Dwarf Fortress > DF Suggestions

Caravan Mode

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Zemat:
It just occurred to me that there could be a third game mode that could integrate a mix of features of both fortress and adventure mode. It would be caravan mode.This mode could work as a prelude to fortress mode where, if you choose so, instead of just selecting a location to building a fortress from the location menu instead you just select a civilization and prepare for the journey, selecting the professions and items of the seven dwarves involved. And you start playing at the gates of a dwarven city of your chosen civ, Then you start doing things just like in fortress mode (in real time), only that you can't do some things but you can give orders to where you want the wagon to move and travel just like in adventure mode without border limits.You can give orders to the dwarves and put them to do some basic works like recollecting herbs, hunting and cutting trees or even digging up tunnels, ramps and bridges for your wagon to move over. This way you could even reach previously unreachable locations in the world map like mountain peaks, far islands and deep below underground. The trick here is to successfully reach a location where to start out your fortress with the least amount of causalities and enough resources.To balance things up (and easy up the work for Toady), caravan mode must have limitations. For example, while the wagon can move anywhere in the world map without borders, the dwarves must stick to a small region close to the wagon just like in fortress mode. In essence the wagon acts as the center of the smallest fortress area possible so that the simulation doesn't have to deal with huge areas in real time. Also some of the fortress mode options should stay deactivated during caravan mode just to prevent the game from breaking (maybe deactive stuff like farming and/or workshop building).Once the player decides to settle up, the usual location menu activates just to let the player choose the size of the area he wants to play in and he will no longer be able to move the wagon again. Also the player could choose when abandoning the fortress to pack stuff in a new caravan a start up caravan mode. Only now starting up from the last fortress location and limited to selecting from the stuff and dwarves living up currently in the fortress.One last thing, the caravan could act just like a trading caravan a visit up places with trade depots and trade stuff up there just to allow it to restock.In essence this mode could play as a DF version of Oregon Trail.[ December 05, 2007: Message edited by: Zemat ]

Dwarmin:
insert dysentry joke here

Wahnsinniger:
When I first saw "Caravan Mode", i had a different thought. I figured it'd be a sort of 'merchant mode', where the player controls a merchant caravan which travels between fortresses and cities. You'd have to figure out what to trade. There'd be some game mechanic in trying to buy the right goods to supply what other towns need (for a profit hopefully). You'd want to plan safe routes far away from goblin and kobold fortresses, and you'd need to hire guards and equip them to protect your wagons from wild animals and monsters. And then there's the buying of wagons and draft animals....Think of all the possibilities! This would be a great stepping stone to adding in the whole 'world economy' stuff which may or may not be possible, in addition to fitting in with the 'traveling army/migration' structures.

Zemat:
Well, it could work both ways. You could either fit your group to settle eventually or just fit them as a trading caravan and go around trading stuff and making gold. Maybe your trading group could eventually make trade agreements or buy shops in towns and cities in order to create monopolies.

Reasonableman:
Heck, a system based around these basic ideas could even lead to boats: large caravans that also act like terrain, where you have to stop at ports for supplies, fend off pirates, and fish for food, perhaps even adding to and building on your boat. One other word: ZEPPLINS.EDIT: Another idea: you have to have a leader dwarf in your party (captain on a boat, wagonmaster on a caravan) who handles things like navigation, charting out new territory, and negotiations.[ December 05, 2007: Message edited by: Reasonableman ]

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