The Warclient is a modified client for Freeciv, with some added and different features for making multiplayer Freeciv more consistent, balanced, less tedious and much more fun. It is matched by the Warserver, a modified freeciv server with slightly different rules and different default settings. Both are generally compatible with Freeciv version 2.0.
Read current news about releases here, older news here, or visit the official project website.
Obtaining[]
Windows binary packages are available here. Check this link for news about updated windows versions.
For other platforms you can get the latest Warclient sources via svn:
- http://svn.gna.org/svn/freeciv-warclient/tags/0.10.4/ for the "stable" version.
- http://svn.gna.org/svn/freeciv-warclient/trunk/ for the latest development version.
Or you can try a source tarball located here. Other links to source or binary packages for various distributions can be found on the Warclient forums. Example download via svn and build:
$ svn co http://svn.gna.org/svn/freeciv-warclient/trunk/ warclient $ cd warclient $ ./autogen.sh $ make $ sudo make install
N.B.: Warclient is available only with gtk+-2.0 support and requires newer versions of the library than regular Freeciv. If configure fails complaining about the gtk version, you may need to install newer libraries or try getting packages for your system, e.g.
$ sudo apt-get install libgtk2.0-dev
Mac OS installation may require a few extra steps:
- Read Mac OS specifics on building your client here.
- Install macports and within a regular terminal window install gtk2, gmake and subversion ports. Restart after all preparation packages are installed - it does make a difference!
- Start X11 and within the xterm window (NOT the regular terminal window!) run these:
$ export PATH=/opt/local/bin:/opt/local/sbin:$PATH $ env CC="gcc -no-cpp-precomp -I/opt/local/include -L/opt/local/lib" CFLAGS="-O3" $ sudo ./autogen.sh --enable-client=gtk2 --without-readline --with-included-gettext
- If your installation asks you now about any missing packages, use the port command to install them. It is alright now even from the xterm window, if missing packages do not correspond to any available port name (happens often). You can find what port has that missing thing in it using an internet search. If such installation does not help, restart X11. Sometimes it helps to refresh what is installed and available.
- Disabling NLS may help against locale errors. If you really need native language support, try without it and see if it works.
Warclient Features[]
- Powerful multi-queue delayed goto/paradrop/airlift/nuke for executing planned actions of many units all at the same time.
- Versatile multi-selection and mass-orders for units.
- Automated airlifting with multiple source queues and unit types.
- Flexible filter system for unit and delayed action selection.
- Automatic optimal trade route determination and toggleable drawing of traderoutes on the main map view.
- Configurable dynamic setting saving and loading to easily recover from disconnects and crashes.
- Configurable colored chat messages and split chat/message view.
- Clickable chat links for team coordination and "allies only" chat mode.
- Ability to sell by building type from any number of selected cities at once.
- Production buy cost can be shown on the map view city label and buying can be performed for any number of selected cities straight from the map view.
- Configurable automatic city renaming based on a format string.
- Flexible client-side airplane patrol.
- Ability to sleep units (like sentry but they do not focus when awakened).
- Map view distance calculator.
- Configurable default actions for diplomat, spy or caravan arrival.
- Configurable default actions for new units including rallying to a pre-set destination.
- Automatic execution of actions based on game events (e.g. when a treaty is cancelled or 5 seconds before the turn is finished).
- Asynchronous DNS and metaserver communication.
- Ability to display all information received from the metaserver (e.g. settings and players on each server).
- Extra nations along with custom flags.
- Dynamic and flexible voting GUI.
- Re-written and improved menu handling.
Warserver Features[]
- MySQL integration for user authentication, game recording and player statistics.
- Extended Glicko rating system for multi-player, multi-team and solo games.
- Automatic team assignment with a plethora of default team names.
- Custom pre-generated map/scenario loading and unloading by players.
- Balanced and improved map generators with automatic optimal (and configurable) size calculation and team placement.
- Asynchronous reverse DNS lookups for new connections.
- Access control list with command levels for observers, players, admins and more.
- Commands to ban/unban, mute/unmute or otherwise deal with misbehaving users.
- Improved voting system with per command and per setting vote parameters.
- Drastically improved socket communication code fixing an enormous number of very annoying networking bugs (especially for high network loads and high latency links).
Game Rule Changes[]
- Default ruleset is nowonder+-1.3 (many more rulesets can be chosen from the list given by the command /list rulesets):
- No wonders (except Manhattan and Apollo, but Apollo doesn't reveal the map).
- Elephants are back. Polytheism, 4/1/2, 40 shields.
- Crusaders are back. Monotheism, 5/1/1 40 shields.
- Fundamentalism is back.
- Airlifting is different. You can airlift one unit from each your cities with an airport to another of your cities. E.g. if you have 10 cities and all of them have an airport, with a single button press you can transport 10 units to a single destination city once per turn.
- When conquering or stealing technology, the first free technology from the ruleset is stolen. If the technologies in the ruleset are ordered from worst to best, then the worst technology is always stolen first.
- Ships and air units don't get a defense bonus from terrain.
- Chance of success of bribing an enemy unit depends on diplchance.
- Aegis cruiser's defense multiplier is reduced to x2.
- Team research is not pooled.
Default Setting Changes[]
- Tech exchange is not allowed.
- Money exchange is not allowed.
- City exchange is not allowed.
- Balanced trade route formula. Internal routes pay the same as foreign, both in trade revenue, and trade bonus (details here).
- Map generator 6-7: all player islands are exactly the same up to axis rotation.
Warclient/server games[]
Warclient games are "translated" into the Longturn setting and are occasionally played on the Longturn server system. The next game with War ruleset is LT59.
The Longturn community also occasionally plays shortturnWarserver games which are announced on a shorter notice on Longturn Discord server.