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[Dozebôm Lolumzalěs]

I’m not sure if the medieval cutoff still exists, but if it does, steampunk will probably not happen.

[Azerty]

We also should add ideas for disasters to occur in sea.

For exemple, pirates could be the sea bandits.

As for natural catastrophes, we could have tempests and hurricanes. Attacks from the wildlife could be interesting: we already have sea monsters.

[compsognathus]

I’m not sure if the medieval cutoff still exists, but if it does, steampunk will probably not happen.

Yes, you're right but a dwarven fortress at sea is rare and it is very rare to build a steam ship, it takes a lot of iron and a lot of time.
We talk about dwarfs, ingenious and workers, in a  medieval high-fantasy world, it's normal: mechanisms, furnaces, pressure,
distillery, coal... it automatically becomes steam engine, after so much research you have the project.
 They are not human or elves! 

P.S.
The first steam engine experiments were done in the Hellenistic period by Erone and in the late Middle Ages by Leonardo da Vinci.

We also should add ideas for disasters to occur in sea.

For exemple, pirates could be the sea bandits.

As for natural catastrophes, we could have tempests and hurricanes. Attacks from the wildlife could be interesting: we already have sea monsters.

Corsairs financed by kings, this is the real disaster!

[Dozebôm Lolumzalěs]

Yes, I am aware of the Hero engine. But steam power that was efficient, reliable, and scalable enough to power an entire ship is different, and likely comes after the medieval cutoff.

[compsognathus]

Yes, I am aware of the Hero engine. But steam power that was efficient, reliable, and scalable enough to power an entire ship is different, and likely comes after the medieval cutoff.

It is difficult to say "this is medieval, this is not" in a medieval fantasy style game... the Middle Ages were poor, austere, stern... we should also take away the taverns as they are now in game. In medieval taverns, dances and games were forbidden. There were laws against idleness. The taverns were guarded by the authorities. The tavern  in Dwarf fortress is fantasy classic,  but is similar to the Symposium of the ancient Romans and Greeks and a mixed with the Taberna and Thermopolium (Ancient Romans).
 
The magic is not of the Middle Ages, it was forbidden by Christianity. The magic belongs to the ancients people, Romans and Greeks and earlier. The Sumerians bought the salt to get rid of the curses(I read a book by Helmut Uhlig)
The fortress could be part of the Renaissance: distilling to drink in the tavern is not medieval but of the Renaissance (first time in marriage’s Caterina De’ Medici 1547ad), The hospitals did not exist in the Middle Ages, Surgey it belongs to the renaissance (Leonardo da Vinci)

mixing fantasy subgenres(classic, steampunk, dark fantasy-->medival fantasy,  high fantasy, hero fantasy etc...) could be a way to diversify civilizations (world of  warcraft lore)

[KittyTac]

Classic fantasy does not include steampunk. So we should not include that.

[Shonai_Dweller]

Classic fantasy does not include steampunk. So we should not include that.

What's "classic fantasy"? Besides Tolkien, there's a huge amount of fantasy in which dwarves tinker with machines.

[SixOfSpades]

It is difficult to say "this is medieval, this is not" in a medieval fantasy style game...

So why do you then proceed to do exactly that?

we should also take away the taverns as they are now in game.
The magic is not of the Middle Ages,
distilling to drink in the tavern is not medieval but of the Renaissance
The hospitals did not exist in the Middle Ages, Surgey it belongs to the renaissance

It's actually relatively easy to say whether or not something should or should not be included in DF's technology cutoff. If it existed anywhere prior to 1450, or it likely would have if circumstances had been only slightly different (for instance, rubber could easily have been discovered & made commercially viable much sooner if rubber trees hadn't been strictly limited to the New World), or it was developed only shortly after the cutoff date and it is sufficiently "dwarfy", that is, it is related to stone/metal/gems/booze/etc, then it's good. Unless, however, it's one of the "no-go" areas specifically named by Toady, such as petroleum and gunpowder.

Magic is an obvious exception, as historical accuracy clearly takes a back seat to diversity and fantasy depth.
People have been baking booze (beer, at least) for pretty much ALL of known history.
Medicine, including surgery, was well established in Roman times. Look up Galen.

[Shonai_Dweller]

Unless, however, it's one of the "no-go" areas specifically named by Toady, such as petroleum and gunpowder.

Gunpowder's not really "no-go" any more:
Last fotf reply:

6. Magic that blows stuff up seems popular enough.  Other stuff that blows stuff up is an intermittent topic, and we're more or less ambivalent on it; we don't usually go for guns/etc. in our fantasy settings, but as we go, that sort of thing might end up more supported by modding/etc., especially as certain magic items start to look a bit like their technological counterparts at times.  If vanilla ended up with a basic black powder option, I wouldn't be shocked either, as it's well within the tech cutoff (1400), and it's easy to add world gen parameter switches to suit tastes.

[Bumber]

It's not really gunpowder without guns.

[compsognathus]

So why do you then proceed to do exactly that?

Because the Medieval is a return to the past, it is an involution after the Roman Empire.
it is like comparing Light to the Dark, God to the Devil.. but ok, I can play in adventure mode, be captured, be sold as a slave and become a gladiator and die in Arena, it's my dream!

Magic is an obvious exception, as historical accuracy clearly takes a back seat to diversity and fantasy depth.
People have been baking booze (beer, at least) for pretty much ALL of known history.
Medicine, including surgery, was well established in Roman times. Look up Galen.

you're right but I was referring to the distillates. I read in game “Still” and I think “alembic”, I read in game “add new task- extract from plant” and I think : this is not fermented but distilled! And the distillate is Renaissance


Yes Galeno was a great Doctor and in the Roman Empire there were hospitals but it was not there in the Middle Ages… (Minimal structures existed, fragmentary, some related to the church) but ok they are details.
Surgery as described in the game is Renaissance.  (Even neanderthal men practiced "surgery", i'm not kiddind, they were probably shamans, no one knows )

Your opinion on magic is subjective but valid.
It is not subjective that in a historic age it is forbidden and in another historic age it is popular.

I want to thank you because your intervention is driving me think a new suggestion regarding technology and "culture".
I'm writing it but my english is not good (I'm studying it now) therefore i will take a long time.
The new suggestion could satisfy everyone, fantasy classic's loves and fantasy subgenres's loves.

[Shonai_Dweller]

Perhaps someone should just ask Toady whether "1400 cutoff" means tech should be limited to what was available in 1400 Europe or if it means not using any tech developed after 1400. I assumed  the latter since Toady mentioned Greek fire in a dftalk.

[Rowanas]

Perhaps someone should just ask Toady whether "1400 cutoff" means tech should be limited to what was available in 1400 Europe or if it means not using any tech developed after 1400. I assumed  the latter since Toady mentioned Greek fire in a dftalk.

It's supposedb to give people a sort of "feel" of what should be in the game.  It's about retaining the feel, not the exact tech.  Can we stop arguing over it? Ask if it is in the feel.

[compsognathus]

Perhaps someone should just ask Toady whether "1400 cutoff" means tech should be limited to what was available in 1400 Europe or if it means not using any tech developed after 1400. I assumed  the latter since Toady mentioned Greek fire in a dftalk.

It's supposedb to give people a sort of "feel" of what should be in the game.  It's about retaining the feel, not the exact tech.  Can we stop arguing over it? Ask if it is in the feel.

right it's all OK

I was just saying that those who know the Middle Ages know that it was not so ... DF is much nicer than the Middle Ages! I love the dwarf fortress style

[SixOfSpades]

DF is much nicer than the Middle Ages!

So was Rome, at its height, and the Early Renaissance. But all three periods/cultures still fit the epic fantasy feel, and are thus included as "valid".