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[Superdorf]

I'm hoping to pick up DF Steam sometime in the coming weeks, and I want to do some cool things with fortress architecture once I have the new version. One of the ways I want to push my architecture is by doing away with the 3x3 central staircase that my fortress designs are typically planned around. However, I want to keep the efficient motion that a central staircase provides... so, ramps! I'm looking for a good-looking rampway design that doesn't take significantly longer for my dwarves to navigate than a staircase would. Anyone here have some ideas for me?

[Bumber]

Used this double helix design in one of my old forts:

Code: [Select]

▼██  ▲██  ██▼  █▼▲
█#█  ▼#▼  ▲#▲  █#█
██▼  ██▲  ▼██  ▲▼█
Had a waterfall running through the floor grates. Doesn't require support from sides.

Armok Vision:

[EmperorCoolidge]

I usually do a 3x3 channeled shaft with a ramp winding around it (so wall-up ramp-channel repeat). Note that this has drawbacks, dwarves can have a nasty fall from e.g. a bad dodge and it's hard to seal against flyers.

[Hero]

I usually do a 3x3 channeled shaft with a ramp winding around it (so wall-up ramp-channel repeat). Note that this has drawbacks, dwarves can have a nasty fall from e.g. a bad dodge and it's hard to seal against flyers.

It's canon though! That's how the procedurally generated forts that you can reclaim or explore in adventure mode are all set up.

[Dr. Hieronymous Alloy]

I usually do a 7x7 double helix spiral, three tiles wide on each side.

[mightymushroom]

Let me see if I can text-draw this correctly...

Code: [Select]

z=0     z+1     z+2     etc.
..▲██   ██▼..   ..▲██
..▲██   ██▼..   ..▲██
..███   ██▲..   ..▼██
..███   ██▲..   ..▼██

In essence, a 2-wide spiral with ramps on only two of the lateral traverses rather than all four. The advantage I find is that the flat surface (north-south in this example) is easy to either extend into being a hallway or to connect to a different hallway running perpendicular. Not always the best for a "central" ramp-case but fine for "slightly to the side" plans.

[doublestrafe]

Here's one I developed and have come to love. The major theme is "massive overkill." The secondary theme is "trying to look like a pinwheel instead of a swastika."

Here's the basic design.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Here's the next level, which is smoothed because I happen to have gotten around to smoothing that level.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Here's an aboveground level, carved into the corner of a cliff, with a tower built around it. The center is channeled for power transmission purposes. On the left is wagon access. Wagon access can also be achieved by removing the inner ramps and adding an outer set, but that does add a lot more walking distance for foot traffic.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

It looks like it could waste a lot of navigation time, but in practice it really doesn't seem to. This is partly because dwarves never get in each other's way on it. The outer rings are really just for show and don't see a lot of use unless they're in the direction of a destination.