[Freeciv-Dev] Re: the directional system

[Reinier Post <rp@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, Sep 10, 2001 at 06:06:45AM -0400, Jason Dorje Short wrote:

> What Ross is suggesting is not that all of dir_ok and
> straightest_direction be moved into the map.h schema-dependent code.  We
> are suggesting that additional macros such as DIR_NEXT and DIR_PREV be
> created.  Of course, under the rotational system these are far easier to
> write (and, more importantly, maintain) than they are under the vertical
> system.  Any other macros that are similarly needed will likely have
> similar properties.
> 
> Personally, I don't care much about small inefficiencies in the code and
> it's not up to me to maintain it.  It's obvious to me that the
> rotational system is better, but I'm confident that once we've converted
> all code to be schema-independent it is just a matter of time until a
> conversion to a better directional system is done.

Efficiency is important to Freeciv.  Many users play on old hardware.

> Or, as I said before: the rotational system is without doubt better than
> the vertical system.

Yes, it is more general, e.g. it works fine for a hexagonal grid,
for a square grid in which diagonal moves are forbidden, and in general,
for a 'grid' built from an arbitrary planar graph.

-- 
Reinier Post