Re: [Freeciv-Dev] Suggestion: FreeCiv on a Hex!

[Falk Hueffner <falk.hueffner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Michael A. Rouse" <mrouse@xxxxxxxxxx> writes:

> There are two related suggestions I think would improve the appearance and
> playability of FreeCiv. First, use a fractal terrain generator to create
> the planet the Civs live on.

Well, I think the current map generator does it's job quite
well. Since there are no terrain heights in FreeCiv, it wouldn't gain
much, I think.

> Second, replace the square tiles and movement with hexagonal tiles
> and movement.

Well, that would be really difficult, since the grid structure is
hardcoded in many, many places in the source, and using a hexagonal
grid would be a bit clumsy with the poor tools C has for abstract data 
types. I guess I would rather rewrite it...

> Conceptually, the first suggestion could be accomplished by coding for the
> triangular mountain fractal (one of the oldest fractal types, where you get
> an equilateral triangle, randomly adjust the midpoints, draw an interior
> triangle, adjust *its* midpoints, and repeat), combining twenty of them
> into an icosahedron, and then warping the icosahedron onto a sphere.

The idea to use an icosahedron is pretty good, because it makes
movement more realistic. The problem is, how does one project the
sphere onto the screen? The player would likely want to have any tile
centered; near the edges of the icosahedron distortions would be
unavoidable. Real 3D projection with texture mapping would be a bit
overkill, and it would introduce distortions, too.

        Falk