Narrative mode

[chanattan]

Is your request related to a problem? Please describe.

Describe the improvement you'd like
A narrative mode which could be included in GAMA, in case of presentations.
The improvement should be refined more later. Essentially, having a model introduction before displaying the data/charts/3D model as text or in the manner of slides (e.g., a title), for example. Otherwise, having a short tutorial which could be configured by the developer to indicate key features of the model or simply present a simplified (narrative, i.e., essential features and clean visuals (fewer developer options)) version of the model. Another interesting feature is to relate this to a more user-friendly presentation mode, e.g., the "inspect" action on objects may be too complicated or not essentially resumed.

I provide here an example of a formalism:

Q: What is the presentation mode?
R: In order to have a less technical view of the model in GAMA platform, the model could benefit from having a screen manager, one that allows displaying at first some description, context lore, and some HUD (e.g., arrows to indicate what is what, or a highlighting process of certain windows).

How would that be implemented?

GAMA offers some user actions without right-clicking on an object, but having a direct left-click action. If we consider a classical use of Java Swing for example, certain buttons could be drawn to switch to the next text/screen.
A screen is a container for all widgets, text, and displays (e.g., the model itself). A screen manager allows switching between screens as having a simple drawing toggle on drawings, e.g.:

if (screen0) {
    display text, title, other things
} else if (screen1) {
    // the user has switched to the next screen
    display model
}

which would be handled by a screen manager object, e.g., in the developer's code: switch_screen 1;. Screens can be defined as blocks with an inherited draw function to define and would be called by the main display.
Let alone transitions and animation effects which would improve a presentation mode in the way of slides, this screen feature would have to be enhanced by providing more drawing tools regarding presentation. GAMA offers capabilities regarding drawing texts with different fonts and images. Having predefined functions to draw buttons, HUD or a layout system would enhance the presentation of an already existing model in GAMA. For example, having hovering text or floating text boxes during a presentation.

It is not clear whether the presentation mode should be clearly animated or not, and it remains open to discussion. The narrative viewpoint implies a certain pace with the presentation of the different displays part of the model, but it would require deeper thoughts depending on the needs raised by most users.

For my own personal use, a screen manager and more tools regarding easier drawings would be definitely helpful. Highlighting some displays (e.g., charts) could help in presenting the global model, however, this would imply having an animation/narrative process with the text being displayed at the same time as the highlight. I believe this is getting a bit more tricky and would need more thoughts.
In addition, the presentation mode should definitely benefit from a simpler GAMA interface. All the displays on the model (i.e., the 3D model, the charts and the parameters at the side) may benefit from a thoughtful user-friendly rendering. For example, the charts do not need in the presentation mode to have the toolbar "with the close or make the display bigger" (not the one with the camera options which can already be turned off). Also, in the way of putting the simulation in full screen mode, the other displays should follow along (e.g., charts) without having to care about anything else than the model. Last but not least, either with floating text or something else (with the cursor hovering a certain object), the inspection of the object in the 3D model should be more user-friendly and simpler.

Describe alternatives you've considered
Some features of a narrative mode could be replicated using some user action (just right click for example on a certain static object which serves as a HUD/UI) to switch between modes (flags/screens) and draw different things at a time (and at the last time, the model). However, we come to limitations as things get exponentially messy (actual ABM code/display code), the other displays (e.g., charts) are still displayed, and last but not least the expectations of a GAMA user regarding narrative features/display features could grow and raise ever more issues. We may also use the cameras to have narrative parts, but I remain afraid regarding the complexity of managing sub-screens (similar to slides, before reaching the model) in the actual code.

Additional context
Working with non-scientists and all the more non-users of GAMA, we several times used the sentences "ignore this", "wait a moment", "you should do this, then that, ..., then this.". It becomes important to think about a narrative mode, if no proper model exportation (with all the benefits that GAMA has, e.g., 3D visual and parameters' tweaking) is considered yet, in such cases to expand GAMA's popularity, pedagogy and productivity.

[AlexisDrogoul]

Nice proposal. Could effectively make sense, but the proposal itself needs to be better formalized. As it is neither an issue nor a clear description of an improvement, I move it to the discussions. Feel free to add more details !

[chanattan]

Thank you for the answer. I added some more details, however, I agree that this needs more details and the reviews of other users.