[Freeciv-Dev] Thoughts on freeciv "SMAC mode"

[Ben Webb <ben@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

        I've been looking at SM's Alpha Centauri recently, have liked a
lot of the features it introduces, and have been thinking of expanding
freeciv's rulesets to accommodate some of them. Has anybody attempted to
code a "SMAC mode" into freeciv? (I see that it's slated for 2.1.0) Am I
insane even to be considering it? Are there any nasty copyright issues
with regard to SMAC that weren't a problem with Civ2?

        My feeling is that, ideally, game modes for SMAC, CTP etc. should
be configured in rulesets and outside of the code, if at all possible.
This calls for extra flags to be added and hard-coded behaviour to 
be removed (I'm thinking primarily of the handling of techs.ruleset and
buildings.ruleset, respectively, here).

        I've included a very early implementation of the SMAC tech tree,
buildings, and some unit types (smac-patch.gz, made against the Mar 23rd
snapshot, although no "real" code is changed, so should be applicable
to the most recent CVS). Nothing really works yet - it's kind of an easy
way to spot what needs to be added or changed...

        My own personal "roadmap" of code development (subject to your
suggestions, of course!) is something like the following:-

1. Get SMAC techs to work more or less sensibly by adding a wider range of
   "flags" to support SMAC-like behaviour (I've added a "level" field to
   techs.ruleset, which would allow SMAC-like "blind research")
2. Add support for SMAC-like "compound" vehicles and government types. I
   propose the addition of a "type" field to units.ruleset, to denote
   chassis/weaponry/armour etc. Complete units can then be synthesised
   from a combination of relevant typed units, and added as units with a
   "type" value of "Entire" or similar. Old clients would only be able to
   use "Entire" units or governments, and would be unable to synthesise
   new units from types.
3. Replace hard-coded building behaviour and "variant" field with more
   extensive ruleset support; remove hard limit on number of building
   types, etc.
4. Introduce customised terrain types, pretty graphics, etc.

        Clearly a lot of this is long-term, and is going to require some
quite extensive code modification. I'd just be interested to hear other
people's thoughts on the matter...

        Ben
-- 
ben@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx           http://bellatrix.pcl.ox.ac.uk/~ben/
"Public speaking is very easy."
        - Vice President Dan Quayle

smac-patch.gz
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