[Freeciv-Dev] Re: Single-player Freeciv notices

[Stepan Roh <stepan@xxxxxxxx>]

On Sat, 28 Dec 2002, Christian Knoke wrote:

> On Sat, Dec 28, 2002 at 01:16:49PM +0100, Stepan Roh wrote:
> > Hi. Being sick I played a game of single-player Freeciv (version 1.13.0,
> > client gtk1, isometric tileset) and here are my remarks (some are
> > gtk-related, some are general; rechecked with 1.14.1-devel from latest
> > CVS):
>
> Your comments are good. I think these small things will make Freeciv
> more comfortable to play, if they are realized.
>
> > - isometric navigation is not very intuitive (clicking on the right of
> > screen center will move actual rectangle on mini-map towards northeast and
> > not east, and vice versa) - civ2's style is better
>
> > - mini-images on left panel (like global warming indicator etc. - game
> > state indicators according to client manual) needs tooltips else they are
> > not very useful
>
> Yes.
>
> > - there should be easy way to see help for built city improvements, active
> > units, units in the city, terrain in the city map etc.
>
> Yes, tooltips, or help entry in popup menu.
>
> > - minimap in the city window with highlighted city position could be
> > useful
>
> Not sure with this one. We could mark the city position in the Toplevel
> window minimap.

Yes, that would be good too.

> > - the space for units in city window is wasted (there can be more units
> > visible)
>
> > - deleting units from worklist is very unintuitive (double-clicking) -
> > drag&drop or classic <-, -> buttons may be improvement
>
> We have tried ...

And failed?

> > - supported units should have indication of current location
> > (coordinates and city name or "near <city name>", just like in civ2)
> > - visible map coordinates in middle-click info
>
> Yes, but not sure with coordinates, though. It's getting to technical, no
> fun to play.

I learned that it could be useful when playing Colonization. After a while
I remembered coordinates of important spots and it helped me, I think.

> > - cities (F1) window should not be reset to default if closed and then
> > opened and already opened window should be moved to top if F1 is pressed
>
> Yes. The window should remember its size.

And sorting and selections. Altough I don't know GTK, I think that report
and similar windows should be made hidden and not destroyed (which they
probably are).

> > - it should be possible to sort cities according to production
> > (numerically) and not only according to text in column "Surplus F/P/T"
>
> This is in work I think.

I hope, it annoyed me for a long time. Trying to find city with maximal
production if I have dozens of cities is very ... boring.

> > - waypoints for Go to and Patrol commands (it is very annoying if
> > patrolling ship goes near the enemy coastline where it is interrupted each
> > turn)
>
> I think there _are_ waypoints. Just press 'G'.

Ah, you're right, sorry.

> > - full demographics (not just first one in each row)
>
> Yes; of course only nations where we have an embassy ...

Of course.

> > - ability to mark map spots with my own signs
>
> > - colorized messages (color based on message importance)
>
> Problem is what is important - this changes over the game.

Make it configurable in Message options, for example have 3 message levels
(red, green, black) and assign it to each message type.

> > - it is very annoying that Coinage blocks city from automatic deciding
> > what to build next (it should be automatically changed to some city
> > improvement if AI decides it with possibility to turn it off on per-city 
> > basis)
>
> The server suggestions of what to build are suboptimal. I think this is
> on the player to decide.

Trying to micromanage dozens or even hundreds of cities is pain and server
suggestions are helping a bit here.

Have a nice day.

Stepan Roh