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[weasel]

In one of my failed forts, I was so obsessed with retrieving far-off ore that I neglected my food supplies. As I was attempting an emergency fishing operation, my dwarves were starting to get very hungry - none died of starvation, but everyone was flashing their arrows at me (which I'm convinced looks like a big middle finger to god (me)).

Then a dwarven caravan came to town.

I saw they were carrying plump helmets, as they flickered over their characters, but my dwarves suddenly rushed them and starting walking away with fresh food in their hands. All my dwarves. All 60 of them.

It was neat to watch - my starving dwarves seeing a caravan on the horizon, full of food - and becoming an enraged mob and robbing the poor traders that came across me. I could see this being part of the game even.

However, once the traders arrived at my depot, they had nothing left to share - and I don't think they got angry at me, nor did they try to fight back.

I'm hoping this "feature" stays in, just add some consequences  

[Aquillion]

I can't see the dwarven merchants, at least, ordering starving dwarves killed or declaring war on you for that.  What they could do is keep an accounts ledger, and demand payment for the missing food.  If things like this end up putting the player too deeply in debt, they could stop bringing food altogether, and just send a guy to complain and demand payment.

[Captain_Action]

Aquillion, yet another noble to take care of? That's harsh!

[Upthorn]

Nah, this wouldn't require a noble, this would show up on the already existing trade screen, handled by the broker at the latest.

[Maximus]

The most sensible responses that come to my mind are:

- Attack the thieving horde, and against 60 dwarves, die.
- Flee as soon as they see all those hungry dwarves approaching (no caravans, or only heaviliy-armed caravans in the future).
- Give in to the mob (no caravans or heavily armed in the future).
- Give in, plus like Aquillion suggested, no trading in the future until you settle your tab.  Plus a penalty, no doubt.

[Aquillion]

An accounts ledger could also be used for if the player confiscates goods...  and even for other things.  Merchants could blame the player for deaths in their party and demand compensation.  Yes, it would suck if they got killed by animals, but realistically it makes a certain sense for them to hold the player responsible if they're torn to pieces by wild animals twenty paces from the front gate while the player does nothing to help... and there are ways for a clever player to keep them safe.  You could build moats along the road, for instance, or line up chained dogs near there or something.

Hmm, water moats don't work outdoors, so they'd have to be lava moats, which is a bit of a bother to channel all the way outdoors...  well, chained dogs might work.  The player could also get a warning shortly before a caravan arrives ("A dwarven caravan from XXX approaches!"), so they'd know to send out a military squad to watch the road.

[ September 23, 2006: Message edited by: Aquillion ]