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[Nivim]

 You really aught not to have done such cutting, it distorts the meaning...which you apparently missed anyway. (You also removed my fix, which was important for "2".)

Some artifacts do have some degree of generalisation though it is mostly for conditions, impact, and the like specifically because I didn't want to explode the list to a certain extent.

Don't you mean you did want to explode the list?

 1,2,3&4 - So you mean you do it to be satisfying? Because it wont be helpful unless we create the generalizations that cover what can easily be implemented. Because Dwarf Fortress aims to be procedural, any specific artifacts we imagine will still have to be dissected to ascertain what generalizations need to be added to the engine, and as there are already plenty of specific artifacts in literature, said ones we create are pointless; not helpful. (Might have made such a run-on sentence just to spite you; I can't tell.) What would be helpful is extracting generalizations from the specific artifacts already imagined. We can always imagine our own if something's lacking in the general categories, but it's not the main goal. So yeah, our goal is to make a blob, because the specifics are generated during world generation and play. However, you're going to have more than just three categories, so that can make it more satisfying.

 I grinned at "I'll consider it", just because that sounds so official when: this entire thing will probably be ignored anyway; on a forum everyone has equal say; and someone else could always make another list.

 Oh! In 3, there's something to add to the condition list; power functioning based on items carried. Kinda like the Girdle of Greed in ADOM that increases your carrying capacity based on how much gold you're carrying. That enchanted item fit so well (a pun), in that once the player got it they started picking up every item because they could; thus creating greed in the player. Even more like greed; it tends to mean the end of you. Because if the girdle is ever destroyed, you die instantly from being crushed by all your treasure. So yeah, items that have effects based on what you're carrying, which could be expanded to requiring a uniform, or other specific artifacts. This would be useful when the option to create "pairs" and "sets" gets added in because then moody dwarves would start making sets, and thus enchanted items that need to stay together.
 See! Generalizations, and they're still interesting!

[Neonivek]

Artifact Concept

Avatars
-The concept behind an artifact avatar is a creature who in essence acts in accordance to the artifact itself or who is the very artifact. Avatars are either created bodies that require materials, the avatar itself, illusions, or magical constructs. Destroyed avatars do not leave behind corpses other then the materials required. If destroyed the artifacts powers could be disabled or the artifact itself could even be destroyed.
--An Avatar’s form should either coincide with its personality and/or goals or that of its original creator or his/her preferences or the manner of its construction. An artifact who only wishes to serve a master could appear as a loyal dog or old Butler, while an artifact that only wishes to manipulate the user into performing dark deeds could as easily be an innocent girl (goals) as it could be an Evil Demon (Personality). Lastly artifacts created from binding creatures or souls to it could have avatars that reflect this.
---An Avatar can have differencing levels of power over its own abilities. It should be more then possible for a particularly evil and malicious avatar to have no ability to stop another from using it in the same way it should be more then possible for a charitable avatar to even prevent an artifact’s curses from befalling the owner because it feels it is particularly worthy of such.
----Along with the above changes in the personality, assuming its personality is capable of being changed, could also alter the artifact. Changes in the artifact could also change the avatar.
-----An Avatars ability to live away from its object should differ from avatar to avatar but all of them should be capable of knowing where it is at all times as well as if it is being used.
------The Obligation of an avatar to aid you doesn’t not need to correspond to its loyalty, nor should it be equal on all ways.

Changing artifact
-The idea is that artifacts don’t change naturally on their own. Their ability to change in appearance, gain and lose powers, and such due to conditions set out in the artifacts makeup. Links to change reflect the ways in which an artifact can alter itself

Depowering:
-Along with this idea there could be a sense that an artifact in a way powers itself by such alterations. An artifact with powers that stem from the reflection of previous owners could gradually lose powers throughout the years and require that it be used until it gains it back.
--It could even lead to the concept of needing to empower artifacts

Links to change
--It should be noted that for the most part I don’t indicate time. It could happen instantly or over long periods of time such as centuries. It also often doesn’t say the requirements for such to happen.
-Random: The artifact is chaotic in nature and alters itself for little explained reason.
-Owner: The Artifact is a reflection of its master and will alter itself to reflect its masters personality, preferences, abilities, and/or memories.
-Sphere Absorb: The artifact consistently absorbs spheres from spherical lands or creatures. It doesn’t necessarily need to absorb all spheres, it could change according to the balance of a set number of spheres.
-Murder / Soul Absorb / Blood suck: The artifact is a reflection of the powers, personality, and preferences of those is destroys or absorbs in some way. It can have a victim requirement for this effect.
-The World: The artifact is a reflection of the world. Its powers reflect the state of the world.
-Use: The artifact reflects what it is used for. A weapon used in the defence of others could bring great defence while a weapon used in vicious murder could become sinister and vile.
-Avatar: The artifact could change according to changes in personality, preferences,  memories, allies, and goals that the artifact itself gains/loses/alters.
-Civilisation: The artifact could be linked to the very civilisation that made it, or perhaps an enemy of said civilisation.
-God: This can occur in two ways. It could reflect the status of a gods worship


Alright time for NIVM's response

"Don't you mean you did want to explode the list?"

No I REALLY meant I didn't want to explode the list. For example I could have an artifact like this

-Genocidal: The weapon causes mysterious death when it touches a specific creature usually chosen by its original creature's hatred or fears.

I could split it up... Per species... I could list requirements for each time this effect comes into play...

"this entire thing will probably be ignored anyway"

Well the issue is that just copy and pasting all this from my previous thread took 12+ hours to do. Changing it to the degree you asked of me, without aid, would take maybe 10 times as long and would require much more editing.

"Generalizations, and they're still interesting!"

Like the above your just giving what this thread calls artifact concepts. Which also has been done (Though I didn't translate those over from the old thread... Maybe I should have) in the old thread but I didn't bring them over. Though perhaps I should have.

The problem with being TOO general is that it lacks substance. "This object improves according to an item you have" yes Sure you can use your imagination and come up with tons of examples without ever posting it. It is just unsatisfying to type or look at. Id make a sword that can strike as many times as you have blades in a single swing and A Toy that becomes more entertaining the larger your toy collection is as two seperate artifacts.

"You really aught not to have done such cutting, it distorts the meaning"

Yes but you know what I mean.

I guess I should read what your saying more carefully and give a much more detailed response of why I do everything. So expect that in the future.

[Nivim]

 I think I'm just going to respond when you make a stand-alone post describing what you mean, as opposed to deflecting off of pieces of mine.
 In conversations like these, I do wonder if English isn't your first language, or one of us is too tired to think.

[Shurikane]

Mechanisms (Traps)
-Gore: Triggering the trap causes splatters blood to come out of it.
-Self-Cleaning: If the mechanism is set into a weapon trap, the trap never jams.

[Neonivek]

Thanks for the post Shurikane! I always welcome more artifacts to add to the list.

Unfortunately english is my first language (being Canadian and all).

Mostly my sporatic posting could be due to my non-linear thinking. So mostly my job is to organise my pile of thoughts into a coherant mess. Well that is one reason.

Anyhow due to NIVM's post I've decided that I should bring back the previous concepts. Some unfortunately are split across multiple posts or arn't listed so dirrectly.

Of the concepts I remember
-Mood Flavor: The way in which an artifact is created as well as the mood of the individual (dwarf or otherwise) who creates it should have an effect over what kind of powers it has as well as possible costs and detriments.
-Non-created artifacts: Not all artifacts need to occur from natural creation. These can come from deceased gods, be devices that allow the world to function, or even occur naturally through the perfection of nature.

So expect me to post these and anything else I can find in a bit.

[Craftling]

MEDICINE!(for when docters are implemented)
Miraclulous cure- Cures any illness no matter what
Regrow limb- Somehow your docters have managed to make your dwarfs limb regrow.
Strong metabolism-Ths dwarf has been cured and will never fall sick again.
Immunity-Your dwarf now has immunity to that illnes FOREVER.

Im getting a bit abstract but oh well.

[Neonivek]

Well one issue as always is that I am very iffy about "One Use" artifacts.

While I can understand the Bronze Collosus as a possible major one use artifact due to its unstoppable nature, a salve that cures one illness (no matter what it is) is something I question.

Goodness I am afraid to post in here because people look expecting updates from me.

Universal:
-Rulership: The right of rulership has been engraved into this artifact. Those who weild this artifact become the leader of the civilisation it was made in, or in some cases others. Powerful beings can resist this effect.

Conditions
-Grounded: For as long as the owner has his feet planted firmly on the ground the artifact will function. Being Prone, Flying, sitting, or swimming prevents the artifacts use.

That is really all I have, but I wanted to respond to Craftling.

[Eagleon]

I like this actually. Thinking of basic stuff an artifact needs game-mechanics wise is easy enough, but Toady should be the one that does so. He knows what is and isn't possible with his engine, and how deeply he would want things to be set in the game. I imagine this list being sort of useful in the sense that the power goals are useful - if you have the elements an artifact needs to exist in the game, then you've done a lot of work for other stuff that could happen as well. But having something to actually work towards speeds the process immensely, because you aren't stuck trying to figure out what would be interesting.

A few for the list:
(Weapon) of Brambles - If set as such, the weapon/spike trap splits off in an organic fashion, using any nearby mechanisms to make its functioning more intelligent (hidden spikes, spikes that ignore a class of enemy, etc.) and growing into an ever more impenetrable field of death as it impales creatures that are foolish enough to wander into the area it claims. The brambles may be removed by grasping the first weapon, which is often the most heavily guarded.

Cage of Splendor - Will gradually reduce a dwarf's hatred of a specific vermin if it is contained within, and will give greater happy thoughts to dwarves that see a liked creature contained in it. Also provides an excellent habitat for any creatures inside, preventing them from dying from hunger even if the fortress is abandoned.

Trigger Word - The artifact remains dormant until a word known only by its maker is spoken. The word is passed down to close ties to the artifact's heir, and entities that wish to possess the artifact will use torture to learn the word.

Skybridge - An individual crossing this bridge temporarily gains the power of flight after stepping off the other side. This lasts until the creature chooses to land.

Bridge to Nowhere - A creature that crosses from one side of this bridge to the other is transported immediately back to the side it started from.

Throne of Power - Exceptionally and opulently decorated, a creature that sits in this throne may rule over others through sheer projected will - the strongest of enemies will kneel at his feet in respect, and the weaker will rush to do his bidding in fear. The projection only lasts as long as they remain seated, however.

Settee of Justice - The lounger's words seem wise and fair, no matter their true content. Even the accused will respect those that sit here. They may not necessarily obey him, but those so inclined will rapidly begin to gain respect for any that speak from it.

[LordDemon]

Would barrel of filling be a good idea?

If empty, it does nothing. If there is even 1 unit of liquid in it, it will slowly (once a month?) add another one until it is full.
(so you start with dwarven ale [5], then drink one, it is dwarven ale [4], then at the end of month it will become dwarven ale[5] again.)

This could also work with plants and meat, but should they create larger stacks, or new ones? And how to handle multiple things in barrel?

[Nivim]

Universal:
-Rulership: The right of rulership has been engraved into this artifact. Those who weild this artifact become the leader of the civilisation it was made in, or in some cases others. Powerful beings can resist this effect.

What do you mean by universal? And who is resisting the effect? If your talking about making the wielder the entity leader, would it be the previous entity ruler, or the wielder?

Conditions
-Grounded: For as long as the owner has his feet planted firmly on the ground the artifact will function. Being Prone, Flying, sitting, or swimming prevents the artifacts use.

 Now instead of just making an example like you did here, you need to switch it to requiring any of the states, or prohibiting any of them. And also figure out what sphere each state belongs in.

[Neonivek]

Yes Lord Demon that is a good idea. It reminds me of the story of the magic box. Basically there was a box that would replicate whatever was put in it. It ended however when the couple who owned the box' old father died while doing their work and fell into the box and was multiplied. (They were already rich from multiplying a gold coin, so not exactly a sad ending unless working your parents to death and multiplying their dead corpse twenty times is sad)

As for NIVM's questions

-Universal refers to any artifact effect that isn't linked to a specific artifact type.
-Everyone in the civilisation resists the effect. Basically it is mind controlling people to accept that person as the king.

Also those weren't so much examples as they those are all situations where your feet won't be on the ground.

As for spheres that make sense for Grounded. It would be any that deal with Land. (There are a lot of spheres)

Hmm I could look at the spheres later and come up with more Sphere themed artifacts. Some artifacts I've considered not due to its usefulness but its historical significance. A Ring that lets you chose the gender of all your heirs for example wouldn't be too useful for the player so to speak but it would bring a bit of flavor to an artifact.

[Nivim]

Quit missing the point of my posts!

 Every effect you list should be universal within it's own statement. If it isn't, then it's not very good.
 Ah, I see, when you spoke of it I thought it was more like Excalibur, in that gaining possession of it meant you were king. And to do that in game you would have to work with entity positions instead of party mechanics.

 You gave one example of a situation using the characters locomotive state as a requirement. Your example was "Grounded", but other examples of what you're talking about would be "Flighted", "Sneaking", or "Relaxed". The other conditions you listed (and some you didn't) also need to be able to generate the same requirement.
 When I spoke of spheres, I meant which ones would be required for the other states, as in "which spheres are more likely to use which positions"? Flight, on the ground, and swimming are obvious, but what about prone or sneaking? Also note that prone and sitting are still on the ground, and if it has an earth sphere it would work for any of these unless it also has a "balance" sphere as well.

 All artifacts need to be related to spheres somehow; they won't be generated otherwise.

[eerr]

don quihote's mechanism
Beacon Mechanism.

The mechanism greatly attracts roaming creatures, depending on the item the mechanism is used in. Once used, the type of monster attracted won't change from item to item.

windmills-giants
traps-adventurers?
pressure plate-Elephant.
Lever-gremlins
bridge- trolls
gear- Iron man
warm screw pump-magma men
damp screw pump-snakemen
door-thieves

support beam-colossus/animated statue?

link to lever-gremlins at both

[Neonivek]

Thank you everyone for your responses and for your contributions. Ill be updating the first posts in two to three weeks.

Artifact Concept: Non-Standard Deaths
-Many artifacts I’ve created have situations where an adventurer becomes unplayable.  Here are two situations where it would happen.

Loss of Intelligence or Mind:
-Any situation where an adventurer loses their ability to comprehend what is going or the ability to respond to it reasonably they should become unplayable.

Loss of Self
-A situation where an Adventurer becomes something other then themselves mentally, physically hardly matters, the adventurer should otherwise stop being playable.

Full Possession
-A situation where an Adventurer becomes incapable of taking actions on their own they should become unplayable.

Cannot take action
-Any situation where an Adventurer is incapable of taking actions such as sleep, petrification, coma, or paralysis they should become unplayable.

Temporary exception
-The exception to the rule are temporary situations. An adventurer who becomes possessed by a ghost on a non-permanent basis or who still has a window of opportunity to escape their fate.
--An alternative method would be to simply allow the player to decide when their character is unplayable and “abandon” him so to speak.

Partial Exception
-The second exception to the rule is when the above situation isn’t total.

Cured!
-If an Adventurer is cured from the above they should become playable once more.

What do you think? Might as well include some artifacts. I think Ill try some social artifacts.

Rings
-Ascend Prejudice: The wearer of this artifact speaks with the pure force of their personality. Those who listen to their words cannot use their hatred of the speaker or mistrust against the wearer.
-Truth: Those who listen to the wearer’s questions must answer them with truth.
-Sleeper: The wearer can, through speech, implant a goal or preference into the mind of those listening. The more influential the wearer is the more the listener will consider it important.
-Enslavement: The more the wearer speaks to another the more their minds are dominated. This is much more subtle then direct dominance and is permanent.
-Lover’s Lips: The Ring allows you to speak with the impact of an individual’s greatest love. They will react to you in a similar way.
-Trust: Despite an individual’s personal preferences the ring creates a supernatural trust that cannot easily be broken.
-Therapy: The wearer gains the ability to eliminate the mental impact from another’s memories simply by speaking about them to another.
-Deep heart: Gazing into another’s eyes you can see their greatest goal that they will attempt to achieve.

[Neonivek]

Not feeling the inspiration for long lists of artifact effects at the moment so I am going to be adding to artifact concepts for a while.

Artifact Concept: Lost Artifacts

The creation of artifacts are a great undertaking representing the highest in creativity, craft, intelligence, and power. Artifacts transcend the ordinary and are sacred treasures capable of changing individuals, towns, or even entire civilisations. For objects this important the loss must be of equal importance.

How to lose an artifact:
-Death away from home: When an individual dies while carrying an artifact away from where it can be retrieved
-Theft: When an artifact is stolen using subterfuge or force.
-Smuggling/Hiding: When an artifact is hidden to prevent it from being obtained by an enemy.
-Burial: When an artifact is buried with an individual out of respect
-Town/City Destruction: If a town or city is depopulated or abandoned
-Sold/Gift Civilisation: Treaties or much needed relief can be signed with artifacts
-Sold/Gift Individual: Great individuals could be given an artifact as their reward.

Retrieving a Lost Artifact:
-Civilisations who have lost an artifact should sound expedition teams to retrieve them. Depending on the expected danger these teams should be accompanied by soldiers. If the civilisation cannot back up an expedition party with enough force then they shouldn’t look for them unless they are particularly foolhardy.
--Mercenaries and adventurers are also an excellent method of retrieval.

Outsiders Finding Lost Artifacts:
-Artifacts are often lost on empty battlefields, ruins, or in deep caves in fact they aren’t bad locations for individuals to hide them from others. This isn’t to say they are exactly hidden from others. Though it may take even hundreds of years these artifacts may eventually be rediscovered.
--Mechanically every year an artifact should have a miniscule chance to be discovered by neighbouring civilisations and/or intelligent creatures (or any other creature that would take an artifact, like a Magpie stealing an artifact ring). If the artifact is in the wilderness then creatures who live in the wilderness, or who explore it regularly, should have the highest chance. The chance should be low enough that unless an artifact is specifically sought out in the correct location it should be capable of remaining hidden for hundreds if not thousands of years.
---Sinking into the mud: Artifacts lost in the wilderness should eventually sink into the earth eventually making it to cave systems where they can be found by those who live there.
----Sphere Creatures and Artifacts: Certain creatures, especially magical and spherical ones, could have an innate sense for artifacts and be able to easily find nearby unattended artifacts.
-----Taken by nature: Another possible mechanic is to allow nature itself to be alive so to speak. Artifacts lost in the wilderness should be claimed by nature and its forces. Hidden in a Trent grove, a pixie village, or given to the elves by wolves.
------Gods and Artifacts: Gods should be able to send their chosen towards artifacts. This may however send them in direct contest with other gods.

Retrieving Stolen Artifacts by force:
-Outside of war another method of retrieving stolen artifacts is through small teams of either elite warriors or assassins. Civilisations can adopt these teams as official artifact retrieval units or specialised assassins and even give them uses outside of artifact retrieval.
--If these units are ever disbanded they need not fully disband. History is ripe with ex-military groups going into business for their own.
---Artifacts given as part of diplomatic treaties, but who do not wish to end these, would tend to do so in secret.

Burying Artifacts:
-Burying an artifact with an individual is no small service. Civilisations should only reserve this for their greatest of champions and kings.  A king who deems himself important enough, against his people’s wishes, to be buried with an artifact may find his chambers excavated immediately
--Just because an artifact is buried with a worth individual it doesn’t mean it is forgotten. If a civilisation is under pressure they should consider digging the artifact back up. Though stealing artifacts from the dead may not be such a good idea.
---This is not to say that thieves, family, and other groups cannot wish to dig up an artifact previous buried in respect. A hero is fell out of favor, as many heros do, may not be seen as important enough to retain the artifact.

Considering it lost forever
-If an artifact hasn’t been retrieved for a particularly long period of time, or if large resources have been spent to retrieve it in vain. It should be considered lost forever. People should stop attempting to look for artifacts the longer it has been lost or unobtainable or the greater the methods to retrieve it. Artifacts being considered irretrievable or lost forever is an important enough event to be recorded in history.

More can be written on this subject, if you have something to add go ahead!

-----------------------

Yeah I know what I said, but I still can’t resist a few artifacts here and there

Statues
-Paradise: The statue transforms the surrounding area into a lush paradise. Grass grows, ponds fill with fresh pure water, trees flourish, and farms yield great harvests.
-Scarecrow: The Statue repels vermin and other pests.

Universal
-Artifact detector: This artifact is connected to other artifacts indicating their location in some manner. This indication could be glowing or even something as direct as a disembodied voice stating its location.
-Worthy Bend: When unattended for long periods of time it bends nature itself to its whim. Creates mazes from hedges, protectors from animals, and alters the land to suits its needs. These lands can persist long after the artifact is removed. Should this artifact be buried with its owner it will have a similar effect on the crypt turning it into a deadly dungeon.
-Worthy Guardian: When the owner loses this artifact or perishes the artifact creates a powerful guardian to protect the artifact and keep it out of the hands of the unworthy. Those who defeat the guardian in contest is found worthy of this artifact.