--- name: "civclient" section: "6" platform: "linux" package: "freeciv-data" version: "2.1.5-2" release: "Debian 5.0 (Lenny)" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/civclient" --- # civclient(6) The client for the Freeciv game ## NAME civclient - The client for the Freeciv game ## SYNOPSIS **civclient \[ -a\|--autoconnect \] \[ -d\|--debug *level\_number* \] \[ -h\|--help \] \[ -l\|--log *filename* \] \[ -m\|--meta *URL* \] \[ -n\|--name *string* \] \[ -p\|--port *port* \] \[ -P\|--Plugin *string* \] \[ -r\|--read *filename* \] \[ -s\|--server *address* \] \[ -S\|--Sound *filename* \] \[ -t\|--tiles *string* \] \[ -v\|--version \]** ## DESCRIPTION Freeciv is a free turn-based multiplayer strategy game, in which each player becomes the leader of a civilization, fighting to obtain the ultimate goal: To become the greatest civilization. Players of Civilization II® by Microprose® should feel at home, since one aim of Freeciv is to have compatible rules. Freeciv is maintained by an international team of coders and enthusiasts, and is easily one of the most fun and addictive network games out there! This is the client program used to connect to a Freeciv server - See also [*civserver*(6)](/civserver/6.md) This manual page only lists the command line arguments. For details regarding the options when using **civclient** see the Client Manual which can be found at http://www.freeciv.org/ ⟨⟩ as well as the documentation which is part of the Freeciv distribution. ## OPTIONS *civclient* accepts all of the standard X Toolkit command line options along with the additional options listed below. Those may not be combined; that is, "civclient -np caesar 5557" will not work, instead you would need to enter "civclient -n caesar -p 5557". All options have a short form (single hyphen and single letter) and a long form (double hyphen and a complete word); their effects are identical. - **-a, --autoconnect** Skips the connect dialog, automatically inserting the default values. This is quite convenient when all has been set up properly. - **-d *level\_number*, --debug *level\_number*** Sets the amount of debugging information to be logged in the file named by the *-l* option. Acceptable values for the *level\_number* are: **0** for fatal messages only. **1** for fatal and error messages. **2** for fatal, error and normal messages. **3** for fatal, error, normal, and verbose messages. - **-h, --help** Prints a short summary of the command line options. - **-l *filename*, --log *filename*** Defines a log file, *filename*, to be produced during processing. Use the *-d* option to set how much is logged. By default, fatal and normal messages are printed to standard output. With a log file, such messages go to the log instead. - **-m *URL*, --meta *URL*** Specifies the *URL* of the metaserver to connect to. A metaserver is a place where Freeciv servers can publish their presence. Freeciv clients consult the metaserver to offer users a selection of games to join. By default the standard Freeciv metaserver is used. - **-n *string*, --name *string*** Specifies the name (*string*) to play under. This option is critical when reconnecting to a game. Please note that you might need to quote your playername. - **-p *port*, --port *port*** Specifies the server *port* to connect to. By default this is 5556, if in doubt ask the server administrator. - **-P *string*, --Plugin *string*** Specifies the plugin to use for sound output. Available options for *string* are: **none** **sdl** - **-r *filename*, --read *filename*** Specifies a file, *filename*, of server commands which the server will automatically read and process, as if you had typed them in at the server's prompt. (for spawned server only) - **-s *address*, --server *address*** Specifies the game server *address* to connect to. This server might easily run on the same machine as the client. - **-S *filename*, --Sound *filename*** Specifies the *filename* to read the sound tags from. - **-t *string*, --tiles *string*** Specifies the tiles to be used within the game by supplying the name (*string*) of the tilespec. See the *FILES* section below for tilespecs included with this distribution. - **-v, --version** Prints the version number and exits. ## EXAMPLES - **civclient --name King Richard --server io.daimi.aau.dk** Starts the client using the name *King Richard* and connecting to the server at *io.daimi.aau.dk*. - **civclient -a -t trident** Starts the client with the *trident* tiles and autoconnects to the *localhost*. ## FILES - **~/.civclientrc** This is where your local settings will be stored. - **tilespecs** The Freeciv client requires several files in the Freeciv data directory, which is */usr/local/share/freeciv* by default. Currently the following tilespecs can be used: • *amplio.tilespec* • *hex2t.tilespec* • *isophex.tilespec* • *isotrident.tilespec* • *trident.tilespec* ## ENVIRONMENT The Freeciv client accepts these environment variables: - **FREECIV\_CAPS** A string containing a list of "capabilities" provided by the server. The compiled-in default should be correct for most purposes, but if you are familiar with the capability facility in the source you may use it to enforce some constraints between clients and server. - **FREECIV\_COMPRESSION\_LEVEL** Sets the compression level for network traffic. - **FREECIV\_DATA\_ENCODING** Sets the data encoding (used for data files, savegames, and network strings). - **FREECIV\_INTERNAL\_ENCODING** Sets the internal encoding (used for GUI strings). - **FREECIV\_LOCAL\_ENCODING** Sets the local encoding (used for terminal output). - **FREECIV\_MULTICAST\_GROUP** Sets the multicast group (for the LAN tab). - **FREECIV\_PATH** A colon separated list of directories pointing to the **freeciv** data directory. By default freeciv looks in the following directories, in order, for any data files: the current directory; the "data" subdirectory of the current directory; the subdirectory ".freeciv" in the user's home directory; and the directory where the files are placed by running "make install". - **HOME** Specifies the user's home directory. - **http\_proxy** Set this variable accordingly when using a proxy. - **LANG** or **LANGUAGE** Sets the language and locale on some platforms. - **LC\_ALL** or **LC\_CTYPE** Similar to LANG (see documentation for your system). - **USER** Specifies the username of the current user. ## BUGS Please report bugs to http://bugs.freeciv.org/ ⟨⟩ . ## MORE INFO The Freeciv homepage is located at http://www.freeciv.org/ ⟨⟩ . Updates and new info is first posted there. ## AUTHORS The Freeciv Team \. This manpage was originally put together by Florian Ernst \ using the Client Manual and the comments in the sourcecode. It was updated by Ben Bettin \ to add new features, integrate information from the website's online documentation, and for slight formatting adjustments. Feel free to use it as you wish. ## SEE ALSO [*civserver*(6)](/civserver/6.md) and the Client Manual at the Freeciv homepage.