[Freeciv-Dev] Re: Diplomacy

[Gregory Berkolaiko <Gregory.Berkolaiko@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Quoting "Per I. Mathisen" <per@xxxxxxxxxxx>:

> On 22 Feb 2003, Davide Pagnin wrote:
> > >- The "No Contact" status is removed from the list of treaties, since it
> > > doesn't play any role (it never did). Default will now be Neutral.
> >
> > I continue to say that being "Neutral" to someone, means that you know
> > him.
> > My proposal is let "No Contact" stay and switch to Neutral automatically
> > when the first contact is made.
> > That is to say that "No contact" and "Neutral" are the SAME status, but
> > they have different name, in consideration of the fact that you never
> > meet the other player before.
> 
> Don't you see that this will be very confusing, since we then also have
> _another and different_ "contact" status? So when you get first contact,
> you change "No Contact" to "Neutral" status and you get "Contact" status
> for embassy, but when you lose contact again, you _don't_ become "No
> Contact" but remain "Neutral" yet won't get "Contact" for embassy... No,
> this won't do.

Davide's request makes sense.  As for "confusing" people, just rename "no
contact" to "never met".  This will answer an earlier question of "how do I tell
if I ever met them foreigners".

> > The cost of a diplomat (i.e. 30 coin) isn't acceptable.
> > The default should be the same amount of coin you should pay if you want
> > to rush a diplomat in a city from scratch in one turn.
> 
> And that means... how much exactly? And who should pay this cost, the one
> receiving it or the one giving it?

Not that I really care, but paying for an embassy is not elegant.  An embassy
should be a standard clause, like everything else.  Even better, it can be like
shared vision, so can be withdrawn (or, rather, expelled).  Establishing an
embassy by diplomat should still be possible, but should be thought of more like
establishing an unofficial spy network.  If "expel diplomats" should become an
option, there should be cooling-off period between establishing embassy and
possible expulsion (otherwise there is no sense in sending a diplomat).  CivI/II
rules, although, archaic, would still be supported through a set of server 
options.

> > Provided this, I ask also that Embassy require (mandatory) the knowledge
> > of writing.

This is a pain to code and will have minimal effect on the gameplay, everyone
sane discovers writing really early, rushing for the republic, IIRC.

G.