[Freeciv-Dev] Re: Project goals

[saywhat@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Per Inge Mathisen <per@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Wed, 5 Jul 2006, saywhat@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> > > Arbitrarily limiting the number of cities will turn players away from the
> > > game in disgust.
> >  I disagree; but maybe I'm not understanding you.  Are you
> > saying that players who play Freeciv would stop playing it if the
> > maximum number of players was lowered to 10 (let alone 5)?
> The number of players is a game setup (pregame) limit, not an in-game 
> limit. Pregame limitations may be annoying but they do not endanger 
> suspension of disbelief in the same way. The fundamental requirement for 
> in-game limitations is that they be plausible in some way. 
>
> An example of a bad in-game limitation is in the Lord of the Rings RTS 
> game, where, because the graphics engine consumes so much CPU, the limit 
> on how many units you can produce in multiplayer is so low that you have 
> trouble defending and attacking on a large map, no matter how good your 
> production. When you reach the limit, the game just says "too many units" 
> and prevents you from building more. 
>
> > > > - controlled by an option, of course.
> > > Then it becomes irrelevant.
> >  I don't understand.  It seems like you are saying that
> > choosing the maximum number of players is irrelevant.
> It seems like I was talking about cities, not players.
  You're right.  I got the cities and players issues crossed.
Sorry. 

  Your first post mentioned multi-player games with up to 30
players.  I proposed a limitation on city construction as a way
to limit the size of Freeciv games (in order to make all the
Freeciv design issues more manageable). 

   Even so, I believe that the number of cities allowed and the
number of players allowed are two sides of the same coin.
Wouldn't 30 players with 5 cities each stress the game mechanisms
about as much as 5 players with 30 cities each? 

   The LotR example is interesting.  It sounds like the LotR
RTS game's designers made some poor choices about where to
impose limits.  Too bad. :-( 

-Eddie