Dwarf Fortress Bug Tracker - Dwarf Fortress
View Issue Details
IDProjectCategoryView StatusDate SubmittedLast Update
0008754Dwarf FortressDwarf Mode -- Combatpublic2015-01-19 15:212018-02-14 14:47
ReporterXen0n 
Assigned To 
PriorityhighSeveritymajorReproducibilityhave not tried
StatusnewResolutionopen 
PlatformPCOSWindowsOS Version8.1
Product Version0.40.24 
Target VersionFixed in Version 
Summary0008754: Goblin sieges are slow, infrequent, and small, despite proximity to multiple goblin sites at embark
DescriptionApologies as I am not 100% convinced this is necessarily a bug as opposed to an intended feature, but the significant change in gameplay makes me want to at least bring it up. Also unsure as the severity of it, as it does not at first seem so serious, but for users who play primarily for the military / combat aspect of Fortress mode this issue is a big deal.

Essentially, Goblin Invasions can appear to come much later, less frequently, and in smaller numbers as compared to previous versions. Additionally, no Goblin Snatchers/scouting parties were seen.

In my case, despite embarking in the midst of many Dark Pits and a Dark Tower during worldgen, and greatly increasing my fort's created/exported wealth, and quickly having a population over 80, I only finally saw a small siege of about 12 goblins some ways into my 3rd year.

Additionally, I have read several reports from other users that even in versions 0.40.23 / 0.40.24, they consistently get either no sieges, or extremely infrequent, small sieges. I realize that other users have not been having such problems, so I'm not sure of the exact cause of the issue, possibly related to advanced worldgen settings / embark situations to account for the different experience between users.
Steps To ReproduceGenerate a world, embark near / adjacent to various goblin sites, receive very late / small invasions.

However, although this issue does not seem to happen for all users, the users to whom it does occur seem to report it happening to them with consistency.
Additional InformationUploaded saves: http://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=10473 [^]

I have some amateur guesses for possible causes / possible quick solutions to the issue here: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=147611.0 [^]

Examples of other users with siege issues in 0.40.23 + : http://www.reddit.com/r/dwarffortress/comments/2rpmr6/4023_still_no_sieges/ [^]
http://www.reddit.com/r/dwarffortress/comments/2rfjj8/biggest_siege_youve_seen_in_40x/ [^]

Additionally, it is perhaps not strictly the lack / reduced amount of goblin sieges alone which is a problem, but the relative ease with which migrants may arrive, which seems to unbalance the Kingdom Worth > Migrants > Sieges mechanic of the game.
Tags0.40.24, dark pits, goblins, sieges, sites
Relationships
Attached Files
Issue History
Date ModifiedUsernameFieldChange
2015-01-19 15:21Xen0nNew Issue
2015-01-19 15:22Xen0nTag Attached: 0.40.24
2015-01-19 15:22Xen0nTag Attached: dark pits
2015-01-19 15:22Xen0nTag Attached: golbins
2015-01-19 15:22Xen0nTag Attached: sieges
2015-01-19 15:22Xen0nTag Attached: sites
2015-01-19 15:22Xen0nIssue Monitored: Xen0n
2015-01-19 15:22Xen0nIssue End Monitor: Xen0n
2015-01-20 09:16DetrosNote Added: 0032013
2015-01-20 19:53Xen0nTag Detached: golbins
2015-01-20 19:53Xen0nTag Attached: goblins
2015-01-20 19:53Xen0nNote Added: 0032021
2015-01-24 14:05FootkerchiefDescription Updatedbug_revision_view_page.php?rev_id=12840#r12840
2015-01-24 14:47DetrosNote Added: 0032070
2015-01-25 08:45Xen0nNote Added: 0032074
2018-02-14 14:47chaosvoltNote Added: 0037789
2018-02-14 14:48chaosvoltIssue Monitored: chaosvolt
2018-02-20 10:41chaosvoltNote Edited: 0037789bug_revision_view_page.php?bugnote_id=0037789#r15368

Notes
(0032013)
Detros   
2015-01-20 09:16   
Typo: tag "golbins".
(0032021)
Xen0n   
2015-01-20 19:53   
Oops, fixed, thanks.
(0032070)
Detros   
2015-01-24 14:47   
Count of nearby goblin sites is AFAIK less important for sieges size in the last versions. More important is actual state in which goblin civilization is. To put it short: if they are low on soldiers or busy fighting other sites, they won't bother much to visit your fort, whatever wealths you have there.
(0032074)
Xen0n   
2015-01-25 08:45   
Yeah, that's partly why I'm not sure whether this goes down as an intended feature instead. The thing is, even if this general type of behaviour is intended, it's unclear if the current end result for the player could be considered a bug or not.

IE, if it is currently the case for some players that goblins end up being too busy to visit your site 90% of the time, that's a problem because it is then very difficult to have siege-based gameplay, or predict when siege-based gameplay will be available without first running a fort for several years. So perhaps the general cause of the issue is a feature, but the way that it is currently acting could be considered a bug, perhaps some settings relating to the goblin siege calculating need to be tweaked?

That's sort of the idea I toy with in that forum post I linked: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=147611.0 [^]
(0037789)
chaosvolt   
2018-02-14 14:47   
(edited on: 2018-02-20 10:41)
Issue still ongoing as of 44.05. Current record for "this is taking too damm long" that I'm aware of is 3 years after reaching the point where your siege triggers are met.

I'd reason that even if it's intentional, it effectively removes a major part of gameplay. For most players, their forts are liable to reach the point of "death by boredom" by the time anyone starts to send sieges.

Now that you can send raids out, this does mitigate it a little by allowing you to make your own Fun, but still.

EDIT: Er, I mean 44.05.