Better Add-On interface

fyorl · Post by **fyorl** » October 22nd, 2007, 2:02 pm

The Add-On interface is a little limited at the moment. It could do with some extra features like a 'type' column so you don't have to guess from the name whether it's an Era or Map Pack etc. Also, having an online rating system would be handy. An in-game one would be even better but I figured an online one would be easier to implement. Allowing the list to be sorted and filtered by various things is pretty essential too (e.g. Sorting by the most popular Eras). Also, not showing Add-ons that you already have at that version would be handy (or at least some sort of feedback as to whether or not you have the Add-on). How about a notification on load-up to download any updated Add-ons (like Firefox does)?

On a slightly related note (albeit one that doesn't have much to do with the Add-on interface), instead of giving you an ugly error message when you start a MP game that has a unit type which you don't, how about it just downloads the appropriate Add-on right there or at least checks before you've waited in the game lobby for 10 minutes while people join.

longhair · Post by **longhair** » October 22nd, 2007, 2:32 pm

I especially agree with your last paragraph. It makes it less attractive to play a game with a non-default era when you know that chances are that you'll get somebody who doesn't understand the era system, and doesn't have your era. They get kicked when the game starts, and everyone is annoyed.

Post by **Blarumyrran** » October 22nd, 2007, 3:06 pm

fyorl wrote:The Add-On interface is a little limited at the moment. It could do with some extra features like a 'type' column so you don't have to guess from the name whether it's an Era or Map Pack etc. Also, having an online rating system would be handy. An in-game one would be even better but I figured an online one would be easier to implement. Allowing the list to be sorted and filtered by various things is pretty essential too (e.g. Sorting by the most popular Eras). Also, not showing Add-ons that you already have at that version would be handy (or at least some sort of feedback as to whether or not you have the Add-on). How about a notification on load-up to download any updated Add-ons (like Firefox does)?

its been suggested lots of times, and its being worked on. but it has been in that condition for a looong period so i wouldnt be too enthusiastic about it getting ready for commitment any time soon.

Post by **Aethaeryn** » October 22nd, 2007, 8:27 pm

fyorl wrote:On a slightly related note (albeit one that doesn't have much to do with the Add-on interface), instead of giving you an ugly error message when you start a MP game that has a unit type which you don't, how about it just downloads the appropriate Add-on right there or at least checks before you've waited in the game lobby for 10 minutes while people join.

I like this idea a lot. It could be as simple as an error message upon joining such as:

This game requires you to download additional material in order to play. The package is:

NAME OF PACKAGE FROM ADD-ON SERVER

And then it would have two options:

"Download" "Cancel"

Giving the name of the package as well would allow those without good/stable internet to at least know what they have to get.

fyorl · Post by **fyorl** » October 22nd, 2007, 9:40 pm

Yeah, although I wouldn't want people with unstable internet connections in my game >_<

Post by **Aethaeryn** » October 22nd, 2007, 9:47 pm

fyorl wrote:Yeah, although I wouldn't want people with unstable internet connections in my game >_<

True, but they might have dial-up or something.

Also, some eras (e.g. EE) could be quite large to download and someone might not want to do it at the moment.

cool evil · Post by **cool evil** » October 22nd, 2007, 10:04 pm

[quote="fyorl"]The Add-On interface is a little limited at the moment. It could do with some extra features like a 'type' column so you don't have to guess from the name whether it's an Era or Map Pack etc. Also, having an online rating system would be handy. An in-game one would be even better but I figured an online one would be easier to implement. Allowing the list to be sorted and filtered by various things is pretty essential too (e.g. Sorting by the most popular Eras). Also, not showing Add-ons that you already have at that version would be handy (or at least some sort of feedback as to whether or not you have the Add-on). How about a notification on load-up to download any updated Add-ons (like Firefox does)?

I like the sorting one, like where you can search by eras, map pack or campaigns, makes downloading not a hassle anymore. About the rating system, that IMO should not be implemented, why?

IT'S SO OBVIOUS! Would you download a 5/5 rated add-on thats been downloaded 50,000 times or a 3/5 add-on downloaded 300 times? Everyone wants to see the rating for a product or content and then download it according to the best. If this did went into use, all the popular add-on such as imperial era and EE would be way more popular since it doesn't take a genius to figure out that they would get probably full rating and all the other add-ons would get ignored and severely decreasing their downloads and popularity.

That's not fair, really, it takes away newly submitted add-ons the chance to catch up with the popular ones, i'm sure all the contributors wouldn't want to go to that extreme.

fyorl · Post by **fyorl** » October 22nd, 2007, 10:10 pm

Well lots of things have rating systems and they all seem to work. I'm sure some people will download new add-ons, find that they're good and give them a high rating. I don't think the number of downloads stat should be included as it's not really necessary but some sort of rating is needed to give an indication of the quality of the campaign.

Post by **Aethaeryn** » October 22nd, 2007, 10:13 pm

fyorl wrote:Well lots of things have rating systems and they all seem to work. I'm sure some people will download new add-ons, find that they're good and give them a high rating. I don't think the number of downloads stat should be included as it's not really necessary but some sort of rating is needed to give an indication of the quality of the campaign.

I agree to an extent. Some add-ons could be horrible but have lots of downloads merely for having an interesting name and being there for a while. The people could have even removed it after downloading and trying, which I have done to several add-ons personally. And people already sort by download (I know I do). Of course, I sometimes look at the bottom of that list too.

Quitch · Post by **Quitch** » October 22nd, 2007, 11:17 pm

cool evil wrote:IT'S SO OBVIOUS! Would you download a 5/5 rated add-on thats been downloaded 50,000 times or a 3/5 add-on downloaded 300 times? Everyone wants to see the rating for a product or content and then download it according to the best. If this did went into use, all the popular add-on such as imperial era and EE would be way more popular since it doesn't take a genius to figure out that they would get probably full rating and all the other add-ons would get ignored and severely decreasing their downloads and popularity.

This doesn't have appeared to crippled any other modding community, despite ratings being rampant everywhere, so I don't see why it should in Wesnoth. What is IS likely to do is guide new players towards the better, more appropriate content, which can only be a good thing.

DDR · Post by **DDR** » October 23rd, 2007, 1:26 am

I kinda like the lack of ratings in wesnoth. Gives it a sort of a free thinking feel. "Hey you - I'm not telling you how to think! Decide for yourself whether you like this add-on or not!"

Post by **Urs** » October 23rd, 2007, 2:10 am

I support the idea of a rating system, but there is one major problem with that. People "release early and often". So maybe an era/faction is released early, and people give it a bad rating because (graphics suck/code problems/etc). Then others will tend not to download it because of the bad rating, so if a new version comes out, that one gets ignored. Perhaps there should be an indicator for new versions based on ...newlyness..., as well as an indicator showing if you a) already have an era b) have an old version or c) don't have it.

_beast_ · Post by **_beast_** » October 23rd, 2007, 12:35 pm

I would like some more "trivial" information:

-) how many players,
-) serperate tab for eras and maps,
-) release date,
-) is it alpha, beta or stable,
-) and have it already downloaded (like the idea form Urs)

and the possibility to download more than one at a time.

I think many people wouldn't rate a download after the game.
So the download counter and the release date would a quite good indicater about the quality.

Post by **Iris** » October 23rd, 2007, 12:41 pm

_beast_ wrote:I would like some more "trivial" information:

-) how many players,

The current download counter serves me good as UMC author. (It is in the in-game client if you didn't notice it.)

Post by **Aethaeryn** » October 23rd, 2007, 7:34 pm

What about an indicator not only if you have it installed but also if it has been updated?

This could also work for the MP functions to prevent OOS (though instead of download, it would say upgrade).

An easy way to "patch" upgrade huge files (e.g. Extended Era) would also be nice, but I don't think that's doable without a lot of work.

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