[Freeciv-Dev] Re: measure the reaction time for diplomat actions

[Christian Knoke <chrisk@xxxxxxxx>]

On Thu, Oct 31, 2002 at 12:32:12AM +1300, Billy Naylor wrote:
> Per I. Mathisen wrote:
> > On Mon, 28 Oct 2002, Christian Knoke wrote:
> > > > maybe this problem would be solved if the diplomat
> > > > was hidden once they had "entered" an enemy city.
> > >
> > > IMHO this is a __good__ idea.
> >
> > How would this be represented in the client? What would be the
> > benefits/disadvantages of having a diplomat "stored" inside an enemy city?
> > Would it be lost at end of turn? Can you "store" multiple diplomats this
> > way? What would happen if you entered into an alliance with this player
> > before "using" the "stored" diplomat? Or if you conquered the city first?
> > Or it is disbanded? Can the other player know that you have a diplomat
> > hidden inside the city? Or have any way of flushing it out?
> 
> The diplomat is not stored, just hidden from view (and from zone of control 
> effects?) whilst a diplomatic dialog is being presented to the player.

Well ...

Just hidden is not enough: The diplomat (while on mission) is located nowhere.
Neither in the city not before. The location from where he started his mission
is stored.

> Once the diplomatic action is done ( and assuming the diplomat hasn't
> been sent home or killed) then the diplomat reappears ( this could cause 
> problems if an enemy unit now occupies it's square).

After his mission he

- is dead
- is sent back home (in case of a tech stealing spy) 

  or

- magically reappears on the spot where he started his mission.
  If any enemy unit is on that spot, he gets caught (and lost).
  But this is still an improvement over the current situation,
  where he can get killed _before_ he fulfills his mission.

While on mission, he

- can't be attacked
- does not impose a ZOC
- is invisible

> > I'm not opposed to it - it may be a good idea - but this is no small
> > change with lots of unanswered questions.

If, while the dip is on mission, the city

 - is conquered by another enemy: the mission fails.
 - is conquered by his nation or by one of his allies: the mission fails,
   but the diplomat survives and reappears in that city.
 - vanishes: the mission fails, the dip reappears on the stored spot.

Give away cities is treated like conquering.

> >
> >   - Per
> 
> Storing a diplomat in a city (which i am not suggesting) would be a big 
> change with many playability issues to be resolved, but would prepare the
> way for interesting units like Slavers, Lawyers, Priests, Mobsters... which 
> could add another non-military dimension.

Christian

-- 
Christian Knoke     * * *      http://www.enter.de/~c.knoke/
* * * * * * * * *  Ceterum censeo Microsoft esse dividendum.