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More tech tree!

36 (26.1%)

More ritual tree!

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12 (8.7%)

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Plagues!

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Total Members Voted: 137

[narhiril]

I uploaded a few minor bug fixes as v0.13b.  Full change log is in the manual.  There isn't anything that important in this release, but if you haven't downloaded 0.13a, this one is a little more up to date.

I will post more news about 0.14 once I have it.  Like I said, I've been busy this week, but a good portion of the new raws are written for it already.  Rest assured that progress is being made.

[Pan]

I'm wondering how people fend off their voidwalker attacks. Ideas?

[thatkid]

I always make sure there is at least one dwarf in every squad who is a proficient or better teacher, and the squads are all always set to train year round.
I then always have them decked out in as much steel as possible: Helm (Great Helm for the commander and captains), Breastplate, Mail Shirt, Greaves, Leggings, Gauntlets, High Boots.
All shields are copper.
I save half of any mithril I find for the creation of hadrine, because I figure someday I'll be able to do that. The rest of the pure mithril I get is made into great helms (for the commanders. Steel Great Helms are melted down or given to more skilled troops), or breastplates.
Any voidshard I get is made into axes or spears. Damascus steel is used for all weapons but war hammers and maces, if it's not a damascus steel edge weapon its a steel one. If its blunt, it's made of silver. If I get ether, I use that for long swords...but that's more of a flavor choice.
Once the majority of a squad is adequate or better in its weapon, they do frequent sweeps of the caverns, killing anything I can find down there. They're only ever off cavern duty when another squad is ready to take their place. Cavern duty is all done manually using the move or kill commands, I don't use patrol routes because when they're done with their sweep of the area I want them to go directly back to regular training.

I generally find that if I have a squad or three set up like this training year round, they can beat anything when it arrives. Up to and including voidwalker ambushes.

Of course, this actually all might be overkill. I'm a little insane, so even my fortress guard is armed with at least copper or better weaponry, but they spend a third of their time training, a third of their time stationed at the only entrance (to catch thieves and the like), and a third of their time off duty with the only jobs they're given being to work at the obstacle course or training dummy.

EDIT: Forgot to add, once I have around ten whips from goblinite invasions I'll set up an entire squad that trains solely with whips. This is because lightsabers are awesome.

[Pan]

I save half of any mithril I find for the creation of hadrine

You... you use mithril for hadrine?? *facepalm*

Anyway, I found some things worth looking into. Firstly, the egg laying problem with turtles. Being grazers, they starve themselves when laying eggs. Secondly, you may want to change the amount of eggs other egg layers can lay. (this is a vanilla problem, but I'm wondering if you can change it with modding)

[narhiril]

I save half of any mithril I find for the creation of hadrine

You... you use mithril for hadrine?? *facepalm*

Anyway, I found some things worth looking into. Firstly, the egg laying problem with turtles. Being grazers, they starve themselves when laying eggs. Secondly, you may want to change the amount of eggs other egg layers can lay. (this is a vanilla problem, but I'm wondering if you can change it with modding)

And that bug rears its ugly head once again.  I had seen...

Spoiler: spoiler-related creatures (click to show/hide)

carbuncles

...do that, but assumed it was because they were waiting for unusual eggs to hatch (which never happens, obviously), but I didn't know this was also affecting tortoises.  The grazer tokens will be removed from both of these creatures until this is remedied.

And if you want to modify the number of eggs things lay at a time, this is the token you're looking for.

[CLUTCH_SIZE:4:15]

First number is minimum, second number is maximum.  I do not plan to change these tokens for vanilla creatures with LFR, but you are free to do so as you like, and I am happy to assist in any way I can.

---

Now, regarding the next update.  This version will contain the first "hybrid" building, which will tie into both the mechanical and upcoming ritual tech trees.  I have designed a few ritual buildings as well, but most of the functions associated with these will likely not make it into the game until the next DF release.  However, I'm so excited about how things are shaping up that I'm going to share a little about what I have in mind.

Ritual buildings are the other side of the coin when it comes to advances in dwarven technology and lifestyle (it's currently a two-sided coin, but it may get a bit more prismatic in the future).  While the mechanical tech tree is based on step-by-step advances and research, the ritual tech tree is based almost entirely on fortune and sacrifices.  It is theoretically possible to unlock the deepest secrets of the ritual tech tree in a single motion, should Armok or another extend you his favor, but it is both unlikely and highly dangerous.

The ritual tech tree will consist of NINE "tier one" buildings.  All nine buildings will be able to perform a similar function - to appeal to a higher power for favor and gifts.  The difference lies in how they go about it, and what "gifts" they are able to receive.

Three of the buildings are classified as "altars."

The dwarves will be able to perform sacrifices of varying scales upon these altars.  A small sacrifice will only require one or two reagents, but will most likely go unnoticed by higher beings.  If it does attract their attention, it is as likely to anger them as it is to appease them, resulting in a number of possible risks and rewards.  Those of you who have been avidly performing alchemical experiments will see some similarities here, though most of the products will be entirely new in form and function.  A large sacrifice can bring greater rewards, but also has a greater risk of angering rival powers.

The "Altar of Life" is a small building dedicated to the sacrifice of organic materials to appeal for divine favor.  "Organic materials" will include plants, logs, and certain plant products (booze). 

The "Altar of Death" is a similar altar that accepts skulls, bones, blood, and vermin remains for sacrifice.

The "Altar of Riches" will be yet another altar that accepts coins, gems, and large gems.

So what are the other six buildings, you ask?  Well you're going to have to wait for those.  That being said, the ritual tech tree does some things with buildings that are new and bold even by LFR's standards.

[thatkid]

I am actually more eager to see the ritual tech-tree in all its glory than I am for the new Elder Scrolls Game.
And that's saying something.

Is it even possible to use blood as a reagent at the moment though? I thought that was glitched along with a few other weird extracty things? Or maybe I'm just misinformed...

[narhiril]

I am actually more eager to see the ritual tech-tree in all its glory than I am for the new Elder Scrolls Game.
And that's saying something.

Is it even possible to use blood as a reagent at the moment though? I thought that was glitched along with a few other weird extracty things? Or maybe I'm just misinformed...

I don't actually know the answer to that, it's something I'll need to examine (obviously) as things progress.  Right now, aside from some building raws, the ritual tech tree is mostly still in the conceptual phase.  The portion of the update I have been more actively working on is focused on creature requests and implementing new uses for unused products of documentation, since there are some things I want to do with the ritual tech tree that will require the new version of DF to work properly. 

[Trapezohedron]

I am actually more eager to see the ritual tech-tree in all its glory than I am for the new Elder Scrolls Game.
And that's saying something.

Is it even possible to use blood as a reagent at the moment though? I thought that was glitched along with a few other weird extracty things? Or maybe I'm just misinformed...

One way to use blood for reagents is to add a reaction class to the blood template and make reactions that use both blood and the container containing it.

As for blood making reactions, I'll see what I can cook up.

[Teach]

    The most important resource you have in the fight against voidwalkers are migrants.   Against melee combatants you shouldn't have a problem provided your dwarves are trained properly.   For the ranged squads however, you should send in 10-20 migrant shock troops decked out in full damascus steel (you'll be able to recover it soon enough).   I really like the custom metals in this mod, most people just add a plethora of diverse races which are just fodder for trained dorfs.   The deadly power of voidshard adds a nice element of danger to the game.   

    On the topic of ether, how many labs do you guys usually have running after you've set up your basic infrastructure?   And how often do you guys get ether?  For me usually by the end of year 2,  I've had 1 reaction.   I tend to only use 2 labs though.   Also, how long does it usually take you to get the Experimental materials and the Weapons workshop?  If I plunge into the tech tree I can get both as early as the end of the 2nd year but usually I spend more time on my military and so I end up with these workshops around year 4-5.

[SalmonGod]

Just want to say, I'm loving this mod.  My first attempt at it is still very young, but just reading the features is exciting.  So many creative gameplay ideas for making DF more varied, balanced, and unpredictable.

Edit:  Almost forgot... I've been meaning to ask if there's any likelihood of a Phoebus version at some point?

[narhiril]

Just want to say, I'm loving this mod.  My first attempt at it is still very young, but just reading the features is exciting.  So many creative gameplay ideas for making DF more varied, balanced, and unpredictable.

Edit:  Almost forgot... I've been meaning to ask if there's any likelihood of a Phoebus version at some point?

This is something I need to devote a fair chunk of time to in order to make possible.  The problem is that every graphics set has different tile numbers, so if I just import all of the raws into a Phoebus version, the mushrooms will look like swords and the swords will look like lobsters, and while everyone wants a lobster sword, this makes things very, very confusing.  What I need to do is familiarize myself with the Phoebus pack and tiles and then manually comb through the raws and adjust the tile numbers.

The raw-only release has a Phoebus version that is a work in progress to this effect.  If you really want to play the mod with the Phoebus set immediately, you can download that and copy+paste the raws in.  They're fully functional, but bear in mind that some things (particularly the workshops) may look unusual.  Most of the minerals and plants have had their tile numbers adjusted, though.

If you want a tl;dr version, it's planned, but I don't have a timetable for it right now.  You're welcome to load up the early raws, though.  It would actually help me immensely if I knew which things needed to be changed for the Phoebus version and which ones were alright.

[SalmonGod]

If that would help out, I wouldn't mind.  It's not a big deal anyway.  Not terribly picky about graphics (obviously, as I'm playing DF to begin with).  Ironhand just seems to have dropped out for a while, while Phoebus went on an epic rampage of graphicing mayhem... so I was a little curious   

[Pan]

    The most important resource you have in the fight against voidwalkers are migrants.   Against melee combatants you shouldn't have a problem provided your dwarves are trained properly.   For the ranged squads however, you should send in 10-20 migrant shock troops decked out in full damascus steel (you'll be able to recover it soon enough).   I really like the custom metals in this mod, most people just add a plethora of diverse races which are just fodder for trained dorfs.   The deadly power of voidshard adds a nice element of danger to the game.   

    On the topic of ether, how many labs do you guys usually have running after you've set up your basic infrastructure?   And how often do you guys get ether?  For me usually by the end of year 2,  I've had 1 reaction.   I tend to only use 2 labs though.   Also, how long does it usually take you to get the Experimental materials and the Weapons workshop?  If I plunge into the tech tree I can get both as early as the end of the 2nd year but usually I spend more time on my military and so I end up with these workshops around year 4-5.

 I agree on the marksdwarves. In my army, I find the biggest killers are the marksdwarves, who managed to cripple three out of four of the squads the bog trolls sent during the last siege, allowing my melee soldiers to sally out (I have never done this before. Usually I let the enemy run through the siege weapon array first) and perform coup de grace on the unconscious bog trolls lying around (including their warboss).

 However, I'm a little worried that my copper and silver bolts are not going to be able to penetrate the voidwalker's voidshard armor. Will upgrading my marksdwarves to using javelin throwers give me more of a chance against them?

 I have never gotten very far with the tech tree. I've actually been neglecting the alchemy experimenting parts of the tech tree in favor of getting the alchemists to turning stone to gold instead. (I like gold statues) Iwe've never gotten ether (is it better than adamantine?), experimental workshops, or weapons workshops (I find 'traditional' weapons quite enough at the moment.)

[SirAaronIII]

I think ether is a little worse than adamantine, but still very sharp and light. It can't be used for armor though.

[thatkid]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

    The most important resource you have in the fight against voidwalkers are migrants.   Against melee combatants you shouldn't have a problem provided your dwarves are trained properly.   For the ranged squads however, you should send in 10-20 migrant shock troops decked out in full damascus steel (you'll be able to recover it soon enough).   I really like the custom metals in this mod, most people just add a plethora of diverse races which are just fodder for trained dorfs.   The deadly power of voidshard adds a nice element of danger to the game.   

    On the topic of ether, how many labs do you guys usually have running after you've set up your basic infrastructure?   And how often do you guys get ether?  For me usually by the end of year 2,  I've had 1 reaction.   I tend to only use 2 labs though.   Also, how long does it usually take you to get the Experimental materials and the Weapons workshop?  If I plunge into the tech tree I can get both as early as the end of the 2nd year but usually I spend more time on my military and so I end up with these workshops around year 4-5.

I agree on the marksdwarves. In my army, I find the biggest killers are the marksdwarves, who managed to cripple three out of four of the squads the bog trolls sent during the last siege, allowing my melee soldiers to sally out (I have never done this before. Usually I let the enemy run through the siege weapon array first) and perform coup de grace on the unconscious bog trolls lying around (including their warboss).

 However, I'm a little worried that my copper and silver bolts are not going to be able to penetrate the voidwalker's voidshard armor. Will upgrading my marksdwarves to using javelin throwers give me more of a chance against them?

 I have never gotten very far with the tech tree. I've actually been neglecting the alchemy experimenting parts of the tech tree in favor of getting the alchemists to turning stone to gold instead. (I like gold statues) Iwe've never gotten ether (is it better than adamantine?), experimental workshops, or weapons workshops (I find 'traditional' weapons quite enough at the moment.)

I used to think that the regular weapons were good enough for my military, too. But then I played an adventurer who started with a pair of katara.
After realizing how completely badass some of the exotic weapons are, I always try to set up an experimental weapons workshop just so I can have a squad or two composed of ninjas or whatever.