[Freeciv-Dev] Re: (PR#6966) root_req for other rulesets as well

["Morgan Jones" <morgan.jones@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

<URL: http://rt.freeciv.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=6966 >

On  5/12/2003, you wrote:

> 
> <URL: http://rt.freeciv.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=6966 >
> 
> On Thu, Dec 04, 2003 at 02:12:33AM -0800, Gregory Berkolaiko wrote:
>> 
>> <URL: http://rt.freeciv.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=6966 >
>> 
>> On Mon, 1 Dec 2003, Jason Short wrote:
>> 
>> <URL: http://rt.freeciv.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=6966 >
>> 
>> Gregory Berkolaiko wrote:
>> 
>> Morgan doesn't want to have separate trees. Like in civ3, if you
>> play Japanese, you get Samurai unit instead of Knight, but this
>> unit is available at the same point in tech tree (Chivalry).
>> 
>> In civ3, the techs are identical for all nations but the units are
>> not.
>>  Doing this with just changes to the tech tree (and root_req)
>> would be very tricky, since most applicable technologies are
>> requirements for other technologies (and not dead-end off-shoots).
>> 
>> Not too tricky. You just add a dead-end tech "Samurai Code" with
>> two reqs: Chivalry (commonly available) and JapaneseRootTech. Thus
>> Samurai Code would only be available to Japanese. The downsides
>> are: 1. Japanese can build both Knights and Samurai.
> Make Samurai obsolete Knights.
>
But then the Japanese will build Knights and not bother researching
Samurai (a whole extra tech) as they just obsolete a similar unit
they've got anyway.  Sure they can upgrade their existing Knights to
Samurai but this still costs and basically who would bother?

The Japanese shouldn't be able to build Knights at all, they should
instead build Samurai which is their equivalent of the Knight (with
only slightly different stats) .

The other option that I currently use, is to have both Chivalry and
Samurai Code require the same techs but different roottech.  This
solves the above problem but opens up the one where it's currently
impossible to link all these techs back into the main techtree. 
Especially if you want to start adding Cataphracts, Mangudai, etc.

>> 2. To build Samurai they have to research an extra tech.
> Make Samurai Code a bonus tech. Then they get a free tech when they
> research samuari code (of course, they still have to wait for the
> Samurai code and they also have the increased cost of the next tech)
> 
> Possibly there should be flags in the ruleset for double cost, half
> cost and free techs?
> 
This seems overly complicated just to add nation/culture specific
units.  Surely just adding root_tech to the unit ruleset would be a
much simpler and more elegant solution?  I can't imagine it would
require too many code changes.

Maybe this discussion should be deferred to the design board?

     -Morgan