Here some ideas for future buildings. I only did the building files... any feedback on them? Good ideas, bad ideas?
~ Painters. Would this mean you can change the color of furniture and such, or could you say, paint walls, floors, and such things as well? Either way, it sounds like a great addition. I myself am fickle about color-patterns, and I try to make everything out of one color, which often is a pain due to the different stones, gems, etc.
~ Culinary Kitchen. Sounds like a nice addition, yet the problem I see (just my opinion!) is why do we need positive buffs and such, if there's not really a challenge that needs them? Though, I suppose it would depend if those buffs are not just for military, but more so for things like digging faster, crafting faster, a happiness boost that multiplies, etc, which would be very useful for sure.
~ Toolmaker. Now this, this could be very interesting... but there's not enough information to give any real feedback. I think the expansion of technology (if balanced of course) is a great idea, and one that needs to be tapped into a ton more. Could you give us more details on what might be done? (I have a bunch of ideas that I know are plausible for modding to suggest as well, if you wish for suggestions :p).
~ Artisian's shop. No real opinion. trading crap is trading crap. Whether it's wax, or stone, or metal, doesn't matter to me. Not against it, but perhaps it would be better to bake this into craftdwarf's shop instead?
~ Cocktail bar. Pretty much same view as the Culinary Kitchen. Depends on what buffs it imparts and functions it gives.
~ Printing Press. For the mass production of books and such - god yes! For a fort who has harder learning on, and uses the library system to safely train a lot of guys, book production can be a nightmare without spamming 5-10 shops to do it. Printing plates, I can't say much about as I'm not sure of their use. Newspapers I can't really see a use for? Religious stuff, I could see working if a religion system was added to the game, though, I doubt that can be done by modding.
~ Decorators workshop. Not trying to be negative, but meh. Decorations really only add value (which has a limit for actual use in fort, due to the abundance of value producing items for dinning halls, etc), and trading. Not a bad thing - but don't see a real purpose to it from my POV. Sure others will use it, though.
~ Prison Now this, this is what we need. Such a pain in the ass to not be able to restrain dwarves who are infected by disease, or by evils, or that whiny noble you want to starve to death in a rotten prison cell.
Really, I love the idea of it and it's much needed. If you can make it work with the justice system so dwarves who are to be 'punished' instead go into this building - even better.
~ Glassblower. What would the new glass types do, besides value and trading?
~ Podium. It sounds like an interesting idea!... yet to what end? What use? I can't see much use of this that doesn't step on the toes of taverns and their songs generally speaking. I'd need to hear more to give a real opinion... if you'll take the podium and enlighten meCo.
~ Coin Mint. If you intend to make trading with coins viable, 110% this building is vital and I would say do it! Even without trading, I'd argue it still makes more sense then forging coins at a forge, and would fit better overall. What would Minting Ingots do?
~ The four 'evil' buildings. I can't say too much about these, as they sound... confusing. If someone becomes a werewolf - what stops them murdering everyone? Or are they suddenly friendly and able to continue working? Would raised undead be hostile or friendly, can they work? Etc. If this just means you can change dwarves entirely into abominations of evil that still work like dwarves in essence, then... GOD YES PLEASE! it sounds bloody awesome. Though, there would have to be some form of counter-balance to each to make sure they aren't just out-right superior to normal dwarves, and/or the materials to create the building or turn people, to be fairly 'high' (or tied to specific biomes, like evil biomes or even needing stuff from hell to do demon changes, etc).
~ Mortician requirement for the dead. I very much like the idea, though, I would think it need be an optional system (if you can get someone to do this dfhack script for you that is). I've always felt it funny to just drop corpses into a stone box and necromancers and other nasties can do nothing to them, when they're basically just dumped in their all mangled and left to rot without a care...
~ Smoke Lounge. Over-all, doesn't fit the lore (in df) of dwarves, as last I looked, they don't smoke at all. That aside, happiness currently is too EASY to keep. ALl you need is some cheap gems for cabinets, beds, etc, in 1x4 room for a dwarf, and they'll get INSANE happiness from it - even losing family barely dents it, discounting any other positives. further, psychiatrist noble role helps avoid tantrum spirals if you risk going that far. I mean, it's a fun idea! I just don't think it really has a practical use, adding tobacco's, pipes, and all that, just to alter a generally easily dealt with system already.
Still say add it, even just for fun and Decoration.
~ Fletcher. Sounds like a condensing of the bow maker, and other shops into one which is always a positive.
~ The monster Statues. Maybe you could make them 'scare' creatures when approached? Similar to scarecrows use, but more variety. Hell, even make it give 'evil' dwarves (vampires, demons, etc) happy thoughts for admiring it like dwarves do normal statues!
~ Merchants stall. I can't say much with this, I like the idea! But it would really mess with trading... I need more info before I can say too much about it. Generally like the idea at a basic sense, though. Perhaps after trading a set amount with the different races, have a trader of that race show up and claim one of these shops and trade year-round with you (balance being a real issue here, but can be over come).
~ 'Soil Generator' - someone above posted this idea, and I think at the core, the idea is a good one. being able to place soil or sand (with limits) to help fill in spots would be very nifty. Some may argue 'it's unbalanced! You make stone floors into farms!' - but a simple tear of armok and some ingenuity or a cavern pump system can do that already. I would personally use it on the surface, so I can place farms that aren't all patchy and ugly due to the random splotches of rock everywhere you can't fix >.<
And that's that! I really like almost all the things, but need a lot more info on many of them to give solid opinions.