Re: [Freeciv-Dev] Idea for 2.0

[Peter Schaefer <schaefer@xxxxxx>]

Jules Bean wrote:
> 
> Artur Biesiadowski wrote:
> >
> > Jules Bean wrote:
> >
...
> 
> Certainly the server should store which squares the client can see.
> There's no argument there.
> 
> The issue is that the client, to be useful, wants to store what it
> *last* saw, for squares which it can't now see.  IMO, it would be
> strange for the server to try to keep track of what the client last saw
> on each square - it would be cleaner that the client remembers this.
> 
> However, your point about lost links is well-taken.
> 

Now i understand what you are talking about :-)

The server could store shadows of units for each unit a 
player has ever seen. A shadow would be a unit with the time it has been
spotted(this would be the location it moved to last). 
The server could clean up duplicates( units spotted in one place
that have been spotted elsewhere. )

But I'm taking the point that the client should normally store
more details of a foggy map - for example you might wish to plot the
path a unit has been taking to predict its destination.

I'm still for keeping the most recent shadows on the server to reduce the
data that has to be synced with it every turn.
On second thought, I'm not sure there really is a reduction if the client
relies too much on the server for this.
Traffic will only(?) be reduced if both the server and the client
keep the shadows - the client for itself and the server for a reconnect
from an AI or normal client(which could also display shadows).

Doing it always in the client requires that even the basic client needs 
to be a smart client that nows how to handle fog itself, I think.

As an argument, also consider that if the game has proceeded while
the AI was logged out, the shadows stored on the server would still
be accurate, while the complete unit pathes stored by request of 
the AI would be full of holes, and missing the last sightings.

Please try it this way :-)  Both client and server update shadow information.

Maybe someone should just write code like this for the client in a way that 
it also works with the server and just test what works.

> Jules
> 
> --
> /----------------+-------------------------------+---------------------\
> |  Jelibean aka  | jules@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx         |  6 Evelyn Rd        |
> |  Jules aka     |                               |  Richmond, Surrey   |
> |  Julian Bean   | jmlb2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx        |  TW9 2TF *UK*       |
> +----------------+-------------------------------+---------------------+
> |  War doesn't demonstrate who's right... just who's left.             |
> |  When privacy is outlawed... only the outlaws have privacy.          |
> \----------------------------------------------------------------------/

-- 
Peter Schaefer - schaefer@xxxxxx, schaefer@xxxxxx
Spiegel Online, 12.6.99 - 
Aktionaere rennen auf die Boerse, auf der einfach nichts los ist.