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YES PLZ - BEGIN THE AGE OF DWARVES

Yes - These reforms are what Fortresses of the modern Ages need.

Yes - It sounds like a nice thing to try out for a while.

No - I quite like the way things have been and should stay that way.

No - "Healthcare actually does something?"

NOOOO - WHAT ELFY TALK IS THIS, PULL THE LEVER

[Loud Whispers]

The world has passed into The Age of Enlightenment.
That's pretty much how the age-changing announcements go, right?

Ftfy

There's been a changing atmosphere for the realms of the Upper forums. Of overseers who care for their Dwarves, and indeed do everything in their power to make their little pixelated lives as nice as possible.

What Overseer are you?

The theoretical or the practical Scientist?
Do you sacrifice Dwarves readily for Science - or no reason at all?
Do you see a Dwarf's worth in a utilitarian light, that they are only worth as much as their skill sets (or lack thereof)?
What do your Dwarves mean to you on the individual and the whole scale?

How will you treat your Dwarves?
Treating them with luxuries fueled by great industry and labour, striving to perform feats of intense glory untouched with tragedy, or do you leave them to the elements with naught but a copper pick for your cruel and bloody amusement, as they build monuments to earn your mercy?

[darkgloomie]

I'll admit, I'm quite new to this whole "overseer" business. Haven't had the chance to throw some hundred of dwarves to their hilarious accidental deaths due to a failed megaproject.

However, I'm naturally inclined not to waste resources. If a death wouldn't serve me no purpose, or be absolutely hilarious, then I won't endeavor to cause it.

For everything else, there's *pig tail fiber socks*

[Wannazzaki]

I make my dwarves as comfortable as possible to maintain their sanity and prevent the collapse of my fort, it's sad to say if they had no sanity to lose they would be sleeping on mud chewing raw mushrooms and drinking plump helmet wine. The sheer volume of horror i expose them to..well. Their minds require mending. Easily made fancy trinkets keep them happy.

[Mageziya]

I'm not sadistic, more indifferent. The main reason I dislike dwarven deaths are the consequences of the deaths. The most sympathy they'll get from me is me saying in my head, "Poor bastard."


Goblins and elves on the other hand...

[BoredVirulence]

The dwarf's treatment is proportional to their skill-set and that skill-set's worth. In my fortress we have professionals, warriors, apprentices, farmers, nobles, useless professionals, and scum. In that order.

Although I give each dwarf a decent lodge and legendary dining, booze and food for all. In the end, when I need a militia of say 30 strong to meat-shield for my skilled warriors and marks-dwarves, you can guess who they will be, and how they will not be equipped. Although there are days that legendary cheesemaker helps, and I'd sacrifice a few of my haulers for him, at some point though having enough haulers is more important than some nice cheese. Although legendary miners, masons, and metalsmiths need not worry.
And yes, I am more likely to send out the "militia" or conscripts rather than injure my decently trained warriors, just depends on the risk. but one of my warriors getting a broken leg is more serious than 5 haulers dying.
And yes, there are no "useless apprentices." You're either a very high level, or you're a hauler. Prospective cheesemakers are allowed to make cheese, but they are still just haulers.

I'd like to see the return of the economy. I can easier control giving those useless dwarves a dusty hole in the ground, and give my good professionals something worth living in.

[Drazinononda]

I'm naturally inclined not to waste resources.

This. Fisherdwarf caught outside during a siege on a map with no water? Eh, there'r other haulers. Fisherdwarf who is also a Legendary Axedwarf dies in a siege on a map with no water? NOOOOOOOOOO

And yes, all my Fishery Workers become legendary soldiers. That is actually my main recruiting schema: "Oh, a dark blue one! SUIT UP, PRIVATE"

[Loud Whispers]

And yes, all my Fishery Workers become legendary soldiers. That is actually my main recruiting schema: "Oh, a dark blue one! SUIT UP, PRIVATE"

I have national service in my Fort. Everyone trains as a soldier, fights in war as a soldier and has to carry out whatever soldiering soldiers need to soldier. In return, they get the full luxuries of the fort, such as necromanc'd bacon, royal bedrooms and cavernous dining facilities.
I take Dorf welfare seriously.

In return - what they do is offer me the ability to pursue science with the force of 1000 Urists being exerted by a Fortress of Dwarves. It helps to be able to conduct science without having to collapse half your fort in order to staunch the latest zombie outbreak.

[Varnifane]

After the ubiquitous carve-fortifications-in-the-warm-wall dwarf I don't try to lose dwarves. Not that I try to not lose dwarves (I always have half my current population's worth of coffins built and placed and half the population's worth of slabs standing by) I just don't actively engage in trying to kill my dwarves.

Although with my new rule regarding having open paths (no bridges or traps) to the outside and the caverns after year 2, I suppose I really am damning all weavers, children and pets to bloody/breaky/cutty/bashy/melty/XXXXXy doom.

[GreatWyrmGold]

While some dwarves don't get much love from me, I don't actively try to kill them like I once did. Sure, they might get sent to fight with little training and less gear, but that's about standard for my soldiers. And before they die, they'll have food, alcohol, a place to sleep, and meaningful work to do. Granted, the meaning is typically lost on them, but its the thought that counts.

[misko27]

3-tiers of military in my fort.

• Part-Time Training
• Full time middle to low level dwarves
• Part-Time Elites.

And then civilians.

WHAT ELFERY IS THIS? IF WE START RESPECTING OUR DWARVES, SOON THEY'LL BE TAKING OUR RIGHT TO SLAUGHTER ELVEN MERCHANTS! THIS MUST BE STOPPED!!!

Seriously though, If a dwarf needs to die for the good of SCIENCE, It would be a disrespect to stop him. They die for the good of the rest. I once killed off an entire fort solely to learn about loyalty cascades. Children killed parents, Wives killed husbands, all for the good of SCIENCE. If we stop killing them arbitrarily, we'll start feeling BAD when they die! Losing will cease to be Fun. And thats not the dwarf fortress I know and love.

[Loud Whispers]

Seriously though, If a dwarf needs to die for the good of SCIENCE, It would be a disrespect to stop him. They die for the good of the rest. I once killed off an entire fort solely to learn about loyalty cascades. Children killed parents, Wives killed husbands, all for the good of SCIENCE. If we stop killing them arbitrarily, we'll start feeling BAD when they die! Losing will cease to be Fun. And thats not the dwarf fortress I know and love.

That's a good argument, but one I disagree with nonetheless.

If a Dwarf wants to die, it'd be disrespectful to allow them that wish. They've seen things, experienced things and to throw it all away because they have a few eyes missing is a travesty! They have to live through their ailments and sufferings like true Dwarves - FOR SCIENCE! I never would've had bacon science or were-civet babies if I recklessly sacrificed too many Dwarves without cause. And the thing about clutching onto Dwarves - is that they have more meaning when they lose. They die.
And all the more Fun when you clutch onto dear life, never abandoning for hope that one Dwarf will triumph, one Dwarf will pull the lever that renders your fort uninhabitable...

Shit, I made caring for Dwarves sound horrifying.

[Sutremaine]

I'm fairly nice to my dwarves, making an effort to minimise exposure to the outdoors or unsecured caverns.

I'm not so hot on giving them bedrooms, because once you do that they start hoarding stuff forever.

[birdy51]

I... Have been incredibly poor to my dwarves in the close past, particurally children. After getting several "man"child dwarves at ages like 21 and 18, I decided to create a special burrows located outside of the fortress for the sole task of having them kidnapped so I didn't have to deal with them anymore. This seemed to be the best way to get rid of the little partying booze-guzzling savages, as their parents don't get bad thoughts from their disapearence, and goblins get a new friend. But, I decided that from now on I shall let them have existence in my fort without the fear of going into the outside world.

Rather, I've decided now that I'm going to try to be at least vaguely benevolent to all races. Traders shall be treated fairly, even if they are elves. Nay, they shall not have to fear a steep drop into a ravine because the whim strikes me. If invaders visit my fortress, they shall be caged and declothed, then promptly released back into the world. The only exception will be made for notable members of the enemy civilization. They shalt be dealt with harsh punishments, and death by a thousand alder training sword blows. I'm tired of having to kill everything that moves because the AI forces my hand. But the only way to stem aggression is to cut off the serpents head. Likewise, ambushers will not be tolerated and will be struck with deadly force. Vampires will be permachained to a wall after I discover that they are indeed a vampire, by locking the door to their chambers, so that they cannot be released.

As an adventurer, I shall no longer go on copious killing sprees of the innocent simply because they don't seem to like me. I shall try not to take their socks, especially when I do not require a new pair of socks. If I become a vampire, a werebeast, or a necromancer, I shall not turn evil and start to kill every poor soul who helped me to get to this point. Rather, I shall instead continue on as if nothing happened, and not become strangle happy.

I don't do these things yet, but I will sometime soon.

[MrWillsauce]

I never take necessary risks with my dwarves and furnish the fort as best I can, giving them all royal bedrooms as quickly as possible. I can see the potential in every dwarf (a cheesemaker can become a marksdwarf in time and a potash maker can be a stone-smoother) and I don't even kill children. I do work them hard however. I hate having idle dwarves and I painstakingly micromanage every one of them so that they are all contributing to the grand fortress they enjoy.

That is, until I get bored. At that point I pump magma through the whole place and kill them all.

[Casp]

For all my bravado, I do usually expend a modicum of effort preventing needless dwarf death. I do sometimes get genuinely sad when one of my more favored dwarves dies.

Unless you are a noble/cheese maker/potash maker/etc. Then, you are a waste of food and water, and your death is in the best interest of everyone. While I will not go out of my way to kill you, I will not waste a single *cave silk sock* to save you if it comes to it.