[Freeciv-Dev] Re: (PR#3955) [PATCH] Make AI tech handiap a parameter

["Gregory Berkolaiko" <Gregory.Berkolaiko@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, 7 Apr 2003  sam+civ@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  wrote
> 
> With the help of Vallimar, I now have a FreeCiv patch which makes the
> tech handicap a user-adjustable parameter.  In addition, the patch also
> allows the AI's city growth to be slowed down.
> 
> I understand there is sone controversey with this patch among the FreeCiv
> community.  It is my sincere hope that, by making this an adjustable 
> parameter, we can satisfy the desires of both those who want to make 
> the game easier for newbies, and the desires of those who enjoy a 
> challenge from the AI, even at the easy skill level.
> 
> If there are any objections to this patch, please voice them here on
> the list.  I feel very strongly that this needs to be part of the

Yes, there are objections.  While I believe the aim of the patch is noble, 
server variable is no place for such functionality.  I did send you an 
email with what I see as the correct way to implement this feature.  Here 
is an extract:

========================================================================
Here are the rough specs you should follow:
* science_penalty should be in percents and should depend on the AI level,
similar to fuzzy and expansionism (see expansionsm_of_skill_level)
* it then should be recorded in the pplayer->ai structure (like
expansionism) by adding the corresponding line to set_ai_level_directer
function
* when bulbs needed for an advance are calculated, the penalty should be
taken from pplayer->ai struct; you can write a wrapper similar to
ai_handicap (so that it returns 0 if pplayer is non-AI).
========================================================================

The above suggestions were obviously ignored. 

However I still believe that science penalty should be AI level dependent 
and the above is the right way to implement it.  Correspondingly, I will 
not commit the patch in its present form.

Some other issues:

1. Please send patches to rt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, this way they will not be 
lost.  If it is an update of a patch with a previously assigned number, 
make sure the number stays in the subject.

2. Do not bundle up several features in one patch.  At the very least you 
will be asked to split the patch.  The present patch should only contain 
science_penalty and nothing else.

3. You will not get your patch in simply by ignoring objections and
questions of other developers.

Best wishes,
G.