Bay 12 Games Forum

This is what I like to do:

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refusepile1
refusepile1
refusepile1
refusepile1     WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
refusepile1  8>>>>>>>>>>>>0 channeled refusepile2W
                                     some walking spaceWWWWWW
                    WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

This is the "Top level" of the two levels that you will actually need.

Legend:

8  = Minecart on its stop "Stop1"       
> = The track, you can make it smaller so it takes even less time
0 = Secont stop "Stop2"
refusepile1 = I like to make sure that this pile is gigantic to receive all what needs atomsmaching.
                    On this "refuse" pile, enable what you want to be "eliminated" on the pile menu.
refusepile2 = Another refuse, you will set it to accept "from links only".
                    This refuse tile will not actually receive any items because the items from the
                    minecart will be set to "dump to east" and this will cause the items to be thrown to the channeled
                    tile(hole).
some walking space = Set this so dwarves can "push" back the minecart after emptied.
W = Walls
channeled = Just a simple channeled tile allowing items to be dumped to the level below.

Bottom Level:

Next. Right below the channeled tile you will create a "raise to east bridge" and use it as a regular atomsmasher.

WWWWWW         
WfloorREBW
WfloorREBW
WfloorREBW         
WWddWWWLever

Legend:

W = Wall
floor = Floor where all the stuff is being dumped from the level above.
REB = A bridge set to "raise to the east". When this bridge opens it atomsmashes the nasties.
Lever = A lever to operate the aformentioned bridge.
d = Two optional doors so your dwarves can dump other stuff to the atomsmasher if needed(a "garbage" zone 
      must be created).

Note: The idea is that all the items will be hauled to the minecart and when it gets "FULL" it will be "pushed east"
         and when it touches the "Stop2" the minecart will "dump" all its contents to the "east" and this stuff will
         happen to fall on the level below where the atomsmasher is (simple yet dwarfy method ). After this, a
         dwarf will then push the minecart back to "Stop1" and the process starts all over again cleaning by
         consecuence all the refuse pile. 


Still, I think that pouring magma on stuff is always the dwarfy thing to do.


Enjoy!

While that would work, I have to ask, why even have the 2nd refuse stockpile? Or the channel for that matter. The point of the track is automated quantum stockpiling, yes, but couldn't you just have it dump to the ground on the same level, just next to the track stop? Place either a take only from links refuse stockpile there, or a garbage dump zone (in which case you will end up with dwarves carrying other dumpable stuff there too). Dwarves shouldn't carry stuff away from either. Then build the atomsmasher to smash that square (including any idiot dwarves bringing stuff to the dump).

Not sure if stockpiles can be places in bridge squares, so that would necessitate a 1z-level drop, sure. You could also set a pressure plate on the track (when the minecart arrives back at the filling end of things) to trigger the smasher, if you want, but bridges opening&closing do effect fps too...

This is, in my opinion, the greatest use of minecarts so far (although they're fun for other stuff too): automated quantum stockpiling, which just seems less cheaty than using dumping. My next fort, I plan on not clearing away any stone with dump commands, just using some 3-wheelbarrow stone stockpiles that load onto minecarts that dump to quantum stockpiles near the masons/stonecraftsdwarves/mechanics. We'll see how long that decision holds, though.

Boxes= containers, like chests/coffers(/bags, which have a different graphic and can also be used for sand, etc.)

So, in the fort before my last, I thought I'd try to make a couple of dwarves happy by giving them pets. Also, try to learn how to do that. So, I a) trapped a pond turtle (took a bit of figuring out how to get the trap set, and then forgot to bait it for a while, etc.) and b) bought a caged tame grey squirrel (from the elves, iirc). I had at least 1 child, if not a couple of dwarves, who admired one of said 2 species.

I then proceeded to set them as available in the stocks-animal menu, and after taming it I think I moved the turtle into a cage too (glass=terrarium). However, several years passed, with noone adopting them as pets. What did I do wrong?

Was it that the dwarves were children (but children can arrive with pets and be adopted by cats...)? Or was it that the stockpile was upstairs, in my animal training area, with hardly anyone walking by, so nobody noticed the cute little critters?


P.S. The DF2012:Pet article at the wiki could use a bit more fleshing out, maybe.

Well, had to break my lurking (first post!) to reply to this. I've noticed some oddities in past forts, but I think the masses of novice farmers (including cheesemakers and such) and rangers and fishermen is something most forts have to deal with. However, in my current fort, the first in it's world (started in 34.10 I think), I've had crazy amounts of military-trained dwarves.

I started with my usual (1 axedwarf, 1 marksdwarf). First time I started out my new starting gear of 6 picks (7th guy is the woodcutter) but no mining skill for anyone - it levels up pretty fast. I now have 177 dwarves, of which 48 are babies&children = 129 adults, of which only 30 *didn't* arrive with something like speardwarf 3/shield user 1/dodger 1.

More precise figures of the adults who have survived (I've lost a few dwarves, only 2 in military service though):
1st wave: 6 alive now, 1 without military skills (I'll call them "civilians" from now on)
2nd wave: 8 alive, no civilians
3rd wave: 25 alive, 5 civilians
4th wave: 9 alive, 1 civilian
5th wave: 10 alive, 5 civilians
6th wave: all kids (DT quirkyness in tracking which wave babies belong to, I guess?)
7th wave: 34 alive, 7 civilians
8th wave: 31 alive*, 7 civilians
*(remember, adults - the 8th wave arrived with 52 dwarves, now are showing up as 63. Just not stopping with popping those babies.)

So, usually 80-100% of adults have had either one melee weapon skill at 3 + shield user, armor user, and dodger 1, or marksdwarf+something. A couple of higher-skill melee dwarves in waves 2-4. 1 wave (#5) only had 50%. Never seen this kind of thing before, although I've only played with DF2011 and later, I think, and not that much even then. Annoyingly, I don't have much use for all the military, since I've yet to see a siege in my 4th year. Only 1 minotaur, 1-2 snatchers and maybe 3-4 kobold thieves, too.**

I was just assuming it was some sort of cultural bias, as in, your civ had some sort of bias to military, maybe another to something else, etc. I've also gotten like 4 dwarves with building designer, I've had several 100+ dwarf forts earlier with no immigrants with that skill, ditto for eg. organizer/record keeper, but now i've gotten immigrants with those.

** What might be a factor for both things, is that I'm living pretty close to some other dwarf sites (not my civ's) in the middle of this medium-sized area completely surrounded by mountains (with all the passes inhabited by dwarves). The info for the embark site did list red ----- goblins, though.