=========================
      		           Freeciv 1.0a documentation
                           =========================
		       
This archive contains Freeciv version 1.0a, a free Civilization clone for 
unix and X. This version only allows multiplayer games, which means you 
can't play against computer-players.


Compiling and installing:
=========================
Please read the file INSTALL for instruction on how to get Freeciv compiled 
in the first place. It's really not very hard.


Starting a new game:
===================
Server:

  start the server:
  % civserver

  Help on possible options can be obtained with the --help option.

  Now use the 'set' command to set the various variables for the game. 
  You can get a list of the variables with the 'show' command.
  
  You can get option specific help with: help <option>

  For example:

  > help xsize
  Affect: Width of map in squares
  Minimum 40, Maximum 100, Default 80

  > set xsize 100
  > set ysize 80

  Will make the map slightly bigger than the default(80x50).

Client:
  Now all the players that want to participate in the game should join. 
  Suppose the server is running on the machine 'io'. Then players would 
  join with a command like:

  % civclient -s io

Server:
  When everybody has joined(use the (l)ist command to see who's in), the
  server-op starts the game with the (s)start command:
  > s
  starting game.

And the game is on!


Playing the game:
=================
The server-op can save the game at any time using the 'save' command.
Like:

> save my-game

As for the the clients, everything is pretty much as you would expect from
a multiplayer civilization game. That is the players move at the same time.
There's a turn timeout value, which is default set to 0 seconds(no timeout). 
The server-op can alter this value at anytime with the 'set' command.

Have a look at the online help system. All three mouse-buttons are in use,
and documented in the help.

Players can push the return key to announce end of turn, or just push
the 'Turn done' button.

Use the 'Players' dialog to see who has announced turn-done, and who you're 
waiting for(hey bugger! you asleep or what?? ;).

Use the lower input line for broadcasting a message to the other players.
You can message a single player, say called 'Peter' by this syntax:
peter: move that armor away *NOW*!


Ending the game:
================
There are two ways in which a game can end.
1) Only one surviving race.
2) End year reached.

A score-table will be shown in both cases. 
Hint: The server-op can set the end-year runtime. This is nice when the winner
is obvious, still you don't want to play through the boring 'cleanup phase'.


Restoring a game - and playing a scenery:
=========================================

You can restore a saved game by using the server option: -f
  % civserver -f oursave2001.sav

Now the players can join the game:
  % civclient -n Alexander -s io
  
Notice how the player-name is specified with the -n option. It's pretty 
darn important that you type the correct name to be allowed in.

The server-op can now start the game with 's' as usual. Notice that
the players can join the game even if it has been started.

Scenery
=======
The procedure for loading a scenery is the same as restoring a saved game.
The sceneries are located in the 'freeciv/scenarios/' directory.

You can start a scenario by using the server option -f
  % civserver -f /scenarios/crecy-4.sav

Notice how the player-name is specified with the -n option. It's pretty 
darn important that you type the correct name to be allowed in.

The server-op can get a list of allowed player-names in the scenery by typing 'l'.

The server-op can start the game with 's' as usual. Notice that
the players can join the game even if it has been started.
Note: Read the .txt files in scenarios directory

Bugs:
=====
Should you find any bugs then please send us an email specifying what's
wrong. It might be helpful for us if you specify which OS/version/compiler
you're using(use uname -a).

We maintain a bug-list at the Freeciv homepage(address below).



Homepage:
=========
We maintain a homepage for the game at:
  http://www.daimi.aau.dk/~allan/freeciv.html

You should checkout the page, as it contains much more information than
this file and the online help. This is also where we'll inform about 
new releases/bugs/fixes/competitions.


New Releases:
=============
New releases will first be made available at:
  ftp://ftp.daimi.aau.dk/pub/stud/pjunold


Have fun and now go give'em hell!

  The Freeciv Team:
  
     allan ove kjeldbjerg - [email protected]
     claus leth gregersen - [email protected]
     peter joachim unold  - [email protected]