[Freeciv-Dev] Re: [Freeciv] Re: Big cities vs small cities (was: smallpox syndrome)

[Reinier Post <rp@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sat, Jan 06, 2001 at 12:30:17AM +0100, Michael Hasselmann wrote:
> Reinier Post wrote:
> > 
> > I agree that size is important, but technology level, skill in coordination 
> > of
> > units, and motor skills (how fast you can pop up and click down the dialogs 
> > to
> > control units) are more important.
> 
> hum...and you like that?

I don't like the fact that motor skills are relevant.  But a good
Freeciv player doesn't rely on them too much; being efficient is far
more important, and this is a matter of quick thinking and experience
with the various shortcuts and tricks in the Freeciv interface.

> I think about a game that always re-invents itself, as you not only have
> to adjust your strategy from match to match. It should reveal to you as
> a new game (or at least reveal new aspects of gameplay) everytime you
> play it.

I still learn things in Freeciv games.  My main frustration with the
usual settings is that the expansion stage, which is really a solitary
game in which you get very little feedback suggesting how to improve
takes up 80% of the playing time.  By the time battle starts most
players have left or the game has already been decided by one player
outexpanding all the others.

> I don't think that there can be any fun in starting a
> "Who-has-the-faster-input-device-AND-the-better-connection-to-the-internet"-competition.

I think Freeciv is a good compromise.  It offers nearly-real-time action
but it is actually safeguarded quite well against this problem, mostly
by the server-side goto.

> > I think this can be done by introducing more different scores (entries in he
> > Demography report) and playing until the first player reaches a preset top
> > score.
> 
> Just playing for high-score? I don't know. Unless the wish to have the
> best statistics is absolutely addicting to you, it is just boring.

OK, well another option is to make such a score matter to the game itself,
for instance, by affecting the cost or value of units and improvements,
or through Civ I-style, spontaneous city conversions.

> > Cities have an auto-attack option.  Have you tried it?
 
See the city options in the city dialog.  I haven't used it myself.
 
> ...it just comes to my mind that auto-retreat could be helpful as well.

Yes, definitely.
> 
> PS: Is it possible to filter or delete any attachments that go through
> this (quite open) list? For most things we have an upload area (or at
> least the dev-list). Even if I didn't suffer from that virus (in fact,
> was it a virus?): I wouldn't like it if such things happen again.

This depends on the mail clinet you use.  On Unix a mailfilter like
procmail will let you do anything you want to your incoming mail.
 
> PPS: Were could I join a slow-motion Freeciv game (one turn a day/week)?

There seems to be a lot of interest in this.
Some patches were posted to the list in April to support this better.

-- 
Reinier