Re: Gnoga - The GNU Omnificent GUI for Ada

[Niklas Holsti <niklas.holsti@tidorum.invalid>]

On 14-09-28 11:26 , David Botton wrote:
>> I have the same experience with Firefox on Mac OS/X.
> 
> It was developed on Mac OSX using Firefox, so I am sure it works :)
> 
> Again, check for caps lock or alternative language keyboards, etc.

Caps lock is off, keyboard layout is German (so the geometrical
arrangement of a,w,s,d is not so suggestive).

After several attempts, it seems that the a,w,s,d keys do work, but the
game is rapid enough, and over so quickly if one makes a mistake, that
there is hardly any time to try things and learn how they work, on the
first attempt. The arrow keys don't seem to work. And there is no "Start
over" button.

Suggestions:

0. Remember that not everyone has played this game before. Or at least
may not remember how it works.

1. Make it clear that the initial screen, with the growing row of
asterisks, is not yet the game, and does not respond to the a,w,s,d keys.

2. Perhaps include a "Start game" button in the game window, to help
with point 1.

3. Make the snake motion slower, at least to start with. Perhaps make it
faster in each succeeding game, or as the score grows.

4. Make it clearer why the game is suddenly over for no visible reason.
Is there a time-out? Show a count-down if so. Is it when the snake hits
its tail? Perhaps optionally show a trace of the tail.

5. Include a "Start over" button.

6. Make the arrow keys work.

As a first intro to Gnoga, it is not very inviting, I'm sorry to say.
But I won't let it bias my view of Gnoga, once I get around to reading
more about it. The user interfaces I may want to implement are not for
games, but for "serious computation" |:-|)

-- 
Niklas Holsti
Tidorum Ltd
niklas holsti tidorum fi
      .      @       .