[Freeciv-Dev] (PR#8890) Removal of free city center

["Mike Jing" <miky40@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

<URL: http://rt.freeciv.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=8890 >

> I believe the "bonus" food is bogus.  Instead the food of each tile
> should be raised
> 
>    Grassland: 3 food
>    Plains: 2 food
> 
> with corresponding changes to the specials.  However the problem with
> this is that it depends too heavily on a non-despotism government.  As
> soon as you switch to monarchy all your cities get an extra +3 food or
> so and you have a huge population explosion.  But until you get to
> monarchy it is very difficult even to get a size 2 city.

IMO, as logical and aesthetically pleasing as this approach may be, the
problem outlined above is fatal since it completely upsets the delicate
balance in food production.  I still think a bonus of 2 food works much
better, and it's no more "bogus" than many other features in the game.

In retrospect, it seems that the free city center is not that ridiculous
 after all, as it serves to allow city growth implicitly.  Maybe my
attempt at removing it was misguided.  I am wondering if a popcost of 2
for settlers is really equivalent to removing the free city center,
assuming auto-irrigation is also removed.