Distribution click action mode

[TaranDahl]

Reopen #1453 again.

[ ] Switch No-Move Command

• Now you can change the click action by using AllowSwitchNoMoveCommand hotkey. If the behavior to be executed by the current techno is different from the behavior displayed by the mouse, and the behavior to be executed will make the techno move near the target, the behavior will be replaced with area guard. Regardless of whether or not switch hotkey is used, default behavior can be changed through DefaultApplyNoMoveCommand.
• For localization add TXT_SWITCH_NOMOVE and TXT_SWITCH_NOMOVE_DESC into your .csf file.

In rulesmd.ini:

[GlobalControls]
AllowSwitchNoMoveKeyEnabled=false                   ; boolean
DefaultApplyNoMoveCommand=true                      ; boolean

[ ] Distribution Mode

• You can now distribute commands across similar targets in a specified range when holding down a hotkey if AllowDistributionCommand is enabled. This behavior is like using the selected objects one by one to click on each target within the spread range.
  • The targets within the spread range will be allocated equally to the selected technos. Only when the behavior to be performed by the current techno is the same as that displayed by the mouse will it be allocated (e.g. a healer will only be allocated friendly targets it can heal, while combat units will only be allocated the targets they would attack). Neutral targets are only eligible if the clicked target itself is neutral. Otherwise, the techno will fall back to the vanilla behavior of clicking the original target (the move fallback, or area guard if the switch no-move command is active). This will display a range ring.
  • AllowDistributionFilterKeyEnabled allows you to set target filter by hotkey, which default to DefaultDistributionFilterMode.
    • When the filter is None, it is the default behavior of the game. If the range is not zero at this time, a green ring will be displayed. You can adjust the filter mode to:
      • Like - only targets with the same armor type (Completely identical Armor) will be selected among the targets allocated in the range. At this time, a blue ring will be displayed.
      • Type - only targets of the same type (like infantries, vehicles or buildings) will be selected among the targets allocated in the range. At this time, a yellow ring will be displayed.
      • Name - only targets of the same name (or with the same GroupAs) will be selected among the targets allocated in the range. At this time, a red ring will be displayed.
  • DefaultDistributionSpreadRange controls the initial spread range, which is a number that's corresponding to the amount of cell radius * 512.
• AllowDistributionSpreadKeyEnabled allows you to cycle through preset spread ranges by hotkey. There're 4 tiers of range that can be selected by this hotkey which are identical to 0, 4, 8 and 16 cells.
  • When the range is 0, it is the original default behavior of the game.
• AllowDistributionUseClick controls whether distribution mode is activated by clicking on a target. When set to false, distribution mode only works via press-and-drag, and the range ring will only be shown while dragging.
• You can also adjust spread range by using the mouse wheel while holding down the specific hotkey if AllowDistributionSpreadScroll set to true. This allows a more precise control of spread range that each step will increase/decrease it by DistributionSpreadScrollStep, with 20 cells as its maximum value.
• AllowDistributionSpreadDrag allows you to adjust the spread range by pressing and dragging the mouse while holding down the specific hotkey. The drag distance from the starting point determines the spread range. This can naturally co-exist with AllowDistributionSpreadScroll.
• AllowDistributionCommandOnOwner, AllowDistributionCommandOnAllies, AllowDistributionCommandOnEnemies & AllowDistributionCommandOnNeutral allow the distribution command to work on owner, allies, enemies or neutral target. If picking a target that's not eligible, it'll fallback to vanilla command.
• It's possible to add a button for distribution mode in the bottom bar by adding DistributionMode in the ButtonList of AdvancedCommandBar and MultiplayerAdvancedCommandBar.
  • The positions of each button are hardcoded, so it'll only decide whether enable this button or not. Distribute Mode button is now always listed after all the vanilla ones.
  • The asset of these buttons should be added in sidec0x.mix files which correspond to different sides, with the name button12.shp.
• The distribution mode hotkey works like the vanilla waypoint mode hotkey: holding it down activates the mode while releasing it deactivates it, a sound is played and a message is shown when the mode is turned on/off, and the bottom bar button (if added) toggles the mode as well. The sounds played when the mode is turned on/off can be customized with StartDistributionModeSound and EndDistributionModeSound, which default to the planning mode sounds.
• A sound is also played each time a distribution command is issued, either by clicking a target or on drag release. It can be customized with AddDistributionModeCommandSound.
• For localization add TXT_SWITCH_NOMOVE, TXT_DISTR_SPREAD, TXT_DISTR_FILTER, TXT_DISTR_HOLDDOWN, TXT_SWITCH_NOMOVE_DESC, TXT_DISTR_SPREAD_DESC, TXT_DISTR_FILTER_DESC, TXT_DISTR_HOLDDOWN_DESC, MSG:DistributionModeOn, MSG:DistributionModeOff, TIP:DistributionMode into your .csf file.

In rulesmd.ini:

[GlobalControls]
AllowDistributionCommand=false                      ; boolean
AllowDistributionCommandOnOwner=true                ; boolean
AllowDistributionCommandOnAllies=true               ; boolean
AllowDistributionCommandOnEnemies=true              ; boolean
AllowDistributionCommandOnNeutral=true              ; boolean
AllowDistributionSpreadKeyEnabled=true              ; boolean
AllowDistributionFilterKeyEnabled=false             ; boolean
DefaultDistributionSpreadRange=2048                 ; integer between 0 and 5120
DefaultDistributionFilterMode=2                     ; integer, 0 - None , 1 - Like , 2 - Type , 3 - Name
DistributionSpreadScrollStep=256                    ; integer, minimum 16

[AudioVisual]
StartDistributionModeSound=                         ; sound entry, defaults to `StartPlanningModeSound`
EndDistributionModeSound=                           ; sound entry, defaults to `EndPlanningModeSound`
AddDistributionModeCommandSound=                    ; sound entry

In ra2md.ini:

[Phobos]
AllowDistributionSpreadScroll=true                  ; boolean
AllowDistributionSpreadDrag=true                    ; boolean
AllowDistributionUseClick=true                      ; boolean

In uimd.ini:

[AdvancedCommandBar]
ButtonList=[Button1],DistributionMode,[ButtonX]     ; List of button entry

[MultiplayerAdvancedCommandBar]
ButtonList=[Button1],DistributionMode,[ButtonX]     ; List of button entry

[github-actions]

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[TaranDahl]

@Metadorius Any issue other than #1949 (review)?

[TaranDahl]

TODO:
(Summarized from #1949 (review))

• Create independent file for AdvancedCommandBarButtonClass.
• Allow registering new AdvancedCommandBarButtonClass like MakeCommand.
• Rewrite the spread range code to allow exact range.
• Press-and-drag mode

@Metadorius Please confirm the above summary, or supplement/correct the incorrect parts.

[Metadorius]

@TaranDahl yeah, correct, there was also a comment about implementing press-and-drag mode (and not sure if the "same type" (infantry/buildings/vehicles/etc) is needed, since we have "same armor" mode). CrimRecya said it's too problematic, however I don't really see why, since we already have drag selection and we could reuse drag selection to calculate the radius.

[TaranDahl]

there was also a comment about implementing press-and-drag mode (and not sure if the "same type" (infantry/buildings/vehicles/etc) is needed

I think there is not enough labor force to add more features.
I think the existing work is sufficient in terms of completion. We should just perfect the existing features and then merge them.
As for more features, they should be another work, and can be implemented later, by anyone who wants them.
Breaking it into two PR can also help avoid the problem of having an excessive amount of code piled up in one PR, which may lead to no one willing to review it.

[Metadorius]

I think there is not enough labor force to add more features. I think the existing work is sufficient in terms of completion. We should just perfect the existing features and then merge them. As for more features, they should be another work, and can be implemented later, by anyone who wants them. Breaking it into two PR can also help avoid the problem of having an excessive amount of code piled up in one PR, which may lead to no one willing to review it.

This isn't a feature though? It is just a somewhat small improvement that brings it in line with how modern games do it.

• 0x6D2280 (exists in YRpp) for transforming screen coords into world coords (though Z is 0, maybe would want to account for that)
• 0x4AC4CC is where the drag-selection band is set and the mouse hold is done
• 0x4ABCEB is where the drag-selection release is handled
• 0xD90 in TacticalClass is Rect that contains X, Y, Width, Height

From that you could calculate 2 points, get world coords via function above, use this info to draw a corresponding circle and set the mode to such. I am not sure what is complex here. If needed I can send my decompile for this.

[TaranDahl]

@Metadorius Is there any difference between ShapeButtonClass and AdvancedCommandBarButtonClass?

[Metadorius]

@TaranDahl ShapeButtonClass is a vanilla engine class, AdvancedCommandBarButtonClass is something I propose to invent (perhaps a descendant from ShapeButtonClass) that stores the extra things that are currently stored as static arrays, for example.

[TaranDahl]

@TaranDahl ShapeButtonClass is a vanilla engine class, AdvancedCommandBarButtonClass is something I propose to invent (perhaps a descendant from ShapeButtonClass) that stores the extra things that are currently stored as static arrays, for example.

Judging from the current code, there seems to be no need for it to inherit from ShapeButtonClass. After all, the game originally stores those attributes in a static array.

[Metadorius]

After all, the game originally stores those attributes in a static array.

Which is a bad pattern. You have class fields and methods for that.

[TaranDahl]

Yeah I will make a new class to arrange the new buttons. But for the vanilla buttons, maybe we should just let them be?

[Metadorius]

Yeah I will make a new class to arrange the new buttons. But for the vanilla buttons, maybe we should just let them be?

Yeah I didn't mean we should be squeezing vanilla static array shitcode into proper classes necessarily, should be good.

[TaranDahl]

If we want to implement dragging, how should we handle the selection range?
Right now, it's several specific values.

[Metadorius]

partial review

[Coronia]

maybe the default DistributionSpreadScrollStep of 16 is too small. Now it takes long time to scroll it to a desirable value. Maybe make it 256 which is 1 cell per scroll, making it more intuitive and easy to use while keeping the preciseness

also the upper limit of DistributionSpreadScrollStep seems to be not needed, as it was 0-4-8-16 range before which are all greater than 512

as for the drag, I think instead of a choice between it and scroll, it'd better just make a toggle in rulesmd.ini to enable or disable it, like AllowDistributionCommand.SpreadModeScroll did, since these 2 patterns can naturally co-exist without conflict

[Metadorius]

How about the rest of your review?

Have you addressed the design changes I requested? without that it would be a moot point to get deeper into code

[TaranDahl]

How about the rest of your review?

Have you addressed the design changes I requested? without that it would be a moot point to get deeper into code

So there are no further issues with the design, right?

[Metadorius]

So there are no further issues with the design, right?

you left some of my comments/suggestion unaddressed though, either by changes or replies, that's what I was pointing at

[TaranDahl]

So there are no further issues with the design, right?

you left some of my comments/suggestion unaddressed though, either by changes or replies, that's what I was pointing at

Yeah I know it. I was looking forward to some other reviews, to deal with them together.

[TaranDahl]

@Metadorius Please check again when you are free.

[Coronia]

The house filter is still needed for modders to decide targets from which houses could distribution command be applied to

Also you get me wrong, I'm just saying that whether filter mode could be controlled by players should be decided by the modders, since it's affecting how the target will be selecting which can be balance-breaking. The hotkey itself could still be kept if modders allow that, which is why it's been put in rulesmd.ini instead of ra2md.ini and default to false

And add some handling for Armor filter mode to make it take shield armor into account

[Coronia]

@TaranDahl @Metadorius after re-reviewing the current design I think only AllowDistributionSpreadScroll, AllowDistributionSpreadDrag and AllowDistributionUseClick should be made toggleable by players through client. AllowDistributionSpreadHotkey is meaningless since players can already decide whether or not to set the hotkey. So it should either be removed or put back to rules for global control

As for DefaultDistributionSpreadRange, DistributionSpreadScrollStep and DefaultDistributionFilterMode, I think it's hard to make it controlled by players through client either since it's neither supporting a drag box setting nor a manually enter setting. Besides, normal players can't understand that '256 means 1 cell' and what are those filter mode means, so it's also not feasible to make them as settings. Since DefaultDistributionSpreadRange and DefaultDistributionFilterMode are default values that can be changed by other method later on, it's also a bit meaningless to customize them

Last but not least, I'm still going back to the topic of 'whether a hotkey needs toggle'. Now I believe that every hotkey needs a toggle even if it's purely QoL change, because it'll still require the modders to manually set them up in client or it'll go wrong ingame, which can't be automatically completed whenever a new hotkey is added. I don't think it's a wise idea to let modders having to redefine client ini again when something new is added. If some hotkey is really about QoL, then we can make its toggle default to true, but it's still needed