Editing v0.31:Wall

{{quality|Exceptional|13:50, 7 March 2011 (UTC)}}{{av}}


A '''wall''' is either a {{L|map tile}} or a {{L|construction}} that blocks access to {{L|creatures}} and {{L|Flow|fluids}}. The appearance of a constructed wall is similar to that of a {{L|smoothing|smoothed}} natural wall but it works the same as any filled tile composed of mountain rock, {{L|clay}} or {{L|soil}}. Walls either occur naturally (e.g. a Rough-hewn Andesite Wall), or can be constructed. With constructed walls it is possible to create multi-level {{L|building}}s such as {{L|tower}}s complete with roofs by creating {{L|floor}}s on the layer above. A wall fills the tile it is in and creates a walkable space above it.

== Digging ==
As explained on the {{L|digging}} page, naturally occurring walls can be dug out using the {{Key|d}}esignations {{Key|d}}ig command, or c{{Key|h}}annel command.  These tasks are carried out by dwarves with the {{L|mining}} labor activated.

Natural walls can be designated for {{K|s}}moothing and {{K|e}}ngraving to improve the appearance and value of the wall.  These tasks are carried out by dwarves with the {{L|stone detailing}} labor activated.

== Construction ==

Walls can be built ''en masse''. To do this, use the {{K|b}}uild -> {{K|C}}onstruction -> {{K|w}}all command. The keys {{K|u}},{{K|m}},{{K|k}} and {{K|h}} are used to change size. Walls may be built on any square which does not already contain a structure, provided your dwarves can reach an adjacent square (this includes building a wall over empty air next to a floor, allowing for the construction of inverted pyramids). Diagonals cannot be built from, nor will they support constructions.

The important thing to remember is that all walls, floors and anything built with the {{K|b}}-{{K|C}} keys are LIFO - "Last In, First Out". That means that the very last designation you make will be the very first thing your masons will work on next! Once you master this concept, it can be used to your advantage, but only if you can plan ahead.

It is also important to remember that you cannot build on top of a constructed floor, but you can build a wall on top of another constructed wall, even though the upper surface of a wall is otherwise indistinguishable from a constructed floor. 

Constructed walls cannot be engraved, but can be carved into {{L|fortification}}s ({{K|d}}esignate - c{{K|a}}rve fortifications). They will block movement, but not {{L|liquid}}s or small objects such as {{L|bolt}}s.

Normal walls are considered 'rough'. By using {{L|stone}}, {{L|glass}}, {{L|wood}}, or {{L|metal}} {{L|block}}s, higher quality constructions can be built with increased value.  This can be particularly important when trying to maximize the value of a {{L|noble|}}'s {{L|room}}.

As with all {{L|construction}}s, the material used dictates which {{L|labor}} is required to perform the construction.

When building walls, your masons will carry the rocks themselves. A useful tip when building defences is to first make a rock stockpile nearby, and only allow one type of rock in it. When it fills up, remove it, and build the wall.

== Removing Walls ==

To remove a wall, open the {{Key|d}}esignations menu and select {{Key|n}} Remove Construction. This task will be carried out by any unoccupied dwarf, including {{L|children}} and {{L|noble}}s.

== Avoiding Entrapment ==

When building walls to close off portions of caves or mines, masons have a habit of standing on the wrong side and trapping themselves within.  If this occurs, you can always have the mason remove a piece of the wall again to escape, using {{k|d}}-{{k|n}} to designate the removal as mentioned above.

To avoid this happening in the first place, know that masons have a preference on which side of their work target they will stand.  Masons will stand on the side that is most orthogonal to the direction that they acquired the stone to build the wall with, even if it means stepping over the construction zone to build the wall.  A stone to the south of a wall will cause that wall to be built from the south, even if other directions are available and are a "higher priority" direction (directional priority used for mining and deconstruction) or will result in entrapment.

Masons do not like to stand on a queued construction, though, and will try another position to get at their work.  Planning the order of construction with this in mind, one can often avoid entrapment.  If you want to override the mason's preferred side, designate another construction or other activity to occupy the space in question, then suspend that work.  The mason will then avoid working from that space if at all possible.  Remove the suspended job {{k|q}}-{{k|x}} after the desired construction is complete.

If the preferred location is a spot where a building is already present then a suspended construction is not an option for keeping the mason safe.  In that case you will need to designate the areas that will trap the builder as a Restricted location {{k|d}}-{{k|o}}-{{k|r}}.  Once the construction is completed, assuming the dwarf doesn't trap himself anyway, you can clear that traffic designation {{k|d}}-{{k|o}}-{{k|n}}. Be aware, however, that this does not always prevent the mason from standing on the wrong side of the construction.

A sure-fire way to prevent a mason dwarf from walling himself on the wrong side is to place a door on the tile where you DON'T want him to end up. It might be necessary to build extra two wall tiles in order to install that door. One can then simply forbid the door and the dwarf will have no option but to pick the remaining side from which to complete constructing the wall. If built underground, the excess door will also work as an alarm system since building destroyers, namely Blind Cave Ogres and Forgotten Beasts, can and will destroy these doors, prompting a warning message, alerting the player to their presence.


== Notes ==
* Walls do not have any effect on {{L|Noise|noise}}.
* If a wall that is the only support for a structure is removed, it will {{L|Cave-in|collapse}}, most likely hurting any dwarves on or around it.

==See also==
*{{L|How do I construct a wall from a particular direction}}?

{{Buildings}}
{{Category|Buildings}}
{{Category|Constructions}}