[Freeciv-Dev] Re: Agents and network (Was (for reasons unnown): Path findig)

[Gregory Berkolaiko <Gregory.Berkolaiko@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 26 Nov 2002, Raimar Falke wrote:

> On Tue, Nov 26, 2002 at 05:19:57PM +0000, Gregory Berkolaiko wrote:
> > On Tue, 26 Nov 2002, Per I. Mathisen wrote:
> > 
> > > On Tue, 26 Nov 2002, Gregory Berkolaiko wrote:
> > > > Possible solutions are:
> > > > 1. Make client fully rules-aware (duplicate rules engine in client)
> > > > 2. Move theagents to the server.
> > > >
> > > > Option 1 is boring.
> > > >
> > > > Option 2 will impose some limitations on the client and is certainly a
> > > > very brave thing to do.But it will be very interesting to code and will
> > > > also stop many compatibility problems.
> > > 
> > > Yes! Finally someone agrees with me.
> > > 
> > > Agent backends should go into the server. CM preferences should be sent to
> > > the server and applied there - end of many CM problems. Path and path
> > > parameters should be sent to server and executed there.
> > 
> > And we can actually go a bit further.  At the connection time server tells 
> > the client what agents are available and what are the parameter fields and 
> > options for each agent.  The client uses this information to create the 
> > agent dialogue, collects the parameters, sends them to the server.  Server 
> > applies the parameters, the results are sent to the client using normal 
> > update packets.  So there are no actual agents in the client, but there is 
> > universal client support -- no compatibility issues!
> > 
> > It sounds a bit like SciFi, but I am sure it's implementable.
> 
> But you both know what _client-side_ AI means?!

Assume I don't.  Please enlighten me.