From 4f8bbbc3cb69ecb8acb1e40579249533ae8f2a5b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Eric Wagoner <ewagoner@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2026 15:03:33 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] Pieces slide, captures fade, and the bot's reply follows
 yours after a beat, so an exchange can be watched

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5.1 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01Jm2auWk6RP71CjaAb4FMoG
---
 src/lib/components/Board.svelte | 110 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++------
 1 file changed, 91 insertions(+), 19 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/lib/components/Board.svelte b/src/lib/components/Board.svelte
index 2c63efb..d7f3c21 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/Board.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/Board.svelte
@@ -17,9 +17,6 @@
 	const corners = $derived(set.markedCorners ? cornersOf(size) : []);
 	const mySide = $derived<Side | null>(room.spectating ? null : (g.players[room.me]?.side ?? null));
 	const yourMove = $derived(!!mySide && mySide === g.toMove && !g.over);
-	const last = $derived(g.moves[g.moves.length - 1] ?? null);
-	const lastSquares = $derived(last ? [last.from, last.to] : []);
-	const captured = $derived(last?.captured ?? []);
 	const nameOfSide = (side: Side) => {
 		const seat = g.seats.find((id) => g.players[id].side === side);
 		return seat ? g.players[seat].name : side;
@@ -30,6 +27,67 @@
 	let selected = $state<number | null>(null);
 	const targets = $derived(selected === null ? [] : movesFrom(g, selected));
 
+	// Pieces are shown as tokens with a life of their own, so a move slides
+	// and a capture fades, one move at a time. The server's state may be
+	// two moves ahead (yours and the bot's answer); the tokens catch up
+	// move by move, with a beat between, so an exchange can be watched.
+	interface Token {
+		id: number;
+		piece: string;
+		at: number;
+		dying: boolean;
+	}
+	let tokens = $state<Token[]>([]);
+	/** How many of the game's moves the tokens have played through. */
+	let shown = $state(0);
+	let shownSet = $state('');
+	let animating = $state(false);
+	const wait = (ms: number) => new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, ms));
+
+	function resetTokens() {
+		let id = 0;
+		tokens = g.cells.flatMap((piece, at) => (piece === '.' ? [] : [{ id: id++, piece, at, dying: false }]));
+		shown = g.moves.length;
+		shownSet = set.id;
+	}
+
+	async function catchUp() {
+		if (animating) return;
+		animating = true;
+		try {
+			while (shown < g.moves.length) {
+				const m = g.moves[shown];
+				const mover = tokens.find((t) => t.at === m.from && !t.dying);
+				if (!mover) {
+					resetTokens();
+					break;
+				}
+				mover.at = m.to;
+				await wait(380);
+				if (m.captured.length) {
+					for (const t of tokens) if (m.captured.includes(t.at)) t.dying = true;
+					await wait(320);
+					tokens = tokens.filter((t) => !t.dying);
+				}
+				shown += 1;
+				if (shown < g.moves.length) await wait(260);
+			}
+		} finally {
+			animating = false;
+		}
+	}
+
+	$effect(() => {
+		const total = g.moves.length;
+		if (shownSet !== set.id || total < shown || (tokens.length === 0 && g.cells.some((p) => p !== '.'))) resetTokens();
+		else if (total > shown) void catchUp();
+	});
+
+	/** The move the tokens have just played, for the shaded squares. */
+	const shownLast = $derived(shown > 0 ? g.moves[shown - 1] : null);
+	const shownSquares = $derived(shownLast ? [shownLast.from, shownLast.to] : []);
+	const shownCaptured = $derived(shownLast?.captured ?? []);
+
 	// A new position clears any half-made move.
 	$effect(() => {
 		void g.moves.length;
@@ -37,7 +95,7 @@
 	});
 
 	async function tap(i: number) {
-		if (!yourMove || room.sending) return;
+		if (!yourMove || room.sending || animating) return;
 		if (selected !== null && targets.includes(i)) {
 			const from = selected;
 			selected = null;
@@ -89,9 +147,9 @@
 							class="square"
 							class:throne={i === throne}
 							class:corner={corners.includes(i)}
-							class:last={lastSquares.includes(i)}
+							class:last={shownSquares.includes(i)}
 							class:target={targets.includes(i)}
-							class:fallen={captured.includes(i)}
+							class:fallen={shownCaptured.includes(i)}
 							class:edge={set.escape === 'edge' && isEdge(size, i)}
 							{x}
 							{y}
@@ -112,19 +170,23 @@
 							<circle class="hint" cx={x + CELL / 2} cy={y + CELL / 2} r={CELL * 0.14} pointer-events="none" />
 						{/if}
 					{/each}
-					{#each g.cells as piece, i (i)}
-						{#if piece !== '.'}
-							{@const c = cellOf(size, i)}
-							{@const cx = PAD + c.x * CELL + CELL / 2}
-							{@const cy = PAD + c.y * CELL + CELL / 2}
-							<g class="piece {piece === 'a' ? 'attacker' : piece === 'k' ? 'king' : 'defender'}" class:selected={selected === i} pointer-events="none">
-								<ellipse class="shadow" cx={cx + 1.5} cy={cy + 2.5} rx={CELL * 0.34} ry={CELL * 0.3} />
-								<circle class="body" {cx} {cy} r={CELL * 0.33} />
-								{#if piece === 'k'}
-									<path class="crown" d="M{cx - 9} {cy + 4} l0 -9 l4.5 5 l4.5 -8 l4.5 8 l4.5 -5 l0 9 z" />
-								{/if}
-							</g>
-						{/if}
+					{#each tokens as t (t.id)}
+						{@const c = cellOf(size, t.at)}
+						{@const cx = PAD + c.x * CELL + CELL / 2}
+						{@const cy = PAD + c.y * CELL + CELL / 2}
+						<g
+							class="piece {t.piece === 'a' ? 'attacker' : t.piece === 'k' ? 'king' : 'defender'}"
+							class:selected={selected === t.at}
+							class:dying={t.dying}
+							style="transform: translate({cx}px, {cy}px)"
+							pointer-events="none"
+						>
+							<ellipse class="shadow" cx="1.5" cy="2.5" rx={CELL * 0.34} ry={CELL * 0.3} />
+							<circle class="body" cx="0" cy="0" r={CELL * 0.33} />
+							{#if t.piece === 'k'}
+								<path class="crown" d="M-9 4 l0 -9 l4.5 5 l4.5 -8 l4.5 8 l4.5 -5 l0 9 z" />
+							{/if}
+						</g>
 					{/each}
 				</g>
 			</svg>
@@ -286,6 +348,16 @@
 		opacity: 0.85;
 	}
 
+	.piece {
+		transition:
+			transform 0.36s cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.7, 0.2, 1),
+			opacity 0.3s ease;
+	}
+
+	.piece.dying {
+		opacity: 0;
+	}
+
 	.piece .shadow {
 		fill: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.35);
 	}