Personality traits: each dwarf is different

[Ozone]

This is something that took me a while to notice; dwarves are all different; they have feelings, preferences, strength and weaknesses. In the wiki of the game (which you should definitely read), they call this "Personality traits".

The root of these traits are the dwarf Beliefs; how much do you lean toward some behavior:

Law, Loyalty, Family, Friendship, Power, Truth, Cunning, Eloquence, Fairness, Decorum, Tradition, Artwork, Cooperation, Independence, Stoicism, Introspection, Self-control, Tranquility, Harmony, Merriment, Craftmanship, Martial-prowess, Skill, Hard-work, Sacrifice, Competition, Perseverance, Leisure-time, Commerce, Romance, Nature, Peace, Knowledge

From these beliefs, a dwarf can acquire Facets:

Love, Hate, Envy, Cheer, Depression, Anger, Anxiety, Lust, Stress, Greed, Immoderation, Violent, Perseverance, Wastefulness, Discord, Friendlyness, Politeness, Disdain, Bravery, Confidence, Vanity, Ambition, Gratitude, Immodesty, Humor, Vengeful, Pride, Cruelty, Singleminded, Hopeful, Bashful, Privacy, Perfectionist, Closeminded, Tolerant, Obsessive, Emotional, Altruism, Dutiful, Thoughtlessness, Orderliness, Trust, Gregariousness, Assertiveness, Activity, Excitement-seeking, Imagination, Abstract-inclined, Artistic


So why is all this important?

The nobles you pick !
Nobles are important positions in your fort that you grant to a specific dwarf.
Picking a random dwarf for a position is like rolling a dice when hiring someone in your company: you don't know if he will be competent for the position.

Hire a doctor who hates everyone and is lazy or cruel, and you will definitely regret it when there are dwarves requiring urgent help. In the contrary, hire a doctor who is brave, perfectionist, altruist and dutiful, and you will have the best doctor in the world.

Hire a captain who has no martial-prowess, is emotional, and peaceful... well, you know where this is going now.

This is what's so magic about this game: each dwarf is different, and you may observe different behaviors with them.

Once, I had a military dwarf who was always last on the field. Each time he was very reluctant to attack. And if he got too close to an enemy, he would flee anyway. He was a lazy coward, so I got him a crossbow and now he's useful in the back ranks.

Take care of your dwarves, they deserve it, as well as beer.

[Boquaz]

It's not always the seemingly obvious traits which are best. You may think your doctor should want to "help somebody," but doctor activities (like diagnosing, wound dressing, and setting bones) are skills. A dwarf enjoys being a doctor if he has a need to practice a skill. Your doctor shouldn't be an altruist for best results. Helping to move injured dwarves to the hospital and providing food and water to patients are not skills and make the dwarf happy for helping somebody.

This is just one example. One of the great parts of DF is that it's impossible to completely optimize. You're going to end up with some dwarves who have jobs they don't like or aren't good at. You'll need to provide other ways of keeping those dwarves happy and fulfilled (or isolated).

[NEON]

That's what I like about Dwarf Fortress. You get your dwarves and you've to deal with it, just like in real life lol. It is amazing to see how all the traits and "personalites" of the dwarves interact.

[perl]

Nice

[|51st|.Rct.Varometrikos]

So for example, can this happen?
" A dwarf is lazy, ignoring your orders most of the time and another hardworking one with bad temper getting angry at him ?"

[EddyVegas]

This is one thing i am hoping the paid version helps with. seeing that massive wall of text in the original... well, i'm not reading that. but here, it's all broken down into tabs and categories, much easier to absorb. at least i'm hoping that will happen.

[NEON]

Originally posted by |51st|.Rct.Varometrikos:

So for example, can this happen?
" A dwarf is lazy, ignoring your orders most of the time and another hardworking one with bad temper getting angry at him ?"

From what I recall, Yes! EDIT: but it might be more of interaction between the two dwarves other than the other dwarf getting pissed at the other work ethics.

[LaChouette]

Originally posted by Boquaz:

It's not always the seemingly obvious traits which are best. You may think your doctor should want to "help somebody," but doctor activities (like diagnosing, wound dressing, and setting bones) are skills. A dwarf enjoys being a doctor if he has a need to practice a skill. Your doctor shouldn't be an altruist for best results. Helping to move injured dwarves to the hospital and providing food and water to patients are not skills and make the dwarf happy for helping somebody.

This is just one example. One of the great parts of DF is that it's impossible to completely optimize. You're going to end up with some dwarves who have jobs they don't like or aren't good at. You'll need to provide other ways of keeping those dwarves happy and fulfilled (or isolated).

I'd say that getting a dwarf who has a need to practice a skill as a doctor is actually a bad idea: unless you have fights breaking out very often, that doctor will quickly get depressed because they don't practice their skill often enough. And you wouldn't want your doctor to throw a tantrum around patients.

[|51st|.Rct.Varometrikos]

Originally posted by LaChouette:

Originally posted by Boquaz:

It's not always the seemingly obvious traits which are best. You may think your doctor should want to "help somebody," but doctor activities (like diagnosing, wound dressing, and setting bones) are skills. A dwarf enjoys being a doctor if he has a need to practice a skill. Your doctor shouldn't be an altruist for best results. Helping to move injured dwarves to the hospital and providing food and water to patients are not skills and make the dwarf happy for helping somebody.

This is just one example. One of the great parts of DF is that it's impossible to completely optimize. You're going to end up with some dwarves who have jobs they don't like or aren't good at. You'll need to provide other ways of keeping those dwarves happy and fulfilled (or isolated).

I'd say that getting a dwarf who has a need to practice a skill as a doctor is actually a bad idea: unless you have fights breaking out very often, that doctor will quickly get depressed because they don't practice their skill often enough. And you wouldn't want your doctor to throw a tantrum around patients.

I just pictured a dwarf running around in a hospital with a hatchet? "Where are the patients ? Why nothing is going on today? Just one basic injury at least!" He's furious about it

[Skinny Pete]

Originally posted by |51st|.Rct.Varometrikos:

I just pictured a dwarf running around in a hospital with a hatchet? "Where are the patients ? Why nothing is going on today? Just one basic injury at least!" He's furious about it

It's moar likely than you think.

Originally posted by Potato Head:

From what I recall, Yes! EDIT: but it might be more of interaction between the two dwarves other than the other dwarf getting pissed at the other work ethics.

One of my favorites was some story someone posted about a noble they had who was completely losing his mind and throwing tantrums even though his quarters were absolutely perfect and full of masterwork engravings.

They couldn't figure out what was going on.

And then they looked at the engravings. Almost all of the masterworks were from some legendary dwarf engraver. And they all had mosquitoes in them.

And that particular noble hated mosquitoes.

I still don't even know if dwarves hate their hated vermin even in engravings but if so, bravo. I just love the idea of some noble getting driven mad by an engraver sadistically filling his living quarters with engravings of things he hates.

[Ozone]

I think that was Kruggmash who had this mosquito issue.

I had a similar experience with my newly appointed mayor.
I got him very spacious and rich apartments.
Assigned him the room, watched him walk toward his new condo.
I was really proud of myself: it was beautiful !

Then, the mayor suddenly freezes and remains like this for a bit.
I was like "Wtf ?"
Then he turned white and ran yelling like a mad man to the other side of the fort.

It happens his office had a mastercraft golden statue of a spider; the mayor was arachnophobic.