[Freeciv-Dev] Re: Wish list Items

[Mike Kaufman <kaufman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

As you probably know by now, our direct goal is not to be civ2. However, we
attempt to maintain civ2 compatibility. If you're willing to help make it
more compatible, I suggest exploring the code with respect to server
options. At this point, it is far easier to get rule changes into the code
if they're made a server option (and set to "freeciv" rules by default) For
example the explorers pillaging or not can be made an option. Patches to
data/civ2.serv and data/civ2/ would be welcome, if you find anything that
should be different, for example

from data/civ2/units.ruleset:

[unit_transport]
name          = _("Transport")
move_type     = "Sea"
tech_req      = "Industrialization"
obsolete_by   = "None"
graphic       = "u.transport"
graphic_alt   = "-"
build_cost    = 50
pop_cost      = 0
attack        = 0
defense       = 3
hitpoints     = 30
firepower     = 1
move_rate     = 5
vision_range  = 2
transport_cap = 8
fuel          = 0
uk_happy      = 1
uk_shield     = 1
uk_food       = 0
uk_gold       = 0
flags         = ""
roles         = "Ferryboat"

should move_rate be changed? (or should wonder/tech effects be changed)

another way to go would be to change the behavior of "civstyle" server option.
Current this is a binary options set to civ2 style. If you feel that
freeciv isn't quite true enough to civ2, make the option trinary with the
default as 0, (freeciv rules). Then, for example, you could do something
like we do in do_apollo(): if(game.civstyle == 2) { do Leonardo's
differently; } (On the other hand, currently, we are trying to generalize
improvements, so it may be better to do this with improvement effect flags)

Ben: I don't even know the difference between new and old behavior of
Leonardo. Is it possible to change effect flags to change behavior, and is
it possible to do this with the current codebase?

For the GUI changes, the GTK client for X windows is the most mature client. 
If you get a chance, find a linux box and fire it up to see the differences. 
This may give you a starting point to see if we've already addressed some of 
your concerns. 
Andreas Kemnade <akemnade@xxxxxxxxxxx> maintains our win32 client. I doubt
that he would be heartbroken if you wanted to contribute code to complete
that client.

-mike