Consolidate Leather types for better Crafting, Stacking & Sanity.

Started by Eleazar, February 25, 2015, 02:32:49 PM

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Eleazar

There are a lot of different types of leather, and few of them are unique.  Even though hare leather is statistically the same as squirrel leather, you need to accumulate enough of a single type before you can craft with it.  In the mean time each kind takes up a cell in your stockpile.

I think the game would benefit from some consolidating some of the leather types, something like this:


Humans = Disturbing Leather
Muffalo = Blue Leather
Rhino = Rhino Leather
Boar = Rugged Leather
Deer, Elk, Dromedary = Leather
Iguana, Cobra, Tortise = Scaly Leather
Squirrel, Hare, Boomrat, Monkey, Alphabeaver = Fine Leather


You can mix and match a bit differently according to your whim, this is meant to be an example.  This would cut down the number of leather types about in half.  I've tried to make the names general so that future creatures can use existing leather types.

EDIT:
Changed the suggestion a little better correspond the stats in A9, rather than the wiki

cultist

On one hand, I agree that all the small stacks of leather can be annoying. On the other hand, I like having the option of making items with a specific color/flavor text. I spent a bunch of time gathering cobra hides on one map so my main guy could have a full set of cobra armor. That was kind of fun.

Also, scarabs do not produce leather AFAIK. And while we're on the topic on leather, can someone explain to me why muffalo leather is blue...?

skullywag

Well we only see their furr, who says they dont have blue skin...
Skullywag modded to death.
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tommytom

Quote from: skullywag on February 25, 2015, 03:29:25 PM
Well we only see their furr, who says they dont have blue skin...
Polar bears have black skin. Probably similar thing here.

StorymasterQ

Quote from: tommytom on February 25, 2015, 07:01:51 PM
Quote from: skullywag on February 25, 2015, 03:29:25 PM
Well we only see their furr, who says they dont have blue skin...
Polar bears have black skin. Probably similar thing here.
Sorry, can't resist...
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The dubious quotes list is now public. See it here

cultist

Quote from: tommytom on February 25, 2015, 07:01:51 PM
Quote from: skullywag on February 25, 2015, 03:29:25 PM
Well we only see their furr, who says they dont have blue skin...
Polar bears have black skin. Probably similar thing here.
Huh. You learn something new every day.


Sorenzo

Their skin is black because it doesn't give off heat as light.

I think the current system is fine. On most maps, you only get 3-5 different leather types anyway, and the ability to pick colours is kinda neat. I just wish I didn't have to hunt boomrats to get red... :)

Viceroy

I like the system as it is, it allows modded animals to have unique leather, just like meat. With minimal effort.

It adds to the depth of the game. And I love that. A few extra stacks of leather is no biggie when you have 62500 tiles on your average map.
Dog goes moo!

Mathenaut

I don't think that more micromanagement = depth. It's just busywork, which I think the OP is trying to shave down on.

I agree on that point. Multiple leather types that are functionally no different but in name is just mindless accounting and wasted space.

b0rsuk

I say either make them mechanically different increasing the difference or merge them. Stone blocks are almost the same (marble is better for sculpting), there's barely any benefit from having them separate. If someone likes copy&paste Dwarf Fortress variety, he knows where to find it.

Eleazar

Quote from: b0rsuk on March 05, 2015, 06:02:06 PM
I say either make them mechanically different increasing the difference or merge them. Stone blocks are almost the same (marble is better for sculpting), there's barely any benefit from having them separate.

Stone blocks do have significant differences. For most (i believe) it is a trade off between speed of mining and durability.  Granite walls IIRC have more than twice the durability of slate, but take significantly longer to mine, for instance.


Quote from: Sorenzo on March 02, 2015, 03:18:06 AM
...On most maps, you only get 3-5 different leather types anyway, and the ability to pick colours is kinda neat. I just wish I didn't have to hunt boomrats to get red... :)

My suggestion leaves all the basic color, except boomrat red.  I assume nobody is going to be upset at losing the ability to choose between slightly different colors of brown?  And the problem with boomrat leather is it looks pretty much the same as devilstrand-- a really important distinction.

CodyRex123

Wait, i thought all the leathers had different states applied to the clothes made from them... Cause at least, some things like mufflo should be sold for more or boomrats seeing as they are dangerous to hunt...
Dragons!

b0rsuk

Quote from: Eleazar on March 05, 2015, 06:13:35 PM
Stone blocks do have significant differences. For most (i believe) it is a trade off between speed of mining and durability.  Granite walls IIRC have more than twice the durability of slate, but take significantly longer to mine, for instance.

I just checked in alpha9:
plasteel - 630
granite - 610
limestone - 575
sandstone - 540
slate - 520
marble - 495
sandbags - 450
steel - 225
wood - 112

So, the difference between the toughest and the weakest stone wall is 115, a wood wall difference. Granite is 23% tougher than marble in this game. Marble is 19% weaker than granite. Not enough to care. Even marble will survive a direct mortar hit or two.

Unmined marble is 450, granite is 900. That's quite a difference, but not for blocks. In fact, considering the above paragraph, it's a dumb idea to mine granite with marble available.

Sandbags are awesome - 450 for 3 steel, and take 4 work to create. They would be incredible for wildfire barriers because they're not flammable, but they're butt-ugly.

Eleazar

Quote from: CodyRex123 on March 05, 2015, 06:55:18 PM
Wait, i thought all the leathers had different states applied to the clothes made from them... Cause at least, some things like mufflo should be sold for more or boomrats seeing as they are dangerous to hunt...

Some things are different.  Most are are either not unique or only marginally different.  Ignoring the wiki and looking at the Defs:

There are 15 kinds of leather:
2 don't define their own unique color. (monkey, tortoise)
12 have no stat except an insulation value, which ranges between .75 and 1.5
3 have modifiers on market value.
2 have modifiers on armor rating

Completely identical stats
Cobra, iquana, and tortoise
Deer, Dromedary
Alpha Beaver, Boomrat

Insulation Numbers:
0.75 Cobra
0.75 Iguana
0.75 Tortoise
0.90 Rhinoceros
0.95 Human
1.00 Monkey
1.10 Squirrel
1.15 Alphabeaver
1.15 Boomrat
1.20 Hare
1.25 Deer
1.25 Dromedary
1.40 Elk
1.50 Muffalo
1.50 WildBoar

Quote from: Sorenzo on March 02, 2015, 03:18:06 AM
On most maps, you only get 3-5 different leather types anyway...

There are cargo pods that add kinds to the map and even if it isn't on your map it is likely to clutter up the trade inventory.