Re: [Freeciv-Dev] AI client

[Mitch Davis <mjd@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Reinier Post wrote:
> 
> In my opinion, the 'best' way to implement AI is my creating a programming
> interface to the client;

> The main developers  - I am not one -  don't seem to have any strong feelings
> about it.

Not so.  I think an AI which connects as a client is the eventual
goal towards which we should be heading.  Although they are not
archived back that far, I sent mail to freeciv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
on Thu, 05 Mar 1998 saying:

> True, you could build a client-based AI that talks to the server
> on that port, but then the AI would have to deal with all the messy
> socket stuff, plus the assembly and disassembly of the PDUs.  Ick!  
> 
> I have been thinking of cutting the existing client stuff at some
> line and calling it the client API.  This API initially would be a
> programmatic representation of what currently goes into and comes
> out of the PDUs.  This API would be built into a library.  The
> existing client could link against this library, as would the
> client-based AI.
> 
> That way, client-based AI's can call an interface, and leave the
> comms to the client API library.
> 
> James Blackwell wrote:
> > with regards to the server, an AI client is "just another client".
> 
> Spot on.  I can imagine a conversation of the future: "Well here I
> am guys, I'm playing the Russians.  And the AI I wrote will be
> playing the Chinese.  Ready?"  In this scenario, the server never
> has to know about the new-fangled AI.

Regards,

Mitch.
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