[Freeciv-Dev] auto settlers rework

[pc-freeciv1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

In playing Freeciv, I've run into one thing that I think really should be
reworked: The auto-settler code.  Looking at the current code, each settler
looks for work to do.  I think that it would make more sense to instead
have each city create a list of work that needs to be done, and the
settlers could seek a city that has work to be done.

So each city would have a map of what its terrain should look like, given
unlimited settler time.  It could then assign a value to each change.  The
overall value for the city would be largest such individual value.  This
value would need to be recomputed anytime a settler begins work in the
city.

Similarly, there would be a value for connecting a city to its neighbors
with roads or railroads.

Once the initial change has been made, a new tab could be added to the city
window showing the goals for the city.  This would be a view of the city
with all worklist items completed, all settler activity completed, and the
population maximized (up to a zero or negative one food value).  From here,
the player could make changes to the goals.  For example, a plains could be
changed to a grassland to stabilize the population (food value of zero at
max population), avoid pollution from overproduction, or such.  If the
worklist includes the construction of units, those units could be given
orders to sentry, fortify, or auto-attack.

Eventually, default goals could be created, much like worklists today.  The
default goals would include things like what to do with swamps (irrigate to
grasslands or transform to ocean), taking into account specails, such as
never transforming an oasis.

The goal should be to be able to create a city and never have to look at it
again, provided that it is not involved in combat, and yet have the city do
pretty much exactly what you want it to do.

Unfortunately, I don't have time to contribute to this, beyond suggesting
the idea.

--PC
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