[Freeciv-Dev] Re: map contribution question

[Thomas Strub <ue80@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sat, Aug 23, 2003 at 06:27:07AM +0200, Horn Gábor wrote:
> Hi!
> 
> I'd like to ask if it's possible somehow to contribute maps for public
> usage on the pubserver? I've made a duel map w/ civworld, and would like
> to see it in 'real' action, if there's somebody who wanna plays on it :)
> If there should be a convienent and reliable mechanism for it, maybe we
> could paly more games on human made maps (whick could be good imho, both
> because of community and gameplay reasons...eg the quake community
> benefited a lot when some dudes started to create maps to play on.. and
> it would be much exciting to play on maps that are carefully designed,
> than the random, usually unbalanced ones the server now genrates).

Think its no problem to add maps to ~/freeciv/data/screnario/ on
pubserver. Ask nouja and i think he will add them.
 
> As i see to keep it fair, we'd need some rules. They would work well
> only after a working client authorization, w/o that we have to assume
> fair play. If there's no such mechanism atm, i'd suggest something like
> this:

When some players can have more than other players the mechanism can't
be fair.

> 1, maps should be send to pubserver admin(s) as savegames, w/o any
> nations, units or cities, but with (optionally) predefined starting
> points. Also the options should attach to it so players can see if that
> is a duel or team (or whatever else) type of map. 

That is usual for scenario maps.
Only we don't have predifined positions for teams ...
 
> 2, the pubserver would run the user contributed maps in a cycle on a
> specified ports, just like the normal ones. (The best would be if the
> players should start a map on their demand, but i think it needs
> modification to the codguys &e). 

I can remember something like that was in quakeworld. 
"map dm4" or short "dm4" and you changed to that map. Also cycling was
usual.

> 3, It would be public who played or watched a game on a premade map.
> Obviously it's not fair if sy who has seen/played the map plays w/
> somebody who hasn't.

Yes you are righti that that wouldn't be fair. But i think the maps 
should be open for all. Good scenarios aren't good because people don't
know much about them. They are good because different strategies are
possible.

> 4,to give feedback, [...]

Feedback is allway nice.

> What do u think ladies & gentlemen? 

I think it would be nice to play some games on nonrandom maps especially
for ranking games that would be much fairer. 

I don't think that its possible to get good to player unknown maps with
your system.
After some time some player have somewhere on their computers the maps
from the old games. And new players not.

To get fair unknown maps we have to make the mapgenerator better. But to
do that, we have to write down how a fair map has to look like.

Thomas
-- 
Thomas Strub  ***  eMail ue80@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
jb: people are stupid, they don't want to learn.