Bay 12 Games Forum

quote:

---

Originally posted by Vendetta:
<STRONG>The electricity is probably the biggest problem.  (The electrolysis stage of aluminium extraction takes place at 150,000 amps).  There are others.  Extraction of aluminium from bauxite is a very complicated process (actually, two processes, one to extract the actual aluminium ore from the bauxite, and one to reduce that into metallic aluminium).

There are small amounts of naturally occurring metallic aluminium, usually found in volcanic mud, but rather than a functional metal at these tech levels it should be a precious metal more expensive than platinum, (as it was on Earth until the mid 19th century).

Quite frankly, the fact that the dwarves can work steel on an industrial scale is enough of a marvel, and you should be glad of it.  Typical fantasy technology should make large scale steelmaking very hard indeed.  That's your "special" metal that isn't Adamantine.</STRONG>

---

Bah.  This is a fantasy game.

[ August 30, 2007: Message edited by: berent ]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tamren:
<STRONG>

The problem is melting electrum and steel together would just weaken the steel. If mithril in DF could be dug out of the ground in large ore veins it would be just like any other metal. There has to be some special process to it, thats where the tree comes in.

Electrum + steel would be the base formula. You would need ground that has all 3 ores present in it. The tree would leech the minerals out of the ground and slowly convert it into mithril. The mithril would eventually form large veins inside the tree. This could explain how elven trees are so strong.

Small deposits of mithril are present in shed branches and leaves. Since the tree sheds branches year round and all of its leaves annually, this could add up to a considerable mithril supply as some trees can reach massive size. If the mithril is not harvested, it simply mixes into the dead matter at the base of the tree and forms large deposits under and around the tree roots.

So how does that sound? It gives the elves a good material to work with, making them an actual challenge instead of a snooty annoyance.

While elves would get mithril the "organic" way, dwarves would up production as much as they could. This would mean grinding up the required ore in balanced quantities and seeding the soil with it. The mithril would build up and then be harvested by cutting down and burning the tree in a charcoal furnace, what you end up is a lot of charcoal, some ash and a puddle of mithril.</STRONG>

---

I liek it alot!!!

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mechanoid:
<STRONG>Mithril = Naturally occuring pure aluminum, but combined as an alloy with another metal like copper or cobalt.
[At least, that's my guess]

[ August 22, 2007: Message edited by: Mechanoid ]</STRONG>

---

Mithril as defined by tolkien is true silver harder than steel and lighter, thats why i suggested an electrum and steel alloy or as the suggestion came up Perhaps a certain tree could absord mithril throught their roots, naturally the dwarves would say screw tree farming and dig down to the source. The tree serving as a marker or hint of mithril for them.

Another thought is that the adamantine in the game obviously is magical by nature since it encases the demons currently. Toady has said he doesnt know how he will handle the addy in the next release so maybe mithril could be a slight step down from addy but a playable resource?

Aegis fang had a mithril head encased magically in diamond and an adamantium shaft. I am a big proponent of more fancy weaponry/armor forging.

[ August 24, 2007: Message edited by: berent ]

quote:

---

Originally posted by mickel:
<STRONG>My bad jokes aside, I like it. I have far too many dwarves go melancholy for no reason at all, and they really need some medication to deal with it. Actually I wouldn't mind medication to help them get over their alcohol addiction, but that'd take a bit of the colour out of the game...    </STRONG>

---

A little mary jane would go a long way towards melancholy states, maybe they could set up hookah lounges?

That makes me think of the whole 3-d ASCII battle thing.
Desire for better graphics has been ingrained in our heads since childhood.
Think about it.  Remember telling your friends how sweet the graphics were on our new (Insert any video game system).  Every new console promotes them in their advertising.  This is because marketing people are not stupid.  They realize the chemical explosion awesome visual content causes in our brains.  They have harnessed it to sell us and to blatantly cover the lack of quality in their games by covering weak content and implementation with fancy visuals.  And we as consumers suck it up every time.  Yes, You, Me, all of us.  Maybe the game wont hold our attention for long, but it will grab your ass, and your wallet and make you go WOOOP, "hey, did you grab my fucking ass"?  Then their are games that come along and you just play for years.  Wait, that actually rarely happens.  I am thinking now of how long I have played games.  Really there are only two for me, that I have played consistently for years.  For my grandmother there was only one,  Dr. Mario.  Dont ask me why but she played that thing from the time it came out on SuperNintendo untill she passed away.  Point is these games are few and far apart.  And she didnt play Dr. Mario for the "graphics".
So if people would get off the 3-d crack that has been shoved onto us...

DoW RuLeS!