Editing Exploratory mining

== Goals ==

== Goals ==

Potential dangers include:

Potential dangers include:

*Hostile creatures which inhabit underground areas

*Hostile creatures which inhabit underground areas

*[[Hidden Fun Stuff|Fun]]

*[[Hidden Fun Stuff|Fun]]

*[[FPS]] death from pathing and item count

*[[FPS]] death from pathing and item count

==Strategies==

==Strategies==

Patterns are represented by a unit tile. This unit tile is repeated throughout the area intended for excavation to create the desired pattern. Each pattern is analyzed with the above factors in mind. Note that single-floor patterns can be enhanced to explore one additional z-level by replacing mining designations with either channel or ramp designations; doing so effectively doubles their efficiency. Designating "down stairs" instead will reveal one additional tile directly below each tile mined.

Patterns are represented by a unit tile. This unit tile is repeated throughout the area intended for excavation to create the desired pattern. Each pattern is analyzed with the above factors in mind. Note that single-floor patterns can be enhanced to explore one additional z-level by replacing mining designations with either channel or ramp designations; doing so effectively doubles their efficiency. Designating "down stairs" instead will reveal one additional tile directly below each tile mined.

=== Hollow ===

=== Hollow ===

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* ''Labor'': 1 per every 3 tiles (~33%) of the tiles are excavated.

* ''Labor'': 1 per every 3 tiles (~33%) of the tiles are excavated.

=== Ladder Rows ===

=== Ladder Rows ===

* ''Labor'': 25% of the tiles are excavated (1 in 4).

* ''Labor'': 25% of the tiles are excavated (1 in 4).

* ''Target'': Any size. Clusters as small as a single tile are revealed.

* ''Target'': Any size. Clusters as small as a single tile are revealed.

* ''Bottom line'': A little more tedious to designate, but the increased re-usability and efficiency make this an attractive alternative.

* ''Bottom line'': A little more tedious to designate, but the increased re-usability and efficiency make this an attractive alternative.

* ''Note'': The [[Utility:DFHack|dfhack]] command 'digexp ladder' will automatically apply this pattern.<br style="clear:both;">

* ''Note'': The [[Utility:DFHack|dfhack]] command 'digexp ladder' will automatically apply this pattern.<br style="clear:both;">

=== Diagonal every 5 ===

=== Diagonal every 5 ===

* ''Labor'': 20% of the tiles are excavated (1 per 5).

* ''Labor'': 20% of the tiles are excavated (1 per 5).

* ''Target'': Any size. Clusters as small as a single tile are revealed.

* ''Target'': Any size. Clusters as small as a single tile are revealed.

A variation would put diagonals every 10 or 20, laying the groundwork to fill them in later for higher visibility if desired.

A variation would put diagonals every 10 or 20, laying the groundwork to fill them in later for higher visibility if desired.

=== Mine shafts, grid of every 3 tiles ===

=== Mine shafts, grid of every 3 tiles ===

* ''Labor'': 11.1% of the tiles are excavated (1/9).

* ''Labor'': 11.1% of the tiles are excavated (1/9).

* ''Target'': Any size. Clusters as small as a single tile are revealed.

* ''Target'': Any size. Clusters as small as a single tile are revealed.

* ''Bottom line'': You'll need to clear part of one layer to get the shafts started up or down (use one of the other methods to cover the area), but for one shaft at a time this method is, tile for tile, the most efficient for those with 100% visibility, and has a great reuse value.  In practice, however, if you have more than one shaft being dug at one time, up/down-mining can cause miners to jump around between shafts, wasting time.

* ''Bottom line'': You'll need to clear part of one layer to get the shafts started up or down (use one of the other methods to cover the area), but for one shaft at a time this method is, tile for tile, the most efficient for those with 100% visibility, and has a great reuse value.  In practice, however, if you have more than one shaft being dug at one time, up/down-mining can cause miners to jump around between shafts, wasting time.

=== Diagonal ramps ===

=== Diagonal ramps ===

* ''Labor'': 7.1% of the tiles are designated to dig (1/14), but 14.3% are excavated (1/7).

* ''Labor'': 7.1% of the tiles are designated to dig (1/14), but 14.3% are excavated (1/7).

* ''Target'': Any size. Clusters as small as a single tile are revealed.

* ''Target'': Any size. Clusters as small as a single tile are revealed.

* ''Reusability'': Moderate.  3x3 spaces cannot be created until at least one up-ramp is removed or a down-ramp floored over.  [[Ramp]]s are less convenient than stairs for many purposes (for example, digging out the wrong tiles around a ramp can make it unusable).   

* ''Reusability'': Moderate.  3x3 spaces cannot be created until at least one up-ramp is removed or a down-ramp floored over.  [[Ramp]]s are less convenient than stairs for many purposes (for example, digging out the wrong tiles around a ramp can make it unusable).   

* ''Bottom line'': Combines the advantages of diagonal and vertical digging, along with the benefit of ramps and channels excavating two tiles at the same time. The most efficient method of all, but difficult to designate and somewhat inconvenient (especially around the edges of the map).  Awkward to stitch together.<br style="clear:both;">

* ''Bottom line'': Combines the advantages of diagonal and vertical digging, along with the benefit of ramps and channels excavating two tiles at the same time. The most efficient method of all, but difficult to designate and somewhat inconvenient (especially around the edges of the map).  Awkward to stitch together.<br style="clear:both;">

=== 7×7 blocks ===

=== 7×7 blocks ===

* ''Labor'': 15/64 (~23%) of the tiles are excavated.

* ''Labor'': 15/64 (~23%) of the tiles are excavated.

* ''Target'': Veins and up, as the large 5X5 space left in each unit tile can easily conceal a small cluster. Small clusters will be found perhaps half the time.

* ''Target'': Veins and up, as the large 5X5 space left in each unit tile can easily conceal a small cluster. Small clusters will be found perhaps half the time.

=== 15×15 blocks ===

=== 15×15 blocks ===

* ''Labor'': 31/256 (~12%) of the tiles are excavated.

* ''Labor'': 31/256 (~12%) of the tiles are excavated.

* ''Target'': Large clusters are guaranteed, and unless you have particularly bad luck you should also find all veins, but there is no guarantee. Veins would only rarely be hidden in the large 13×13 space left.  The large 13×13 space left in each unit tile can easily conceal quite a lot.  

* ''Target'': Large clusters are guaranteed, and unless you have particularly bad luck you should also find all veins, but there is no guarantee. Veins would only rarely be hidden in the large 13×13 space left.  The large 13×13 space left in each unit tile can easily conceal quite a lot.  

=== Mine Shafts on a 6-, 9-, 12-, or 15-grid ===

=== Mine Shafts on a 6-, 9-, 12-, or 15-grid ===

* ''Labor'': from under 3% (1/36) for the 6-grid to less than 0.5% for the 15-grid (1/225).

* ''Labor'': from under 3% (1/36) for the 6-grid to less than 0.5% for the 15-grid (1/225).

* ''Target'': Large clusters and up (as above) and underground features.

* ''Target'': Large clusters and up (as above) and underground features.

== Cavern Discovery ==

== Cavern Discovery ==

A default worldgen will create a mixture of large and small cavern spaces, and these spaces may be either open or filled with rock columns. Small spaces can be missed entirely by a 1x1 shaft, and rock-filled ones can have their stone needles deftly threaded by your miners.

A default worldgen will create a mixture of large and small cavern spaces, and these spaces may be either open or filled with rock columns. Small spaces can be missed entirely by a 1x1 shaft, and rock-filled ones can have their stone needles deftly threaded by your miners.

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