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Author Topic: Make kidnapping mechanic more FUN  (Read 794 times)

ConsensusOfChaos

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Make kidnapping mechanic more FUN
« on: July 29, 2011, 05:15:37 pm »

Premise:
  • Kidnapping as it currently exists in the game is more of a nuisance than an actual threat.  The dwarves seem remarkably jaded to the fact that one of their children just got kidnapped.  (Seems like it should have an effect on the larger community, even if it wasn't their kid).

Idea:
  • Cause kidnappings to generate more unhappiness (especially among dwarves with a family)
  • Goblin kidnappers then demand a ransom
  • Ransom uses the caravan mechanics, except that they have no goods to trade besides the child (maybe dont even have them bring it along) and that you must meet a certain value to get the child back.  (have them release it from the edge of the map?
  • You can choose to kill them or not negotiate, but it will generate even more unhappiness.
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Dae

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Re: Make kidnapping mechanic more FUN
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2011, 05:49:36 pm »

DF goblins don't seem to kidnap for asking a ransom. Kidnapped children are grown following goblin ideals and usually end up very high-ranked military chiefs. Apparently, goblins don't hold a very high view of themselves.

I absolutely agree on the personnal tragedy having a child stolen should be, though. Hopefully at some point, someone who loved a child enough will go out of the fortress on a personnal crusade to bring him back.
Or we could do that, once we have the ability to send skirmishes...

Goblins would be more likely to ask a ransom for a highly placed dwarf, such as your mayor or your Manager, or your chief doctor... Someone either highly skilled or holding an important rank. For the ones holding a position, the game could prevent you from just naming another dwarf in his stead, but that's not really in the spirit of the game. I guess losing the Manager would be a HUGE pain, but in DF spirit you could just appoint an interim one. So, for keeping his kidnapping a pain, we should need to make having an experienced Manager have a real impact.
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katana

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Re: Make kidnapping mechanic more FUN
« Reply #2 on: July 31, 2011, 12:02:22 am »

"Here! You can have the baron!"-urist

For some reason I see that coming. I personally find kidnapping annoying as-is, but that's probably because I play very low pop caps and try to use children to increase population instead of magical spawning fish dissecting cannon fodder. Ransoms could make it more interesting, although wouldn't really fit in with what goblins do. Maybe humans will capture people for ransom if enemies?
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RAKninja

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Re: Make kidnapping mechanic more FUN
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2011, 08:20:15 am »

funny thing about embarking as goblins.  other goblins will steal (at least) your troll babies.
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