I mean, you could end up with a Dwarf charging a longnosed gar, end up drowning, end up with a Dwarf trying to drag him out, get pulled in...
Suddenly drownsplosion.
You... say this like it is a bad thing? Logical premises leading to hilarity leading to the player rubbing her forehead is sort of the primary mode for this game.
http://youtu.be/bHHbJFBSG7Y?t=11m57s
Just add water.
Still hoping for improved grappling where I can drag someone with me, and/or throw them in the direction of my choice. Because throwing people off of cliffs, you know.
But if we do have grabbing-dragging, maybe Dwarf Water Rescue (that sounds worrisome) can be something like that. Non-swimmers grab and pull out folks near water, swimmers drag and try to pull out drowners, though obviously suffocation can become an issue if it takes too long, etc. After the water pathfinding code, then.
Actually, a more general idea of "dwarves that can swim attempt to save other drowning dwarves" sounds interesting. Would also give some reason to train them to swim.
Because of the idea someone mentioned about a "drownsplosion" it suddenly seems more dwarfy than it otherwise would.
This seems especially likely if you have novice swimmers jumping in and hitting their heads.
I think if Toady makes things (and creatures) capable of floating--he's got material density already--then critters that need air won't immediately start drowning after sinking to the bottom like a brick. For the case of babies falling in water, they should float (all that fat). After that, it's just a matter of dwarfs being able to grab things off the surface of a pool of water.
Also, given a path-finding upgrade (for real path-finding through water/air), dwarfs with reasonable swimming skill should be able to retrieve objects that are on the bottom of a pool of water.
Well, that's an interesting question. I mean, I might sink in water (it's hilarious, but I try not to laugh), but most people float. And yet... most people drown if they don't know how to swim.
I'm thinking that being at the surface will probably make folks easier to retrieve, but not necessarily not drown. Temporary lung damage from water inhalation?
Of course, overall density includes all that metal that dwarves carry around with/on them...
Density also making things sink at a certain rate, combating swimming ability for going up? Hrm...
I wonder if there will be a salt modifier for water density...