Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[RenoFox]

The main problem with werecreatures is that for most time, they're just naked peasants in caves. Giving them the ability to shapeshift at will would make fighting them more climatic, but without any drawbacks that would make turning into a werecreature a gift rather than a curse.

To make the transformation still mostly undesirable, I'd suggest that the werecreatures couldn't turn back to human form without killing people. They could turn into their superpowered evil side if their life depended on it, but wouldn't do that lightly because it would mean going on a killing spree afterwards. Having that happen involuntarily once a month would still keep the unwilling murderer active even when not threatened.

Furthermore, this would make werecreature attacks in fortress mode more dangerous. I have yet to fight a single werecreature, because they invariably revert to their peasant form before my military reaches them. I'd like to have them on the map until either they die or at least one dwarf gets mauled to death.

[GreatWyrmGold]

That could be interesting. It doesn't make a lot of sense.

How about this: Transformation occurs under stress, e.g. combat or unhappiness. Certain phases of the moon can cause stress. Transforming massively increases stress. Once transformed, the werebeast needs to let off steam before it can transform back to its human/dwarven/whatever from. This can be done through combat, vandalism, magic, contact with a loved one, or perhaps seeing a statue which gives a massive happy thought.

[Belteshazzar]

Transformation under stress would make for a pretty useful mechanic I think, the werecreatures could even have differing preferences/personalities added to reflect what it takes to calm them back down.

 Could even be uses later for other magical abilities or afflictions that can 'get out of control' when their user is particularly distraught. Or just, you know, HULK SMASH!

[Neonivek]

Toady hinted that transformation triggers would eventually be put through the randomisation filter.

As for the Werecreatures that ONLY transform during a fullmoon... I have no problem with that except that the game doesn't handle it like a good game would. For example if you had to be a detective to find them before they transformed, or if you could create a trap for them. All good.

[Robosaur]

That could be interesting. It doesn't make a lot of sense.

How about this: Transformation occurs under stress, e.g. combat or unhappiness. Certain phases of the moon can cause stress. Transforming massively increases stress. Once transformed, the werebeast needs to let off steam before it can transform back to its human/dwarven/whatever from. This can be done through combat, vandalism, magic, contact with a loved one, or perhaps seeing a statue which gives a massive happy thought.

I concur with this suggestion.

[Hyndis]

I agree. Right now werecreatures are laughably underwhelming in fortress mode.

A single moderately equipped and trained soldier can make short work of a werecreature. Against a mature fortress with a decent military they're about as dangerous as kobolds.

Perhaps an FB treatment might be in order. Some FB's are quite weak due to being made out of things such as steam or fire. Even a kitten can slay them due to no structural integrity.

But Armok help you if you encounter a creature made out of metal that leaves clouds of face melting dust around it. 


(For reference, that particular FB absorbed about 15,000 rounds of ammunition, had dozens of pages of stuck-in bolts, was able to wade around in a magma pool without any complaints, and was eventually sealed away and entombed as it could not be killed by any means.

[assasin]

I completely agree with the idea that werecreatures should change based on emotional and physical stress and the moon causes an increase in stress for werecreatures.

I'm on the fence about whether werecreatures should be unstoppably ragefilled rampaging beasts or able to be controlled by players in both modes. I'd guess I'd possibly be able to accept a compromise. Maybe if the amount of stress determines how much control they had when shifted  experienced werecreatures could use a form of meditation to raise stress levels to the point where they shift, but not to the point where they are unstoppable psychopaths. Of course they'd still suffer from uncontrolled "you won't like me when I'm angry" rampages if someone tries to beat them up, they're hungry or its a full moon or whatever. So having one in fortress mode would still be a big gamble and possibly in adventure mode it might be funny if the player doesn't control their own characters emotions well enough and they lose control for two or three minutes.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Well, by the "stress" idea, the dwarves would probably be tantruming once they turned, but...If not, they should definitely not be able to be directly controlled by the player.

[assasin]

Well, by the "stress" idea, the dwarves would probably be tantruming once they turned, but...If not, they should definitely not be able to be directly controlled by the player.

I'd rather not see werecreatures as completely rabid.  If there is a spectrum of how much stress affects werecreatures lower down of the spectrum could be more animal instincts and less rabies, probably would have to be fairly viscious animals, but still might be able to avoid killing children after a goblin goes near them. Possibly some randomisation could go in here.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Obviously. I still say that werebeasts should be a LOT more violent and unpredictable than normal dwarves, no matter the beast.

[Jetman123]

That could be interesting. It doesn't make a lot of sense.

How about this: Transformation occurs under stress, e.g. combat or unhappiness. Certain phases of the moon can cause stress. Transforming massively increases stress. Once transformed, the werebeast needs to let off steam before it can transform back to its human/dwarven/whatever from. This can be done through combat, vandalism, magic, contact with a loved one, or perhaps seeing a statue which gives a massive happy thought.

I second this. Instead of tantruming, a werecreature should transform.

[AutomataKittay]

That could be interesting. It doesn't make a lot of sense.

How about this: Transformation occurs under stress, e.g. combat or unhappiness. Certain phases of the moon can cause stress. Transforming massively increases stress. Once transformed, the werebeast needs to let off steam before it can transform back to its human/dwarven/whatever from. This can be done through combat, vandalism, magic, contact with a loved one, or perhaps seeing a statue which gives a massive happy thought.

I second this. Instead of tantruming, a werecreature should transform.

Thirding, while moon cycle is pretty good for linking current lunar mythology, a stress-inducded wereism would be a lot more fitting when deities are more fleshed out and psychological mechanisms are detailed out somewhat more.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Again, though, to fit with 99% of werecreature literature, lunar cycles should alter their moods.

[ikachan]

On my game I've got a melancholy were-lizard dwarf so I thought that maybe insane were-beasts could have less reluctance to go into the transformation.

[Radiant_Phoenix]

How to make werecreatures scarier: make the monster-side intelligently malicious. Instead of being naked peasants in caves most of the time, they're normal peasants most of the time. Then the moon comes, and the monster-side sneaks off, transforms, attacks some people, hides the infected ones, sneaks back in, and the peasant wakes up in town as though after being {drunk/sober}.

In other words, don't make the attacks more frequent, or make the human/dwarf side more dangerous, make it harder to locate them when they're not attacking.