v50 Steam/Premium information for editors
- v50 information can now be added to pages in the main namespace. v0.47 information can still be found in the DF2014 namespace. See here for more details on the new versioning policy.
- Use this page to report any issues related to the migration.
This notice may be cached—the current version can be found here.
Editing v0.31:Exploratory mining
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Warning: You are not logged in.
Your IP address will be recorded in this page's edit history.
You are editing a page for an older version of Dwarf Fortress ("Main" is the current version, not "v0.31"). Please make sure you intend to do this. If you are here by mistake, see the current page instead.
The edit can be undone. Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then save the changes below to finish undoing the edit.
| Latest revision | Your text | ||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | Once you've had enough | + | Once you've had enough {{L|Losing|fun}} to have a basic fortress working, it becomes necessary to dig down in search of ores, gems, water, etc. Exploratory mining attempts to dig out as little as possible in order to see as much as is possible, using clever digging patterns. |
{{av}}{{Quality|Exceptional}} | {{av}}{{Quality|Exceptional}} | ||
== Goals == | == Goals == | ||
| − | Minerals are quite common (as of v0.31.01), reducing the need for extensive exploratory mining to find raw materials. Instead, the goal of most exploratory mining will be finding special features like | + | Minerals are quite common (as of v0.31.01), reducing the need for extensive exploratory mining to find raw materials. Instead, the goal of most exploratory mining will be finding special features like {{L|Caverns}} and {{L|Magma}}. |
One might want to dig down to the caverns to find drinkable water, if the surface is all saltwater or winter-frozen ponds. | One might want to dig down to the caverns to find drinkable water, if the surface is all saltwater or winter-frozen ponds. | ||
== Dangers == | == Dangers == | ||
Potential dangers include: | Potential dangers include: | ||
| − | * | + | *hostile creatures which inhabit underground areas |
| − | * | + | *large pools of liquids ({{L|Water}}, {{L|Magma}}) |
| − | * | + | *Dehydration - dwarves are quite task oriented and may forget to break for a drink! (Consider giving miners waterskins) |
| + | *{{L|Hidden Fun Stuff|Fun}} | ||
==Strategies== | ==Strategies== | ||
| Line 47: | Line 48: | ||
* ''Target'': Any size. Clusters as small as a single tile are revealed. | * ''Target'': Any size. Clusters as small as a single tile are revealed. | ||
* ''Visibility'': '''100%'''. | * ''Visibility'': '''100%'''. | ||
| − | * ''Reusability'': Very low. The long corridors aren't very useful, and can only be expanded to long, wide corridors | + | * ''Reusability'': Very low. The long corridors aren't very useful, and can only be expanded to long, wide corridors. |
| − | * ''Bottom line'': Easy to designate, and a single miner will focus on one tunnel to the end or they take a | + | * ''Bottom line'': Easy to designate, and a single miner will focus on one tunnel to the end or they take a {{L|break}}. This method achieves the same visibility as hollowing out, but using a mere third of the labor. Ideal for hunting single-tile gems. As an added bonus, it is more efficient than a 3×3 design. |
Larger "tunnel" patterns are suggested to be dug in multiples of "3" to allow for later complete revealing with minimum effort. | Larger "tunnel" patterns are suggested to be dug in multiples of "3" to allow for later complete revealing with minimum effort. | ||
| Line 54: | Line 55: | ||
=== Ladder Rows === | === Ladder Rows === | ||
<div style="font-family: monospace; white-space: pre; line-height: 126.5%"><nowiki>░░░░░░░░░░░░ | <div style="font-family: monospace; white-space: pre; line-height: 126.5%"><nowiki>░░░░░░░░░░░░ | ||
| − | + | ............ | |
| − | |||
| − | . | ||
░.░░░░░.░░░░ | ░.░░░░░.░░░░ | ||
░░░░░░░░░░░░ | ░░░░░░░░░░░░ | ||
░░░░.░░░░░.░ | ░░░░.░░░░░.░ | ||
| − | . | + | ............ |
| − | + | ░░░░░░░░░░░░</nowiki></div> | |
| − | </nowiki></div> | + | * ''Labor'': 33% of the tiles are excavated (1 in 3). |
| − | * ''Labor'': | ||
* ''Target'': Any size. Clusters as small as a single tile are revealed. | * ''Target'': Any size. Clusters as small as a single tile are revealed. | ||
* ''Visibility'': '''100%'''. | * ''Visibility'': '''100%'''. | ||
| − | * ''Reusability'': Moderate. Alternating corridors can be mined out to create 5 tile wide rooms of any length... if the extra doors | + | * ''Reusability'': Moderate. Alternating corridors can be mined out to create 5 tile wide rooms of any length... if the extra doors isn't a concern. |
* ''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. | ||
| Line 97: | Line 95: | ||
* ''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. | ||
| − | :It takes a lot of keypressing to designate, although you can save some effort by designating every third row (as in the rows method, except with stairways) and then removing the designations ({{k|d}}-{{k|x}}) on all but every third column. Alternately, [[User:StrawberryBunny/Mineshaft.ahk|here]] is a ahk script to save your fingers. | + | :It takes a lot of keypressing to designate, although you can save some effort by designating every third row (as in the rows method, except with stairways) and then removing the designations ({{k|d}}-{{k|x}}) on all but every third column. Alternately, [[User:StrawberryBunny/Mineshaft.ahk|here]] is a ahk script to save your fingers. |
| − | ''For a discussion on optimizing travel times through mineshafts, see | + | ''For a discussion on optimizing travel times through mineshafts, see {{L|Mineshaft stitching}}.'' |
=== Diagonal ramps === | === Diagonal ramps === | ||
| − | The pattern as shown is 1 up-ramp every 7 tiles vertically, or 1/14 horizontally, though this could be turned 90 degrees. The downramps are shown, but are only designated on the next level down. (Be ''sure'' you know how | + | The pattern as shown is 1 up-ramp every 7 tiles vertically, or 1/14 horizontally, though this could be turned 90 degrees. The downramps are shown, but are only designated on the next level down. (Be ''sure'' you know how {{L|ramp}}s work before trying this one!) |
<div style="font-family: monospace; white-space: pre; line-height: 126.5%"><nowiki>░░▼░░░░░░░░░░▲░░▼░░░░░░░░░░▲ | <div style="font-family: monospace; white-space: pre; line-height: 126.5%"><nowiki>░░▼░░░░░░░░░░▲░░▼░░░░░░░░░░▲ | ||
| Line 113: | Line 111: | ||
░░░▲░░▼░░░░░░░░░░▲░░▼░░░░░░░ | ░░░▲░░▼░░░░░░░░░░▲░░▼░░░░░░░ | ||
░░▼░░░░░░░░░░▲░░▼░░░░░░░░░░▲</nowiki></div> | ░░▼░░░░░░░░░░▲░░▼░░░░░░░░░░▲</nowiki></div> | ||
| − | * ''Labor'': | + | * ''Labor'': 7.1% of the tiles are excavated (1/14). |
* ''Target'': Any size. Clusters as small as a single tile are revealed. | * ''Target'': Any size. Clusters as small as a single tile are revealed. | ||
* ''Visibility'': '''100%'''. | * ''Visibility'': '''100%'''. | ||
| − | * ''Reusability'': Moderate. 3x3 spaces cannot be created until at least one up-ramp is removed or a down-ramp floored over. | + | * ''Reusability'': Moderate. 3x3 spaces cannot be created until at least one up-ramp is removed or a down-ramp floored over. {{L|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'': In some ways the most efficient method of all, but difficult to designate and somewhat inconvenient (especially around the edges of the map). Awkward to stitch together. | * ''Bottom line'': In some ways the most efficient method of all, but difficult to designate and somewhat inconvenient (especially around the edges of the map). Awkward to stitch together. | ||
| Line 179: | Line 177: | ||
* ''Visibility'': 87/256 (34%) of the tiles are visible. | * ''Visibility'': 87/256 (34%) of the tiles are visible. | ||
* ''Reusability'': High. A 15×15 block of solid rock is extremely versatile when it comes to interior design. It's easily converted into a 7×7 block design, which may be further converted into a 3×3 block design. | * ''Reusability'': High. A 15×15 block of solid rock is extremely versatile when it comes to interior design. It's easily converted into a 7×7 block design, which may be further converted into a 3×3 block design. | ||
| − | * ''Bottom line'': This method is preferable when you are low on labor. It can easily accommodate parts of your fort, or serve as the precursor for a more thorough search. A 12×12 or 18×18 version are also valid options, with obvious | + | * ''Bottom line'': This method is preferable when you are low on labor. It can easily accommodate parts of your fort, or serve as the precursor for a more thorough search. A 12×12 or 18×18 version are also valid options, with obvious dis/advantages. |
=== Mine Shafts on a 6-, 9-, 12-, or 15-grid === | === Mine Shafts on a 6-, 9-, 12-, or 15-grid === | ||
| Line 200: | Line 198: | ||
▓▓▓▓▓░░░▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░▓▓▓▓ | ▓▓▓▓▓░░░▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░▓▓▓▓ | ||
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓</nowiki></div> | ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓</nowiki></div> | ||
| − | * ''Labor'': from under 3% (1/36) for the 6-grid to less than 0.5% for the 15 | + | * ''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. | ||
| − | * ''Visibility'': | + | * ''Visibility'': ''extremely'' low (4%). |
* ''Reusability'': High. Any area often needs a set of stairs (or more than one) leading up/down, and these would be the start of them. | * ''Reusability'': High. Any area often needs a set of stairs (or more than one) leading up/down, and these would be the start of them. | ||
| − | * ''Bottom line'': This method should be used when you are looking for | + | * ''Bottom line'': This method should be used when you are looking for {{L|caverns}}, or getting a feel for the various rock layers, or just hoping to get lucky with little effort. Grids larger than 15 may start to miss even large features such as large clusters, but can be used for identifying stone layers, and can always be filled back in later with shafts on a tighter grid. |
With any grid pattern, a (much) wider version could be used to start and to locate specific stone layers/areas, and then filled in later in a tighter pattern where you want if you're not lucky the first pass. If you plan to use the 3-grid pattern (for a 100% tile reveal) later, create your grid with intervals that are a multiple of "3". If you are only looking for veins, features or just don't care, then do as you will and play it by ear later. | With any grid pattern, a (much) wider version could be used to start and to locate specific stone layers/areas, and then filled in later in a tighter pattern where you want if you're not lucky the first pass. If you plan to use the 3-grid pattern (for a 100% tile reveal) later, create your grid with intervals that are a multiple of "3". If you are only looking for veins, features or just don't care, then do as you will and play it by ear later. | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
{{Category|Guides}} | {{Category|Guides}} | ||