Settings

Overview

The SettingsMenuDisplay class is a crucial part of the game's UI that allows players to adjust various game settings such as audio levels, screen resolution, fullscreen mode, and FPS cap. It is built using libGDX's Scene2D framework and integrates seamlessly with the overall game architecture through the ServiceLocator.

Key Components

• UserSettings: Contains functionality for loading, storing, and applying settings.
• SettingsMenuDisplay: Logic for the Settings screen, which shows how to work with UserSettings.

Key Components Settings UI Elements

Audio and Sound Sliders: Sliders for adjusting the overall audio and sound effects levels. FPS Cap TextField: A text field for setting the desired frames-per-second (FPS) cap. Fullscreen Checkbox: A checkbox to toggle fullscreen mode. Resolution Dropdown: A SelectBox for selecting from available screen resolutions. Code Example: Creating UI Components

Label audioScaleLabel = new Label("Audio:", skin);
Slider audioScaleSlider = new Slider(0, 100, 1, false, skin);
audioScaleSlider.setValue(settings.audioScale);

Label fpsLabel = new Label("FPS Cap:", skin);
TextField fpsText = new TextField(Integer.toString(settings.fps), skin);

CheckBox fullScreenCheck = new CheckBox("", skin);
fullScreenCheck.setChecked(settings.fullscreen);

Label displayModeLabel = new Label("Resolution:", skin);
SelectBox<StringDecorator<DisplayMode>> displayModeSelect = new SelectBox<>(skin);
displayModeSelect.setItems(getDisplayModes(Gdx.graphics.getMonitor()));
Buttons

UserSettings Integration

The settings menu retrieves and saves settings using the UserSettings class. This ensures that any changes persist across game sessions and are consistently applied throughout the game. Code Example: Applying Changes to UserSettings

public void applyChanges() {
    UserSettings.Settings settings = UserSettings.get();

    Integer fpsVal = parseOrNull(fpsText.getText());
    if (fpsVal != null) {
        settings.fps = fpsVal;
    }
    settings.fullscreen = fullScreenCheck.isChecked();
    settings.audioScale = audioScaleSlider.getValue();
    settings.soundScale = soundScaleSlider.getValue();
    settings.displayMode = new UserSettings.DisplaySettings(displayModeSelect.getSelected().object);

    UserSettings.set(settings, true);
}

Integration with Pause Menu

The SettingsMenuDisplay was integrated into the pause menu to provide a smooth and intuitive experience for players to adjust game settings without needing to exit the game. This integration involved extending the PauseDisplay class to include a new button for opening the settings menu and handling the transition between the pause menu and the settings overlay.

Design Decisions

1. Overlay System: The settings menu was added as an overlay in the PausableScreen class. This system allows multiple UI elements to be layered on top of each other while maintaining game state integrity. The OverlayType enum was extended to include SETTINGS_OVERLAY, ensuring that the settings menu could be dynamically added or removed based on player input.

2. Smooth Transitions: When the player selects the settings option in the pause menu, the game displays the settings overlay. The pause menu itself is hidden temporarily, and touch interaction with it is disabled to prevent any unintentional interactions. This design ensures that the focus remains solely on the settings menu when it is open.

3. Separation of Concerns: The settings logic is encapsulated in the SettingsMenuDisplay class, allowing the pause menu to remain focused on handling pause-specific functionalities. This separation of concerns ensures that the settings system remains reusable and can be displayed in other contexts outside of the pause menu if necessary.

4. Button Events and Interaction: Buttons such as "Apply" and "Close" were given dedicated event listeners. When the player clicks the "Apply" button, settings changes (such as resolution or audio levels) are immediately applied by invoking applyChanges() from the SettingsMenuDisplay class. The "Close" button transitions the player back to the pause menu, hiding the settings overlay.

5. Background and Layout Adjustments: The settings menu is displayed with a semi-transparent background to maintain visual consistency with other game screens, while the UI layout is centered and adjusted to fit different screen resolutions. This ensures that players can always view the settings menu clearly, regardless of their screen setup.

Code Example: Integration in PauseDisplay

The PauseDisplay class was extended to handle settings transitions. Here's how it interacts with the settings overlay:

settingsBtn.addListener(new ChangeListener() {
    @Override
    public void changed(ChangeEvent event, Actor actor) {
        logger.debug("Settings button clicked");
        openSettings();  // Call method to open settings overlay
    }
});

private void openSettings() {
    screen.addOverlay(Overlay.OverlayType.SETTINGS_OVERLAY);
}

Code Example: PausableScreen Overlay System In the PausableScreen, overlays are managed using a stack-like system. The settings overlay is added similarly to other overlays like the quest or pause menu.

switch (overlayType) {
    case SETTINGS_OVERLAY:
        enabledOverlays.addFirst(new SettingsOverlay());  // Add settings overlay
        break;
    // Other overlay types...
}

Resolving UI Conflicts

One of the challenges during integration was ensuring that the settings menu correctly interacted with the pause menu. Initially, there were issues where the settings menu would interfere with the pause menu controls, preventing the player from reopening the settings after closing it. This was resolved by ensuring proper visibility toggling and input handling through Scene2D's Touchable interface:

Design Choices and Their Impact

Flexibility: By designing the settings menu as an overlay, it can be reused in different parts of the game. This makes the system more flexible, as the settings can be invoked from both the main menu and the pause screen without duplicating code.

Immediate Feedback:

The "Apply" button allows players to see the effect of their changes immediately, enhancing user experience. Any changes to resolution, audio, or FPS are applied instantly, providing immediate visual or auditory feedback. Furthermore, these are stored globally, which transitions seamlessly across sessions and saves.

Player Experience:

Players can seamlessly transition between gameplay and settings adjustment, maintaining immersion in the game. The pause menu remains a key feature, with settings adjustments taking place in a familiar environment.

Common Issues Encountered During Integration

Background Clarity:

The settings menu's background originally interfered with UI elements, making text difficult to read. This was fixed by adjusting the transparency and ensuring that the UI layout was always centered and properly padded.

Button Interaction Issues:

Initially, clicking "Close" after opening the settings menu prevented the settings menu from being reopened. This issue was resolved by properly managing the state of the pause menu using the Touchable interface.

Common Questions

I changed my resolution and now I can't see the game! How do I get back?

You can manually modify your settings file. This is stored in your home directory under DECO2800Game/settings.json. On Windows, this would likely be C:/Users/[username]/DECO2800Game/settings.json. You can manually make changes in the file, or delete it to revert to default settings.

The game runs too slow on my computer, what should I do?

The purpose of the settings menu is to let you adjust your graphics to keep the game running smoothly. Try:

• Lowering the FPS cap to 30. This controls how fast the game tries to run.
• Lowering your resolution (if running in fullscreen).