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[Drawde]

I'm interested in making a tortoise based on the Galapagos tortoise, though smaller, as a shell-producing domestic.  Except I have no idea how to mod one in.  I know I'd need to make a new world for it to work, and can puzzle out a few of the things, but I have no idea what many of the specifics are, such as getting the size and speed I want, or even if you can make it hide in it's shell when attacked (or anything remotely similar).  So help either making one, or a good place that describes exactly what I'd need to do.

I was going to base it closely on the Galapagos tortoise, but there were a few problems with that.  Namely the 20ish years to sexual maturity.  So I decided to go with a smaller version, around 100 pounds (compared to the 400-600+ of the Galapagos).  They're extremely slow, with an average walking speed of a couple miles per day.  Not easily frightened unless directly confronted, which causes them to hide in their shell.  Usually a brownish color.  They live in moister, though not wet, shrublands, I figure the "any shrubland" biome, maybe with "any savanna".  Real ones float in the water, so they'd be able to swim.  They also live to for over 100 years.  They lay multiple eggs, though I understand that they have to be live birth in DF.  Nothing else there, other than the standard butcherables with a shell, and they can't become war animals.

Any help would be appreciated, and the end result free to use.

[Internet Kraken]

I could maybe help you, but first you should post the raws you have made from the creature so far so we can build from that.

[Drawde]

As I tried to say above, I'm having trouble simply puzzling the raws out.  I think I saw a part in the wiki that explained them, but I couldn't find it again.  And what I can puzzle out, I don't know the variables.

Got a link that explains all that please?

[Untelligent]

After mucking around in arena mode for a while, I eventually ended up with a large creature that drops a shell when butchered; most of what I did to get this was copying the regular turtle, removing some vermin-related tags, and making it more like a large creature (the body size in particular wouldn't let it drop anything when I butchered it until I made it bigger). Whether you can use it like a normal turtle shell in fortress mode remains to be seen, but here's something for you.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Code: [Select]

[CREATURE:GALAPAGOS_TURTLE]
    [DESCRIPTION:A giant turtle that lives in tropical shrublands.]
    [NAME:galapagos turtle:galapagos turtles:galapagosian]
    [CASTE_NAME:galapagos turtle:galapagos turtles:galapagosian]
    [CREATURE_TILE:15][COLOR:6:0:0]
    [PETVALUE:100]
    [LARGE_ROAMING][BENIGN]
    [AMPHIBIOUS][COMMON_DOMESTIC]
    [NATURAL][PET_EXOTIC]
    [BIOME:SHRUBLAND_TROPICAL]
    [POPULATION_NUMBER:10:30]
    [CLUSTER_NUMBER:3:5]
    [FREQUENCY:10]
    [PREFSTRING:mighty shells]
    [BODY:QUADRUPED:TAIL:2EYES:NOSE:2LUNGS:HEART:GUTS:ORGANS:THROAT:NECK:SPINE:BRAIN:SKULL:MOUTH:RIBCAGE:SHELL]
    [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_MATERIALS]
        [REMOVE_MATERIAL:SKIN]
        [REMOVE_MATERIAL:LEATHER]
        [REMOVE_MATERIAL:HAIR]
        [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:SCALE:SCALE_TEMPLATE]
        [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:SHELL:SHELL_TEMPLATE]
    [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_TISSUES]
        [REMOVE_TISSUE:SKIN]
        [REMOVE_TISSUE:HAIR]
        [USE_TISSUE_TEMPLATE:SCALE:SCALE_TEMPLATE]
        [USE_TISSUE_TEMPLATE:SHELL:SHELL_TEMPLATE]
    [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:VERTEBRATE_TISSUE_LAYERS:SCALE:FAT:MUSCLE:BONE:CARTILAGE]
    [SELECT_TISSUE_LAYER:HEART:BY_CATEGORY:HEART]
     [PLUS_TISSUE_LAYER:SCALE:BY_CATEGORY:THROAT]
        [TL_MAJOR_ARTERIES]
    [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_HEAD_POSITIONS]
    [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:SHELL_POSITIONS]
    [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:HUMANOID_RIBCAGE_POSITIONS]
    [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:SINEW:SINEW_TEMPLATE]
    [TENDONS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:SINEW:200]
    [LIGAMENTS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:SINEW:200]
    [HAS_NERVES]
    [SPEED:2900]
    [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:BLOOD:BLOOD_TEMPLATE]
    [BLOOD:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:BLOOD:LIQUID]
    [CREATURE_CLASS:GENERAL_POISON]
    [GETS_WOUND_INFECTIONS]
    [GETS_INFECTIONS_FROM_ROT]
    [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:PUS:PUS_TEMPLATE]
    [PUS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:PUS:LIQUID]
    [BODY_SIZE:0:0:1000]
    [BODY_SIZE:3:0:60000]
    [CHILD:3]
    [BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:LENGTH:90:95:98:100:102:105:110]
    [BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:HEIGHT:90:95:98:100:102:105:110]
    [BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:BROADNESS:90:95:98:100:102:105:110]
    [MAXAGE:100:150]
    [ATTACK:BITE:BODYPART:BY_CATEGORY:MOUTH]
        [ATTACK_SKILL:BITE]
        [ATTACK_VERB:bite:bites]
        [ATTACK_CONTACT_PERC:100]
        [ATTACK_PENETRATION_PERC:100]
        [ATTACK_PRIORITY:MAIN]
        [ATTACK_FLAG_CANLATCH]
        [ATTACK_FLAG_EDGE]
    [DIURNAL]
    [SWIMS_INNATE][SWIM_SPEED:2500]
    [MUNDANE]
    [CASTE:FEMALE]
        [FEMALE]
    [CASTE:MALE]
        [MALE]
    [SELECT_CASTE:ALL]
    [CHILDNAME:galapagos turtle pup:galapagos turtle pups]
        [SET_TL_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:ALL:SCALE]
            [TL_COLOR_MODIFIER:PALE_BROWN:1:DARK_BROWN:1:FERN_GREEN:1]
                [TLCM_NOUN:scales:PLURAL]
        [SET_TL_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:EYE:EYE]
            [TL_COLOR_MODIFIER:BLACK:1]
                [TLCM_NOUN:eyes:PLURAL]


Some tags and numbers you might want to change:

[CHILD:n] The age at which the turtle ceases being a child and reaches adulthood (i.e. sexual maturity).

[BODY_SIZE:n:m:xxxxxx] The third number is the size in cubic cm, the first two numbers are the year and days at which the creature reaches that size. Multiple bodysize tags cause the creature to grow in size over time; in this case the turtles start out the size of a newborn puppy and reach the size of a dwarf at age 3.

[BIOME:whatever] I put tropical shrubland, you can change or add additional ones using this list.

[SPEED:n] Given some of the default speed values, some numbers from wikipedia, the speed equations on the wiki, and the assumption that a human can walk about 4mph, I extrapolated that the turtles would have a speed of roughly 20000. That number's rather insane, so I just kept it at the speed of normal turtles (2900). Creatures can move every ((rawspeed/100)+1) turns, so this speed is about three times as slow as dwarves and humans. There's also the swimspeed to consider.

Population number, cluster number, and frequency. I never really understood popnumber (wiki seems to alternate between "number of creatures that live on the map" and "number of creatures that show up per year"), so I made them slightly less populous than wild horses. Frequency is out of 100, so 10 is fairly rare.


Finally, there's no way I know of to make them withdraw into their shell (though the shell should at least absorb some blows that would otherwise hit a more sensitive area). Additionally, I haven't tested them to see if the shell can actually be used, but you should still be able to get it from butchering.

[Deon]

Cool. I have cave tortoises (in Genesis) too thus you can scavenge them if you want, or take Untelligent's ones.

P.S. I called children "hatchlings", not "pups". I'm not sure if it's a correct english.

[Drawde]

Thanks.  I'm slowly figuring it out.  I'll hunt the wiki again for descriptions too.

[SenorPiquante]

Nothing else there, other than the standard butcherables with a shell, and they can't become war animals.

WAR TORTOISE! Living catapult ammo would be kinda cool.

[Retro]

Cool. I have cave tortoises (in Genesis) too thus you can scavenge them if you want, or take Untelligent's ones.

P.S. I called children "hatchlings", not "pups". I'm not sure if it's a correct english.

Some googling indicates "hatchlings" is the appropriate term.

[Drawde]

Made a few slight changes to it.  How do you determine litter size first?  It takes a few years to reach maturity, but the real ones produce a clutch of eggs.

I think I understand most of it too.  Not messing with the stuff I can't figure out, and no reason to for this.

[Kilumanjaro]

I've actually been working on this for a while, and  think I finally came to a real good working creature...
This guy grows to about the size of a large dog after 9 years, Males (150 lbs) are larger than Females (100 lbs).  Most of that growth i in the first 2 years, though.  They mature and can reproduce  after just 2 years.
As scavengers, they like to chew on the bones of whatever they can find, making them cheap to tame if you find them in your caves. 

You'll need this in your creature files:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[CREATURE:TORTOISE_ROCKSHELL]
   [DESCRIPTION:A dog sized, scavanging underground tortise that domesticated by dwarves for their valued hard shells and as beasts of burden]
   [NAME:rockshell tortoise:rockshell tortoises:rockshell]
   [CREATURE_TILE:'t'][COLOR:2:0:0]
   [PETVALUE:148]
   [COMMON_DOMESTIC][PET][WAGON_PULLER]
   [PACK_ANIMAL][TRADE_CAPACITY:1500]
   [BONECARN]
   [BIOME:SUBTERRANEAN_CHASM]
   [POPULATION_NUMBER:25:50]
   [CLUSTER_NUMBER:2:10]
   [PREFSTRING:powerful legs]
   [PREFSTRING:rock hard shells]
   [BODY:QUADRUPED:TAIL:2EYES:NOSE:2LUNGS:HEART:GUTS:ORGANS:THROAT:NECK:SPINE:BRAIN:SKULL:BEAK]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_MATERIALS]
      [REMOVE_MATERIAL:SKIN]
      [REMOVE_MATERIAL:LEATHER]
      [REMOVE_MATERIAL:HAIR]
      [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:SCALE:SCALE_TEMPLATE]
      [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:SHELL:SHELL_TEMPLATE]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_TISSUES]
      [REMOVE_TISSUE:SKIN]
      [REMOVE_TISSUE:HAIR]
      [USE_TISSUE_TEMPLATE:SCALE:SCALE_TEMPLATE]
      [USE_TISSUE_TEMPLATE:SHELL:SHELL_TEMPLATE]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:VERTEBRATE_TISSUE_LAYERS:SCALE:FAT:MUSCLE:BONE:CARTILAGE]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:TURTLESHELL_LAYERS]
   [SELECT_TISSUE_LAYER:HEART:BY_CATEGORY:HEART]
    [PLUS_TISSUE_LAYER:SCALE:BY_CATEGORY:THROAT]
      [TL_MAJOR_ARTERIES]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_HEAD_POSITIONS]
   [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:SINEW:SINEW_TEMPLATE]
   [TENDONS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:SINEW:200]
   [LIGAMENTS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:SINEW:200]
   [HAS_NERVES]
   [SPEED:1500]
   [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:BLOOD:BLOOD_TEMPLATE]
   [BLOOD:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:BLOOD:LIQUID]
   [CREATURE_CLASS:GENERAL_POISON]
   [GETS_WOUND_INFECTIONS]
   [GETS_INFECTIONS_FROM_ROT]
   [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:PUS:PUS_TEMPLATE]
   [PUS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:PUS:LIQUID]
   [MAXAGE:25:50]
   [BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:LENGTH:90:95:98:100:102:105:110]
   [BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:HEIGHT:90:95:98:100:102:105:110]
   [BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:BROADNESS:90:95:98:100:102:105:110]
   [ATTACK:BITE:BODYPART:BY_CATEGORY:BEAK]
      [ATTACK_SKILL:BITE]
      [ATTACK_VERB:bite:bites]
      [ATTACK_CONTACT_PERC:100]
      [ATTACK_PRIORITY:MAIN]
      [ATTACK_FLAG_EDGE]
      [ATTACK_FLAG_CANLATCH]
   [DIURNAL]
   [SWIMS_INNATE][SWIM_SPEED:2000]
   [MUNDANE]
   [CHILD:2]
   [CHILDNAME:rockshell hatchling:rockshell hatchlings:rockshell hatchling]
   [CASTE:FEMALE]
      [FEMALE]
      [BODY_SIZE:0:00:00250]
      [BODY_SIZE:0:90:05000]
      [BODY_SIZE:1:00:20000]
      [BODY_SIZE:2:00:35000]
      [BODY_SIZE:9:00:50000]
   [CASTE:MALE]
      [MALE]
      [BODY_SIZE:0:00:00250]
      [BODY_SIZE:0:90:05000]
      [BODY_SIZE:1:00:20000]
      [BODY_SIZE:2:00:50000]
      [BODY_SIZE:9:00:75000]
   [SELECT_CASTE:ALL]
      [SET_TL_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:ALL:SCALE]
         [TL_COLOR_MODIFIER:GREEN:1]
            [TLCM_NOUN:scales:PLURAL]
      [SET_TL_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:EYE:EYE]
         [TL_COLOR_MODIFIER:BLACK:1]
            [TLCM_NOUN:eyes:PLURAL]
   [SELECT_MATERIAL:ALL]
      [MULTIPLY_VALUE:2]
   [SELECT_MATERIAL:SHELL]
      [MULTIPLY_VALUE:5]

You also need this in a Body Detail Plan file:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:TURTLESHELL_LAYERS]
   [BP_LAYERS:BY_CATEGORY:BODY:SHELL:150]
   [BP_LAYERS:BY_CATEGORY:BODY_UPPER:SHELL:150]
   [BP_LAYERS:BY_CATEGORY:BODY_LOWER:SHELL:150]

Best part of this solution, you can now give any creature you want a turtleshell by just adding the tag [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:TURTLESHELL_LAYERS]
TMNT, anyone?

edit:  In arena mode, Dwarves have been bouncing steel maces off their shell...   some tweaking to the thickness on the shell layer may be desirable. 
Also yields 2 shells on butcher when fully grown.

[Drawde]

Which one gives the two shells?  Would it be:
  [SELECT_MATERIAL:ALL]
    [MULTIPLY_VALUE:2]
with ALL replaced by SHELL for just shells?

Also, how does LITTERSIZE work?  The wiki isn't clear on it.

Finally, when this is done, I just copy/paste it into creature_large_tropical.txt and gen a new world to get these?

[Untelligent]

Which one gives the two shells?  Would it be:
  [SELECT_MATERIAL:ALL]
    [MULTIPLY_VALUE:2]
with ALL replaced by SHELL for just shells?

No, that'll just make shells twice as valuable. I imagine the extra shell-matter the body detail plan is giving them is doing that. Think of them as being so big you can make twice as many things out of their shell.

Also, how does LITTERSIZE work?  The wiki isn't clear on it.

I think it's fairly clear, but then again I've been doing this for a while and maybe I've gotten used to it. You want the tag [LITTERSIZE:min:max], where min and max are two numbers that determine the range of hatchlings the turtles can have. Default is 1 to 3, I think, if that sounds about right you don't have to put the tag in. If not, I think it goes in the female caste section (find the [FEMALE] tag and put it right alongside or under it).

Finally, when this is done, I just copy/paste it into creature_large_tropical.txt and gen a new world to get these?

Yep.[/quote]

[Drawde]

I've made a new world with what I have.  LITTERSIZE works when placed after CHILD.  Got a bunch that way.  Will probably have to tone it down a bit though.  I got a shell when I butchered one, though I don't know if it works yet.  Made a mistake, and lost the fort, so trying again.  I'll report after I get the fort working right.

[Drawde]

Got an earring made from a hatchling shell, so they work for that.  It's working out so far.  Thanks for the help everyone.

EDIT  Also got an artifact made from it, though it morphed into an iron figurine.

[Drawde]

This is what I settled with.  Not too many changes beyond removing AMPHIBIOUS and adding LITTERSIZE.  And giving it different sizes as it got older and simple PET.  This solves my shell problem with something that isn't overpowered.  Though I might mess with the littersize and maturity levels a bit later.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[CREATURE:GIANT_TORTOISE]
   [DESCRIPTION:A giant tortoise that lives in tropical shrublands.]
   [NAME:giant tortoise:giant tortoises:giant tortoise]
   [CASTE_NAME:giant tortoise:giant tortoises:giant tortoise]
   [CREATURE_TILE:15][COLOR:6:0:0]
   [PETVALUE:70]
   [LARGE_ROAMING][BENIGN]
   [COMMON_DOMESTIC]
   [NATURAL][PET]
   [BIOME:SHRUBLAND_TROPICAL]
   [POPULATION_NUMBER:10:30]
   [CLUSTER_NUMBER:3:5]
   [FREQUENCY:10]
   [PREFSTRING:mighty shells]
   [BODY:QUADRUPED:TAIL:2EYES:NOSE:2LUNGS:HEART:GUTS:ORGANS:THROAT:NECK:SPINE:BRAIN:SKULL:MOUTH:RIBCAGE:SHELL]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_MATERIALS]
      [REMOVE_MATERIAL:SKIN]
      [REMOVE_MATERIAL:LEATHER]
      [REMOVE_MATERIAL:HAIR]
      [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:SCALE:SCALE_TEMPLATE]
      [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:SHELL:SHELL_TEMPLATE]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_TISSUES]
      [REMOVE_TISSUE:SKIN]
      [REMOVE_TISSUE:HAIR]
      [USE_TISSUE_TEMPLATE:SCALE:SCALE_TEMPLATE]
      [USE_TISSUE_TEMPLATE:SHELL:SHELL_TEMPLATE]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:VERTEBRATE_TISSUE_LAYERS:SCALE:FAT:MUSCLE:BONE:CARTILAGE]
   [SELECT_TISSUE_LAYER:HEART:BY_CATEGORY:HEART]
    [PLUS_TISSUE_LAYER:SCALE:BY_CATEGORY:THROAT]
      [TL_MAJOR_ARTERIES]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_HEAD_POSITIONS]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:SHELL_POSITIONS]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:HUMANOID_RIBCAGE_POSITIONS]
   [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:SINEW:SINEW_TEMPLATE]
   [TENDONS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:SINEW:200]
   [LIGAMENTS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:SINEW:200]
   [HAS_NERVES]
   [SPEED:2900]
   [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:BLOOD:BLOOD_TEMPLATE]
   [BLOOD:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:BLOOD:LIQUID]
   [CREATURE_CLASS:GENERAL_POISON]
   [GETS_WOUND_INFECTIONS]
   [GETS_INFECTIONS_FROM_ROT]
   [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:PUS:PUS_TEMPLATE]
   [PUS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:PUS:LIQUID]
   [BODY_SIZE:0:0:1000]
   [BODY_SIZE:1:0:10000]
   [BODY_SIZE:2:0:30000]
   [BODY_SIZE:3:0:60000]
   [CHILD:3]
   [LITTERSIZE:2:5]
   [BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:LENGTH:90:95:98:100:102:105:110]
   [BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:HEIGHT:90:95:98:100:102:105:110]
   [BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:BROADNESS:90:95:98:100:102:105:110]
   [MAXAGE:100:150]
   [ATTACK:BITE:BODYPART:BY_CATEGORY:MOUTH]
      [ATTACK_SKILL:BITE]
      [ATTACK_VERB:bite:bites]
      [ATTACK_CONTACT_PERC:100]
      [ATTACK_PENETRATION_PERC:100]
      [ATTACK_PRIORITY:MAIN]
      [ATTACK_FLAG_CANLATCH]
      [ATTACK_FLAG_EDGE]
   [DIURNAL]
   [SWIMS_INNATE][SWIM_SPEED:2500]
   [MUNDANE]
   [CASTE:FEMALE]
      [FEMALE]
   [CASTE:MALE]
      [MALE]
   [SELECT_CASTE:ALL]
   [CHILDNAME:giant tortoise hatchling:giant tortoise hatchlings]
      [SET_TL_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:ALL:SCALE]
         [TL_COLOR_MODIFIER:PALE_BROWN:1:DARK_BROWN:1:FERN_GREEN:1]
            [TLCM_NOUN:scales:PLURAL]
      [SET_TL_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:EYE:EYE]
         [TL_COLOR_MODIFIER:BLACK:1]
            [TLCM_NOUN:eyes:PLURAL]
   

And I have a better understanding of modding too.