After doing quite a bit of modding of my own, I've learned how to do some interesting things with DF, some of which I'm guessing would be useful for other people. So I decided to make this mod.
This will be a mod for helping modders. This is an experimental project: a collection of fully-functional raw files that demonstrate modding techniques and tricks, from the simple to the advanced. Instead of piling up a huge amount of content, this mod will be very streamlined: each entry should demonstrate one or two unique 'gimmicks', which should be clearly marked and explained in the raw files, with an explanation of how they work and how they can be implemented into other people's mods.
I'd like to request other people to contribute to this project! If you've created any interesting creatures, interactions, etc, please send them forward!
Some guidelines:
This is meant to work with Vanilla DF.
Each entry should demonstrate some trick that cannot be easily figured out from a quick glance at the Wiki. True, DF can make millions of independent syndromes, and a practically infinite number of different body shapes, but that doesn't mean that they are all particularly novel or interesting. Every entry should make someone think 'I wonder how they did that'.
Begin all entries with an explanation of what they do and how they work.
End all objects with _AMT (Advanced Modding Tutorial). This will make it easier to keep track of everything.
Mark down which other files, if any, are needed to make the object work. (Vanilla files don't need to be specifically mentioned.)
Use <-- arrows to mark important parts of the file, and explain what they are for.
Try to keep the entries fairly simple. If a creature doesn't need a particular quality to make its gimmick work, leave it out. Don't require non-vanilla files (for example, a custom body shape or material) if they are irrelevant to the creature's specific gimmick. (Very common traits, such as male and female genders, can be left in, but try to avoid confusing people who are trying to figure out how it works.)
One creature can have multiple gimmicks if they make sense together, but make sure to clearly mark each gimmick separately and make it clear that they are not co-dependent.
See existing entries for examples.
Entries so far:
Ragemonkey, an ape that goes completely berserk when injured.
Fluffball, a completely invincible and adorable ball of fluff.
Chomp, a powerful domestic creature with a metal shell that can be melted down, and a random tendency to misbehave.
Fleurberri, a creature made out of plants, with a brewable berry for a heart, and that gets stronger when outside and weaker underground.
Great Devourer, a megabeast that can swallow its victims whole, and can be temporarily sated by leaving dead bodies for it to eat. It can be tamed, but will go berserk if not kept fed with a steady diet of whole corpses or live animals.
Transformo, a transforming robot that retains damage between forms.
Super Mushroom, a seasonal crop that makes whoever eats it double in size, making them much more dangerous in combat. Remember the square cube law!
Crazyweed, a grass that can make animals who graze on it go berserk.
Scarecrow Syndrome, which makes its victim unable to use physical attacks but still able to crawl around and use special techniques.
Disintegrate, which does exactly what it sounds like.
Demonbreaker, a spell that depowers and shrinks demons, night creatures, bogeymen, vampires, werewolves, and the undead, but has no effect on normal creatures. Demons are reduced to the size of humans, other fiends are shrunken down proportionally, making them about the size of large vermin.
Walking Wasteland, an effect that gradually kills every enemy on the map.