[Freeciv-Dev] Re: [Freeciv] Diplomacy

[Davide Pagnin <nightmare@xxxxxxxxxx>]

My original proposal:

I have some point to propose/explain: 

1) A simple 'contact' should be sufficient to ask for a meeting with
other nation 

2) As how to define 'contact' I think it should be defined this way: 
"If nation A unit enters nation B not-fogged area then a contact is
made" (not needed to enter a city-radius, but two simple units that meet
themselves should suffice) 
I haven't looked at the code, and perhaps this is just the case, now... 

3) After a 'contact' is made, a turn count down should start, (say 20
turns), if no permanent diplomatic status is reached in the meantime,
the 'contact' will vanish and you lose the possibility to call the other
nation. 

4) A permanent status is alliance or peace or one side having an
embassy. 
(Cease-fire will expires at it's real end or at 'contact' expiration) 
(neutral is not permanent) 
(war isn't permanent but is remembered!) 

5) During a meeting, if you haven't an embassy you should have limited
diplomatic options (or better, you should have a limited knowledge of
other nation status, so there are less reason not to agree to a
meeting). 
Example: 
* you shouldn't see how much gold has other nation 
* you shouldn't see how many techs you don't know and that they have 
* you shouldn't see any cities of the other nation that you don't know 
etc. 

6) Embassy report should be more insightful (it should resemble the spy
report of your entire spy network) some possible report we can add: 

* demography number of all nation you have an embassy with 
* the names (thus the number) of every cities of the other nation 
(but not where they are) and which of them is the capital 
* the diplomatic status (treaties with other players) 
* number of units (perhaps detailed?) 

7) we can give some of the above information only if you reach a certain
discover (say espionage for the most powerful ones) 

There were a few other things, but I consider all of them sidenotes, so
we can keep them for further discussion.
This is the base of the whole proposal.

There are substantial differences from Per proposal's and I think that
this way, things are as simple as Per's one, at least from the player
point of view.
Anyway, simplicity isn't the only thing to take into account.
Otherwise we should consider to simplify the number of buildings and
units, because many of them are not useful at all.
(This is not an idea which I support, just an example that simplicity
should be joined to a good idea, not being alone with itself.

        Ciao, Davide