[Freeciv-Dev] Re: Elementarization of Unit Properties

["Per I. Mathisen" <Per.Inge.Mathisen@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 18 Jan 2002, Raimar Falke wrote:
> > Okay, these are the hooks I need for the "alien invasion" modpack (which
> > you ain't going to see for a while yet, so no hurry):
> >
> > F_UNIQUE - only one per nation at a time
> > F_GAMELOSS - you lose the game if you lose one of these
> > F_PALACE (perhaps F_BUILDPALACE is better) - can disband to create palace,
> >     and if disbands to found city, also creates a palace in that city
> > F_REQPALACE - can only be built (started as well as completed) in the city
> >     which has the palace
>
> > F_SPENDPALACE - building this unit removes the palace from the city
>
> Why should I want this?

Maybe _you_ don't want it, but I do. ;) You see, a unit with F_UNIQUE,
F_GAMELOSS, F_PALACE, F_REQPALACE, F_SPENDPALACE and F_CITIES (yes, all of
them) can be a wandering alien motherqueen with a palace hive in her womb.
(Obviously, the alien player should not lose the game when then queen
founds a city, and the Palace itself should have a gameloss attribute.)
The unique queen unit is the only unit that can settle cities. This to
prevent the alien player from expanding very much.

The idea is that the alien side has considerable building-in-depth and
unit bonuses, while the human side has ICS bonuses much like current
freeciv and unit upkeep in gold instead of shields. That means you can
afford a large standing army, which you will need as you do _not_ want to
let those alien critters anywhere near any of your cities, because they
have...

> > F_CITYBUSTER - double attack power against cities

...which should encourage players do place defensive units in fortresses
around the cities instead of inside them. And once they have gotten into
your city...

> > F_CITYGARRISON - double defensive power in cities (perhaps)

...they are kind of hard to repell, and...

> > F_SPENDPOP - reduce city size by 1 when built

...the aliens can start breeding a special kind of tough warriors there
which will rapidly diminish your former city while boosting their armies.
Once the alien invasion force manages to grab on to a few of your cities,
the game should soon be over. Watch those cities! And find that queen!

> We already have this. It is called pop_cost.

Thanks. I should have thought of that.

> > option "nation_req = <nation>, <nation>, ..." in units.ruleset -
> >     specifices which nations this unit is available for

It is possible to do without this, by using different techs and plugging
tech leakage. But it is needed anyway for civ3 compatibility (nation
specific units), and other modpacks can need it, so why not.

Yours,
Per

"What we anticipate seldom occurs: but what we least expect generally
happens." -- Benjamin Disraeli