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[Mikademus]

quote:Originally posted by Solara:
<STRONG>I got so fed up with micromanaging the workshop and needing a separate dwarf for processing that I never even bother with fishing anymore. A fisherdwarf/fish cleaner being one in the same would make the whole process so more efficient and less annoying. (why oh why doesn't the fishery generate an automatic task on its own like the loom and butcher and tannery?)</STRONG>

quote:Originally posted by Thassa:
<STRONG>oversimplifying things isn't a direction I would like to see the game go in.  While related jobs do have some crossover experience, chopping down a tree, making a plain wooden bed and carving intricate wooden decorations are all very different things.  Only some of the tools crossover and while the understanding of how wood behaves and can be worked is useful in all of them, how you apply that understanding changes.</STRONG>

quote:Originally posted by Andir:
<STRONG>I know it's been talked about a lot, but the skill synergy thing is a definite win in ever case I could think of.  The idea that a woodworker could also be halfway competent at cutting the wood down because he knows "wood" just as a gemologist would be able to pitch in if needed when mounting or polishing gems or a stone throne maker could make a halfway decent wooden chair.</STRONG>

It might seem that there is a conflict between on one hand (1) the obvious need for consolidation of the superlativelly artificial and annoying subdivided skills/jobs and (2) DF's high realism. But the solution is obvious and has been suggested many times: skill crossover.

Yes, you do not neccessarily make an excellent chest by knowing timber logging, but if carpentry crosses over, say, 35% to wook cutting, and wood cutting crosses over 15% to carpentry etc, then it is more realistic and more manageable.

Also, skills should belong to categories rather than being separate, so any dwarf with woodworking skills (cutting, carpentry or craft etc) could do any wood related task. Then the workshop skill settings would finally become truly useful rather than a mere feature generally left unused.

[Faustus]

quote:Originally posted by Align:
<STRONG>This idea or the Skill Synergy idea (skill with using a material as well as skill with the actual job) is desperately needed to make stuff like cheese makers seem like realistic choices in a dwarven society.</STRONG>

I think it's the lack of anything easily milkable that really kills the whole milker/cheese-maker line. Though if those became viable jobs I might have to think about which immigrants get drafted first.

I am all for consolidating the fish cleaning/dissection and butchery/small animal dissection as the dissections serve very little purpose unless you're on a select biome, but can still get randomly chosen as immigrant professions.

I haven't ever caught my dwarves actually doing whatever animal caretaking is supposed to be, but I have one dwarf that's nearly legendary in it, so presumably it's got some kind of utility. Frankly though, with the Dungeon Master being pretty handy at training animals, I haven't ever had cause to deliberately cultivate the skill in any of my other dwarves (I embark with a LOT of war dogs).

I think a larger number of trainable animals (trainable, not tameable) and/or the ability to use draft animals would spruce up that particular skill area. Muskoxen to operate mills or pumps, for example.  

Hmm, I'm a little off topic though I guess, sorry.

Yes, consolidating those things would be a nice change, as I am disgusted by the number of Fish Dissectors who come to my fortresses looking to start anew.

[Solara]

quote:I haven't ever caught my dwarves actually doing whatever animal caretaking is supposed to be, but I have one dwarf that's nearly legendary in it, so presumably it's got some kind of utility.

He's probably been hanging out with an injured pet. It doesn't really do anything, but it's an easy way to skill up a dwarf.