So, I’ve had a request to give this a try, and I have no idea where to begin. I would like to be able to give the ability for a side to essentially “end turn” for each of their pieces in play, and this would essentially “lock” that piece so no further input is accepted from any player on that side.
Further, I would like to give the umpire the ability to hit a single button and “lock” or “unlock” that side’s pieces! Any thoughts on how this may be accomplished? I surmised that the use of global keys and such are warranted, but I am a total newbie when it comes to those, and have very little coding experience.
Okay this sounds like a big project, but I believe it is not especially hard.
For every type of object, X, I think you want 3 prototypes:
XPrototype
UnlockedXPrototype
LockedXPrototype
XPrototype would include any Markers, Layers, Dynamic Properties that are needed in both states.
So UnlockedXPrototype would include:
Side marker
inherit from XPrototype
ReplaceWithOther (maintain state above here, you have to define the BasicPiece trait, side marker, inherit the LockedXPrototype, respond to Ctrl-L)
DoNotStack (allow selection and movement, if stackable don’t include this)
any commands or tiggers
So LockedXPrototype would include:
Side marker
inherit from XPrototype
ReplaceWithOther (maintain state above here, you have to define the BasicPiece trait, side marker, inherit the UnlockedXPrototype, respond to Ctrl-U)
DoNotStack (disallow selection and movement)
You need to define a turn counter. You need to connect a hot-key that connects the start of a side’s turn with a global hot-key that sends a Ctrl-U to all pieces with the appropriate side marker.
Finally give the Umpire a “private hand” window that only they own and can see. In that private window you have buttons to unlock or lock the various sides by using global hot-keys for Ctrl-U/L.
Of course I may have got some details wrong but that should be the general idea.
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Why do you want to do this?
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In this particular game, each “side” has 6 players, who control various sets of pieces (not locked to position, only the “side”). When each player finishes their moves or actions, I want them to be able to basically say “I’m done!”, and lock their pieces so the rest of the players on their side, as well as the referee, knows, without a doubt, that all pieces that CAN be acted upon for that turn have indeed been acted on, and the turn shifts to the next side.
I guess it could also be a universal “button” activated once all players on a side have said “We’re good”, but I think it would be easier, overall, to have this as a by-piece option, just in case a player has second thoughts on a unit and needs to make a quick adjustment, rather than releasing the entire side, just to keep things honest.
An easier way to do this that with Replace traits is to use ‘Restrict Commands’ to change the Commands available depending on the value of a Dynamic Property.