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Author Topic: "Random" Race option in Adventure Mode  (Read 741 times)

Nostrolo

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"Random" Race option in Adventure Mode
« on: April 12, 2014, 03:35:41 pm »

Adventure Mode race selection is obviously based on basic rpg standards (human, elf, dwarf) and I have no problem with that. The reasoning behind the "random" option is that, since a given DF world is so organic and alive, why not roll the dice and see if you're born a cave fish person, maybe a giant bat, a carp, or even a rabbit. Any race, humanoid or animal would be available, though completely randomized. I originally wanted to call it the "birth" option because it would be akin to being born within the world, you would have no say in the matter and could be anything.
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neblime

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Re: "Random" Race option in Adventure Mode
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2014, 09:21:35 pm »

I don't see why not, but if this were added tomorrow I think it would have to be restricted to civilized (including animal men) species.  If you're being born in the world, do you have to wait to grow up?  (Although if that needs to be done in an abstract pass-the-time way I think the way for that is mostly paved by this release)
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Nostrolo

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Re: "Random" Race option in Adventure Mode
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2014, 11:21:31 pm »

yes you should have to grow up, and possibly die of old age too.
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Boltgun

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Re: "Random" Race option in Adventure Mode
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2014, 02:33:04 am »

The answer I can give now, is that the game is currently tailored to those races and other creatures will run into mechanics that does not work to them.

For example if you try playing a kobold, every other kobolds will still attack you because their inability to speak simply makes them hostile to the player character.

I would like to see someone kill a dragon with a rabbit however.
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Nostrolo

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Re: "Random" Race option in Adventure Mode
« Reply #4 on: April 17, 2014, 12:44:50 pm »

somewhere in dfstories.com is a story of a bronze colossus getting its head knocked off by a thrown rabbit in adventure mode.
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Manveru Taurënér

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Re: "Random" Race option in Adventure Mode
« Reply #5 on: April 17, 2014, 12:54:47 pm »

somewhere in dfstories.com is a story of a bronze colossus getting its head knocked off by a thrown rabbit in adventure mode.

It was actually a Fluffy Wambler, at least the original well-known story of it (it might very well have been done with rabbits as well).
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Khorinis

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Re: "Random" Race option in Adventure Mode
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2014, 03:53:57 am »

good idea, you could just be a random creature :)
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Boozebeard

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Re: "Random" Race option in Adventure Mode
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2014, 06:54:12 pm »

I would love this to be implemented, but as Boltgun said, there wouldn't be much to do if you weren't born as a speaking, civilized race. I don't even think you could hunt and survive as an animal, as you'd have to butcher your prey first, aha.
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Wirevix

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Re: "Random" Race option in Adventure Mode
« Reply #8 on: April 23, 2014, 02:23:01 am »

This is actually pretty easy to mod in as it stands.  Just create a custom entity file that has a whole bunch of different creatures linked inside of it, and you have a lot of weird options to play as in adventure mode.

However, as others have mentioned, there are a lot of problems with playing any creature that wasn't set up with the idea of being played.  Beyond just being attacked by your own kind in the kobold situation, most creatures lack the tags necessary to go on even a very basic adventure. 

With no [GRASP], you can't carry anything--including food, so the length of your adventure is limited to however long it takes your creature to starve. 

With no [CAN_LEARN], your stats never go up, so you stay effectively a "level 1" of whatever creature you are until death.  With no [CAN_SPEAK], you cannot interact with any other person in any town, and so cannot get followers, reputation, or anything.

Even more major than that, with no [CANOPENDOORS] tag you can have your adventure end as soon as it begins if you happen to spawn inside a building.  You cannot open the door, and so you literally cannot advance.

These can all be overcome if you really want to play as some particular creature--you can just go into the RAW file for whatever creature you want, and mod it until it can do what you need.  I regularly play as dragons, and so just mod the dragon's raw file to have [CANOPENDOORS] and use a specialized body that has [GRASP] parts so I can carry food.  But if you just select a creature at random, most likely you will not have the right tags.
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In other news, the trees in my game can have invisible sex.

Nostrolo

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Re: "Random" Race option in Adventure Mode
« Reply #9 on: April 24, 2014, 01:04:29 pm »

Some races should have the option to open doors or grasp, if they would realistically be able to. I know people might not think it would be fun to fly around as a bird or or an elk or whatever, here's why I think it would be fun:

Sometimes I want to see what an old fort looks like without reclaiming it, if I'm a bird, I can fly to my fallen fortresses and see what state they're in, who's moved in, etc. For things like fish I think the whole underground rivers idea would first have to be implemented (and expanding on THAT idea, there should be 'pits' on the surface that cause some surface rivers to waterfall and continue underground) Certain things like monkeys, ravens, rats can steal items from people. It may sound silly, but just think you could also spawn as a goblin, or a mummy, maybe you'll raise the dead in your ziggurat, let them loose, and start a zombie apocalypse? I think there would be more to do than people would first think.
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WJLIII3

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Re: "Random" Race option in Adventure Mode
« Reply #10 on: April 25, 2014, 11:58:40 am »

Pretty sure were all agreed it would be super cool. Just no disable at this stage. Great suggestion.
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