Very rough mockup from host view, simply for a general layout:
Top Left: Galaxy setup window (which includes a tabbed view for advanced/content settings) Top Right/Center: Empire Setup window
Bottom Left: Host Settings window Bottom Center: Chat window Bottom Right: Player List
Open to suggestions on naming for a player with host-like privileges. For now I refer to them as host, there will always be one player with this flag (default to actual host).
In-game this player will have the ability to kick and ban players, modify the chat filter, perform manual saves, and stop the current game.
(Could call them the Moderator and re-label the existing moderator to something else)
Galaxy setup
Mostly unchanged, the tabbed layout here might be done later for advanced settings.
Monster Aggression is not shown here, but is not planned to be dropped because of layout.
Empire setup The host is able to change any of these columns:
+/- buttons: only shown to the host, allowing addition or removal of empires.
Ready state: indicates if the empire is ready (changed by the allotted player or the server), possibly move this column to the far right to accommodate easier toggling.
Client type: Allows changing the color through the color wheel (Disabled if "Allow color changes" is disabled), icon represents the client type (human or AI)
Empire name: Change the empire name (Disabled if "Empires use player names" is enabled)
Starting species: Change starting species for the empire (Disabled if "Allow species changes" is disabled)
Player: Player assigned to this empire. For a normal player, they will only have options for themselves or unassigned. Only host can assign AI or select from full player list.
When an empire has the player column unassigned and the game is started, that empire will be populated by a new AI player.
If an empire is allotted to a player or AI, no other player may change it (except the host).
Player List
Any connected clients are listed here, along with an icon representing their status (host, moderator, observer, or the same icon as the allotted empire)
Host can drag and drop from player list to empire list.
Right click pop-up for message and mute features. Additional host options to set as observer, moderator, host and sub-menus to kick or ban.
When they are added: message, mute, kick and ban would be available in-game as well.
Chat window
Largest change is the addition of events and specific coloring.
If the empire color is changed to be client specific, the color tags will need a lookup reference instead of actual colors.
Some option to disable events may be desired.
Host Settings Most of these are features that don't need to be added right off.
Settings enabled only for the host, this area could be replaced with the galaxy image for other players (if "Hide Galaxy Setup" is disabled).
"Start game when all Ready": The sever will autostart once all empires are flagged as Ready.
"Hide Galaxy Setup": displays all of the galaxy setup fields as unknown or blank to players other than the host.
"Auto assign new players": When a new player connects, assigns them to the next unassigned empire. Adds a new empire if none available.
"Empires use player names": Forces all empire names to copy the allotted player's name (some special handling for AI).
"Allow color changes": Enables players to change the color for their allotted empire. Unneeded with client specific empire colors.
"Allow species changes": Enables players to change the starting species for their allotted empire.
"Idle player timeout": Kicks any player with no activity for the specified time (in-game the empire is preferably handed to a new AI). Not a turn timer, which would be on the galaxy setup.
"Chat filter": Options to set filters for chat an player/empire names.
"Ban List": Manage the existing bans on this server, showing duration remaining and the filter applied.
Maybe add a "No Observers" option, which disallows any observer players from joining the game when it starts.
Host has the option to "Force start" the game. Doing so will autoresolve any existing conflicts, specifically the unassigned empires will be assigned to an AI player and duplicate names modified.
Any other functionality that might need to be added to this screen? (better icons would be nice)
Another option for reusing the galaxy image is to set it as a faded background image.
