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Author Topic: Immortality?  (Read 2665 times)

Anticipation

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Immortality?
« on: February 19, 2010, 08:47:59 pm »

Now I saw somebody mention the immortality of Goblins and Elves in some part of the forums not that long ago and it got me thinking, why isn't that you arn't seiged by endless hordes of full legendary elves and goblins? They HAVE had the entire of creation to get good at what they're doing...
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Dude_Jebawe

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Re: Immortality?
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2010, 08:55:40 pm »

besieging troops are randomly generated on the spot when they attack your fortress. Except for squad leaders, I think.
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Duelmaster409

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Re: Immortality?
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2010, 08:57:25 pm »

Well, I don't think this applies to goblins (unless they're modded) but Elves tend to live for very long times, enough to live from year 1 to worldgen end. Plus, why wouldn't Elves die easily? They're squishy and it makes sense what with their naturally long lives.
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Dwarf fortress: Teaching uni level geology to sadistic elf killers for years.

Shinigami42

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Re: Immortality?
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2010, 09:08:23 pm »

Well, I don't think this applies to goblins (unless they're modded) but Elves tend to live for very long times, enough to live from year 1 to worldgen end. Plus, why wouldn't Elves die easily? They're squishy and it makes sense what with their naturally long lives.

Neither elves nor goblins will ever die from old age. They both lack the [MAXAGE] tag, which effectively makes them immortal. Take a single elf (or goblin), place him on a remote mountain with an endless spring and a teach him to farm something that that grows above ground and can be eaten raw (not sure which plants fit that description, I only farm pig tails, plump helmets, and rope reeds), then isolate him from the outside world any way you can (a giant wall around the mountain peak to keep out ground units, a ceiling to stop fliers) and he will never die. Of course, that assumes that elves and goblins need food and water, which they don't (at this stage). So simply isolating him will work.

As for why their sieges suck it's probably simply a matter of the way the game is coded. As someone else said the soldiers are likely randomly generated, and Toady probably hasn't considered the implications of immortal races in a several-hundred-year-old world.
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Anticipation

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Re: Immortality?
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2010, 09:14:57 pm »

Yeah, I always wondered why the goblins could afford to throw of so many of their kind up against the walls every year in seiges, I guess there's just LOTS of them..
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Noble Digger

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Re: Immortality?
« Reply #5 on: February 21, 2010, 04:12:12 pm »

Yeah, I always wondered why the goblins could afford to throw of so many of their kind up against the walls every year in seiges, I guess there's just LOTS of them..

A society of immortal beings needs a way to reduce its population or else breeding will eventually overwhelm social structures with too many jobless people. The solution? HAVE SOME WARS! War is peace!
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quib·ble
1. To evade the truth or importance of an issue by raising trivial distinctions and objections.
2. To find fault or criticize for petty reasons; cavil.

Kidiri

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Re: Immortality?
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2010, 07:12:22 pm »

Yeah, I always wondered why the goblins could afford to throw of so many of their kind up against the walls every year in seiges, I guess there's just LOTS of them..

A society of immortal beings needs a way to reduce its population or else breeding will eventually overwhelm social structures with too many jobless people. The solution? HAVE SOME WARS! War is peace!
Death to Easta- Eurasia!

Also, now I've got to go and read it again, thanks jerk.
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Veni, Vidi, Pompeii.
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Sometimes, when my Dorfs are exceptionally stupid again, I wonder what exactly the [INTELLIGENT]-tag does.

Jacob/Lee

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Re: Immortality?
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2010, 09:25:11 pm »

Invaders are randomely generated in a second at the time they spawn. Except squad leaders, I.E, some squad leaders for goblins are the rulers.

Anticipation

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Re: Immortality?
« Reply #8 on: February 23, 2010, 12:43:27 am »

Hmm, was that at 1984 refrence?
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darkflagrance

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Re: Immortality?
« Reply #9 on: February 23, 2010, 01:29:45 am »

Even with eternity, I imagine there's still a cap on how good you can get at something, due to the limitations of your mind and your body.
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...as if nothing really matters...
   
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Tired of going decades without goblin sieges? Try The Fortress Defense Mod

Anticipation

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Re: Immortality?
« Reply #10 on: February 23, 2010, 01:36:03 am »

Yes, but ledgandry +5 is probably achievable.
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Pathos

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Re: Immortality?
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2010, 02:05:46 am »

Well, I don't think this applies to goblins (unless they're modded) but Elves tend to live for very long times, enough to live from year 1 to worldgen end. Plus, why wouldn't Elves die easily? They're squishy and it makes sense what with their naturally long lives.

Goblins are evil elves. =p
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Default Settings

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Re: Immortality?
« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2010, 10:33:38 am »

Goblins are evil elves. =p
I am pretty sure in this context elves are evil elves.
Maybe goblins are just ugly elves.
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Satarus

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Re: Immortality?
« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2010, 11:58:50 am »

Worldgen goblins have a nasty habit of murdering each other.  Worldgen elves can only be killed by a rampaging semi/megabeast or in combat.

As for seiges/ambushes, some squad leaders are worldgen figures.  The rest are generated on the spot just like immigrants.
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Quote
You need to make said elf leather into the most amazing work of art.  Embed it with every kind of gem you have, stud it with metals, and sew images into it.  Erect a shrine outside your fort with that in the center.  Let the elves know that you view their very skin as naught more but a medium for your dwarves to work on.

Maggarg - Eater of chicke

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Re: Immortality?
« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2010, 02:15:42 pm »

Their populations are generally kept down by a mythical traveler in my games.
A peculiarly short, hairy and filthy traveler with a tendency to use unusual weapons.
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