Basic idea is to implement immersive furniture with usefull functions:
-Feeding trough: source of food for civilized animals
-Animal sleeping places: a small nest for poyo or even small hut, hay stack for sheeps etc. additionaly the gamemechnaic can be changed so the maximum number of animals has to be equal to available sleeping places, instead of the zone size. The shepherd zone could be use for cheap feeding area, so the animals can be fed but you’ll need to change this zone, to regenerate the grass. Additionally they could not breed and grow/generate slower resources aslong as you don’t provide special food. That way animals could be hold inside of buildings and caves, create day/night cycles and add a bit of balance.
-compost bin: rotten food and animal poop is gathered here to produce fertilizer, which is used for crop boost or as must have item for “advanced” crops. Shepherds care of the poop and the cook care of the rotten food.
-specialized storage containers with own gui, bulkstorage and cosmetic versions:
- Grain silos, a huge wodden barrel or clay jar, used to store only one type of grain (corn, wheat, rice etc) but in huge quantaties (about 200 and more). Model would be bigger than the forge, with stairs around it so it will be filled from the top and emptied at the bottom
- fortified Storage area, a simple foundation with small borders (imagine something like the campfire just wider) made out of stone. Can storage only one type of raw resource but stacks 'em visually like pyramids (something like it was made in stronghold).
- Potion cupboard. Can storage only potions, but shows the models and if you click on it, you can select the potion and use it. Yet we can use potions only if they’re placed as decoration or inside the stockpile zone.
- Crafters store/display. Can storage only unit of each stored item, but shows as little models. In the gui the crafter type is chosen and only fitting items produced/refined items will be stored. Usage would be to mainly imitate a store/market and not storing huge amounts of items. Additionaly stored can taken out of the item cap, so hearthlings don’t use 'em unless you order to empty the storage.
-big kettle:
used by the herbalist to make huge amount of one potion at the same time, triggable to buff the whole village (maybe nerf the small potions or simply replace them, for balancing and having the item cap in mind, you would have less single items and still have the buff mechnics)
used by the cook to make stews and soups (instead of single stew items), one kettle can only contain one stew/soup but can satisfy 10 or more hearthlings. If available the hearthlings will eat from the kettle instead of grabbing random items. Player has to order different types of stews/soups, so the hearthlings don’t get bored. Additionaly teas and other drinks could be served there. The soup kettle could replace the soup items, that way we would consume more resource items without creating new ones.
-Big and Small Buffet table:
similar to the big kettle, the big and the small buffet table are used as food source with the highest priority. So i got 2 ideas how to implement it:
- the player creates manually a buffet using different raw or cooked items, the buffet satisfies a calculated amount of hearthlings and all used items will be consumed. The cook will recreate the buffet daily and a buffet cycle could be implemented so the player can save his menu creations, switching 'em automaticly.
- The cook places randomly different items, depending on the number of hearthlings (and the size of the table).
both versions could be used at the same time, version 1 is more micromanagement related but the player can guarantee that several items will be used, while version 2 is automatic, but needs more calculation (=“wasted” performance)
Using the kettle/buffet mechanic, guarantees that the items will be consumed completely (less wasted items), hearthlings don’t need to search/carry around their food among the village and it looks immersive.
-event used furniture:
-Signal horn /alarm bell: used by hearthlings to call footmen, so you don’t need to call back the whole village.
-Scarecrow: many fields of crops will attract randomly birds, which try to feast on them, so a scarecrow is needed for protection.
-fishing boat / fishing supply: only usable then a fish swarm/shool spawns near the village and is triggered by the player. used by normal workers. making fishing as an event prevents simply overproduction of fish and doesn’t need an extra class.
-Military furniture:
-Patrol flag, used by footman as patroling anchor, if you place more than one they start patroling between them.
-Guard post, a post used by a knight, but without patrolling
-Ranger outpost/ crownest: a small platform automaitcally used by archers. Extends the sightrange (not atk range) alarms the villagers
such furniture could implement tactical element without creating to many functions inside the unit/group ui
