[Freeciv-Dev] Re: (PR#6490) Do not lose gameloss units in huts

["rwetmore@xxxxxxxxxxxx" <rwetmore@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This is the problem with either/or positions. The solution is to build
in optional choice. In cases like this, it may be more reasonable to tie
it to a single flag like "StrictRules" than proliferate individual flags.

But there again, the best solution is to implement two tiered flags, i.e.
a massive number of low-level flags that control everything in fine detail
but a user-interface layer of composite flag settings and documentation
that makes things usable for most normal users that don't really care about
the fine level, or even want to know about it. The top level menu and
command choices never show the fine detail, which is revealed (if at all)
under "Advanced" submenu or option tags.

Most people, and that includes Freeciv maintainers, are not very good at
seeing alternate positions other than their own current thought path, and
thus either/or is always a constant and usually useless debate. Making
things general and optional as a standard programming practice goes a long
way to short circuiting a lot of this flip-flopping noise level activity.

Frankly, I'm with Per on the "fun" aspect. I suspect most users are too.

Cheers,
RossW
=====

Per I. Mathisen wrote:
> On Tue, 21 Oct 2003, Raimar Falke wrote:
> 
>>On Sun, Oct 12, 2003 at 05:13:58AM -0700, Per I. Mathisen wrote:
>>
>>>This patch prevents gameloss flagged units from dying when entering a hut.
>>>I found this just too annoying when playtesting scenarios/patches that
>>>used this flag.
>>
>>While this patch has already been applied I think that this was the
>>wrong thing and it should be reverted.
>>
>>A gameloss unit is a gameloss unit is a gameloss unit. And if you use
>>it for action which may be unhealthy for the unit like exploring you
>>do this in your own risk.
> 
> 
> The point of the game is to have *fun*, is it not? It is definitely not
> fun to lose the entire *game* just because you stumbled your gameloss unit
> into a hut.
> 
> But then, I always try to remember to turn off huts anyway, so I am not
> going to cry rivers if you revert the patch ;)
> 
>   - Per