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More tech tree!

36 (26.1%)

More ritual tree!

8 (5.8%)

More lore!

12 (8.7%)

More mythical weapons/armor!

22 (15.9%)

Plagues!

28 (20.3%)

More secrets!

21 (15.2%)

More mechanical constructs!

11 (8%)

Total Members Voted: 137

[narhiril]

I could write a volume on what happened in my life yesterday, explaining, among other things, why I was not able to fulfillmy promise to post more concept art.  However, frankly, I know that you guys would probably prefer just seeing some more art (finally), so without any further delays, here's a bit of what i've been able to cobble together in the past few days.

Enjoy some art... and some insight into LFR's future.

Spoiler: shedim 1 (click to show/hide)

The shedim, as many of you know, were a planned enemy race for LFR, but were cut before public release due to balancing and technical issues.  The shedim were divided into castes with very different biological structures (the lack of caste-specific graphics was also a disappointing setback in this regard).  Unlike every other civilized race, the shedim fight entirely with their bodies.  They know no weapons, armor, or clothing but their own flesh and bone.  That is not to say, however, that they are an enemy to be taken lightly.  This image depicts the basic physiological structure of the first three (weakest and most common) castes - currants are fast, but weak wrestlers.  Vibrants are slower, but competent fighters.  Discordants, whose heads bear a slightly different structure, are fragile but use wide area breath attacks.  These castes are each approximately 2/3 the size of an average dwarven adult.

Spoiler: shedim 2 (click to show/hide)

This is an early concept for the fourth shedim caste.  An "ah tel" is a four-armed warrior with a spiked ball trailing behind its head and four massive, blade-like claws that dominate their limbs.  AH tels are about 20% larger than a dwarf - they are fairly fast, very strong, and moderately durable.  They serve as the backbone of groups of the lower castes.  Above the ah tels, there were three more planned castes of increasing size.  "Ah koras" were to be larger and slower, but much more durable.  "Ah kirals" were extremely powerful melee fighters of immense size, and "ah haleels" were rare, towering behemoths rivaling megabeasts in strength.  No concept art for the final three castes currently exists, but that's not to say that there won't be any.  It is not out of the question that the shedim will make a triumphant return to LFR when the inter-racial diplomacy system is revised, hopefully as part of the upcoming "army arc."

Spoiler: a carbuncle (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: ritualistic symbols (click to show/hide)

Note that this image does not correspond to an item or ritual in particular.

Spoiler: early divine being concept (click to show/hide)

I was not particularly pleased with how this one came out, but expect the concept of ornate eye-covering helmets to return in later iterations.

Spoiler: minor divine being of Armok (click to show/hide)

A "lacerator" is a mortal imbued with Armok's blessing, frequently in the form of some sort of integration of weaponry into their biological structure.  Lacerators thrive on bloodshed, and are well equipped to hew skulls for their merciless god.  The biology of a lacerator varies between specimens, but usually resembles the original species of the servant.  This picture shows an early concept of a humanoid lacerator.  Lacerators currently do not physically exist in LFR, though an astute observer may notice an occasional carving depicting one.  They will likely see some form of implementation in the next version of Dwarf Fortress.

[GaxkangtheUnbound]

This is exactly the type of mod I've been looking for.  I already have several other versions of DF, and the tech tree advertised by LFR really encourages me to give it a try.

[narhiril]

This is exactly the type of mod I've been looking for.  I already have several other versions of DF, and the tech tree advertised by LFR really encourages me to give it a try.

I don't mean to be an ass, but I, at least, find it pretty entertaining.  Expect wonderful things in the future.  The words "rite of ascension" don't mean much now, but they will in 0.15.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

--WARNING:WALL OF TEXT WITH OCCASIONAL LINE BREAKS FOR GOOD MEASURE---

So I've got most of the issues sorted out now, including that annoying bug with the fishing pond.  I'm getting ready to put it together and package it, but I want to comb through for any last minute additions or changes - specifically, I want to know if the soap from the shrines is working properly.  This should be a fairly easy thing to test, but I just haven't gotten around to it yet.  I'll post a full running change log when I get home later.  An exciting new easter egg is also being introduced in this version - I don't want to spoil too much, but so that you know what to look for, it involves a new, rare caste of one of LFR's current domestic creatures.

I also read an interesting investigative report (can't be bothered to dig up the thread right now) on items pertaining to frame rate.  Apparently, clothing items cause large amounts of latency, likely relating to the game trying to keep track of the exact wear state of thousands of these items with no apparent way to get rid of them (other than dumping them on caravans or in magma - which is exceedingly labor-intensive).  I'm looking into ways to optimize this, especially since I know and admit that LFR's extra races bring an abnormally high number of already excessive clothing into embark areas.  Besides the frame rate benefits, I think that having a lot less mundane clothing items eating up space, processing power, and hauler tasks would be an idea that at least some of the community would welcome.

There was talk earlier in this thread about a "plug-in" mod for LFR, which would change all of the civilizations (LFR and stock) over to using vastly simplified clothing - as simple as one or two pieces per race.  I realize that this would have a negative impact on some players' preferences, especially in adventure mode, so this will never be a mandatory component of LFR and will likely be updated alongside the main mod.  However, I believe that this change could significantly improve the experience for some folks, myself included, without needing to remove any of the absurd trademarks of DF - artifact socks, for instance.  There would be no pressing need for me to remove stock articles of clothing from the raws, but rather to exclude them from the entity files.  Similar to mood weapons (but a little bit more random), these articles of clothing would still be produced in strange moods, but basic clothing would consist of only one or two possible options for each civilization.  I'm thinking something along the lines of "Dwarven work clothes," "Lizardman rags," and "Nephal togas."

The idea behind this plug in is to allow for more combat and less cleanup.  For those of you who want to lead your armies into battle with the invaders and have their corpses enshrined without having to wait for the 400 *cave spider silk mittens* to be hauled inside, or for those of you who do not need said mittens cluttering up your screen and processor, this plug in will probably benefit you.  For those of you who enjoy Dwarf Fortress the way it is, with full clothing options, you'll be happy to know that LFR will run just fine without this optional component.

A beta version of the LFR "simplified clothing" mod will likely be released shortly after the next bug fix version, which I am tentatively calling 0.14d.  I will post the link on the front page when this becomes available for download.

[Putnam]

Also, next versions' interactions will include the ability to make certain creatures weak against certain materials.

You know what that means, right?

:3

Spoiler: for those not in the know (click to show/hide)

Fully functional ethereal weapons! Oh yeah!

[Carn]

A beta version of the LFR "simplified clothing" mod will likely be released shortly after the next bug fix version

I am so very excited about this. I normally just let my dwarves run about naked anyway. Clothes don't provide enough of a concrete benefit (like reducing unhappiness from weather, or effects of heat / cold) for me to bother with them. They were always just an irritation.

[Pan]

Too bad ethereal weapons only damage a select few with their special effects. But I like that too!

So we're waiting for the next major DF update before anything big on LFR will be released?

[narhiril]

Too bad ethereal weapons only damage a select few with their special effects. But I like that too!

So we're waiting for the next major DF update before anything big on LFR will be released?

The initial syndrome given to ethereal weapons (the one that doesn't currently work) will likely be heavily revised, so expect it to carry a syndrome, but the effects and target creatures are subject to change.

As for the second bit - I would say it's unknown - it all depends on when that is.  I'm going to fix whatever issues I can with 0.14d, then try to get that simplified clothing mod up and running.  If it's not looking like the release is imminent by that point, I'll start with whatever is possible for me to implement with the current version, including some framework (building raws, creature raws for currently nonexistent creatures, etc) for later developments.  I know what I'd like to do with 0.15,  but if DF hasn't gotten there yet, I'll find something else to work on in the interim.  Maybe I'll go ahead and finish the shedim as another plug-in mod.

Expect a release of 0.14d in the next week or two (latest), as I finish up some streamlining and testing on the new changes.  Shortly thereafter, LFR-SC (simplified clothing) will be posted as a test raw download in the usual location.  The version numbers for that will likely be along the lines of "0.14d SC."  Depending on how that goes, I will revise it as needed.  I haven't really planned out the schedule beyond that point - I find that it's a good idea to leave room for unexpected problems or inclusions.

In short, LFR eagerly awaits the new version of Toady's masterpiece to fiddle with and show off new features, but if push comes to shove, LFR's development will not stop during that waiting period - though focus will be temporarily shifted to fixes, tweaks, easter eggs, and plug-in components, with workable new features added as they are completed.

Also, new poll.

[narhiril]

Things have been going a little bit faster than expected...

Spoiler: Taken immediately after embark (click to show/hide)

This plug-in might be ready a bit ahead of schedule.  0.14d is waiting on completion and testing of a few final inclusions.

[darkflagrance]

As far as I know, apart from an outfit with robe coverage, gloves, footwear, and a cap, sentients don't need anything else to avoid noxious secretions and cold damage completely.

Just thought I'd note this in case it was useful.

[Putnam]

Things have been going a little bit faster than expected...

Spoiler: Taken immediately after embark (click to show/hide)

This plug-in might be ready a bit ahead of schedule.  0.14d is waiting on completion and testing of a few final inclusions.

I don't know, seeing nothing on the lower body makes me think of nekkid dorfs

[darkflagrance]

Things have been going a little bit faster than expected...

Spoiler: Taken immediately after embark (click to show/hide)

This plug-in might be ready a bit ahead of schedule.  0.14d is waiting on completion and testing of a few final inclusions.

I don't know, seeing nothing on the lower body makes me think of nekkid dorfs

But think! Adding pants DOUBLES the amount of trash wore by dwarves and foes alike. Giving them underwear makes a total of THREE TIMES the amount of useless fabric to deal with in the aftermath of a siege. Three times the hauling time, three times the lag, three times the forbidding and dumping etc.

Besides, going commando is Dwarfy

[narhiril]

I'd like to take the opportunity to note that all of the new "simple" clothing items have robe coverage.

I'm play testing the first version of this right now alongside another 0.14d test build, and I have to admit, even before frame rate has become an issue, there seems to be oh so much less clutter, which I'm REALLY liking.

I should be able to have some sort of playable test version up by the end of the work week, for anyone who is interested.

[SalmonGod]

I've done the simplified clothes thing myself before.  All I did was remove some superfluous clothing items and make it all leather (I can't remember if it actually worked or not, but this was supposed to prevent degrading), and it did a lot for making the game more playable.  Looking forward to seeing that pre-implemented for future forts.

[Demiurge]

This mod is amazing, I'm really being punished for my usual slow pace with those sieges. Whats a good mineral scarcity value to use? I made a world with a 3800 value and my embark area had nothing but gold and silver hills but at 5000 there's nothing outwards and I'm a bit hesitant to get invested if there's nothing to use.

[narhiril]

This mod is amazing, I'm really being punished for my usual slow pace with those sieges. Whats a good mineral scarcity value to use? I made a world with a 3800 value and my embark area had nothing but gold and silver hills but at 5000 there's nothing outwards and I'm a bit hesitant to get invested if there's nothing to use.

It's designed for the highest possible mineral distribution setting - "rare" metals in LFR (orichalcum, mithril, iovium) were tested and balanced using this setting.  Prior to 0.31.19, there were no other settings at all.  Rest assured, things are quite difficult even with abundant metal.  A typical 4x4 embark with these settings will have a few hundred to a few thousand orichalcum tiles, which is the intended rarity.  Non-volcanic maps will typically have just a few hundred mithril or iovium tiles (volcanic maps may have much more abundant mithril).

Voidwalkers, Meowkin, and Nephilim do not need to mine to generate their equipment, so you'll need all the help you can get.

For advanced world gen, I am not sure on the exact values of the preset mineral distributions, but I will plug in a few values and see if I can approximate it.  I would guess that it is around 1000, possibly a little lower.