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Dwarf Fortress => DF Dwarf Mode Discussion => Topic started by: Kay on May 24, 2008, 06:32:00 pm

Title: First Fort Mining Issues
Post by: Kay on May 24, 2008, 06:32:00 pm
Okay, I'm pretty new to all of this, but I looked at all the wiki things I could find on mining, and none of them have been able to explain this. I have a feeling I'm making a noob mistake somewhere, but I can't seem to mine. At all. I designate where I want to start mining, nothing happens. I try to designate a corridor to go into the mountain. Nothing happens. I know how to make rooms/designate in a vague sense of the word, I've made stockpiles and designated trees to chop, but for some reason mining isn't working. Is there something I have to do before I can get into the side of the mountain?

Sorry if this is obvious, I'm still fairly new.

Title: Re: First Fort Mining Issues
Post by: Duke 2.0 on May 24, 2008, 06:35:00 pm
Okay, lets verify the basics.

You press (d)esignate (d)ig. You press enter once to start selection.

You press enter another time to end selection.

The space between the first press of enter and the second is now a different color. This needs to be done in the black space of underground. On regular ground you will get squat.

Make sure a miner can reach the digging space.

Make sure a miner has mining enabled.

Title: Re: First Fort Mining Issues
Post by: Solara on May 24, 2008, 06:36:00 pm
When you hit 'd'esignate, do you then hit 'd' again for mining? If you're outside I think designate defaults to chopping trees.
Title: Re: First Fort Mining Issues
Post by: Kay on May 24, 2008, 06:46:00 pm
Actually, my point is more that I can't even get into the mountain. I'm trying to carve out a hallway so I can get a little deeper into before I start really going for it like I saw in a video. As of yet, I have tried what you said and it doesn't seem to do anything. Is there something I have to do first?

edit: Yes, I did press D again. I can tell when something is highlighted and when it isn't.

[ May 24, 2008: Message edited by: Kay ]

Title: Re: First Fort Mining Issues
Post by: Surma on May 24, 2008, 07:07:00 pm
Couple of questions.

Did you remember to bring picks?

Do you have dwarves as miners designated (under their labor menu)?

Mining and Wood Chopping are mutually exclusive, as they have to either hold the Axe, or the Pick. They can't do both.

Title: Re: First Fort Mining Issues
Post by: Dasleah on May 24, 2008, 07:07:00 pm
Did you remember to bring some picks?

Remember that you need to plan so that your miners have access to what they're mining to. So:

code:

..........
...dddd...
...dddd...
..........
----------
   @

Where d is the Mining designation - the Miner has no way to get at the d's. He' wont mine towards them, he'll only mine what d's he can reach. So, to fix the above problem:

code:

..........
...dddd...
...dddd...
.....d....
-----d----
   @

We do that.

That help?

Title: Re: First Fort Mining Issues
Post by: Ghostpaw on May 24, 2008, 07:30:00 pm
quote:
Originally posted by Dasleah:
<STRONG>Did you remember to bring some picks?

Remember that you need to plan so that your miners have access to what they're mining to. So:

code:

..........
...dddd...
...dddd...
..........
----------
   @

Where d is the Mining designation - the Miner has no way to get at the d's. He' wont mine towards them, he'll only mine what d's he can reach. So, to fix the above problem:

code:

..........
...dddd...
...dddd...
.....d....
-----d----
   @

We do that.

That help?</STRONG>


That is very insulting.  Why do you go implying that he is an idiot?

Title: Re: First Fort Mining Issues
Post by: Samyotix on May 24, 2008, 07:37:00 pm
So ...
a) You did bring a pick when you embarked? (Default is to embark with two picks)

b) You have a miner? (press for the units list. If it says miner next to one of them, okay  :)

c) [v] view your miner, go to preferences - labor. Make sure mining is enabled.
[Telling a miner to wield a crossbow will turn mining off, for example.]
If you don't have a miner, go to any dwarf, go to preferences - labor, turn on mining.

d) [v] check the miner's inventory to make sure he has a pick (and/or check jobs to see if he's on "pick up equipment".

e) [d][d] to designate for mining. The digging must start at a location your dwarves can reach. Maybe you need to build some stairs first, so they can get there?

f) If the miner still won't mine, turn off all his other jobs.

Title: Re: First Fort Mining Issues
Post by: Kagus on May 24, 2008, 08:10:00 pm
Might be a problem with what level he's trying to mine on.  It sounds like he did embark on a spot that at least has some cliffs, but I'm not sure.  

So I have to ask, are you trying to mine on the same level your dwarves are on, or are you trying to mine out one that is above or below?  And if it is on the same level, are you designating over open ground or inside the cliff?

Title: Re: First Fort Mining Issues
Post by: Duke 2.0 on May 24, 2008, 08:12:00 pm
quote:
Originally posted by Ghostpaw:
<STRONG>

That is very insulting.  Why do you go implying that he is an idiot?</STRONG>


It's not so much insulting the intelligence of the person so much as verifying the difficulty of understanding this game for the first time. We all know how hard the game is before everything becomes like the Matrix to you.

And a note: Please lets drop this question. We don't want this thread de-railed. Yes, I know I'm off-topic.

Title: Re: First Fort Mining Issues
Post by: Atlas on May 24, 2008, 11:18:00 pm
quote:
Originally posted by Duke 2.0:
<STRONG>

It's not so much insulting the intelligence of the person so much as verifying the difficulty of understanding this game for the first time. We all know how hard the game is before everything becomes like the Matrix to you.

And a note: Please lets drop this question. We don't want this thread de-railed. Yes, I know I'm off-topic.</STRONG>



<sarcasm>
ALL I SEE IS SCROLLING NUMBERS, WHAT DO I DO!
</sarcasm>

My guess is lack of picks or mining labor task...

Title: Re: First Fort Mining Issues
Post by: Solara on May 24, 2008, 11:38:00 pm
Could there be natural slopes in the way that need to be removed first? I'm running out of ideas here...could we maybe get a screenshot?

edit: also, does the part of the mountain you're selecting turn kind of yellowish brown? That would help us figure out whether it's just a designation problem or if it has something to do with the miners instead.

[ May 25, 2008: Message edited by: Solara ]

Title: Re: First Fort Mining Issues
Post by: Surma on May 24, 2008, 11:42:00 pm
Natural slopes (ramps) do not prevent mining, so nope :\
Title: Re: First Fort Mining Issues
Post by: Solara on May 24, 2008, 11:46:00 pm
quote:
Originally posted by Surma:
<STRONG>Natural slopes (ramps) do not prevent mining, so nope :\</STRONG>

Weird, for some reason I've been under the impression they did and always remove them first...

edit: okay you're right I'm an idiot   :roll:

edit2: New theory! This is a bit far-fetched, but Kay, have you hit 'k', moved over the mountain and verified that it was actually a mountain? There should be grey squares around the edge that say something like 'rough-hewn whatever wall'.

I'm only asking because when I just remembered when I first started playing this version I spent a couple of minutes trying to make my dwarves mine out into open space...   :eek: (In my defense it was black with grey dots and surrounded by ramps and looked deceptively like the inside of a mountain.)

[ May 25, 2008: Message edited by: Solara ]

Title: Re: First Fort Mining Issues
Post by: Dasleah on May 25, 2008, 02:08:00 am
quote:
Originally posted by Ghostpaw:
<STRONG>That is very insulting.  Why do you go implying that he is an idiot?</STRONG>

...oookay.  :roll:

I thought it was a completely reasonable thing to clarify. I wasn't assuming that he was an idiot, I was just assuming that he didn't know that much about Mining. The original question was vague enough to warrant making sure that even the absolute basics were covered, just in case he was wrongfully assuming something about the way that Mining in DF works.

So, Kay, I'm sorry if my post came across as anything other than trying to be genuinely helpful. And Ghostpaw, congratulations. You're an asshat.

Anyway, back on topic. Any of our suggestions help? I remember when I first started Mining from ground level, and often forgot that it defaulted to Chop Trees and started to freak out when it didn't work   :roll:

[ May 25, 2008: Message edited by: Dasleah ]

Title: Re: First Fort Mining Issues
Post by: Name Lips on May 25, 2008, 02:19:00 am
Are you trying to dig into a vertical cliff face, or are you trying to dig straight down into the earth?
Title: Re: First Fort Mining Issues
Post by: Lazer Bomb on May 25, 2008, 02:38:00 pm
quote:
Originally posted by Ghostpaw:
<STRONG>

That is very insulting.  Why do you go implying that he is an idiot?</STRONG>


Its possible that the topic started thought that a mining designation means "Mine from anywhere until you reach this area."
Unlikely, but again, he may not have known. Sorry for getting off-topic again.

Title: Re: First Fort Mining Issues
Post by: Kay on May 31, 2008, 06:14:00 pm
I'm sorry for reviving my topic like this, but as it turned out, Solara was right on the mark with his experience. I don't feel like a moron, however, because when I found a mountain nottoo far off I had been doing it properly. Thanks everyone!