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Author Topic: Play As Elves?  (Read 11515 times)

Dark_Author

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Play As Elves?
« on: May 09, 2015, 04:12:56 pm »

-Modified-

This question originally asked what would happen if I used the Masterwork GUI to enable elves as a playable race.  I was attempting to do some research before I tried it, but this is one of those instances where trying it first would have helped me out a lot.  When I actually tried to enable them to find out, I learned that you cannot use the GUI to enable elves, presumably to prevent people like me from doing exactly what I was trying to do.

P.S.  I wanted to point out that I knew that they were not a Masterwork race, but I was mostly wondering if the vanilla game included enough information about their civilization to make them semi playable.  I am assuming this is not the case.
« Last Edit: May 09, 2015, 04:37:55 pm by Dark_Author »
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pondicherry

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Re: Play As Elves?
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2015, 04:25:22 pm »

I understand you in all ways possible.
And yes, girls play DF :D
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vjmdhzgr

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Re: Play As Elves?
« Reply #2 on: May 09, 2015, 04:33:17 pm »

You could enable them to be playable, but they'd probably end up being somewhere between vanilla DF with a few missing features and bugs, or an absolute unplayable mess.
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Dark_Author

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Re: Play As Elves?
« Reply #3 on: May 09, 2015, 04:40:48 pm »

Vjmdhzgr,  yeah, I kind of assumed as much when I attempt to use the GUI to enable them and realized the option is greyed out.  It wouldn't be greyed out without good reason.  I probably should have checked to see if you even could do it before I asked what would happen if I did.  Sorry about that.  Thank you very much for answering, though!   
« Last Edit: May 09, 2015, 04:43:50 pm by Dark_Author »
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-Nihil-

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Re: Play As Elves?
« Reply #4 on: May 09, 2015, 06:18:54 pm »

With some relatively easy changes to the raws you can make any race playable. The problem is that they will play exactly the same as the vanilla dwarves unless you give them new buildings, reactions, and items. Then it just takes a little more effort to start adding reactions and buildings for that race.
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eliandarkbrood01

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Re: Play As Elves?
« Reply #5 on: May 10, 2015, 04:48:54 am »

Honestly, I have considered working on a mod for elves... but I'm not quite sure what to change because elves are tree lovers, they aren't much for digging/mining, and it would be a completely magic based race. I'm not sure it would be very interesting for very long. Now if you want to take Drow (dark elves) into consideration, that could change the entire thought process in it. Drow would be magical like elves and succubi, still be able to mine, still able to chop down trees (probably have a passion about it due to hatred of elves... lol), but I could see that going somewhere where elves... not quite so much.
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Emperor

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Re: Play As Elves?
« Reply #6 on: May 10, 2015, 06:09:45 am »

Why would anyone want to commit such an unspeakable act like playing as these filthy Elves?

Alas, it is my duty to help you.

Navigate to your Masterwork folder - Dwarf Fortress - raw - objects, and find a .txt file named entity_good_elf.txt. Open it with any text editor available. Somewhere at the beginning of the said file, just above YES_ADV_MODE_ELF[INDIV_CONTROLLABLE], you should find a note saying "No fort mode for elves." Delete the said entry and replace it with :

Quote
YES_FORT_MODE_ELF[CIV_CONTROLLABLE]

Now you've got the hang of it. This will make elves both playable and toggle-able in the GUI. Enjoy your nightmares!
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jason0320

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Re: Play As Elves?
« Reply #7 on: May 10, 2015, 08:20:53 am »

There is a mod called all race playable which makes every vanilla race playable.
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Rekov

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Re: Play As Elves?
« Reply #8 on: May 10, 2015, 11:33:38 am »

There is a mod called all race playable which makes every vanilla race playable.

This. It even goes so far as to add some neat reactions for elves, where they can grow wood logs without having to cut trees.

That said, playing elves in All Races Playable feels like playing dwarves but with half or more of the features cut out. The few tidbits of unique gameplay they are given do not feel like enough to make the elves interesting.

I have eagerly awaited masterwork's take on elves for a very long while now. There have been discussions on what exactly they should look like. Masterwork elves have been known to wield mithral and in general seemed more Tolkien like than the vanilla elves, which are more reminiscent of an Amazon tribe. There has also been some suggestions on incorporating fey themes, with workshops that change with the seasons.
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Rekov

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Re: Play As Elves?
« Reply #9 on: May 10, 2015, 11:34:20 am »

There is a mod called all race playable which makes every vanilla race playable.

This. It even goes so far as to add some neat reactions for elves, where they can grow wood logs without having to cut trees.

That said, playing elves in All Races Playable feels like playing dwarves but with half or more of the features cut out. The few tidbits of unique gameplay they are given do not feel like enough to make the elves interesting.

I have eagerly awaited masterwork's take on elves for a very long while now. There have been discussions on what exactly they should look like. Masterwork elves have been known to wield mithral and in general seemed more Tolkien like than the vanilla elves, which are more reminiscent of an Amazon tribe. There has also been some suggestions on incorporating fey themes, with workshops that change with the seasons.

If anyone did happen to make a MW elf mod, there are definitely more than a few people who would be grateful.
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Rekov

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Re: Play As Elves?
« Reply #10 on: May 10, 2015, 11:35:44 am »

[Removed Duplicate]
« Last Edit: May 10, 2015, 11:39:03 am by Rekov »
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Hakazaba

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Re: Play As Elves?
« Reply #11 on: June 16, 2017, 09:49:35 am »

Sorry to necro a bit, but i think its more polite than starting a new topic. I wanted to mention some of the fun that could be had with elves if you think about them a certain way.

Firstly, Cannibalism. If you could have your elves eat their invaders, and create crafts and weapons out of their bones would be interesting. Perhaps a system where you use their carcasses and totems to attract animals to train. Having a greater ability for animal training should be their strength to offset their lack of easy metal weapons.

Magic. Its something that elves out of all of the vanilla races make the most sense to have it, yet probably not of the fireball variety. I'm not sure if it's possible, but having some way to mess with trees would be good, being able to grow tree blocks as we can construct walls would be very interesting. As it would be like shaping trees for them to live in. It would be interesting if there could be a magic that animates wood and plant material items much like a necromancer. Or maybe saplings. Probably not possible though. Some way of limiting opponents from climbing up trees would be a good thing to consider. Also stone tipped arrows and spears should probably exist.

Animal Focused military. Lets face it, crummy wooden weapons aren't going to cut much. Lets have they elves train anything they can for war. I want to see a squad full of war cows beating preparing food beating  goblins to death with their hooves. Some method of increasing animal breeding should be something elves can do. Also though its almost definitely not possible, horrific animal hybrids because of elf magic.

I think these kinds of things would make an interesting variation to game play. Half isn't possible, even then the cannibalism itself would make things fun for me.


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Alkmayix

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Re: Play As Elves?
« Reply #12 on: June 16, 2017, 01:45:26 pm »

Sorry to necro a bit, but i think its more polite than starting a new topic. I wanted to mention some of the fun that could be had with elves if you think about them a certain way.

Firstly, Cannibalism. If you could have your elves eat their invaders, and create crafts and weapons out of their bones would be interesting. Perhaps a system where you use their carcasses and totems to attract animals to train. Having a greater ability for animal training should be their strength to offset their lack of easy metal weapons.

Magic. Its something that elves out of all of the vanilla races make the most sense to have it, yet probably not of the fireball variety. I'm not sure if it's possible, but having some way to mess with trees would be good, being able to grow tree blocks as we can construct walls would be very interesting. As it would be like shaping trees for them to live in. It would be interesting if there could be a magic that animates wood and plant material items much like a necromancer. Or maybe saplings. Probably not possible though. Some way of limiting opponents from climbing up trees would be a good thing to consider. Also stone tipped arrows and spears should probably exist.

Animal Focused military. Lets face it, crummy wooden weapons aren't going to cut much. Lets have they elves train anything they can for war. I want to see a squad full of war cows beating preparing food beating  goblins to death with their hooves. Some method of increasing animal breeding should be something elves can do. Also though its almost definitely not possible, horrific animal hybrids because of elf magic.

I think these kinds of things would make an interesting variation to game play. Half isn't possible, even then the cannibalism itself would make things fun for me.

The way you describe your wanted features makes me think of the Wood Elves from Elder scrolls lore, definitely would need to give them animals or something since I'll agree wooden weapons are gonna do a thing; especially if you are fighting something made of fire like a fire imp. In theory it would just burn itself to a crisp upon contact with the creature. While interesting not big on elves eatting their dead enemies myself...the one thing I didn't like about Elder Scrolls version of the wood elf was that.
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Amostubal

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Re: Play As Elves?
« Reply #13 on: June 16, 2017, 07:59:00 pm »

If people still want elves I'm not going to stop anyone that can make one, or if you would rather see me try and make elves over necros... well the vote is nearly tied over in the modified masterwork post.  It would probably be easier to make elves over necros... I may choose to do both since there is sooo many votes for the 2.
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Hakazaba

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Re: Play As Elves?
« Reply #14 on: June 18, 2017, 07:05:55 am »

The way i think of necros is that its sort of possible to already make a necromancer fortress in vanilla by getting any other race to read forbidden knowledge and cerculate it around. So my vote is elves :3
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