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Author Topic: Helix stairs  (Read 1197 times)

Bob69Joe

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Helix stairs
« on: September 18, 2018, 05:30:12 pm »

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For deep delving, I have made it an architectural preference for my dwarf civ to use these cool helix designs for staircases. It should prevent babies suffering too badly by falling down hundreds of flights of stairs. The furthest they might fall is three.

I have uploaded a nice picture showing the effieciency of the circles and helix.

http://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=14028
« Last Edit: September 21, 2018, 07:29:51 pm by Bob69Joe »
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thefriendlyhacker

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Re: Helix stairs
« Reply #1 on: September 19, 2018, 02:35:24 pm »

Can creatures even fall down stairs any more?  I thought that was fixed ages ago.
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Fleeting Frames

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Re: Helix stairs
« Reply #2 on: September 19, 2018, 04:10:28 pm »

It's rare, but I've had people take a sudden fall due dodging (though not in .44, but have barely played it). I imagine it is more common now with tantrums.

timotheos

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Re: Helix stairs
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2018, 04:33:54 pm »

Fighting on stairs can end with dead dwarfs at the bottom, not sure if they fought down to the bottom or fell when dodging or knocked out.
Also if you knock them unconscious some how, such as with cave ins near the top, they fall until they hit a solid floor at the bottom.

I like the idea. When i'm trying to stop falls i like to go with spirals as i can visualise that better.
« Last Edit: September 20, 2018, 04:36:41 pm by timotheos »
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Bob69Joe

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Re: Helix stairs
« Reply #4 on: September 20, 2018, 06:39:07 pm »

Fighting on stairs can end with dead dwarfs at the bottom, not sure if they fought down to the bottom or fell when dodging or knocked out.
Also if you knock them unconscious some how, such as with cave ins near the top, they fall until they hit a solid floor at the bottom.

I like the idea. When i'm trying to stop falls i like to go with spirals as i can visualise that better.

How do you do your spirals? Stairs with turns or ramps or a combo? I like the look of the helix, plus its almost got a cthonic(cthulic?) architecture with single level staircases in between floors so dwarves don't have to lie down and get up, which takes longer than moving aside and getting to the next floor to then get back to the three-level stairs.
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timotheos

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Re: Helix stairs
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2018, 03:30:14 pm »

I  used to do a wide (4 tile) ramp spiral around a 3x3 shaft with 2 sets of ramps per side. That would be my main entrance and the only way of travelling if you wanted to move more then 3 or 4 levels. Connecting all the way from surface  to the magma sea and into the caverns and also all the mining levels.
The rest of the fort would then be on 3-4 floors off to one side so straight stars where not an issue.

These days I'll sometimes do a ramp spiral round a single pillar, with ramps on the edges and flats on the corners. It looks good in an open area like a cavern or the surface.

But generally I just have a stupidly long staircase that causes the occasional death by falling. Maybe adding a few hatches if i'm trying to reduce the risk a little bit.

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Bob69Joe

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Re: Helix stairs
« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2018, 05:37:23 pm »

Spoiler: Circle Guide (click to show/hide)

I've been doing the huge 45 diameter circles and fitting 4 15 diameter circles within it unmined(marker designations super useful), leaving three-tile wide pathways in the centers along the cardinal directions. I then cut 3x3 squares starting from the outermost diagonals of the 15s and carve the helixes within the centers. I like to put a barracks under the center of the 45, and it makes for a great traffic hub.

I put a little tutorial on DFFD, as I am still unfamiliar with any unobnoxious image uploaders.
« Last Edit: September 21, 2018, 07:35:45 pm by Bob69Joe »
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Dainz

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Re: Helix stairs
« Reply #7 on: September 22, 2018, 10:04:46 am »

@Bob69Joe That Circle Design looks very interesting, do you have a quickfort template for the different circles?
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Bob69Joe

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Re: Helix stairs
« Reply #8 on: September 24, 2018, 06:13:19 pm »

@Bob69Joe That Circle Design looks very interesting, do you have a quickfort template for the different circles?

I don't know how.to do templates. Is that DFHack? I just do it manually. I'd like to make the 45 slowly cascade like a ball until it reaches the 15s, so it'd be a huge "ball room." It'd make a good place for drinking and dancing.
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Fleeting Frames

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Re: Helix stairs
« Reply #9 on: September 24, 2018, 09:36:06 pm »

Quickfort is small program to convert spreadsheet file to designation/building macro (and offshoots can convert image in lieu of spreadsheets).

But even without it, can just record the circle designation once as a macro, then play on zlevel down or save and load it thereafter in different worlds. Vanilla feature.

Schmaven

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Re: Helix stairs
« Reply #10 on: September 24, 2018, 10:15:02 pm »

....
But even without it, can just record the circle designation once as a macro, then play on zlevel down or save and load it thereafter in different worlds. Vanilla feature.

That's awesome!  I wish I knew about this sooner
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