Hello, as my title suggests, this is a suggestive outlay for a generalised revitalisation of "zoos", 'terrariums & aquariums' in general, covering the finer points of glass cages and the generally neglected 'zoo area' created via a non justice assigned cage as a public attraction for exhibiting wild beasts.
> The ability to specify from the details menu whether a glass cage or adequate metal cage is a aquarium or a regular terrarium, with additional specifications available from that cage. Improving upon the current system of switching between the two, which while both have some utility, has been a much underused mechanic since the purpose of catching live vermin fish for display and occasional examples of [aquatic][underswim] fish which often die mid transit due to poor dwarf caging skills and save-states.
- Separating aquariums and glass cages in the menus for a specific purpose of allowing a dwarf to choose a appropriate one for utility rather than relying on one type and having water just be carried around as additional weight in aquariums to set them apart within the creation process, typically banning them from cage traps until specified. (with contingency if cage save states are ever revised and scrapped for real-time)
> Specifications like a 'terrarium biome' inside for theming bonuses, additional happy thoughts for having a appropriate biome (applied as a improvement for a minimal cost of some stone/ice/sand and plants from that area, entirely opitional) that while dwarves may not be particularly taken aback by such improvements that aren't subterranean, other races might appreciate it more. Dwarves feel significantly less guilty about caging animals in to a comfortable and valuable enclosure.
- For example, the creation process for a tundra biome may be two blocks of ice (or some water with the reasoning of freezing it into ice) for comfortably exhibiting your off duty giant war polar bears created up to a masterful standard (with dwarves exclaiming the masterfulness of it not being able to tell the difference between fake and reality due to attention to detail, then feeling a little bit sick about nature)
> Distinction between cages that promote cruelty and therefore negative thoughts and luxury/lavishness. (given that though racial ethics dictate there is a reason for conflict over animal cruelty, there are few to no examples of sentients actually exacting cruelty upon animals) throwing animals into bare cages without food for extended periods of time to which if ethics allow, being tormented by onlookers for personal entertainment should give negative thoughts to dwarves.
- On the flipside, well kept livestock/animals which are reguarly fed in these exhibitions (via UI toggle with a function to clear out seeds directly without T) recover injuries faster, remain less distracted and alert on top of being often less emancipated and fuller bodied than their counterparts , making them ideal places to store them and realistically being able to infer a feeling of desperation in wartime, when animals are not being fed non-essential meals, becoming gaunt and thin in your zoos visibily
- Comfortability could also be relevant to prisoners also, giving a bastille like existance with the elf in the masterful iron mask (
true heir to the dwarf throne) or a very dirty and dank dungeon like experience made to exact the most amount of punishment possible
> Ability to greenhouse a individual plant anywhere within this 'terrarium biome tank' in hostile biomes particularly, promoting the use of glass industries on a large scale (though the fiddlyness of calling all your citizens/farmers to harvest them with a slow pace might help discourage over-use for disrupting your other farming efforts, on top of the cost of outfitting each one with a biome)
> Greater UI and dwarf/sentient interactions for cages in general, recognising zoos as stress relieving public (or private) places where dwarves can marvel at animals at their leisure from many different places. Take the example of the Tower of London, to which inside a private zoo was kept for royalty's entertainment, similar outfits could well prop up in the world-gen world, siphoning off the natural regeneration of animals in the enviroment. Reflected in cultural differences like bear baiting and arena sports, to more serene activities such as a choir of elf trained birds simulating a instrument or performer acts.
Ahem, understanding that i may have gone a bit 'zoo-tycoon' on you with all these varied points, while most of some of these small changes are trivial i do take care in places to point out some neglected parts of the game that have not been touched in a while. For myself personally, its less about the cages themselves as the dwarven interactions with the world, though it may be in their nature and not a particularly dwarfy thing to not immediately eat and skin a animal rather than observe, write books about and appreciate a animal (though there's always those who are beside the norm to help accomplish such things) it breathes more life into the world for them to at least acknowledge such facts of life.
Even if in their beer drenched stupour and longetivity they are just waiting for the pretty animals in the pretty cages growing fat to kick the bucket and end up on their dinner plates faster like a fine wine.
Feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Topic: Zoo terrarium/aquarium cage revamp (Read 1434 times)