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[ObliqueFault]

Hello all.  I haven't posted before now, but I wanted to share a new shelled domestic animal I've been working on, and get some input on how to proceed further.

During my testing, I discovered what is probably an error in the raws:  in b_detail_plan_default, the tissue layer SHELL for exoskeleton body plans is made of CHITIN instead of SHELL.  That's probably why cave lobsters don't leave shells in this version.  In order to get my critters (and maybe cave lobsters, I haven't tested it) to leave shells, you'll need to find [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:EXOSKELETON_TISSUE_LAYERS] and underneath it change [BP_LAYERS:BY_CATEGORY:SHELL:ARG1:100] to [BP_LAYERS:BY_CATEGORY:SHELL:SHELL:100].  After backing up your original, of course!   

On to the critter itself: I wanted to make a domestic animal with a shell for use in strange moods.  I liked the dwarven pig idea, but they cost a crap-ton of embark points, which is justified given their power, of course.  So I made the less military but much cheaper honey beetles, which can also be "milked" to produce "dwarven honey".  Some things are better left vague... 

Here's the raw:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[CREATURE:BEETLE_HONEY]
   [DESCRIPTION:A large beetle useful for its carapace and tasty secretions.]
   [NAME:honey beetle:honey beetles:honey beetle]
   [CASTE_NAME:honey beetle:honey beetles:honey beetle]
   [CREATURE_TILE:'b'][COLOR:7:0:1]
   [PETVALUE:100]
   [BIOME:SUBTERRANEAN_CHASM]
   [UNDERGROUND_DEPTH:1:2]
   [NO_SLEEP]
   [NOPAIN][NOSTUN][NOEMOTION]
   [LARGE_ROAMING][FREQUENCY:75]
   [POPULATION_NUMBER:10:20]
   [CLUSTER_NUMBER:3:6]
   [NATURAL][MEANDERER][PET][BENIGN][COMMON_DOMESTIC]
   [PREFSTRING:hard carapace]
   [PREFSTRING:docility]
   [NOBONES]
   [BODY_SIZE:0:0:500]
   [BODY_SIZE:1:0:8000]
   [BODY_SIZE:2:0:16000]
   [BODY:INSECT:2EYES:HEART:GUTS:BRAIN:MOUTH:SHELL]
   [ATTACK:BITE:BODYPART:BY_CATEGORY:MOUTH]
      [ATTACK_SKILL:BITE]
      [ATTACK_VERB:bite:bites]
      [ATTACK_CONTACT_PERC:100]
      [ATTACK_FLAG_EDGE]
      [ATTACK_PRIORITY:MAIN]
      [ATTACK_FLAG_CANLATCH]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:CHITIN_MATERIALS]
      [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:SHELL:SHELL_TEMPLATE]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:CHITIN_TISSUES]
      [USE_TISSUE_TEMPLATE:SHELL:SHELL_TEMPLATE]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:EXOSKELETON_TISSUE_LAYERS:CHITIN:FAT:MUSCLE]
   [SELECT_TISSUE_LAYER:HEART:BY_CATEGORY:HEART]
      [TL_MAJOR_ARTERIES]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_HEAD_POSITIONS]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:SHELL_POSITIONS]
   [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:SINEW:SINEW_TEMPLATE]
   [TENDONS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:SINEW:200]
   [LIGAMENTS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:SINEW:200]
   [HAS_NERVES]
   [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:ICHOR:ICHOR_TEMPLATE]
   [BLOOD:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:ICHOR:LIQUID]
   [CREATURE_CLASS:GENERAL_POISON]
   [GETS_WOUND_INFECTIONS]
   [GETS_INFECTIONS_FROM_ROT]
   [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:PUS:PUS_TEMPLATE]
   [PUS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:PUS:LIQUID]
   [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:MILK:MILK_TEMPLATE]
      [STATE_NAME:ALL_SOLID:crystallized dwarven honey]
      [STATE_ADJ:ALL_SOLID:crystallized dwarven honey]
      [STATE_NAME:LIQUID:dwarven honey]
      [STATE_ADJ:LIQUID:dwarven honey]
      [STATE_NAME:GAS:boiling dwarven honey]
      [STATE_ADJ:GAS:boiling dwarven honey]
      [DISPLAY_COLOR:6:0:1]
      [PREFIX:NONE]
   [MILKABLE:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:MILK:40000]
   [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:CHEESE:CREATURE_CHEESE_TEMPLATE]
      [STATE_NAME:SOLID:dwarven honey wafer]
      [STATE_ADJ:SOLID:dwarven honey wafer]
      [STATE_NAME:SOLID_POWDER:honey powder]
      [STATE_ADJ:SOLID_POWDER:honey powder]
      [STATE_NAME:LIQUID:melted dwarven honey wafer]
      [STATE_ADJ:LIQUID:melted dwarven honey wafer]
      [STATE_NAME:GAS:boiling dwarven honey wafer]
      [STATE_ADJ:GAS:boiling dwarven honey wafer]
      [DISPLAY_COLOR:6:0:1]
      [PREFIX:NONE]
   [BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:LENGTH:90:95:98:100:102:105:110]
   [BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:HEIGHT:90:95:98:100:102:105:110]
   [BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:BROADNESS:90:95:98:100:102:105:110]
   [MAXAGE:10:20]
   [CHILD:1]
   [GENERAL_CHILD_NAME:honey grub:honey grubs]
   [ALL_ACTIVE]
   [HOMEOTHERM:10040]
   [SWIMS_INNATE][SWIM_SPEED:2500]
   [CASTE:FEMALE]
      [FEMALE]
   [CASTE:MALE]
      [MALE]
   [SELECT_CASTE:ALL]
      [SET_TL_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:ALL:CHITIN]
   [TL_COLOR_MODIFIER:BROWN:1:RUSSET:1:PALE_BROWN:1:TAUPE_GRAY:1:TAUPE_SANDY:1:GRAY:1:ASH_GRAY:1:SLATE_GRAY:1:COPPER:1:OCHRE:1:SILVER:1]
            [TLCM_NOUN:chitin:SINGULAR]
      [SET_TL_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:EYE:EYE]
         [TL_COLOR_MODIFIER:BLACK:1]
            [TLCM_NOUN:eyes:PLURAL]

It's worth noting that both sexes can be milked, but only half as often as a cow.  They're much smaller, after all, so they produce less "milk".

Notice that the dwarven honey can be turned into dwarven honey wafers via cheesemaking.  I was forced to do that because the honey is technically milk, and if I didn't specify what cheesemaking did to it some weird stuff would happen.  Specifically, the milk would turn into an unusable and inedible chunk of chitin that was stored in the food stockpile.  Go figure.     Does anyone know if it's possible to disable the cheesemaking labor for this one kind of "milk"?

The other thing I'd really like to do is find a way to ferment the honey into dwarven mead.  I could create a new reaction at the still, but then it would be a separate order from Brew Drink.  Not the most elegant solution.  Any ideas?

[SenorPiquante]

Interesting. Somehow the idea of "milking" the beetle for honey is hilarious and terrifying in equal measure

[Ephemeriis]

During my testing, I discovered what is probably an error in the raws:  in b_detail_plan_default, the tissue layer SHELL for exoskeleton body plans is made of CHITIN instead of SHELL.  That's probably why cave lobsters don't leave shells in this version.

That may not be an error...  There are very real differences between chitin and shell, and a lobster can probably be more accurately described as having a chitin exoskeleton than a shell one.

I have no idea what kind of thought process went into this decision...  If the intent was that cave lobsters would not be usable for shell, or if it was just an attempt to make more sense and the lack of "shell" was accidental.

[ObliqueFault]

That may not be an error...  There are very real differences between chitin and shell, and a lobster can probably be more accurately described as having a chitin exoskeleton than a shell one.

I have no idea what kind of thought process went into this decision...  If the intent was that cave lobsters would not be usable for shell, or if it was just an attempt to make more sense and the lack of "shell" was accidental.

That's all true, and it's something I considered.  But cave lobsters have the tissue layer SHELL, which is completely pointless since their exoskeleton already gives them a layer of chitin.  It could be for an extra layer of protection, except cave lobsters lack the  [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:SHELL_POSITIONS] tag, which connects the shell to the rest of the body.

On the other hand, they also lack [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:SHELL:SHELL_TEMPLATE] tag, which I assume is necessary before it would leave a usable shell.  And I just looked over b_detail_plan_default some more, and I realized that if you give hooves to a creature with an exoskeleton body plan, they also end up made of chitin.  So maybe it wasn't a mistake after all.

Still, shells are so crucial that it seems unfortunate that they're produced by only one vermin - which never shows up on my maps, I might add.  I think I'll compromise by leaving the [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:SHELL:SHELL_TEMPLATE] tag off of cave lobsters, since it really doesn't make sense to be able to make a helmet out of lobster shell.  A 35 lb. beetle, on the other hand, would leave some pretty substantial wing covers, so a beetle "shell" helmet might not be too far fetched.

[Master]

I didnt even know that cave lobsters stopped producing shells... time to regen a new world that would be why I cant find any shells anymore.

There has to be a better fix for this. Why not just take shell out of the strange mood que and be done with this BS.

[ObliqueFault]

Interesting. Somehow the idea of "milking" the beetle for honey is hilarious and terrifying in equal measure

In other words, it's very dwarfy.  I'll take that as a compliment.   

I didnt even know that cave lobsters stopped producing shells... time to regen a new world that would be why I cant find any shells anymore.

There has to be a better fix for this. Why not just take shell out of the strange mood que and be done with this BS.

I'm actually only basing my lack of shells comment on the wiki, because I haven't been able to find any cave lobsters.  And believe me, I tried.  I even modded in "river lobsters" that were fishable on the surface, but they never showed up either, even after I deleted every other fish from the raws.  I'll keep trying when I have more free time tonight.

As far as I know, moods are unmoddable.  But yeah, that would be an ideal fix otherwise.

Anyone have any ideas on how to make dwarven honey able to be fermented, and not able to be made into cheese?

[Emong]

Anyone have any ideas on how to make dwarven honey able to be fermented, and not able to be made into cheese?

As far as I know, there's no way to keep milk from being used to make cheese, and to ferment it you'd need to use a reaction to turn it into a plant that doesn't grow anywhere (call it 'prepared dwarven honey' or something) and then brew that. I don't think there's any other way to do it.

[ObliqueFault]

I've figured out how to enable cheesemaking only for certain kinds of milk, but you have to edit the raws in multiple places.  First, open material_template_default and find the milk template.  Then delete the [MATERIAL_REACTION_PRODUCT:CHEESE_MAT:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:CHEESE] tag.  Then, you just add the tag to the creatures whose milk you want to make into cheese.  For example, here's the entry for cow with the tag added (and highlighted):

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[CREATURE:COW]
   [DESCRIPTION:A large mammalian herbivore.  They often bear large horns and the males are ill-tempered.  They are domesticated for milk and meat.]
   [NAME:cow:cows:bovine]
   [CASTE_NAME:cow:cows:bovine]
   [CREATURE_TILE:'C'][COLOR:6:0:0]
   [PETVALUE:300]
   [PREFSTRING:haunting moos]
   [FREQUENCY:100]
   [LARGE_ROAMING]
   [POPULATION_NUMBER:15:30]
   [CLUSTER_NUMBER:3:7]
   [COMMON_DOMESTIC]
   [BENIGN][MEANDERER][PET]
   [BODY:QUADRUPED_HOOF:TAIL:2EYES:2EARS:NOSE:2LUNGS:HEART:GUTS:ORGANS:THROAT:NECK:SPINE:BRAIN:SKULL:MOUTH:GENERIC_TEETH:RIBCAGE:2HEAD_HORN]
   [NATURAL]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_MATERIALS]
      [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:HOOF:HOOF_TEMPLATE]
      [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:HORN:HORN_TEMPLATE]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_TISSUES]
      [USE_TISSUE_TEMPLATE:HOOF:HOOF_TEMPLATE]
      [USE_TISSUE_TEMPLATE:HORN:HORN_TEMPLATE]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:VERTEBRATE_TISSUE_LAYERS:SKIN:FAT:MUSCLE:BONE:CARTILAGE]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:BODY_HAIR_TISSUE_LAYERS:HAIR]
   [SELECT_TISSUE_LAYER:HEART:BY_CATEGORY:HEART]
    [PLUS_TISSUE_LAYER:SKIN:BY_CATEGORY:THROAT]
      [TL_MAJOR_ARTERIES]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_HEAD_POSITIONS]
   [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:HUMANOID_RIBCAGE_POSITIONS]
   [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:SINEW:SINEW_TEMPLATE]
   [TENDONS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:SINEW:200]
   [LIGAMENTS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:SINEW:200]
   [HAS_NERVES]
   [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:BLOOD:BLOOD_TEMPLATE]
   [BLOOD:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:BLOOD:LIQUID]
   [CREATURE_CLASS:GENERAL_POISON]
   [GETS_WOUND_INFECTIONS]
   [GETS_INFECTIONS_FROM_ROT]
   [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:PUS:PUS_TEMPLATE]
   [PUS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:PUS:LIQUID]
   [BODY_SIZE:0:0:100000]
   [BODY_SIZE:1:0:250000]
   [BODY_SIZE:2:0:600000]
   [BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:LENGTH:90:95:98:100:102:105:110]
   [BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:HEIGHT:90:95:98:100:102:105:110]
   [BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:BROADNESS:90:95:98:100:102:105:110]
   [MAXAGE:10:20]
   [ATTACK:KICK:BODYPART:BY_CATEGORY:HOOF_FRONT]
      [ATTACK_SKILL:STANCE_STRIKE]
      [ATTACK_VERB:kick:kicks]
      [ATTACK_CONTACT_PERC:100]
      [ATTACK_PRIORITY:MAIN]
      [ATTACK_FLAG_WITH]
   [ATTACK:KICK:BODYPART:BY_CATEGORY:HOOF_REAR]
      [ATTACK_SKILL:STANCE_STRIKE]
      [ATTACK_VERB:kick:kicks]
      [ATTACK_CONTACT_PERC:100]
      [ATTACK_PRIORITY:MAIN]
      [ATTACK_FLAG_WITH]
   [ATTACK:BITE:CHILD_BODYPART_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:HEAD:BY_CATEGORY:TOOTH]
      [ATTACK_SKILL:BITE]
      [ATTACK_VERB:bite:bites]
      [ATTACK_CONTACT_PERC:100]
      [ATTACK_PENETRATION_PERC:100]
      [ATTACK_FLAG_EDGE]
      [ATTACK_PRIORITY:SECOND]
      [ATTACK_FLAG_CANLATCH]
   [CHILD:1][GENERAL_CHILD_NAME:cow calf:cow calves]
   [DIURNAL]
   [HOMEOTHERM:10070]
   [SWIMS_INNATE][SWIM_SPEED:2500]
   [MUNDANE]
   [CASTE:FEMALE]
      [FEMALE]
      [MULTIPLE_LITTER_RARE]
      [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:MILK:MILK_TEMPLATE]
         [STATE_NAME:ALL_SOLID:frozen cow's milk]
         [STATE_ADJ:ALL_SOLID:frozen cow's milk]
         [STATE_NAME:LIQUID:cow's milk]
         [STATE_ADJ:LIQUID:cow's milk]
         [STATE_NAME:GAS:boiling cow's milk]
         [STATE_ADJ:GAS:boiling cow's milk]
         [MATERIAL_REACTION_PRODUCT:CHEESE_MAT:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:CHEESE]
         [PREFIX:NONE]
      [MILKABLE:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:MILK:20000]
      [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:CHEESE:CREATURE_CHEESE_TEMPLATE]
         [STATE_NAME:SOLID:cow cheese]
         [STATE_ADJ:SOLID:cow cheese]
         [STATE_NAME:SOLID_POWDER:cow cheese powder]
         [STATE_ADJ:SOLID_POWDER:cow cheese powder]
         [STATE_NAME:LIQUID:melted cow cheese]
         [STATE_ADJ:LIQUID:melted cow cheese]
         [STATE_NAME:GAS:boiling cow cheese]
         [STATE_ADJ:GAS:boiling cow cheese]
         [PREFIX:NONE]
   [CASTE:MALE]
      [MALE]
      [CASTE_NAME:bull:bulls:bull]
      [CHILDNAME:bull calf:bull calves]
   [SELECT_CASTE:ALL]
      [SET_TL_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:ALL:HAIR]
   [TL_COLOR_MODIFIER:BLACK:1:BROWN:1:WHITE:1:GRAY:1:LIGHT_BROWN:1:DARK_BROWN:1:TAN:1:AUBURN:1:CHESTNUT:1:SLATE_GRAY:1:CREAM:1:CINNAMON:1:BUFF:1:BEIGE:1:CHOCOLATE:1:CHARCOAL:1:ASH_GRAY:1:RUSSET:1:IVORY:1:FLAX:1:PUMPKIN:1:GOLD:1:GOLDEN_YELLOW:1:GOLDENROD:1:COPPER:1:SAFFRON:1:AMBER:1:MAHOGANY:1:OCHRE:1:PALE_BROWN:1:RAW_UMBER:1:BURNT_SIENNA:1:BURNT_UMBER:1:SEPIA:1:DARK_TAN:1:PALE_CHESTNUT:1:DARK_CHESTNUT:1:TAUPE_PALE:1:TAUPE_DARK:1:TAUPE_SANDY:1:TAUPE_GRAY:1:TAUPE_MEDIUM:1:ECRU:1]
            [TLCM_NOUN:hair:SINGULAR]
      [SET_TL_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:ALL:SKIN]
   [TL_COLOR_MODIFIER:BROWN:1:BURNT_UMBER:1:CINNAMON:1:COPPER:1:DARK_BROWN:1:DARK_PEACH:1:DARK_TAN:1:ECRU:1:PALE_BROWN:1:PALE_CHESTNUT:1:PALE_PINK:1:PEACH:1:PINK:1:RAW_UMBER:1:SEPIA:1:TAN:1:TAUPE_PALE:1:TAUPE_SANDY:1]
            [TLCM_NOUN:skin:SINGULAR]
      [SET_TL_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:EYE:EYE]
         [TL_COLOR_MODIFIER:BLACK:1]
            [TLCM_NOUN:eyes:PLURAL]

Cows, horses, and donkeys are in creature_domestic, while camels are in creature_large_tropical.  As always, back up your files before you mod them!

As for the mead idea, it's not progressing much.  This is my first time working with reactions, and it takes a while to get used to the system.  It's not very intuitive.