Bay 12 Games Forum
Dwarf Fortress => DF Dwarf Mode Discussion => Topic started by: joostheger on September 14, 2023, 08:05:28 am
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Hi all!
I know cats hunt vermin (because of HUNTS_VERMIN / VERMINHUNTER). I've seen them chasing vermin at my food stockpiles, but also next to my fishers. Does anyone have more info on this behaviour?
- what distance do the explore? what is their coverage?
- do they only hunt vermin present at foodstockpiles? or also outside?
- do they only hunt VERMIN_EATER like rats, 2leggedlizards, fluffy wamblers and such?
- do they hunt the vermin that is rooted up by turkeys or chickens?
- are there circumstances in which they dont hunt? Like other kind of interactions
- (Important) Do they use regular attack methods in killing the vermin? Or do rats just fall dead if cats arrive?
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more questions:
* do they eat them? (I suppose not)
* more modding related: do syn_contact syndromes apply when the vermin is killed? or only when they are brought back to their caretaker (owner)?
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Their distance is unlimited, but they will not climb or swim to hunt vermin. They'll travel hundreds of tiles outside the fort or in the caverns. The food stockpiles attract vermin, so vermin corpses will be concentrated there.
The vermin uncovered by poultry are currently being eaten by the poultry, and that the cats don't chase them.
They obey burrow restrictions, meaning that if they have not started their hunting expedition and a burrow restriction is created, they will only hunt within the burrow restrictions (just as if they have been pastured).
They always fail if the vermin moves where the cat cannot reach it, but probably are not 100% successful the other times. I don't know if there is a test of skills or attack rolls, etc.
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thank you, that is usefull information!
I also found out, that they tend to hang out in places where food lays on the ground. Not just empty foodstocks.
Also, as soon as my fisherdwarves did catch anything, they go there to check for vermin.