[Freeciv-Dev] Re: [PATCH] switch default tileset to trident (PR#1219)

[Jason Short <vze2zq63@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Daniel L Speyer wrote:

> On Sat, 12 Jan 2002, Ross W. Wetmore wrote:
>
>
> > This is done right before it launches the GUI. It looks like all the
> > game init stuff has been done, but I have no idea whether it has
> > actually received enough information in start packets to determine
> > map type yet. 
> Wait, am I just totally confused?
>
> The tileset to be used (including isometric vs. overhead) is a purely
> client side issue.  The actual topology is unaffected.  It's perfectly
> possible to connect both iso and ovh clients to the same server (I just
> tested it), and this is a good thing.
The tileset is completely separated from the topology.  So you can use 
any tileset with any type of map topology.  But using the "correct" 
tileset will make things look _much_ better, since the poles will line 
up, etc.

> So why would the client be getting tileset instructions over the network?
The client receives the map topology information, and from that can 
choose the _default_ tileset.  The user should be free to override it. 
For this to work, the tileset needs to be picked and loaded _after_ we 
connect to a server, which I'm pretty sure isn't the case now.
Alternately, with the extended connection dialog we can work it the 
other way: when the client automatically starts a server it can set the 
topology type to be isometric if the tileset is isometric.  This is an 
even better idea than the above, because (1) it'll work even if the user 
isn't using the default and (2) people may not like certain tilesets, 
but I can think of no reason someone wouldn't want their topology to 
line up with their tileset.  Unfortunately, this requires the tileset to 
be picked _before_ we connect to a server, which contradicts the above 
scenario.  (This problem would go away if it were possible to load new 
tilesets, i.e. change the current tileset.)

Things will still work fine for multiplayer games: one player can start 
a game and set the topology to isometric to match their tileset, then 
another player can connect and use a flat tileset.  The tilted map just 
won't look as pretty for the flat-tileset person (just as the flat map 
right now doesn't look pretty for the iso-tileset users).

I predict this, along with an improvement to the default isometric 
tileset, will cause isometric-view to become much more popular.
jason