[Freeciv] Re: RFE: terrain improvement: canal

[Bernd Jendrissek <berndj@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

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On Fri, Jan 13, 2006 at 09:51:03AM +0000, Fishpark wrote:
> Staying on the topic of canals, I like it better now
> that I've thought of it a little longer. It should be
> very expensive to build one, though, or else players
> would 'canalise' every continent on the planet the
> same way they do with irrigation. Maybe some rules
> such as the ones you proposed or other ones (no
> parallel canals, or no forks in canals?) could be
> added.

Since players could ultimately terraform a strait (ocean) through
continents, the only real question is *how* expensive should canals be,
assuming you think they're a good idea at all.  (IMHO they sound cool
but I have no idea if they'd be "good" for the gameplay.)

Would it make sense to add a penalty (-1 food, for example)?  Hey you
can't feed the masses with fish from polluted canals, and they get in
the way of large-scale agriculture.

Also, if canals were to have no benefit other than allowing more
movement (unlike roads and railroads which also have trade, food and
production benefits), then the only incentive to build them is to have a
shorter route for sea units from one side of a continent to another.
For that purpose, you *really* don't need to cover your continent with
canals, especially if they are nontrivial to build.  All you need is a
"reasonable" number of coastal connections (dense) and an inland network
(sparse).

Oh, and you should only be able to build canals on grassland (and
swamps?).  Excuses for disallowing other terrain types: plains are too
rocky, you can't furrow mile-high gorges in hills and mountains, jungles
damage the canal walls.  Oh, and maybe deserts too.

Hmm, I wonder how much elevation data is still available from the map
generation process?  Wouldn't it be cool to see contours so you can plan
your canals?  And maybe in FreeCiv 6.23.2 you guys could somehow make it
talk to GRASS GIS. :)

- -- 
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                                               - Joe Buck on gcc@xxxxxxxxxxx
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