Bay 12 Games Forum

... when setting up the cages its pot luck with b->j in terms of whether I set up the right one as there all grouped by material.

Is there a better way to go about this so I know what im setting up?

2 diff responses:

First, yeah, hit {b}{j} to build a cage, then hit {x} to expand the list into details so you can choose the EXACT cage you want. (Same w/ any building, even when building walls w/ blocks - altho' it can be hard to tell which specific ones you're grabbing without getting clever.)

But more, you don't have to Build a cage at all for your arena: http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/Mass_pitting

Just follow the instructions carefully, and enjoy.

Ty for the answer. I already red the wiki page but was still curious of what could have been the best import deal, but yea I guess it vary.

If requesting from the liaison, best would be "Stone: Cassiterite", to make your own bronze - 8 from 1 cassiterite + 1 copper/tetrahedrite ore (directly or via bars). Next would be Bars: Tin", etc.

If melting, best value are musical instruments, which are 1) cheaper than weapons/armour, 2) melt into 1 bar each, and 3) often come in bronze or bismuth bronze. Pray for no or -low- quality.

But if you can afford it, leggings and axes/picks both have a nice return, and are cheaper than trap weapons (some of which have a great return, but are THE most expensive way to go).

7 generalists with all labors enabled all the time is going to fail, anyone could tell you that. DF is about specializing in labor, even if not in skill.

On Embark, you don't need or want anyone who Hunts, Fishes, or (pro'ly) Gathers Plants - there are more important things to do, even if they have that skill available to use.

Use Dwarf Therapist and pick and choose the priorities and labors for each dwarf, things will go better.

They are the first line of defense against it, but they alone do not seem to be enough.

Also recommended to build walls 2 z-levels high. (I've seen people say to build the fortifications off overhangs 2 tiles out - don't know if that's ~necessary~, but it couldn't hurt.)

The only real prevention is a smoothed natural stone wall.

(And don't forget that some creatures can jump, up to across a 2-tile gap.)

I have graphics envy.

I see screenshots that are crisp and vibrant, and... yeah, time to upgrade from the vanilla ascii.  As it says in the Wiki, "...make it easier for players to tell what is happening onscreen".  Yes, please.

But to what? Can someone recommend a tileset/graphicset combo, or at least line me out on some I should look at first? (I could load every one and do my own compare/contrast, but... erm...)


In order, my priorities are...

1) FPS - can't put a big load on my old dino computer or its antique graphics card. (I spent all my money on a new laptop, but my big monitor is still off my box.)

2) Clarity - These poor eyes are almost as bad as that computer.

3) Square - If(?) that means what I think it means. I'd like a 10x10 room to look square, not rectangular.

4) Style - I know, "in the eye of the beholder", but maybe not ~too~ cartoony. I like walls that flow, I like the colors to be lively.

 Beyond that - 5x5? 16x16? Tilesize? Graphicset vs. Tileset size??? No habla, no comprende. Monitor resolution is currently 1152 x 864, but I can certainly live with tweaking that some if necessary.

Screenshots are apprectiated, or just a link to another thread w/ screenshot, tyvm!

If no turtles in the rivers, try fishing the caverns.

Aside from that, there are cheats...

Cave spider loin cloths go for something around 100, making them a great little trade item. If you bother to decorate them they become part of "created" wealth, but that's def a ymmv thing, so either way.

How do I disarm gobbo prisoners? I've tried search!

Well, you didn't try the wiki - I tried both "disarm" and "prisoner" (separately) and both led to (different) articles with all the info you needed.

http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/DF2014:Cage#How_to_disarm_hostiles_in_cages

For the most part I get crap like a Pine Scepter or some such other useless dreck.

Any dwarf without a "moodable skill" (and Craftdwarves and Engravers, etc.) will produce a random "craft" trinket (aka "dreck"). This is most common on farmers and such.

If you want to avoid that, take any and every migrant without a moodable skill, and have them produce 1 weapon, piece of armour or some such (depending on Preferences), and then don't let them do anything that would over-ride that with another moodable skill.

(Most easily done by manipulating labors via Dwarf Therapist and/or workshop Profiles.)

You can even over-ride undesirable existing skills (such as Engraver or a Craft, etc.) farily easily by simply letting them toil at some preferable profession, like Miner or Mason (making stone blocks).

http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/DF2014:Strange_mood#Skills_and_workshops


As for my best? I rarely get drek, and often get obscure weapons - some less useful than others, but when a mood strikes a weaponsmith, I'll shut down the entire fortress if I have to*, [f]orbidding all metals except Steel, so they have no choice except to do it right, tyvm.

(* In a mature fortress, my goal would be to have all my forges lock-able, all ready and waiting with a small stockpile of desirable bars in them (steel, silver, etc.), ready for any moody dwarf. It's only the 1st bar that determines the metal, the rest are decoration.)

Beyond that, artifact mechanisms in weapon traps are nifty, as are furniture for noble rooms, but nothing jumps to mind atm.