Arimaa Forum
        (http://arimaa.com/arimaa/forum/cgi/YaBB.cgi)
      

        Arimaa >> Site Discussion >> JavaScript Game Client
        
(Message started by: omar on Sep 10th, 2009, 9:00am)
Title: JavaScript Game Client
Post by omar on Sep 10th, 2009, 9:00am
I have been using every chance I could get over the last few weeks to work on the JavaScript game client. It is finally in a usable state now and can be accessed from the Settings - Game Client page. I've used it just now to watch a few games and play a quick game against Soter. It seems to be pretty stable.

Now time to catch up on the forum :-)
Title: Re: JavaScript Game Client
Post by tize on Sep 10th, 2009, 12:02pm
I tried it in game 116687, and I it worked almost flawless. The only glitch that I noticed was that the button U<, U<<, R>, R>> and pass disapeared when I should make my move 28s, they then reappeared for the rest of the game.

The same problem in game 116693 at move 26g.

I didn't like was that the goal lines where highlighted, but maybe it just takes sometime to get used to...

It's nice to be able to play arimaa without flash, thanks. And I really liked the new concept of the setup.
Title: Re: JavaScript Game Client
Post by arimaa_master on Sep 11th, 2009, 10:14am

on 09/10/09 at 12:02:48, tize wrote:
I didn't like was that the goal lines where highlighted, but maybe it just takes sometime to get used to...


I don´t like that highlighted goal lines too. It is pretty disturbing.
Title: Re: JavaScript Game Client
Post by omar on Sep 16th, 2009, 8:55pm
I think I fixed the problem with the buttons not showing up sometimes. Let me know if anyone else see this problem again.

The colored goal rows really help with showing the orientation of the board especially if there are few pieces left in the game. I really like it with the colored goal lines. Maybe it takes a little getting used to.

I am also considering coloring the trap squares with different colors :-)

I should probably add a button to turn on/off the colors.
Title: Re: JavaScript Game Client
Post by Fritzlein on Sep 17th, 2009, 1:53pm
I tested the javascript client against akimot.  It worked for me without a hitch.  Some first impressions:

* The Vw and Vb button labels should definitely be changed to Vg and Vs.  Let's get away from black and white entirely.
* I like the setup of clicking on two pieces to swap them, but it isn't obvious what to do in the absence of instructions.  I think I would have a slight preference for the V2 method of placing pieces one by one, except that the order of placement should be EMHHDDCC instead of EMHDCHDC.  But the swap-pieces style is fine too once it becomes clear what to do.
* The new noises are fun.
* I like the retention of expert mode, and I like that the "really send" confirmation when in expert mode is gone.
* I didn't notice the goal line highlighting much, but if there were a toggle button, I would toggle it off.  Omar, you are the only one who needs highlighting to keep the orientation straight, because you are the only one who likes to view the board from the side.  But thanks for admitting that the side view confuses you too!  :P
* I like the retention of different playback speeds.
* I like the button labels U< and U<< for undo step and undo move respectively.

All in all, it will be great to have another client option, because there will probably a class of users for whom this client is more stable than any version of the Flash client.
Title: Re: JavaScript Game Client
Post by Fritzlein on Sep 19th, 2009, 2:26pm
Just now I was playing game 117655 against TheJeh with the Javascript client.  Starting around move 70, the client began to malfunction and not send the move when I hit send.  I had to reload to get my move sent.  After that happened three times in eight moves I switched back to the Flash V2 client.
Title: Re: JavaScript Game Client
Post by omar on Sep 19th, 2009, 9:02pm

on 09/19/09 at 14:26:28, Fritzlein wrote:
Just now I was playing game 117655 against TheJeh with the Javascript client.  Starting around move 70, the client began to malfunction and not send the move when I hit send.  I had to reload to get my move sent.  After that happened three times in eight moves I switched back to the Flash V2 client.


Bummer. I wonder what caused that. I've been using it for all my games now and didn't have any problems yet. If it happens again; type /log in the chat area and email me the log file. Don't post it here; it will be too long.

If anyone knows JavaScript feel free to view the source and provide any suggestions.
Title: Re: JavaScript Game Client
Post by doublep on Oct 13th, 2009, 1:49pm
Please make it remember sound settings and speed.  It's annoying to turn off sound all the time and adjusting speed, especially in blitz games.
Title: Re: JavaScript Game Client
Post by tize on Oct 14th, 2009, 12:32pm
Is it possible for a page to know if it's opened in a new window or if it's opened in a new tab? If it is possible I would like the game client not to resize the window when it's opened in a new tab. Just a minor itch but it would be nice.
Title: Re: JavaScript Game Client
Post by omar on Oct 18th, 2009, 7:12am
doublep: thanks for the suggestion. I've put it on the todo list.

tize: I think I looked for a way to do that once, but didn't find any possible way. Would be nice if there was a way to distinguish.
Title: Re: JavaScript Game Client
Post by doublep on Oct 18th, 2009, 7:43am
tize: BTW, at least in Firefox, you can forbit any scripts to resize existing windows in browser preferences.
Title: Re: JavaScript Game Client
Post by tize on Oct 18th, 2009, 1:18pm
Thanks a lot doublep, I don't know why I didn't look in the preferences before. It's not perfect but at least my main window stays the way I want to.
Title: Re: JavaScript Game Client
Post by PhilomathBret on Nov 3rd, 2009, 7:13pm
I tried playing with Javascript for the first time. I clicked "start" and it just automatically set up my pieces with all rabbits in back and wouldn't let me choose how to set up.

And what is Expert Mode?
Title: Re: JavaScript Game Client
Post by Fritzlein on Nov 3rd, 2009, 8:38pm

on 11/03/09 at 19:13:07, PhilomathBret wrote:
I tried playing with Javascript for the first time. I clicked "start" and it just automatically set up my pieces with all rabbits in back and wouldn't let me choose how to set up.

Click on two pieces to swap them.


Quote:
And what is Expert Mode?

It's a way to plan without opening a separate plan window.  With expert mode on you can play moves for both sides to see how a line will work out.
Title: Re: JavaScript Game Client
Post by PhilomathBret on Nov 13th, 2009, 5:05am
Using Javascript to play for the first time, I hit "Send" when my timer had 6 seconds left. It just let me run out of time. My opponent told me that it said to him I had 6 seconds left but said Time. How is it possible to unrate games?

Also I was confused about how to set up the first several times I tried using Javascript. I thought it wasn't letting me set them up.
Title: Re: JavaScript Game Client
Post by Fritzlein on Nov 13th, 2009, 7:48am

on 11/13/09 at 05:05:46, PhilomathBret wrote:
How is it possible to unrate games?

In the upper left:  Navigation -> Play Now -> Unrate Game

This must be done before either player plays another game.  Also I think that for HvH games it must be done by the player who won on time, not by the player who lost on time.  For HvB games, unrating is always being done by the human player who lost on time, but it is not permitted if the human was also losing on the board.
Title: Re: JavaScript Game Client
Post by PhilomathBret on Nov 13th, 2009, 10:15am

on 11/03/09 at 20:38:51, Fritzlein wrote:
Click on two pieces to swap them.

It's a way to plan without opening a separate plan window.  With expert mode on you can play moves for both sides to see how a line will work out.


I just received an e-mail telling me that something of mine was replied to. I come here, and the newest reply I see was this one, which is listed as being from 9 days ago.
Title: Re: JavaScript Game Client
Post by Fritzlein on Nov 13th, 2009, 3:46pm

on 11/13/09 at 10:15:56, PhilomathBret wrote:
I just received an e-mail telling me that something of mine was replied to. I come here, and the newest reply I see was this one, which is listed as being from 9 days ago.

Yes, you are quoting the reply I made 9 days ago, but if you look at the order of the posts in this thread, you will see my most recent response to you was from today.
Title: Re: JavaScript Game Client
Post by Meneldor on Dec 10th, 2009, 5:37am
I tried this a couple of days ago, and when it opened there was one gold horse, I was silver, and it was waiting for me to make a move.

I was obviously broken.  I am using Firefox 2.  Is this client only compatible with certain browsers?  I have not tried it with IE.

I want to get this client working, and see if I can use it using a mobile browser (mobile browsers tend to have no support for Flash).
Title: Re: JavaScript Game Client
Post by omar on Dec 24th, 2009, 10:22pm
Each image is loaded separately via HTTP. Maybe one of the image files did not load properly when  you tried it. Just closing the client and reopening it should fix the problem.

I haven't tried  it in IE, but it works fine in FireFox and Chrome. You might be able to use it on a mobile device if it has good JavaScript support. You won't hear the sounds though since the sounds are played using Flash.


Arimaa Forum » Powered by YaBB 1 Gold - SP 1.3.1!
YaBB © 2000-2003. All Rights Reserved.