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Editing v0.31:Exploratory mining
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| − | 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. | ||
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Potential dangers include: | Potential dangers include: | ||
*Hostile creatures which inhabit underground areas | *Hostile creatures which inhabit underground areas | ||
| − | *Large pools of liquids ( | + | *Large pools of liquids ({{L|Water}}, {{L|Magma}}) |
| − | * | + | *{{L|Hidden Fun Stuff|Fun}} |
==Strategies== | ==Strategies== | ||
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* ''Visibility'': '''100%'''. | * ''Visibility'': '''100%'''. | ||
* ''Reusability'': Very low. The long corridors aren't very useful, and can only be expanded to long, wide corridors. with the right use of walls you can make plenty of 3x3 rooms. | * ''Reusability'': Very low. The long corridors aren't very useful, and can only be expanded to long, wide corridors. with the right use of walls you can make plenty of 3x3 rooms. | ||
| − | * ''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. | ||
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: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. Or, you could hold down the left mouse button (designating your staircases) whilst changing Z-levels. You'll still need to do it for each shaft individually, but it can be very time-saving. | :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. Or, you could hold down the left mouse button (designating your staircases) whilst changing Z-levels. You'll still need to do it for each shaft individually, but it can be very time-saving. | ||
| − | ''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>░░▼░░░░░░░░░░▲░░▼░░░░░░░░░░▲ | ||
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* ''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. | ||
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* ''Visibility'': from 25% for the 6-grid to 4% for the 15-grid. | * ''Visibility'': from 25% for the 6-grid to 4% for the 15-grid. | ||
* ''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. | ||