This is a documentation for Board Game Arena: play board games online !
Options and preferences: gameoptions.json, gamepreferences.json
In this file, you can define your game options (= game variants) and user preferences.
Note: If your game has no variants or preferences, you don't have to modify this file.
IMPORTANT: after you edited this file in your SFTP folder you have to go to the control panel and press "Reload game options configuration" for your changes to take effect.
Game Options
Game options is something selected by table creator and usually correspond to game variant, for example if game includes expansion or certain special rule.
These variants defined in gameoptions.inc.php as variable
$game_options = array(...); // exactly named that
Each option is pair number => 'option description array'.
All options defined in this file should have a corresponding "game state label" with the same ID (see "initGameStateLabels" in yourgame.game.php)
self::initGameStateLabels ( array (
...
"my_first_game_variant" => 100,
) );
That is how you access them during runtime:
$this->gamestate->table_globals[100]
The following are the parameters of option description array:
- name - mandatory. The name of the option visible for table creator. Value must be wrapped in totranslate function.
- values - mandatory. The array (map) of values with additional parameters per value.
- name - mandatory. String representation of the numeric value visible to table creator. Value must be wrapped in totranslate function.
- description - String description of this value to use when the name of the option is not self-explanatory. Displayed at the table under the option when this value is selected.
- tmdisplay - String representation of the option visible in the table description, usually if variant "names" are On and Off, but the description would be same as option name when On, and nothing when Off.
- nobeginner - Set to true if not recommended for begginers
- beta - Option in beta stage on development
- premium - Option can be only used by premium members
- displaycondition - checks the conditions before displaying the option for selection. All conditions must be true for the option to display. Supported condition types:
- otheroption condition ensures another option is set to this given values. Framework options - 201 - ELO OFF.
- otheroptionisnot conditions ensure another option is NOT set to this given values
- displayconditionoperand - can be 'and' (this is the default) or 'or'. Allows to change the behaviour to display the option if one of the conditions is true instead of all of them.
- startcondition - checks the conditions (on options VALUES) before starting the game. All conditions must be true for the game to start, otherwise players will get a red error message when attempting to begin the game. Supported condition types:
- minplayers condition ensures at least this many players
- maxplayers conditions ensure at most this many players
- otheroption conditions ensure another option is set to this given values. That works the same as in displaycondition.
- otheroptionisnot conditions ensure another option is NOT set to this given value. That works the same as in displaycondition.
- notdisplayedmessage - if option is not suppose to be visible because of displaycondition but this is set, the text will be visible instead of combo drop down
$game_options = array(
100 => array(
'name' => totranslate('my game option'),
'values' => array(
// A simple value for this option:
1 => array(
'name' => totranslate('option 1')
),
// A simple value for this option.
// If this value is chosen, the value of "tmdisplay" is displayed in the game lobby
2 => array(
'name' => totranslate('option 2'),
'tmdisplay' => totranslate('option 2')
),
// Another value, with other options:
// beta=true => this option is in beta version right now.
// nobeginner=true => this option is not recommended for beginners
3 => array(
'name' => totranslate('option 3'),
'beta' => true,
'nobeginner' => true
),
)
),
101 => array(
'name' => totranslate('Draft variant'),
'values' => array(
1 => array(
'name' => totranslate('No draft')
),
2 => array(
'name' => totranslate('Draft'),
'tmdisplay' => totranslate('Draft'),
'premium' => true,
'nobeginner' => true
),
),
'displaycondition' => array(
// Note: do not display this option unless these conditions are met
array(
'type' => 'otheroption',
'id' => 100, // Game specific option defined in the same array above
'value' => array(2, 3, 4)
),
// Note: do not display this option unless these conditions are met
array( 'type' => 'otheroption',
'id' => 201, // ELO OFF hardcoded framework option
'value' => 1 // 1 if OFF
)
),
'startcondition' => array(
1 => array(),
2 => array(
array(
'type' => 'maxplayers',
'value' => 3,
'message' => totranslate('Draft option is available for 3 players maximum.')
)
),
),
),
102 => array(
'name' => totranslate('Takeovers'),
'values' => array(
2 => array(
'name' => totranslate('No takeover')
),
1 => array(
'name' => totranslate('Allow takeovers'),
'tmdisplay' => totranslate('Takeovers'),
'premium' => true,
'nobeginner' => true
),
),
'displaycondition' => array( // Note: do not display this option unless these conditions are met
array(
'type' => 'otheroption',
'id' => 100,
'value' => array(3, 4)
)
),
'startcondition' => array(
2 => array(),
1 => array(
array(
'type' => 'maxplayers',
'value' => 2,
'message' => totranslate('Rebel vs Imperium Takeover Scenario is available for 2 players only.')
)
),
),
)
);
Example of option that condition on ELO off
$game_options = array(
100 => array(
'name' => totranslate('Learning Game (No Research)'),
'values' => array(
1 => array( 'name' => totranslate('Off'), 'tmdisplay' => totranslate('') ),
2 => array( 'name' => totranslate('On'), 'tmdisplay' => totranslate('Learning Game') ),
),
'displaycondition' => array(
// Note: do not display this option unless these conditions are met
array( 'type' => 'otheroption',
'id' => 201, // ELO OFF hardcoded framework option
'value' => 1, // 1 if OFF
)
),
'notdisplayedmessage' => totranslate('Learning variant available only with ELO off')
),
);
Example of using condition on your own option
102 => array(
'name' => totranslate('Scenarios'),
'values' => array(
1 => array( 'name' => totranslate('Off'),
'nobeginner' => false ),
2 => array( 'name' => totranslate('On'), 'tmdisplay' => totranslate('Scenarios'),
'nobeginner' => true ),
),
'displaycondition' => array(
// Note: do not display this option unless these conditions are met
array( 'type' => 'otheroptionisnot',
'id' => 100, // learning variant
'value' => 2, // 1 if OFF,2 is ON
)
),
'notdisplayedmessage' => totranslate('Scenarios variant is not available if Learning variant is chosen')
),
User Preferences
User preferences is something cosmetic about the game interface which however can create user wars, so you can satisfy all users by giving them individual preferences. You should use this only if it significantly improves the interface for a large proportion of users.
$game_preferences = array(
100 => array(
'name' => totranslate('Notation style'),
'needReload' => true, // after user changes this preference game interface would auto-reload
'values' => array(
1 => array( 'name' => totranslate( 'Classic' ), 'cssPref' => 'notation_classic' ),
2 => array( 'name' => totranslate( 'Tournament' ), 'cssPref' => 'notation_tournament' )
)
)
);
There is two ways to check/apply this. In java Script
if (this.prefs[100].value == 2) ...
This checks if preferences 100 has selected value 2.
Second, if cssPref specified it will be applied to the body tag. So you can use different css styling for the preference.
As user you have to select them from the Gear menu when game is started. On studio only user0 will have it actually working (bug?).