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[Silverionmox]

I'd prefer real tool requirements above generic ones. I think tools for the legendary craftsdwarves are just as important as weapons for the legendary weapon lords.

All tools could have a tag for the job category they are useful for. Eg. the 'hammer' entry would get [woodworking][smithing][masonry] tags. Jobs done without an appropriate tool would be slow and can't yield better than minimal quality. Jobs done with appropriate tools would go faster and deliver better quality. There should be a function with diminishing returns on adding more tools. You could assign tools to workshops, and craftsdwarves could claim tools for themselves; when they work in the workshop, they would use the best of both if there were doubles.

For the vanilla two or three tools for a job would be normal. You would then bring general, multipurpose tools at embark (hammers, axes, grinding stones, etc.) and get or make the specialized ones (astrolabes, lenses, ear scoops, etc.) later.

Furniture doesn't need to be complicated, let's assume the standard items are the most basic functional forms. A bed can be made from wood only. Varnish, paint and the little rubber circles underneath belong in the decoration category. Some things like spikes on weapons might also add functionality.

[zwei]

Immigrants would bring appropriate tools to do their job. Ever hear of a carpenter who didn't have his own tools?

I like this, immigrant that has his chosen trade bringing his tools would be nice touch. And you could always get off dwarf who comes without tools or who comes with masterpiece chisel.

Also, basic tools could be given for "free" to embark dwarves who are past novice.

This would remove much of hassle when embarking - you can not "forget" to take tools.

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I support tool ideas because:

- as said, if you have tools, you can have dwarf masterpiece tools, and all the nice interactions. And not mentioning artifact tools ...
- since adventurer mode is going to have them, they are going find their way to fortress mode anyway, and it would be weird if caravan brings saw and none of your carpenters is interested and continues to make chairs by chewing away the excess wood off log.
- more fun potential, more "oh crap, my jewelcrafter fell to river and drowned, i have to recover his grinding stone!".
- as said, to craftsman, his tools are very important. even today: i could write code in notepad and compile with commandline javac, but i use eclipse and ant because those are apropriate tools.
- producing quality tools for everyone is nice side goal for developed fortress or when attempting megaconstruction.

This gives potential for cool scenarios: older dwarf giving his tools to his son to continue family trade/son inheriting it and getting happy though when allowed to take on his ancestors trade to use it. Blacksmith ending his apprenticeship by creating his own toolset. Particulary evil mason murdering his coleague just to get his artefact tools (or, just plainly stealing them). Engravings of McUrist and his trusty fishing pole which he nicknamed "carpkiller".

Craftsman does not necesarily have to require tools to work, but he should not be exactly happy with that setup, nor should he work effectivelly/have quality output without them. I'd expect your 20 newly appointed masons to at least form union/guild and refuse to work with just bare hands.

Oh, and anyone who does "home improvement" thing can tell you that having tools is damned important .

[Pilsu]

The embark bit is a non-issue, the game should just warn you if you're trying to embark with no seeds, food, drink, tools etc. Individual warnings could be turned off in the init

You don't need a grinding stone to setup an outpost. Having fancy things would probably just remove quality limits, make work faster or whatever works. Extending the list of what is already mandatory just makes sense. Mind you, the game should let us choose the item material. And needless to say, you don't want copper tools even if they're cheap


Felling trees with a hatchet would be a pain in the ass, as would tilling a field with a pick so penalties for not bringing a proper set of tools should be significant

[Detoxicated]

I dont know, i can see the entire tool thing working out well... Let's say you'd give granted tools to the beginning player, he then can create better tools with his crude tools... This would start out like this:
e.g.: Carpenters Workshop: You start with a wooden hammer, then you build a better hammer with your hammer and some rocks, then you use that better hammer to create an even better hammer made of iron, then steel, adamantium etc... the quality of the hammer is determined by the material (which opens new options once you have a better material hammer) and also by the skill of the toolmaker (which would increase efficency of the tool in terms of speed. This way you could have a hammer which is extremely fast but can only access certain items. (Say an exceptional woodhammer)

With exceptional tools of exceptional material you'd occassionally create a minor artifact, which isnt as powerful as an artifact but better than a regular magnificient version of the item.

In terms of things like nails and such, i think it could be quite awesome, but they would have to be produced quickly, say you create 100 nails with one go, but they act as one portion... i dont know how likely this would work but i imagine it like this:

Create Nails: would produce 100 nails, but you would need a bucket for it. All the bucket does is count the items within so the cpu doesnt freeze, these buckets would immediatly be brought to workshops that use these kinds of tools.

I also like the idea of an inventory of the workshops... These would be filled by the hauling dwarves, and could be altered to ones need (for instance you decide what kind of woods, or nails youd want, this is useful if you want a legendary forge, carpentry etc.)

[Tiny]

I really like the idea of having more tools in the game, the post by Zwei above covers many of the points I'd make on this.

Many jobs the would use tools can be done with just rocks, ie:-
   

• Butchering animals was done very well with stone tools, it's faster with a knife and faster still with bone saws and cleavers
• It is possible to work metal using a rock as a hammmer and a bigger rock as an avil but is will be slow and very low quality work

Having metal casting would get around the problem of needing tools to make tools, as casting requires few if any tools and can be used to make most metal tools. Forging should produce much better weapons, armour, toios and fine crafts, whereas casting would be the sensible way to make large things like anvils and statues (in fact forging an anvil would be almost impossible, and it wouldn't be as good).