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[simonthedwarf]

Ignoring the fact that offering simple solutions on this forum is deeply blasphemic even in my own eyes, I've found that modding children to grow up in say, 4 years have massively improved my DF experience.

I came to this action by realizing that children as a citizen group simply aren't implemented in DF. Their toys are pointless (?), their chores are uncontrollable and that I was happy when goblins removed them but it felt stupid to just burrow them all outside to die. Note: stupid, not pleasurable.

Besides, it's completely unrealistic that children do not fight and work like most adult dwarves anyway in a society like DF. At least in the type of community I run with DF.

[Aviator CJ]

I reckon that when they reach an age where they can do some of the jobs, we overseers should be able to play with their labours the way we do with adult dwarfs. The list would obviously be limited to child-doable jobs, but would let us optimise their use.

I also look forward to the day when toys are actually useful. Musical instruments too - I love the idea of my dwarfs whacking goblins to the tune of 'Ride of the Valkyries'

[MattStriker]

I love the idea of my dwarfs whacking goblins to the tune of 'Ride of the Valkyries'

Urist McKilgore: "I love the smell of magma in the morning..."

[Telgin]

Besides, it's completely unrealistic that children do not fight and work like most adult dwarves anyway in a society like DF. At least in the type of community I run with DF.

Here I always figured that growing up to become a peasant at 13 didn't indicate that the dwarf was a full adult.  They were just old enough to become and apprentice / soldier and thus take place in the meaningful jobs of the fort at that point.

I agree that having them grow up sooner does definitely make them less of a drain and more productive.  I've played a mod where they did this at 6, and I had a very large number of kids growing up in useful time periods.

I am curious what Toady eventually plans to do about this, if anything.  I could see kids eventually having to attend school (to learn the Student skill if nothing particularly useful), or hanging around the workshops of their parents and learning a little something here or there.

[SanDiego]

Perhaps an institution of apperenticeship would be nice - let's say that at the age of six the child becomes apperentice of some craftsman and starts learning his skill. Upon reaching adulthood you already have a dwarf with basic skillset instead of legendary socializer and some stat increases to boot, so he has a chance not to die within a season in military.

[Psieye]

For maximum efficiency, just delete the BABY and CHILD tags. That way, they're born as full adults capable of work. It starts to fall on the other side of "not enjoyable" though, to not have any shred of realism so 4 seems like a good compromise for when children become workable adults. Don't freak out at 5 year old migrants already married and with children.

[I am Leo]

Maybe an extra stage is needed to find the balance between gameplay, realism and fun.

Baby->Child->Adolescent->Adult.

Dwarven children reach adolescence at a randomized interval between the ages of 4 and 8, modified by their inherent learning ability. They can perform all the labours of an adult dwarf, but are physically about as puny as children and can't be assigned noble titles.

I'm no expert, but that's all trivially moddable, right?

[Telgin]

It should be a trivial extension of the raws and game, but trying to do it as things stand right now would leave some to be desired.  You can specify the baby and child ages, and you can specify the body sizes at any arbitrary age ranges, but you can't define what ages a dwarf becomes eligible for noble positions as far as I know.  Aside from being an adult.

[ObiWorm]

I tried to build a school with rooms, food, a well, tables, chairs, clothes and everything I thought would be useful for a child dwarf (even toys and some classrooms!). Then I burrowed all of them inside with another dwarf (with the custom profession "teacher", just for roleplaying sake). It works ok except when a child tries to haul something from outside and starts spamming job cancelation messages. Then you have to let him out, wait for the little brat to finish whatever he wants to do and burrow him again.

[i2amroy]

For maximum efficiency, just delete the BABY and CHILD tags. That way, they're born as full adults capable of work. It starts to fall on the other side of "not enjoyable" though, to not have any shred of realism so 4 seems like a good compromise for when children become workable adults. Don't freak out at 5 year old migrants already married and with children.

You need the [CHILD:X] token or dwarves won't give birth at all.

[simonthedwarf]

Until more meaningful !TEENAGER! is implemented, it's child moria for me.

[joeclark77]

Perhaps an institution of apperenticeship would be nice - let's say that at the age of six the child becomes apperentice of some craftsman and starts learning his skill. Upon reaching adulthood you already have a dwarf with basic skillset instead of legendary socializer and some stat increases to boot, so he has a chance not to die within a season in military.

In addition, the apprentice(s) might perhaps make the adult artisan work a little faster or something.  Thus giving players a reason not to kill the dwarflings with magma.

[i2amroy]

Perhaps an institution of apperenticeship would be nice - let's say that at the age of six the child becomes apperentice of some craftsman and starts learning his skill. Upon reaching adulthood you already have a dwarf with basic skillset instead of legendary socializer and some stat increases to boot, so he has a chance not to die within a season in military.

In addition, the apprentice(s) might perhaps make the adult artisan work a little faster or something.  Thus giving players a reason not to kill the dwarflings with magma.

Crazy modding idea. Make dwarven children from ages 8-12 occasionally emit clouds that make all dwarves near them move slightly faster temporarily.

[Kumquat]

Children following momma around should learn observer skills and gain points in whatever their parent is doing so they would be more useful by the time they come of age. They would be far less annoying if they did not grow up entirely clueless (except for farming if they have been helping with harvesting or the rare moody child that's gotten totally rusty).

Perhaps skill growth and rusting should be slower, too; much slower, so that a miner won't become legendary by digging sand for a year or stonecrafter from churning out rock mugs, either. That would make moods and skilled migrants more valuable, too. (Does anyone still waste rock on mugs? That is, after setting up magmaworks and getting infinite green glass/stoneware available. I tend to turn what I have into furniture or blocks.)

[simonthedwarf]

I tend to find mass producing crap repulsive. I try to limit having senseless amounts of stone crafts and instead I make nice gold craft and weapons studded or with jewelry