Many ideas were already suggested, I know that much. :-)
I have split the suggestions into logical groups which can be implemented more-or-less independently (or at least sequentially).
Trap Camouflage and Triggering.
1. Each trap generates additional "Camouflage Trap" job upon completion. This job is done by a dwarf with Trapping labour. Quality of camouflage is determined by the skill.
2. Uncamouflaged trap is autiomatically detected at a certain distance (unless the creature is blind). Detection of camouflaged traps requires Observer skill roll against Trapping skill of the dwarf who camouflaged the trap. However the default chance to automatically detect the trap is quite low.
3. Detection of a trap (or triggering one, or seeing a trap trigger) switches the creature into "careful" mode, where it moves slower but is detecting traps with a much higher chance. Creature will leave "careful" mode if it doesn't detect any new traps for some time.
4. All creatures try not to path through detected traps when there's another route. Intelligent creatures will path normally through unloaded traps, while unintelligent creatures will avoid all detected traps, even those which are currently safe.
5. Detected traps are normally safe for intelligent creatures. However walking through a detected loaded trap takes more time. Losing consciousness on the trap triggers it. Getting webbed may trigger the trap, but the webs may also jam the trap and render it useless. Getting thrown on the trap (hammer strike, bridge fling, etc) triggers the trap with normal chance.
6. Unintelligent creatures don't lose speed on detected traps but have a reduced chance to trigger them even when just walking over.
7. MISCHIEVIOUS creatures may try to trigger detected loaded traps. There's a small chance that their curiosity will cost them dearly, of course.
8. Some intelligent hostiles may destroy or jam detected traps, others will just ignore them.
9. After triggering the trap, the creature still has a chance to avoid the effects. This is governed by trap mechanism quality and creature's Dodge skill (or other relevant bonusses).
10. Huge creatures have an increased chance to trigger a trap (because, well, they are huge). At the same time they have a chance to break the trap by triggering it (trap still activates on them, but is disassembled immediately afterwards). Higher quality mechanisms can survive larger creatures.
11. TRAPAVOID token should not mean complete trap immunity, but instead function as a huge bonus to creature's native Dodge and Observer skills when it comes to rolls against traps. So even a huge megagolem with zero Observer/Dodge will have a decent chance against traps if he's TRAPAVOID.
Cage Changes: Breaking Out
1. All non-tame creatures will try to break out of the cage if they ever get into one. Their chances should depend on their strength and cage material (and, to a lesser extent, cage quality).
2. After some time, however, the caged creature should become content and stop trying (mostly for saving CPU time but heck this is also pretty realistic). Maybe governed by some creature tags.
3. Since cage material and properties become important, player should be able to determine what cages should be loaded into a particular cage trap (both during and after construction). Parameters should include cage material ("any/non_glass/glass/wood/any_metal/specific_metals") and cage quality ("at least X"). Default values should be non_glass/any_quality.
Cage Changes: Locks
1. Since checking for strength-vs-material during escape attempt is unfair for thieves, additional cage component is introduced: Lock.
2. Lock is produced from metal by a Metalcrafter (fuel required), and then installed on a cage by Metalcrafter in the Craftsdwarf's Workshop (no fuel required).
3. All cages by default have some basic hatch. This is enough to contain the wildlife, but will not stand against even the most stupid goblin or rhesus macaque.
4. Two new methods for breaking out of the cage are introduced: bashing the door and picking the lock. Bashing the door is available to all creatures, however intelligent and MISCHIEVIOUS creatures will use it much more often. Chances to bash the door depend on the creature strength and lock material (and, to a lesser extent, lock quality). Picking the lock is only available to intelligent and MISCHIEVIOUS creatures.
5. Two additional parameters are introduced for the cage trap: lock material ("any_metal/specific_metals") and quality ("at least X").
Hostiles Behavior Change: Freeing Caged Allies
1. Intelligent hostiles should try to release caged allies. They have basically the same three methods: breaking the cage, bashing the door and picking the lock.
2. Picking the lock from inside the cage becomes much more difficult to simulate the differing conditions for working with the lock.
3. Intelligent hostiles outside of the cage may to a certain limit combine their forces when trying to break the cage or bash the door. Picking the lock however is a solo job.
Hostiles Behavior Change: Retrieving Caged Allies
1. If a caged ally cannot be released, intelligent hostiles should carry his cage around. If/when they decide to leave the map, they take the cage along. It is supposed that somewhere out there they will find a way to release their caged comrade even if he's in a masterwork adamantine cage with masterwork adamantine lock.
2. Carrying should be subject to normal weight restrictions. Ideally, the invaders should be intelligent enough to ditch a cage with a regular soldier in order to pick the cage with an officer.
3. This feature may potentially result in a situation where a goblin is fighting dwarves with a cage containing this goblin's commanding officer. :-)
MISCHIEVIOUS Behavior Change: Opening Cages
1. Caged MISCHIEVIOUS creatures will try to pick the lock in addition to other methods of breaking out. They also try to bash the door with the same frequency as intelligent creatures.
2. MISCHIEVIOUS creatures may try to open any cage they find, either installed or lying around. Contents of the cage are irrelevant.
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Topic: Rebalance: Traps and Cages Miscellaneous Ideas (Read 618 times)