[Freeciv-Dev] Re: civserver segfault with new research system (PR#1221)

[Reinier Post <rp@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, Jan 18, 2002 at 09:24:25AM +0100, Raimar Falke wrote:
> On Fri, Jan 18, 2002 at 02:49:48AM +0100, Reinier Post wrote:
> > On Thu, Jan 17, 2002 at 12:17:32PM +0100, Raimar Falke wrote:
> > 
> > > > How do barbarians without normal research differ from any other player
> > > > with research level set to 0?
> > > 
> > > No sane player would do so.
> > > 
> > >   Raimar
> > 
> > I can't vow for my sanity, but I do it all the time (when at war).
> 
> Yes but only for a short time. Barbarian however don't do it at
> all. Example:
>  n players
>  you don't know the tech yet
>  all other players (n-1) know the tech already
>  and there are b barbarians who doesn't know the tech either
>  leakage style 2 (becomes 1 in the patch)
> 
> With barbarians:
>   cost'=(((n+b)-(n-1))*cost)/(n+b)=((b+1)*cost)/(n+b)
>  
> Without barbarians:
>   cost'=((n-(n-1))*cost)/n=cost/n

I'm not happy with this.  Barbarians start out smarter later in the game,
so which wouldn't they become smarter according to the same rules?  Why
insist on treat barbarians in a special way?

Another example: a barbarian takes the city with the Great Library.
Will the barbarians get its benefits?  Why not??

> We can make another mode which includes the barbarians. Player than
> may see a motivation to destory a barbarian.

I just think barbarians should be normal players whenever possible, otherwise
you're only complicating the code and contradicting user's expectations.

>       Raimar

-- 
Reinier