So recently I'd been pondering some modding-related ideas, and decided to try an experiment in civilization modding, mainly seeing what happens when you take the civilization as-is and simply port the tag used to make them playable in fortress mode. So this is basically a look at just how broken the game gets when you make an enemy-only civilization playable.
My initial observation was that the list of things available on the embark screen was...schizophrenic. Trolls cost a single point each, likely because they lack a defined pet value. The default pair of battleaxes on the embark list were also replaced with great axes, though looking through the item list revealed you can still get battleaxes if you want. The list also lacks various essentials, and the options for food/drink are very limited. Good thing they don't need food or drink.
My first attempt also was hindered by a complete lack of nobles, including militia leaders. So no squads. This was just too ungoblinlike to let slide, so I went back and modded in the appropriate positions before regenning. I added a few other basics, even though a proper goblin civ really only needs the ability to murder things.
You can also rename positions, so I gave them proper
orky gobliny names. That's expedition leader, militia commander, manager, chief medical
dwarf goblin, broker, and bookkeeper.
So far their lack of hunger and thirst makes them low-maintenance compared to dwarves, but they still need clothes and sleep. With plentiful statues and some one-tile bedrooms (on an engraved floor), the only one I've had dip into unhappiness was my starting bowgoblin, a month after I drafted her and realized that I forgot to embark with some greaves, as I made her replace clothing with armor.
Even child-snatching amoral monsters can have personalities.
One other thing I discovered to be broken was the animal screen, as the only available sort of pet (trolls) lack the pet or pet_exotic tag. I opted to fix this, and as a bonus make them trainable. And if they'll ever breed (it's just now winter of the first year) my change to the child tags will make them grow up faster.
Hmm, I wonder if snatched dwarven babies can be modded as pets...
One thing I'm mildly worried about is clothing. My trolls have yet to breed or even regrow their fur since I sheared them sometime in the spring, and until they start breeding I don't want to make butcher any, and I wasn't able to embark with any cloth seeds. While I have a trade depot, I doubt anyone will come. I've had a goblin diplomat arrive in the summer and autumn, so I'm hoping maybe they'll start arriving either later this winter or next year. Until then, I've start gathering local plants in an attempt to snag some rope reed. After all, nudity may well be the only thing that could potentially piss these guys off.
On a related note, building above-ground without making tons of blocks is painfully slow, making it hard to live like proper goblins instead of smelly, dirt-dwelling dwarves. If I get a higher population I might turn my 2-story archery tower into a properly gobliny dark fortress or towerlike...thing.
So, any thoughts?
