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Merging of all Raw Sets.

Cleanup and Naming schemes for Raws.

Playable Human Civ(s)

Warlock Additions

Manual Improvements

Online presentation

Overhaul of MDF races

Playable Insect Swarm Civ (Xelics)

Other (please post details/suggestions)

[IndigoFenix]

Nicely done with that new embark message.  I would have just gone for something more generic that could apply to anyone but I like the way it works to promote all the races.  Might wind up being an even bigger wall of text as more races are made though.

[Meph]

Ok, now that this bugfix release is out of the way, lets concentrate on what to do next. Clear leaders on the poll are:

Cleanup and Naming schemes for Raws., Merging of all Raw Sets., Overhaul of MDF races.

These I will work on next. Milo Christiansen and his Rubble program might be of great help with the merging part, so I will wait for his input on the matter. It wouldnt make sense to sink 20h of work into doing it by hand, if he can automate the process.

This means Cleanup and Naming schemes are the thing I am working on atm. I already got about 200 entries for unused reactions deleted, and will head into items now. Another thing on my list is to... actually make a list. Write down clearly what I want to do when. Once I know, I will let you guys know.

[Meph]

Started Cleanup. Finished two item types: Ammos and Gloves.

Ammo Cleanup:
 - Removed Bulletspikes, Bulletspike crates and trading.
 - Deleted ITEM_AMMO_SHARD (Succubus), replaced with ITEM_AMMO_SPELL_SHARD (Orcs), because the ammo type is very similar.
 - Replaced all Darkmoon arrows and Hooked arrows with Bodkin arrows, because the ammo type is very similar.
 - Replaced all Sling bullets with Bullets (same that are used in muskets), because the ammo type is very similar. Makes kobold sling shots slightly stronger.
 - Lowered size of Javelin ammo to 300. Makes them less valuable and less dangerous. Still good ammo though.
 - Removed Hammer Slings and Hammer Heads, to avoid confusion with the blunt weapon heads you make for two-handed weapons.
 - Removed Spring-loaded knives and knife blades, to avoid confusion with the edged weapon blades you make for two-handed weapons. And KNIFE is not a military skill, so dwarves would not have picked these up automatically anyway.
 - You still have these throwing weapons: Spears, Mechanized Axe-Throwers and Bolas.
 - Lowered size of broad/hammer/piercing bolts/arrows from 150 to 120.
 - Lowered size of bolas from 400 to 100. (Now I know why they cut off limbs in Kobold mode so easily)
 - All ammo is now in item_ammo.txt.

Suggestion:
 - Add piercing, broadhead and hammerhead ammo as default ammo to dwarves. This means you can make them in the forge(metal), craftsdwarf(bone) or carpenter(wood). They would no longer be marker foreign. It also means I can delete the reactions in the Fletcher and the Ammo Caster. The Javelin reactions from the Ammo Caster could be moved into the Heavy Siegeworks, and the Ammo Caster deleted. It would mean easier access to the three ammo types, easier uniform/hunter settings and a workshop less. Please Vote.

Glove Cleanup:
 - Removed battle fists, gloves of power, razorblade gloves, knuckled gauntlets, serrated gauntlets. All were mood/artefact only, and since these single-items are rather useless, I'd rather remove them to avoid confusion.
 - Removed reactions to copy/invent these in the Inventory Workbench.
 - All gloves are now in item_gloves.txt.

Suggestion:
 - No suggestions.

Edit: More stuff done.

Shield Cleanup:
 - Removed spiked shields, dragon shields, enormous shields, full body shields. They were mood/artefact-only and lead to confusion.
 - Removed Inventor Workbench ability to replicate these shields.
 - Removed Blocking bracer, Kobold Mode, replaced with buckler, because the items are very similar. And bracers are actually more a pair of wrist-gloves, and not shields.
 - Changed Shield_Evil to Shield_Bladed, because its called Bladed Shield ingame. Only used by Drow.
 - All shields are now in item_shield.txt.

Shoe Cleanup:
 - Removed duplicate Mail boots entry. (ITEM_SHOES_BOOTS_MAIL & ITEM_SHOES_MAIL_BOOTS), helps stockpiling.
 - Removed low boots. Were unused and only existed in the raws for moods/artefacts.
 - Removed seven mile boots, menacing boots, fireproof boots, boots of surefoot, running boots. All mood/artefact only, like gloves, the single item will be rather pointless and only start confusion.
 - Removed [SHOES:ITEM_SHOES_SOCKS:UNCOMMON] from Succubus civ. Socks do not exist in MDF, as they only add extra items without any function.
 - Removed Chausse and Sock entry from raws, they were unused.
 - All shoes are now in item_shoe.txt.

Siege Ammo Cleanup:
 - Removed unused Warlock ballista bolt version. (no changes to these things possible anyway.)

[Meph]

More cleanups of items.

Toy Cleanup:
 - MDF changes 'Toy' to 'Illumination' for the Rendermax buildings. No actual toys remain.
 - Removed mini-forges from the raws. Were unused.
 - Candelabras got a proper ID, ITEM_TOY_CANDELABRA.
 - Removed 72 (!) mood-only dolls, mostly based on animals and megabeasts.
 - Left 3 of these doll entries as mood-only easter eggs.
 - Removed unused entries: spinning tops, music boxes, marble sets, toy mining picks, toy spears, toy crowns, toy swords, toy crossbows and balls.
 - Removed 24 (!) entries of old, unused books for the old library system.
 - Removed 24 (!) entries of old, unused items, including permits, golem hears, blood chalices, books all unused stuff.
 - Removed card games, dices, chess sets and handcuffs from Succubus entity. No actual toys in MDF.
 - All toys are now in item_toy.txt.

Trapcomp Cleanup:
 - Removed ITEM_TRAPCOMP_SPIKE, was too similar to ITEM_TRAPCOMP_MENACINGSPIKE.
 - Removed old, commented out entries.
 - Removed rams and stakes, and both upgraded forms of them. As well as all reactions. They are too close to pistons and spikes.
 - Replaced "enormous corkscrews" with "pump mechanisms" in all race but Gnomes. They can still be used in Screwpumps, but are very weak in weapon traps.
 - Removed ITEM_TRAPCOMP_SPIKEDBALL, because of redundancy.
 - Fixed "Break down wooden trapcomps" in Sawmill/Woodshredder.
 - Removed "menacing spikes" and instead used "sharpened spikes" and "serrated spikes" everywhere, depending on materials. Bone for example makes serrated ones, glass sharpened ones. Replaced all reactions and added both. Added both to all entity files.
 - Allowed Sawblades to be used in "upright spear/spike traps". Just imagine a spinning sawblade comes out of the floor. Classic.
 - Allowed "Heavy Pistons" (currently only used in brass form for steam engines) to be made in the forge, like normal trapcomps. Any metal type is fine now. Very large trapcomp with blunt attack.
 - Removed "Huge Pillar" from kobold mode, replaced with "heavy piston", because they are so similar.
 - Removed "swinging spiked hammer" from kobold mode, replaced with "axe blades", because they are so similar.
 - Made some slight balance changes on size and attack values, as well as fixing some odd attack verbs.
 - All trapscomps are now in item_trapcomp.txt.

Food Cleanup:
 - All food types are now in item_food.txt. Thats all.

Instrument Cleaunup:
 - Removed "long trumpets" away from humans, added guitars instead.
 - Changed "haunting flutes" to "flutes" for Drow.
 - Added missing instruments to Gnomes: They now have accordions, banjors and organs.
 - Added missing instruments to Succubi: They now have harps, oboes and ocarinas.
 - Removed 21 (!) unused entries.
 - Added 3 easter-egg mood/artefact only instruments. Think modern rock/metal band. 1-in-8 chance to get one of these in an instrument-creating mood.
 - All instruments are now in item_instrument.txt.

Clothing (Upper Body) Cleaunup:
 - Removed coats. Were only used by gnomes/succubi, were uncommon/rare.
 - Removed tunics. Were only used by gnomes/succubi, were uncommon/rare.
 - Removed capes. Were only used by succubi, were uncommon.
 - Removed dresses from Gnomes, to avoid cross-dressing. Dresses still exist in Succubus mode, as its a mostly female race.
 - Removed 3 unused entries.
 - Made Runerobes, expensive special effect orc/warlock robes, into armor. This stops it from getting worn/withering away.
 - All upper body clothing is now in item_armor_clothing.txt.

Armor (Upper Body) Cleanup:
 - Removed 22 (!) mood/artefact-only armors, which have been causing confusion in the past.
 - Made Kobold "plated hides" a bit weaker.
 - Gave FrostGiants Breastplates, instead of their unique armor.
 - Gave Goblins Mailshirts, instead of "crude breatplate/chainmail".
 - Removed some leftovers, like human paladinarmor or drow spiked chainmails.
 - All upper body armor is now in item_armor_armor.txt.

[Meph]

Item cleanup released in V.5.01.

Lets see whats next.

[Arcvasti]

V.5.01.

Any particular reason we switched to 5.01, 5.1 and numbers instead of 5a, 5b and letters?

[UristMcUrist]

Hey, long time lurker here thought I'd throw in my input on the race overhaul. Most of the races seem oriented towards the 'evil' side of the spectrum, with at least of few looking like theyll get the tag, so moonsilver seems like it would be more useful. Except for maybe centaurs, it doesn't really seem like there is a substantial good race that shadesilver would help with. I really like the idea of moon and shadesilver, especially considering they are one of the hardest metals to make (harder than welded mithril and wolfram, which are awesome in themselves), it makes sense to me that they would both offer serious, albeit situational, benefits, rather than just than moonsilver running the show. The whole good nature loving tree race it kind of taken up by the elves, but maybe add some sort of ancient good or holy civilization (either organic or animated golems or something) to the caverns or mounains? Fundamentally good, but still hostile to all who enter their (master's) crumbling domain. It adds a new RP style aswell, of the do-whatever-it-takes industrial dwarven civilization, using cursed metals to help increase their wealth by taking from ancient lands.

Just my 2 cents

Also, is there any way I could help with the manual? My job right now is partly trying to write documentation on software that's been in continuous development for over 30 years, using my powers for good to polish up the MDF manual polished up a bit would make me feel like I have done a good deed, helping prevent others from spending untold amounts of time looking through for little things, or even just a adding a FAQ section along with tips and tricks, answering things like where (MEGABEAST) mangled corpse is hiding in the expansive stockpile menu (without runons like this). I saw you mention it as a chore, but I dont really mind that sort of thing, especially if it would free up time for you working on the rest of the mod. Let me know!

[Meph]

V.5.01.

Any particular reason we switched to 5.01, 5.1 and numbers instead of 5a, 5b and letters?

Yes, because 4 people are doing stuff on the mod atm, and the many release would go through the abc rather quickly. I rather do many small releases, to bring people updates and bugfixes quickly. Comes from watching the same bugreports for three months helplessly from a phone, thinking: "I know how to fix that, but I cant atm"

bla - good race -bla

bla - manual stuff - bla

The first one completely slipped my mind, thats a good idea. We only have civilized/neutral, wild/nature (curiously enough without elves, otherwise we get elven sieges be default, which most people would find weird), warlike/opportunistic and downright evil/unliving.

I cant add another team, but I will collect some ideas about a good race. Considering that they will most likely be enemies of the dwarves, lets make it lawful/good, that gives them an excuse to smite the not-so-good races.

Second part: Manual work would be extremely welcome. But I wouldnt know how you could do that. Except reading through the not-so-well-designed html files and do it by hand. I was thinking about separating the reaction files into one file per building (reaction_slaughterhouse, reaction_tanner, etc) and link directly to them from the manual, but most people cant read raws. And no program is smart enough to understand what they do. I would be thankful for help, I have one large thing on the manual todo list anyway: Separate the dwarf mode manual from the main manual.

Currently each race has a manual. But the dwarf manual includes things like general changes, the settings, dfhack, utilities, worldgens, etc. It has everything dwarf mode and everything generic, because it was the first manual to write, before there were different races.

By now it would make most sense to design a "mdf manual" that explains all the extra fluff, and links to all the races - while making a new dwarf manual, which is really only about the dwarves.

[Meph]

I started with the merging of the raw tilesets. I got 15 files done, which over 15 tilesets mean that 225 files (15*15) have been deleted. This makes the mod smaller, eradicates sources for possible bugs, and the GUI faster.

I have 11 files left to go, which are much larger. They will take a while.

[palu]

Yes! Finally!

[Meph]

I also copied your manual, palu. Next release will have it, I forgot about it for 5.02.

[Meph]

Got another 5 files done (the last creature files and inorganic_gem, with 130 entries, argh), which means another 5*15=75 files down.

I am also experimenting with Urist DaVincis pet scripts, which might very well lead to a very sorted, thought through list of pets, wagons, mounts, pack/pull animals and minions. Minions are for example the trolls that goblins bring in sieges.

I could add golems as dwarven minions, or ents as elven minions, and clockwork spiders as automaton minions. Ice wolves for the frost giants, and so on.

[Crysalis]

Meph, do you have any plans about drow, after humans will be added?

[Meph]

Meph, do you have any plans about drow, after humans will be added?

No, but talk to Bishop

[Meph]

Made another release, working mostly on pet-cleanup and tileset merging. Only 5 files remain.