[Freeciv-Dev] Re: (PR#8852) savefile positions should all be native

["Jason Short" <jdorje@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

<URL: http://rt.freeciv.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=8852 >

rwetmore@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> Map positions are the core way to transmit all coordinates and the default
> arguments for all functions. These are always he default for such parameters.
> 
> Natural should *never* be used except in specialized local settings, and
> even native that are the main form for save games and such usage are
> probably not appropriate in this case.

Ross, you were the one who originally pushed for the map to be stored in 
native coordinates, remember?  And you were right.  Map coordinates are 
unintelligible to anyone looking at a savegame.

>>So the remaining map positions should be converted to native.

> Don't fix things that aren't broken and propose an RFC for discussion of 
> significant changes to things that have backwards compatibility and many 
> other ramifications.

But...

1.  They are broken.  Savegames are quite unintelligible with mixed 
positions.  They are also unintelligible with map positions.

2.  A patch is a request for a change.

So my question is, what is your suggestion for fixing this?

One idea I had was that the savegame could specify what type of 
coordinates it used.

[map]
coordinates="native"

Where "native", "natural", or "map" is specified.  A single function 
could then be used for loading tile positions, in whatever coordinate 
system is specified.

The only real advantage I see to this is that it can work with imported 
savegames that use a different coordinate system.

jason