[Freeciv-Dev] Re: Hello; Elementarization of Unit Properties; New/Improved Info Screens

[Tony Stuckey <stuckey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, Jan 15, 2002 at 11:15:26PM +0100, Jörg Zuther wrote:
> > While you are at a redesign: what about compound units (from AC)?
> 
> This would be great, of course. But would't this generate a huge
> amount of problems/work? It starts with compatibility with Civ I/II
> and ends with a graphical challenge.

        Not necessarily.
        You can simply use the same graphic (or a subset of all possible
unit graphics) for all units of a type, regardless of their
weapon/armor/special abilities differences.  This can be seen as lame,
but in my experience playing SMAC, many combinations of partial units
capabilities don't make sense.  They come out as too fragile, overpriced,
obsolete, or simply not effective enough for their job.  Thus only a
subset of units are ever built/active at any one time.  You also run into
simple user choice restrictions.  I typically don't build 65,000 units
through the course of an entire game, thus I have no need for the full
spectrum of graphics.
        The information presentation problem (-> need for specific
graphics) is easier than it first sounds.
-- 
Anthony J. Stuckey                              stuckey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"And they said work hard, and die suddenly, because it's fun."
        -Robyn Hitchcock.