[freeciv-data] Hexagonal tileset.

["Bobby D. Bryant" <bdbryant@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Andreas R wrote:

> Please let me know what you think about this hexagonal-tileset
> implementation. (I've only tested it on the windows client.)

I just installed it on Linux along with the 1.14-beta3, and all the XPM 
files display as silhouettes.  I was able to fix it by using -

        % convert whatever.png whatever.xpm

to build a new XPM for each tileset.


>> Raimar Falke <rf13@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> It looks very nice. But the control is naturally not intuitive. I 
>> have
>> never thought someone will have such a crazy idea ;)
> 
> I've found that using goto with the mouse works ok.
> I agree that using the arrows (right/left in particular) is akward.
> Is there a good way to improve this?

Strictly speaking the horizontal move should be illegal.  Maybe you can 
get the developers to support a hex mode where the horizontal move is 
disabled?

With the horizontal mode disabled you get keypad 7-8-9 for NW-N-NE and 
keypad 1-2-3 for SW-S-SE. In an experimental game engine I have been 
working on very intermittently I have found that it works better to tip 
the hexes the other way (points up and down rather than left and right) 
so that you use KP 1-4-7 for SW-W-NW and 3-6-9 for SE-E-NE.  The reason 
for this is that your middle finger is so much longer than the other 
two that it's easier to use the two "colums" (1-4-7 and 3-6-9) than the 
two "rows" (1-2-3 and 7-8-9) on the keypad.

If you swap the hex orientation and disable the "cheat" moves, using 
the keypad becomes very intuitive after a short while.  My engine lets 
you move a token around on the map, and you quickly get where you can 
do it without thinking.

Also, it would be nice to have the grid mode show hexes instead of 
diamonds; then the illusion would be complete.

Bobby Bryant
Austin, Texas

p.s. - It looks great -- great work!