Correct the rulesets civ1 and civ2
Posted: Tue May 19, 2015 3:16 pm
The Freeciv versions currently in development, Freeciv 2.6 and Freeciv 3.0, have moved more rules to the ruleset. It may be possible to exploit the new ruleset flexibility to make the civ1 ruleset and the civ2 ruleset more like the rules of the games they are based on.
When a rule moves to the ruleset the rule that used to be hard coded is often added to all the bundled rulesets. If and how a rule should change is a different concern from how it should be unhardcoded. Thinking about, researching and discussing what rule is correct for a given ruleset can be done later. In the case of civ1 and civ2 the correct rule is the rule that is closest to the game it is based on (unless a Freeciv related problem would have it result in a really broken game play).
A Freeciv developer unhardcoding a rule may not think of checking if a more correct civ1 or civ2 ruleset just became possible. It is possible to be a Freeciv developer without having access to Civilization and Civilization II. Changing civ1 or civ2 without being able to test if the original game really was closer to the change than to Freeciv's old hard coded behavior is risky.
You don't have to be a programmer to help make the civ1 ruleset or the civ2 ruleset more correct. Most of a Freeciv ruleset is a collection of configuration files. If you discover a rule in the civ1 ruleset or in the civ2 ruleset that could be more correct please submit a bug report. Bonus points for attaching a patch with your correction.
Resources
When a rule moves to the ruleset the rule that used to be hard coded is often added to all the bundled rulesets. If and how a rule should change is a different concern from how it should be unhardcoded. Thinking about, researching and discussing what rule is correct for a given ruleset can be done later. In the case of civ1 and civ2 the correct rule is the rule that is closest to the game it is based on (unless a Freeciv related problem would have it result in a really broken game play).
A Freeciv developer unhardcoding a rule may not think of checking if a more correct civ1 or civ2 ruleset just became possible. It is possible to be a Freeciv developer without having access to Civilization and Civilization II. Changing civ1 or civ2 without being able to test if the original game really was closer to the change than to Freeciv's old hard coded behavior is risky.
You don't have to be a programmer to help make the civ1 ruleset or the civ2 ruleset more correct. Most of a Freeciv ruleset is a collection of configuration files. If you discover a rule in the civ1 ruleset or in the civ2 ruleset that could be more correct please submit a bug report. Bonus points for attaching a patch with your correction.
Resources
- How to modify a Freeciv ruleset
- Some of the changes in what a 2.6 ruleset can do. (Changes that are older than the thread not included)
- Changes in what a 3.0 ruleset can do.
- The guides for upgrading a ruleset from 2.5 to 2.6 and from 2.6 to 3.0 give an idea about what rules have been unhardcoded.
- Spy actions and caravan actions are more configurable in 2.6.
- Actions are even more configurable in 3.0.
- The effect documentation for 3.0.
- The rulesets civ1 and civ2 in Freeciv 2.6.
- The rulesets civ1 and civ2 in Freeciv trunk (3.0).
- Caravan action and spy action legality when the actor unit is out of moves / on non native terrain / transported / etc. (Can now be changed using action enablers)
- Was the bonus reduced if you entered the marketplace in stead of establishing a trade route? (Can be changed in 3.0)
- Was entering a marketplace (and not establishing a trade route) possible at all? When? (Can be changed in 2.6)
- Was the bribe cost of Settlers 50% of the bribe cost of other units? (Added in Freeciv using the Unit_Bribe_Cost_Pct effect)
- Would trying to do an illegal action cost you moves? (Added in Freeciv using the Illegal_Action_Move_Cost effect)
- Unsafe terrain from Civilization 2. (The path finding would cheerfully have a unit end its turn on unsafe terrain)