March 6, 2024: Dwarf Fortress 50.12 has been released.
News: February 3, 2024: The February '24 Report is up.
News: February 4, 2021: Dwarf Fortress Talk #28 has been posted.
News: November 21, 2018: A new Threetoe story has been posted.
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The only map I can remember finding it, I had it in abundance. Every second gem cluster.
Of course, there wasn't any sand on that particular map.
I'm leaning toward not suppressing the information by using some extra objects (could use the same ones as the interface would I guess, though there are all sorts of ways to think about it).
Can't you just create a new "stack" container that would be created by stacking two objects of the same types (bolts, coins, ...) and destroyed when it contains only one object?
This is roughly what I meant by "extra objects", except for the "just" part. The main point is that it's not only an interface problem. If items are potentially contained in fake stack items, all the job handling needs to be revised to support that. It's a bit less of a pain if you restrict to only coins or bolts say, but there are still things to be considered. Take bolts for example. Your guy wants to equip some. First it needs to recognize the container as a valid ammo object. Depending on exactly what you choose to stack, some members might not be as eligible as others -- what if some in the stack were forbidden, or tasked for a job, prior to stack formation, for example? Those cases would need to be disallowed or handled. Then the equipment checker needs to realize he's got the bolts when he places the container in his quiver. Not so bad, possibly handled by current code, but something to check. Now he wants to fire a bolt -- shooting needs to be rewritten to support bolts in the fake objects. Sort of a piece of the quiver code already, maybe nothing needs to be touched at all, but takes some checking and testing. There are side issues like valuations and stocks screen stuff, which might be handled already, and other thises and thats (environmental functions would need to be taught about fake containers -- rain for example should get the bolts wet, but currently there's no mechanism for jumping through a container on the ground to get the inside stuff wet, I think, since containers are generally real -- not hard, but yet another issue), as well as any applicable storage jobs, which run into some of the first problems I mentioned. As you get to other objects, like food, you inherit more difficulties (vermin need to see and realize that they can eat food in stacks for free, etc. etc.). As far as I can tell, the problem is not super difficult, and a lot of the issues just need a nudge one way or the other, or no nudge at all, but there are a Lot of issues that turn this into a tedious and long haul. There's generally more to do and check than people expect.
Right now I think a common complaint with Dwarf Fortress is that unless you force difficulty on yourself you really don't have a hard time. I think the main issue of this thread is that starting in a temperate calm woodland will lead to a madness-inducing easiness. So advanced players are forced to handicap themselves ("I'll start in the tundra with no booze!"). Throwing in attrition-like difficulties such as the ones in this thread is the best way to keep DF interesting to late-game players.
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Political upheavals, disease, supernatural problems and other things are forthcoming from the devs, but there needs to be many smaller issues like the above. Because once you get your booze, farm, and metal industries up you really have to find ways to entertain yourself.
Sounds Dwarfly.
might want to forbid the door though, depending on how nice you are.
