There are probably threads about this scattered about, but fresh threads never hurt anyone.
My main hobby in DF is to attempt to as closely emulate various societies as I can. I most often have success with Egyptian Fortress, Commie Fortress, and Feudal Fortress. I would like more functional examples!
Feudal Fortress involves emulating any kind of middle or medieval ages kingdom. I have a large castle where the nobles are protected by the bulk of the army and the rest of the population outside of the gates, vulnerable to attack. Middle class structures are nearer the gate, leading to the center of town, then to the markets and finally the farms on the outskirts of the map. When an attack comes, you want to get all your workers inside the gates, but don't transfer any goods or let the guards go out into the town to help them! This leads to fun as you constantly have to rebuild things and your peasants die and grow angry.
The best part is creating neat little Olde Europe stuff like inns and cottages. I made my prison in the center of the town square, to emulate someone being placed in the stocks, and occasionally I drown "elves" to see if they are actually witches. I'm currently working on building a cathedral that I can bury nobles under, with a graveyard in the back taking up way too much space, complete with family mausoleums! I need to make a dumping pit and make people dump 10% of their income into it. :-D And obviously having a huge inn, stables, and living outside.
There's a million other ideas within that, but I imagine it's all been done before. I just want to know what else you creative guys have come up with!
