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[Tenth Speed Writer]

I didn't see a thread on it in the last dozen pages, so I thought I'd throw out a few ideas for the use of mundane books.

Elements to be introduced:
Allow the processing of raw skins into vellum at the tanner's workshop, and of rope reeds into papyrus at the farmer's workshop.
Introduce bookshelves, and allow for rooms to be designated as libraries/studies.


Writing:
Using vellum/papyrus, a unit of leather for binding, and a unit of dye, allow dwarves with a certain skill (perhaps merge it into reading and call it Literacy?) to write books, with the labor itself being requested from a library room.

Allow dwarves to write two types of books: casual and academic.

Casual books may be read for a very positive thought. Dwarves with personalities which lean towards an enjoyment of reading will do this automatically during their breaks. The strength of the thought is relevant to the quality of the book. The books may be fictional or historical.

Academic books may be written by dwarves with at least a certain rank in a given skill (other than Literacy, of course). A dwarf may write these books to impart their knowledge into a form which others may Study. Dwarves with a certain labor designated and no task for some time may be assigned to study their profession, though like military dwarves they will gain negative thoughts from being forced to study for too long (except, perhaps, if they fall in the same category of dwarves which enjoy reading.) The speed at which they learn from a book would depend on the student's learner skill, the quality of the book, and the student's literacy skill; the level to which they may learn is capped at one level below the author's skill level at the time of writing. When writing a professional book, the quality will either be affected by the author's teacher skill rather than their literacy skill, or (if the code allows) be a function of both. The speed at which the book is written will be directly affected by the author's literacy skill.

[Kie]

I like the sound of this. Perhaps start schooling for children while we are at it. Make the read academic books until they are twelve.

[JohnieRWilkins]

I like the sound of this. Perhaps start schooling for children while we are at it. Make the read academic books until they are twelve.

Only if they're children of nobles.

[andy_t_roo]

The genisis mod, along with various others, have skill rooms, including a library. Unfortunatally you can not write a creation which has a minimum skill level, so you can't have true training manuals, but you can write them, and read them for skill.

[Uristocrat]

I didn't see a thread on it in the last dozen pages, so I thought I'd throw out a few ideas for the use of mundane books.

Elements to be introduced:
Allow the processing of raw skins into vellum at the tanner's workshop, and of rope reeds into papyrus at the farmer's workshop.
Introduce bookshelves, and allow for rooms to be designated as libraries/studies.


Writing:
Using vellum/papyrus, a unit of leather for binding, and a unit of dye, allow dwarves with a certain skill (perhaps merge it into reading and call it Literacy?) to write books, with the labor itself being requested from a library room.

Allow dwarves to write two types of books: casual and academic.

Casual books may be read for a very positive thought. Dwarves with personalities which lean towards an enjoyment of reading will do this automatically during their breaks. The strength of the thought is relevant to the quality of the book. The books may be fictional or historical.

Academic books may be written by dwarves with at least a certain rank in a given skill (other than Literacy, of course). A dwarf may write these books to impart their knowledge into a form which others may Study. Dwarves with a certain labor designated and no task for some time may be assigned to study their profession, though like military dwarves they will gain negative thoughts from being forced to study for too long (except, perhaps, if they fall in the same category of dwarves which enjoy reading.) The speed at which they learn from a book would depend on the student's learner skill, the quality of the book, and the student's literacy skill; the level to which they may learn is capped at one level below the author's skill level at the time of writing. When writing a professional book, the quality will either be affected by the author's teacher skill rather than their literacy skill, or (if the code allows) be a function of both. The speed at which the book is written will be directly affected by the author's literacy skill.

With this new stuff concerning civilization knowledge, it would be interesting if one might tie the trade of books to the spread of such knowledge (and perhaps also make it a means of learning such things).  In other words, maybe your fort could buy a book on how to train dragons someday.

[ullrich]

Ya a library would be a nice addition, since civilization knowledge is going to exist, if "knowledge items" can be recorded in books, and traded/learned from.

It shouldn't be limited to just paper/leather books though.
Book: Paper+Dye+Leather. Destroyed if submerged in water. Wear over time and with use.
Scrolls: Paper/cloth/leather + wood/metal + dye. If paper destroyed if submerged in water. Wear over time and with use, paper faster than cloth, and cloth faster than leather.
Tablets: Stone/metal/wax/clay/wood who are more durable but can record less information on per given unit of material. Think of it as multiple tablets strung together if need be. No wear with use (or at least not within the playable lifetime of a fortress). Fire/Magma resistance of material dependent on material used.
Engravings/Slabs: Would be really cool if you can engrave the knowledge of books on rock pillars in a library (would need to allow the player to designate a specific "knowledge item", and would add more meaning to engravings. Would also allow "reader" dwarves to study engravings.
Tapestries: Multiple different coloured Cloth/Dye Units.

This would enable people to add more flavor to their forts, and allow all environments to record knowledge in some way, as long as they have either paper, cloth, leather, wood, wax, clay or stone available.

[truckman1]

If knowledge items will be tradable between civs, then technically couldn't you import a slab with the Secrets of Life and Death on it, then make multiple copies, and produce a fortress full of necromancers? Hell, you could engrave the secrets onto the walls! But only on the inner walls so no outsiders see them  .

[andy_t_roo]

Then a random thief reads the wall on the way through, and takes the secrets home to .. err .. wherever the theives live ....

[GreatWyrmGold]

I like the sound of this. Perhaps start schooling for children while we are at it. Make the read academic books until they are twelve.

Only if they're children of nobles.

Or if your fortress is unusually full of children with free time, in which case lower- and lower-class children might start their schooling, until rich dwarves start sending their children to learn at your fortress. The kids might migrate away after a few seasons, but their parents would send large gifts (steel helms with gold images, gem-studded shields, wagons of food and drink) every year with the caravan as long as their child was alive and learning. The gifts would wax and wane with the child's happiness, most likely.
And young paupers might use their free time to try and study up various skills, so that they can be something more useful than another farmer in a fortress where adolescent growers are as common as cats.

[Weirdsound]

If books can be used to transfer knowledge between Civs perhaps you can buy books that teach the construction of exotic weaponry and other such items.

[Uristocrat]

If books can be used to transfer knowledge between Civs perhaps you can buy books that teach the construction of exotic weaponry and other such items.

Yeah, learning how to make whips and such via trade would be interesting.

[Jake]

I like the sound of this. Perhaps start schooling for children while we are at it. Make the read academic books until they are twelve.

Only if they're children of nobles.

Not as much as you'd think, actually. Merchants and tradesmen needed needed at least sufficient literacy and numeracy to comprehend an invoice or a receipt even back then.

[Reudh]

I think this idea is fantastic. I think I hear the ominous sound of Footkerchief approaching, though...

[Nonsequitorian]

Heh I can imagine some Dwarf buying a book about how dragons breath fire and then suddenly having fire breath for the rest of his career. It'd be fun to see a librarian-mage who can explode cats on a whim and turn into a giant leopard to fight bad guys.

[10ebbor10]

Heh I can imagine some Dwarf buying a book about how dragons breath fire and then suddenly having fire breath for the rest of his career. It'd be fun to see a librarian-mage who can explode cats on a whim and turn into a giant leopard to fight bad guys.

Books with syndromes.?
Might be fun, would allow for cursed books and such things.