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Author Topic: Dwarven Express  (Read 10694 times)

hun

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Dwarven Express
« on: April 15, 2017, 08:45:44 pm »

This is the records of the Great Dwarven Railway, a mega project that dwarves (under control of yours truly) slowly, but surely accomplish in the distant land of the distant world.
Let me just throw some dry facts, before I tell the details:

- The railroad is constracted as a two-lane railway (accidentally, with left-side traffic).

- It is divided into "sectors", in most cases, one sector is a 1x16 fortress. Each sector is built by dwarves, living in a temporal colony, and in the most cases the settlement is left upon the completion of sector. (I use dfhack 'lair' command to not let the items scatter, so if there is a need to maintain or repair, the settlement is easy to reclaim).

- The first main goal is to built connection between Rackmassive, a dwarven fortress, to the lands of Competetive Nation, a human kingdom. The overall plan is approximately 20 sectors, 9 of which are completed at the moment. Here the scheme:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

- The railroad is fully and conveniently usable by adventurers. The network of rollers maintains comfortable velocity and requires no additional efforts from the user in the single-minecart mode. Just seat in the cart, push off and enjoy. Either for sightseeing trips, for extremely fast buisness travells, or to deliver valuable cargo along the railway.

- There is also possibility of moving the whole TRAIN (was tested up to 4 minecarts in a train, possibly 5 can be done as well) along the railway, with an adventurer as a driver. This is a more complicated task, it requires practice and experience to perform correclty, and is a challange on its own! The train can start only from a specially equipped station. Currently, there is only one such station, Sector 4. The other notable pieces of infrastructure of the Way include the automated railroad fork (Sector 7), with a short branch leading to a tavern, constantly populated with staff (Sector 8 ), and massive arch bridge named after Tikhut (Sector 6).

- There is a (relatively old) video! It demonstrates the process of driving 4-minecarts train from Sector 4 to Sector 1. The train is loaded with valuable cargo of steel, cotton cloth, papyrus paper and gems, to be used later in the Rackmassive industries. The whole story had been written initially at the russian forum, so the video contains russian text comments as well (sorry about this; likewise, sorry for any grammatical problems with my writting). The action in the video is mostly self-explanatory though, so it should not be a big deal.

The version of the game that I currently use is 43.03, I can provide the save, if there is any demand. I currently write posts with the chronicles of already finished Sector, and after that start writting new posts as the project progresses (it is not gonna be fast anyway!).

CHOO CHOO THE TRAIN DEPARTS!

World background
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Rise and decline of Rackmassive. Foundation of the Railway project (204-217)
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

-------------------------

CURRENT OPERATION IN PROGRESS: The Great Reconstruction of Rackmassive. Year 258


« Last Edit: May 29, 2018, 08:13:12 pm by hun »
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Timeless Bob

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Re: Dwarven Express
« Reply #1 on: April 15, 2017, 09:57:38 pm »

Sounds similar to a bloodline game I began to run last year called Minecart barons.  I got caught up in other projects and then the new version came out so it dropped into obscurity.  However, it looks like Keplergamer also did a youtube series on this too, so I might revisit the challenge again with the new version.  I would assume that the new "retire" mechanics would make each section of track more interesting for adventurers to visit, including megafauna, undead and invader attacks.  However, it's gratifying that you had a similar idea.  I wish you good fortune in completing your project.
« Last Edit: April 15, 2017, 10:22:27 pm by Timeless Bob »
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bloop_bleep

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Re: Dwarven Express
« Reply #2 on: April 15, 2017, 11:59:28 pm »

Seems like a nice idea, but eventually just placing down rollers and minecart tracks for eternity is gonna get boring.
How about designing and building train stations along the route, which contain shops, food and drink stockpiles, hospitals, and which contain giant powerhouses that power the rollers?
Also, a dedicated freight line that allows loading, transport, and dumping of freight with no dwarven operator (except perhaps at the loading end) would be amazing as well.
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Re: Dwarven Express
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2017, 10:10:04 am »

I'll be keeping an eye on this, looks like a fun project :)  We need pictures of a Fortress-station, and maybe the first test run of your adventuring party.

Gwolfski

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Re: Dwarven Express
« Reply #4 on: April 16, 2017, 11:16:08 am »

Oh fun! This will be really nice to see when it's done. Are you building it by yourself, or with others ?
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Timeless Bob

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Re: Dwarven Express
« Reply #5 on: April 16, 2017, 04:53:56 pm »

It would be interesting if the Great Dwarven Railway was built in one or more of the cavern layers instead.  Imagine side by side embarks with tracks zipping through all of them, weaving back and forth through the natural entrances/exits of the underground caverns, dropping up or down a cavern level as needed to get to the next embark...
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Kyubee

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Re: Dwarven Express
« Reply #6 on: April 16, 2017, 10:32:25 pm »

Cant wait to hear about the final result
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Criperum

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Re: Dwarven Express
« Reply #7 on: April 17, 2017, 05:20:56 am »

hun, are you the original OP or just a translator?
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hun

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Re: Dwarven Express
« Reply #8 on: April 17, 2017, 09:26:28 pm »

Good to see some interest in the story! I will continue uploading chapters of the story in the first post, so be patient, it is not gonna be fast  :)

Just to give you the core idea, what I had in mind back then when I started this project, was essentially to keep everything simple, but functional. There is no additional challanges. I also didn't plan to build 30-levels high luxorious station made out of gold in each sector. I just wanted to make decently vast railroad system that can actually be used. There are already some objects like station (you can see in the video) and tavern, and eventually, I can build more. After all, once we laid rails, stations can be made later, along with other improvements!

Sounds similar to a bloodline game I began to run last year called Minecart barons.  I got caught up in other projects and then the new version came out so it dropped into obscurity.  However, it looks like Keplergamer also did a youtube series on this too, so I might revisit the challenge again with the new version.

Thanks for reference, Timeless Bob! I have seen the pictures from the thread, so I kinda knew about the project, but never actually seen the topic itself! So, thanks, I will defenitely check what you guys did there.
Quote
I would assume that the new "retire" mechanics would make each section of track more interesting for adventurers to visit, including megafauna, undead and invader attacks.  However, it's gratifying that you had a similar idea.
Yes, the ''retire" function is so great, it defenitely was one of the cornerstones of the whole idea. Although I ended up abandoning most of the sectors after completing, for the sake of saving FPS of travellers and reducing track accidents with citizens. But we can leave the "interesting" sectors populated, at least.

Also, a dedicated freight line that allows loading, transport, and dumping of freight with no dwarven operator (except perhaps at the loading end) would be amazing as well.
If you mean transporting of freight for long distances (more than 1 global map cell), it is, unfortunately, impossible, I did some !SCIENCE! on that. The game stores only a relatively small chunk of the world in the memory, and minecart trying to leave the chunk would simply hit the edge. The only way to do this is exactly using adventurer as an operator. As long as minecarts are within view of the operator, they can cross the edge.

Oh fun! This will be really nice to see when it's done. Are you building it by yourself, or with others ?
I had some thoughts on making a collaborative project of it, but so far I was making this alone. I think I will continue for a while in the same manner, but I can always revise it later and we can make succession out of it. In case I really feel tired of damn rails  :). It actually makes a lot of sense for a bit repetitive project like this one.

hun, are you the original OP or just a translator?
Hi, yes, I'm 100% authentic DFach OP.
The content, by the way, can slightly alter comparing to the original thread - I may omit something or add more details sometimes.

hun

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Re: Dwarven Express
« Reply #9 on: June 05, 2017, 07:50:01 pm »

Sector 1 (217 - 220)

Upon arriving, the first building group started to prepare a settlement. The sector had size around 10x2, stretching from West to East; Rackmassive is on the western side. A small hill had been chosen, quite close to the western edge. A large all-purpose stockpile and workshops zone were designated in soil, close to the surface. A few layers deeper, in stone -- a dinning hall, food stockpiles and kitchens; also, a large dormitory, soon filled with sufficient number of beds. Somewhere nearby was placed  the modest office of the group leader (who possessed also positions of the broker, the manager and the bookkeper). On the surface were placed several carpenter workshops, the trade depot, pastures and the farm, where the plants for the textile industry were sown later. Apart from that, the farmers were cultivating plump helmet on the underground fields, but they didn't disdain also gathering of wild plants and fruits: the tropical lands were really rich with all sorts of vegetation.
All required initial preparations were done in less than two months, and the current state of the settlement was good enough to finally start working on The Railway.

The sector leader had some prescribed instruction, but many parts were revised and updated during the works on Sector 1. Here are some important aspects of the final project:
- The Great Dwarven Railway adopts left-hand traffic. It is not a trivia, since all rollers and auxiliary devices need to know side of traffic to operate properly. To emphasize this point to all users of the system, every sector need to have at least 2 large signs reminding of the traffic side.
- Each border of every sector must be marked by bright-colored material. Near each border, the index of the sector must be displayed by the same bright material. The purpose of these rules is to provide convenience for the users (so they can know exactly where they are), plus it can greately help to maintain The Railway, since it allows to figure out easily the index of a sector with roller malfunctions or other technical failures, to send a repair party.
- The Railway must have the system of track stops and rollers to maintain constant and safe velocity. The initital instructions from Administration were rather vague about the particulars, so the building group of Sector 1 had to experiment a lot in order to find the optimum. Flat parts of the railway required little attention: it is enough to put rollers once in a while to not let trains to slow down significantly. The slopes were much trickier. In the end, it was figured out that each ramp requires 1 roller just before, 1 roller just after, and for every 2 z-levels of decline require 1 high-friction track stop. This was fixed as the standard for all subsequent sectors.

A couple of dwarves were ordered to cut quartzite blocks all the time - quartzite had been chosen as the main material for the rails on Sector 1 (and distinctly red cinnabar -- as the material for border/index markup). A small train depot was build inside the hill: it was a very modest, but hopefully, only temporal construction, since later yet nonexistent the Main Station in Rackmassive would serve as a depot. A bit later, a large number of minecarts were made by the carpenter for the depot. The rails started to the East from the depot.

During the first part of the sector the rails loop along the hills, sometimes running on the edge of the cliffs, sometimes submerging into the small tunnels. Further, the railway comes to the small bridge between two hills (several wooden supports have been made for the construction), and goes into another short tunnel. After that, there is a quite steep descent with a couple of turns, and finally, straight line to the eastern border of the sector.


The construction of the rails took overall quite a little time, less than 2 years. However, setting up and proper testing of the system were demanding. The dwarves had to be absolutely sure that a minecart with a passanger runs from East to West and vice versa with no issues. Several times the system was partly rebuild, and few dwarves got injured and were spending some time in the sector hospital, none of them died though. The main challenge was to set up the descent areas properly.

Long story short, by the autumn of the 4th year everything had been done. During the last year, a vast number of curious migrants came to the sector. However, there was no sufficient labor: primarily, only few mechanics constantly worked on improvements, and hence, the migrants just ate and drunk to their pleasure in the tavern. To get them busy with something, the ugly barracks were built on the surface and a full squad had been gathered for military training. Initially, there were no plan for the metallurgy in the sector, but one of the amateur blacksmiths made some pieces of copper equipment for the militia. Luckily, at the end there were no assault attempts on the sector.

For the future sectors, additional rule had been made, counting the experience of excessive migration: no more than 49 dwarves should participate in every sector's construction.

In the year 220 the group leader reported to Rackmassive on sucessful finish of Sector 1. Both taverns (in Rackmassive, and in Sector 1) celebrated that day with tons of booze. Few days later, an employee from The Railway Administration moved out to test the system in person, and to mark the place for the rails on the Sector 2.
« Last Edit: June 05, 2017, 08:27:06 pm by hun »
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Timeless Bob

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Hurrah!
« Reply #10 on: June 05, 2017, 08:17:41 pm »

Great to see this project off and running! 
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Zanzetkuken The Great

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Re: Dwarven Express
« Reply #11 on: June 05, 2017, 08:51:11 pm »

Seeing this and the dwarven computers, I have to wonder what would be considered as the cutting edge of technology for what the players have pulled off in vanilla.
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Re: Dwarven Express
« Reply #12 on: June 06, 2017, 02:14:27 am »

Fascinating.  Do rollers need power? 
Can a sector be powered with impulse ramps?

Gwolfski

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Re: Dwarven Express
« Reply #13 on: June 06, 2017, 03:46:52 am »

nice
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hun

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Re: Dwarven Express
« Reply #14 on: June 06, 2017, 10:32:30 am »

Fascinating.  Do rollers need power? 
Can a sector be powered with impulse ramps?
Yes, I simply equip every roller pair with one windmill just above it.
Apart from my general dislike to impulse ramps for being an exploit, they are less safe to use in that project... Rollers simply sets up the velocity to a certain level, while ramps give acceleration with no regard to current speed, which can very fast bring a lot of deadly !FUN! for the rider.
« Last Edit: June 06, 2017, 10:50:27 am by hun »
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