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[Shonai_Dweller]

Back in the day, this was an interesting feature which made the world seem more alive. "Hey it's my favourite dorf from the last fortress. Awesome that he's still alive. Welcome back! The world is truly alive."

But as the simulation becomes more complex, and the living outside world becomes more apparent to players, this is becoming an increasingly jarring experience. "Oh my ex-captain has turned up at my new fortress on the other side of the world. I wonder what adventurers led him here? Oh. None. He just packed up and migrated to the other side of the world because Player Fortress."
Old dwarves turning up should be a happy coincidence, not a scripted happening (which is how it appears, I understand it's more of an "increased chance" than a script, but still). Yes, it would make the situation very rare in larger worlds. But looking through Legends and seeing how our ex-dwarves are enjoying life (and dying) is fun in itself.

And of course, right now, this high possibility of old dorfs turning up is actually a barrier to enjoying starting new fortresses as all your old werewolves and chronic stress victims converge on your fortress wherever it may be in the world.

Dwarfs leaving old fortresses to seek their fortune is great. Them turning up at your new fortress is great too. But pushing the simulation to make this happen more often than not is breaking immersion.

[GoblinCookie]

It makes sense if the previous dwarves originally immigrated to your fortress, because there is a selection bias in favour of the migratory; it doesn't make sense if they were born there however or were professionals that fully joined the fortress (does that happen?). 

[Shonai_Dweller]

It makes sense if the previous dwarves originally immigrated to your fortress, because there is a selection bias in favour of the migratory; it doesn't make sense if they were born there however or were professionals that fully joined the fortress (does that happen?).

It doesn't make sense if there are a thousand dwarf sites and the migratory dwarves choose yours on the other side of the world, across an evil ocean every single time. Sometimes sure. Eventually, as part of a journey which involved them visiting many others, yes (many Visitors already do this). That's interesting. But, one day I was here, next day I felt the calling of the Player and went to live in an evil biome just isn't.

I don't know about settled professionals, but people with positions, like the militia captain (who you hoped was guarding the old place) will show up.

[GoblinCookie]

It doesn't make sense if there are a thousand dwarf sites and the migratory dwarves choose yours on the other side of the world, across an evil ocean every single time. Sometimes sure. Eventually, as part of a journey which involved them visiting many others, yes (many Visitors already do this). That's interesting. But, one day I was here, next day I felt the calling of the Player and went to live in an evil biome just isn't.

I don't know about settled professionals, but people with positions, like the militia captain (who you hoped was guarding the old place) will show up.

All the characters in your site are historical characters, the majority of people in the wider world are just numbers.  I think the effect being noticed could just be because your characters are actually a good chunk of the historical dwarf population in your world. 

Point is though that it isn't just a site, it is a new site.  The problem about unsuitable biomes is a separate problem altogether, if you settle some place that is either inherently undesirable (evil glaciers anyone?) or you play so badly that you keep getting everyone killed or mutilated then the place should have a reputation.

Fewer people should turn up and those who do would tend towards certain daredevil traits.  Even potentially the made-up people that were literally summoned into existence to fill up your migrant wave. 

[Shonai_Dweller]

It doesn't make sense if there are a thousand dwarf sites and the migratory dwarves choose yours on the other side of the world, across an evil ocean every single time. Sometimes sure. Eventually, as part of a journey which involved them visiting many others, yes (many Visitors already do this). That's interesting. But, one day I was here, next day I felt the calling of the Player and went to live in an evil biome just isn't.

I don't know about settled professionals, but people with positions, like the militia captain (who you hoped was guarding the old place) will show up.

All the characters in your site are historical characters, the majority of people in the wider world are just numbers.  I think the effect being noticed could just be because your characters are actually a good chunk of the historical dwarf population in your world. 

Point is though that it isn't just a site, it is a new site.  The problem about unsuitable biomes is a separate problem altogether, if you settle some place that is either inherently undesirable (evil glaciers anyone?) or you play so badly that you keep getting everyone killed or mutilated then the place should have a reputation.

Fewer people should turn up and those who do would tend towards certain daredevil traits.  Even potentially the made-up people that were literally summoned into existence to fill up your migrant wave.

It's an actual push for old Fortress characters to turn up. Toady's talked about it before.

[GoblinCookie]

It's an actual push for old Fortress characters to turn up. Toady's talked about it before.

He didn't actually need to do that since the way historical characters work already biases it in that direction.  Then again there was a point in Dwarf Fortress were non-historical characters were not a thing.

[Shonai_Dweller]

It's an actual push for old Fortress characters to turn up. Toady's talked about it before.

He didn't actually need to do that since the way historical characters work already biases it in that direction.  Then again there was a point in Dwarf Fortress were non-historical characters were not a thing.

Yes. It's a system from way back. Not needed any more.

[voliol]

+1 At the very least prevent it from happening to position holders

[therahedwig]

I wonder if this also should apply to wandering. I had a baron who decided to travel the world the instant I retired the fort, which was a little surprising, especially as I returned to continue with it... But maybe also a different topic altogether.

[delphonso]

This would be beneficial if not just for the play-ability of a world with some failed forts.

I've had bad fortresses where something big went wrong - everyone's traumaed to the point of breaking. I retire, start a new fort, and within two seasons we're back to the same problem because traumaed dwarves are punching children's feet off in the tavern. Although there's nothing wrong with the new fort - the dwarves within it can cause enough bad thoughts to cause a new spiral.

[Timeless Bob]

Possible solution is to embark at the new site then immediately retire it.  Go to adventure mode, embark from the old site and keep trying to reach the new one until your adventurer finally arrives there.  Along the way, talk to and nickname people so as to increase the load of "historical" people.