I'll try to keep the technical details to a minimum but I would like to clarify one thing. There's a thing called server-client architecture, in our case:
browser - client
remote computer server hosting the game webpage - server
Operations done by the client (browser) load the server only when doing requests (sorta).
[quote name='Burns' date='20 January 2010 - 11:00 AM' timestamp='1263978026' post='53094']
1. I'm not a pro, but wouldn't having timers on all players in your current scene even add to the server-load? As in, read out and send data for players you wouldn't even want to attack? apart from that, where does a little timer go, it's pretty crowded on the scenes already...
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The timers will be client-side like the timer for regeneration. I guess the timers could be done in JavaScript and will synchronize with the server only a battle is done or the page is refreshed. The rest of the time they would work like the regeneration timer, and count on the client side for display purposes. If you let the regeneration timer run for a while without refreshing the page you will see when you actually refresh that it's not accurate
I was thinking the timer could go next to the name something like X:XX, it's small enough not to be a problem I guess. Also you don't need to display for all the players, only those recently attacked. And to add to this, the name of the players should show the MP level, MP3 cannot attack MP4s and vice versa.
[quote name='Burns' date='20 January 2010 - 11:00 AM' timestamp='1263978026' post='53094']
2. Hardly possible since we have 3 different requirements, at the beginning xp is the problem, in mp4 it's wins, and on mp5 people are waiting for age to upgrade, which one should be displayed? should they be mixed into one upgrade-bar, and if so, how?
And, again, wouldn't reading out stats for a creature you know you can't upgrade add on traffic, instead of lowering?
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It would lower because the constant switching between the main display for creatures and the detailed display is more demanding than loading once the stats. One picture alone(the one in the detailed statistics) probably takes more than 100 times the numbers for the stats.
I was thinking of having 5(?) bars of different colour next to the pictures (left, right, above, and below) to show how far from the need value is the creature.
Gold for VP, red for VE, gray for age, blue for xp, some other colour for AP
.....Age......
VE...........VP
.....pic.......AP
.....XP.......
[quote name='Burns' date='20 January 2010 - 11:00 AM' timestamp='1263978026' post='53094']
3. Checkboxes would be easier, but not really a lot... just a change from one system to another...
Having all on one screen might be really handy for veterans, but i guess for newbies it would be too much information at once, the way it is they can think about the things they do step by step, which crits, what should they do, how much influence, def or not, chaaarge, if all was on one screen they'd probably get even more confused at the beginning... time would tell :/
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This one, I guess, is a matter of opinion, as a newb I was confused by the multiple layout Another issue that I have with the current setup is that if I make a mistake I have to redo the whole thing back from selecting the creatures which annoys me to no end. Using checkboxes you do 6 clicks maximum for selecting the creatures. Using the dropdowns you do at least 12 for selecting all the creatures plus checking that you have not selected the same creature twice. With the checkbox system this is immediately apparent (and impossible ).
Name field (btw, why does this appear in the defense selection screen ?)
(maximum?) 16 Checkboxes 4x4 grid, the creature abilities dropdowns are enabled when the creature is selected
1 slider for attack VE
1 checkbox for defense
1 slider for defense VE (appears if the checkbox for defense is selected)
Attack Cancel
Doesn't seem to be a lot of information....
5. The combat report makes my eyes bleed and want to murder fluffy kittens. I keep trying to read it and giving up every time... A little structure would go a long way....