A Raiders view of domesticated animals. ( Approach with extreme prejudice )

[Swat_Raptor]

Why are the raiders (and mechs) hell bent on shooting all the live stock, I mean I enjoy watching a well laid out chicken defense screen but I don't really think it should work.

currently it seems that hostiles don't have a very good way of determining whats a real threat and what isn't.

I mean we have a wild west like setting and no one is trying to steal my herd of Muffalo. Would this kind of event be Hard to implement? I certainly think it would fit the setting. the raider will steal your stuff and kidnap your people but your animal, SHOOT THEM ALL.

I get that most animals can be trained to attack and thus the hostiles may actually want to shoot at them but the current logic is, Oh my Holy Raider God there is a rat right by Tom, quick Tom shoot it with your triple rocket launcher. Perhaps it would be better if animals who are natural hunters be trained to attack and the rest be non aggressive entities which Raiders ignore (or try to steal)

[schizmo]

I would take it a step further, raiders shouldn't prioritize shooting animals and undrafted animals should flee from battle areas because gunshots and explosions are terrifying and it doesn't make sense that chickens just wander around calmly when grenades are blowing up all around them.

[Rafe009]

I think this might partially be resolved in the next version as Tynan said he was going to make a pass on how grass grows. Right now the center of the map eventually become depleted of flora making it totally unsuitable for allowing livestock to roam in regions that are easily defended. 

I tend to set my animals to pasture at the perimeter - only during warm seasons - of the map because its' teh only place laden with plant growth and where grass/bush seeds spawn and float onto the map from some unseen external source.

The problem with this is sometimes raiders spawn right on top of my animals as they are grazing. I try to mitigate this as best as i can by setting safe sleeping zones in the interior of the map but i'm constantly trying to remember to get the animals inside each night so they are not sleeping when the raiders come.

[Swat_Raptor]

I would take it a step further, raiders shouldn't prioritize shooting animals and undrafted animals should flee from battle areas because gunshots and explosions are terrifying and it doesn't make sense that chickens just wander around calmly when grenades are blowing up all around them.

I agree with you on this point, animals already have a sort of mental break state (man hunter) but some sort of Panic mode also makes sense in these situations.

[Swat_Raptor]

I think this might partially be resolved in the next version as Tynan said he was going to make a pass on how grass grows. Right now the center of the map eventually become depleted of flora making it totally unsuitable for allowing livestock to roam in regions that are easily defended. 

I tend to set my animals to pasture at the perimeter - only during warm seasons - of the map because its' teh only place laden with plant growth and where grass/bush seeds spawn and float onto the map from some unseen external source.

The problem with this is sometimes raiders spawn right on top of my animals as they are grazing. I try to mitigate this as best as i can by setting safe sleeping zones in the interior of the map but i'm constantly trying to remember to get the animals inside each night so they are not sleeping when the raiders come.

I think your talking about another issue entirely.

My point was about how raiders (Bugs, and Mechs) interact with any animal they see.
your talking about where animals tend to graze for food. and that raiders sometimes spawn in not opportune locations next to animals, which I am personally fine with.

I think they should be spawning next to, dropping down, and springing up anywhere they can too threaten your colonist and all that they own. But currently how they threaten you and what you own is currently kinda unsophisticated because they just attack all of your animals on sight.

I like what I hear about the fix for grass in the next update but the basic fact that you have to move from place to place for fresh grass is GOOD because that's what real animal herders do. I don't think wild grass should be so abundant that you can keep a sizable herd in one part of the map. Wild grass should be consistent but limited like any other natural resource. However this is just my opinion on that mechanic and doesn't relate directly to my original suggestion.

[TamTiTam]

Yes! Animals should not just stand around, sleep or graze while grenades are exploding next to them and everyone is shooting (at them).
They should fight, run or freeze.   
And Raiders should try to steal my livestock. It's a Western, it has to be in.