Version 1 Development
The proper completion of Dwarf Fortress requires that your dwarven outpost can grow to be a functioning capital and interact in many ways with the outside world. Adventurers should be able to interact with each of the components added during this process, such as armies and caravans. There are some other smaller elements here as well that would really add to the overall experience. Finally, virtually all of the Reqs need to be completed, though they might not fit in any of what follows. Here is a tentative list of possible programming "arcs" (no particular order):
- BUSTLING TOWN ARC: The towns should be more structured. The peasants need to do less aimless wandering and more standard activities. There need to be various items in town outside of what's in the stores. There need to be guards, and the keep/mead hall should be more interesting. Related to Core41, Core42, Core43, Req148, Req162, Req249, Req261, Req344, Req348, Req369, Req379, Req408, Req415, Req471, Req477, Req588, Bloat165, Bloat188, Bloat203, Bloat204, Bloat210, Bloat233, Bloat242, Bloat243, Bloat266, Bloat267, Bloat373, Bloat378, Bloat381, Bloat382, PowerGoal34, PowerGoal36, PowerGoal41, PowerGoal48, PowerGoal55, PowerGoal67, PowerGoal73, PowerGoal74, PowerGoal82, PowerGoal91, PowerGoal131, PowerGoal137 and PowerGoal148.
- FIRE AND LIGHTING ARC: The lighting in caves is artificial right now. It should be pitch black. This is also true of moonless cloudy nights. Once that's in, your adventurer will want fire. Fire can also come up in dwarf mode in various ways. Related to Core14, Core55, Req96 and PowerGoal150.
- BURROWS, TRANSPORTION AND AUTOMATION ARC: Make dwarves live and restrict their movements to sections ("burrows") of the cave to reduce the amount of hauling. This includes many of the haul/pile reqs. Other workshops could be automated, while the work order system could be made more robust to decrease the amount of interface fiddling required to produce glass and soap, for example. Related to Core36, Core56, Core57, Req1, Req2, Req18, Req22, Req24, Req27, Req28, Req38, Req41, Req46, Req47, Req67, Req74, Req82, Req83, Req86, Req90, Req112, Req128, Req129, Req140, Req146, Req162, Req197, Req273, Req287, Req349, Req384, Req385, Req392, Req393, Req400, Req404, Req409, Req410, Req413, Req422, Req424, Req428, Req429, Req435, Req436, Req437, Req439, Req450, Req482, Req528, Req533, Req534, Req544, Req558, Req560, Req572, Req584, Bloat6, Bloat10, Bloat19, Bloat28, Bloat30, Bloat32, Bloat54, Bloat59, Bloat60, Bloat83, Bloat218, Bloat253, Bloat281, Bloat308 and Bloat313.
- ADVANCED HELP ARC: Yeah, dwarves has a steep learning curve. Tutorials and advisors could help this, as well as decent in-game help. Related to Core19, Core22 and Core58.
- CARAVAN ARC: As a prelude to armies, we'll have caravans actually move around the world map rather than just appear at your outpost. They'll move between each city on the map, though we'll try to stay away from supporting a real economy for the time being. You should be able to find items you traded in your fortress in adventure mode, and a caravan could come to your fortress with an adventure mode item. Related to Core3, Core38, Core81, Req21, Req132, Req133, Req175, Req204, Req218, Req220, Req260, Req279, Req364, Req463, Req516, Req555, Bloat155, Bloat263, Bloat267, PowerGoal24, PowerGoal33, PowerGoal56 and PowerGoal148.
- COUNTY ARC: You should be able to develop a larger settlement outside the confines of the immediate play area. Related to Core28, Core29 and PowerGoal53.
- ARMY ARC: You should be able to control patrols and then armies in dwarf mode. The adventurer should be able to both go with and command armies. In dwarf mode, you should have the option to control your individual patrol members as you would in adventure mode. Entities should war with each other from bandit and monster raids to full fledged wars. Upset entities could patrol near their sites, leading to new wilderness encounters etc. Related to Core26, Core27, Core35, Core45, Core46, Req18, Req29, Req61, Req71, Req81, Req125, Req126, Req221, Req273, Req301, Req371, Req398, Req414, Req417, Req427, Req444, Req449, Req475, Req478, Req496, Req503, Req545, Req571, Bloat44, Bloat117, Bloat130, Bloat131, Bloat175, Bloat289, PowerGoal1, PowerGoal2, PowerGoal3, PowerGoal4, PowerGoal5, PowerGoal6, PowerGoal7, PowerGoal8, PowerGoal11, PowerGoal17, PowerGoal40, PowerGoal59, PowerGoal70, PowerGoal71, PowerGoal76, PowerGoal92, PowerGoal98, PowerGoal119, PowerGoal127, PowerGoal130, PowerGoal138, PowerGoal140, PowerGoal141, PowerGoal142, PowerGoal143, PowerGoal144 and PowerGoal147.
- NEMESIS ARC: The civilization leaders should be fleshed out in many ways. Related to Core11, Core15, Core40, Req161, Req277, Bloat48, Bloat68, Bloat176, PowerGoal98, PowerGoal101, PowerGoal102 and PowerGoal122.
- RELATIONSHIPS ARC: You should be able to take a spouse, make a household, and create playable heirs as an adventurer. The dwarven relationships and personalities can also be expanded upon. Related to Core59, Core60, Bloat51, Bloat93, Bloat95, Bloat105, Bloat123, Bloat374, Bloat375, Bloat380, PowerGoal20, PowerGoal21, PowerGoal109 and PowerGoal119.
- DIPLOMACY ARC: There should be a lot more diplomacy between your outpost and the outside world, especially as you get more nobles. Right now there's hardly anything. Related to Core33, Core62, Core63, Req174, Req177, Req291, Req451, Req527, Req542, Req543, Bloat31, Bloat72, Bloat73, PowerGoal10, PowerGoal98 and PowerGoal101.
- GHOSTS ARC: When you take an adventurer back to a fortress, it could afford to be a lot more interesting. Since it keeps track of all the dwarves that ever lived or died in each outpost, it might as well utilize them. When the civs fight in world gen, it could also create ruins from earlier times, and you could go to these places (old castles, temples, etc.). Related to Core67, Core68, Core69, Core70, Bloat21, PowerGoal11, PowerGoal92 and PowerGoal107.
- AFFILIATION ARC: You should be able to rise to the top of an entity (civilization, town, etc.) in adventure mode. While the full set of responsibilities that would entail will have to wait, it should at least be possible to attain this status for the first version. You should be able to do things for individuals. This could earn you favors from sleeping in their home and food gifts all the way to a marriage offer. There can be smaller entities like bandits and cults which could offer more unsavory tasks for similar privileges (steal, kill, kidnap, etc.). Can earn right to sleep in the large hall in town if you've become affiliated with them, but vagrancy needs to be punished and the camping must be harsher before this is meaningful. Related to Core64, Core65, Core71, Req586, Req587, Bloat163, PowerGoal12, PowerGoal19, PowerGoal27, PowerGoal37, PowerGoal41, PowerGoal42, PowerGoal44, PowerGoal48 and PowerGoal54.
- COMBAT ARC: Many more combat skills and more attributes, etc. Related to Core72, Core73, Core74, Req45, Req54, Req85, Req92, Req104, Req149, Req164, Req171, Req183, Req188, Req192, Req198, Req199, Req200, Req206, Req224, Req230, Req233, Req234, Req290, Req315, Req330, Req331, Req340, Req352, Req403, Req466, Req532, Req568, Req575, Bloat15, Bloat55, Bloat76, Bloat102, Bloat127, Bloat135, Bloat136, Bloat137, Bloat138, Bloat139, Bloat141, Bloat142, Bloat162, Bloat222, Bloat254, Bloat271, PowerGoal28, PowerGoal29, PowerGoal61, PowerGoal63, PowerGoal77, PowerGoal79, PowerGoal89, PowerGoal90, PowerGoal93, PowerGoal94, PowerGoal96, PowerGoal103 and PowerGoal150.
- SCENARIOS ARC: Character generation is due for a major change. The current plan is to have an interactive history generator that takes your character from birth to a playable age, incorporating them into the fabric of the world. Pressing "Play Now!" would answer the questions automatically, perhaps with a strong tendency to place you in dire/interesting situations. Related to Core75, Core76, Req214, Req317, Bloat26 and Bloat143.
- LIFE CYCLE ARC: Right now, there are no births and no aging in the towns and other populations. From the founding of a town, it should instead simulate and track these things during world creation. This makes the world much more interesting and also more resilient to changes inflicted by the player. At the same time, it creates instability unrelated to the actions of the player, so it has to be done carefully. Related to Core77, Core78, Req317, Req441, Req489, Bloat115, Bloat193, Bloat194 and PowerGoal31.
- ARTIFACT ARC: Special items made by the dwarves aren't very interesting right now, and there's not much for an adventurer to do with them. These objects should have magical powers and they should have a huge influence on the actions of entities that come into contact with them. Even if your adventurer can't make use of a particular artifact, you could arrange for buyers in the nobility, and use those opportunitites to get a home or good entity standing, for instance. Related to Core79, Core80, Req395, Bloat49, Bloat173, PowerGoal13, PowerGoal60, PowerGoal68 and PowerGoal134.
- CRIME AND PUNISHMENT ARC: There should be mild punishments for mild crimes, for instance. This could include making the drunks in the town more interesting and adding bar fights, as well as proper thievery, arrest, imprisonment, execution... Related to Core82, Core83, Req303, Req327, Req366, Bloat53, Bloat75, Bloat143, PowerGoal14, PowerGoal22, PowerGoal23, PowerGoal25, PowerGoal26, PowerGoal38, PowerGoal47, PowerGoal66, PowerGoal80, PowerGoal91, PowerGoal99, PowerGoal124, PowerGoal126, PowerGoal136 and PowerGoal146.
- ADVENTURER SKILLS ARC: It's nice to have all those jobs and professions sitting around in the dwarf mode. The adventurer should be able to do these things, especially those skills related to survival in the wilderness. Eventually you'll be able to place constructions, create a home and have your own site on the map. Related to Core84, Core85, Core86, Req32, Req34, Req99, Req107, Req168, Req236, Req302, Req327, Req491, Bloat160, Bloat317, Bloat380, PowerGoal9, PowerGoal15 and PowerGoal103.
- ADVENTURER PARTIES AND ENTITY: As an adventurer with followers, you should can your own entity definition. If you have enough people, you might be able to delegate orders and control them more strategically. You should also be able to control each member in a party of adventurers you make yourself. You could lead one and the others follow (as it is currently) or control them all, particularly during tense situations where you don't want to count on the AI. Related to Core24, Core61, PowerGoal20 and PowerGoal135.
- DUNGEON ARC: Improve kobold and goblin areas and civilizations with eyes on expanding entity definitions and future random generation. Includes adding entity definitions and tags for more primitive humanoids like lizardmen. Make mega-beasts fit in with better with the world. Related to Core89, Core90, Core91, Req8, Req80, Req107, Req148, Req232, Req284, Req324, Req375, Req426, Req476, Req479, Req504, Req576, Bloat17, Bloat23, Bloat169, Bloat172, Bloat189, Bloat190, Bloat241, Bloat383, PowerGoal13, PowerGoal27, PowerGoal32, PowerGoal49, PowerGoal50, PowerGoal51, PowerGoal52, PowerGoal62, PowerGoal100, PowerGoal111 and PowerGoal145.
- HUMANOID ARC: Make non-player dwarf fortresses look more like player made fortresses and act like them to the extent that it's reasonable. Improve elves as in the Dungeon Arc, with multi-tile tree dwellings. Related to Core87, Core88, Req148, Bloat206 and PowerGoal129.
- PRESENTATION ARC: A cleaner interface and more interface and display options will make the game more accessible. Better support for translations. Related to Core21, Core50, Core51, Core52, Core54, Req37, Req43, Req79, Req142, Req152, Req179, Req180, Req207, Req218, Req258, Req306, Req314, Req320, Req328, Req332, Req338, Req381, Req382, Req383, Req386, Req387, Req388, Req390, Req401, Req402, Req411, Req421, Req430, Req432, Req434, Req443, Req460, Req483, Req513, Req520, Req531, Req546, Req547, Req548, Req550, Req556, Req558, Req559, Req560, Req564, Req566, Req570, Req585, Bloat52, Bloat106, Bloat107, Bloat108, Bloat118, Bloat153, Bloat199, Bloat268, Bloat303, Bloat307, Bloat311, Bloat354, Bloat355, Bloat358, Bloat361, Bloat364, Bloat368 and Bloat379.
- LANGUAGE ARC: The in-game languages need a better framework, as many simple name formulations are impossible in the current system, and it wouldn't hurt to add a basic grammar and phonetics at this time as well. In addition, paper, engraved writing, books, poems, songs, etc. could all be explored in the different game modes in various ways. Related to Core97, Core98, Core99 and Core100.
- RANDOMIZATION AND RAWS ARC: More things need to make it out to the raws, and when they arrive, there should be some ability to randomize what you get in play. Current raw objects such as creatures, entities, plants, metals or even stone should also be randomizable. This doesn't just include randomizing an existing entry, but, more importantly, the creation of entirely new objects. This behavior should be controlled by the world parameters so that you can run anything from a stock universe to a complete replacement of all existing raw objects. In worlds with random objects, the random objects need to be introduced to the player in such a way that familiarity can be gained (involving descriptions, back stories, etc.) so that it isn't just a mess of static with garbage names. Related to Core53, Core92, Core93, Core94, Core95 and Core96.
CORE COMPONENTS:
1-20,
21-40,
41-60,
61-80,
81-100
REQUIRED THINGS, OLD BUGS AND PRIORITY REQUESTS:
1-50,
51-100,
101-150,
151-200,
201-250,
251-300,
301-350,
351-400,
401-450,
451-500,
501-550,
551-600
BLOATS:
1-50,
51-100,
101-150,
151-200,
201-250,
251-300,
301-350,
351-400
POWER GOALS:
1-50,
51-100,
101-150,
151-200