23a:Body token

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Body tokens are one of the fundamental parts of creatures, and determine their bodily structure. There are two major types of body tokens: body templates (BODY) and body parts (BP).

A creature uses the BODY creature token to list all of the body templates it includes. Each part listed in each template is then included in the creature. In other words: a creature lists the body templates it is made of. Each body template contains a set of body parts. Each body part specifies which other body part it is attached to.

Body parts can connect specifically to another body part, or generally to any body part of a certain category. These connections are handled by the CON and CONTYPE body part tokens respectively.

Body parts can be renamed with a bodygloss, allowing someone to reuse an existing template instead of defining a similar template with only the names of the body parts changed.

Convention

The convention in the unmodded raw object data in Dwarf Fortress is to make the centre of mass the core of the creature. All other body parts then attach to this central mass, or to those body parts that attach to this central mass. Creating chains of attachments in this fashion produces limbs. If a part is listed before a part that it is attached to is, this can create strange bugs, such as the creatures instantly suffocating.

While it is possible to use the CON token to connect to a specific body part ID even if it is in another template, it is convention within the default raw object data to use a CONTYPE if the connected part is in another template, for safety. Otherwise, a creature must have both templates within its BODY token to prevent unpredictable behaviour when the creature is used during world generation or simulated during gameplay.

Basic Syntax

filename

[OBJECT:BODY]

[BODY:TEMPLATE1]
[BP:CORE:core][UPPERBODY][...]
[BP:PART1:part1][CONTYPE:UPPERBODY][...]
[BP:PART2:foo][CON:CORE][...]

[BODYGLOSS:FOOBAR:foo:bar]

Body

Token	Arguments	Description
BODY	id	The name of the body template. Each BP token underneath a given Body Token BODY template is added to a creature when the Creature Token BODY specifies this ID.
BODYGLOSS	id match replacement	Replaces all occurrences of "match" in the creature's body parts with "replacement". E.g., the Body Token [BODYGLOSS:TENTACLE:leg:tentacle], used by the Creature Token [BODYGLOSS:TENTACLE], will cause any "right leg" to appear as "right tentacle". Testing required: would "brain legend" appear as "brain tentacleend"?[Verify]

Body Parts

Token	Arguments	Description
BP	id name	The internal object ID of the body part. Unlike many other tokens in the game, the id of the BP does not need to be unique throughout all of the raw object files, though it does need to be unique within the BODY it is in, as well as within the set of body templates used by any given creature.
UPPERBODY		The body part is the "core" of the creature; when the upperbody body part is destroyed, the creature is blown apart. A creature doesn't die untill an UPPERBODY, HEAD, or LOWERBODY is destroyed, so a creature without one or all of these can't be killed*. UPPERBODYs aren't redundant, once one is destroyed the creature dies. Body parts with [CONTYPE:UPPERBODY] will be connected to these. most creatures can also be killed indirectly by suffocation or blood loss. (or brain damage?).
LOWERBODY		The body part is another part of the "core" of the creature. When the lowerbody body part is destroyed, the creature is bisected. A creature doesn't die untill an UPPERBODY, HEAD, or LOWERBODY is destroyed, so a creature without one or all of these can't be killed*. LOWERBODYs aren't redundant, once one is destroyed the creature dies. Body parts with [CONTYPE:LOWERBODY] will be connected to these. most creatures can also be killed indirectly by suffocation or blood loss. (or brain damage?).
HEAD		Vital bodypart. If severed, creature dies. A creature doesn't die until an UPPERBODY, HEAD, or LOWERBODY is destroyed, so a creature without one or all of these can't be killed*. HEADs aren't redundant, once one is destroyed the creature dies. Body parts with [CONTYPE:HEAD] will be connected to these. most creatures can also be killed indirectly by suffocation or blood loss. (or brain damage?).
CON	id	The specific body part object ID to which this body part attaches. This tag is optional. Interesting effects can be created by leaving unconnected body parts. If an invalid ID is given, the body part is unconnected. This can lead to interesting bugs.
CONTYPE	type	The body part token type to which this body part attaches - valid values are UPPERBODY, LOWERBODY, HEAD, GRASP, and STANCE. Note that if the creature has more than one body part with that token type each of them will get its own additional body part attached. For example, if a creature has two upper bodies (two torsos) and a lower body, the CONTYPE:UPPERBODY means that the two upper torsos are connected to the lower torso by default. This tag is optional. Interesting effects can be created by leaving unconnected body parts.
LIMB		The body part is usable for wrestling (i.e. can grab, lock, choke, etc).
THROAT		Can be strangled with wrestling to cause winding, unconsciousness, and eventual death. Strangely, even creatures with the NOBREATHE token can be rendered unconscious (but not dead) by strangulation.
JOINT		Can be broken by wrestling.
THOUGHT		Necessary for the creature to think. Without a working brain, the creature dies unless it has the NOTHOUGHT Creature Token. Also seems to apply the effects of NERVOUS.
NERVOUS		Causes pain when destroyed and appears to stop a part from healing over time. However, it will heal normally if creature is NOTHOUGHT. Other effects?
GRASP		The body part can be used to hold items (if the creature has the EQUIPS token) or wrestle. Body parts with [CONTYPE:GRASP] will be connected to these.
FLIER		The body part is necessary for the creature to fly, and damage to the body part will ground the creature.
STANCE		The body part is used to keep the creature standing; injury to the body part will cause the creature to collapse. It also makes the body part act like a foot, and can be problematic as the body part can be armored by a boot. STANCE body parts that are unconnected to the root (have no CON tag) do not count towards keeping the creature standing (NOTE: if any [STANCE] body parts are unconnected to root, the creature may fall over. Further testing required). Body parts with [CONTYPE:STANCE] will be connected to these.
SIGHT		Allows creatures to see; creatures without this tag on any part of their bodies cannot see for the purposes of aiming missile weapons (though apparently can find and kill mad adventurers fairly well with melee attacks). May need more testing.
HEAR		Makes earrings equippable.
SMELL		Unknown effect. Presumably allows creature to smell.
EMBEDDED		The body part is embedded into the body -- it is external and can be gouged out. This does not make a part invisible.
APERTURE		An opening in the body. Cannot be destroyed except by destroying the part is attached to.
SMALL		Unknown effect. Reduces chance to hit? Also will cloak body parts much like the [INTERNAL] or the [EMBEDDED] tags will. Allows body parts to be pinched. In 40d it appears that body parts are visible unless [SMALL], even if they are [INTERNAL] or [EMBEDDED]. If the root (first BP) of the creature is [SMALL], it will not be targeted until all other parts have been severed or torn off.
INTERNAL		The body part is an internal organ and is not visible until injured. In 40d, it appears that the [SMALL] tag is what actually makes organs invisible, and that non-SMALL internal organs are visible even before being damaged.
BREATHE		The body part is necessary to breathe. If the body part is destroyed, the creature can suffocate unless it has the NOBREATHE token. The NOBREATHE token also causes the part to heal normally.
CIRCULATION		If this body part is destroyed, the creature will bleed to death?
GUTS		To be thought of like intestines. Can be disemboweled, causing a slow painful death from heavy bleeding.
RIGHT		The body part is on the right side of the creature and is thus vulnerable to attacks from the right side.
LEFT		The body part is on the left side of the creature and is thus vulnerable to attacks from the left side.
DIGIT		Is a finger/toe. Unknown effect. DIGITs may only be damaged when their connected body part is damaged, they do not appear to be valid targets for damage otherwise.
MOUTH		Unknown effect. Does not allow creature to eat. Often tied to a creature's attacks, so this may be the primary use of the tag.