How is happiness calculated?

[City Builder]

Hi,

I'm wondering how happiness is calculated, could somebody at Zeal let us know?

I understand that the more items that I build the happier my dwarves are supposed to be, but is it based on time that they are around certain items, or is it based on the dwarves line of sight to items? Or is happiness calculated based on how many items you have placed no matter where you place them?

I thought it was kind of odd that my happiness (in custom game) only went up to about 301 and then within a minute or so dropped down to 0 or 1 but then a few minutes later it jumped up to over 30,000 happiness, but I attribute that large jump due to finding a cavern that had a bunch of wall paintings and piles of gold etc.

Still I wonder how happiness is calculate as I question above.

Thanks for your time, enjoying your game.

 

[Anenu]

I would also like to know this.

 

[unmerged(323382)]

The wiki will be up explaining all the mechanics in more detail in a couple of days.

// Thorwaldsson

 

[Pikka]

A quick reply would be that different objects give you a different amount of happiness. This is your inkeep. When dwarves level up and become more experienced, they also become more snobby and require more things to keep them happy. That is your upkeep.

So the more dwarves you have and the higher leveled they are, the more objects and decorations you need to keep them happy.

 

[Xerkis]

or you could be like me and not care about their happiness and make them get back to work the little ungrateful beasts.

. . . . . . ok, fine – here’s yet another potted plant for you. yes, an you can have the wall hanging too.

 

[City Builder]

Pikka, so is it then that all of the items that I place in the game are totaled up and if that total is greater than the total happiness that the dwarves need/want then I get a positive increase in happiness, or is it based on what the dwarves can see in their line of sight around them?

So, if it's just a grand total of the happiness of each object that I place is greater than the total happiness the dwarves desire and it's not line of sight then I could essentially place the objects anyplace, like filling up a room with happiness increasing items and it would still work to raise the happiness, correct?

Thanks

 

[Pikka]

Pikka, so is it then that all of the items that I place in the game are totaled up and if that total is greater than the total happiness that the dwarves need/want then I get a positive increase in happiness, or is it based on what the dwarves can see in their line of sight around them?

So, if it's just a grand total of the happiness of each object that I place is greater than the total happiness the dwarves desire and it's not line of sight then I could essentially place the objects anyplace, like filling up a room with happiness increasing items and it would still work to raise the happiness, correct?

Thanks

Yes, this is correct. Line of sight is not included in that way. The dwarves' happiness is how they generally feel about their settlement. =)

 

[Xerkis]

Go ahead and stuff all those statues in one room

 

[Grombeard]

You could see it as a giant treasury... dwarves love giant treasuries!