. which requires those change, is there?

Yes, there are some maps, see my patch.

With regards to the trigger-maps patch. Why do we need that, can't we just use Demo maps?

Your previous question is an answer to this one... many players are unaware there are such maps. Adding a filter for them make clear their availability.

I'm worried that it might be a bit confusing to have multiple filters for demo-maps. Better keep it simple imo

Some maps already have naval + demo keywords, but I agree that maybe demo map should not be listed also in trigger or naval maps, since demo maps are not intended to be played.

[elexis]

Replying to fabio:

With regards to the trigger-maps patch. Why do we need that, can't we just use Demo maps?

many players are unaware there are such maps. Adding a filter for them make clear their availability.

Ok, convinced.

Some maps already have naval + demo keywords, but I agree that maybe demo map should not be listed also in trigger or naval maps, since demo maps are not intended to be played.

Nah, its fine. IMO a naval trigger demo map can be listed in all three cases. The logic should be as simple as possible.

I run a grep through all maps and those are indeed all correct changes.

So rebase that gamesetup.js thing and commit it.

[sanderd17]

Why not just alter the map settings? Currently, these settings are only used as the default, which is not that good. It would be better if the map could force certain settings, or could force settings to be in a certain range.

Leaving a setting undefined would leave the choice to the player over some default values, setting a key to a certain value (like "PopulationLimit": 200) would fix that setting and disable user choice. But setting it to an array (like "PopulationLimit": [50, 100, 200]]) would give the user a choice between these values.

Of course, the GUI should still be simple enough, and the population limit probably should be set per player. So either this should be a global variable, or all arrays of all player settings should be equal in length in this case, and thus allow a "low", "medium" and "high" setting with different max pop per player.

[elexis]

Backlogging due to lack of progress.

[Stan]

Rebase of Fabio's patch

[Stan]

Backlogging effectively since it didn't go to backlog last time.

[elexis]

In 18179:

Add maplist filter for maps that come with triggerscripts. Patch by fabio and Stan, refs #3013.

[elexis]

• Thanks for the patch. It should have been rebased and committed 5 months ago by me after I changed the filtercode.
• There was a missing comma in that object breaking everything
• Changed the patch to show triggerscript maps by default too.
• What sanderd17 said -> #3049

[elexis]

In 18182:

Remove the trigger keyword from these maps as they either use the Tutorial AI for scripting or use a script only to place entities on load, refs #3013.