Technology: Fertilizer

[VulcanScout]

Somehow the tech tree is missing one of the 3 greatest inventions of humanity. The technology ruleset includes

• Alphabet and Writing

• The Wheel

The ruleset does not mention fertilizers. To me, personal opinion, fertilizers belong into that list. Feeding todays world population with billions of people.
Nitrogen fertilizers are also associated with one of the most tragic - and often forgotten - personalities in science history Fritz Haber. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_Haber

In techs.ruleset

Code: Select all

[advance_fertilizer]
name     = _("Fertilizer")
req1     = "Refining"
req2     = "Electricity"
root_req = "Chemistry"
graphic     = "a.fertilizer"
graphic_alt = "-"
helptext = _("\
Bread from Air\
\
Fertilizers provide plant nutricients and make irrigated and \
farmland fields more productive with a bonus of food.\
\
Irrigated fields yield 20% more food output\
Farmland fields yield 40% more food output
")

In effects.ruleset

Code: Select all

[effect_fertilizer_irrigation]
type    = "Output_Per_Tile"
value   = 20
reqs    = {
  "type", "name", "range", "present"
  "Tech", "Fertilizer", "Player", TRUE
  "Extra", "Irrigation", "Local", TRUE
  "OutputType", "Food", "Local", TRUE
  "Extra", "Mine", "Local", FALSE
  "Extra", "Oil Well", "Local", FALSE
}

[effect_fertilizer_farmland]
type    = "Output_Per_Tile"
value  = 40
reqs  = {
  "type", "name", "range", "present"
  "Tech", "Fertilizer", "Player", TRUE
  "Extra", "Farmland", "Local", TRUE
  "OutputType", "Food", "Local", TRUE
  "Extra", "Mine", "Local", FALSE
  "Extra", "Oil Well", "Local", FALSE
}

[Gavroche]

Indeed, the importance of fertilizers is routinely forgotten. And pesticides. And farming machinery. In the context of Freeciv though, I, for one, am content with thinking of those as embedded in the advent of industrialisation.

Nevertheless, historical data show an increase of 1,000 % in crop yields, over the 20th century. Such figures would probably difficult to render in the very simplified world model of Freeciv.

Anyway, this is not the only shortcut taken by this technology tree.