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Messages - BeyondAllPronunciation

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DF Suggestions / Re: Additional Mechanics/Traps Wishlist
« on: July 24, 2009, 11:42:49 am »
Quote from: Starver on July 24, 2009, 07:44:07 am
Can't run flash on this computer, but I believe from the description that http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipaf-NXqF7Q is the one I intend to be a suitably witty response regarding revolving walls and other mechanical schemings.  (And, if not, it's probably funny anyway.)

... only in place of "piranhas" insert "carps"...

2
DF Suggestions / Re: More Grudge Stuff?
« on: July 24, 2009, 07:32:53 am »
Two thoughts come to my mind.

1. This suggestion needs some careful testing should it ever be implemented. We (or at least I) don't want to turn this game into Stereotypical Sicilian Fortress. It would be fun, but too many "Urist McMontoya cancels job: interrupted by family grudge" make the game a bit too much of a "Fun".

2. More abstract objects of grudges. Depending on the personality dwarves could blame gods, government ("Philosopher Urist McMarx finished writing his book"), demonic forces, elves, curses (burn the witch!), trees, carps, aliens, or rock salt for their poverty, bad luck, uncomfortable shoes, bad weather...
... yeah, I got a bit carried away...

3
DF Suggestions / Re: Evil biome's and the dead
« on: July 23, 2009, 10:01:22 am »
Quote from: Cyx on July 22, 2009, 08:42:36 pm
How about, a biome where the death sphere is present has a chance for anything dead to come back to life, except not necessarily evil and with a strange hunger for brains. (...)
First of all "Death" does not sound like it could let dead come back to life by themselves.

I'd like to see areas influenced by "death" sphere as places where the border between this world and the other is very thin. Allowing for good old necromancy to be used there. And by "good old" I mean "summoning spirits to answer questions like in greek mythology" not "hordes of zombies you can easily dispose of using a chainsaw".

Ghost could also manifest without any rituals. Just to haunt their favourite workshop, or talk with their family, or tell sheriff who killed them, or levitate stuff around just for the fun of it.

Typical zombies or skeletons are mindless and violent and that implies they don't have their memories. I think such phenomena should be tied to some other sphere.

(No time. If I think of something else, I'll edit)
-=Edit=-
Naturally "Death" sphere would work both ways. Severly injured and/or poisoned would succumb more easily under its influence.

4
DF Suggestions / Re: Additional Mechanics/Traps Wishlist
« on: July 22, 2009, 09:46:31 am »
Quote from: Granite26 on July 21, 2009, 02:19:12 pm
I don't see how either of those systems require explicit gears, just that machines run at different speeds with different power supplies (and the gearing is abstracted).
... and neither do I, for that matter. Explicit gear system has its merits, of course, but none of them are really that important. I'll list them at the end of my post for no apparent reason.

Quote from: Granite26 on July 21, 2009, 02:19:12 pm
I understand that real life applications can require a lot of work to do these things, but is there a reason that handwaving at the 'mechanism' requirement is not sufficient to cover this?
Mechanisms are, in my opinion, an excelent but temporary solution to all mechanical problems. Just like bookkeeping without leaving the office or telepathic work orders. They work well for now, but eventually (even if it is in five years time) will need to get some attention.

And now some not-so-important reasons for implementing gears:
1. A whole new source of Fun for less careful dwarves.
2. Complex gear system below a retractable bridge can provide the fortress with a whole year supply of goblin goulash.
3. Should the game ever support multi-tile gears, they would look really cool in a fortress. Also you could stage a dramatic duel on top of one.

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DF Suggestions / Re: Additional Mechanics/Traps Wishlist
« on: July 21, 2009, 01:29:26 pm »
Quote from: Granite26 on May 06, 2009, 03:42:54 pm
Quote from: dafinchy on April 24, 2009, 11:03:28 pm
Seeing earlier arguments for dwarf power, slow pumps, etc., how about this suggestion... separate "Power" into Force and Speed?
This has come up before (not sure where), and I think the conclusion was that it's a simple machine (gear) to exchange Speed for Force and vice versa.  Basically, short of voltage-esque reduction to reduce friction loss, what is the merit for tracking them seperately versus abstracting things to a single 'power-load'?  (...)

As I was about to suggest the same idea (all praise the search button!) I do have some arguments ready for it.

Using gears would be important whenever:
a) you don't have enough force to raise this enormous steel drawbridge you just built, but you're not in a hurry, so speed is not an issue.
b) you want to supply a lot of power to your spike traps (powered traps are a part of this thread, if I am not wrong) to let them go throught retract-skewer cycle at five times the 'usual' speed (whatever it might be) turning them into a true goblinmeatgrinder.

Summing up: gears good!

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