Alcohol/intoxication

[fraz]

Alcoholic beverages would be dispensed from a "Fermentation Vat," which would function in a manner analogous to a Nutrient Paste Dispenser (i.e., harvested plant products are placed in adjacent Hoppers and converted into alcohol). When a colonist's mood drops dangerously low ("Mental Break soon"), they would automatically get a drink from a nearby Vat, if available.

• Intoxication Lvl I: The first drink would give a +5 mood modifier ("Buzzed") that lasts half a day without any negative consequences.
• Intoxication Lvl II: If mood remains dangerously low, the colonist will get a second drink, changing the mood modifier from "Buzzed" to "Tipsy," which gives +10 mood but -25% to all skills. "Tipsy" will last half a day, after which it will revert to "Buzzed" which will last an additional half day as above.
• Intoxication Lvl III: If dangerously low mood persists while Tipsy, a third drink will change Tipsy to "Drunk," which gives +15 mood but -50% skills. Drunk will revert to Tipsy after half a day, at which time a "Hungover" modifier is added, which gives -5 mood and last half a day (Hungover ends immediately if the Colonist has another drink).
• Intoxication Lvl IV: Finally, a fourth drink will change Drunk to "Very Drunk," which gives +20 mood, but -75% skills and creates a chance of starting fights with other colonists. When Very Drunk reverts to Drunk after half a day, the "Very Hungover" modifier is added, which gives -10 mood and lasts half a day.

There are a variety of reasons I believe such a system would be interesting. Firstly, it creates a mechanism by which Colonists can temporarily mitigate and endure negative mood modifiers, such as a psychic drone or watching their comrades die in combat. Used in small amounts or for short periods of time, it's relatively harmless. However, it also carries the possibly of dependence. An unhappy colony could be sustained - in an impaired fashion - through continuous drunkenness. This would become especially problematic when the "Hungover" modifiers consistently push Colonists back into a dangerous mood level, requiring an additional drink to cancel out the negative modifier.

[userfredle]

I love the idea of giving my dwarves, er, colonists alcohol.

Im all in for the idea, except for the getting hangovers and getting into fights with other colonists

[StorymasterQ]

Well, it's realistic for drunk colonists to have hangovers afterwards. This sounds like a good idea. Although, the hopper attached to the Fermentation Vat should be modified to allow only certain ingredients. I can see alcohol coming out of potatoes and berries, but I doubt any would come out of wood or corpses...