[GEN][ZH] Enable Chat for Observers

[Skyaero42]

• Merge after [GEN][ZH] Fix Diplomacy Screen, Tooltips and Chat not working after surrender #1306
• Resolves Observer cannot use chat functionality #74
• Related to Replicate relevant GenTool fixes and improvements #850

The chat toggle function is blocked by a the isActivePlayer check, which checks if a player is either an observer or dead (note that an observer is also classified as a 'dead' player).

I have not removed this check from team chat functionality (backspace), because observers are not in a team. Observer messages are never send to active players anyways. There is a safeguard for that further on in the chat logic.

An additional blocker prevented the observer chat to work after surrender. The player template is changed to observer and resets a number of data entries related to network information. This information is used to determine the value of player->IsMultiplayer(), causing it to return false. The chat function uses this to check if chat can be enabled. This is resolved by adding an entry that checks if the player is dead

[Mauller]

Does this work, because i also came across this in commandbarobserver

//	if( controlID == buttonCommunicator && TheGameLogic->getGameMode() == GAME_INTERNET )
/*
{
	popupCommunicatorLayout = TheWindowManager->winCreateLayout( AsciiString( "Menus/PopupCommunicator.wnd" ) );
	popupCommunicatorLayout->runInit();
	popupCommunicatorLayout->hide( FALSE );
	popupCommunicatorLayout->bringForward();
}
*/

That is commented out. It might just be that the communicator button is disabled without this.

[Skyaero42]

Does this work, because i also came across this in commandbarobserver

//	if( controlID == buttonCommunicator && TheGameLogic->getGameMode() == GAME_INTERNET )
/*
{
	popupCommunicatorLayout = TheWindowManager->winCreateLayout( AsciiString( "Menus/PopupCommunicator.wnd" ) );
	popupCommunicatorLayout->runInit();
	popupCommunicatorLayout->hide( FALSE );
	popupCommunicatorLayout->bringForward();
}
*/

That is commented out. It might just be that the communicator button is disabled without this.

Communicator button is only used to view players and mute them. Chat is only available through enter or (for team players) backspace.

[xezon]

GenTool touches 5 locations to properly unlock this. This change only touches 1. I suspect this change is incomplete. I could be wrong.

[Mauller]

GenTool touches 5 locations to properly unlock this. This change only touches 1. I suspect this change is incomplete. I could be wrong.

@roossienb did test this with the game running on two different computers.

[Skyaero42]

I did work in-game and in the game-join menu. Can't remember if I checked the score-screen. Nobody every chats in that one. Will check again

[xezon]

Nevermind, I confused this with the Control Bar toggle.

[xezon]

GenTool enables these things:

0x5AE45C > NOP 8 bytes to enable Observer HUD
0x5ED4B5 > NOP 12 bytes to enable Observer Backspace Button
0x5ED509 > NOP 12 bytes to enable Observer Enter Button
0x5ADE51 > NOP 8 bytes to enable Observer Chat after Surrender
0x5EE7A6 > NOP 8 bytes to enable Observer Diplomacy Screen after Surrender

[xezon]

This change is incomplete.

After Surrender, it is not possible to Chat. It is also not possible to open the Diplomacy Screen (Tab button).

GenTool also allows to chat with Backspace button as Observer. I cannot recall if this allows to chat to former team mates that are now Observer. Probably not. If it does not do anything other than ENTER chat, then its fine to keep Backspace disabled for Observers.

I cannot remember what the "enable Observer HUD" is supposed to mean. I tested in GenTool and I do not see what that is supposed to do.

[Skyaero42]

I've updated the start post with the fixes. There are three locations that I needed to fix.

As explained in the start post, I have not enabled backspace, because by design, an observer cannot send messages to active players.

I don't know what enable Observer HUD is either, so cannot search for it.

[xezon]

As explained in the start post, I have not enabled backspace, because by design, an observer cannot send messages to active players.

Did you check if Observer Team chat would chat to former Allies that have also turned Observer?

[Skyaero42]

As explained in the start post, I have not enabled backspace, because by design, an observer cannot send messages to active players.

Did you check if Observer Team chat would chat to former Allies that have also turned Observer?

A player that gets killed gets kicked out of the team. The game does not remember past teams and does not recreate teams in observer mode. Team relationships are not present in observer mode, hence team chat doesn't work - even if the chat popup would be enabled. The message simply doesn't get send, because there are no players to send to.

[xezon]

That makes sense.

[Skyaero42]

So I think this is ready for merging, or is there anything else that needs to be checked/done?

[xezon]

Looks very good.