So I haven't played DF since 31.13, (Or whatever version was before the new cities/towns), and I'm just trying it again, and Adventure mode looks a lot better. Though, I can't seem to find any caves. =/
Also, where do I find shops? I've searched all through the hamlets in my area. Are they only in towns?
And, I accepted my first night creature quest. My only words on how bizarre this thing is are "What the fuck." It's the "Husband of the Bleak Crone" An extremely hairy dude with a carving knife. He just hops around stabbing everywhere. I can't hit him. And he's already stabbed one of my companions in the face insta-killing him. I may just run away. @_@
First of all, caves are all there, they're just not as apparent on the new travel map. If you're still dissatisfied, gen a world with more caves and voila!
Shopkeepers are back in business. Their shops are all in towns - actually, I think that whether a settlement is a town or a hamlet is defined by whether it has a shop or not... or at least I think so. Anyway, they're displayed as yellow 'blocks', while usual houses are white 'blocks'. On the world map, towns with shops are displayed as +.
And night creatures can be darn weird. Though I usually get hulking brutes with multiple tails, a trunk and/or wings. Had three-horned charcoal-black cracked humanoids with asymmetric limbs once. The best way to disable them is to diminish their combat capacity and bash their fucking head(s) in. Can try choking them (reminder: wrestle their throat, then apply chokehold, then choke) but this may be difficult if not outright impossible sometimes, you may get stuck in an endless grip adjusting loop while it stabs you in the face.