Bay 12 Games Forum

Ok, downloaded the game and trying to get in touch with the situation now.

Looks like the priority goals will be:

1. Defence.
2. Rebuilding the well from scratch. Current version uses up too much valuable space, drops FPS, drains away at the earliest opportunity and is a permanent flooding hazard for the first floor. In short, this is a truly dwarven well.
3. Stockpile and workzone reorganization.
4. Breaching magma pipe and getting magma to the shore.
5. Doing something with merchants depot - merchants need a separate entrance.

Construction of the lighthouse is not my top priority for this year, I'd rather solve the defensive, supply and trade issues.

That said... Strike the Earth Water!

Since the thread seems unusually quiet, I kindly ask all those who are still playing with us to post a note here. If someone wishes to join, they are welcome to post too.

Give me a sec (or rather several hours), I'm in the office right now. :-)

I was looking through the Core List, and I saw the term "fixed-plot" being used sometimes. Something about magic and the dead being risen in older versions of the game. I can't seem to find any more information about it, so can someone explain it to me?

If my understanding is correct, "fixed plot" elements are certain hard-coded events in the earlier game versions. By now most of these has been converted either into normal game events or simply culled for better times.

Lakes are salty. It's ocean map after all. You need a constructer reservoir filled through a pump. Whether you build a well over it or just let the dwarves get the water directly is not that important at this moment IMHO.

Well, I have a bit of a problem. I want to dig out a really big circle, because circles are pretty. But I can't get it to actually be round, because it's so big, you can't really judge that well. I can, however, tell it's more like a rounded rectangle. Bah.

So, I ask: Is there an easy way to mark out a large circle for digging?

Look at it this way. A circle, by definition, is the collection of points which all have equal distance to a single point, called center.

And in DF, diagonal movement costs as much as straight movement. This means that what we uneducated humans call a square is actually a perfectly round and pretty dwarven circle!

Suggested catwalks plans for the outer walls (view from the side):
    =_   ~   _=  <- Level Z+1
    #    ~    #  <- Level Z+0
###~#### ~ ####~###  <- Level Z-1
######## ~ ########  <- Level Z-2
A two-level-high wall, with second floor turned into fortifications and a catwalk along the inner perimeter.

There should be no staircases from the catwalk to the inner yard (any staircases built during construction should be removed). When completed, the catwalk should only be accessible from the tower through the bridges.

Tower will have 1-tile-wide bridges in all 4 directions on the second level.

Supposed plans for level Z+1 (basic):
#######################
#++++++++++<++++++++++#
#+         +         +#
#+         +         +#
#+         +         +#
#+         +         +#
#+         +         +#
#+       ##+##       +#
#+       #+++#       +#
#+     ###+++###     +#
#+     #+++++++#     +#
#<+++++++++X+++++++++<#
#+     #+++++++#     +#
#+     ###+++###     +#
#+       #+++#       +#
#+       ##+##       +#
#+         +         +#
#+         +         +#
#+         +         +#
#+         +         +#
#+         +         +#
#++++++++++<++++++++++#
#######################

Note the up staircases on the catwalk - they will be necessary once the third level of defences will be complete, at this stage they can be replaced with regular floors. All outer walls on this second level are obviously fortifications.

For further development it is suggested to build inner walls as well, both for causeways and the perimeter catwalk, making them fortifications as well. This way, marksdwarves will be able to control the inner courtyard while being protected by fortifications from enemy fire (if any).

Supposed plans for level Z+1 (after extra fortifications are complete):
#######################
#++++++++++<++++++++++#
#+#########+#########+#
#+#       #+#       #+#
#+#       #+#       #+#
#+#       #+#       #+#
#+#       #+#       #+#
#+#      ##+##      #+#
#+#      #+++#      #+#
#+#    ###+++###    #+#
#+######+++++++######+#
#<+++++++++X+++++++++<#
#+######+++++++######+#
#+#    ###+++###    #+#
#+#      #+++#      #+#
#+#      ##+##      #+#
#+#       #+#       #+#
#+#       #+#       #+#
#+#       #+#       #+#
#+#       #+#       #+#
#+#########+#########+#
#++++++++++<++++++++++#
#######################

Next step for development includes building walled causeways on the third level as well. However the walls for the 3rd level causeways must remain solid walls. When this is done, 2nd level causeways (with fortifications) should be marked as Low Traffic. This will result in all traffic from the tower to the outside fortifications going through the fully protected 3rd level causeways, while marksdwarves may still be positioned on the 2nd level causeways when necessary.

Note that it is not necessary to build entire outer fortification wall on the 3rd layer - a protected staircase down to the battlements on each side should be enough.

Supposed plans for level Z+2:
++++++++++###++++++++++
+         #>#         +
+ ++++++++#+#++++++++ +
+ +       #+#       + +
+ +       #+#       + +
+ +       #+#       + +
+ +       #+#       + +
+ +      ##+##      + +
+ +      #+++#      + +
+ +    ###+++###    + +
########+++++++########
#>+++++++++X+++++++++>#
########+++++++########
+ +    ###+++###    + +
+ +      #+++#      + +
+ +      ##+##      + +
+ +       #+#       + +
+ +       #+#       + +
+ +       #+#       + +
+ +       #+#       + +
+ ++++++++#+#++++++++ +
+         #>#         +
++++++++++###++++++++++

Also note that I scaled down the entire structure, including the inner tower, for easier understanding.

Let's put it this way: I'll accept the Chairdwarf position if the majority votes for it, but I consider Hilscher to be loads better at organizing this stuff than I am.