[Freeciv-Dev] Re: (PR#12099) Prune unnecessary server messages

["Vasco Alexandre da Silva Costa" <vasc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

<URL: http://bugs.freeciv.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=12099 >

On Thu, 3 Feb 2005, Per I. Mathisen wrote:

>
> <URL: http://bugs.freeciv.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=12099 >
>
> This patch does:
>  + add message if we tried to buy production and failed
>  - remove message if we succeeded (unnecessary)
>  - remove ancient comment in a place where there is no AI code

Ok.

>  - remove "You have founded %s"

Not ok. People may want to save a game log and these things are important
for a game log.

>  - remove "Suggest throttling growth in %s to use %s (being built)
>    more effectively."
>  - remove "%s may soon grow to size %i"
>  - remove "%s needs %s (being built) to grow any further."
>  - remove "Order restored in %s."

Ok.

>  - remove "Welcome to the %s Server running at %s port %d."

>  - remove "Year: %s"

Not ok. People may want to save a game log and these things are important
for a game log.

>  - remove "%s is the %s ruler %s." when autocreating AI players

Questionable (this message only shows up once, so won't clutter the
display).

>  - remove AI skill level notify when autocreating AI players

Questionable. The feedback is nice.

>  + unified the 3 "can't attack" messages. now it is: "You must declare war
>    on %s first.  Try using players dialog (F3)."
>  - remove "CMA: You lost control of %s. Detaching from city."
>  - remove all now unnused events

Ok.

> This should hopefully make the chat/message window(s) more readable.
>
> Q: Why not change the message window defaults?
>
> A1: There are too many message window options as it is. It is almost
> completely useless, since most players will just glance at it and go 'oh
> holy shit'. Less options will encourage players to actually use this
> facility.

I agree with removing some options, but I think the ones I marked as "Not
ok" should not be removed, just disabled by default.

> A2: Because this is not a good way to make a good game. We should present
> for the player the vital information, thoughtfully formatted and
> considered by us. If some information is off by default, then there is
> probably something wrong with it.

Or, it is useful for debugging or other logging purposes. But not during
regular play. Those messages should still exist in some form.

> Q: But surely the message window options dialog is still dauting and
> user-hostile?
>
> A: I have just started...

The idea seems reasonable, but I suspect you will need to add event
categories to really cleanup the default list.

---
Vasco Alexandre da Silva Costa @ Instituto Superior Tecnico, Lisboa