refactored the way the game carousel scrolls and animates. added snapping.

shell/qml/Main.qml

@@ -100,17 +100,111 @@ QtObject {
                 anchors.right: parent.right
                 anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
 
-                // TODO: Tune this stuff !!! it feels just slightly janky and off for now, game cards don't align when scrolling, they go all the way out
+                // these properties are primarily for the gamesList snapping
-                // to the edge with no spacing at all when on the leftmost or rightmost cards, and vertical navigation from the dock feels *wrong*, idk, 
+                readonly property int cardWidth: 120
-                // fix it sometime.
+                readonly property int cardSpacing: 16
-                height: 140
+                readonly property int cardPitch: cardWidth + cardSpacing
+                readonly property int safeLeft: 90
+                readonly property int safeRight: width - 90
+                readonly property int edgePeek: 98
+                readonly property int snapOffset: cardWidth - edgePeek
+
+                property real scrollTarget: contentX
+
+                height: 200
                 orientation: ListView.Horizontal 
-                preferredHighlightBegin: 200
+                spacing: 16
-                preferredHighlightEnd: 420
+                leftMargin: 16
-                highlightRangeMode: ListView.ApplyRange
+                rightMargin: 16
-                spacing: 20
 
                 model: 20 // this is a placeholder for now, I don't know how I really want to handle max game carousel size yet. another time.
+                
+                // provides the smoothing animation for game selection
+                NumberAnimation {
+                    id: scrollAnimation
+                    target: gamesList
+                    property: "contentX"
+                    duration: 200
+                    easing.type: Easing.OutCubic
+                }
+
+                // used to scroll to a new game on the game list
+                function scrollTo(targetX) {
+                    if (Math.abs(targetX - gamesList.contentX) < 0.5) {
+                        return
+                    }
+
+                    scrollAnimation.stop()
+                    scrollAnimation.from = gamesList.contentX
+                    scrollAnimation.to = targetX 
+                    scrollAnimation.start()
+                }
+
+                // provides snapping logic so that the games list is snapped to a card pitch
+                function snappedContentX(snapTargetX) {
+                    // set up a relative coord for our snapping logic, so we line up right
+                    let relativeTarget = snapTargetX - gamesList.originX
+
+                    // finds the nearest point on the snap grid
+                    // it's pretty obtuse, so as an explanation: we subtract snapOffset first so the grid becomes a 
+                    // simple 0, cardPitch, 2*cardPitch, etc grid. Divide by cardPitch to get the nearest grid index, 
+                    // round it, then multiply by cardPitch to convert that index back to a position. Finally we 
+                    // wanna add snapOffset (and originX) back to line it up with our true grid.
+                    let snappedTargetX = gamesList.originX + Math.round((relativeTarget - gamesList.snapOffset) / gamesList.cardPitch) * gamesList.cardPitch + gamesList.snapOffset
+
+                    // calculate the furthest possible ends of the carousel
+                    // Math.max is for clamping it to make sure even if there are very few games on the board that it 
+                    // wont return something stupid
+                    let minimum = gamesList.originX - gamesList.leftMargin
+                    let maximum = gamesList.originX + Math.max(0, gamesList.contentWidth + gamesList.leftMargin + gamesList.rightMargin - gamesList.width) - gamesList.leftMargin
+
+                    // this section of code is here to make sure that when the game carousel is flicked all the way
+                    // to the leftmost or rightmost ends, it doesn't snap and cutoff the leftmost or rightmost
+                    // card in a way that feels janky. it works by calculating the distance from the current target
+                    // to the very edges, and if it's closer to one of the edges, just snap to the edge.
+                    let bestTarget = snappedTargetX
+                    let bestDistance = Math.abs(snapTargetX - snappedTargetX)
+
+                    let distanceToMinimum = Math.abs(snapTargetX - minimum)
+
+                    if (distanceToMinimum < bestDistance) {
+                        bestTarget = minimum 
+                        bestDistance = distanceToMinimum
+                    }
+
+                    let distanceToMaximum = Math.abs(snapTargetX - maximum)
+
+                    if (distanceToMaximum < bestDistance) {
+                        bestTarget = maximum
+                    }
+
+                    return Math.max(minimum, Math.min(bestTarget, maximum))
+                }
+
+                // this is a function to make sure the games list scrolls, but in a predictable, nice-feeling way.
+                // specifically, it scrolls but makes sure the games list is snapped to a specific card pitch.
+                function ensureCurrentInSafeZone() {
+                    if (!gamesList.currentItem) {
+                        return
+                    }
+
+                    let item = gamesList.currentItem
+
+                    let itemLeft = item.x - gamesList.contentX
+                    let itemRight = itemLeft + item.width
+
+                    let targetContentX = gamesList.contentX
+
+                    if (itemLeft < gamesList.safeLeft) {
+                        targetContentX -= gamesList.safeLeft - itemLeft
+                    } else if (itemRight > gamesList.safeRight) {
+                        targetContentX += itemRight - gamesList.safeRight
+                    } else {
+                        return
+                    }
+
+                    gamesList.scrollTo(gamesList.snappedContentX(targetContentX))
+                }
 
                 Component.onCompleted: { // on startup, this should select the first game in the list. 
                     if (currentItem) {
@@ -118,11 +212,21 @@ QtObject {
                     }
                 }
 
+                // every time the index changes, we wanna re-calculate the game carousel's position
+                onCurrentIndexChanged: {
+                    ensureCurrentInSafeZone()
+                }
+
+                // after flicking, we re-snap the carousel wherever it landed
+                onMovementEnded: {
+                    gamesList.scrollTo(gamesList.snappedContentX(gamesList.contentX))
+                }
+
                 delegate: Rectangle { // TODO: design a real game card QML to replace this placeholder
                     id: gameTile
 
-                    width: 110
+                    width: 120  
-                    height: 110
+                    height: 180
 
                     color: navigationManager.currentItem === gameTile ? "blue" : "white"