Hi!
Way back in July of last year, I added the ability to add party members and pets to character creation in the Adventurer Mode of Dwarf Fortress (which is the RPG part, rather than the fort management sim.) Back then, I left some bits unfinished, and for last week and next week, I'll be cleaning that up so that I can get started on adventurer villainy and investigations.
Last year, we'd already completed the ability to start with named pets, the ability to lead them around and pack items on them (if they are an appropriate animal like a mule or horse, rather than, say, a cavy. There are a score of options, and the elves have more than a hundred), and the basic ability to ride mounts. Relative mount velocity impacts weapon damage. However, I didn't handle the party aspect of riding and some other issues.
That's done now! You can change the speed of your mount. If it's something normal like a horse, it has traditional gaits like gallop, canter, and trot. Your party members will mount when you mount, and dismount when you dismount, if they have their own mounts and you aren't in the heat of combat, and they'll try to follow you around and adjust their speeds as best they can.
Somebody asked a long time ago about undead mounts, and I didn't have an answer. But after a bit of work, necromancer adventurers can ride any mountable undead creature that they raise.
Also, importantly, after this update is finished you'll be able to pet animals. They don't have to be friendly (or not undead) for you to try, but assuming that risk is up to you.
Next up, I'll be handling tactical party combat. That is, the ability to indirectly command or directly control the multiple characters you can start with now, as well as giving commands to others you recruit later. Then we'll be to the main matter of adventurer interactions with villains, then to fort mode.
- Tarn
Kitfox's Note
There's no way we can talk about animals without letting you see what they might look like, so here's a small peek at some of the sprites that Meph and Mayday have been working on. Nothing is set in stone, but it's nice to see!
They are small but powerful. :') Also, we do have a Dwarf Fortress newsletter sign up for these updates in ~email format~ if that tickles your fancy. But otherwise, see you around!
- Victoria