At (
http://pastebin.com/Q4FyU41E), you'll find two embark profiles I've customized for DF2014. The embark profiles that come with the PeridexisErrant "Dwarf Fortress 40_03 Starter Pack r1" seem to work fine, and these are my attempts at fine tuning for DF2014. Both profiles work with DF2012 as well, despite "Discipline" not showing on the embark purchase menu, it seems to be valid (although they're a little wasteful if you have Dwarf Therapist.)
To install with the newest Starter Pack: Copy the pastebin text and paste it at the bottom of "\Dwarf Fortress 0.40.03\data\init\embark_profiles.txt" and then start up the Pack.
To install for DF2014 Vanilla or older Starter packs: If you already have an "embark_profiles.txt", follow the instructions above. If you have not yet created your own, open a basic text editor, paste the contents, and save as "embark_profiles.txt" in "\Dwarf Fortress 0.40.03\data\init\" and you're ready to go!
The first, "Disciplined Simple Start DF2014" is the basic (PeridexisErrant?)"For new players - Simple Start" modified to add a starting point of Discipline skill to each dwarf (and some other trivial changes,) which the Forum reports indicate helps a lot with the "look, a harmless creature, run away!" effect. It's a good one to work, because it also has points in a lot of starting labors. This helps especially right now, while we wait for Dwarf Therapist!
The second, "Disciplined Craftlords DF2014" is my personal start, with early fortress jobs enabled and a point each in Discipline. One of my goals when building a fortress is to make sure all of my original seven dwarves become Nobles or at the very least, renown master craftsmen. This embark profile gives you: a Mason/Engraver, Armorer/Metalcrafter, Weaponsmith/Metalcrafter, Jeweler/Bookkeeper, Glassmaker/Broker, Mechanic/Engineer Manager, and a Stonecrafter Leader. The starter skills I usually turn on in Dwarf Therapist (Mining, Architecture, Woodcutting, Carpentry, Animal Trainer (broken right now?), Brewer, and both Furnace Operator skills) all have one point, and all get turned off once there are some migrants to take over. For some extra starting dwarfiness, the equipment selection includes coal, bauxite, cassiterite, and malachite, so you can quickly make up some bronze picks and axes (I do include a single training axe.) The sand is for the glassmaker to get started making trap components for trade (there's plenty of bronze for first year good as well!) The rest of the gear is straightforward. For livestock, I've included dogs, pigs, Geese (meat,) Guinea fowl (eggs,) and the traditional cat.
Please help yourself, and enjoy! It's old fashioned smileware; if you've smiled today, feel free to use, modify, take credit for, and distribute, alone or with any project.
I'm also interested in your new starting embarks! What other skills are newly turned on in the embark planning menu? Thoughts, comments?