Dwarf Fortress Wiki - User contributions [en]

40d Talk:Lever

2009-02-26T16:03:26Z

Wattj: /* Inverting a Lever */

== floodgates vs. doors misinformation? ==
"''Therefore, it is more logical to use doors, at least until doors aren't usable for holding back water.''"

I'm fairly certain that doors can't be closed while flooded. They work as described for opening via lever, but cannot close when blocked by water or creatures.
Granted, the last time i've levered doors was back in 2d. Please verify or change the wording? --[[User:Vaevictus|Vaevictus]] 15:49, 2 June 2008 (EDT)

:In the current version{{version|0.27.176.38c}} doors can close if water currently occupies the same square. I believe elsewhere the wiki states this destroys the water, but I have not verified if the water is destroyed. --[[User:Quartic|quartic]] 16:18, 2 June 2008 (EDT)
::Does it matter how much water? -- [[User:Vaevictus|Vaevictus]] 13:35, 3 June 2008 (EDT)
:::I have verified this with water of depth 1 and 7, but not values in between.--[[User:Quartic|quartic]] 13:38, 3 June 2008 (EDT)

Todo: Check whether two levers connected to the same door operate it in the same way the older versions did - that is, pulling each lever once would open the door, then do nothing as the second lever is pulled. -- [[User:Zaratustra|Zaratustra]] 19:23, 7 November 2007 (EST)

I'm using vertical bars as portcullis for my keep, and they attach to levers. Perhaps a comment that bars and grates operate identically in this version, specifically with respect to levers? -Gotthard

Doesn't the delay come from the floodgate grinding to close the water/magma channel/tunnel compared to a door slamming shut right away? --[[User:Karpatius|Karp]] 08:51, 31 October 2008 (EDT)
:That is what it is meant to simulate. Like people mentioned above, though, Toady's said that doors shouldn't work as well as floodgates, so in some later version your doors will probably leak. --[[User:ThunderClaw|ThunderClaw]] 10:09, 31 October 2008 (EDT)

== controlling at a distance ==

Does the lever need to be adjacent to the item it is controlling?

I want to put a floodgate at the end of a channel... [[User:GarrieIrons|GarrieIrons]] 02:52, 23 January 2008 (EST)
:No, it can be anywhere.--[[User:Dorten|Dorten]] 02:57, 23 January 2008 (EST)

so, analog to the support-cave-in-trap how about building a nice water basin, say 4x4 for a start and covering it with grates, all connected to a lever - do grates have to be attached to a wall or floor on one side? I will try *broad grin* --[[User:Koltom|Koltom]] 21:45, 22 February 2008 (EST)

:Grates must be attached to a wall on one side, although you can put grates next to only grates and the dwarves will build them. Followed by their collapse. Like walls off bridges.--[[User:Draco18s|Draco18s]] 18:31, 2 March 2008 (EST)

:Try building supports under them. SL's hand of armok uses supports under hatches in a similar way. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 23:37, 2 March 2008 (EST)

::Yeah, its not working like i wanted it too. The support thing will probably work. Or I will just leave a few walls in the basin..will try that later, busy right now. *watches goblin fly away in high arc* --[[User:Koltom|Koltom]] 19:52, 3 March 2008 (EST)

Regarding remote activation/control: I just spent 10 minutes berating my dwarves for completely ignoring two Pull Lever commands while vile forces of darkness approached, only to find that once I removed the Dwarves Stay Indoors restriction, they happily stepped up to the, uh, lever. The bridges are outside, the levers are on the level below. Has anyone else experienced this? [[User:Holyfool|Holyfool]] 17:49, 22 March 2008 (EST)

:Was the lever and/or any part of the path to the lever marked as "outside"? Use {{k|k}} to check. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 10:25, 23 March 2008 (EDT)

::I checked and one of the levers was indeed marked "outside". In fact, there are several squares on my first underground level that are marked "outside". Is that because they are in the general area of the stairway leading outside? Thank you for the info. --[[User:Holyfool|Holyfool]] 18:42, 29 March 2008 (EDT)

:::When I quit reading all new forum messages and stayed at the wiki, I thought this would stop. [[Outside|Read The Wiki]]. Really. Read it. No, really, click on that link. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 19:57, 29 March 2008 (EDT)

== Megabeasts ==

I have noticed that a bridge that a hydra is standing on cannot be retracted {{version|0.27.176.38c}}. Has anyone else had similar experiences? [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 00:15, 13 March 2008 (EDT)

:Titans cause the same problem. I conjecture that bridged can't be retracted while megabeasts are standing on them. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 02:08, 13 March 2008 (EDT)

:Also elephants, it seems. Possibly creature size. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 13:18, 13 March 2008 (EDT)

:Dragons cause the same problem. Are megabeasts supposed to all show up at once like this? [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 21:43, 13 March 2008 (EDT)

== Proposed addition: Mechanism sequence ==

Given the problems that arise when using non magma-safe materials for mechanisms on floodgates, it is quite handy to know which mechanisms go where at the link selection (When for example you're really low on bauxite). 
From my experimentation with floodgate-lever, the first mechanism selected goes at the gate and the second one at the lever. I still haven't activated the contraption, but I'm assuming it's going to be ok. 
I'm also assuming the same is usefull for grates and bars. --[[User:Nonickch]], unsigned

:There is some lower-down text that tells you which mechanism goes in where. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 08:30, 15 June 2008 (EDT)

== Finding Links ==

Is it possible to determine what a lever is linked to without pulling it and checking to see what happens? -[[User:Fuzzy|Fuzzy]] 00:43, 6 September 2008 (EDT)
:AFAIK the only way is to attempt to link the lever to a built object and notice which one if any is not available.
:eg if you have two bridges but only one is available to be linked to, it is because you are already linked to the other one.
:This would be a really good feature if it was implemented.
:[[User:GarrieIrons|GarrieIrons]] 09:55, 6 September 2008 (EDT)

:I guess this is one good use for the new note-feature: Just use the same note for lever and target. --[[User:Doub|Doub]] 10:17, 6 September 2008 (EDT)

:Right now your best way to remember what lever does what is to build a reference behind the lever as a reminder: a one-tile bridge behind the "front door/bridge" lever, a support behind the "collapse the mountain" lever and so forth... or write down what does what on paper. Even naming levers would be useful but for now you need the "references." -[[User:Karpatius|Karp]] 06:10, 19 December 2008 (EST)

== Max number of links? ==

''Is there a limit to the amount of objects that can be linked to a lever?''--[[User:Thendash|Thendash]] 22:56, 19 September 2008 (EDT)

== Speeding the job of linking ==

Is it just me or does it not only take forever to finish the job of linking the lever to something, but also the dwarves treat it as extremely low priority? I've sometimes had to had an entire year for one of them to deign to hook it up. Incidentally, it is the Mechanics job that they use for that, right? -[[User:Fuzzy|Fuzzy]] 15:48, 27 September 2008 (EDT)

: I haven't noticed anything about the priority of the job, but yes, it take hella long to finish it. Some big linking job (eg. linking a large bridge to a remote lever) are virtually impossible to complete without an experienced mecanic... dwarves don't manage to end the job before feeling the urge to eat or drink or something, and all their work is lost when they return, ending in an infinite loop. [[User:Timst|Timst]] 19:47, 27 September 2008 (EDT)

: Unless it's changed in the year since I've played, the mechanic must move the mechanisms to the lever and the "something", then spend time working on both the lever and the "something", all without being interrupted. Consider a 1-square stockpile next to both the lever and the something and choosing those unique mechanisms when you assign the linkage job. -- [[User:Qwip|Qwip]] 16:42, 15 October 2008 (EDT)

:: The catch, so far, is figuring out the "unique" mechanisms in the list. Short of making sure that that stockpile is the only one that carries Schist Mechanisms or something similar... Unlike the other "pick an item" lists, you can't specify a sort and there's nothing zooming you to the item that you will use. On a mildly unrelated note, I realized that part of the reason for my delay was that I was building large amounts of stone traps, so the nearest mechanism that was not already tied up in a trap building job was quote some distance away. I had this problem with the nearby stockpile as well, as it was also fairly close to the traps. It would be nice to even get a distance count on the mechanisms. -[[User:Fuzzy|Fuzzy]] 11:48, 16 October 2008 (EDT)

:::When you choose the mechanism for the lever or trap, it does tell you its distance.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 12:33, 16 October 2008 (EDT)

:::: Addendum to Maximus's comment: When selecting the material to be used, you can e{{k|x}}pand the list of materials, and then select a particular item. Therefore, you can build a single-tile stockpile, then customize it (using {{k|q}} then {{k|s}}settings) to only allow a certain quality mechanism. Link the lever after these stockpiles have been filled. [[User:RomeoFalling|RomeoFalling]] 16:21, 16 October 2008 (EDT)

== Inverting a Lever ==

I think I found a way to automatically invert the signal of a lever, say if you wanted one lever to open one door and close another. It involves a bridge and water, so it would not be instant. I haven't tested it yet. Anyone know if it would work?
<pre>Side view: (Sorry, I realize this isn't the standard tileset, but my text editor doesn't have them all.)
#####
#_~@W
##D##

W - Water source (Under at least 7/7 pressure)
D - Water drain
_ - Pressure plate, set to activate under water of depth 4-7
@ - Hinge of a raisable bridge, connected to the main lever (offscreen)
~ - Bridge over channel
# - Solid rock</pre>
When the main lever is OFF, the bridge is down. It allows water to flow past its hinge, and it covers the drain. Water fills the room, triggering the plate, which sends an ON signal. 
When the main lever is ON, the bridge raises. The hinge blocks water from flowing in, and the uncovered drain empties the room. The plate detriggers, sending OFF. 
WARNING: The drain must not fill! If it does, you wont be able to get into the room to connect more mechanisms to the plate.
Option: If your water source is infinite, make your drain a hallway, at least 3 long, with a raising bridge that comes down from the far end. When the main lever is activated, the hallway floods. Shortly afterwards, the plate detriggers. After a short delay, the bridge slams down, destroying the water. 
--17:52, 1 October 2008 (EDT)

: Isn't it simpler to build two levers? Especially considering the pressure plate takes as many mechanisms? I don't really understand what you are trying to accomplish here.
:--[[User:MagicGuigz|MagicGuigz]] 17:34, 15 October 2008 (EDT)

::If you want a single action to do some "on" actions and some "off" actions - e.g. if from a stylistic point of view you want to have a single "activate outer defenses" lever that raises bridges over moats and puts down bridges blocking catapults.
::--[[User:Random832|Random832]] 19:35, 15 October 2008 (EDT)

::: It's more than stylistic. My designs are complex systems, created on the assumption that only certain combinations of states are possible - that when ''this'' bridge is down, ''that'' bridge is always up, and that when ''this'' floodgate is open, ''that'' door is always closed. If I allow things to enter a condition I hadn't planned for - either because I forgot to throw both leavers, or the dwarf died between them, or whatever - there is literally no telling what would happen. It could drop civilians into a line of fire, or flood the fortress, or expose the marksdwarves to the enemy without also releasing their infantry guards.
:::--[[User:Macdjord|Macdjord]] 16:08, 16 October 2008 (EDT)

:I'd say you should consult the [[Computing]] and [[Mechanical Logic]] pages then. Should find all the components you need there.
:--[[User:Bilkinson|Bilkinson]] 16:13, 16 October 2008 (EDT)

::Doesn't help. That's all about power transfer - gears, axels, waterwheels... It only uses levers for input, not output - I could connect my controll leaver to a not-gate like [[Mechanical_Logic#NOT_or_BUFFER|this one]], but how do i connect ''that'' to a bridge?
::--[[User:Macdjord|Macdjord]] 17:17, 16 October 2008 (EDT)

:::Connect that power to a screw pump, that pours water onto a pressure plate. There's an example of such a device on the mechanics page. Take a look as Water/Fluid logic as well (Linked to on the mechanical page) for some other pump-based devices.
:::--[[User:Bilkinson|Bilkinson]] 06:56, 17 October 2008 (EDT)

:::It's... ''workable'', I suppose. It's much more complex than the bridge system. It might be faster responding, depending on the speed at which a pump works, since there is no 100 step delay like a bridge. It would take a lot more room and mechanisms, not to mention a seperate power source for each one. Remember, each leaver you invert need its own, independent setup.
::::--[[User:Macdjord|Macdjord]] 13:09, 17 October 2008 (EDT)

:::: Check out this page, it might help.. www.dwarffortresswiki.net/index.php/User:SL/Logic_Gates.
::::[[User:Martinuzz|Martinuzz]] 8:54, 28 October 2008 (EDT)

: So the goal here is to have water on a pressure plate when a lever is set to ON. Don't hatch covers respond quicker than bridges?

: Gee, this sucks. I thought things just toggled whenever you flipped the lever. That's how it should be IMHO. [[User:Gairabad|Gairabad]] 20:31, 13 November 2008 (EST)

<pre>
Side view:

####
#^HW
##D#

^ = Pressure Plate
W - Water Inlet
D - Drain
H - Hatch Cover
# - Solid rock
</pre>
:Main lever linked to Hatch Cover (H). When the lever is OFF, the hatch is closed and the Pressure Plate (^) chamber fills. When the lever is ON, the Hatch Cover (H) disappears and water drains away before reaching the pressure plate ledge.
:[[User:Wangcommander|Wangcommander]] 01:27, 12 November 2008 (EST)

:: But since you're not actually blocking off the water, you are dependent on the fickleness of the water pressure simulation. Sure, the room would never fill with an open hatch between the water source and the hatch, but after the first use it ''starts off'' filled. Are you certain it will drain? If the water comes in from the source as fast as it goes out the drain, will it not stay full? That's the advantage of using the bridge - it is the only piece of equipment that blocks water in the ON position.
:: A hybrid design might be useful, using a bridge to block the input bu a hatch to control the output. When you switch it, the hatch instantly starts draining the water, then the bridge seals the inlet 100 ticks later to guarantee a complete drain.
:: --[[User:Macdjord|Macdjord]] 16:04, 12 November 2008 (EST)

I might be misunderstanding the goal of this (and, for the record, I do think it's really cool), but wouldn't hooking up the lever to the thing you want non-inverted, then flipping the switch, and then hooking it up to the inverted thing accomplish the same thing? That way you have two things hooked up to the lever that are in opposite states of each other..... [[User:Zardus|Zardus]] 05:09, 26 February 2009 (EST)
:A 'Pull the lever' task is not a logical toggle. It toggles the lever, and then activates the lever to signal its current state to its linkages... That is, if the lever is in the 'open' position, pulling it flips it to 'closed' and then sends 'closed' to all its linked buildings. Anything which is, for whatever reason, currently in the 'closed' state will simply remain closed. The case you describe is such a situation. It can also arise where a lever is pulled twice in less time than it takes for the first signal to produce its effect. That is: A dwarf pulls a lever linked to a bridge. The dwarf takes 2 steps away, pauses to decide what to do, and notices that there's a pull the lever task on a lever 2 steps away. The dwarf returns to pull the lever again. The bridge has not yet raised when the second signal is sent... A little bit later, the bridge will raise, but unless the lever is pulled again, to get it into the 'raise' state, and then a fourth time to get it to the 'lower' state, the bridge will not lower.--[[User:Wattj|wattj]] 11:03, 26 February 2009 (EST)

== how to disconnect levers? ==

Is there a way to disconnect a lever from an object without destroying the lever and rebuilding it? --[[User:Shaver|Shaver]] 12:53, 2 January 2009 (EST)
:You can't, to my knowledge. Mechanisms in a lever and the connections stay in place until the lever is deconstructed. I use a lever for cage traps in an arena, and after every 'round' I need to rebuild it to get back the mechanisms I used. --[[User:Eddie|Eddie]] 14:17, 2 January 2009 (EST)

40d Talk:Farm plot

2009-02-06T19:52:49Z

Wattj:

==Equipment==
I forgot to designate a farmer(plot) at the prepare screen. I added the task to my fisherdwarf, there is no free water on the map so he cannot fish anyway, but he refuses to farm (even though he created a plot).

Should he need any eqiupment which I don't have due to my oversight?

Thanks[[User:GarrieIrons|GarrieIrons]] 05:48, 8 January 2008 (EST)

:<s>AFAIK, you need *some* skill level to build a related building. Meaning grower is one of those skills you need atleast a single skill point in to use. Best bet is to either survive on hunting and herbalism, or restart. --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 07:12, 8 January 2008 (EST)</s>

::The plot is ''built'' - but they refuse to plant it. Having looked at [[soil]] - is that because it is ''sandy loam''? It isn't on the list at that article. Maybe it's time I learned how to [[irrigate]]?[[User:GarrieIrons|GarrieIrons]] 07:30, 8 January 2008 (EST)

:::If you built the plot, then it should be farmable. You have seeds and have told that plot to use those seeds, right? If so, I don't know why the fisher's not farming. Will other dwarfs farm with the labor on? --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 20:17, 8 January 2008 (EST)

:: you do not need any level of skill to build anything edward, just need to turn on that job type. [[User:Chariot|Chariot]] 22:02, 8 January 2008 (EST)

==Suggested size==
Anyone got a better estimate than "25 squares will get an undefined number of dwarves through one winter"? On that note, do dwarves eat more during winter? --[[User:Juckto|Juckto]] 06:44, 6 May 2008 (EDT)
:A 25 square plot growing plump helmets can easily provide food and beer indefinitely for 40-50 dwarves with a low skill dedicated grower. A high skill dedicated grower can easily support 80-100 dwarves. Only thing to be careful of would be the grower going on break, but placing a second or third grower should enable you too support a fort without worry. All previous testing seems to indicate that dwarves do not eat more during winter.--[[User:Metalax|Metalax]] 08:35, 6 May 2008 (EDT)
:I use 25-square plots as well, and rotate crops to ensure variety in my food & drink offerings. I use a brewer and a cook to turn [[sweet pod]] and [[quarry bush]] into high-value ingredients, and I grow (inedible) [[pig tails]] so that I'll have bags to store my [[quarry bush leaves]] and [[whip vine flour]]. Even after all of that, I find two 25-square plots quickly fill up my food supplies to overflowing. I can also usually afford to trade away the ten most valuable stacks of food in my fortress in exchange for most of what a caravan brings me.

==Fertilization==
I know that potash is used for fertilization, sometimes I have potash lying around, but I can't fertilize. There needs to be a section to explain how fertilization works.--[[User:RustyMcloon|Rusty Mcloon]] 10:54, 31 July 2008 (EDT)

== Caveat ==

If you build a farm plot and the majority, but not all of the tiles are underground, the plot will be an underground plot, but will be completely unusable. There's no notification of any sort to tell you this and it'll just look like your farmers are lazy. --[[User:Xonara|Xonara]] 09:58, 25 October 2008 (EDT)

==Reclaim fortress mode==
I recently had my fortress over-run by demons (the hard kind). After sending out three parties in succession to reclaim my fortress, I finally cleaned them all out. To my surprise I noticed that all my farm plots said "No seeds available" or something of the likes. I figured it was because the plots didn't count as my owned buildings somehow. I proceeded with two actions: I removed and reconstructed a couple of the plots, this seems to have worked; I also re-flooded the remaining plots, and this definetly worked.
In conclusion it is safe to assume that when a fortress is lost, any farm plots (subterranean at least) will become dried-out. And need to be re-irrigated. --[[User:Liqum|Liqum]] 08:07, 3 February 2009 (EST)

== Overuse of plots? ==
I tend to use several small plots rather than one large one... I like to grow a constant variety. As an example, I have ten 9x9 plots above ground to grow a variety of those sorts of crops. I had them built in the autumn and instructed dwarves to plant them in autumn/winter, which they happily did.

However, towards the end of winter, I noticed nothing there. Looking at the plant menu, almost all crops were listed in red, as if no seeds were available. However, I received no such messages (i.e. no seeds available), and checking my stocks I have tons of seeds available.

Is it possible to overplant/overuse a plot? I imagine, if so, that I might reach such saturation quickly with such small plots and such skilled/numerous planters. --[[User:Mattmoss|Mattmoss]] 11:50, 6 February 2009 (EST)

:From the Farming FAQ: "Why are crops sometimes displayed with red writing" (Yeah, there's no question mark. That's not allowed.) Answer: "Because it is too late in the [[season]] to plant that kind of [[crop]]. Year-round crops, like plump helmets and dimple cups, cannot be planted at the end of winter."--[[User:Wattj|wattj]] 14:52, 6 February 2009 (EST)

User:Wattj

2009-02-05T03:05:46Z

Wattj:

{{Noble
| noble=Wattj
| quarters=Meager Quarters
| dining=Fully Stocked and Equipped Kitchen
| office=Photo Studio
| stands=Bogen Manfrotto tripod
| cabinets=2 LaCie Porsche 250G external HDs
| chests=Domke F2, black
| racks=1 folding handcart
| tomb=cremation and composting preferred
| arrival=
<div style='text-align: center; padding: 0.2em 0'>''Early'' ''(If you don't plan to arrive early, you are planning to arrive late.)''</div>
| function=
* Play Dwarf Fortress
}}

Who I am to you, the DF obsessive: 

1. I'm one of you. Duh. 
2. I am ''starting'' to learn to keep a decent military force... After many aborted fortresses and about 8 years into my latest and greatest. 
3. I run the game on a MacBook Pro and eventually, it tends to get to be too much even for this relatively recent, relatively powerful computer to handle, and gets so slow I get tired of it and start a new world. 
4. My current fortress has lost about 8 dwarves to lack of shells and silk, and 1 to lack of sand. I'm not sure how many dwarves have been imprisoned because I don't have Adamantine, but as yet I don't think anyone has died for this. Beyond that, I think I have almost everything ''big'' in my map, including plentiful supplies of flux, magnetite, magma, and bauxite. A friend told me that harvesting tower-caps leaves a random floor material, but as yet, I'm still hoping that I don't get another glass maker in a Mood. Shells are no longer an issue. 
5. I have a tame dragon and a tame hydra. I'd really like to have a breeding pair of each. And yes, I breed macaques and I intend to breed mountain goats and gophers. 
6. Apparently, the King wants more roads. He wants more offerings, too, but that's probably because dwarven traders didn't come to my Fortress for about 6 or 7 years (well, one time they came and were INSTANTLY ambushed.) 
7. I try to produce every growable crop, and yes, that means I have giant tower-cap farms. 
8. I haven't yet played with editing the raws. If I did, I'd just invent more things to make, grow, breed, sell... 
9. My last fortress had a wicked cool artificial waterfall, but it only ran for a brief time. I'm close to starting a waterfall in my present Fortress. It should run in perpetuity, but it will be a lot less ambitious in scope. 

--[[User:Wattj|wattj]] 18:19, 28 January 2009 (EST)

(Yeah, I stole the sidebar from [[User:Kami|Kami]]. Thanks, [[User:Kami|Kami]]! --[[User:Wattj|wattj]] 22:05, 4 February 2009 (EST))

Talk:Dwarf Fortress:About

2009-02-02T02:29:35Z

Wattj:

Should this be moved to [[DwarfFortressWiki:About]], to be in the same location as that link in the footer? --[[User:Sukael|Sukael]] 15:56, 29 October 2007 (EDT)

:Well this page is about the game, and the other page is about the wiki, right? --[[User:BahamutZERO|BahamutZERO]] 15:59, 29 October 2007 (EDT)

::True. I'm not sure what you could really say about the wiki independently, though, given that it's pretty much completely focused on the game. --[[User:Sukael|Sukael]] 16:01, 29 October 2007 (EDT)

== Steep ==

The common usage currently is correct as it is presented in this article, but this is not correct with respect to the metaphor or the original usage. A learning curve is measured as skill in the vertical (Y) axis, over time in the horizontal (X) axis. Thus a steep learning curve implies that one gains in skill very quickly, and while one might argue that this is true of Dwarf Fortress it is probably not what was intended in the article. To "correct" this would result in greater confusion than to leave it incorrect (since anyone who knows the correct usage is almost certainly aware of the incorrect but more common usage.) Still it irks me to see incorrect usage propagated. Should this be replaced with another metaphor? --[[User:Wattj|wattj]] 21:29, 1 February 2009 (EST)

40d:Magma

2009-02-01T23:36:04Z

Wattj: How to mass-produce obsidian.

'''Magma''' is red-hot molten rock present in [[volcano]]es (it is called '''lava''' after it is erupted), as well as magma pools and magma pipes. It serves as an energy source, powering [[magma forge]]s, [[magma glass furnace]]s and [[magma smelter]]s. It is extremely dangerous.

==Magma sources==
Magma occurs in three different features; Magma pools, Magma Pipes, and [[Volcano|Volcanoes]].

* A '''Magma Pool''' is a reservoir of magma that occupies only a few Z-Levels in the mountain, without reaching the surface. Magma Pools can be very small, and may have few suitable locations for buildings that rely on magma. Magma in these pools is limited, and pools will not refill with magma once emptied.

* A '''Magma Pipe''' starts at the lowest z-level of the map from a magma (or lava) flow and extend in a pipe shape upwards, sometimes reaching the surface but often not. Magma Pipes gradually refill with magma.

* A [[Volcano]] is similar to a magma pipe, but it has the advantage of being a geographical feature that is visible on the [[location]] screen. This means that it is a lot easier to find. However, it IS actually possible for a volcano that shows up on the "local" and region screen in the starting location chooser to be entirely underground - Although you could see it in the starting location chooser, it would not be visible from the surface once your dwarves have arrived at the fort's site.

== Finding magma ==

Volcanoes are visible on the "local" screen in the starting location chooser. It is represented as a red ≈ mark (a double tilde) - essentially it looks like red water. Note that red ≈ marks in the "region" screen mean something different entirely (e.g. red sand).
If you are using a certain [[utility]], you can also see magma pools and magma pipes on the local screen in the embark menu.
After you have embarked for a place that has a volcano, and once your dwarves have arrived at their target destination, you should see a large red pool of lava on your map. If you don't, you should expect your volcano to be somewhere underground. You then have to use [[exploratory mining]] to find it. If you can find a large patch of obsidian on the surface that is devoid of boulders, chances are there is a magma vent below, so that would be a good place to start your mining.

While picking a starting location, the easiest place to look for magma is on or near a [[volcano]] (a red ^ mark in the "region" screen). There are often volcanic islands (easy to find, since they are the sole land in the middle of oceans), but since sea travel is not yet implemented, trade with other races may not be possible on such islands. Instead, find a volcano on land, and (optionally) start looking for a vent in nearby squares. "Nearby squares" can mean anything from literally on top of the volcano, to adjacent, to quite a long distance away indeed. The placement of magma seems to be related to the distance from volcanoes, but is still essentially random.

Magma vents occur exclusively in world map tiles that are primarily igneous extrusive. That is to say, if you select an entire tile on the embarkation screen and press F1 to highlight the most common terrain, the tile will only have magma if the top stone is dark gray, signifying igneous extrusive rock. Magma does not necessarily form in this geological zone/biome, rather anywhere in the tile. Even if magma is not evident on the surface, it's almost certain to be underground somewhere, though the chances of finding it without reveal.exe are still slim.

Much harder than simply finding a magma vent is finding a magma vent that is also near suitable terrain for building. Depending on your requirements - you may be looking for a source of running [[water]], or a [[mountain]] for minerals, or a healthy [[tree]] population, a layer of [[flux]] for [[steel]] production or even all four - suitable building sites can be extremely scarce.

Since volcanoes show up on the region finder, and magma vents do not, you may find it easier to simply check all volcanoes on a map for suitability, and generate a new world if none are suitable, rather than scouring tile after tile for magma vents.

If you're willing to search exhaustively, you might want to consider finding magma vents that are not near volcanoes at all. Very occasionally, magma will be visible in the middle of forests, plains, or other terrain nowhere near a volcano or even mountains. There is no way to spot these on the region map, so you have to review the local maps. This can be done from DF, but since it involves a lot of scrolling and is very tedious, you can try exporting the local map of the world which can be much more quickly searched for the distinctive red ≈ symbol.

You can also occasionally find magma that does not extend all the way to the surface, and therefore is not visible on the local map. These are in fact much more numerous than surface-visible magma vents; however, they are almost impossible to find without cheating via one of the [[utilities]] like "reveal.exe", since unlike proper magma vents these smaller deposits must be almost literally mined into to see (you will get a warning about "warm stone" before you actually breach the deposit). These smaller magma deposits appear in the same places as normal magma vents - near volcanoes, or, failing that, near other known magma.

The newly-added "Site Finder" feature neatly sidesteps all of this legwork, allowing you to search for a site with a magma pool or pipe without having to manually check each tile on the world map. Note that unless you edit the .init file so that magma features are shown on the local map, you won't know exactly ''where'' the lava is prior to embarking- just that it exists. Depending on whether or not you like a little mystery, this can be turned on or off at will.

== Using magma ==

On a map with a magma vent, the magma will be clearly visible from every level ground and below, unless the map is in a Freezing area. In Freezing areas, the top few levels of the vent will have cooled to form an [[obsidian]] "cap". This should still be readily recognizable however, as it will comprise a circular area. The minerals directly adjacent to the magma vent will also be immediately visible, even at the lowest level of the map, which can give some hints about where to prospect for ores.

[[Image:magmacap.png|thumb|188px|Obsidian "magmacap" as seen from ground level]]

The vent has a similar, circular shape on each level. However, it is not identical from one level to the next; some levels will have a larger or somewhat misshapen circle of magma.

The primary use for magma is to power [[magma smelter]]s, [[magma glass furnace]]s and [[magma forge]]s. (There are other uses, including defense, [[obsidian]] production, and possibly even garbage disposal.) To build forges, etc. on magma, at least one of the external eight squares must be above a square of magma.

This can be done most easily by simply building on ground level. The magma is visible from ground level but is actually contained one level below ground level, just like any ground-level water source.

To build underground, you will need to dig at least one tile of a [[channel]] above the location you wish to build the smelter or forge. Underneath this channel there must be magma, either directly from the vent or channeled from the vent. You can simply build a tunnel straight into the magma, or use channels to tap into the magma on the level below safely - this latter is easier if there is more magma on the lower level than the level on which you wish to build. Tapping into magma directly is usually safe (see Pressure note below,) provided that you are prepared for it. Magma is much slower than water, and can be stopped by a simple [[bauxite]] [[floodgate]]. Take care however if you are using a [[screwpump]] to pump magma into a tunnel/funnel with a cistern below. The pump will make the magma overflow like it would with water.

Volcanoes and magma tubes slowly replenish their supply of magma.

Magma can also be used to produce [[Obsidian]], a stone which can be used to make swords at a [[Craftsdwarf's Workshop]], and has a base value of 3 instead of 1 for normal [[stone]] and 2 for [[flux]]. If you have a magma pipe and a non-exhaustible source of water, you can produce a non-exhaustible supply of obsidian. One method: A reservoir must be built with a controlled inflow of water. The floor of this room should be channeled out and replaced with one or more retractable bridges, linked to a (single) lever. One Z-level below the reservoir a 'channeling area' should remain empty. This area should cover the full area beneath the bridges plus a single row 'ledge' to the west or left (Access is only required from this side). The area beneath the bridges should be channeled one Z-level further. The easiest way to do this is one row at a time, from east to west. The ledge allows the last row to be easily channeled. In the lowest Z-level, access for stone haulers should be from the east side, and controlled by a [[magma-safe]] floodgate. Inflow of magma into this area should not be from directly above, nor should it be pressurized by pumping to a higher level. If obsidian is created in the channeling area (rather than in the magma reservoir area below it) one or more bridges will have to be destroyed, re-built, and re-mechanized to resume proper function. Therefore it is important that magma enters this area from one side.

The two reservoirs should be filled to at least 2 units depth (to avoid evaporation, in the case of the water reservoir, and to ensure that obsidian is created in the case of magma. Magma of depth 1 may be destroyed without producing obsidian.{{verify}}) It is not necessary that the depths be balanced, only the area, since water and magma are instantly destroyed when they come into contact, resulting in no spillover. In order to prevent flooding, the upper reservoir should be sealed before the bridges are retracted.

==Magma flow==

[[Image:Safemagma.png|thumb|188px|Magma safely diverted underground (cross section)]]

Magma is a chunky liquid and as such will not be forced upwards by pressure under normal circumstances.

Thus it can be safely passed through tunnels to be used at a lower point in the fortress.

A frequent mistake, however, is to assume that a channel is sufficient to cause magma to fall. While magma will not rise out of a channel, it can flow over the top once the channel fills up.

Another common mistake has to deal with magma pipes and volcanos in Freezing areas. Many people will channel into the obsidian cap and then into the magma through there. However, once a tile of the obsidian 'cap' is breached, the tile directly above the breach will then be included as part of the magma pipe and the magma will begin rising until it has filled that square. For fortresses that tapped into the magma, this can result in waves of magma slowly filling up the fortress from the bottom level up to the magma pipe's new top level. The magma can continue to rise all of the way to the surface if an entire section of the obsidian cap is channeled. The magma will not harden into obsidian again, though, just from the cold temperatures.

[[Image:Unsafemagma.png|thumb|188px|Danger: This will overflow (cross section)]]

(v0.28.181.40d:) Also note that screw pumps can cause magma to behave oddly. Magma that is emerging pumped from a screwpump will behave as if pressurized, and be forced upwards to the same level as the pump. However, this only occurs while the pump is actively pumping magma into a tile that is already full. It seems likely that this behavior is a result of code in the pump ignoring what type of fluid is being pumped, causing the pumped fluid to be passed to a connected tile as if pressurized. It may not be desired behavior, and thus may change in subsequent versions.

[[Image:Pumpedmagma.png|thumb|154px|Pumps will cause magma to rise to the level of the pump (cross section)]]

==Magma compared to water==

Magma is a chunky liquid. As such, it acts like water in certain circumstances, but acts differently in others.

===Similarities===

*Magma fills a tile and has seven possible depths.

*Magma flows outward and downward to expand into clear space.

*Screw pumps work in magma.

*Floodgates and [[pressure plate]]s work in magma.

*Constructed [[wall]]s of all kinds safely contain magma.

*Objects thrown into magma sink to the bottom.

*Magma that is only 1 deep "evaporates" over time.

*A magma-fall generates magma mist, just as a waterfall generates normal mist.

===Differences===

*Magma is extremely hot, and capable of melting objects and constructions made of most materials (see [[Magma#Magma vs. built objects|Magma vs. built objects]]) and thus destroying them.

*Magma is not normally pressurized, it seeps out of holes slower than water and slow enough for any [[dwarves]] to outrun, unless they are the ones digging into it.

*Magma flows up from a direct vertical line from the bottom of a [[Magma#Magma sources|Volcano or Magma Pipe]] only. Otherwise, its level may rise only by dripping more magma from above, and new magma may only distribute itself by moving down or to the sides, but never up.

*Magma reacts violently with water, releasing steam and, depending on the amount of magma, leaving behind tiles of solid obsidian which can be mined, smoothed or engraved like any natural tile.

*Magma is not a water source. Dwarves can't drink it or supply it to their wounded.

*Magma mist, unlike regular mist, will burn whatever it touches.

== Magma vs. built objects ==

Some objects that come in contact with magma will function fine, no matter what their material. Others will melt or cease to work properly unless they're made of [[magma-safe materials]].

* [[Workshop]]s that are powered by magma need not be built of magma-safe materials to function.

* Constructed objects like [[wall]]s, [[floor]]s, [[stairs]] and [[ramps]] can be made of any material, even those that are not "Magma-safe", and can come into contact with magma without issues.

* Like walls, [[door]]s can also be built out of any material and still hold back lava as long as it's in the "closed" position. It may be wise to make sure hallways/rooms close to an engineering project involving magma have plenty of doors, just in case you have a little too much [[fun]] when you forget to build that last [[floodgate]].

* [[Bridge]]s that are built over magma may be constructed of any material. However, bridges that are submerged in magma must be constructed of a magma-safe material.

* Most machines must be made of [[magma-safe materials]] to function for more than a few minutes in magma. This includes [[floodgate]]s. Unsafe materials will function for a while, but then burn away. Screw pumps will not melt, but will burn. Stone [[block]]s and [[copper]] [[pipe]]s/[[enormous corkscrew|corkscrews]] will not melt.

* Stone [[mechanism]]s attached to a construction will melt in magma unless made of bauxite or [[raw adamantine]], even if the construction itself is made of [[steel]]. In addition, if the mechanisms melt off of a floodgate, the floodgate will cease to be "constructed" and become an unplaced item again.{{version|0.27.176.38c}} At this point, the magma will flow over it freely.

== Magma creatures ==
[[Fire imp]]s, [[fire man|firemen]], [[magma man|magma men]], and [[fire snake]]s inhabit Magma. Fire snakes are a type of [[vermin]] that can set your fortress on [[fire]] with little to no warning. Like all other vermin, they may spawn a short distance outside their native environment, meaning they can appear in any region near a magma pipe, even if the region and magma have no physical connection.

== Temperature settings ==

Magma is almost harmless if temperature is disabled in the Dwarf Fortress init file. It can still trap and suffocate or simply starve your dwarves in some situations. It will not melt bridges, etc. constructed of non-[[magma-proof]] materials.

== Magma reactions ==

*Water: If magma happens to contact water it produces some steam and [[obsidian]]. Steam is no longer deadly (as in the old 2D version) so steam traps are ineffective; however, it is now much safer to cast large volumes of [[obsidian]] inside mined or constructed molds. The resulting slabs of [[obsidian]] are functionally identical to native stone.
*[[Brook]]s: If magma comes in contact with a brook, it will not produce steam, but will turn the water tile below the brook to obsidian, and give the brook tile the appearance of a dried-up brook.
*Rocks: [[stone|Rock]]s left over from mining will melt if magma covers them.
*Trees: [[Tree]]s will not (yet) burn or be destroyed by magma.
*Speed: Magma moves relatively slowly. While it is nearly impossible to try to seal off water let loose, magma is slow enough for your dwarves to build a floodgate or door, or even wall off the flooding area, if you happen to let magma loose by mistake.
*Pressure: Magma does not transmit [[water pressure|pressure]].
*In a volcano or a magma pipe, magma will occasionally appear in small columns above its surface [http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=26201.msg311730#msg311730] if it is below its original level. It will not be created above floors. It will be created in 7s, and will probably spread around in few seconds. This may be deadly to unlucky dwarves standing around. Therefore, to be sure to avoid casualties, do not build workshops except at the highest level of magma.

[[Category:Physics]]
{{Magma FAQ}}

40d Talk:Bridge

2009-02-01T22:26:55Z

Wattj: /* Channeling */

==Fluids vs bridges==
Does a raised bridge prevent the flow of fluids? Guess I'll experiment and see if I can answer my own question. [[User:Yvain|Yvain]] 21:21, 29 February 2008 (EST)
:Yes. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 04:55, 1 March 2008 (EST)

==picture: south-raising drawbridge==
Here's a picture of a bridge that raises South, to clear up any confusion over which direction bridges raise. [[User:Basilisk|Basilisk]] 18:03, 27 March 2008 (EDT)
{{qd|cols=8
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|╚|═|╝|.|╞|═|╡|.
|.|.|.|.|.|.|.|.}}

== Items... ==

When a creature is crushed by a bridge, what happens to the items they had?--[[User:Lordmick134|Lordmick134]]

:When the bridge lowers, it completely ans permanently destroys anything it crashes on. So, there will be absolutely nothing under bridge, when it raises back.--[[User:Dorten|Dorten]] 03:29, 4 April 2008 (EDT)

::Not true! I had trapped a goblin inside a room with a bridge in it, and set the lever connected to the bridge to be repeatedly pulled. The goblin was stunned at most.--[[User:CrazyMcfobo|CrazyMcfobo]] 09:37, 16 April 2008 (EDT)

:::The goblin was likely ''flung'' from the bridge after stepping onto the extended bridge which then raised with the goblin still on it. Crushing is definitely an irrevocable and utter destruction. --[[User:JT|JT]] 16:30, 20 April 2008 (EDT)

== Channeling ==

Checked the [[channel]]ing article, nothing there, either. I have a bridge that raises to the right to form a wall, part of my outer defensive perimeter. I was digging a channel around the fortification wall and wanted to channel under the bridge. I raised the bridge ... I cannot channel. It never creates the flashy 'this is gonna be channeled' designation anywhere where the bridge could lay over. I can channel any where else. I can also remove the bridge, channel what I want, and replace the bridge just fine. What gives? Is this a known bug? --[[User:Geofferic|Geofferic]] 02:35, 29 May 2008 (EDT)

:As far as I know you can't dig on constructions. When the bridge is raised it is still considered to be constructed there. (or something like that) I had the same problem with some retracting bridges. To fix it I just removed the bridges and dug the channels, and then rebuilt them. --[[User:Lotus|Lotus]] 10:13 (CST) June 11, 2008

::This is particularly applicable to the process of obsidian mass production. If you have a bridge-held reservoir at Z-level 1, and a magma reservoir at Z-level 0, you will have to destroy and rebuild (and re-mechanize) your bridges every time you make obsidian. To solve this problem, I re-routed my magma to Z-level -1, and left Z-level 0 as empty space. I also re-routed my access paths so that miners will arrive in Z-level 0 from the west side, (and channel East to West, one row at a time) and my stone haulers will arrive in the northeast corner, so they can start hauling stone as soon as it is channeled out. Although this took several false starts, it is now a highly efficient system. If I ever do it again, however, I will build MUCH bigger reservoirs... And way wider channels for the magma. It takes FOREVER to fill my magma buffer... Would pumping the magma fix this? --[[User:Wattj|wattj]] 17:26, 1 February 2009 (EST)

== Bridges as a temporary wall ==

I want to build a wall by pulling a lever, to block off a tunnel three squares wide.
It is a mine tunnel with no channel above it.

How long should the bridge be?

It looks like this:
<div style="font-family: monospace; white-space: pre; line-height: 126.5%"><nowiki>
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ò▒▒▒
.........╥.........
.........║.........
.........╨.........
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
</nowiki></div>

[[User:GarrieIrons|GarrieIrons]] 05:12, 3 June 2008 (EDT)

Well, you have to be careful. Don't forget, by raising a bridge, you can potentially obliterate your dwarves in the process. So try not to make it too wide. --[[User:AlexFili|AlexFili]] 05:41, 3 June 2008 (EDT)

:My question is, if I make it too long will it smash into the roof or anything?[[User:GarrieIrons|GarrieIrons]] 06:09, 3 June 2008 (EDT)

::As far as I know of, it won't smash into the roof. The only concern is that if the bridge is too long, a dwarf may get accidently crushed. --[[User:AlexFili|AlexFili]] 06:14, 3 June 2008 (EDT)

:::Buildings that span multiple/variable z-levels are, at the current time, not possible. So, just build a 1x3 bridge, set it to raise west or east, and you have a wall! A toggleable wall! --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 09:09, 3 June 2008 (EDT)

::::I'd suggest doing a 2x bridge, as you'll have to track down the lever anytime you're curious as to whether the bridge is up or down, as a 1x or x1 bridge looks the same raised or lowered when raised on it's short axis. (e.g. the bridge above would look the same raised or lowered.) --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 09:59, 18 June 2008 (EDT)

== Retractable/drawbridge ==

How can you specify which type of bridge you want to build? --[[User:AlexFili|AlexFili]] 05:45, 3 June 2008 (EDT)

:When you go to place a bridge, by default it retracts. If you press wadxs you change the direction it raises: w = north, a= west, d=east, x=south, s=retracts. I don't know how to set the direction it retracts though.[[User:GarrieIrons|GarrieIrons]] 06:12, 3 June 2008 (EDT)

::So if it retracts, it creates an impassable wall? -[[User:AlexFili|AlexFili]] 06:15, 3 June 2008 (EDT)

:::No, it disappears. If it raises, it creates an impassable wall, whose direction is the same as the raise direction. Try it out.
:::And, Garrie, it isn't possible to set retract direction since there is no such thing. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 09:09, 3 June 2008 (EDT)

::::Well I guess it doesn't really matter which way it retracts... although if a bridge is built outward from a cliff running east-west out to the chasm which is to the north then obviously the bridge retracts back to the edge it is anchored at (it can hardly retract back into mid-air...).[[User:GarrieIrons|GarrieIrons]] 23:22, 6 June 2008 (EDT)

:::::Oh, really? --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 23:32, 6 June 2008 (EDT)

::::::well I guess applying common sense to DF might not be the best idea... but common sense would [bold]suggest [/bold] the bridge retracts back to where it was built from.[[User:GarrieIrons|GarrieIrons]] 00:03, 7 June 2008 (EDT)

:::::::We don't use BBcode here. I don't think that even is BBcode, but it is in that style. To make '''bold text''', type <code><nowiki>'''bold text'''</nowiki></code>.
:::::::And you're right that applying common sense to DF doesn't work. Even the least of peasants can carry thousands of pounds pebbles in a backpack. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 09:06, 7 June 2008 (EDT)

== Bridge-on-bridge action ==

I've just added a note about retractable bridges being able to be built using existing bridges as support. However I'm currently unable to test what happens when an intermediary bridge is retracted or raised (I have no stone for mechanisms!). I'm assuming that any bridges relying on the retracted/raised bridge for support will collapse, but it should be tested (and noted), if someone else has the time and inclination! [[User:Raumkraut|Raumkraut]] 12:04, 14 June 2008 (EDT)

: I can confirm that when the first bridge is retracted the second one deconstructs. And also if you choose to do your testing using extreme cliffs and "accidently" make 6 of your 7 dwarves stand on the second bridge then they will die a horrible death after falling 18 stories. --[[User:Makuus|Makuus]] 16:54, 16 June 2008 (EDT)

::What if you raise both of the bridges at the same time? --[[User:AlexFili|AlexFili]] 05:48, 17 June 2008 (EDT)

:::The same thing happens, the second bridge deconstructs again --[[User:Makuus|Makuus]] 13:48, 22 June 2008 (EDT)
::::I attempted this quite some time ago, I think. I had something like ten bridges in a row built off a cliff, and retracted them all at once with one lever. All but the first one (which was connected to the cliff) shattered into stones instantly. --[[User:SL|SL]] 10:29, 23 July 2008 (EDT)

== lockdown system ==

in one of my old forts i had a setup so if the opponent got near my bridges a lever would be pulled and the opponents would fall into the lava with a godlike imp in it, it would use multiple bridges however and i would have to rebuild atleast 1, it was sort of like a tesselation of crosses

== Flying Bridge ==
Build stairs up. Build stairs down atop it. Build a retracting bridge extending into open air from the downstairs. Link the retracting bridge to a lever. Pull the lever to retract the bridge. Deconstruct the down stairs. Deconstruct the up stairs. Pull the lever. Remove the lever. Bridge flies. [[User:Rkyeun|Rkyeun]] 11:38, 18 July 2008 (EDT)
:Shame this can't be used to build eg. twisty retractable catwalks due to the above confirmations in Bridge-on-bridge action. :/ --[[User:Heron|Heron]] 09:46, 23 July 2008 (EDT)
::You could probably get something similar by just having occasional pillars sticking up, constructed by building towers of stairs, building a wall adjacent, then deconstructing the stairs. If you have each bridge anchored to one pillar, you ought to be able to get many retractable bridges in a sequence. --[[User:AlexChurchill|AlexChurchill]] 12:08, 23 July 2008 (EDT)
:::More testing. Retracted bridges never deconstruct. Make a chain as long as you like by keeping them all retracted until scaffolding is removed. Un-retracting bridges never deconstuct nor cause deconstruction. To make a path of multiple flying bridges build a scaffold for the first bridge, retract it, deconstruct the scaffold, build the second scaffold, retract that bridge, deconstruct that scaffold, and so forth. You can then unretract all bridges in any order and they'll all stay up. Retracting them again in any order caused them to fall. [[User:Rkyeun|Rkyeun]] 09:00, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

== Stockpiles under bridges ==

I tried to make a refuse stockpile with a drawbridge over top, and I couldn't place the stockpile where the bridge would lower onto. Can anyone else confirm this for the new version? [[User:Falcondude|Falcondude]] 11:05, 31 July 2008 (EDT)
:Yeah, that won't work. If you are trying to make a garbage compactor, make a ledge and designate a garbage dump with (i) that will drop the items where the bridge will close.[[User:Trevlyn13|Trevlyn13]]

::You don't need to make a ledge. Just retract the bridge (so you aren't dumping ontop of it) and make a garbage dump zone where the bridge will close. Voila --[[User:Sinergistic|Sinergistic]] 01:03, 21 January 2009 (EST)

== Drawbridge vs colossus ==

Yesterday a bronze colossus got trapped between my 2 moats, right under the drawbridge. It was too close to the catapults so that the operators wouldn't fire them, so I tried to crush it with the bridge.
My bridge broke instead.
(later I killed it by shooting hundreds of arrows)
If anyone could replicate this, and also experiment with other megabeasts....
(actually I made this account to tell people about this)
[[User:nautilusfossil|nautilusfossil]]
:As far as I know, Dwarven Atom Crushers™ break on megabeasts and demons. Cage Traps are the way to go for megabeasts, but demons are immune against them.
:I don't know about semi-megabeasts considering bridge-breaking. [[User:MC Dirty|MC Dirty]] 18:17, 19 September 2008 (EDT)

== Dwarves negative thoughts regarding crushed friends ==

Dwarves respond to friends or family members being crushed by a drawbridge as if they'd been killed & then not buried: "He was forced to endure the decay of a sibling lately. He lost a sibling to tragedy recently." (I'm certain this was due to the drawbridge, as all the siblings *except* the one that was crushed had these negative thoughts. Nobody else in the family had been killed by anything yet.) --[[User:Sev|Sev]] 14:49, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

== Melty mechanisms... redux? ==

Curiosity kills my dwarves - I'm not wasting the time to do this myself. Will mechanisms melt out of bridges that are submerged in magma? --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMaria]] 22:31, 28 September 2008 (EDT)
:I have no idea, this is a good question. While writing a reply of my thoughts I kept re-thinking some things. If Magma passes over the bridge I'm pretty certain that the mechanism will act like a flood gate's. It will not melt away as long as you don't raise the bridge. If you do raise the bridge, the mechanism will melt away and the bridge could do a number of things. Before I keep typing about what I think will/could happen, I'm just going to go ahead and pass on a wall of text. [[User:Dakira|Dakira]] 1844, 28 September 2008 (PST)
::But fluids cannot enter the tile of a raised bridge, whereas they can enter the tile of a lowered bridge. In this way, a raised bridge would be analogous to a _closed_ floodgate, and a lowered bridge to an _open_ one. [[User:Random832|Random832]] 21:51, 25 November 2008 (EST)

GO GO GADGET TEST MELTY MECHANISMS --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMaria]] 00:25, 16 January 2009 (EST)
:Nope, doesn't work. The mechanisms melted... and just when I was making to re-pull the lever, too. D: --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMaria]] 01:05, 16 January 2009 (EST)

== Bridges and wagons? ==

Is is possible for wagons to drive over bridges? I would assume so, but I don't want to get hasty. --[[User:W-dueck|w-dueck]] 23:50, 3 December 2008 (EST)
:yes, anything can pass over them. [[User:Dangerous Beans|Dangerous Beans]] 00:29, 4 December 2008 (EST)
:: Okay, thanks. Now that the mean kobolds can't escape when they steal my stuff, I am free to bludgeon them with random objects! --[[User:W-dueck|w-dueck]] 18:39, 4 December 2008 (EST)
:::You have to spot them first, though. Put war dogs on restraints in a recessed area that leads to the trade depot.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 22:08, 4 December 2008 (EST)

== Indestructible Caravan ==
I needed to test out my whammer slammer bammer on something but no goblins volunteered for so long I was forced to attack the dwarven caravan instead. The mighty bridge swung down upon the lone wagon and was riven like a banana dipped in liquid nitrogen, leaving the wagon unscathed. If we could breed and train war wagons we'd rule the world. The 3-tile-wide parts of it anyway. --[[User:Corona688|Corona688]] 18:55, 9 December 2008 (EST)

:But a single cave swallowman can scuttle an entire wagon in two milliseconds. Maybe wagons count as a megabeast? --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMaria]] 23:00, 9 December 2008 (EST)

:Funny. I dropped a bridge on a Mangrove Wagon yesterday, and the wagon vaporized like any other sap. It was an iron bridge - maybe that's the difference? --[[User:HMS Prancytime|HMS Prancytime]] 16:15, 1 February 2009 (EST)

== Megabeasts break bridges even without atomsmashing? ==

Situation: I captured a Titan and pitted it onto a drawbridge from a platform a Z-level above. The drawbridge is retractable and linked to a level. Logically, pulling the level will make the drawbridge retract and the Titan will plummet to his death.

But it didn't happen. The bridge refuses to budge. I haven't got a message about it whatsoever.

Is it possible for a Titan to break ''any'' drawbridge operation whatsoever no matter the end result?

--[[User:Shurikane|Shurikane]] 22:34, 6 January 2009 (EST)

:<s>Yes. A bridge is a non-construction building. Therefore entities with [BUILDINGDESTROYER] can nuke them.</s> I doubt it. Did you find any mechanisms lying around, like next to the lever? --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMaria]] 00:02, 7 January 2009 (EST)

::Nothing unusual to report. As far as I see, everything should be functioning normally. The Titan, by the way, does not move around. He stays right where I dropped him... --[[User:Shurikane|Shurikane]] 12:25, 7 January 2009 (EST)
::Update: here's what I found out. A megabeast standing on a bridge will prevent said bridge from functioning. In my case, this means a retracting bridge will refuse to retreact unless the megabeast steps off or dies. --[[User:Shurikane|Shurikane]] 11:02, 10 January 2009 (EST)

== Rain filling up ponds ==

Hi all. I just noticed something strange. I have a fortress without flowing water where it is hot (the ponds dry up) The evaporation depends on weather it is covered or not (I verified this 40d) But, if it is covered, then it doesn't refill with rain. So I thought, how about a retracting bridge. Nope. Even if it is retracted, the pond doesn't refill when it rains. Oh well. Probably has to do with the construction note above.[[User:Kwieland|Kwieland]] 23:16, 19 January 2009 (EST)

40d Talk:Underground river

2009-01-31T20:43:57Z

Wattj:

Assuming that there's some logic behind underground river locations, it seems to me that the following might be good places to look: 'Upstream' from the source of a regular river (perhaps that river doesn't start there, but that's simply where it makes it to the surface first), in an area without many visible surface rivers (rain falls and has to go somewhere), and in areas with lots of limestone, which is where a lot of real-world underground rivers are. [[User:NPComplete|NPComplete]] 13:18, 4 December 2007 (EST)

It is in my understanding that underground rivers spawn cave fish. Also, above ground rivers channeled under ground do not spawn cave fish. Can someone verify this? --[[User:Flaa|Flaa]] 12:55, 22 April 2008 (EDT)

:As far as I'm concerned creatures spawn only in respectable biomes. When you channel to cave river this biome does not extend up. It cannot be extended in any direction. If you could block flow of the cave river you could make small pond, from which cave fishes could travel up the channels to the aboveground river, but they will never spawn there.--[[User:Someone-else|Someone-else]] 14:38, 22 April 2008 (EDT)

In the current version (38c) underground river creatures do get caught in cages. I can verify this, I have a pit full of cave crocodiles, and I've caught numerous lizardmen. -- [[User:Lotus|Lotus]] 9:58, (CST) June 11, 2008

==Flooding==

Do cave rivers still flood seasonally like in the 2D versions? [[User:Extar|Extar]] 15:11, 30 August 2008 (EDT)

== Odd River ==

I have a very... odd river. It starts out as mist, in the middle of nowhere, and counts as a waterfall, then it goes on for a screen, then falls off a chasm.
http://s4.tinypic.com/6sgi90.jpg
The entire area 1z above is empty space the same size as the river. Then above that, rock. Where is the water comming from?
It's mildly amusing, because random underground river creatures will spawn in it, swim around for a while, then fall into the chasm.
:A underground river tends to start within pure rock without any "real" reason. My actual map has one starting this way, too. It´s not as odd as yours. It goes south, then 1 z-level down, then nort-west, then down again, then east... There are five of these short parts before it goes down a chasm. I think this is normal when it doesn´t come from the edge or leaves the map.
::(I hope I'm doing this right. First comment.) My map has a river. It starts as the odd river described, a 'waterfall' which doesn't fall. From there, it travels west southwest for quite a ways, then has a sharp bend, to northwest, for a short way, and then it falls several Z-levels. After that, it travels north for a ways, then drops several more Z-levels, to a chasm. --[[User:Wattj|wattj]] 15:43, 31 January 2009 (EST)

User:Wattj

2009-01-28T23:20:58Z

Wattj:

Who I am to you, the DF obsessive: 

1. I'm one of you. Duh. 
2. I am ''starting'' to learn to keep a decent military force... After many aborted fortresses and about 8 years into my latest and greatest. 
3. I run the game on a MacBook Pro and eventually, it tends to get to be too much even for this relatively recent, relatively powerful computer to handle, and gets so slow I get tired of it and start a new world. 
4. My current fortress has lost about 8 dwarves to lack of shells and silk, and 1 to lack of sand. I'm not sure how many dwarves have been imprisoned because I don't have Adamantine, but as yet I don't think anyone has died for this. Beyond that, I think I have almost everything ''big'' in my map, including plentiful supplies of flux, magnetite, magma, and bauxite. A friend told me that harvesting tower-caps leaves a random floor material, but as yet, I'm still hoping that I don't get another glass maker in a Mood. Shells are no longer an issue. 
5. I have a tame dragon and a tame hydra. I'd really like to have a breeding pair of each. And yes, I breed macaques and I intend to breed mountain goats and gophers. 
6. Apparently, the King wants more roads. He wants more offerings, too, but that's probably because dwarven traders didn't come to my Fortress for about 6 or 7 years (well, one time they came and were INSTANTLY ambushed.) 
7. I try to produce every growable crop, and yes, that means I have giant tower-cap farms. 
8. I haven't yet played with editing the raws. If I did, I'd just invent more things to make, grow, breed, sell... 
9. My last fortress had a wicked cool artificial waterfall, but it only ran for a brief time. I'm close to starting a waterfall in my present Fortress. It should run in perpetuity, but it will be a lot less ambitious in scope. 

--[[User:Wattj|wattj]] 18:19, 28 January 2009 (EST)

User:Wattj

2009-01-28T23:19:27Z

Wattj: Introducing my DF obsessions.

Who I am to you, the DF obsessive:

1. I'm one of you. Duh.
2. I am ''starting'' to learn to keep a decent military force... After many aborted fortresses and about 8 years into my latest and greatest.
3. I run the game on a MacBook Pro and eventually, it tends to get to be too much even for this relatively recent, relatively powerful computer to handle, and gets so slow I get tired of it and start a new world.
4. My current fortress has lost about 8 dwarves to lack of shells and silk, and 1 to lack of sand. I'm not sure how many dwarves have been imprisoned because I don't have Adamantine, but as yet I don't think anyone has died for this. Beyond that, I think I have almost everything ''big'' in my map, including plentiful supplies of flux, magnetite, magma, and bauxite. A friend told me that harvesting tower-caps leaves a random floor material, but as yet, I'm still hoping that I don't get another glass maker in a Mood. Shells are no longer an issue.
5. I have a tame dragon and a tame hydra. I'd really like to have a breeding pair of each. And yes, I breed macaques and I intend to breed mountain goats and gophers.
6. Apparently, the King wants more roads. He wants more offerings, too, but that's probably because dwarven traders didn't come to my Fortress for about 6 or 7 years (well, one time they came and were INSTANTLY ambushed.)
7. I try to produce every growable crop, and yes, that means I have giant tower-cap farms.
8. I haven't yet played with editing the raws. If I did, I'd just invent more things to make, grow, breed, sell...
9. My last fortress had a wicked cool artificial waterfall, but it only ran for a brief time. I'm close to starting a waterfall in my present Fortress. It should run in perpetuity, but it will be a lot less ambitious in scope.

--[[User:Wattj|wattj]] 18:19, 28 January 2009 (EST)