fix: normalize lobby and quickmatch messaging UX

GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/GameNetwork/GeneralsOnline/OnlineServices_Moderation.h

@@ -9,5 +9,6 @@ enum class EOnlineModerationAction
 };
 
 void ShowLoginBanDialog(const std::string& reason);
+void ShowChatRateLimitNotice(const std::string& reason, const std::string& scopeType);
 void HandleModerationDisconnect(EOnlineModerationAction action, const std::string& reason);
 void HandleModerationNotice(const std::string& actionType, const std::string& reason, const std::string& scopeType);

GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/GameNetwork/GeneralsOnline/OnlineServices_RoomsInterface.h

@@ -16,6 +16,19 @@ enum class EChatMessageType
 	CHAT_MESSAGE_TYPE_NETWORK_ROOM,
 	CHAT_MESSAGE_TYPE_LOBBY
 };
+static Color DetermineSystemNoticeColor(bool bWarning = false, bool bError = false)
+{
+	if (bError)
+	{
+		return GameMakeColor(255, 94, 94, 255);
+	}
+	if (bWarning)
+	{
+		return GameMakeColor(255, 194, 15, 255);
+	}
+	return GameMakeColor(192, 192, 192, 255);
+}
+
 static Color DetermineColorForChatMessage(EChatMessageType chatMessageType, Bool isPublic, bool bAction, bool bAdmin, bool bIsNameChange, int lobbySlot = -1)
 {
 	Color style = GameMakeColor(255, 255, 255, 255);

GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/WOLLobbyMenu.cpp

@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
 #include "GameNetwork/GameSpy/LobbyUtils.h"
 #include "GameNetwork/RankPointValue.h"
 #include "GameNetwork/GeneralsOnline/NGMP_interfaces.h"
+#include "GameNetwork/GeneralsOnline/OnlineServices_Moderation.h"
 
 #include <deque>
 
@@ -132,10 +133,8 @@ static Int groupRoomToJoin = 0;
 static Int	initialGadgetDelay = 2;
 static Bool justEntered = FALSE;
 
-// TODO: Remove this client-side limit after server-side rate limiting is deployed.
+// Preserve rejected messages while the server enforces the limit.
 static std::deque<std::chrono::steady_clock::time_point> s_lobbyChatMessageTimes;
-static std::chrono::steady_clock::time_point s_lastLobbyChatRateLimitNotice;
-static Bool s_hasShownLobbyChatRateLimitNotice = FALSE;
 
 static bool LobbyChatRateLimitAllowsSend()
 {
@@ -150,17 +149,9 @@ static bool LobbyChatRateLimitAllowsSend()
 
 	if (s_lobbyChatMessageTimes.size() >= 3)
 	{
-		if (!s_hasShownLobbyChatRateLimitNotice || now - s_lastLobbyChatRateLimitNotice >= window)
-		{
-			GadgetListBoxAddEntryText(
-				listboxLobbyChat,
-				UnicodeString(L"Rate limit: Please wait before sending another message."),
-				GameMakeColor(255, 194, 15, 255),
-				-1,
-				-1);
-			s_lastLobbyChatRateLimitNotice = now;
-			s_hasShownLobbyChatRateLimitNotice = TRUE;
-		}
+		ShowChatRateLimitNotice(
+			"Rate limit: Please wait before sending another message.",
+			"room");
 		return false;
 	}
 

GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/WOLQuickMatchMenu.cpp

@@ -154,6 +154,8 @@ static Int minPoints = 0;
 static Int matchFoundTimeoutStart = 0;
 static const Int lobbyTimeoutMs = 10000;
 static Int matchFoundTimeoutDurationMs = lobbyTimeoutMs;
+static const Int matchStartCountdownDurationMs = 5000;
+static Int matchStartCountdownLastSecond = 0;
 
 static const LadderInfo * getLadderInfo();
 
@@ -911,6 +913,9 @@ void WOLQuickMatchMenuInit( WindowLayout *layout, void *userData )
 	buttonPushed = false;
 	isShuttingDown = false;
 	raiseMessageBoxes = true;
+	matchFoundTimeoutStart = 0;
+	matchFoundTimeoutDurationMs = lobbyTimeoutMs;
+	matchStartCountdownLastSecond = 0;
 
 	delete TheNAT;
 	TheNAT = nullptr;
@@ -1222,6 +1227,7 @@ void WOLQuickMatchMenuInit( WindowLayout *layout, void *userData )
 				buttonStop->winEnable(FALSE);
 				matchFoundTimeoutDurationMs = lobbyTimeoutMs;
 				matchFoundTimeoutStart = timeGetTime();
+				matchStartCountdownLastSecond = 0;
                 if (TheAudio)
 				{
 					AudioEventRTS evt("GUICommunicatorOpen");
@@ -1233,6 +1239,7 @@ void WOLQuickMatchMenuInit( WindowLayout *layout, void *userData )
 			{
 				matchFoundTimeoutStart = 0;
 				matchFoundTimeoutDurationMs = lobbyTimeoutMs;
+				matchStartCountdownLastSecond = 0;
 				buttonBack->winEnable(TRUE);
 				buttonStop->winEnable(TRUE);
 				buttonWiden->winEnable(TRUE);
@@ -1242,11 +1249,17 @@ void WOLQuickMatchMenuInit( WindowLayout *layout, void *userData )
 			{
 				matchFoundTimeoutDurationMs = timeoutMs;
 				matchFoundTimeoutStart = timeGetTime();
+
+				// Mirror the service-owned countdown for UI feedback.
+				matchStartCountdownLastSecond = timeoutMs < lobbyTimeoutMs
+					? (matchStartCountdownDurationMs + 999) / 1000
+					: 0;
 			});
 
 		pLobbyInterface->RegisterForMatchmakingStartGameCallback([]()
 			{
 				matchFoundTimeoutStart = 0;
+				matchStartCountdownLastSecond = 0;
 				NetworkLog(ELogVerbosity::LOG_DEBUG, "[QUICKMATCH] GOT START GAME EVENT");
 
 				// Check if TheNGMPGame is initialized before dereferencing it
@@ -1490,6 +1503,8 @@ void WOLQuickMatchMenuShutdown( WindowLayout *layout, void *userData )
 	buttonBack = nullptr;
 	quickmatchTextWindow = nullptr;
 	selectedImage = unselectedImage = nullptr;
+	matchFoundTimeoutStart = 0;
+	matchStartCountdownLastSecond = 0;
 
 	isShuttingDown = true;
 
@@ -1597,7 +1612,33 @@ void WOLQuickMatchMenuUpdate( WindowLayout * layout, void *userData)
 	HandleBuddyResponses();
 #endif
 
-	if (matchFoundTimeoutStart != 0 && timeGetTime() - matchFoundTimeoutStart >= matchFoundTimeoutDurationMs)
+	if (matchStartCountdownLastSecond > 0)
+	{
+		Int elapsedMs = timeGetTime() - matchFoundTimeoutStart;
+		Int remainingMs = matchStartCountdownDurationMs - elapsedMs;
+		Int secondsRemaining = remainingMs > 0 ? (remainingMs + 999) / 1000 : 0;
+
+		if (secondsRemaining > 0 && secondsRemaining < matchStartCountdownLastSecond)
+		{
+			UnicodeString countdownMessage;
+			if (secondsRemaining == 1)
+			{
+				countdownMessage.format(TheGameText->fetch("LAN:GameStartTimerSingular"), secondsRemaining);
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				countdownMessage.format(TheGameText->fetch("LAN:GameStartTimerPlural"), secondsRemaining);
+			}
+
+			Int index = GadgetListBoxAddEntryText(quickmatchTextWindow, countdownMessage, GameMakeColor(192, 192, 192, 255), -1, -1);
+			GadgetListBoxSetItemData(quickmatchTextWindow, (void*)-1, index);
+			matchStartCountdownLastSecond = secondsRemaining;
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Leave time for the server's START_GAME event to arrive.
+	Int effectiveTimeoutMs = matchFoundTimeoutDurationMs < lobbyTimeoutMs ? lobbyTimeoutMs : matchFoundTimeoutDurationMs;
+	if (matchFoundTimeoutStart != 0 && timeGetTime() - matchFoundTimeoutStart >= effectiveTimeoutMs)
 	{
 		matchFoundTimeoutStart = 0;
 		buttonBack->winEnable(TRUE);

GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameNetwork/GeneralsOnline/OnlineServices_Moderation.cpp

@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 #include "GameNetwork/GeneralsOnline/OnlineServices_RoomsInterface.h"
 #include "GameNetwork/GameSpyOverlay.h"
 
+#include <chrono>
+#include <map>
 #include <stdexcept>
 #include <windows.h>
 #include <shellapi.h>
@@ -100,40 +102,66 @@ namespace
 			reason,
 			EModerationDialogContext::ACTIVE_SESSION);
 	}
+}
+
+void ShowLoginBanDialog(const std::string& reason)
+{
+	ShowBanDialog(reason, EModerationDialogContext::LOGIN);
+}
+
+void ShowChatRateLimitNotice(const std::string& reason, const std::string& scopeType)
+{
+	using namespace std::chrono;
 
-	void ShowChatNotice(const std::string& reason, const std::string& scopeType)
+	const std::wstring normalizedReason = GetNormalizedReason(reason);
+	if (normalizedReason.empty())
 	{
-		const std::wstring normalizedReason = GetNormalizedReason(reason);
-		if (normalizedReason.empty())
+		return;
+	}
+
+	using NoticeKey = std::pair<std::string, std::wstring>;
+	static std::map<NoticeKey, steady_clock::time_point> lastNotices;
+
+	const auto now = steady_clock::now();
+	const auto window = seconds(9);
+	for (auto it = lastNotices.begin(); it != lastNotices.end();)
+	{
+		if (now - it->second >= window)
 		{
-			return;
+			it = lastNotices.erase(it);
 		}
-
-		UnicodeString message(normalizedReason.c_str());
-		const Color color = GameMakeColor(255, 194, 15, 255);
-		if (scopeType == "lobby")
+		else
 		{
-			NGMP_OnlineServices_LobbyInterface* lobbyInterface =
-				NGMP_OnlineServicesManager::GetInterface<NGMP_OnlineServices_LobbyInterface>();
-			if (lobbyInterface != nullptr && lobbyInterface->m_OnChatCallback != nullptr)
-			{
-				lobbyInterface->m_OnChatCallback(message, color);
-			}
-			return;
+			++it;
 		}
+	}
 
-		NGMP_OnlineServices_RoomsInterface* roomsInterface =
-			NGMP_OnlineServicesManager::GetInterface<NGMP_OnlineServices_RoomsInterface>();
-		if (roomsInterface != nullptr && roomsInterface->m_OnChatCallback != nullptr)
+	const NoticeKey key(scopeType, normalizedReason);
+	if (lastNotices.find(key) != lastNotices.end())
+	{
+		return;
+	}
+	lastNotices[key] = now;
+
+	UnicodeString message(normalizedReason.c_str());
+	const Color color = DetermineSystemNoticeColor(true, false);
+	if (scopeType == "lobby")
+	{
+		NGMP_OnlineServices_LobbyInterface* lobbyInterface =
+			NGMP_OnlineServicesManager::GetInterface<NGMP_OnlineServices_LobbyInterface>();
+		if (lobbyInterface != nullptr && lobbyInterface->m_OnChatCallback != nullptr)
 		{
-			roomsInterface->m_OnChatCallback(message, color);
+			lobbyInterface->m_OnChatCallback(message, color);
 		}
+		return;
 	}
-}
 
-void ShowLoginBanDialog(const std::string& reason)
-{
-	ShowBanDialog(reason, EModerationDialogContext::LOGIN);
+	NGMP_OnlineServices_RoomsInterface* roomsInterface =
+		NGMP_OnlineServicesManager::GetInterface<NGMP_OnlineServices_RoomsInterface>();
+	if (roomsInterface != nullptr && roomsInterface->m_OnChatCallback != nullptr)
+	{
+		roomsInterface->m_OnChatCallback(message, color);
+	}
 }
 
 void HandleModerationDisconnect(EOnlineModerationAction action, const std::string& reason)
@@ -170,7 +198,7 @@ void HandleModerationNotice(const std::string& actionType, const std::string& re
 	}
 	else if (actionType == "rate_limit")
 	{
-		ShowChatNotice(reason, scopeType);
+		ShowChatRateLimitNotice(reason, scopeType);
 	}
 	else
 	{

GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameNetwork/GeneralsOnline/OnlineServices_RoomsInterface.cpp

@@ -1304,8 +1304,12 @@ void WebSocket::Tick()
 													}
 												}
 
-												// no admin chat in lobby
-												Color color = DetermineColorForChatMessage(EChatMessageType::CHAT_MESSAGE_TYPE_LOBBY, true, chatData.action, false, false, lobbySlot);
+												// Match local setup notice colors.
+												// System announcements stay neutral even when they come from the host;
+												// player chat keeps its per-slot color.
+												Color color = chatData.announcement
+													? DetermineSystemNoticeColor(false, false)
+													: DetermineColorForChatMessage(EChatMessageType::CHAT_MESSAGE_TYPE_LOBBY, true, chatData.action, false, false, lobbySlot);
 
 												if (pLobbyInterface->m_OnChatCallback != nullptr)
 												{