Dwarf Fortress Wiki - User contributions [en]

v0.34 Talk:Lever

2013-02-22T00:34:28Z

13thEssence: Triggering track stops needs some additional research.

Track stops:
:I do not know how to time the trigger delay for track stops when they go from enabled to disabled. Both state changes need to be timed and added to the "Multiple Uses" section. [[User:13thEssence|13thEssence]] 00:34, 22 February 2013 (UTC)
:The peculiar behaviour for state changes when signals are sent to track stops from multiple connected triggers (not a "toggle' or "OR" as with other triggerable items) was tested with four levers. Not tested with pressure plates. I has suspicions this might be a problem with gear assemblies as well, but I have confirmed that is '''not''' the case. I have not tested other triggerable items, although I suspect they've been in common use long enough that unexpected behaviour would have been noticed and documented by now. [[User:13thEssence|13thEssence]] 00:34, 22 February 2013 (UTC)

v0.34:Lever

2013-02-21T23:58:40Z

13thEssence: /* Multiple Uses */ Added trigger activation info for track stops. Requires timing info and testing with pressure plates.

{{quality|Exceptional|07:05, 18 August 2010 (UTC)}}{{av}}

A '''lever''' is a building constructed from one [[mechanism]] on an empty tile. Once in place, it can be linked to one or more devices such as [[door]]s, [[bridge]]s or [[support]]s, permitting you to control these other devices remotely. Order the lever to be pulled through its {{k|q}} menu. A free dwarf will get assigned the job of pulling the lever. This dwarf might be a long way away, and the delay in pulling the lever can result in [[Fun]]. Levers also make good furniture choices when constructed with high-quality mechanisms.

[[Pressure plate]]s are like levers, but are triggered by creatures or fluids directly rather than by giving an order to a dwarf. If levers are too much [[fun]], a pressure plate may be a better choice. There is more information on trap design [[trap design|here]].

==Activation of the devices==
When a lever is pulled, the connected device(s) activates. What happens during activation depends on the linked device:

* [[Door]]s and [[Hatch]]es open and close.
* [[Support]]s collapse, potentially causing a cave-in (pulling the lever again won't re-assemble the support, cave-in or not).
* [[Bridge]]s raise and lower, or retract and extend, depending on the type of bridge.
* [[Floodgate]]s open and close.
* [[Gear assembly|Gear assemblies]] toggle between engaged and disengaged (disengaged assemblies can't support other machinery).
* [[Restraint]]s release the creature assigned to them (leaving the restraint attached to the creature and, at present, unrecoverable).
* [[Cage]]s are deconstructed, releasing their occupants (needless to say, this is irreversible!)
* [[Spike]]s raise and lower.

Different objects take different amounts of time to respond to activation; generally this is only a brief pause but it can be enough for a charging [[goblin]] to cover more than a few tiles.

==Linking==
One [[mechanism]] is required to construct a lever, and then two more are required to '''link''' the lever with a device. The link is made by selecting the lever with {{k|q}}, choosing the type of object you want to link the lever to, and then using {{k|-}} and {{k|+}} to choose the particular object. The list is chronological by order of construction, most recently designated last, and the map will recenter on each object as you scroll through the list.

Then you can choose what specific mechanisms you want to use to connect the device to the lever. The quality of a mechanism affects the accuracy of traps, but not the speed of activation. The first mechanism you choose is for the device end, the second for the lever end. This is important when working with [[magma]].

A lever can be linked to any number of objects, and each object can have any number of levers controlling it.

There is no way to de-link an object without disassembling either object or lever {{verify}}. When using a lever for a single-use purpose (cages or supports), the mechanism in the lever will remain in the lever, but the object and its mechanism will deconstruct. In this manner, a single lever might accumulate many mechanisms. Deconstructing the lever will free all these mechanisms and allow to reuse them - keep your permanent and one-time linkages to separate levers.

In contrast with [[pressure plate]]s, build order does not affect the timing of levers whatsoever. In any given tick, any levers will send their signals before any furniture receives those signals, so it as if levers are always considered to be built after the furniture they link to. In rare cases, it is possible for the order of arrival of the dwarf pulling the lever to affect the precise timing of lever-linked devices, as when using a hatch to drop a dwarf-- if the falling dwarf arrived later than the lever pulling dwarf, the dropping dwarf will take an extra tick to fall.

{{minorspoiler}}

When attempting to link a lever to upright spears/spikes, it will occasionally list the "upright weapon" related to [[hidden fun stuff]].

==On/Off vs Open/Close==
Levers normally have an "on" and an "off" state, seen as whether the small tag at the top of the lever is to the left ("off" state) or the right ("on" state). Upon being pulled, the state of the lever changes, and everything they're connected to updates to the ''corresponding'' state of that lever, and does not just ''change'' states ("toggle"). This becomes important if you have several levers attached to the same device, or one trigger attached to several systems.
:Example: 2 levers (both in "off" position) are connected to a drawbridge. After pulling the first lever, the bridge will lift. Pulling the second lever tells the bridge to "open", which it already has done - no visible effect. When it is pulled a second time it will let the bridge down. This in turn requires the ''first'' lever (still in "open/lift" position) to be pulled twice to trigger a change (lift again), and so on.

"On" and "off" state is fixed and dependent on the lever, not the object that lever is linked to:

* "dash to the right" ( '''ó''' ) is '''on'''
* "dash to the left" ( '''ò''' ) is '''off'''

Note, however, that gear assemblies are ''the sole exception'' to this: Instead of On/Off triggers, they indeed '''do''' toggle.

Several devices, such as [[floodgate]]s and [[bridge]]s, have a delayed response to all incoming signals, and will not respond to subsequent signals until the first has taken effect. For instance, if you pull a lever attached to a floodgate on then off in rapid succession, the floodgate will only respond to the first signal, independent of the position the lever rests in eventually.

In the unusual case that a device receives both an on and an off trigger in the exact same tick, the device will change states-- an open device will close, and a closed device will open.

==On/Off states==
Objects that can be controlled by levers include:

===== Multiple Uses =====

A "step" is not a step that a dwarf makes, and not based on [[Frames per second|FPS]]. It's one "step" that the game advances. When paused (via {{k|spacebar}} ), you can manually advance the game "1 step" by hitting the period ( {{k|.}} ) key.

* [[Bridge]] – Activates 100 steps after being triggered (see [[#Bugs|bug]] below)
** '''On:''' Turns the bridge into either a raised drawbridge, or a retracted bridge, depending on which option was chosen when the the bridge was constructed.
** '''Off:''' Returns the bridge to normal.

* [[Door]] – Activates instantly. Note that once you connect a door, it is either completely open or sealed shut. There is no "''closed, but can be opened by a dwarf''" state anymore.
** '''On:''' Opens the door.
** '''Off:''' Closes the door.

* [[Floodgate]] – Activates 100 steps after being triggered.
** '''On:''' Opens the floodgate.
** '''Off:''' Closes the floodgate.

* [[Floor hatch]] – Activates instantly. Note that, like doors, once you connect a hatch, it is either completely open or sealed shut.
** '''On:''' Opens the hatch.
** '''Off:''' Closes the hatch.

* [[Grate]] – Activates 100 steps after being triggered. When it is open, it just disappears. Liquids go through it just the same, but it will no longer function as a floor/wall (depending on its orientation).
** '''On:''' Opens the grate.
** '''Off:''' Closes the grate.

* [[Bars]] – Activates 100 steps after being triggered. When it is open, it just disappears. Liquids go through it just the same, but it will no longer function as a floor/wall (depending on its orientation).
** '''On:''' Opens the bars.
** '''Off:''' Closes the bars.

* [[Trap|Upright Spear/Spikes]] – Activates 40 steps after being triggered.
** '''On:''' Retracts spears/spikes.
** '''Off:''' Extends spears/spikes.

* [[Gear assembly]] – Activates instantly. When it is disengaged, no power goes through it and anything that is being kept up by its presence (like a [[windmill]] right on top of it) falls down.
** '''On:''' Toggles gear state.
** '''Off:''' Toggles gear state.

* [[Minecart|Track stop]] – Activation timing needs to be confirmed {{verify}}. When it is disabled, trackstops behave like the track (or floor) underneath them, and minecarts occupying the tile will not auto-dump or experience friction
** '''On:''' Disables the track stop.
** '''Off:''' Enables the track stop.
** Note: If multiple triggers (specifically levers; pressure plates have not been tested) are connected to a track stop, only the first '''on''' signal will alter its state, and subsequent signals will be ignored until the first '''off''' signal occurs. Once an '''off''' signal is received, the track stop will once again be enabled and additional '''off''' signals will be ignored. Therefore, in this case the state of the track stop will not necessarily correspond with the state of any particular trigger. (This behaviour is believed to be unique to track stops {{verify}})

===== One-Shot =====

These items, when activated, deconstruct, and/or cannot be triggered again until re-linked.

* [[Cage]] – Deconstructs the cage and releases all of its contents. The cage and its attached mechanism will be left on the floor nearby; you recover the [[mechanism]] used on the cage but you do not recover the mechanism used in the lever until you deconstruct the lever itself.
* [[Restraint]] – Deconstructs the [[Restraint|chain/rope]] and releases whatever creature it held. The restraint's mechanism will be left on the floor nearby, and the restraint itself will remain attached to the creature's neck; again, you recover the [[mechanism]] used on the restraint but you do not recover the mechanism used in the lever until deconstructing the lever itself.
* [[Support]] – Deconstructs the support, ideally without a dwarf next to it. Most commonly used to cause controlled [[cave-in]]s. The support's building material and its attached mechanism can both be recovered (unless they happen to get destroyed in said cave-in).

==Labeling==
There is no built-in indication of what a lever does, and pulling them to see what will happen can be immensely [[fun]]. Using the [[note]] function is the most foolproof way of labeling levers; color-coding of levers can give some indication too.

However, it is possible to ascertain whether or not a building has been linked to a lever by finding the building under {{k|R}} "View Rooms/Buildings" and then selecting {{k|t}} "Zoom to building items". A device that is actuated by a lever not only lists the components of the building but will also include a mechanism item. Viewing the lever itself this way will display one mechanism for each building the lever is linked to (plus one mechanism from the construction of the lever itself).

There is way to ascertain which lever is linked to what, but it becomes very hard when you have many linkable items. Find the lever, use "q" and then select "add new task". Try for every linkable thing in your fortress, to link the lever to it. If an object isn't available for linking, that's because it is already linked. Though this method isn't very usable to find the single linked item in all of them, it is useful when you forgot whether the left or the right lever was linked to the support.

Finally, the utility [[Utility:DFHack|DFHack]] provides a new GUI command "gui/mechanisms" which allows you to list and navigate mechanical connections from inside the game itself. This is by far the easiest and least tedious method to review your levers.

==Bugs==

* Linked devices that were prevented from operating on a previous trigger may engage immediately on the next trigger.

{{buildings}}

v0.34:Saguaro

2013-02-16T08:32:00Z

13thEssence: Added "rib" to wood name for searches ("saguaro rib wood logs")

{{Quality|Exceptional|11:22, 8 August 2010 (UTC)}}
{{Treelookup/0}}
{{av}}

'''Saguaro''' are a type of [[above ground]] [[tree]]. They are a cactus, and grow in [[desert]]s. Like the overwhelming majority of overland trees, saguaro rib [[carpenter|wood]] logs are brown and produce brown products.

<gallery>
File:Dead Saguaro.jpg|Saguaro wood
</gallery>

{{gamedata}}
{{Plants}}
{{Category|Surface trees}}

v0.34:Appraiser

2013-02-10T11:55:28Z

13thEssence: VERIFY: experience gain information is invalid. Actual method must be verified and added.

{{Quality|Exceptional|21:13, 9 June 2010 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 5:0
| skill = Appraiser
| specialty = [[Trader]]
| profession = [[Administrator]]
| job name = Admin/Noble
| tasks =
* Value all items
* Trade at Depot
| workshop = [[Trade depot]]
| attributes =
* Analytical Ability
* Memory
* Intuition
}}
{{av}}

The '''Appraiser''' skill relates to [[trading]] and item [[value]] estimation. It is gained by trading, but has no associated assignable [[labor]]. <s>Note that the skill will increase the first time the trading screen is opened for each caravan visit - a good way to train another dwarf is to assign him as [[broker]], make him go to the trade depot and (T)rade, exit and assign the "main" broker again and make him do the actual trading.</s> (Appraiser cannot be trained this way)

In order to have access to the monetary fortress value estimates in the {{k|z}}-[[status]] menu, as well as individual item values, a dwarf with the Appraiser skill must be appointed as broker in the [[nobles screen]]. (Note that this is not necessary for the display of item [[quality]] - the indicators near the item names - which will always appear.)

{{buggy}}
== Bugs ==
Currently, migrants who arrive with Appraiser as their highest skill are counted as "Friendly" units rather than as part of the fortress population.{{Bug|5098}} They linger at the edge of the map instead of gathering at a meeting hall, and so may delay a number of migrants from entering the map until they either get killed by something or decide to move aside.

{{Skills}}
{{Category|Noble Skills}}

v0.34:Judge of intent

2013-02-10T09:25:09Z

13thEssence:

{{Quality|Exceptional}}{{av}}
'''Judge of intent''' is a [[social skill]] used by dwarves while chattering amongst themselves and avoiding work. This is an important [[broker]] skill, as it allows the broker to tell how a trader feels about a particular deal.

To train this skill, let dwarves idle and chatter amongst themselves.

If your broker is Novice or better in this skill, you will get messages about your trading partner's willingness to trade. See [[Trade#Merchant_mood]]. It is possible for a dwarf who starts with Novice skill to become rusty by the time the dwarven caravan arrives, but a single small trade will remove the rust and allow the trader's mood to be gauged.
{{skills}}

v0.34:Stupid dwarf trick

2013-02-07T23:33:36Z

13thEssence: /* Flamethrower bunker */ Minor grammar: fixed a capitalization mentioned on forums

{{quality|Fine|13:08, 22 June 2010 (UTC)}}{{av}}

{{D for Dwarf}}

A '''stupid dwarf trick''' is any project that requires a large amount of time and effort - often for little or no practical benefit. They exist only as a challenge for experienced players.

==Adventure Mode Fortress==

Build a fortress specifically for exploring in [[adventure mode]]. You can either make a nasty monster-filled challenge, or a smörgåsbord of masterpiece adamantine weapons and armor. Possibly both. Breaching the [[caverns]] or [[hidden fun stuff]] should ensure the fortress is occupied.

'''Difficulty:''' The sky's the limit.

'''Usefulness:''' None for fortress mode, but filling it with high-quality equipment can certainly be useful for adventure mode.

==Alarm Clock==
Are your soldiers all sound asleep while blood soaks the walls? No need to deconstruct their beds one by one, ''if'' you bought the Dwarf Wakey 3000! Simply a solitary floor tile balanced on a support, one or more can be toppled with the pull of a lever to produce an earth-shaking racket that'll have them leaping for their axes!

'''Difficulty:''' Low.

'''Usefulness:''' Limited. They will sleep through <s>'''anything'''</s> Noise. Although have been known to awaken when drenched in water, only waking up due to thinking it's alcohol, making an Alarm clock not impossible, if carefully prepared.

==Alphabet Cages==
[[Image:Cage.gif|right]]
Use captured monsters in cages to spell messages.

'''Difficulty:''' Medium. Vowels are hard to come by.

'''Usefulness:''' Absolutely none whatsoever. (Easy reminders in case you're too lazy to use notes?)

==Aqueduct Power==
If your river's a long way away from your fortress, building a trans-map axle may be less efficient than building an aqueduct and pump stack driven by waterwheels in the river. The pump stack raises it to the height of your fort, where it flows through the long, long aqueduct and drives waterwheels on the other end. Getting the water pressure just right so it powers your waterwheel without flooding the fort can be [[Fun]]. Diagonal channels make good pressure reducers.

'''Difficulty:''' High. Lots of stone, lots of engineering, lots of dangerous outdoor work, lots of trial-and-error for the receiving waterwheels. Aquifers will absorb any amount of water at any rate. Using an aquifer as drain for the reservoir will nullify the risk of flooding the fortress due to the drain not keeping up with the supply.

'''Usefulness:''' High. As much water and power as you want, wherever you want, whenever you want.

==Aquifer Power==
Aquifers can be a resource of immense power. If you have two levels of aquifer, you can generate a continuous flow by draining one level of aquifer into another and plant waterwheels above it. One stream can power a lot of wheel.

'''Difficulty:''' High. Anything to do with draining aquifers is very [[Fun]].

'''Usefulness:''' High. The lowly windmill pales in utility compared to a waterwheel.

==Archaeological Excavation==
A Fortress in the Caverns, built by the first dwarf tribes. Build the Fortress however you see fit for those prehistoric Dwarves (i.e. only primitive metals, elaborate tombs for the chieftains with burial objects, cave art, etc.) and abandon it. Then, embark with modern Dwarves, and excavate the ancient Fortress. Sort of like the Adventure Fortress above, only for Reclaim Mode

'''Difficulty:''' As High as you want.

'''Usefulness:''' Not applicable.

*Bonus: A Museum detailing the lives of those early dwarves

==Artificial Waterfall==
To keep the waterfall going, you need a [[pump]] stack, preferably powered by a [[windmill]] or [[water wheel]]. Alternatively, an [[aquifer]], or other limitless water source, makes for a waterfall entirely underground.

'''Difficulty:''' Moderate (Low if there is an aquifer above pouring down).

'''Usefulness:''' Dwarves love [[waterfall]]s. Putting a waterfall in your [[meeting hall]] will give your dwarves good [[thought]]s, although it can significantly lower frame rate.

*Bonus: Build it in a "Warm" or hotter [[climate]] so it does not freeze.
*DwarfBonus: Build it in a freezing/cold/temperate climate and keep it going entire year!
*MegaDwarfBonus: Use [[magma]]. It does not freeze, even in a freezing climate!
*MegaDwarfBonusEXTREME+: Use magma and water in the same waterfall. The results will enshrine you in dwarf history! Possibly permanently.

==[[Ballista]] Battery==
Overlap a few ballistas to completely cover a narrow corridor. There is an unavoidable risk of your operators wandering into the line of fire.

'''Difficulty:''' Low. If you insist on highly-trained operators with high-quality ballistas, it gets harder.

'''Usefulness:''' A complicated and dangerous way to defend a single corridor. Ultimately extremely effective. Sometimes.

==Bastion==
Construct an isolated burrow containing a farmer and some labourers, containing at least an uncontaminated well (an [[aquifer]] is great for this) and some farms. Use whatever elaborate mechanism you wish to seal it off from the rest of the fortress. Congratulations; your bastioned dwarves and their descendants will keep your fortress alive forever until one of them goes nuts.

* Bonus: Build your bastion at least in part in a clay or sand layer, connect to magma (using a fortification in the channel to stop those annoying fireproof creatures from sneaking in), and continue manufacturing useless crap even as the world crumbles around you!
* Bonus: Build it on top of a tower outside, and then deconstruct the stairs up.
* Bonus: Fill it exclusively with vampires, to avoid having to worry about food, children, and aging.
* MegaDwarfBonus: Hollow out a shell around your bastion, connecting it to the rest of the cavern by a single 1x1 adamantine support, and flood the shell with magma.

'''Difficulty:''' Low.

'''Usefulness:''' High. If your bastioned dwarves have high enough quality living space and few enough nonbastioned friends, it makes the fortress functionally immortal.

==Bathtub==
Stop dwarves from hauling in tons of exotic, poisonous sludges into your fortress by creating a tub filled with 3/7 water that everyone has to get through to enter the fortress. Include a system to change the water, so that they don't bathe in grime.

'''Difficulty:''' Moderate

'''Usefulness:''' Low in most cases. High in some evil areas.

* DwarfBonus: Make it drain and refill itself with clean water automatically once in a year.
* MegaDwarfBonus: Clean it with magma.
* *MegaDwarfBonus*: Have an alternative bathtub-buffered entrance next to the main one, which opens automatically when cauterizing the main one and closes and cauterizes itself when it is no longer needed, so that no jobs are canceled during cleansing cycle.
* ≡MegaDwarfBonus≡ : Make it clean itself with magma automatically once in a year, but make it wait for the moment when it's unused, so that no dwarves or pets are incinerated.
* ☼MegaDwarfBonus☼: All of the above, plus make it detect when there should be no dwarves or pets around, but invaders are in it, so that the cleansing cycle can be started prematurely.

==Bolt Splitting Operation==
One curious property of Dwarven Physics is that a bar of metal makes 25 bolts, but if each of those 25 bolts is melted separately, they will become 2.5 bars, generating metal from nothing. Prior to the modification that allowed splitting stacks at the [[trade depot]], the difficult part was separating the stacks of bolts into individual bolts without destroying them. EliDupree originally discovered this trick:
{{diagram|spaces=yes|color=#888|\
∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙
∙++++[#05F]☻∙+++++++++
∙+∙∙∙[#0A0]┼∙+++++++++++++[#BBB]╬[#BBB]╬
∙+∙[#F00]g∙[#0A0]┼∙+++++++++++++[#BBB]╬[#FF0]@
∙+∙∙∙[#0A0]┼∙+++++++++++++[#BBB]╬[#BBB]╬
∙+++++∙+++++++++
∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙
}}

The yellow @ at the right is a stack of marksdwarves (all in different squads so that they'll stand on the same tile) equipped with [[adamantine]] bolts, standing on top of a stairway surrounded by [[fortification]]s. The blue ☻ at the left is a single [[Attributes#Agility|Perfectly Agile]] soldier with orders to patrol up and down the line of green doors, with little delays at the top and bottom. (The doors are free-standing; they were built attached to a wall, then the wall was removed.) The "g" at the left is a goblin standing on a pillar (pitted from the z-level above).

When the dwarf at the left runs up or down the line of doors, it opens all of them, and some of the marksdwarves loose their bolts. By the time the bolts get there, the doors have closed, so they hit the doors and fall into the channel, where they can be collected and melted separately. (That distance is exact, by the way. Any less and they sometimes get shots through the doors, which kills your goblin. Also, with less-skilled marksdwarves, some of the bolts will stray and land on the floors, but that isn't enough to worry about even with mere dabblers.) Naturally, this is also an excellent way to train marksdwarves.

'''Difficulty:''' Moderate. The hardest part is keeping the system running reliably.

'''Usefulness:''' Moderate. While there are certainly [[Exploit#Infinite_Adamantine_.2F_Metals|easier ways to generate adamantine]], this is perhaps the most dwarfy.

*Bonus: Build a [[repeater]] to open and close the doors automatically.

==Break the Dam (Release the River!)==
Dam a river (or brook) using something non-permanent (floodgates, drawbridges) and build your fortress entrance in the now dry river bed, make sure you can seal it off nicely (floodgates anyone?) then wait till the first Goblin siege, let them get to your entrance floodgates, seal them, open the dam and laugh manically

'''Difficulty:''' Low

'''Usefulness:''' Instantaneous death to all sieges

*DwarfBonus: Use magma.

==Bridge-a-pult==
A bridge that opens outwards, to fling enemies away. Ideally, they land in a very nasty place.

'''Difficulty:''' The hard part is the nasty place they get flung to.

'''Usefulness:''' There are far more effective ways to defend a fortress, but few are as entertaining.

==Dam==
Build a wall across a riverbed to stop the flow of water. Floodgates optional.

'''Difficulty:''' On a map that freezes in the winter, or an aquifer located below the river, this is easy. Otherwise, very difficult. (See [[dam]], or Moses effect, below. But with the bonuses it gets a bit harder.

'''Usefulness:''' Depends on how many bonuses you fulfill. The power station is obvious, and with the control room you could build up a nice defense system.

*Bonus: Excavate a reservoir and a lower river valley. 
*Bonus: Build a control center to control the water flow. 
*Bonus: Draw your entire energy from a power station within. 
*MegaDwarfBonus: Use screw pumps and another dam to replace the water with magma.

==[[Danger room|Danger Room]]==
A room full of upright spear traps linked to a lever or pressure plate. Teach your dwarves to dodge the pointy sticks!

'''Difficulty''': Low to Medium, depending on how you activate the traps.

'''Usefulness''': High. Trains combat skills very quickly, assuming you don't kill anyone.

'''Downside''': Civilians and pets that wander into the danger room will inevitably get killed, even if you use low quality training spears.

*MegaDwarfBonus: Menacing spikes greatly increase the danger, and may help train your medical team (and/or your coffin construction crew).
*MegaDwarfBonus: Use [[adamantine]] spikes! On the plus side, you have a thriving coffin industry going now.

==Day Care==
A room where you put all your dwarf children so they cannot be kidnapped by snatchers. Make a room with beds and tables and stuff, then turn it into a burrow, then add all your children to it. Remember to include a food chute to quantum stockpile a huge amount of food and alcohol on a 1x1 stockpile (so it doesn't rot) in the room. High quality food, furniture, and socializing should keep them happy. Note that the children will no longer be able to perform certain useful tasks like crop harvesting and deconstruction, and will not level up their skill in various professions like an otherwise vulnerable child, but this is a small trade-off if they usually get kidnapped before maturing anyway. This is probably obvious, but make sure this room is guarded, otherwise it will turn into a Dwarf Orphanage (with Goblins and Minotaurs welcome!)

'''Difficulty:''' Low. With the invention of burrows, you can designate the Day Care to contain all children, so it is unnecessary to use suicide-booth-micromanagement to contain the children.

'''Usefulness:''' Low. Think of the children, they will grow up and enter adult Dwarf life completely unprepared for the [[Fun|things]] [[Dragon|that]] [[Hell|await]] them, having spent their entire lives coddled in a safe room. They might make good nobles however.

==Doberman Bomb==
Whenever a dog or cat gives birth, stuff all the kittens and puppies in one cage in your entryway. Link this cage to a pressure plate beside it. Should your last lines of defense be breached, goblins will step on it and in the next instant be torn apart by dozens of goblin-seeking hostiles and distracted by dozens of surplus targets. The trap actually going off will probably be very bad for your frame rate.

'''Difficulty:''' Low to high, depending on the animal you use

'''Usefulness:''' Medium to very high, potentially fortress-saving

*Bonus : Train the dogs inside as war dogs
**DwarfBonus : Use [[giant badger]]s, [[tiger]]s, [[alligator]]s, bears, or anything big and aggressive when tamed
***MegaDwarfBonus : Use [[giant cave spider]]s, [[cave dragon]]s, [[blind cave ogre]]s, crossbow-wielding [[giant desert scorpion]]s, [[jabberer]]s or something really dangerous and rare.
****UltraMagmaArmokBonus : Use one (or more !) of the following list : [[dragon]](s), a [[bronze colossus]](es), a [[forgotten beast]](s) (bonus points for flesh-melting secretions), an [[undead]] [[giant sponge]], or the denizens of the [[Hidden Fun Stuff]].

==Drowning Chamber==
'''Difficulty:''' Moderate.

'''Usefulness:''' You can kill prisoners, useless peasants, irate nobles, hammerers, untamable animals, or anything else. Just be ready for something that knows how to swim. Also useful for catching fishies. See [[drowning chamber]].

*Bonus: Utilize lava.
*Bonus: Utilize trained fish.
*MegaDwarfBonus: Edit the raws and do both.

==[[Computing|Dwarfputer]] Complex==
A big mess of [[fluid logic|fluid]], [[machine logic|machine]], and/or [[creature logic|creature]] logic full of hatches, floodgates, gears, pumps, etc. and powered by waterwheels, windmills, or useless idle dwarves. Hook it up to doors, bridges, and traps.

'''Difficulty:''' Medium to high, depending on what you want to build. You'll want to build for very high water flow if you have more than a few fluid gates.

'''Usefulness:''' Your mechanics and architects will level up very fast. Manual pumps give something for your haulers to do<s> and makes them stronger</s> (in 31.25 only military work increases stats, I was really disappointed after 4 years of nonstop pumping only to see weak in urist description). Try and make a clock to trigger different mechanisms in different seasons. See if enemies actually blunder into your intricate traps. Watch all hell break loose as water freezes and building destroyers enter your computer.

==Dwarven Apartment Complex==
Essentially, one of the many possible [[megaprojects]] dedicated to providing dwarves with rooms so high above the ground they get vertigo. Every floor must have plenty of rooms of at least 2x3 squares, with walls and a door surrounding this. Oh, and it has to go up as many Z-levels as possible. For extra credit, decide on what the top story will be (i.e. as many levels up as you deem possible, minus one so you can build a roof) and turn this into a Royal bedroom for a [[noble]], complete with gem windows, artifact/masterwork components, and untold numbers of armour stands and weapon racks. And then build some shorter but wider apartment buildings nearby to turn your fortress into essentially a giant fist with extended middle finger. Extra points for adding extra useless things for luxury, such as a magma-based heating system, fireplaces in rooms, and a lock-down lever in case of goblin attack. (or a self-destruct lever connected to the main supports, in case your dwarfish tenants are unsatisfied with your 5-star service).

'''Difficulty:''' Low, although the walls around the rooms can be a bit fiddly due to the impossibility of building walls on constructed floors (yes, an extra credit challenge is to do this without using Remove Construction).

'''Usefulness:''' Limited, because you could just dig the things underground and save yourself the hassle. However it is much harder to flood a tower than a cave, in case you're prone to fun by water. Additionally, if you have the time and resources to train a sizable force of marksdwarves, placing a few "security rooms" (with barracks, ammunition store, ration cache, armory, etc) at appropriate floors, complete with fortified balconies, will allow you to take advantage of the higher vantage point.

*MegaDwarfBonus: Extend the tower to have levels below ground as well as above.
*MegaDwarfBonus: Make the whole construction out of clear glass. (privacy? Whatever for?)

==Dwarven Courtyards==
Dig large shafts [first dig the staircase to the desired depth, digging out the size you want the shaft to be on all layers. Channel the outer later, then install supports on the base floor. Link the support to a trigger, clear everyone out, destroy the remaining staircase and pull the trigger] then cover them in glass, creating an indoor but light area that will keep dwarves from being irritated and nauseated by the sun, also improving general happiness and allowing close proximity to caverns and magma.

'''Difficulty:''' Medium, make sure not to mess up or you will lose your miners

'''Usefullness:''' Medium. creates vertical circulation and brings light to lower levels.

*MegaDwarfBonus: Create a network of self sufficient communities per shaft, allowing them to be sectioned off in case of disaster. (I plan on colonizing HFS eventually on this paradigm, creating a mining team of soldiers to extract, manufacture and ultimately use adamantine products without being connected to the main colony in order to take on the demons while keeping the rest of the burrow safe.)

==Dwarven Disco Ball==
Why waste all those cut gems on things that only some selfish noble will enjoy? Create as large a wall-less sphere as you can, then cover it in Gem Windows of 3 different-colored gems to make it shine! The bigger, and more valuable gems involved (e.g., [[ruby|rubies]], [[sapphire]]s, and [[emerald]]s, or colored diamonds if you're really masochistic), the dwarfier.

'''Difficulty:''' Constructing a sphere is very hard, especially the larger you make one. Gathering enough differently colored gems can also be very hard, depending on stone layers. Trading helps a lot.

'''Usefulness:''' Negative. More value can be created by encrusting furniture, and Gem Windows lack quality.

*Bonus: Alternating [[alunite]] and [[obsidian]] tiles to make a 'dance floor'.
*MegaDwarfBonus: Use lava contained in glass for illumination.
*UltraDwarfBonus: Caged "[[Elf|dancers]]".

==Dwarven Labor Camp (aka Dwarkuta)==
Create an aboveground walled fortress in a freezing climate with guard towers, barracks, housing, and armories. Dig a long ramp downward and add a large mining network below the surface. Make some small military squads to guard the camp. Designate the lower levels as workshops, and when migrants arrive, assign them to the mines. Give the workers minimal food and only water (no booze, booze is for the hypocritical decadence of Dwarkuta's leaders). Have them haul the stone and metal they mine back to the surface and ship the raw materials off to the Motherland. Import only food, booze, weapons, fuel, and other necessities.

*Bonus: Build the giant digging machines. They don't actually have to dig anything.
*Bonus: Go into the raws and rename the beverage of your choice to "Dwarven Vodka", and drink to the glory of the Motherland!
*MegaBonus: Escape. Wait for a goblin siege, then get everyone underground and block the entrance. Let the goblins in. Wait a few months. The goblins are now the guards you must kill.

Step 1. Secure the keys: Make improvised weapons. If you have obsidian at your disposal, make rock short swords.

Step 2. Ascend from darkness: Get your dwarves out of the mines and into the camp.

Step 3. Rain fire: Use your imagination. Try using magma, if possible.

Step 4. Unleash the horde: Attack!

Step 5. Skewer the winged beast: If the goblins brought a giant bat or other flying creature, kill it.

*Bonus: Use a ballista.

Step 6. Wield a fist of iron: Break open the armory and equip your rebels with armor and weapons.

Step 7. Raise hell: Exactly what it says on the tin.

Step 8. Freedom!

*MegaDwarfBonus: In Adventure mode, try (and probably fail) to lead the prisoners to freedom.

==Dwarven Refrigerator==
Dig down to the 3rd cavern layer and harvest as many [[nether-cap]]s as you can. Make them all into barrels! Nether caps have the unique property of being 10000° Urist, which is 32°F or 0°C. Now your dwarves can enjoy their favorite alcohol, cheese, and plump helmets chilled to perfection! If you've set your population cap very low in the INIT files, caverns aren't extremely dangerous, but you should still be on the lookout for nasties down there. Remember to wall off your entrance to the cavern once you're finished.

'''Difficulty:''' Low to Medium

'''Usefulness:''' None except pretty colored barrels

==Emergency Destruct Stairs==
A tall column of stairs plunging all the way down into the underdark, with a one-tile wide area of thin destructible floor all around it. In case of subterranean invasion, a thrown switch drops a stone O straight down, ringing the staircase and neatly severing all inter-level connections at a blow. Does with one lever and one support what would take dozens of bridges or hundreds of retracting grates.

'''Difficulty:''' Harder than it sounds.

'''Usefulness:''' Sometimes... sometimes they fly.

==Execution Tower==
Just a tall tower to chuck your captives to their deaths.

'''Difficulty:''' Easy.

'''Usefulness:''' Lets you dispose of prisoners, and claim expensive silk, meltable iron, and (eventually) useful bones. Also highly amusing.

==Flamethrower bunker==
If your fortress happens to be visited by a [[dragon]], capture it in a [[cage trap]], then release it into a sealed bunker with [[fortification]]s around the edge. When invaders arrive, watch them get roasted.

'''Difficulty:''' Low, but requires a lot of luck - a dragon needs to survive worldgen, then it needs to attack your fortress (instead of a giant/minotaur/ettin/cyclops or other megabeast), and finally it needs to make it to your cage trap without being killed by something else.

'''Usefulness:''' The dragon will quickly deal with any sieges and megabeasts (aside from [[titan]]s), though it will also set the hillside on fire. Also, any protective bridges in front of the fortifications will melt under sustained fire, leaving you with a bunker that ''nobody'' can safely approach; building the bridges (and mechanisms) from [[adamantine]] (or [[raw adamantine]]) will make them last longer, but '''not''' forever. Additionally, a skilled enemy archer could easily kill your dragon with a lucky shot.

*Bonus: Capture a fire-breathing [[titan]] or [[forgotten beast]] and use it.
*MegaDwarfBonus: Release the denizens of the underworld and use them.

==Flood the World==
'''Difficulty:''' High danger. Will kill your frame rate.

'''Usefulness:''' Will prevent any sieges, at least. Or anything else, save for the occasional invasion of sociopathic [[giant sponge]].

*Bonus: Use magma, just like [[Main:Boatmurdered|Boatmurdered]].
*MegaDwarfBonus: Use trained fish to kill off all creatures not of your colony.
*MegaArmokBonus: Mod the game and do both.

==Gladiator Arena==
Station some soldiers at the bottom of a shallow [[Activity_zone#Pit/Pond|pit]] and dump your captives in. You can also use dangerous animals instead of soldiers. For extra points, put the prisoners in cages connected to ramps underneath the arena floor. One lever will open both the cage and a hatch above the ramp. Variant: build prisoner cages inside the arena, link to a lever outside the arena, lock the soldiers in, and then open the cages.

'''Difficulty:''' Low, but time consuming. Some danger depending on the relative skill of your soldiers and the danger of the captive. (If the prisoners have weapons, you can remove them by using {{k|d}}-{{k|b}}-{{k|d}} to dump the cage and its contents, then looking at and undumping the cages themselves with {{k|k}}-{{k|d}}).

'''Usefulness:''' Low to High, depending on how long your soldiers can draw out the execution. Equipping your soldiers with wooden training weapons can greatly increase the fun (and/or [[Fun]] if their armor isn't as good as you thought).

*DwarfBonus: Losers get incinerated by Magma.
*MegaDwarfBonus: Use your arena as a "trial by fire" for migrants.

==Glass Ceiling==
Sick of having your dwarves vomit all the time when they go out to retrieve loot or lumber? Despair no more! Build an almost-infinitely tall tower, and then put a glass floor on the highest level, spanning the entire map. For extra kicks, make a mechanism that will crash the entire thing upon the heads of the one goblin horde that manages to get through all your other deathtraps.

'''Difficulty:''' Medium. Very grueling.

'''Usefulness:''' Low, but potentially fortress-saving. (see above)

*PoliticallyIncorrectDwarfBonus: Make it a metaphorical [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_ceiling glass ceiling] and give migrants and women less pay and poorer rooms.

==Greenhouse==
A [[farming|greenhouse]] is just a farm with the the ceiling channeled out from above. This lets you grow outdoor plants without venturing above ground. For maximum style, build the greenhouse above ground and cover it with a glass roof to keep your farmers safe.

'''Difficulty:''' Low.

'''Usefulness:''' Medium. Surface plants can be grown at any time of the year, and some are more useful than those available underground - for example, [[sun berry|sun berries]] can be brewed into valuable [[Sunshine]], and [[whip vine]]s can be milled into superior quality flour. Having greater food and booze diversity can also keep your dwarves happier.

*Bonus: Give it a glass floor to allow surface plants even lower down.

==Hammer of [[Armok]]==
A gigantic hammer made out of pure steel and/or valuables looming over your fortress entrance ready to smite those foolish enough to lay a siege on you. Also gives you a psychological advantage over the traders who unload their goods under it. Attach to a lever-linked support for quick-smiting.

'''Difficulty:''' Low. Depends on size and materials, though. Make it a gold hammer menacing with adamantine spikes, if you're going for high quality.

'''Usefulness:''' Low-medium. 10x10 size is minimum for practical effectiveness. 30x30 attached to a handle extending from your entrance actually works against sieges.

* Bonus: Cover it with blood.
* MegaDwarfBonus: Make it hollow and fill it with Magma

==Ice tower==

Building a huge tower is easy. To make things more [[fun]], make one out of some exotic material, like [[glass]], [[ice]], [[gold]], or [[soap]].

'''Difficulty:''' Low. You need to be on a freezing map to pull off an ice tower.

'''Usefulness:''' Depends entirely on you.

==Journey to the Center of the Earth==

Construct a sturdy vessel hanging over the top of a magma pipe or volcano, outfitted with everything your intrepid crew might need for their journey of exploration - food, booze, sleeping quarters and a bridge a must, but depending on the amount of effort it can include other items such as a recreation deck, water reservoir and trade depot for dealing with the natives. When all is ready, lock the explorers inside and send them on their way. Bonus points if you can detach it from inside so you can use it in Adventure mode later.

'''Difficulty:''' Moderate to High, depending on the size of the ship. For bonus points, carve the entire thing out of existing rock overhanging a magma pipe and engrave it with messages. Burrows help to get the whole crew inside at the same time.

'''Usefulness:''' Negative. For some reason, no explorers have returned. Of course, if you select only the [[Nobles|Best and Brightest]] for the ship's crew...

*Bonus: Drop the vessel into a deep cavern
*SuperBonus: Make the outer walls, roof and ground floor completely out of glass, so that the explorers can watch everything around them.
*VampireBonus: Send a vampire with the crew!
*MegaDwarfBonus: Drop the vessel into a halfway-empty adamantine vein
*YouHorribleEvilDwarfBonus: Drop the vessel into the [[Hidden Fun Stuff]]!
*OhMyArmokBonus: When you arrive to the bottom of the magma sea, excavate and then create a new community under it!
**OhMyF****ingArmokBonus: Send supplies every year!
**IsThatEvenPossibleBonus: Send a piece of an aquifer down there to provide water! (Mine around a water-producing tile, build the ship around it, then send it!)
**≡MegaDwarfBonus≡: create a high enough tower and drop it into the magma sea to connect the surface and the undersea community!
***☼MegaDwarfBonus☼: create ''two'' towers and use one to send water down there!

==Maze==

A maze of twisty little passages, all alike. [[Trap]]s and dangerous animals are essential. You can have a retracting bridge drop invaders in, or just have a labyrinth as a back door.

'''Difficulty:''' It's a lot of mining. Having a bridge drop invaders inside is more difficult, but more useful. You can also use the free maze-generating program Daedalus, available [http://www.astrolog.org/labyrnth/daedalus.htm here] if you're too lazy to come up with your own.

'''Usefulness:''' It makes a nice element of fortress defense, and you can dump your prisoners inside it. Also makes a great place to explore in [[adventure mode]].

*Bonus: Generate a world with large mountain [[cave]]s. Instead of using the labyrinth as your backdoor, use it as your fortress.
*Bonus: Release a live caged [[minotaur]] into the maze.
*MegaBonus: Make it three-dimensional and [http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/maze/design/index.htm#uni unicursal].

==Magma Chamber==
'''Difficulty:''' Dangerous as any magma project.

'''Usefulness:''' It's like a drowning chamber, but any non-iron items carried by the victim will be destroyed. Depending on your style of play, this may be a good thing.

==Magma Cannon==
[http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=33837.0 It can be done!] It uses a row of pumps to pressurize the magma in a chamber with only one exit. When the floodgate opens, the magma flies out a short distance.

'''Difficulty:''' Very high. You need [[metal]] (or [[glass]]) [[screw pump]]s to make it work, [[magma-safe]] floodgates and mechanisms, plus a big above-ground construction.

'''Usefulness:''' Marginal. But very cool.

==Magma Highway==
Magma moves across the map annoyingly slowly, due to its thickness and lack of pressure. But a tunnel several Z-levels high, with magma entering at the top, will flow much faster because the magma's '''falling''' in, not flowing in, and can expand on either Z-level before falling down.

'''Difficulty:''' Medium. Not hard to make, but cutting open a multi-Z magmafall is [[fun]].

'''Usefulness:''' Medium.

==Magma Mausoleum==
This trick involves dripping water on to the middle of a magma pool until you have a column of obsidian, then channeling down into the obsidian ''more than'' one Z level, and putting a burial receptacle there. This probably won't work in magma tubes or Volcanos since the created obsidian would fall into the bottomless pit. The trick is getting the water to fall onto the magma in a controlled manner.

'''Difficulty:''' High. Requires certain resources from the start, plus lots of setup. And your dwarves tend to erupt into dwarf steam occasionally.

'''Usefulness:''' None, since an obsidian lined room with the exact same furniture somewhere else will please your nobles just as much.

*Bonus: Put the coffin at least 20 floors down.
*MegaBonus: Build it in a volcano if possible, and put the coffin at the very bottom of the map

==Mass Cage Recycling System==

Build a '''[[Mass pitting]]''' system to recycle your cage trap cages quickly.

'''Difficulty:''' Very easy. Requires basic digging and very little time.

'''Usefulness:''' Very. Keeps you from having to build cages before releasing monsters from them. With six hatches you can safely empty out 48 cages very quickly. You can build lots of cage traps without having to worry about emptying each cage individually.

*Bonus: Cover the floor of your pit with cage traps, creating a neverending cycle and giving your dwarves something to do during the long harsh summer when going outside is overly taxing on their stomachs.
*ConcentrationCampBonus: Combine with Pit of Doom below.

==Mega/Water Drowning Trap-Thing==
This is basically a channel above some pressurized water with a short tunnel leading to a door. The door needs to be connected to a lever somewhere in a safe part of the fortress. Position the door facing the main stairs into your fortress (for multiple stairs use multiple traps). When enemies come down the stairs, pull the lever and make them drown. (It helps to seal off the rooms).

'''Difficulty:''' Medium. Needs flowing water under pressure and levers.

'''Usefulness:''' Medium. Depends on the size of your fortress/defences/amount of attackers. Works well with fire creatures to create a sauna.

==Monumental Statue==
'''Difficulty:''' Depends on how big you want the statue to be. If you are feeling really masochistic, cast it out of obsidian using magma and water.

'''Usefulness:''' None.

*Bonus: Make the statue hollow and have dwarves live inside it.

==Moses Effect==
With enough pumps, you can pull water out of a square faster than it flows in. This can create a reverse waterfall, or a dry spot in the middle of a flowing river. The effect is like Moses parting the Red Sea.

'''Difficulty:''' Surprisingly easy.

'''Usefulness:''' You can use this trick to create a waterfall or drowning chamber. It is also important if you want to pass through an [[Aquifer]], although that is far more difficult. The same trick can be used in lieu of a drawbridge, although its practicality as compared to the drawbridge is highly questionable.

==Never Ending Shower==
Don't you get angry when your dwarves carry enough grime on them to dirty the entire fortress? And how they get infected because of that griminess? Suffer no more! With the Never Ending Shower (NES for short), dwarves will be able to stay (relatively) clean without having to take the time to run for a bath or dirtying your drinking water!

It is easy to understand: use the same instructions as in the Artificial Waterfall, but make it so that the waterfall is somewhere where the dwarves will be going through almost daily. It cleans them and gives them pretty thoughts for the same price!

'''Difficulty:''' Moderate to high. You do have to make sure that dwarves don't try anything funny, and create a drain to draw the dirty water out.

'''Usefulness:''' Incredibly high. Reduces risk of infection and keeps your dwarves happy.

*Bonus: Use an aquifer to get clean water AND drain dirty water.
*Bonus: Use levers to control the NES.
*SuperBonus: Make it work as a trap!
*SuperDuperBonus: Make it work as a trap AND as a recovery system!
*ArmokBonus: Make it so that magma can be poured down, too!

==[[Obsidian]] factory==
You need one reservoir of water, and one of magma. Mix, cool, mine, and repeat as necessary.

'''Difficulty:''' Medium.

'''Usefulness:''' Obsidian is 50% more valuable than [[flux]] and 3 times as valuable as ordinary stone, making it ideal for your [[mason]]s and [[stone crafter]]s. Done properly, it can also serve as a magma chamber ''and'' a drowning chamber.

* MegaDwarfBonus: Make the system fully automated using [[computing]] principles.

==Pit o' Doom==
Combine with an Execution Tower for maximum z-level executions! Traps which menace with spikes are a must.

'''Difficulty:''' Low. You want it nice and deep though.

'''Usefulness:''' Dispose of prisoners, execute nobles, gruesome fatal injuries, laugh maniacally.

==Pressure Washer==
A huge tower with floodgates at the bottom on one side. When opened, the pressurized water fires out and pushes anything in the way of the flow away. Depending on size, can be surprisingly powerful. You can see an example tower [http://mkv25.net/dfma/map-7485-griffonwind here.]

'''Difficulty:''' Medium, construction technique takes some consideration.

'''Usefulness:''' Medium-High. Tested in version 0.28.181.40d with 50 recruits standing in front of it when the floodgates opened, killed 46 of them, including ones not pushed into the pit.

* Bonus: Fill it with Magma instead (though Magma doesn't pressurize).

==Rehabilitation Centre==
Had any problems with dwarves charging brainlessly towards the enemy, getting slaughtered, and then starting a tantrum spiral that will destroy your fortress? Turn your prison into a luxurious room full of things that make dwarves happy. Add artifact furniture, beds, a booze stockpile, chains made of gold (or anything valuable,) a waterfall, creatures in cages, etc. Hopefully they will return to society as a happy, productive dwarf.

'''Difficulty:''' Low-Medium. Acquiring valuable items and setting up the waterfall can be annoying sometimes. Also you need guards to actually put them in jail. And it can be a real pain when those ungrateful sobs destroy the nice furniture you give them.

'''Usefulness:''' High. A tantrum spiral can quickly turn a productive fort of 200+ dwarves into a rioting fortress inhabited by a bunch of insane, miserable dwarves who spend their time punching people and breaking furniture. Don't let it happen to you.

* MegaDwarfBonus: Points for making every other dwarf drink water and sleep on cheap beds.

==Road of the Damned==
Create a giant channel filled with spike traps, 10 tiles wide and going all the way from your fort to the map edge. Pave it over with crystal glass so traders can get that foreboding feeling that'll make them seal the deal without bargaining too hard!

'''Difficulty:''' Low-mid, depending on the rarity of crystal glass.

'''Usefulness:'''Low. The same as a normal road.

* Bonus: Spike a goblin on every trap!

==Sectorized World==
Divide the world edges into multiple sectors and then gate access to each one separately. This allows you to protect your fortress from seiges whilst keeping access to most of the outside world and allowing most traders into and out of the fortress (those unfortunate enough to enter the world from the same direction as the seigers may be screwed, of course). For bonus points, build separate gateable access routes for each sector. For further bonus points, design your fortress so that you can simultaneously allow access to traders ''at the same time'' as seigers are exposed to your defensive mechanisms.

'''Difficulty:''' Low, unless you allow separate access routes for each sector in which case high.

'''Usefulness:''' Moderate, increasing with each bonus you fill. Mostly for those who want to build the best possible defenses. Can also double as a means of easily trapping wild animals.

==Self-contained Vampire-based Factory==
Take advantage of the independence of vampires by building a self-contained factory. The best industries are those that require no special raw materials-- a factory containing both a magma glass furnace and a sand tile, for instance, would work well, as would a clay industry, but if you're feeling ambitious, consider building a vampire into your [[giant cave spider|GCS]] silk farm-- if you happen to have scored an [[undead]] GCS, your vampire won't even spook! You can treat your factory as a piggy bank to be broken into as needed, or for perfect fire-and-forget action, build a dropping [[User:Vasiln/Undump|undump]] into the factory, and the vampire will deliver the output to your front door.

'''Difficulty:''' The only hard part is getting yourself a [[vampire]].

'''Usefulness:''' Depends on how many green glass blocks you plan on using.

==Self Destruct Lever==
A mechanism that, for example, could flood your fort with magma, or release a trapped megabeast. For bonus points, build the whole fort on a single [[support]].

'''Difficulty:''' Very high. Extremely fun.

'''Usefulness:''' Could serve as kind of a last revenge on a goblin siege, but also highly amusing. If done properly it can make reclaim easier.

* DorfBonus: Make it have a timer before your fortress self destructs. You can do this with a water channel, or if you're particularly technical, make a [[Computing|seven segment display]].

==Steamed Vegetables==
Make a pot and drop <s>elves</s> vegetables in from about three levels up. This makes it so the vegetables do not <s>run</s> get overcooked. Proceed to bask the vegetables in [[steam]].

'''Difficulty''': Medium. Can be annoying to boil some water.

'''Usefulness''': Great way to make friends with the merchants.

*MegaDwarfBonus: Add <s>goblins</s> seasoning.
*ArmokDoubleBonus: Use [[magma mist]].

==Shark Catcher==
Capture of sharks or other dangerous fish achieved by making an artificial bay, filling it with cage traps, opening the floodgate to the sea or river and some sort of drainage system, likely pumps and/or floodgates.

'''Difficulty''' low to medium as drowning while setting up is very possible with bad planning.

'''Usefulness''' low, purely aesthetic, but very cool to have a shark infested moat.

==[[Swimming]] pool==
It's a reservoir that fills to 4/7 exactly. Station soldiers inside, lock them in, and fill. This way they gain [[swimming]] skill.

'''Difficulty:''' Low. It's just a pair of reservoirs.

'''Usefulness:''' The swimming skill is only slightly useful. This is most useful if the entrance to your fort has narrow walkways/moats surrounded by water, and you station your soldiers there. It does help gain attributes though. Though if you utilize a '''H'''ydraulic '''E'''levation and '''L'''owering '''P'''latform, this is a priceless necessity.

==Underground Forest==
Break into an underground cavern, make some muddy floors over a big area and wait.

'''Difficulty:''' Medium - need to dig out a suitably large area, then find a way of introducing water to the area and subsequently draining or evaporating it.

'''Usefulness:''' Depends on size (bigger is better) as well as proximity to wood stockpiles. A tree farm outside the caverns can grow trees from all 3 layers, and you'll never have to worry about hostile creatures threatening your wood cutters.

==Underground Perpetual Motion Power Plant==
Combine with a use for the power and you either have an awesome setup, or a ticking time bomb.

'''Difficulty:''' High. Maintaining the correct water level is annoying difficult at times. Note: Incredibly easy with an aquifer.

'''Usefulness:''' Depends on size of plant and what it's connected to. Also useful as a puzzle for adventurers.

==Underwater Statue room==
A simple room filled with statues that just also happens to be flooded. Simply dig a room near to a water source smooth and engrave the walls and floors than fill with statues. Dig a tunnel to the water source and a separate escape route. seal both off with floodgates pull the levers in the right order and bam! underwater statue room. For added effect make the meeting room a room directly above with a glass floor.

'''Difficulty:''' Low.

'''Usefulness:''' Absolutely positively none.

*Bonus: Build it on area with trees and shrubs; make walls from ice or use windows; fill it with fish and merfolk; now you'll get a big aquarium
*Note: It doesn't count if you accidentally flood your fortress and wind up with one of these. It does count if one of your nobles has an unfortunate accident in their sculpture garden.

==U.R.I.S.T. Artificial Intelligence==
Basically, a dwarf in a bunker that controls your fortress. Being that there are no supercomputers in DF at the moment, we'll have to use the closest substitute, a dwarf. Seal your dwarf in a room full of levers that activate various floodgates, bridges, doors, hatch covers, traps, etc. Make sure this room has no exits or entrances, but it needs a luxurious bedroom and dining area, and you must include a chute for dropping in <s>food</s> biomass and <s>alcohol</s> coolant fluid. Profile the levers so that they can only be used by the A.I. dwarf.

It would be a good idea to make the system into two rooms. The food/drink/bed room and the lever room. Should you need to add more levers, you can lock the A.I. dwarf outside the lever room and have your mechanics set up more levers without interacting with or releasing the A.I.

You can make the lodging room suited for the particular dwarf by adding furniture made from their favorite materials, and smoothing and engraving everything. Use quantum stockpiling to give them 10+ years of food and drink. Make sure the A.I. is unable to communicate with other dwarves. His/her mood must not be affected by the deaths of the walking meat-bags who tried to befriend him/her.

In order to ensure that your A.I. doesn't find sleep interfering with crucial lever pulling, you might consider incorporating an alarm clock. If a goblin siege turns up on your doorstep, a single external lever to dump 7/7 of water on the sleeping A.I. might well save your fortress (and is so much cooler than having backup levers in your meeting hall).

You must also make a snazzy/lame acronym name for your AI, here are some examples:
*U.R.I.S.T. - '''U'''nderground '''R'''easonably '''I'''ntelligent '''S'''ettlement '''T'''echnologist
*H.A.L. - '''H'''airy '''A'''lternate '''L'''ifeform
*D.O.S. - '''D'''warf '''O'''perating '''S'''ystem
*N.O.B.L.E. - '''N'''arcissistic '''O'''bnoxious '''B'''oastful '''L'''aughable '''E'''xcrement
*M.A.G.M.A. - '''M'''assively '''A'''lcoholic '''G'''ear-'''M'''achine '''A'''ssembly
*A.R.M.O.K. - '''A'''ll-'''R'''eaching '''M'''achine '''O'''f '''K'''illing
*A.S.S. - '''A'''lmost-autonomous '''S'''ystems '''S'''elector
*D.I.E.D. - '''D'''edicated '''I'''rrigation and '''E'''verything else '''D'''warf(s)
*D.O.R.F. - '''D'''oes '''O'''rders '''R'''ather '''F'''ast
*G.L.A.D.O.S. - '''G'''enetic '''L'''ifeform and '''D'''warf '''O'''perating '''S'''ystem
*P.O.T.A.T.O. - '''P'''ossibly '''O'''rganic '''T'''echnically '''A'''live '''T'''rash '''O'''mitted
*D.O.M.E.S. - '''D'''warf '''O'''perated '''M'''echanics and '''E'''ngineering '''S'''ystem
*V.O.D.A.P.H.O.N.E. - '''V'''ampire '''O'''perated '''D'''efence '''A'''pparatus, '''P'''erpetrating '''H'''arm '''O'''f '''N'''efarious '''E'''ntities (See Bonus for more information)
*C.A.T. - '''C'''reepy '''A'''utonomous '''T'''echnology
*D.W.A.R.F. - '''D'''rains '''W'''ater '''A'''nd '''R'''ecruits '''F'''armers
*D.E.E.P.E.R. - '''D'''warf of '''E'''ngineering the '''E'''ldritch and '''P'''ractical '''E'''xploitation of '''R'''esources''


'''Difficulty:''' Medium. Setting up all the levers and lodgings can be a micromanagement hassle. Further research is required as to how well the A.I. will fit into a dwarven economy.

'''Usefulness:''' High. Having a dwarf dedicated to pulling levers will ensure that they are pulled on time. Additionally, you will have a constantly-ecstatic dwarf who is virtually invulnerable to all threats. Should your fortress be slaughtered by invaders or drowned by flooding or tantrum spiraled, your fortress will be preserved until more migrants arrive, or the AI runs out of food.

Bonus: Make the A.I. dwarf a vampire. Vampires don't need food, alcohol, or sleep and cannot age, which makes them perfect for the job. As an added bonus, keeping a vampire in this way will make your fortress completely indestructible, as sealing him in will prevent the possibility of the vampire of being killed in combat or from a syndrome, while keeping the vampire from making friends he will inevitably outlive will prevent him from going insane. (It also ensures that the bloodsucker won't use any of your dwarves as a midnight snack.)

===D.O.S.T.N.G.O.S.P.===

Dwarven Organic Switch Toggle, Neutered Gastrectomied Overpersistent Sober Prisoner. Goblins have several advantages over dwarves in the lever pulling department: they live forever, do not breed or tantrum, and need not eat, drink, or sleep. Seal one or more goblins in your supercomputer complex, and use their predictable pathing in combination with instantly lockable doors and pressure plates to make dwarven lever pulling a thing of an older, less advanced era.

Also known by several product names:
*G.O.B.L.I.N.A.T.O.R. - '''G'''oblin '''O'''perated '''B'''astion of '''L'''ogic to '''I'''nfalliably '''N'''eutralize '''A'''ntiquated '''T'''ypes of '''O'''perational '''R'''egimes
*N.G.O.K.A.N.G. - '''N'''efarious '''G'''oblin '''O'''f '''K'''illing '''A'''nd '''N'''eedless '''G'''riping
*S.T.O.Z.U. - '''S'''ecret '''T'''echnological '''O'''perative who '''Z'''aps '''U'''nruly Nobles

'''Difficulty:''' Medium. While goblin pressure plate runners require more space than dwarven lever pullers, once their room is set up, it's done, and easily copied for the next one. With only one goblin, you'll need a pressure plate for every possible combination of lever states, but it's easy to add more goblins instead.

'''Usefulness:''' High. Instant response time (<50 ticks is possible) can make lever worries a thing of the past. The D.O.S.T.N.G.O.S.P. requires absolutely no maintenance once set up. Unlike with the U.R.I.S.Ts of the previous generation, modern POW-based computing is never held hostage to eating, drinking, or breaks. Stay tuned for the next-generation C.A.C.A.M.E.!

==Vomitorium==
Prevents [[cave adaptation]]. It's like the greenhouse, only instead of a farm, it's a [[meeting hall]] or [[barracks]]. Since you can't build [[table]]s or [[bed]]s outside, build the room and [[channel]] down to it. Variant: above-ground statue garden or zoo.

'''Difficulty:''' Low.

'''Usefulness:''' Low. Make sure to wall the pit in or it will become very [[Fun]] once [[goblin]] archers become involved.

==Watervator==
By creating a vertical "'''H'''ydraulic '''E'''levation and '''L'''owering '''P'''latform" chamber, or HELP (so named for the cries of the passenger dwarf) with lever controlled water levels, you can move a dwarf up several z-levels without any stairs. All it takes is the dwarf's ability to swim up to the surface of the water to breathe.

'''Difficulty:''' Medium. Moderate possibility of Fun by way of flooding your fortress. Any dwarves that can't swim will instead experience Fun when using the Watervator. The actual construction time and resource usage is very low. Using the Watervator often leads to unhappy thoughts about drowning

'''Usefulness:''' Low to Medium. The Watervator requires manual micromanaging, while stairs do not. On the other hand, it can be used to create a pathway that most <s>Dwarves</s> enemies will simply be unable to use. Those that can would still be doing so at great risk of drowning or falling to their death. It is recommend that with the exception of the entrance you use stairs.

*Bonus: Utilize vampires (who can't drown).
*MegaDwarfBonus: Utilize trained fish.
*MegaDwarfBonus: Engineer it so that it performs a full cycle on one activation of a pressure plate and include that pressure plate as a part of the patrol route, then create a reverse Watervator and also include it as a part of same patrol route, so that your militia automatically uses it to get in and out the fortress.

==Human Fortress==
Instead of digging a fortress, build above-ground houses. Create walls to keep the nasties out. The only thing you may have underground are mines and stockpiles. Create a huge stone fort for your nobles.

'''Difficulty:''' High. Building stuff will cost you resources instead of gaining them and flyers can be a real pain. Keep several Marksmen handy!

'''Usefullness:''' N/A.

*Bonus: Pave the roads between houses.
*HumanBonus: Dig a moat around your castle.
*MegaHumanBonus: Fill the moat with lava.
{{Category|Design}}

v0.34:Minecart

2013-02-06T09:39:43Z

13thEssence: /* Track stop */ Added research on multi-level dumping (onto stockpiles or minecarts) from minecarts.

{{quality|Exceptional|21:37, 6 November 2012 (UTC)}}{{av}}{{Buggy}}
A '''minecart''' is a [[tool]] used mostly for [[hauling]]. It is made of [[wood]] at a [[carpenter's workshop]], or [[metal]] at a [[metalsmith's forge]]. Minecarts store up to five times as many items as [[wheelbarrow]]s and are quite a bit faster than hauling dwarves, but have the disadvantage of requiring a dedicated track network and a complex route setup. Minecart tracks also take up a lot of space, may be complicated to construct, and can be resource-intensive.

Just like wheelbarrows, minecarts are considered [[item]]s and are stored in a [[furniture]] [[stockpile]]. Despite their five times greater capacity, they are only one third larger than wheelbarrows and are identical in base [[item value|value]] when made from the same [[material]] (the value may differ due to the [[item quality]]). As items, [[thief|thieves]] or even mischievous animals can steal minecarts, even when moving on a track. If a minecart is moving fast enough, or if it has a rider, thieves will be unable to steal the minecarts.

Although most of the utility of minecarts is in [[fortress mode]], an [[adventure mode|adventurer]] can also ride in a minecart. Adventurers can also pick up and relocate minecarts.

Since their introduction in version 0.34.08, a new [[hauling]] [[labor]] preference was added to all dwarves, called "Push/Haul Vehicles", turned on by default.

The invention of minecarts revolutionized the [[minecart logic|Science of Dwarfputing]] by enabling smaller, faster logic systems to be built.

== Track ==
Tracks can be built in two ways:
*A single-tile wide strip of natural stone can be designated to be [[Engraver|carved]] (with {{K|d}} {{k|T}}), which will create a straight two-way track. The creation of corners, crossings, and T-junctions is as simple as designating another strip of track that overlaps an existant or newly-designated track. Engraved tracks are removed by [[smoothing]] the rock they're on, which results in a smooth floor (that can be re-engraved if necessary), or by building a [[floor]] on top and subsequently removing it.
**The carving of natural ramps is a little more confusing: to carve a two-way track on a ramp (natural only, does not work on constructed ramps), you must designate the ramp '''and one square beyond''' in the direction you want the track to go. For the side of the ramp square you want to head upward, there '''must''' be either a natural or constructed wall in the square next to it, otherwise the game assumes you are trying to carve it on the same level -- this can result in the track being carved underneath a door or other object. If you have accidentally done this, you can correct it by smoothing the ramp and constructing a single square of wall next to it, then re-carving the ramp correctly. (However, the wall must stay there permanently, removing it will disconnect the track.)

*Tracks can also be built as regular [[construction]]s (through {{K|b}} {{K|C}} {{K|T}}). This method is resource-expensive, since each track tile requires one stone, [[bar]], or [[block]] for construction, and time-consuming, since you can't designate strips larger than 10 tiles at a time. Corners, crossings, T-junctions, and ramps also have to be designated individually. However, it is usually the only way to build tracks above ground or on soil (barring the [[Obsidian farming|creation of obsidian]]), and the only way to create one-way tracks. Constructed tracks are designated for removal like any regular construction; be aware that removing track ramps built on top of natural ones will also remove the original ramp, leaving a flat floor.

Every track, when complete, will designate the tile with a low-priority [[traffic|traffic order]]. This reduces the odds of dwarves walking into a high-speed minecart; however, it should be noted that pets and livestock ignore traffic orders. Note that removing the track doesn't reset that tile back to normal traffic priority, so you may wish to manually clean up traffic designation afterward. Also note that bridges that are used as tracks don't have their traffic priority changed automatically (since they're just normal bridges), which could cause dwarves to pathfind normally through dangerous minecart entrances in your fort's walls if you're not careful.

As constructions or tile features, [[door]]s and other furniture can be built on tracks. A [[door]] or [[floodgate]] can be turned on or off by a [[lever]], effectively controlling the flow of automated minecarts. This may be <s>dangerous</s> [[fun]], however. 

[[Bridge]]s can also act as tracks, but only if they're lowered or not retracted. This property can enable levers to turn tracks on and off. However, care should be taken to ensure that such bridges are never operated while a cart is on top of them, as the cart will be flung off the track. It's worth noting that it's often faster, and cheaper, to construct large bridges than long sections of constructed track.

== Hauling route ==
The proper setting up of routes is essential for a working rail system. Routes, stops, departure conditions and stockpile links are managed from the {{k|h}}auling menu.

=== Route ===
New routes are created with the {{k|h}}auling key. Existing ones can be removed (without confirmation) with the {{k|x}} key, and also {{k|n}}icknamed. Before operating, the route must have at least one {{k|v}}ehicle assigned to it (this can be done with either the route or a stop selected). Assigning a full minecart to a route may result in a slow hauling job if the contents are heavy.

=== Stop ===
Stops are designated by moving the cursor on top of the desired tile and pressing the {{k|s}} key afterwards. They can be removed with and nicknamed with the same hotkeys as routes. Stops can also be reordered with the {{k|p}}romote key. Without a definition, however, a stop is fairly useless: pressing the {{k|Enter}} key with a stop selected in the route menu opens its stop definition screen, from which departure conditions and stockpile links can be set up.

==== Stockpile links ====
By placing the cursor on top of a stockpile and using {{k|s}}, you can create stockpile links for a track stop. Links can also be redefined by selecting them, placing the cursor over a different stockpile, and pressing {{k|p}}.

==== Departure condition ====
Departure conditions involve setting conditions in which the minecart will leave on the route. Each condition includes:
# A departure mode (Guide, Ride or Push).
# A departure direction (NSEW).
# A timer, before which the departure condition cannot be met.
# Conditions on the amount of items in the cart.
Departure conditions are created with the {{k|n}} key. A new departure condition will read: "guide north immediately when empty of desired items". This condition can be changed between basic presets with {{k|c}}. "Advanced" mode ({{k|C}}) allows for more precise control over departure conditions: fine tuning the percentage from 0 to 100 in 25% steps ({{k|f}} and {{k|F}}), switching it being either the maximum or the minimum amount of items for the condition to be met ({{k|m}}), and whether the cart accepts all or only a specific set of items ({{k|l}}). Common to both screens are the departure mode ({{k|p}}, Push, Ride or Guide), {{k|d}}irection, and timer ({{k|t}} and {{k|T}}) options.

To have a cart only carry a specific set of items, the stop can be set to only carry "desired" items, opening the selection screen with the {{k|Enter}} key while having said stop condition selected, and toggling as desired, or it can simply be linked to a restricted stockpile and set to depart with any items.

== Physics ==


Minecart physics depend greatly on the departure mode set in the route stop conditions.

When set to "Push" or "Ride", minecarts will move according to the regular laws of momentum, gaining speed when going downhill, losing it slowly due to friction when on a flat plane, and more quickly when going uphill. In these modes, minecarts will move along the track in a straight line until they either run off the tracks or encounter a turn. A minecart will continue straight at a T junction if possible but if it is not possible the track is treated as a dead end and may jump track. The cart's behavior also depends on the weight of its contents (including fluids and dwarves): heavily loaded carts are harder to accelerate and to stop, and gain more momentum when going downhill. In either case, dwarves can not push nor ride an unpowered cart up a ramp, bouncing back the direction it came. At best, this is a waste of time; at worst, it will give your cart-pushing dwarf a [[fun|fun surprise]]. To solve this, the player can either use Rollers (see below) or set the cart to be Guided.

When set to "Guide", minecarts seem to ignore all laws of physics. They:
*Ignore the weight of any and all items inside. Therefore:
**Move at the speed of the dwarf that is guiding them. It is thus recommended to pick the most [[attribute#Agility|agile]] of your dwarves for cart-guiding tasks.
*Ignore working rollers.
*Will ''not'' collide with other guided carts even when a full frontal collision would be expected.
*Will go up ramps like nobody's business.
This is therefore the recommended method of transport for simple non-powered rail systems, despite it diverting a dwarf from other, potentially more important tasks.

Some samples with behavior:

A <-> B A <-> C A <-> B
B╥ B╥ B╥
║ ║ ║
A╞══╝ A╞══╩══╡C A╞══╬╗
You can only go A->B ╚╝
Works when the cart Works
is in Guide mode.

In the second example above, if you attempt to "Push" from B to A or C, [[Fun|''the cart will go careening off of the tracks'']].

=== Skipping ===
If a minecart is moving fast enough, it can skip over [[water]] or [[magma]], making splashes of [[mist]] (or [[magma mist]]) as it attempts to move on them horizontally. This horizontal movement is independent of the minecart and its content's [[weight]].

=== Track Jumping ===
If a minecart encounters the end of the track or a T junction where it can not continue straight it may jump off of the track if it is going fast enough. The minecart will now continue in a straight line until in encounters an obstacle, slows to a stop, or encounters another (properly aligned) Track. An escaped minecart will follow another track even if it is a corner.

=== Falling ===
When falling, a minecart appears to cause no damage upon collision with a creature, possibly to allow cart "stacking" across Z-levels. {{verify}} A dwarf riding in a minecart that is dropped multiple z-levels suffers normal fall damage. Minecarts can fall through up/down stairs.

=== Stacking ===
If a minecart lands on another minecart in exactly the perfect orientation and time, they may form a stack (effectively a pillar) of minecarts. This pillar, aside from the [[megaprojects]] uses possible, is also useful for [[trap design]] with minecarts as the weaponry.

The location of the upper minecarts, above what seems to be thin air, can be confusing. These minecarts generally need to be struck with another minecart to move out, or have their support removed. The latter option can be somewhat dangerous, however.

=== Danger ===
Minecarts are not without [[Fun|danger]]. Although designating a track automatically sets the [[traffic]] designation to low, dwarves ''may'' still walk on them, and [[creature]]s ignore traffic designations altogether. If an unlucky dwarf or creature fails to [[dodger|dodge]] a minecart, they can be injured. Most of this danger can be avoided by setting the minecart {{k|h}}auling commands to guide instead of push or ride, as dwarves guiding minecarts will ignore traffic restrictions, by [[pasture|pasturing]] domestic animals, and preventing the access of other creatures to the tracks.

Danger does not always involve living victims: careless route designation can also result in minecarts careening off tracks or colliding with each other. If this occurs, the [[item]]s may be scattered; this can cause even more hauling jobs than the minecart aimed to eliminate. Even <s>better</s> worse, scattered items, especially [[weapon]]s, can injure passing [[dwarf|dwarves]] or other [[creature]]s; in the words of Toady One the Great, "Accidental grapeshotting of the dining room should be possible now."

Of course, the danger of using minecarts means they can also be used as weapons by imaginative players.

== Automation ==
Minecart-specific effects are implemented via track stops, rollers and [[pressure plate]]s with "track" condition set. Since all three are considered [[building]]s, they can't be built on the same square (however convenient track stop + pressure plate would be) nor a simple ramp, and are removed by {{k|q}} {{k|x}}.

=== Track stop ===
Track stops are constructions that allow further automation of minecart systems via adjustable features such as braking by friction and automatic dumping of contents. They can be built from logs, bars and blocks through {{K|b}} {{K|C}} {{K|S}}; friction amount, dumping toggle and dumping direction must be set '''before''' construction, and these settings can be neither changed nor seen thereafter; however, track stops can be linked to [[pressure plate]]s or [[lever]]s to toggle friction and dumping On or Off (trigger state is inverted: switch On = track stop Off). Take care not to set track stops at a loading site to dump their contents, or dwarves will never be able to fill the cart.

Track stops are not mandatory; in fact, their main use is in automated rail systems, to stop and hold extremely fast-moving minecarts or to dump contents mid-way without stopping. However, even in basic rail systems it can be useful to set a track stop to dump items: this saves time that dwarves would otherwise spend in removing items from the cart, time that is better spent driving the cart back to where it's needed.

If a stockpile is built on the square that a track stop is set to dump to, it can act as a [[Exploit#Quantum_stockpiles|quantum stockpile]] and any items dumped from a minecart that match the storage settings of the stockpile will remain there and accumulate. Normally trackstops are built on top of existing track to operate on moving minecarts, but they can also be used without tracks to create [[Exploit#The_Minecart_Stop|automatic quantum stockpiles]] (see also [[#Example|route example]]). It is not always desirable to collect ALL of certain items into one quantum stockpile, such as when distributing a material to multiple separate industries. Because quantum stockpiles never fill up like regular stockpiles, it may be a good idea to add a switch to turn them off.

Items dumped from a minecart at a track stop (or by any other means {{verify}}) into open space fall through z-levels until they land on a solid surface. Unlike designating a stockpile under existing items, which must still be "brought" to the stockpile, items falling onto a stockpile set to collect those items will automatically be contained by that stockpile. Items falling on top of a minecart will '''not''' fall "inside" the minecart. Use with caution; dwarves have fragile skulls.

Counter-intuitive to their construction method, track stops are considered [[building]]s and must be removed by {{k|q}} {{k|x}}.

=== Roller ===
A '''roller''' is a [[power]]ed [[machine component]] for the automated propulsion of minecarts. They are built with {{K|b}} {{K|M}} {{K|r}}, requiring a [[mechanic]], one or more [[mechanism]]s and a [[rope]]. Rollers are very useful to maintain a cart's momentum along long routes, to get them to climb Z-levels without dwarfpower involved, and to get them to reach speeds unattainable by guiding dwarves. These devices are variable-length, variable-direction, and variable-power, all traits that can be set at construction time; at the highest speed, a roller uses two units of power per tile it is long.

Rollers may be placed directly on ramps to help pull carts up Z levels. Currently rollers can only be placed on up or down ramps or open spaces if this results in being connected to existing powered components (gears, axles, or pumps). For that matter, rollers themselves transfer power along their sides but not from their front or back (the edges on the track) - the opposite of how horizontal [[axle]]s work. Care must be taken in [[glacier]]s and other extremely cold [[biome]]s, since rollers can be rendered inoperable when exposed to freezing [[temperature]]s.
The effects of floorless rollers on carts are not yet documented.

Because of their one-way nature, rollers are unsuitable for most two-way minecart tracks. However, a minecart set to be ''guided'' is not affected by rollers at all — this allows a one-way track to be used in both directions. In addition, rollers do not affect minecarts when disengaged: switching mechanisms (such as a [[pressure plate]] attached to powering [[gear assembly]]) can be used to create complex paths.

Rollers cannot be powered from above.

=== Switching ===


A rudimentary track switch can be constructed by building a T-junction as illustrated below.

B╥ B╥
║ ║
║ -> ║
║ ║
A╞════╚════╡C A╞════R════╡C

The 'R' is roller pushing from East to West.
If the cart is pushed East from the stop at 'A' while the roller is activated, it will arrive at 'B'. If the roller is not running, it will arrive at 'C'.

This switch has a disadvantage - it requires power. An alternative non-powered solution uses controlled derailment, or a connecting bridge.

B╥
║
║
A╞════╝D ════╡C

Here the track between A and C is not continuous. The only continuous track is A->B, with a corner (not a T section). Fast moving carts will tend to derail at D and rejoin the track to C. Placing a door at D will prevent the derailment, so the cart continues to B. The door is operated by mechanisms elsewhere (typically, a lever, but some fun can be had with pressure plates).

If carts are moving too slowly to reliably derail at the corner, a retractable bridge may be used as a connector between A and C.
B╥
║
║
A╞════bbb════╡C
The bridge must overlap the corner so that it acts as if a T junction track when extended. When retracted, the corner reappears, so the slower carts will continue to B.

=== Controlling Speed ===


Minecarts can reach extremely high speeds, especially when descending multiple Z-levels. A minecart will derail at a track corner if its speed exceeds 0.5 m/s (here m/s really means tiles per step), '''unless''' the route in the direction of travel is blocked:

Will derail at > 0.5 m/s:

in ═╗->
out

Will not derail at > 0.5 m/s:

in ═╗O
|
v
out

O is wall.

This behavior can be used to build a "speed limiter", that will ensure that when a minecart exits it is traveling below derail speed:

OOOO
in ═╔═╗O
out ═╬═╝O
O╚S╝O
OOOOO

O is wall, S is a Track Stop set to High Friction or lower. If the minecart is traveling below derailment speed it will not be effected.

== Example ==

Let's construct a simple minecart route. This route will move stone blocks from an input stockpile to an output stockpile. We'll begin by creating the stockpiles:

[[File:minecart-example-1.png|Stockpiles designated.]]

The input stockpile is on the left; the output stockpile is on the right. We'll be moving blocks from left to right. Disable bins in both stockpiles, and set the input stockpile to accept only from links. Then make the stockpile take from the mason's workshop where the blocks are being produced.

Next, carve the track:

[[File:minecart-example-2.png|Track carving designation.]]

Note that the ends of the designation are uniquely shaped; this is automatic, and not anything you need to control. Now, wait for your engravers to come along and carve the track into the stone. (Your haulers will probably also fill up the input stockpile while you wait.)

In addition, while we're waiting for that to happen, we'll build an iron minecart in the forge.

[[File:minecart-example-3.png|Track carved.]]

When the track has been carved, it will look like the above (the track will be solid instead of flashing). Now, order a track stop to be constructed next to the output stockpile:

{|
| [[File:minecart-example-4.png|Track stop designation.]]
| [[File:minecart-example-5.png|Select dumping direction.]]
|}

You must press {{k|d}} three times to select the dumping direction ''before'' placing the track stop. We want our blocks to be dumped into the output stockpile east of the track stop. Then wait for a mechanic to come along and build the track stop.

[[File:minecart-example-6.png|Track stop constructed.]]

Now we'll define the actual ''route''. This is done in the {{k|h}}auling menu. Press {{k|r}} to begin defining a route. Next, move the cursor to the input end of the track, and then press {{k|s}} to define the first stop:

{|
| [[File:minecart-example-7.png|Stop 1 designation.]]
| [[File:minecart-example-8.png|Route definition, in progress.]]
|}

Move the cursor again, to the output end of the track, and press {{k|s}} again to define the second stop:

{|
| [[File:minecart-example-9.png|Stop 2 designation.]]
| [[File:minecart-example-10.png|Route definition, two stops.]]
|-
|
| [[File:minecart-example-11.png|Stops are not defined yet.]]
|}

There are several user interface features to note at this point. The stops have been positioned, but they haven't been ''defined'' yet, so there is a warning ! symbol by each of them. In the lower right corner, we see what the ! means. Also, note that the second stop is labeled in white, while the other two lines are grey. The white text is a selection indicator, and can be moved up and down by pressing {{k|+}}/{{k|-}}.

Next we need to define what our stops do. We want the minecart to be filled with blocks at the first stop, then travel to the second stop where it will dump its cargo, and then return. Press {{k|-}} to move the selection up to stop 1, and {{k|Enter}} to open it up. By default, the stop has three conditions:

[[File:minecart-example-12.png|Default stop definition.]]

We don't want any of these, so press {{k|x}} three times to delete them. This leaves us with a blank stop. Now we can add the conditions we actually want. Press {{k|n}} to begin adding the first condition, then {{k|d}} twice to change the direction from north to east. Then press {{k|c}} to change the condition from empty to full. This will instruct the minecart to be guided east when full of desired items.

To set the desired items, we create a stockpile link. Press {{k|s}}, then move the cursor to the input stockpile, then press {{k|p}} to select that stockpile. Now press {{k|Enter}}; this opens up a selection screen that resembles the stockpile customization screen. Move down to Blocks, {{k|e}}nable them, then (if you wish) restrict it to stone blocks.

When you've done all that, stop 1 should look like this:

[[File:minecart-example-13.png|Stop 1, defined.]]

Stop 2 is much simpler. All we need to do is have the minecart return to the input stop. So, make a condition and change the direction:

[[File:minecart-example-14.png|Stop 2, defined.]]

Finally, we just have to assign our minecart. Go back to the route definition screen, and press {{k|v}}. Select the minecart, and press {{k|Enter}}.

Now we've got everything set up:

[[File:minecart-example-15.png|Route, fully defined.]]

The V is red because the minecart hasn't been moved onto the track yet. Some dwarf will have to haul it from the forge to the first stop, by hand; this will take a while, especially if the forge is far away.

Once the minecart is in place, dwarves should fill it with blocks from the input stockpile, which will in turn be filled with blocks from the workshop where your mason has been toiling dutifully. When the minecart is full, the blocks will be dumped into the 1x1 stockpile on the right. Automatic quantum dumping!

== Troubleshooting ==

Because of the complexity of the system, all but the most careful and experienced minecart users will encounter issues. Most route issues can be diagnosed and fixed from the {{k|h}}auling menu.

'''Symptom:''' {{DFtext|! Set dir/connect track|6:1}} message appears to the right of one or more stops
 '''Possible Causes:'''
* The departure direction of the stop might be invalid. Edit the stop using {{k|Enter}} and press{{k|d}} until it is pointing in a valid direction.
* The track stop might not be built on top of a track. The track stop must be deconstructed to remedy this issue.
* Your track might not be built correctly. Make sure all connected tracks between destinations are not one-way tracks.
** This can be especially confusing with ramps. To carve a two-way track on a (natural) ramp, you must designate the ramp and one square beyond in the direction you want the track to go.
** Ramps '''must''' have a solid block on the side opposite to the track, or they will neither work nor be marked as "unusable". The solid block can be natural or constructed.
* The desired/kept items might not be configured correctly.

'''Symptom:''' The status '''0% V''' always appears to the right of one stop.
 '''Possible Causes:'''
* The stop may not be set to take from a stockpile. Edit the Stop using {{k|Enter}} and make sure you see a message like "Take from Stockpile #1".
* The take conditions must correspond with the contents of the stockpile.
* The track stop may be set to dump. A track stop set to dump cannot be filled. You must either set the stop to a time-based departure or deconstruct the track stop and rebuild it without dumping.
* Make sure the minecart itself has not been designated to be dumped (such as when using mass-dump).

== Quirks ==
This little quirk concerns dwarf managed minecarts and may or may not apply to automatic minecarts. If a track which was previously open becomes blocked (ex. flipping a switch connected to a floodgate you've built on the track to raise it) and the conditions for departure are met, instead of refusing to ride/guide the minecart or ride/guide it until it reaches the obstacle, the dwarf will pick up the minecart off the tracks and haul it to its scheduled destination on foot. If the distance is long enough and the weight of the cart heavy enough (due to being filled with heavy items such as stones), the dwarf may drop the cart because of fatigue/hunger/thirst before reaching the destination. This will cancel that vehicle setting job and make another dwarf come by and attempt to haul the cart to the nearest appropriate stockpile where another dwarf will pick up the cart and attempt to haul it to its initial stop. If the stockpile is far enough from initial stop, this second dwarf who is attempting to place the minecart on its tracks may also drop the minecart out of fatigue/hunger/thirst creating a loop that will go on until a dwarf with enough endurance manages to place the minecart where it belongs.

In fact, it seems dwarves are more than happy to attempt to carry a minecart from one stop to another even if just waiting until the track is open again would be the more sane option.

== Capacity ==
Minecarts have five times the [[Weight|capacity]] of wheelbarrows, which is an enormous amount. A single minecart can carry 5 [[stone|boulder]]s, or 10 [[wood|log]]s, or 83 [[block]]s or [[bar]]s, 500 [[Kitchen|prepared meals]] or 2500 rolls of [[cloth]]. Calculating by the [[weight|item size]], one cart also should be able of carry 500 [[Trap_component#Spiked_ball|spiked balls]], 625 maces or 1250 [[Weapon#Native_weapons|spears]].{{verify}}

A glumprong minecart full with 5 pitchblende boulders weighs 3848Γ (the cart alone is 48Γ). 
A gold minecart is 772Γ, full of gold bars is 10398Γ. 
A platinum minecart weighs 856Γ. 
If slade minecarts were possible, they would weigh 8000Γ empty. 

[[Water]] and [[magma]] can also be loaded into minecarts by submerging them to a depth of at least 6/7, and dumped by a constructed track stop. Loading fluids onto minecarts can be difficult because their weight can slow the minecart down greatly. Curiously, filling a minecart with magma does not injure a dwarf ''riding'' it. A minecart will hold enough magma to increase the depth of a single tile by 2. This amount is listed as 833 units, which weigh 999Γ. An iron or steel cart filled with magma weighs 1313Γ. An adamantine one weighs 1007Γ.

The capacity in a minecart affects whether a [[pressure plate]] triggers or not, based on the pressure plate's setting.

== Bugs ==

*If you set up lots of routes and stops and then resize your screen, the list will scroll off-screen in the hauling menu. You can still navigate the list with keyboard commands, but cannot see the stop/route name. This will be fixed in the next release.
*A dwarf will drop its [[child|baby]], if it has one, when boarding a minecart set to be ridden.
*Tracks block wagon access to trade depots.{{bug|6040}}
** How to circumvent: bridges double as tracks.
*Dwarves cannot guide a minecart through an unlocked door unless another dwarf opens the door{{bug|6056}}

{{Category|Fortress mode}}
{{Category|Interface}}

[[ru:Minecart]]

v0.34:Minecart

2013-02-05T08:18:34Z

13thEssence: /* Track stop */ Clarified track stop on/off switching. Suggested use of track stop switching for quantum stockpiles.

{{quality|Exceptional|21:37, 6 November 2012 (UTC)}}{{av}}{{Buggy}}
A '''minecart''' is a [[tool]] used mostly for [[hauling]]. It is made of [[wood]] at a [[carpenter's workshop]], or [[metal]] at a [[metalsmith's forge]]. Minecarts store up to five times as many items as [[wheelbarrow]]s and are quite a bit faster than hauling dwarves, but have the disadvantage of requiring a dedicated track network and a complex route setup. Minecart tracks also take up a lot of space, may be complicated to construct, and can be resource-intensive.

Just like wheelbarrows, minecarts are considered [[item]]s and are stored in a [[furniture]] [[stockpile]]. Despite their five times greater capacity, they are only one third larger than wheelbarrows and are identical in base [[item value|value]] when made from the same [[material]] (the value may differ due to the [[item quality]]). As items, [[thief|thieves]] or even mischievous animals can steal minecarts, even when moving on a track. If a minecart is moving fast enough, or if it has a rider, thieves will be unable to steal the minecarts.

Although most of the utility of minecarts is in [[fortress mode]], an [[adventure mode|adventurer]] can also ride in a minecart. Adventurers can also pick up and relocate minecarts.

Since their introduction in version 0.34.08, a new [[hauling]] [[labor]] preference was added to all dwarves, called "Push/Haul Vehicles", turned on by default.

The invention of minecarts revolutionized the [[minecart logic|Science of Dwarfputing]] by enabling smaller, faster logic systems to be built.

== Track ==
Tracks can be built in two ways:
*A single-tile wide strip of natural stone can be designated to be [[Engraver|carved]] (with {{K|d}} {{k|T}}), which will create a straight two-way track. The creation of corners, crossings, and T-junctions is as simple as designating another strip of track that overlaps an existant or newly-designated track. Engraved tracks are removed by [[smoothing]] the rock they're on, which results in a smooth floor (that can be re-engraved if necessary), or by building a [[floor]] on top and subsequently removing it.
**The carving of natural ramps is a little more confusing: to carve a two-way track on a ramp (natural only, does not work on constructed ramps), you must designate the ramp '''and one square beyond''' in the direction you want the track to go. For the side of the ramp square you want to head upward, there '''must''' be either a natural or constructed wall in the square next to it, otherwise the game assumes you are trying to carve it on the same level -- this can result in the track being carved underneath a door or other object. If you have accidentally done this, you can correct it by smoothing the ramp and constructing a single square of wall next to it, then re-carving the ramp correctly. (However, the wall must stay there permanently, removing it will disconnect the track.)

*Tracks can also be built as regular [[construction]]s (through {{K|b}} {{K|C}} {{K|T}}). This method is resource-expensive, since each track tile requires one stone, [[bar]], or [[block]] for construction, and time-consuming, since you can't designate strips larger than 10 tiles at a time. Corners, crossings, T-junctions, and ramps also have to be designated individually. However, it is usually the only way to build tracks above ground or on soil (barring the [[Obsidian farming|creation of obsidian]]), and the only way to create one-way tracks. Constructed tracks are designated for removal like any regular construction; be aware that removing track ramps built on top of natural ones will also remove the original ramp, leaving a flat floor.

Every track, when complete, will designate the tile with a low-priority [[traffic|traffic order]]. This reduces the odds of dwarves walking into a high-speed minecart; however, it should be noted that pets and livestock ignore traffic orders. Note that removing the track doesn't reset that tile back to normal traffic priority, so you may wish to manually clean up traffic designation afterward. Also note that bridges that are used as tracks don't have their traffic priority changed automatically (since they're just normal bridges), which could cause dwarves to pathfind normally through dangerous minecart entrances in your fort's walls if you're not careful.

As constructions or tile features, [[door]]s and other furniture can be built on tracks. A [[door]] or [[floodgate]] can be turned on or off by a [[lever]], effectively controlling the flow of automated minecarts. This may be <s>dangerous</s> [[fun]], however. 

[[Bridge]]s can also act as tracks, but only if they're lowered or not retracted. This property can enable levers to turn tracks on and off. However, care should be taken to ensure that such bridges are never operated while a cart is on top of them, as the cart will be flung off the track. It's worth noting that it's often faster, and cheaper, to construct large bridges than long sections of constructed track.

== Hauling route ==
The proper setting up of routes is essential for a working rail system. Routes, stops, departure conditions and stockpile links are managed from the {{k|h}}auling menu.

=== Route ===
New routes are created with the {{k|h}}auling key. Existing ones can be removed (without confirmation) with the {{k|x}} key, and also {{k|n}}icknamed. Before operating, the route must have at least one {{k|v}}ehicle assigned to it (this can be done with either the route or a stop selected). Assigning a full minecart to a route may result in a slow hauling job if the contents are heavy.

=== Stop ===
Stops are designated by moving the cursor on top of the desired tile and pressing the {{k|s}} key afterwards. They can be removed with and nicknamed with the same hotkeys as routes. Stops can also be reordered with the {{k|p}}romote key. Without a definition, however, a stop is fairly useless: pressing the {{k|Enter}} key with a stop selected in the route menu opens its stop definition screen, from which departure conditions and stockpile links can be set up.

==== Stockpile links ====
By placing the cursor on top of a stockpile and using {{k|s}}, you can create stockpile links for a track stop. Links can also be redefined by selecting them, placing the cursor over a different stockpile, and pressing {{k|p}}.

==== Departure condition ====
Departure conditions involve setting conditions in which the minecart will leave on the route. Each condition includes:
# A departure mode (Guide, Ride or Push).
# A departure direction (NSEW).
# A timer, before which the departure condition cannot be met.
# Conditions on the amount of items in the cart.
Departure conditions are created with the {{k|n}} key. A new departure condition will read: "guide north immediately when empty of desired items". This condition can be changed between basic presets with {{k|c}}. "Advanced" mode ({{k|C}}) allows for more precise control over departure conditions: fine tuning the percentage from 0 to 100 in 25% steps ({{k|f}} and {{k|F}}), switching it being either the maximum or the minimum amount of items for the condition to be met ({{k|m}}), and whether the cart accepts all or only a specific set of items ({{k|l}}). Common to both screens are the departure mode ({{k|p}}, Push, Ride or Guide), {{k|d}}irection, and timer ({{k|t}} and {{k|T}}) options.

To have a cart only carry a specific set of items, the stop can be set to only carry "desired" items, opening the selection screen with the {{k|Enter}} key while having said stop condition selected, and toggling as desired, or it can simply be linked to a restricted stockpile and set to depart with any items.

== Physics ==


Minecart physics depend greatly on the departure mode set in the route stop conditions.

When set to "Push" or "Ride", minecarts will move according to the regular laws of momentum, gaining speed when going downhill, losing it slowly due to friction when on a flat plane, and more quickly when going uphill. In these modes, minecarts will move along the track in a straight line until they either run off the tracks or encounter a turn. A minecart will continue straight at a T junction if possible but if it is not possible the track is treated as a dead end and may jump track. The cart's behavior also depends on the weight of its contents (including fluids and dwarves): heavily loaded carts are harder to accelerate and to stop, and gain more momentum when going downhill. In either case, dwarves can not push nor ride an unpowered cart up a ramp, bouncing back the direction it came. At best, this is a waste of time; at worst, it will give your cart-pushing dwarf a [[fun|fun surprise]]. To solve this, the player can either use Rollers (see below) or set the cart to be Guided.

When set to "Guide", minecarts seem to ignore all laws of physics. They:
*Ignore the weight of any and all items inside. Therefore:
**Move at the speed of the dwarf that is guiding them. It is thus recommended to pick the most [[attribute#Agility|agile]] of your dwarves for cart-guiding tasks.
*Ignore working rollers.
*Will ''not'' collide with other guided carts even when a full frontal collision would be expected.
*Will go up ramps like nobody's business.
This is therefore the recommended method of transport for simple non-powered rail systems, despite it diverting a dwarf from other, potentially more important tasks.

Some samples with behavior:

A <-> B A <-> C A <-> B
B╥ B╥ B╥
║ ║ ║
A╞══╝ A╞══╩══╡C A╞══╬╗
You can only go A->B ╚╝
Works when the cart Works
is in Guide mode.

In the second example above, if you attempt to "Push" from B to A or C, [[Fun|''the cart will go careening off of the tracks'']].

=== Skipping ===
If a minecart is moving fast enough, it can skip over [[water]] or [[magma]], making splashes of [[mist]] (or [[magma mist]]) as it attempts to move on them horizontally. This horizontal movement is independent of the minecart and its content's [[weight]].

=== Track Jumping ===
If a minecart encounters the end of the track or a T junction where it can not continue straight it may jump off of the track if it is going fast enough. The minecart will now continue in a straight line until in encounters an obstacle, slows to a stop, or encounters another (properly aligned) Track. An escaped minecart will follow another track even if it is a corner.

=== Falling ===
When falling, a minecart appears to cause no damage upon collision with a creature, possibly to allow cart "stacking" across Z-levels. {{verify}} A dwarf riding in a minecart that is dropped multiple z-levels suffers normal fall damage. Minecarts can fall through up/down stairs.

=== Stacking ===
If a minecart lands on another minecart in exactly the perfect orientation and time, they may form a stack (effectively a pillar) of minecarts. This pillar, aside from the [[megaprojects]] uses possible, is also useful for [[trap design]] with minecarts as the weaponry.

The location of the upper minecarts, above what seems to be thin air, can be confusing. These minecarts generally need to be struck with another minecart to move out, or have their support removed. The latter option can be somewhat dangerous, however.

=== Danger ===
Minecarts are not without [[Fun|danger]]. Although designating a track automatically sets the [[traffic]] designation to low, dwarves ''may'' still walk on them, and [[creature]]s ignore traffic designations altogether. If an unlucky dwarf or creature fails to [[dodger|dodge]] a minecart, they can be injured. Most of this danger can be avoided by setting the minecart {{k|h}}auling commands to guide instead of push or ride, as dwarves guiding minecarts will ignore traffic restrictions, by [[pasture|pasturing]] domestic animals, and preventing the access of other creatures to the tracks.

Danger does not always involve living victims: careless route designation can also result in minecarts careening off tracks or colliding with each other. If this occurs, the [[item]]s may be scattered; this can cause even more hauling jobs than the minecart aimed to eliminate. Even <s>better</s> worse, scattered items, especially [[weapon]]s, can injure passing [[dwarf|dwarves]] or other [[creature]]s; in the words of Toady One the Great, "Accidental grapeshotting of the dining room should be possible now."

Of course, the danger of using minecarts means they can also be used as weapons by imaginative players.

== Automation ==
Minecart-specific effects are implemented via track stops, rollers and [[pressure plate]]s with "track" condition set. Since all three are considered [[building]]s, they can't be built on the same square (however convenient track stop + pressure plate would be) nor a simple ramp, and are removed by {{k|q}} {{k|x}}.

=== Track stop ===
Track stops are constructions that allow further automation of minecart systems via adjustable features such as braking by friction and automatic dumping of contents. They can be built from logs, bars and blocks through {{K|b}} {{K|C}} {{K|S}}; friction amount, dumping toggle and dumping direction must be set '''before''' construction, and these settings can be neither changed nor seen thereafter; however, track stops can be linked to [[pressure plate]]s or [[lever]]s to toggle friction and dumping On or Off (trigger state is inverted: switch On = track stop Off). Take care not to set track stops at a loading site to dump their contents, or dwarves will never be able to fill the cart.

Track stops are not mandatory; in fact, their main use is in automated rail systems, to stop and hold extremely fast-moving minecarts or to dump contents mid-way without stopping. However, even in basic rail systems it can be useful to set a track stop to dump items: this saves time that dwarves would otherwise spend in removing items from the cart, time that is better spent driving the cart back to where it's needed.

If a stockpile is built on the square that a track stop is set to dump to, it can act as a [[Exploit#Quantum_stockpiles|quantum stockpile]] and any items dumped from a minecart that match the storage settings of the stockpile will remain there and accumulate. Normally trackstops are built on top of existing track to operate on moving minecarts, but they can also be used without tracks to create [[Exploit#The_Minecart_Stop|automatic quantum stockpiles]] (see also [[#Example|route example]]). It is not always desirable to collect ALL of certain items into one quantum stockpile, such as when distributing a material to multiple separate industries. Because quantum stockpiles never fill up like regular stockpiles, it may be a good idea to add a switch to turn them off.

Counter-intuitive to their construction method, track stops are considered [[building]]s and must be removed by {{k|q}} {{k|x}}.

=== Roller ===
A '''roller''' is a [[power]]ed [[machine component]] for the automated propulsion of minecarts. They are built with {{K|b}} {{K|M}} {{K|r}}, requiring a [[mechanic]], one or more [[mechanism]]s and a [[rope]]. Rollers are very useful to maintain a cart's momentum along long routes, to get them to climb Z-levels without dwarfpower involved, and to get them to reach speeds unattainable by guiding dwarves. These devices are variable-length, variable-direction, and variable-power, all traits that can be set at construction time; at the highest speed, a roller uses two units of power per tile it is long.

Rollers may be placed directly on ramps to help pull carts up Z levels. Currently rollers can only be placed on up or down ramps or open spaces if this results in being connected to existing powered components (gears, axles, or pumps). For that matter, rollers themselves transfer power along their sides but not from their front or back (the edges on the track) - the opposite of how horizontal [[axle]]s work. Care must be taken in [[glacier]]s and other extremely cold [[biome]]s, since rollers can be rendered inoperable when exposed to freezing [[temperature]]s.
The effects of floorless rollers on carts are not yet documented.

Because of their one-way nature, rollers are unsuitable for most two-way minecart tracks. However, a minecart set to be ''guided'' is not affected by rollers at all — this allows a one-way track to be used in both directions. In addition, rollers do not affect minecarts when disengaged: switching mechanisms (such as a [[pressure plate]] attached to powering [[gear assembly]]) can be used to create complex paths.

Rollers cannot be powered from above.

=== Switching ===


A rudimentary track switch can be constructed by building a T-junction as illustrated below.

B╥ B╥
║ ║
║ -> ║
║ ║
A╞════╚════╡C A╞════R════╡C

The 'R' is roller pushing from East to West.
If the cart is pushed East from the stop at 'A' while the roller is activated, it will arrive at 'B'. If the roller is not running, it will arrive at 'C'.

This switch has a disadvantage - it requires power. An alternative non-powered solution uses controlled derailment, or a connecting bridge.

B╥
║
║
A╞════╝D ════╡C

Here the track between A and C is not continuous. The only continuous track is A->B, with a corner (not a T section). Fast moving carts will tend to derail at D and rejoin the track to C. Placing a door at D will prevent the derailment, so the cart continues to B. The door is operated by mechanisms elsewhere (typically, a lever, but some fun can be had with pressure plates).

If carts are moving too slowly to reliably derail at the corner, a retractable bridge may be used as a connector between A and C.
B╥
║
║
A╞════bbb════╡C
The bridge must overlap the corner so that it acts as if a T junction track when extended. When retracted, the corner reappears, so the slower carts will continue to B.

=== Controlling Speed ===


Minecarts can reach extremely high speeds, especially when descending multiple Z-levels. A minecart will derail at a track corner if its speed exceeds 0.5 m/s (here m/s really means tiles per step), '''unless''' the route in the direction of travel is blocked:

Will derail at > 0.5 m/s:

in ═╗->
out

Will not derail at > 0.5 m/s:

in ═╗O
|
v
out

O is wall.

This behavior can be used to build a "speed limiter", that will ensure that when a minecart exits it is traveling below derail speed:

OOOO
in ═╔═╗O
out ═╬═╝O
O╚S╝O
OOOOO

O is wall, S is a Track Stop set to High Friction or lower. If the minecart is traveling below derailment speed it will not be effected.

== Example ==

Let's construct a simple minecart route. This route will move stone blocks from an input stockpile to an output stockpile. We'll begin by creating the stockpiles:

[[File:minecart-example-1.png|Stockpiles designated.]]

The input stockpile is on the left; the output stockpile is on the right. We'll be moving blocks from left to right. Disable bins in both stockpiles, and set the input stockpile to accept only from links. Then make the stockpile take from the mason's workshop where the blocks are being produced.

Next, carve the track:

[[File:minecart-example-2.png|Track carving designation.]]

Note that the ends of the designation are uniquely shaped; this is automatic, and not anything you need to control. Now, wait for your engravers to come along and carve the track into the stone. (Your haulers will probably also fill up the input stockpile while you wait.)

In addition, while we're waiting for that to happen, we'll build an iron minecart in the forge.

[[File:minecart-example-3.png|Track carved.]]

When the track has been carved, it will look like the above (the track will be solid instead of flashing). Now, order a track stop to be constructed next to the output stockpile:

{|
| [[File:minecart-example-4.png|Track stop designation.]]
| [[File:minecart-example-5.png|Select dumping direction.]]
|}

You must press {{k|d}} three times to select the dumping direction ''before'' placing the track stop. We want our blocks to be dumped into the output stockpile east of the track stop. Then wait for a mechanic to come along and build the track stop.

[[File:minecart-example-6.png|Track stop constructed.]]

Now we'll define the actual ''route''. This is done in the {{k|h}}auling menu. Press {{k|r}} to begin defining a route. Next, move the cursor to the input end of the track, and then press {{k|s}} to define the first stop:

{|
| [[File:minecart-example-7.png|Stop 1 designation.]]
| [[File:minecart-example-8.png|Route definition, in progress.]]
|}

Move the cursor again, to the output end of the track, and press {{k|s}} again to define the second stop:

{|
| [[File:minecart-example-9.png|Stop 2 designation.]]
| [[File:minecart-example-10.png|Route definition, two stops.]]
|-
|
| [[File:minecart-example-11.png|Stops are not defined yet.]]
|}

There are several user interface features to note at this point. The stops have been positioned, but they haven't been ''defined'' yet, so there is a warning ! symbol by each of them. In the lower right corner, we see what the ! means. Also, note that the second stop is labeled in white, while the other two lines are grey. The white text is a selection indicator, and can be moved up and down by pressing {{k|+}}/{{k|-}}.

Next we need to define what our stops do. We want the minecart to be filled with blocks at the first stop, then travel to the second stop where it will dump its cargo, and then return. Press {{k|-}} to move the selection up to stop 1, and {{k|Enter}} to open it up. By default, the stop has three conditions:

[[File:minecart-example-12.png|Default stop definition.]]

We don't want any of these, so press {{k|x}} three times to delete them. This leaves us with a blank stop. Now we can add the conditions we actually want. Press {{k|n}} to begin adding the first condition, then {{k|d}} twice to change the direction from north to east. Then press {{k|c}} to change the condition from empty to full. This will instruct the minecart to be guided east when full of desired items.

To set the desired items, we create a stockpile link. Press {{k|s}}, then move the cursor to the input stockpile, then press {{k|p}} to select that stockpile. Now press {{k|Enter}}; this opens up a selection screen that resembles the stockpile customization screen. Move down to Blocks, {{k|e}}nable them, then (if you wish) restrict it to stone blocks.

When you've done all that, stop 1 should look like this:

[[File:minecart-example-13.png|Stop 1, defined.]]

Stop 2 is much simpler. All we need to do is have the minecart return to the input stop. So, make a condition and change the direction:

[[File:minecart-example-14.png|Stop 2, defined.]]

Finally, we just have to assign our minecart. Go back to the route definition screen, and press {{k|v}}. Select the minecart, and press {{k|Enter}}.

Now we've got everything set up:

[[File:minecart-example-15.png|Route, fully defined.]]

The V is red because the minecart hasn't been moved onto the track yet. Some dwarf will have to haul it from the forge to the first stop, by hand; this will take a while, especially if the forge is far away.

Once the minecart is in place, dwarves should fill it with blocks from the input stockpile, which will in turn be filled with blocks from the workshop where your mason has been toiling dutifully. When the minecart is full, the blocks will be dumped into the 1x1 stockpile on the right. Automatic quantum dumping!

== Troubleshooting ==

Because of the complexity of the system, all but the most careful and experienced minecart users will encounter issues. Most route issues can be diagnosed and fixed from the {{k|h}}auling menu.

'''Symptom:''' {{DFtext|! Set dir/connect track|6:1}} message appears to the right of one or more stops
 '''Possible Causes:'''
* The departure direction of the stop might be invalid. Edit the stop using {{k|Enter}} and press{{k|d}} until it is pointing in a valid direction.
* The track stop might not be built on top of a track. The track stop must be deconstructed to remedy this issue.
* Your track might not be built correctly. Make sure all connected tracks between destinations are not one-way tracks.
** This can be especially confusing with ramps. To carve a two-way track on a (natural) ramp, you must designate the ramp and one square beyond in the direction you want the track to go.
** Ramps '''must''' have a solid block on the side opposite to the track, or they will neither work nor be marked as "unusable". The solid block can be natural or constructed.
* The desired/kept items might not be configured correctly.

'''Symptom:''' The status '''0% V''' always appears to the right of one stop.
 '''Possible Causes:'''
* The stop may not be set to take from a stockpile. Edit the Stop using {{k|Enter}} and make sure you see a message like "Take from Stockpile #1".
* The take conditions must correspond with the contents of the stockpile.
* The track stop may be set to dump. A track stop set to dump cannot be filled. You must either set the stop to a time-based departure or deconstruct the track stop and rebuild it without dumping.
* Make sure the minecart itself has not been designated to be dumped (such as when using mass-dump).

== Quirks ==
This little quirk concerns dwarf managed minecarts and may or may not apply to automatic minecarts. If a track which was previously open becomes blocked (ex. flipping a switch connected to a floodgate you've built on the track to raise it) and the conditions for departure are met, instead of refusing to ride/guide the minecart or ride/guide it until it reaches the obstacle, the dwarf will pick up the minecart off the tracks and haul it to its scheduled destination on foot. If the distance is long enough and the weight of the cart heavy enough (due to being filled with heavy items such as stones), the dwarf may drop the cart because of fatigue/hunger/thirst before reaching the destination. This will cancel that vehicle setting job and make another dwarf come by and attempt to haul the cart to the nearest appropriate stockpile where another dwarf will pick up the cart and attempt to haul it to its initial stop. If the stockpile is far enough from initial stop, this second dwarf who is attempting to place the minecart on its tracks may also drop the minecart out of fatigue/hunger/thirst creating a loop that will go on until a dwarf with enough endurance manages to place the minecart where it belongs.

In fact, it seems dwarves are more than happy to attempt to carry a minecart from one stop to another even if just waiting until the track is open again would be the more sane option.

== Capacity ==
Minecarts have five times the [[Weight|capacity]] of wheelbarrows, which is an enormous amount. A single minecart can carry 5 [[stone|boulder]]s, or 10 [[wood|log]]s, or 83 [[block]]s or [[bar]]s, 500 [[Kitchen|prepared meals]] or 2500 rolls of [[cloth]]. Calculating by the [[weight|item size]], one cart also should be able of carry 500 [[Trap_component#Spiked_ball|spiked balls]], 625 maces or 1250 [[Weapon#Native_weapons|spears]].{{verify}}

A glumprong minecart full with 5 pitchblende boulders weighs 3848Γ (the cart alone is 48Γ). 
A gold minecart is 772Γ, full of gold bars is 10398Γ. 
A platinum minecart weighs 856Γ. 
If slade minecarts were possible, they would weigh 8000Γ empty. 

[[Water]] and [[magma]] can also be loaded into minecarts by submerging them to a depth of at least 6/7, and dumped by a constructed track stop. Loading fluids onto minecarts can be difficult because their weight can slow the minecart down greatly. Curiously, filling a minecart with magma does not injure a dwarf ''riding'' it. A minecart will hold enough magma to increase the depth of a single tile by 2. This amount is listed as 833 units, which weigh 999Γ. An iron or steel cart filled with magma weighs 1313Γ. An adamantine one weighs 1007Γ.

The capacity in a minecart affects whether a [[pressure plate]] triggers or not, based on the pressure plate's setting.

== Bugs ==

*If you set up lots of routes and stops and then resize your screen, the list will scroll off-screen in the hauling menu. You can still navigate the list with keyboard commands, but cannot see the stop/route name. This will be fixed in the next release.
*A dwarf will drop its [[child|baby]], if it has one, when boarding a minecart set to be ridden.
*Tracks block wagon access to trade depots.{{bug|6040}}
** How to circumvent: bridges double as tracks.
*Dwarves cannot guide a minecart through an unlocked door unless another dwarf opens the door{{bug|6056}}

{{Category|Fortress mode}}
{{Category|Interface}}

[[ru:Minecart]]

v0.34:Brass

2013-02-05T03:57:13Z

13thEssence: Added uses to info box

{{quality|Exceptional|22:21, 10 November 2010 (UTC)}}
{{Alloy|name=Brass|color=6:6:1|color1=7:3:0|color2=6:4:0
|uses=
* [[Furniture]]
* [[Tool|Large tools]]
* [[Finished goods]]
* [[Decoration]]
|recipe=
* 1 [[zinc]] [[bar]]
* 1 [[copper]] [[bar]]
- or -
* 1 [[zinc]] [[ore]]
* 1 [[copper]] [[ore]]
|properties=
* [[Material value]] 7
}}{{av}}

'''Brass''' is an [[metal|alloy]] of [[zinc]] and [[copper]]. Brass can be used to make [[furniture]] and [[metal crafter|other objects]] at a [[metalsmith's forge]].

Brass can be made using one of the following recipes:
*[[Zinc]] bar + [[Copper]] bar
*[[Sphalerite]] + [[Native copper]] or [[Malachite]] or [[Tetrahedrite]]

Zinc and copper both have a [[material value]] of 2. Brass has a value of 7, making it a very profitable alloy to produce, resulting in a value increase of 250%.

Note that brass is not [[magma-safe]].

{{gamedata}}
{{metals}}

Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Community Portal

2013-02-05T03:42:48Z

13thEssence: /* Thoughts on {{rule|i}} - Diagrams */ Deleted spam

Use this discussion page to talk about any issues or ideas you have about the direction of this wiki. The community portal is a hub for directing our conciousness. Read the rules carefully, take them to heart, post here if you have any questions or you think the rules can be improved.
{{Archive|
#[[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki_talk:Community_Portal/archive1|Archive 1]]
}}
== Thoughts on {{rule|i}} - Diagrams ==
Isn't [[Template:RT]] really more complexity than we need? How about this?

<pre style="font:bold 20px/1 'Courier New';color:#ccc;background:black;width:auto;padding:0;float:left">
╔═══╗
║+++║
║+++┼
║+++║
╚═══╝
</pre>{{-}}

Save the complex templates for when you actually need color

You can even drop the complexity further for a nice typewriter character set
<pre style="font:bold 20px/1 'Courier New';color:#ccc;background:black;width:auto;padding:0;float:left">
#####
#...#
#...+
#...#
#####
</pre>{{-}}

(I picked this particular size because it makes ░░░▒▒▒▓▓▓ look right in them, which makes it seem that it's the size the font is designed for. I picked this _font_ because it provides all of the CP437 characters. The actual style tag you see above could be moved to a template so it would look like <code><pre <nowiki>{{TD}}</nowiki>></code>)

[[User:Random832|Random832]] 20:28, 30 December 2008 (EST)

== Mod content in regular articles ==

"All mod content, it has been stated, should not appear in the regular articles." --[[User:Zchris13]], at [[Talk:Sand]] 
If I recall correctly, one guy stated that yesterday. Personally, I find it rather counter-DF: 
"In Dwarf Fortress, modding almost ''is'' vanilla." --[[User:Savok]], at the [http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php forums] 
Opinions? Beliefs? Comments? Thoughts? Please, answer this, The Community! --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 11:24, 8 March 2009 (EDT)

:I'm probably the one who you're thinking of who stated it ;)
:#I don't think that modding is ''ever'' vanilla, no matter what the game, how mod-friendly the game is, or how many mods exist. Saying that it's incredibly common does not change the definition of the term "unmodded".
:#I think that modding information would be better served by putting it in one place. It's easier to figure out modding and/or find the information you need if it's all on one page (or a small number of pages). And if the information is there, why would you ''also'' put it on ''every single other article in the wiki''?
:#Whenever the ways something can be modded changes, every single article about that something would have to be changed. If a new way to mod metals, for example, was added, then every single metal article would have to be changed to reflect this.
:#tl;dr version: I think it would be horrifically redundant even by typical wiki standards and would never be maintained anyways (seriously, there are still pages that haven't been updated since the 2D version). And that's even before you think about whether it ''should'' be done at all.
:--[[User:LegacyCWAL|LegacyCWAL]] 13:10, 8 March 2009 (EDT)

::Sorry, couldn't find it in all of yesterday's edits.
::#Yeah, I shouldn't go changing my definitions of words. What I mean is "modding is normal."
::#I agree partially, but, since light modding is normal and mainstream, it should go in normal and mainstream articles.
::#No, every article that mentioned metal-modding. And I don't think that there are too many non-modding articles that do.
::#TL/DR: I think that a little mentioning of modding (for example, stating in [[Sand]] that you can mod any soil into sand (although that's a bit obvious)) is fine, although I fully agree that all possible topic-related modding should not be mentioned.
::--[[User:Savok|Savok]] 18:45, 8 March 2009 (EDT)

:::I think I can live with that ;). Also, I appreciate the reformatting: I couldn't find the instructions on how to make such a list, though odds are it's right in front of me =( --[[User:LegacyCWAL|LegacyCWAL]] 19:41, 8 March 2009 (EDT)

== Heading gripe ==

I'd like to add to H that one shouldn't use heading sections of one = because it results in bad html coding and a title the size of the page name. It's also general practice on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Section#Creation_and_numbering_of_sections wikipedia]. Anyways, I thought I'd post something here before I go ahead and change it so I can at least pretend to have discussed it before hand. --[[User:Mikaka|Mikaka]] 05:39, 4 June 2009 (UTC)

== Modding content ==
Is this, [[New_Plants]], really how we do it? Frankly, i found it a bit confusing at first. At least it should get a better header. --[[User:Confused|Confused]] 00:37, 8 August 2009 (UTC)

== JavaScript seems disabled ==

The collapsible box doesn't seems collapsible anymore. I don't see the [show]/[hide] anymore either, since the wiki broke. Am I the only one with this trouble ? --[[User:Karl|Karl]] 01:02, 22 August 2009 (UTC)
:Apparently it's fixed now, at least for me. I have found that my browser cache can screw with these things on other wikis so no reason why it wouldn't happen here. Javascript becomes disabled on client web browsers far more often than it does on web hosts/sites which previously allowed it. (Possibly belatedly I know.)[[User:GarrieIrons|Gar]][[User Talk:GarrieIrons|rie]] 03:43, 10 September 2009 (UTC)

== Do we detail pointlessly? ==

As everyone knows, the wiki spoils everything about Dwarf Fortress. We have a spoiler-warning system, but it's quite disused. I think one guy said that it's pointless, because we need to put it on every page, because every page is a spoiler. We have a tendency to detail everything, much of which isn't helpful to newbies but ruins a little the delight a newbie can take in DF that no longer exists for us veterans.

For example, to quote the page [[woodcutter]], "Woodcutters are working outdoors where they are in constant danger of being [[ambush]]ed by invaders or attacked by wild animals (unless, of course, you are the proud owner of an [[Tower-cap#Underground_tree_farm|underground tree farm]]), but they are also one of the few civilian professions which carry [[weapons]] with them. Thus, it can be helpful to teach them how to use their axes to defend themselves (and others) properly by making them spend a few months as [[axedwarf]]s in your [[military]]."

Here, all that really should be noted is that woodcutting skill does not help in combat. Yes, another problem with the wiki as it is is that we often assume that newbies know a lot of stuff they don't, making even DFwiki have a steep learning curve - a bit ironic. Regardless, pointless detail such as in the above article not only does not help but hurts, making the wiki dry and boring.

I propose that we write into our little [[Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Community Portal|constitution]] a guideline to avoid such detail in addition to removing large amounts from the wiki, fixing the pages. Of course, this is a major undertaking, not to just be done. What do y'all think? Agree? Argue? Please do comment. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 02:36, 10 September 2009 (UTC)

:Wikis attract wikignomes who like to tinker and add information to articles until they are "complete". Attempting to define how much information can be added before an article is "over-complete" is pretty difficult.
:Is there a policy that this wiki must not spoil the game for new players?
:There are a lot of different reasons people read this wiki - it isn't just a hosted version of the wonderful instruction manual that is included with the game. Would [[computing]] be possible without collaboration (between players), which is nothing but spoiling?
:The answers would lie in either seperate articles, or some kind of template which hides information regarded as a spoiler.
:There is this option:
{| class="collapsible collapsed" style="width: 100%; background-color: lightblue;"
!colspan="1"| Basic intrduction
|-
|Woodcutters cut down trees.
|-
|}
{| class="collapsible collapsed" style="width: 100%; background-color: lightblue;"
!colspan="1"| Minor spoiler
|-
| They are one of a few civilian trades which involves carrying a weapon. In hostile areas you might want to consider training woodcutters as Axedwarves.
|-
{| class="collapsible" style="width: 100%; background-color: lightblue;"
!colspan="1"| Major spoiler
|-
|Another option on some maps is establishing an underground tree farm.
|-
|}

:However that requires some knowledge of either wikimarkup or html - tbh I just cookbooked it and it took me a fair bit of messing around before I got it right the first time.
:Another option is, linked articles, where you go from '''Woodcutter (base)''' to '''Woodcutter (minor spoiler)''' to '''Woodcutter (major spoiler)''' - it would be easy enough to include (base) in (minor spoiler) and (minor spoiler) in (major spoiler).

:I think "enough" readers ''want'' the major spoilers that taking them out would "degrade" this wiki.
:[[User:GarrieIrons|Gar]][[User Talk:GarrieIrons|rie]] 03:36, 10 September 2009 (UTC)

::I just re-read [[woodcutter]] in full. IMO the article builds nicely from the basic "how to cut trees" to more advanced gameplay strategy, such as "enable woodcutting on every outdoor worker so they all carry weapons". Personally I don't see that as being a good value strategy, for the work involved in equipping that many dwarves with axes you could have a fairly useful (specialised) millitary - but it isn't the first thing a spoiler-adverse reader stumbles over. If it was the first thing in the article it would be a far greater problem.[[User:GarrieIrons|Gar]][[User Talk:GarrieIrons|rie]] 03:41, 10 September 2009 (UTC)

:I'm going to agree with Garrie on this. Counting me, there's at least one person who would not have stuck with DF if he hadn't had access to a thorough DF reference library such as this. When a new player comes to this wiki, odds are they're looking to have ''something'' spoiled.
:One vote for 'Not Too Spoiled' --[[User:Njero|Njero]] 03:45, 10 September 2009 (UTC)

:Sorry to have apparently been totally unclear... I don't want to take spoilers out! I think that there are a lot of things, like the example from woodcutter, that a player can figure out on his <s>on</s>own, which can be a lot more fun than being told all the fine details of fortress 1337. I do think it would be good to separate the spoilers more in some cases, but that's a totally different topic.
:For another example, I think we can agree that it is pointless to have a page telling how to dig a 1-tile channel pit and designate it as a Quantum Dump, given that you know how a Quantum Dump works. We used to have (still have? not sure) one of those. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 03:59, 10 September 2009 (UTC)

::I think your quantum dump page has been reincarnated at [[dwarven physics]]?
::OK I think I see these points:
::# there is no clear guideline how much spoiling "is alowed"
::# there is no clear guideline on how specific an article can get (scope vs depth)
::# there is no clear guideline on when a "spoiler alert" should be given.
::I think that guidelines are good, in general. The rules are a bit flexible as most of us expect given this is a game-wiki not an encyclopedia. I know you do a lot more admin-editing than anyone else put together so you (Savok) probably have a better 1,000 ft view of the size of this problem than everyone else. Having said that... I would err greatly on allowing pages which are "game-world correct" to remain, allowing pages which don't have (dreadful) spoilers in the lead section to not have "ugly" spoiler warnings, and if we can have articles on [[computing]] and [[Glowing pit]] then pretty much there is no aspect of the game which is off-limits to being exposed by spoilers.
::I'm also agreeing with Njero, that if I hadn't found this wiki as quickly as I did, with detailed (and spoilerific) content of things from "how to dig" to "how to fight" and "what's hard to fight"... I would probably have deleted the game within 2 days of downloading it. Some of us don't find the forum that helpful![[User:GarrieIrons|Gar]][[User Talk:GarrieIrons|rie]] 05:51, 10 September 2009 (UTC)
:::+1 what GI said. I read the wiki before starting - I, personally, hate the whole "trial and errour" thing from scratch, especially in a game where the wrong little mistake can mean GAME OVER. I'm average-bright, and I still found that a lot of the "detail" was lost on me, at least until I had experienced it (or nearly so.) HFS? Still haven't breached one yet (slow computer, and in no rush) - so I can parrot a lot about that, but really have no personal feel for it and still look forward to that experience (even if now I won't walk in blind to that particular practical joke). If I'd wanted a surprise, I'd have not read those articles (and would be someone else).

:::That said, I '''''do''''' find that many mid-experience and advanced articles do repeat basic concepts too much - the "how to dig a channel" for a quantum dump example, above. And over-link, etc. However, if a newb were to stumble on that page, altho' they aren't ready for the advanced stuff, they may wonder what the basic stuff is - and follow those links. So... I don't think it's over-detailed for anyone except those who know the game (i.e. "us"). For the newb, stumbling about on the wiki, they either ''want'' to read about it, or ''need'' to, or both. Less detail is fewer links, and less overall usefulness to the (self-filtering) target audience.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 19:53, 10 September 2009 (UTC)

:We do not detail pointlessly. More spoiler warnings? Why not. The collapsibles might be a nice solution in many places. But no limits to the completeness of the wiki please. It's hard to figure out quite a bit of the more complex, and interesting, stuff like machinery on your own and quite a bit is counterintuitive too, like how levers work. It may be really neat if you think up using channels as moats yourself, but it still took me several tries to get a nice and working setup. Oh and bridges.. I still made so many mistakes ''after'' reading up on things. And as far as strategy goes, I have my own opinion on quite a few things said in the wiki, as do others, and often it's just those views that are put in the articles. Like I think its's fine to have your woodcutter ''not'' trained because an axe as such is a fine defense already. And knowing that, on some maps, with some effort, you can have an UG tree farm improves the fun (no, not [[fun]], '''fun'''). It's still hard and rewarding to actually ''do'' it.

:Information may be a bit (over-!)redundant here and there, yes, but I am confident this will clear out on itself by and by when articles are better organized to be read "in a row". Lastly, what we write here, especially the strategy bits, will be found just as readily in the forums. --[[User:Birthright|Birthright]] 19:22, 12 September 2009 (UTC)

"Woodcutters are working outdoors where they are in constant danger of being ambushed by invaders or attacked by wild animals"

You want to delete that? Savok, You are a cruel man.

"(unless, of course, you are the proud owner of an underground tree farm),"

I'd really like to know how the first player figured tower caps out on his own. Mayor kudos to him, if, but i rather suspect toady dropped a hint. So do we.

"but they are also one of the few civilian professions which carry weapons with them."

Well, it should be obvious that the axe still works as weapon, too...hm...but it isn't. So we say it.

Thus, it can be helpful to teach them how to use their axes to defend themselves (and others) properly by making them spend a few months as axedwarfs in your military."

Okay this part could be reworded like you suggest: Woodcutting does not improve goblincutting. But wouldn't the information be the same? --[[User:Höhlenschreck|Höhlenschreck]] 21:07, 12 September 2009 (UTC)

I know I'm a little late to this discussion; but as an honest to goodness newbie I've found the wiki invaluable as is. I've been playing DF for probably 3 weeks now. I attempted to dive right in and just play without reading the wiki or anything, just the actual in-game help. What a mistake that was! I couldn't even figure out how to turn down the volume on the in game music at first! (partly because on a lap top without a num-pad the numbers for up-down selection were less then intuitive). So far I've found most articles have just about the right amount of depth; although some could use some clarification). With the help of the wiki I discovered how many mistakes I really made on my first embark and how lucky I am to still have that fort nearly 7 dwarf years later. I almost had a lot of [[fun]] with lava; but a quick trip to the wiki made me realize all I needed was a constructed wall or door. That really saved my bacon. --[[User:Kelsa|Kelsa]] 05:38, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

== A for Anonymity? ==

On at least [[Talk:Fortress_defense#Use_of_User_Names_in_Defense_Designs|one page]], the concept of "non-ownership" of wiki contributions has been agreed upon, that designs should not have User's names attached, and phrases like ''"I like to..."'' be changed to ''"Some users like to..."'' . Currently, the letter "[[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki:Community_Portal#A|A"]] is for "Alphabet" - hardly enlightening. I wouldn't mind seeing this slot used for a more formalized policy in this direction, to avoid repeating [[Talk:Bedroom_design#Personalisation?|this discussion]]. (Or is the alphabet thing now sacrosanct as is?) 
The applications of such "catch-all" pages are endless, especially as mod's become more and more prevalent both in-game and on this site.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 19:42, 10 September 2009 (UTC)

:Eh. For some things, we obviously want to give credit - [[tilesets]], for example. Personally, I would say that [[:File:Housing by Marble Dice.png|this bedroom design]] probably should be credited to Marble Dice. I don't think a policy that putting data here automatically makes ownership of it go to the wiki (and the wiki will make it anonymous) is a very useful one... --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 20:34, 10 September 2009 (UTC)
::Not so much ownership - ''certainly'' not a release of rights to intellectual property in ''any'' legal sense - but more a de-emphasis of personal credit over contribution for contribution's sake. My name would be all over these pages, as would many others' - that would get old fast, and (possibly) encourage competition and possessiveness, rather than collaboration and contribution. But, as you say... eh. Just thought I'd ask.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 21:15, 10 September 2009 (UTC)

:The thing that strikes me here is, it looks to me as though some of the designs (the fractals etc) have not been put here by the person who designed them. They were designed, discussed on a forum, then someone else thought they looked good and put them here.
:Even if that isn't right - the rest of the [[bedroom]] article reads as though that is how it happened. Until you get to the final entry - which in the original form looked very "owned".
:If you want to own something put it in user space. If you put it in article space expect it to get edited.
:I think that is the rule that needs to exist "somewhere", by nature wiki contributions aren't anonymous. [[User:GarrieIrons|Gar]][[User Talk:GarrieIrons|rie]] 00:08, 11 September 2009 (UTC)

== Category titles (capitalization) ==

Reviving [http://dwarf.lendemaindeveille.com/index.php/Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki_talk:Community_Portal/archive1#Category_tags this] section from the archive, you'll see that our [[Special:Categories|categories]] page (also, Category:Templates) has so many capitalization inconsistencies it'll make your head spin. I propose Category:Formatting Templates as preferable to Category:Formatting templates though the existence of both shows that this needs to be addressed. 
Also, how do you wikilink to those catagory pages? Is it possible?--[[User:Rowenlemmings|Rowenlemmings]] 21:01, 13 September 2009 (UTC)
:First I agree there should be a rule for naming categories, and as per "the" wiki, it should be "first letter of first word only capitalised unless there's a really good reason" (eg: <nowiki>[[Category:Toady One]]</nowiki> where the name of the category is a proper noun / "real name" ).
:<s>Secondly - Categories are "just" normal article pages with some magic behind them, link to them the same as any article. </s> oops I'm wrong let me check that.
:[[User:GarrieIrons|Gar]][[User Talk:GarrieIrons|rie]] 03:26, 19 September 2009 (UTC)
::To link to a category page put a colon ''':'''in front of the word Category in the <nowiki>[[ ]]</nowiki> eg <nowiki>[[:Category:Wiki]]</nowiki> -> [[:Category:Wiki]][[User:GarrieIrons|Gar]][[User Talk:GarrieIrons|rie]] 03:34, 19 September 2009 (UTC)
:::Ah hah, mystery solved.--[[User:Rowenlemmings|''Rowen'']][[User Talk:Rowenlemmings|(talk)]] 02:00, 22 September 2009 (UTC)

::While this is all well and good for new categories, renaming existing categories is much more difficult than renaming pages. With a page we can simply redirect, but to rename a category we need to go through each page in it and change the tag. This is a lot of work for relatively little gain. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 13:44, 22 September 2009 (UTC)
:::Is there anyone around that can "borrow" a bot from "the other wiki" to do this kind of stuff? From my understanding a bot that
:::#scrapes '''Bad Category Name''' for the list of articles
:::#scrapes '''Bad Category Name''' for any actual content
:::#loads each article in turn
::::#searches for '''Bad Category Name'''
::::#replaces '''Bad Category Name''' with '''Good Category Name'''
::::#saves the article
:::#Writes the content from '''Bad Category Name''' to '''Good Category Name'''
:::is relatively straight forward (as bots go).
:::I don't know anything about actually using bots but I know what they can do.
:::How big is this wiki without the media part anyway? I thought the other thing about wikis is it is "relatively easy" to d/l the whole thing as a flat file, make this kind of edit with a text editor, and write it back up. After checking to see if anyone has edited any of the pages of course ;) [[User:GarrieIrons|Gar]][[User Talk:GarrieIrons|rie]] 13:43, 26 September 2009 (UTC)

==Bottom or Top==
Not a big thing, but it seems we should have a rule whether new edits/sections in any non-article space should go at top or bottom of the page. Might also be added to the newbie welcome template. --[[User:Höhlenschreck|Höhlenschreck]] 21:49, 18 September 2009 (UTC)
:Dunno if a rule is needed, most ppl quickly work out that the default action of the "+" magic button is to add a new section at the bottom of the page so this is how you "should" do it manually.[[User:GarrieIrons|Gar]][[User Talk:GarrieIrons|rie]] 03:22, 19 September 2009 (UTC)

== Proposal: [[:Category:Best of DF Wiki]] ==

[[User:BaronW|BaronW's dwarven calculator]] blew my mind and made me crave some way of recognizing and celebrating it. I propose the creation of a wiki category that would consist entirely of abnormally excellent material to wow the reader and shock the house. This category would be managed by way of nomination and [[:Category talk:Best of DF Wiki|discussion]] rather than ad hoc addition, and a link to it would be added to the [[Main Page]] to encourage newbies to visit and marvel (I guess under "Wiki articles by category"). Think of it as a collective favorites list.

My nominations for initial inclusion:
* [[User:BaronW|BaronW]]'s calculator, of course
* [[:File:DF_Cheese.jpg]]
* [[:File:SquirrSurvCathedralAir1.PNG]]
* [[User:Vattic/Orcsicle maker Explained|Vattic/Orcsicle maker Explained]]
* [[Morul]]

# Feedback on the general concept?
# Comments on these nominations?
# Your own nominations?
--[[User:HebaruSan|HebaruSan]] 02:30, 14 November 2009 (UTC)

== Not sure where to put this ==
Does anyone else share my feeling the contributions of [[User:Raneman]] ([[Special:Contributions/Raneman]]) are, um, somewhere between odd, not getting the wiki and plain offensive? --[[Special:Contributions/92.202.17.169|92.202.17.169]] 14:36, 9 February 2010 (UTC)

== Best God EVER! ==

I opened up an old copy of the *.040.* DF (with a popular mod package - inobtanium, molybdenum, a billion kinds of XXXmen, if it matters), named a Town Clerk, and noticed something odd about his personal life. In bright cyan, it says, ''"She is a worshipper of Liceva Wildspew the Piss of Seducers."'' '''Honest.''' (Liceva Theyisethawasa, with an umlaut y) Now what she does in her personal life isn't the town's business, but it seemed funny enough for gossip. ;)

I mention this here because I didn't quickly find a page explaining what the worship is all about, or whether it actually matters for game play. Though maybe I'll figure it out when she acquires a lover. ;) [[User:Dorf and Dumb|Dorf and Dumb]] 00:23, 14 June 2010 (UTC)

== Use of Redirect to Temporarily Point to 40d Pages? ==

I'm new here, but I've noticed that there are still some relevant topics that do no yet have DF2010 pages, yet do have pages for older versions. Would it be appropriate to temporarily have some sort of redirect page to point to the related 40d page (with a warning about it likely containing outdated information)? That is, until an updated 2010 page is created? -- [[User:Thundercraft|Thundercraft]] 23:21, 14 December 2010 (UTC)

== Suggestion: Add entity raws to civilized creature pages ==

We already have the creature raws on each page. Why not add the entity raws for the applicable creatures, namely <s>Dwarfs</s> <s>Dwarves</s> [http://valarguild.org/varda/Tolkien/encyc/articles/d/dwarves/dwarfpluralof.htm Dwarrows], Elves, Humans, Goblins, Kobolds. All animal people civs use the same raws, so for them it may be better to create a seperate [[Animal Peoples]] page. [[User:Monkeyfetus|Monkeyfetus]] 21:18, 30 January 2012 (UTC)

v0.34:Frequently Asked Questions

2013-02-05T03:33:36Z

13thEssence: Changed subsection order. Added Getting Started bar at bottom of page. Minor text edits. Removed distracting link to D-rated article.

{{quality|Fine|02:38, 9 May 2012 (UTC)}}{{av}}

This page documents commonly asked questions and answers. Some of these questions were taken from the Bay12 Gameplay Questions page.

==General==
{{Game_Basics FAQ}}
{{Game_Interface FAQ}}
{{Starting FAQ}}
==Environment==
{{Magma FAQ}}
{{Wood FAQ}}
{{Water FAQ}}
==Fortress==
{{Buildings FAQ}}
{{Moods FAQ}}
{{Workshops FAQ}}
{{Errors FAQ}}

==Skills==
{{Farming FAQ}}
{{Military FAQ}}
{{Mining FAQ}}

==Gameplay: Uncategorized==

'''Water Questions'''

Q: ''If you drain water into naturally flooded caverns, will it flow off the map? Or will they eventually start to fill up?''

A: It will flow off the edge of the map.

'''Bones'''

Q: ''I've got someone in a mood and he wants bones. Well, there's a dead bear skeleton just outside the fort, and I've got lots of tame animals tethered or wandering around.''

A: First off, make sure you've got a butcher's shop, and a dwarf with butchering labour enabled.
Then go to the "animals screen"(from {z} screen), and toggle "ready for slaughter" for those you want to kill.
Your butcher will also automatically butcher every dead animal in the refuse stockpile. This includes extracting bones from "partial skeletons". Make a refuse stockpile by the butcher's, and enable refuse gathering from the outside(o->r->o, iirc).

'''Mining'''

Q: ''I have 3 miners in my fort, 1 is a migrant (He's the working miner) the other 2 came on embark. The original 2 won't mine anything. (I checked and they're holding picks) The new guy is steady mining all the time. What gives?''

A: If you're mining a tunnel which is only 1 square in width, only 1 Dwarf will mine. Ensure they all have picks equipped.
Did you perchance assign mining through Dwarf Therapist?
Either way, unassign, unpause, and then reassign mining labour. Could be all that's required.
In some of my own tests, it wasn't even necessary to unpause - just going into v-p-l, selecting Mining (or Wood Cutting) and hitting Enter twice was enough to fix it.

'''Immigrants'''

Q:Is there any way to edit the frequency or max/min amount of migrants that join your fortress? I keep keeping double digit migrations and I hate being forced to expand quickly. I know I can just draft some into military positions, but I have a picky principle on better to not have labor than to waste labor.

A: See [[Immigration]]

==Using DF Wiki (Editing policies)==
While browsing the wiki, users are encouraged to contribute by adding information, correcting mistakes, improving links between articles, and researching unconfirmed or incomplete facts. If you're new to the game, you are even more likely to encounter errors, be confused by inconsistencies or phrasing, or have unanswered questions that should be answered here. While you gather your answers from the [[::Forums|forums]], [[::IRC|IRC]], through playing and testing or other means and figure things out, you're in a unique position to improve the information here for the next person.

A good wiki is not just about quality information, but also quality presentation and accessibility. There are many editing customs which contribute to quality and consistency of the wiki. Please take a few minutes to read the [[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki:Community_Portal|Rules]]. You can also look through the [[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki_talk:Manual_of_Style|Style Manual]] and some of the other discussions on the [[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki:Centralized_Discussion|centralized discussion page]] found through navigation panel on the left. For technical help with editing features, such as linking and formatting, click the [[Help:Contents|Help link]], also on the left navigation panel.

Facts should be verified to be complete and accurate, preferably in game, before adding to the wiki. When in doubt, but you think it's useful information, just add it and someone will fix it later. If an item of information is not verified, it should be [[:Category:Verify|labeled for verification]].

Each topic has a Talk page where you can ask questions, discuss your ideas and reasoning with others until the facts are worked out, or say anything that doesn't belong in the actual topic page. Remember this is not a forum, so don't expect replies or even to be noticed if you didn't use a verify label in the topic page. Always [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Signatures sign] your talk page comments with <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>, and read the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Talk_page_guidelines talk page guidelines]. Note that not all topics have an existing Talk page. Clicking a verify link or the Discussion tab on the topic's main page will create one (see Starting a New Page below).

Starting a New Page: There are various ways to [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Starting_a_new_page start a new page]. However, only the "Autoconfirmed" [http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/Special:ListGroupRights user group] may do so. You will be automatically added to this group once you have contributed a reasonable number of edits.

==Writing answers policy==
If you know of a page on the wiki that answers a question already, '''Don't''' just redirect to it. Edit the FAQ and change the link to point to it directly.

Whether you link to a page, or create a new page to answer the question, '''don't forget''' to add the template code! That would be:
:<nowiki>{{Name of FAQ}}</nowiki>

{{Getting Started}}

v0.34:Frequently Asked Questions

2013-02-05T03:19:53Z

13thEssence: Added Wiki Editing Policies section.

{{quality|Fine|02:38, 9 May 2012 (UTC)}}{{av}}

This page documents commonly asked questions and answers. Some of these questions were taken from the Bay12 Gameplay Questions page.

==General==
{{Game_Basics FAQ}}
{{Game_Interface FAQ}}
{{Starting FAQ}}
==Environment==
{{Magma FAQ}}
{{Wood FAQ}}
{{Water FAQ}}
==Fortress==
{{Buildings FAQ}}
{{Moods FAQ}}
{{Workshops FAQ}}
{{Errors FAQ}}

==Skills==
{{Farming FAQ}}
{{Military FAQ}}
{{Mining FAQ}}

==Using DF Wiki (Editing policies)==
While browsing the wiki, users are encouraged to contribute by adding information, correcting mistakes, improving links between articles, and researching unconfirmed or incomplete facts. If you're new to the game, you are even more likely to encounter errors, be confused by inconsistencies or phrasing, or have unanswered questions that should be answered here. While you find answers on the [[::Forums|forums]], [[::IRC|IRC]], through playing and testing or [[v0.31:!!SCIENCE!!|other means]] and figure things out, you're in a great position to improve the information for the next person.

A good wiki is not just about quality information, but also quality presentation and accessibility. There are many editing customs which contribute to quality and consistency of the wiki. Please take a few minutes to read the [[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki:Community_Portal|Rules]]. You can also look through the [[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki_talk:Manual_of_Style|Style Manual]] and some of the other discussions on the [[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki:Centralized_Discussion|centralized discussion page]] found through navigation panel on the left. For technical help with editing features, such as linking and formatting, click the [[Help:Contents|Help link]], also on the left navigation panel.

Facts should be verified to be complete and accurate, preferably in game, before adding to the wiki. When in doubt, but you think it's useful information, just add it and someone will fix it later. If an item of information is not verified, it should be [[:Category:Verify|labeled for verification]].

Each topic has a Talk page where you can ask questions, discuss your ideas and reasoning with others until the facts are worked out, or say anything that doesn't belong in the actual topic page. Remember this is not a forum, so don't expect replies or even to be noticed if you didn't use a verify label in the topic page. Always [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Signatures sign] your talk page comments with <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>, and read the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Talk_page_guidelines talk page guidelines]. Note that not all topics have an existing Talk page. Clicking a verify link or the Discussion tab on the topic's main page will create one (see Starting a New Page below).

Starting a New Page: There are various ways to [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Starting_a_new_page start a new page]. However, only the "Autoconfirmed" [http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/Special:ListGroupRights user group] may do so. You will be automatically added to this group once you have contributed a reasonable number of edits.

==Uncategorized==

'''Water Questions'''

Q: ''If you drain water into naturally flooded caverns, will it flow off the map? Or will they eventually start to fill up?''

A: It will flow off the edge of the map.

'''Bones'''

Q: ''I've got someone in a mood and he wants bones. Well, there's a dead bear skeleton just outside the fort, and I've got lots of tame animals tethered or wandering around.''

A: First off, make sure you've got a butcher's shop, and a dwarf with butchering labour enabled.
Then go to the "animals screen"(from {z} screen), and toggle "ready for slaughter" for those you want to kill.
Your butcher will also automatically butcher every dead animal in the refuse stockpile. This includes extracting bones from "partial skeletons". Make a refuse stockpile by the butcher's, and enable refuse gathering from the outside(o->r->o, iirc).

'''Mining'''

Q: ''I have 3 miners in my fort, 1 is a migrant (He's the working miner) the other 2 came on embark. The original 2 won't mine anything. (I checked and they're holding picks) The new guy is steady mining all the time. What gives?''

A: If you're mining a tunnel which is only 1 square in width, only 1 Dwarf will mine. Ensure they all have picks equipped.
Did you perchance assign mining through Dwarf Therapist?
Either way, unassign, unpause, and then reassign mining labour. Could be all that's required.
In some of my own tests, it wasn't even necessary to unpause - just going into v-p-l, selecting Mining (or Wood Cutting) and hitting Enter twice was enough to fix it.

'''Immigrants'''

Q:Is there any way to edit the frequency or max/min amount of migrants that join your fortress? I keep keeping double digit migrations and I hate being forced to expand quickly. I know I can just draft some into military positions, but I have a picky principle on better to not have labor than to waste labor.

A: See [[Immigration]]

==Writing answers policy==
If you know of a page on the wiki that answers a question already, '''Don't''' just redirect to it. Edit the FAQ and change the link to point to it directly.

Whether you link to a page, or create a new page to answer the question, '''don't forget''' to add the template code! That would be:
:<nowiki>{{Name of FAQ}}</nowiki>

Help:Contents

2013-02-05T02:45:03Z

13thEssence: Added description for Help:Contents link

See [[wikipedia:mw:Help:Contents]] for Wiki technical help, including usage instructions for editing features such as formatting, linking, and categories.

Here's a [[wikipedia:Web colors|resource]] for identifying HTML colors in the wiki.

See [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:Talk page guidelines|Wikipedia:Talk page guidelines]] for how to use discussion pages and some basic etiquette.

The wiki rules are at [[Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Community Portal]].

[[User:Briess|Briess]] is the wiki admin. Contact him with account problems.

User talk:Loci

2013-02-05T00:30:56Z

13thEssence:

I've been seeing your edits on the recent changes page for a while now. Good job. :-) [[User:Emufarmers|Emufarmers]] 08:22, 6 December 2012 (UTC)

Thanks for the information regarding creating new pages. I have removed my question from [[Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Centralized Discussion#Content|where I posted it]] and will add a Wiki Editing section to the [[Frequently Asked Questions|FAQ]]. [[User:13thEssence|13thEssence]] 00:30, 5 February 2013 (UTC)

==Creature Type Pages==
Are those supposed to be stub articles, or did you mean to create them as categories? --[[User:Quietust|Quietust]] 22:28, 19 December 2012 (UTC)

:Mainly I created them as stub articles so I would have somewhere to link the "interesting" attributes in the creature info box. That way the info box can just say "No Stun" with a link to more information if the user desires, but without cluttering up the info box with excessive common knowledge. While I also considered adding these tags as categories to the proper creature pages, I haven't put in the time to make that all work yet. --[[User:Loci|Loci]] 22:35, 19 December 2012 (UTC)

::Eh, I tried to set up categories for the various "interesting" attributes, but the creature pages would display the categories without actually being assigned to the categories. Presumably it was a problem with transclusion depth, or formatting, or something. Someone more familiar with the system could probably get it to work, but I didn't feel like spending any more time on the problem so I removed the categories. --[[User:Loci|Loci]] 12:39, 20 December 2012 (UTC)
:::That's because you were just inserting '''page links''' - if you wanted to put them in categories, you should've used <nowiki>[[Category:DF2012:whatever]]</nowiki> rather than just <nowiki>[[whatever]]</nowiki>. --[[User:Quietust|Quietust]] 13:52, 20 December 2012 (UTC)

::::Not quite. I actually had added the categories using the <nowiki>{{Category|foo}}</nowiki> template, but removed them because they didn't work. Your links aren't working for me, either. When I click on [[:Category:DF2012:Flying]], for instance, I get ''"This category currently contains no pages or media."'' If, however, I add the category template <nowiki>{{Category|Flying}}</nowiki> to a creature page directly, the creature shows up on the category page. However, I certainly don't want to modify each and every creature page individually, so any workable solution has to be based on a template transcluding data from the creature /raws. If the creature pages won't register in the categories, I'd rather have the links to the "stub articles" than links to non-functional categories. --[[User:Loci|Loci]] 14:24, 20 December 2012 (UTC)
:::::Using {{tl|Category|foo}} will include it in the category and {{tl|Catlink|foo}} will make an actual link appear on the page - if you want both to happen, then you need to use both of those (see {{tl|attrib proc}} which I just recently modified). --[[User:Quietust|Quietust]] 14:50, 20 December 2012 (UTC)

::::::If you click on [[:Category:DF2012:Flying]], you will find that the majority of creatures with flying are *not* currently included. This is exactly the same problem I ran into with my revision [http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php?title=Template:Attrib_proc&oldid=179580 179580], which looks remarkably similar to your revsion [http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php?title=Template:Attrib_proc&oldid=179609 179609]. In short, the creature pages show the category links, but aren't actually added to the category until the creature page is edited directly (the three flying creatures currently listed in the category have all been edited since your change). That means the categories won't be complete until *every* creature page with an ability has been edited (or the category lists are administratively regenerated), which is why I chose to revert the categories and just link to an ability page. --[[User:Loci|Loci]] 23:15, 1 January 2013 (UTC)

== Regenerating cached categories ==

I will reset the caches this weekend. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 09:48, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

:Thanks! --[[User:Loci|Loci]] 16:02, 6 January 2013 (UTC)

:It appears that the pages still aren't being categorized--the jobs are likely stuck in the [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Job_queue Job Queue] (currently [http://dwarffortresswiki.org/api.php?action=query&meta=siteinfo&siprop=statistics 730 jobs] waiting). [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:RunJobs.php Manually running the queue] will hopefully put everything in the proper categories. --[[User:Loci|Loci]] 21:35, 7 January 2013 (UTC)
::I simply forgot to clear the appropriate caches. The full job queue is run on a scripting server every 30 seconds, that estimate is always wrong. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 21:19, 10 January 2013 (UTC)
::For context, a single page rebuild creates about 100 jobs in the queue, so the expected number of jobs for this reset should be in the 10k-100k range. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 21:20, 10 January 2013 (UTC)

:::Alright; sorry for the confusion. --[[User:Loci|Loci]] 21:43, 10 January 2013 (UTC)
::::No worries. The refresh cycle is running now and will take between 6-10 hours to complete. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 21:45, 10 January 2013 (UTC)

Just an update - clearing the cache failed because of some silly issues with the way mediawiki creates jobs. We will need to null edit every page in order to get things working properly again. I will probably set up a bot to do this for us. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 05:48, 11 January 2013 (UTC)

:That, sadly, does not sound like a very workable solution. When I changed the formatting in one of the templates, all the categories were emptied again. So all the creature pages would probably have to be null-edited again after every change to any template on the creature pages. Unless the bot can be fully automated, the categories are practically guaranteed to be incomplete. In light of these problems it would perhaps be best to scrap the categories entirely. --[[User:Loci|Loci]] 19:03, 25 January 2013 (UTC)
:: Let's not do that yet. I'm planning on upgrading mediawiki again shortly, and I believe there are fixes to this issue in newer versions of the software. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 01:26, 26 January 2013 (UTC)

Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Centralized Discussion

2013-02-05T00:24:08Z

13thEssence: /* Content */ Removed question I posted about restrictions on creating new pages. Answered by Loci. Not appropriate to leave on this page as it was. I will add wiki editing section for newbies to Frequently Asked Questions

This page is for listing various wiki-related discussions. In this sense you can get involved in any of the major initiatives on the wiki and find information on how a particular consensus was reached. If there is a discussion that you'd like to be viewed by more users feel free to list it here.

Items will be occasionally removed from this list to ensure its usability and relevance. To discuss centralized discussion itself or this article please use the [[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Centralized Discussion|talk page]].

:''To view changes to the below discussions click [http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/Special:RecentChangesLinked/Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki:Centralized_Discussion here].''

== Current Discussions ==

=== Content ===
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Spambot attacks|Spambot attacks]] - Discussion of the recent (1/29/2011) spambot attacks.
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Redundancy|Redundancy]] - Articles should repeat tabled info as text.
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Article Consolidation|Article Consolidation]] - Are there too many articles forever destined to be stubs? (Ores/Stones/Gems) that can be replaced by tables?
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Real World Information|Real World Information]] - Discussing the place of real world information in wiki articles.
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Quality|Quality labels]] - Place to discuss the Quality label, as well as the process of labeling articles.
*[[Talk:Main_Page|Main Page]] - To discuss the layout of the main page, and the purpose of the main page talk for discussion.
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Centralized Discussion|Centralized Discussion]] - To discuss this page and the general concept of Centralized discussion.
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Improvement_Drive|Improvement Drive]] ([[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki talk:Improvement_Drive|Talk]]) - Wiki improvement drive

=== Administration ===
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Manual of Style|Manual of style (talk)]] - A general discussion about article style, including subtopics such as spelling (English/UK), the place for humor, page layout, image use, and "vanity articles".

=== Article specific ===
*[[v0.31 Talk:How to correctly start fortress mode]]
*[[DF2012 Talk:Children]] — This page should be moved to [[DF2012:Child]] (first, that page needs to be vacated).
*[[DF2012 Talk:Bridge]] — Suggestion to remove or relocate to [[DF2012:Trap design]] a large section of the Bridge page, and replace with "See also"s.
==== Completed ====
*[[DF2012 Talk:Arena]] — This page should be moved to [[DF2012:Object testing arena]].

== Old Discussions ==
:''These have all been inactive for >1 month. But feel free to comment on them if you have something to add, then move the line to current discussions above.''

=== Content ===
*[[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki talk:Versions|Wiki Versioning process]] - Archived (as of 4/20) discussion about how to proceed with article versioning for the DF 03.31 (DF2010) upgrade. Project page describes how it was done and how articles are organized to support multiple different game versions.
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Community Portal|Community Portal]] - General discussion area, also to discuss the community portal page itself.
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Current events|Current events]] - '''old'''
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Announcements|Announcements]] - About the [[Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Announcements|Announcements]] box at the top of every page.

=== Administration ===
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Deletion_Policy|Deletion Policy (talk)]] - To discuss the [[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki:Deletion_Policy|Deletion Policy]].
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Magmawiki|Magmawiki]] - Discussion about the on-going magmawiki project, which aims to replace mediawiki for this wiki's software.
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Request for Adminship|Request for Adminship]] - Discussions on granting Adminship to specific users
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Request for Adminship|Request for Adminship (talk)]] - Discussions on the Adminship-granting process
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Block policy|Block Policy]] - The not yet created policy for blocking users.

=== Article specific ===

[[Category:Wikiprojects]]

[[Category:Wikiprojects]]

Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Centralized Discussion

2013-02-04T22:45:36Z

13thEssence: /* Content */ Request information on adding new pages

This page is for listing various wiki-related discussions. In this sense you can get involved in any of the major initiatives on the wiki and find information on how a particular consensus was reached. If there is a discussion that you'd like to be viewed by more users feel free to list it here.

Items will be occasionally removed from this list to ensure its usability and relevance. To discuss centralized discussion itself or this article please use the [[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Centralized Discussion|talk page]].

:''To view changes to the below discussions click [http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/Special:RecentChangesLinked/Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki:Centralized_Discussion here].''

== Current Discussions ==

=== Content ===
* Starting a new page: I cannot create new pages by any of the methods [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Starting_a_new_page outlined here]. I had to edit this topic instead of creating an appropriate linked page. I have found no information indicating this restriction is by design, and how to earn an exemption or request a new page. My principal reason for creating new pages are when Talk pages do not exist and writing something (such as partial evidence against a Verify request) inside the main article would distract and confuse the reader. There have also been instances I would have liked to work on a new topic but could not, and the information I had in mind is now lost. [[User:13thEssence|13thEssence]] 22:45, 4 February 2013 (UTC)
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Spambot attacks|Spambot attacks]] - Discussion of the recent (1/29/2011) spambot attacks.
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Redundancy|Redundancy]] - Articles should repeat tabled info as text.
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Article Consolidation|Article Consolidation]] - Are there too many articles forever destined to be stubs? (Ores/Stones/Gems) that can be replaced by tables?
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Real World Information|Real World Information]] - Discussing the place of real world information in wiki articles.
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Quality|Quality labels]] - Place to discuss the Quality label, as well as the process of labeling articles.
*[[Talk:Main_Page|Main Page]] - To discuss the layout of the main page, and the purpose of the main page talk for discussion.
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Centralized Discussion|Centralized Discussion]] - To discuss this page and the general concept of Centralized discussion.
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Improvement_Drive|Improvement Drive]] ([[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki talk:Improvement_Drive|Talk]]) - Wiki improvement drive

=== Administration ===
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Manual of Style|Manual of style (talk)]] - A general discussion about article style, including subtopics such as spelling (English/UK), the place for humor, page layout, image use, and "vanity articles".

=== Article specific ===
*[[v0.31 Talk:How to correctly start fortress mode]]
*[[DF2012 Talk:Children]] — This page should be moved to [[DF2012:Child]] (first, that page needs to be vacated).
*[[DF2012 Talk:Bridge]] — Suggestion to remove or relocate to [[DF2012:Trap design]] a large section of the Bridge page, and replace with "See also"s.
==== Completed ====
*[[DF2012 Talk:Arena]] — This page should be moved to [[DF2012:Object testing arena]].

== Old Discussions ==
:''These have all been inactive for >1 month. But feel free to comment on them if you have something to add, then move the line to current discussions above.''

=== Content ===
*[[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki talk:Versions|Wiki Versioning process]] - Archived (as of 4/20) discussion about how to proceed with article versioning for the DF 03.31 (DF2010) upgrade. Project page describes how it was done and how articles are organized to support multiple different game versions.
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Community Portal|Community Portal]] - General discussion area, also to discuss the community portal page itself.
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Current events|Current events]] - '''old'''
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Announcements|Announcements]] - About the [[Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Announcements|Announcements]] box at the top of every page.

=== Administration ===
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Deletion_Policy|Deletion Policy (talk)]] - To discuss the [[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki:Deletion_Policy|Deletion Policy]].
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Magmawiki|Magmawiki]] - Discussion about the on-going magmawiki project, which aims to replace mediawiki for this wiki's software.
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Request for Adminship|Request for Adminship]] - Discussions on granting Adminship to specific users
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Request for Adminship|Request for Adminship (talk)]] - Discussions on the Adminship-granting process
*[[Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Block policy|Block Policy]] - The not yet created policy for blocking users.

=== Article specific ===

[[Category:Wikiprojects]]

[[Category:Wikiprojects]]

v0.34 Talk:Experience

2013-02-04T22:11:23Z

13thEssence:

I'm adding this information because this is the first place I came looking for it.
Experience in Fortress Mode can be modified via memory editing. Each skill takes the form of two values located in similar addresses. The level (Skilled:4;Adept:7;etc) is at one address and the experience from the previous level is stored at another. This means that for a Miner with 4893 exp you would search for a level of 6 and an experience of 393. To level him to adept you change the level to 7 or the experience to 1100.

Experiance levels after legendary are definetaly different in the newest version's adventure mode. It continues with same 'previous level plus 100 experiance points' increments well into 3000 or legendary +10 in throwing and archery after 20 minutes of science and marijuana smoking. Tested with latest release Aug/18/2012

Playing 34.11 Fortress Mode with DFhack superdwarf on my miner, he reached level 24 mining (39,860exp). He's retired from mining now, but if I remember I'll run him beyond level 25 later and report. (22:11, 4 February 2013 (UTC))

v0.34:Pressure plate

2013-01-26T09:08:33Z

13thEssence: /* Construction */ Added information about minecart-triggered plates. Updated mechanism costs. Corrected spelling.

{{quality|Exceptional|21:03, 26 April 2011 (UTC)}}{{av}}
'''Pressure plates''' act in similar ways to [[lever]]s, in that they require [[mechanisms]] to be built, and then a pair of mechanisms to be linked to a [[floodgate]], [[Trap_component|spike trap]], [[bridge]], or what-have-you. Their accompanying activity is triggered the instant a creature has stepped on them (not including the delay associated with the triggered item); leave a time delay space for traps based on enemy movement as necessary. Pressure plates will not be targeted by [[building destroyer]]s.

==Types==

'''One-use''' pressure plates send their signal, then deconstruct the first time they're triggered, leaving behind the mechanism used to construct them and destroying any mechanisms used to link them to other objects. As such, use low quality mechanisms to link with these.

'''Resetting''' pressure plates can be reused as many times as you want. They disengage 99 ticks after their trigger is removed.

==Uses==
Pressure plates are used as a variety of triggers for other activities, such as [[bridge]] raising or [[Trap_design|defensive and trap]] purposes, such as [[magma]] or [[water]] traps involving reservoirs of said substances.

Pressure plates send an ''open'' command the instant their criteria are met, and a ''close'' command 99 ticks after their triggering criteria are no longer met. If a pressure plate sends an ''open'' command to a [[door]], [[floodgate]], or [[hatch cover|hatch]] that is already opened, nothing happens. The only exception to this is [[gear assembly|gear assemblies]], which toggle their engaged/disengaged state on every trigger from a [[lever]] or pressure plate.

==Advanced techniques==
Making complicated devices with pressure plates requires a full and detailed understanding of how pressure plates function.

Resetting pressure plates send two signals: an ''open'' signal, when first triggered by an appropriate creature or fluid; and a ''close'' signal, set to occur 99 ticks after the pressure criteria are no longer met. They do not send continuous ''open'' signals while the pressure criteria are met. A pressure plate that is untriggered then retriggered before it has sent a ''close'' signal will not send an ''open'' signal on the second trigger, and will abort the ''close'' signal scheduled to occur from the untriggering.

Special care must be taken when linking multiple pressure plates to a single device. When doing so, it's possible for one of the plates to become activated before another plate has sent a ''close'' signal. Unlike with single plates, the triggering of the first plate will not abort the ''close'' signal scheduled from the second plate, and the triggered device can become deactivated (closed) despite a triggered pressure plate linked to the device.

Similar situations can occur when activating a bridge or other refractory building with a pressure plate: if the pressure plate sends an ''open'' too rapidly after sending a ''close'', the bridge will ignore the ''open'' and wedge close.

===Build order===
Another essential consideration with carefully timed devices is build order. Pressure plates can send ''open'' and ''close'' signals at different times depending on what sort of building is being triggered and whether the building was built before or after the pressure plate. That is because furniture is evaluated in the reverse order in which it is built-- when you build a pressure plate before the furniture it's linked to, in many cases that furniture will not receive a signal until the tick following pressure plate activation.

* Linked doors and hatches always open the same tick that a pressure plate is triggered, but close depending on build order: if built before the pressure plate, they close 99 ticks after the trigger is removed, and if built after, they close 100 ticks after the trigger is removed.
* Retracting spikes built before a pressure plate retract 40 ticks after triggering and extend 139 ticks after the trigger is removed. If built after the triggering pressure plate, they retract 41 ticks after triggering and extend 140 ticks after the trigger is removed.
* Gear assemblies will appear to be unaffected by build order-- they will engage or disengage on the same tick that a pressure plate is triggered, regardless of build order-- but gear assemblies built after a pressure plate will not transmit (or stop transmitting) power until the tick following pressure plate activation (or 100 ticks after criteria are no longer met), whereas gear assemblies built before a plate linked to them will toggle at 0 and 99 ticks.
* Bridges, vertical bars, floodgates, and grates built before a pressure plate open 100 ticks after the trigger is sent, and close 199 ticks after the trigger is removed. If they are built after a triggering pressure plate, they open 101 ticks after a trigger is sent and close 200 ticks after the trigger is removed.

Essentially, pressure plates send open signals immediately upon triggering and close signals 99 ticks after their trigger is removed; pressure plates built before the device they trigger work a tick later; and doors and hatches are always opened on the exact tick that they're triggered by a pressure plate, regardless of build order, although their close tick is still affected by build order.

===Latching Pressure Plates===
[[Image:Mini_Resetable_Trigger_Once_Plate.PNG‎|thumb|right|133px|'''Resettable Latching Plate System'''. Uses scaffolding (not shown) just like a [[Screw pump#Pump stack|pump stack]].]]

While ordinary one-use plates are easy to use, they deconstruct immediately after triggering and destroy all but one of the mechanisms used. Frequently, it's desirable to have a system that triggers once, then waits to be reset manually. For example, you might have a pressure plate that seals off your entrance and floods it with magma, but you don't want the flood to stop or the drawbridges to open like it would for a resetting pressure plate, but you also don't want to rebuild and reconnect the one-use pressure plate after every siege when half the parts are submerged in magma. This is when you should use a pressure plate linked to a [[Memory (computing)|latch]].

Suppose you want to use a pressure plate to seal off your main entrance. You build the setup shown, being sure to construct the lower pumps before the upper pumps and the gear assembly on top after both pumps are done. Then connect the plate in room 2 to the drawbridges that seal the entrance and hook a resetting, enemy triggered plate from your main hallway to the hatch in room 1. The resetting pressure plate in room 2 should be set to trigger whenever any water is on it. You also connect a [[lever]] to the [[gear assembly]] above the pumps, which becomes your reset lever, and pull the lever to disengage the gear once its set up. You also connect that gear to a power source with at least 25 [[power]]. Lastly, you fill area 1 with 7/7 water (to prevent evaporation) by channeling through the floor and designating a [[activity_zone#Pit/Pond|pond zone]] above it. After it's full, remove the pond zone and build a floor over it for good measure. During construction, you will need scaffolding just like what you use for a [[Screw pump#Pump stack|pump stack]]. This setup uses the same trick of channeling through the floor and building the lower pump first to allow them to share their power source. Remember to forbid the access doors when you're done setting everything up.

You can [[power]] this from any source, but if your map gives 40 wind power you can just use a [[windmill]]. Build a [[windmill]] right above where it says "power here" and then build a gear assembly directly below it. Putting a windmill directly on top of a gear you disengage can cause the windmill to collapse, so don't try that unless it says the windmill has a stable foundation. You may also want to construct a wall around your windmill to prevent a [[building destroyer]] from smashing it.

Now, whenever your pressure plate is triggered, the hatch will immediately open and dump the water from 1 onto the plate at 2, holding that plate down until you use your reset lever to activate the pump and put the water back on top of the hatch. Don't forget to turn the pumps off after all the water has moved, or it will continue to reset itself until the pumps are stopped. You can eliminate that minor problem by hooking the pressure plates in the [[User:Uristocrat/Toggle_System|toggle system]] to the gear assembly on top of the pumps instead of a lever, but that's significantly more complex.

===Unusual triggers===
Pressure plates will be set off by a sufficiently large [[undead]] corpse reanimating on their tile. They will be set off by creatures that fall onto them, even if those creatures [[gravity|fall]] onto another creature occupying the same tile. However, if a creature dies upon contact with the ground, as with a fall from a great height, that creature will not set off a pressure plate upon landing. A mechanic who completes the first attachment job on a pressure plate will not cause an ''open'' to be sent to the building being linked, but a ''close'' will be sent-- when the ''open'' is sent, the building is not yet linked! This tends to toggle gears upon linkage, and makes futile single-use, civilians-trigger pressure plates. Neither [[Trading|merchants]], their pack animals, nor [[trading#Liasons|diplomats]] will set off pressure plates, even pressure plates set to be triggerable by civilians. Should an invading force arrive, they will not activate any pressure plates that have been observed by any diplomat from their civilization. Flyers and swimmers will set off pressure plates in any tile they move through.

Regardless of whether a pressure plate is set to civilians-trigger or not, any creature that is [[unconscious]] or [[web|webbed]] will set off a pressure plate-- diplomat, sieging human, [[trapavoid]]er, or your own dwarf.

===Hanging pressure plates===
Like other buildings, pressure plates built on top of a constructed wall remain even after that constructed wall is removed{{Bug|0377}}. All linkages to such a plate need to be completed before removing the construction supporting the plate. Creatures falling through a hanging pressure plate will not trigger that plate, but fluid falling through or pumped into a square occupied by a hanging pressure plate will trigger that plate as normal. Flyers or swimmers moving through the tile containing the hanging pressure plate will trigger it as normal.

==Construction==
Pressure plates are built on any [[floor]] using {{k|b}}, {{k|T}}, {{k|p}}. You will be prompted to enable what type of things should trigger the plate (water, magma, creatures, minecarts, or some combination of the four). You are then instructed to set up a range between two values of weights- a minimum to a maximum. {{k|e}} and {{k|r}} affect the minimum weight, and {{k|d}} and {{k|f}} affect the maximum.

The number of mechanisms required to build a pressure plate depends on how many types of things (water, magma, creatures and/or minecarts) can trigger it. If only one of them can trigger it, it takes one mechanism. If two can (water and magma, water and creatures, or any other pair) then it takes two mechanisms. If all four can trigger it, it will take four mechanisms.

NOTE: The creature selection screen has an additional setting that allows the pressure plate to ignore, or be triggered by, your citizens. "Citizens" include [[Domestic animal|tame animals]] but not merchants or liaisons. Pressure plates that can be triggered by citizens will remain triggerable by non-citizens as well-- there is no way to make a pressure plate that is triggerable by only civilians.

Construction is done by a [[mechanic]], who will require one to four [[mechanism]]s. After construction is completed, use the {{k|q}} key to view the building, and press {{k|a}} to link the pressure plate to choose which trap, floodgate, or other device will be triggered by it. Your mechanic will haul one mechanism to the desired device, work for awhile, and then take another mechanism to the pressure plate itself and complete the task. Your pressure plate is now ready for action.

===Choosing Weights===

For a table of creatures you can organize by increasing or decreasing [[size|weight]], see [[List of creatures by adult size]].

[[Vermin]] inherently do not trigger traps - aside from their weight being consistently less than 10000, they aren't treated as actual creatures for the purpose of triggering any sort of trap. Only adult weights appear in-game. Children creatures will still trigger pads, even though they are unlisted. Creatures with the trapavoid token will not trigger pressure plates, regardless of weight.

On-screen numbers are shown divided by 10 (rounded down). For example 500,000, the default minimum weight, will appear to be 50,000 in-game. It is easy to double check what you want to set it to by using a lookup and reverse lookup on the list, to compare what the game says about a creature, and what the list says.

The weight settings are set up in what appears to be an odd way, but makes sense for the large scale of numbers we can work with. {{k|e}} or {{k|d}} will decrease the weight by 10,000 (1,000 on-screen), and {{k|r}} or {{k|f}} will increase the weight by 100,000 (10,000 on-screen). It is slightly clumsy but it would be annoying to increase digits by units of 10,000 when trying to get from crundles to whales.

{{buildings}}

v0.34:Construction

2013-01-25T05:17:38Z

13thEssence: Track Stop is not a Construction. Notes on construction/minecart track limitations.

{{quality|Exceptional|17:46, 1 October 2010 (UTC)}}{{av}}

'''Constructions''' are buildings such as [[floor|floors]], [[wall|walls]] and [[stair|stairs]]. They can be made of any solid material, [[wood]], [[stone]], [[metal]] or [[glass]], and are accessed by pressing the {{k|b}}uild-{{k|C}}onstruction keys. One exception is the [[Minecart|Track Stop]], found in the construction submenu even though it is a regular [[Building|building]].

Unlike most objects accessed from the {{k|b}}uild menu, Constructions are treated as inert terrain features when completed, with a few limitations as described below. Additionally, constructions can only be interacted with by loo{{k|k}}-ing at them or by pressing {{k|d}}-{{k|n}} to designate their removal. Using the {{k|q}}uery or {{k|t}}ask selection will give no information after the construction is completed, but will allow [[removal]], suspension, and an idea of the current status before the Construction is complete.

== Required labors ==

In order to make a construction, a dwarf with the appropriate [[labor]] is required. [[Wood]] requires [[carpentry]]; [[stone]], [[glass]], and [[soap]] require [[masonry]], and [[metal]] requires any form of [[metalsmithing]]. No experience is granted when building constructions.

No labor is required for removing constructions - [[noble]]s and [[child]]ren can and will tear down walls given the opportunity.

== Constructions and Designated formations ==

Constructions are similar to [[Mining|designated formations]]. However, unlike the [[wall]]s and [[floor]]s surrounding [[Mining|mined]] or [[Channel|channeled]] spaces, constructed features cannot be smoothed, engraved, or carved into minecart tracks. In order to construct [[smoothing|smooth]] stone [[wall]]s and [[floor]]s, [[block]]s need to be used in place of raw [[stone]]. [[Wood]], [[metal]], and [[glass]] constructions are not considered either rough or smooth, but in the case of wood, building with [[block]]s will increase room value - [[metal]] [[bar]]s have the same value as metal blocks and are thus interchangeable (though blocks may be preferred to simplify resource tracking), and glass can ''only'' be used in block form.

It is impossible to build tracks atop constructed features because built tracks are constructions themselves. Since constructed floors cannot be carved into tracks either, constructed above-ground fortresses cannot utilize minecarts above ground level.

== Order of Construction ==

Constructions are built in a Last-In-First-Out (LIFO) order. That means that whichever Constructions are ordered first will be built last. Also, if there is a large group of Constructions being built, and a new set of constructions is ordered, the Constructions in progress will be ignored until the new constructions are finished.

Respecting the LIFO order is also necessary to efficiently and correctly construct [[Tower|multi-z-level walls]].

See also [[Mega construction]]

== 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.

==Destruction==
Constructions are generally inert, resisting [[building destroyer]]s, but will be destroyed if [[magma]] and [[water]] can interact in the square of the construction to form [[obsidian]], or in a [[cave-in]]. Building and removing a construction can change the floor it is built upon to a default value, removing things like [[engravings]] and the "magma flow" floor above [[semi-molten rock]].

{{Category|Constructions}}

v0.34:Glass industry

2013-01-23T17:29:11Z

13thEssence: /* Producing glass */

{{quality|Masterwork|04:13, 15 October 2010 (UTC)}}{{av}}

The '''Glass Industry''' is an extremely versatile source of items. Everything from [[trade good]]s to [[furniture]] to low value [[glass]] [[gem]]s to [[block]]s to [[trap component]]s can be made from glass, making [[Glassmaker]]s an extremely useful profession. As glass is [[magma-safe]] and all [[screw pump]] components can be made from glass, glassmaking industry becomes very important once [[magma]] is found.

=Producing glass=

In order to produce [[glass]] in great quantities, your map should have [[sand]]. Sand is offered by [[caravan]]s, but very little can be acquired at a time. Soil layers may or may not include sand, so there is no way to tell if your map will provide it until you embark without [[cheating]]. If you want to better ensure the possibility of a flourishing glass industry, embark on a [[sand desert]] or [[badlands]] biome. Keep in mind these biomes by themselves don't have trees to [[fuel]] your furnaces early on.

To make items from glass, sand must first be gathered in [[bag]]s using a task available at any [[glass furnace]], "Gather Sand". You must designate a [[activity zone|Sand Collection zone]] from the ({{k|i}})-menu that includes an accessible area of sand in order for this task to succeed. Only cut glass can be made from raw glass purchased from [[caravan]]s. Other objects must be made from "sand bearing items", i.e. bags of sand.

Once you have one bag of sand you can order glass to be created at a furnace. A standard [[glass furnace]] will consume one unit of [[fuel]] per job; a [[magma glass furnace]] uses no fuel.

==Collecting sand==

All types of glassmaking require at least a [[container|bag]] of [[sand]]. The "Collect [[Sand]]" order at the glass furnace requires the "[[hauling#Item_hauling|item hauling]]" labor, not glassmaking. The Collect Sand order does however still occupy the glass furnace, preventing glassmakers from working in it until it has been completed. Collecting sand is also a time consuming task, and glassmakers quickly become faster at making items than at gathering materials to the point that jobs are canceled as sand becomes scarce.

===Collecting sand efficiently===

There are two main ways around this problem, each with its own benefits and drawbacks.

====Brute force====
The fast, somewhat sloppy method is to build additional glass furnaces for the sole purpose of [[repeat]]ing the Collect Sand order while others are used for actual glassmaking. Keep in mind that ordering glass goods through the [[manager]] will schedule jobs in your sand collection glass furnaces, which can get irritating and interfere with your balance of sand supplies and glassmaking orders. To avoid this, queue ten sand collection jobs and set them all to repeat. This will prevent new jobs from being assigned to the [[furnace]].

'''Benefits:'''
*This method will free up time for your glassmakers to focus on making glass items.

*It is possible to turn off all of your craftsdwarves' hauling labors and let your pack of otherwise useless [[Potash maker|Potash Maker]]s do all the grunt work of filling [[container|bags]].

'''Drawbacks:'''
*This method is hard to balance. Just when you think you have found an equilibrium between supply and demand, a legendary glassmaker goes to sleep and every bag is filled with sand during his absence, resulting in a cascade of canceled bag filling jobs. If you go too far the other way and order more bags than can be used, hundreds of surplus sand bags accumulate until you eventually run out of bags or tweak the balance again.

====Slow and easy====
The slightly slower but more controllable method of collecting sand efficiently. Assign each glass furnace to an individual glassmaker, and make sure that the dwarf's item hauling labor is turned on. Stagger work orders so the glassmaker hauls their own sand, then makes their item, then hauls their own sand.

'''Benefits:'''
*Orders can be set to repeat endlessly in the background with no oversight, which is particularly excellent when mass producing [[Gems#Glass|raw glass]] or [[block]]s.

*Usage of bags is set to a minimum, which frees [[cloth]] and [[leather]] for other purposes.

'''Drawbacks:'''
*Tandem job orders like this mean that only five orders can be placed at a time, meaning that orders are placed most effectively as [[repeat]]s. A way around this is to set five different types of tandem orders and [[suspend]] and unsuspend them as desired.

*This method is slower than the brute force method, and doesn't give your horde of idle dwarves anything to do.

*The manager can still be a burden with this system and ruin the balance of labors.

==Varieties of glass==

:*Producing '''green glass''' requires only a bag of sand. Green glass items are [[value|worth]] twice as much as objects made from most [[stone]], making it equivalent to cheap metals like [[copper]] and [[zinc]].

:*Producing '''clear glass''' requires one bar of [[pearlash]] in addition to a bag of sand. Clear glass items are worth five times as much as items made from most stones, making it equivalent to metals like [[bronze]].

:*Producing '''crystal glass''' requires no sand, but does require pearlash and rough [[rock crystal]]s, a [[gem]] which is not found on all maps. Cut rock crystals bought from [[trader]]s will not work for producing crystal glass. Crystal glass is worth ten times as much as objects made from most stones, making it equivalent in value to metals like [[silver]].

See also "[[Glass]]" for a full discussion of the properties of glass items.

==Glass Industry Flowchart==

[[Image:Glassflow2.png|Thumb|800px|Flowchart of the glass industry and its interaction with surrounding industries.]]

=Glassmaking vs. masonry=
There is considerable overlap between items produced from [[stone]] at a [[Mason's workshop]], and items produced from glass at glass furnaces. [[Mason]]ry is easier to get running and will [[stone management|clear excess stone]] from your fortress. Glass produces items with a higher base [[value]] (unless you make your masons use flux or [[obsidian]]), and using a [[magma glass furnace]] allows you to make green glass objects without consuming anything but dwarven labor. Glass also provides a [[magma-safe]] alternative, to prepare for magma-based projects before it's discovered or avoid stockpile micromanagement for the correct building materials.

=Glassmaking and [[minecart]]s=
In a typical fortress, [[magma]] is located deep below, while sand is a soil layer and thus without some creative management is just below ground. Without minecarts, each sand bag will be carried by a single dwarf, thus requiring a lot of dwarf labor and wide staircases. With minecarts one can not only transport a lot of sand bags to the magma furnace without much dwarftime wasted on hauling, but also transport all the glass products back up. If set up, the track can be also used to supply (and grab from) [[magma smelter]] which is likely to be located close to [[magma glass furnace]].
If one is too lazy to set up a track, minecart system can be easily used simply to haul all the sand bags in a convenient container (requires a wooden minecart). If both endpoints are set to '''guide''', but are left disconnected, dwarves will just grab the minecart and haul it to destination. Since sand bags and wooden minecarts are both very light, the dwarf won't slow down much.
{{Category|Industry}}
{{Industry}}

v0.34:Starting build

2013-01-23T17:05:01Z

13thEssence: /* Desert, Glaciers, and Barren */

{{quality|Exceptional|10:09, 24 April 2011 (UTC)}}{{av}}

:''This is not a tutorial, a FAQ, or a new players guide. This is a mildly advanced theoretical treatment for someone ready to take the plunge and make all the decisions about their own fortress. The following are intended for beginners:''
::*[[Quickstart guide]]
::*[[Main:From Caravan to Happy Dwarves|Beginner Flowchart]]
::*[[User:Calite/Gloss_Guide|Beginner Checklist]]
:''For an explanation of the interface for starting out, see [[Embark]].''

A '''starting build''' is a personal strategy for choosing the initial supplies, equipment, and [[skill]]s of your initial seven dwarves when starting a new game in [[fortress mode]] (see [[Sample Starting Builds]]). These skills and items which you assign to your dwarves will have a large impact on life in your new fortress, especially in its first year.

This page attempts to provide a discussion about how and why you make the choices on what you bring with you. This page is not an explanation of the mechanics of doing so, see the [[embark]] page for an explanation of the interface itself. This page assumes you have already made certain decisions, such as where you plan on settling, and that you are looking at the [[Embark#Prepare_Carefully|Prepare Carefully]] screen.

One thing should be made clear - there is no "best" build, no "perfect" or "clearly superior" final mix of skills and items, if only because there isn't any one goal of play. The goals you have for a fortress will dictate which sets of items and skills are best suited to achieving that goal - in your opinion. And then there is the environment, where your dwarves will arrive, the creatures, the resources available, and so forth. Finally, some people do things solely because it is hard, and that makes it more [[fun]] for them.

__TOC__

== Components of a Starting Build ==
There are two main components of a starting build: skills and items.

Skills for your initial dwarves determine how quickly they will work early on, what industries you are able to start with skilled workers, how well you can defend your dwarves early on, and what the quality of various goods they produce will be, and possibly many other considerations. This page considers in detail how you might go about choosing skills for your starting dwarves, and examines the multiple competing perspectives from which you can make that decision.

The items that your dwarves bring with you can be tailored a number of ways. There are trade-offs to cheaper and more expensive alternatives, and reasons why you might choose either. This section explores the nature of these trade-offs and the reasons for making a decision. It also looks at optimizing goods brought in more general contexts.

Starting builds can and should vary based upon a number of other variables. [[location|Where you choose to settle]] will dictate what raw materials are available, and thus require different skill sets to utilize, not to mention different threats from native wildlife based on [[biome]], [[surroundings|savagery]], and [[surroundings|alignment]]. Which dwarven civilization you chose will restrict the materials with which you can start. Making choices about these variables is not part of a starting build. What you choose for skills and items because of these choices is part of your starting build, and so some general guidelines about different environments is given last.

This page does not cover the interface for accomplishing these tasks; please see the [[embark]] page for that information.

== Skill Optimization ==
With only 7 dwarves, you can't take every [[skill]], so you must balance what you do take. At the starting phase, each dwarf can only be assigned a maximum total of 10 skill levels, with no single skill starting higher than "5". Maximum skill distribution is thus constrained to 1 level in each of 10 skills, or 5 levels in each of two skills, or something in between. Because dwarves can [[experience|learn]] any and all skills once your fortress starts, these initial choices do not dictate what the dwarves can do, opening up incredible latitude to choose skills for reasons other than survival.

:''(* Note that an unskilled dwarf starts with all Skills at Level '''0'''. Adding +5 Levels is then Level '''5'''. This is true regardless of how many "points" a level costs when first buying skills at embark.)''

A brief list of considerations governing skill choice:
:* Maximizing starting skill ranks vs. generalizing and having more skills covered at lower levels.
:* Balancing multiple skills for a single dwarf, so they aren't constantly needed for two different tasks at critical periods
:* Military vs economic needs
:* Your goals vs "basic survival needs" to keep your fortress healthy and happy.
:* Speed that a skill can be trained in game
:* Demand for a skill during a game
:* Whether quality or speed are significant considerations for tasks/final product
:* Balancing the desire to create [[wealth]] ''(with high-value products)'' with the need to maintain [[thought|morale]] ''(with low-value but commonly used products, like [[bed]]s, which normally are made from [[wood]])''.
:* most importantly - ''your playstyle'' - what '''you''' think is "[[fun]]"!

==== Breadth vs. Depth ====

A dwarf with only 2 starting skills at 5 ranks each is pretty good at 2 tasks, but untrained at anything else. A dwarf with nothing higher than level 1 is passable at many tasks, but not good at anything. Each dwarf in your party is going to be somewhere along this continuum, and you'll need to choose where.

Level in a skill dictates how fast a dwarf completes a task (most of the time), and the [[quality]] of the result (if applicable). On one extreme, [[butchery]] has no time variance for slaughtering a tame animal, and has no quality associated with the outcome. On the other extreme, [[Metal industry|metalworking]] tasks can take a long time for an untrained worker to complete and their high material value means the quality multiplier has a large impact on the end value.

Dwarves who complete tasks faster can do more total [[job]]s within a given time. The rate at which speed increases with level varies with skill, so some skills will benefit more than others.

Dwarves who make items of higher quality will contribute more to fortress [[wealth]] and may have a large impact on fortress [[thought|happiness]] if their work is readily available to be seen by other dwarves. Items which typically contribute to happiness are common public items like [[bed]]s and [[table]]s. Items which contribute the most to fortress wealth often cannot be displayed, but make useful [[trade goods]] or [[equipment]] for your military.

Aside from the obvious trade off, there is another reason to prefer depth - dwarves can obviously only complete so many total jobs within a given timespan. If a dwarf is busy doing one thing, he can't simultaneously be doing something else. So a dwarf who is highly skilled in a few skills may not actually experience any disadvantage if he is kept doing those things in which he specializes. The generalist dwarf, on the other hand, may be able to do many more different tasks adequately, but he can still only do one type of task at a time. A dwarf with one highly used skill (such as Mechanics or Mining) can feasibly spend all his time using only his primary skill and thus has no need to generalize. In effect, the generalist is wasting more skill points whenever he does jobs than the specialist, so long as the specialist tends to do jobs he has levels in. Specializing your initial skill investment is therefore superior if you specialize the division of labor in your fortress.

Of course, you can still only bring 7 dwarves with 10 total levels of skills each, so covering everything you want to do in 14 skills may be hard, if not impossible. A generalist or two can cover more bases that have little quality need or are otherwise fast even without a high level. The generalists real problem arises from the fact that any dwarf can do any task, and having 1 level isn't much better than having no levels. Which isn't to say there isn't a situation where a 1/1/1/1/1/5 dwarf is the right solution (indeed, the typical recommended [[leader]]/[[broker]] takes 1/1/1/1/1 in [[appraiser]]/[[judge of intent]]/[[negotiator]]/+2 social skills because none of these skills have a time or quality component), but most less-specialized dwarves are more likely to fall in the 5/3/2 or 4/3/3 end of the spectrum solely because there is a minimum investment necessary to be noticeably better than not having any levels at all.

==== Design Constraints: Which skills do I need, really? ====

The only thing that you absolutely must do in the first year is get your [[food]] supplies into a food stockpile, preferably inside, or your food will [[rot]] on the ground and your dwarves will starve. Anything else you want to do can be accommodated by sufficient investment in initial supplies and/or skills. This means the options for possible starting builds are vast because virtually any set of starting skills for your dwarves is viable (and that's before you even think about equipment, which adds more variables). So the short answer is: none.

That said, there are some skills which will be '''used''', to one extent or another, by virtually every fortress - but that doesn't mean you '''need''' or even want to invest points in them to start. You could even manipulate the fortress (see [[challenge]]) to completely avoid one or more of the following, but these are the skills you will find it exceptionally hard to avoid creating jobs for:

*[[Mining]] - to dig your fortress, and create loose [[stone]] for projects. It's only possible to avoid mining if you're secretly an [[elf]].
** Inexperienced [[miner]]s work very slowly. Mining can be leveled up quite quickly by mining [[soil#soil|soil]], but taking two dwarves with at least some points in mining is recommended in most cases.
*[[Carpentry]], [[wood cutter|Wood cutting]] - [[bed]]s can only be produced from [[wood]] (rare [[mood]]s aside). This skill is also quite useful for producing [[bin]]s and [[barrel]]s.
** It's best not to assign carpentery and wood cutting to the same dwarf. Doing so creates a bottleneck early on, when carpentry is your only reliable industry.
*[[Masonry]] - to fashion dwarven [[furniture]] from stone, and build [[buildings]] and [[constructions]] from stone.
** Due to the vast supply of loose stones, masons can be easily trained by [[repeat]]ing jobs at a mason's workshop.
*[[Grower|Growing]] - your farmers' work echoes throughout so many other tasks, it's stunning.
** Skilled planters produce larger stacks of crops, which means more food, more booze, more cloth, more dye, ....
** While it's possible to feed your fortress on nothing but caravan goods, you'll never come by enough alcohol that way, so you'll eventually need to grow or gather plants for brewing. Dwarves will literally go crazy if forced to drink nothing but water for long periods. Thus you'll want to plan for farming eventually - not that you must bring a highly skilled [[Grower]], but it'll certainly be ''very'' helpful.
** Planters with low skill levels can decrease your seed stockpiles - each seed planted by an untrained grower will usually result in a single replacement seed, but may produce no seed at all if the crop fails. When you start out with only a handful of seeds, a few losses can easily impact the sustainability of your fortress.
*[[Brewer|Brewing]], [[Cook|Cooking]] - A skilled brewer produces [[alcohol]] more quickly. Likewise, a skilled [[cook]] prepares [[prepared meal|meals]] more quickly (and more appealingly). However, most food can be eaten raw, and your dwarves can exist for a time on water.
*[[Mechanics]] - If you want traps, and most people will. Also needed for most machinery. Mechanisms sell for a high price as a bonus.
*[[Architecture|Building Designer]] - Mandatory for some buildings and constructions, but skill only improves speed a tad and increases structure [[value]].
*[[Appraiser]] - you will use this whenever you trade with a caravan. Without it, the game won't tell you how much anything is worth, making trading difficult. It's highly recommended to start with a dwarf with Novice (1 pt) Appraiser skill.
*[[Clothier]], [[Leatherworker]] - At least one of these skills will be necessary to supply your dwarves with new [[clothing]]. Articles of clothing count as [[finished goods]] with quality modifiers, and clothes can be traded easily (either before or after your dwarves wear them).

The very fact that you ''will'' use these skills can make many of them desirable to choose as starting skills for your dwarves. Of the above, Mining, Masonry, Growing, Cooking, and Mechanics are generally worth considering as "highly desirable". However, '''any skill can be used untrained, and/or get trained on the job''' - it just means a slower process and/or average lower quality product than if done by a dwarf with a higher [[experience|skill level]]. Some skills (e.g. [[Record Keeper]]) are rarely worth investing initial points in even though you will almost always use them; you can simply let the dwarf learn on the job. Others (e.g. Mining, Carpentry) may be worth investing points in depending on your goals or the tempo with which you want to achieve them. (Mining is easy to train so you could forgo initial investment and just train on the job, but this could force you to spend longer on the surface, increasing your exposure to dangers. A skilled carpenter can contribute a lot to fortress mood, but won't produce much [[value]]; see the discussion of Quality below.)

Many other skills are optional for your fortress; you will have to deliberately choose to use them. The skills above are essential to basic aspects of the game, and avoiding one requires a deliberate choice ''not'' to use it (and likely a lot of effort spent to avoid doing so). A fortress can make its wealth by smithing fine weapons, weaving quality cloth, encrusting precious stones onto furniture, or crafting quality trinkets. Or all of those. But there usually isn't a compelling reason to choose any one in particular. A fortress that never designates a tile for mining, however, requires [[challenges|exceptional effort]] to achieve.

There is no universal design constraint on which skills to start with. Ultimately the answer to "What skills do I need?" is "Whichever ''you'' want". Choosing a mixture of these commonly used skills and your desired specialized skills will make starting up your fortress easier and more efficient, but you don't need to start with any of them. Choosing to avoid some skills may force you to use some others, but nothing compels you to invest in any skill in particular.

A common skill list (Just as a general quick start):
*2 Miners
*1 Woodcutter
*1 Grower/Cook
*1 Grower/Brewer
*1 Carpenter
*1 Mason

This is not the be all end all, of course; it all depends upon your location, your goals, and what you consider fun.

==== Balancing military and economic needs ====

Not all embarks will require a military presence in the first year, but anyone planning an expedition to a [[sinister]], [[haunted]], or [[terrifying]] [[biome]] would be foolish not to be prepared for nasty dwarf-killing creatures. The solution doesn't strictly need to be military skills; quick delving and a skilled mechanic may be sufficient; but starting with a military dwarf will give you the earliest possible protection and a lot more versatility in where that protection can be applied. Whatever you choose to do, understand the risk and be prepared for it.

==== Training considerations ====

Some skills are harder to gain experience in than others - requiring valuable resources or taking an extended period of time, and thus inconvenient to train from scratch. Investing in some of these skills for your initial dwarves can make those industries much less painful to start. For example, [[metal]]-related skills generally eat metal [[bar]]s, and thus the less time you spend training metal workers up to a decent level, the faster they'll be churning out high-quality items and the fewer raw materials (bars and [[fuel]]) they'll waste in training. On the other hand, despite its importance, skills like mining train relatively quickly and barring extenuating circumstances (expected need to accomplish particular digging projects in the first month or you'll get mauled by a Giant for example) there's little need to actually invest your starting skills in it - they can learn on the job.

==== Quality, value, and happiness ====

[[Quality]] is an important part of Dwarf Fortress. Higher-quality items produce better and more frequent happy [[thought]]s and are worth more money in [[wealth]] and [[trade]]. When choosing skills that produce objects of quality, the desire to produce valuable goods for trade will often conflict with the desire to produce objects that will make your dwarves happy. Built items that are frequently encountered tend to be things like [[furniture]] (especially [[bed]]s) which tend to have low material values and thus low total value despite the quality of the work. Further, these things tend to be inconvenient to trade (due to [[weight]] and storage constraints). It is often best to strike a balance between dwarves who produce valuable trade goods and dwarves who produce quality items that will make your population happy - and thus be able to achieve both goals simultaneously.

It's worth noting that built furniture and worn clothing counts its value twice -- once under the appropriate category and once for displayed value. If you're trying to maximize your created [[wealth]] total, a good metalsmith producing [[statue]]s from high-value metals is optimal. A mason can also build furniture directly from metal ores such as gold nuggets, if these are enabled in the stocks "Stone" screen. While building with ore saves time and [[fuel]], it generally results in a 25% reduction of total material value compared to refining the ore. This is balanced somewhat by the fact that masonry is much easier to train, and therefore more likely to yield a high [[quality]] modifier to offset the reduced material value.

==== Moodable skills ====

[[Strange mood]]s can give a dwarf Legendary skill in his/her highest-level "moodable" skill, and moods take hold of dwarves with different professions at different rates. Some skills are "moodable" where others are not. You might choose to take a certain skill solely because it opens up moods for that skill with that dwarf. Some moodable skills are more valuable than others - a legendary weaponsmith is both valuable and useful. A legendary tanner is generally a waste of a mood since tanned hides have no quality.

Because a dwarf can only have a strange mood in one skill, pairing a moodable skill with a non-moodable skill can ensure that if the dwarf has a mood it will be in the skill you desire. See the section on combining skills below for more details on ways to pair skills.

Dwarves with no moodable skill can be allowed to do one task using a moodable skill to give them a moodable skill with no starting build investment, so moodable skill considerations should not be considered a primary reason to choose particular skills - you should also want to make use of them for other reasons.

==== Combining Skills ====
Every dwarf is going to have 2 or more [[skills]]. This means that even once you know which skills you want, you're going to need to pair them up before assigning them. Not all skill combinations are equally functional.

Some skills are highly time-consuming, either because the skill is in frequent demand (e.g. [[mining]]), because it requires extensive travel (e.g. [[wood cutting]]), or because it takes a long time to do an individual job (e.g. [[strand extraction]]). If a dwarf is spending most of their time using that skill, they aren't making much use of their other skill. Pairing two time-consuming skills together therefore tends to be a bad idea, as one or both jobs are not going to get the attention they need or deserve. Similarly, pairing a skill with time-critical jobs with a time-consuming skill also tends to be a bad idea. If your [[grower]] is also mining, he may not stop to plant crops one season. Or he might neglect to harvest your crops in a timely fashion and they could rot on the ground (if you only let your growers harvest). Arranging your skill combinations to avoid these situations is generally beneficial. For example, Masons, miners, growers, and any craft that your fortress will base their economy off of (glass, stonecrafts, armour, etc) will take a lot of time, so plan accordingly.

Instead, pairing relatively time-intensive tasks with less time-intensive tasks will let your dwarf accomplish all such tasks adequately. Once you get a metal industry rolling, an armorer/weaponsmith will need to make a lot fewer weapons to outfit your soldiers than he will armor components. Thus he can usefully do both jobs without hurting your productivity overly much. Similarly, a mason might also be your architect, since building designer is a very infrequently used skill.

Working at different jobs levels up specific [[attribute]]s. One could level up a miner until he becomes mighty and ultra-tough - and then turn him into a soldier, or retire him to haul stone. If you plan on doing so, it may not be a good idea to give this guy a second critical job that will demand a lot of time away from their focus.

Since tasks will take place in specific areas, another approach is to combine tasks into dwarves who will take care of a specific industry, or spend all their time in one generally narrow part of the fortress - the forges, or the kitchens, or outdoors, for instance. So combining Farming with cooking, rather than mining, for example, and turn on only Haul Food, not Haul Stone. Metalworkers spending their time in the forge can easily handle more than one type of metalworking skill, and are also well-situated to be furnace operators.

Similarly, you can also make the craftsmen of your finished products also responsible for the production of intermediate products from raw ingredients. This way when they run out of materials to make into finished goods they can immediately switch over to working raw products into intermediate products so they'll have more to work with later. This works better in some industries than in others. A single butcher/tanner/cook trying to process multiple animals simultaneously will likely result in rotten food, carcases, or skins. But a weaponsmith who doubles as a furnace operator can usefully ensure he has material to work with when you want him to. Later on, however, a highly skilled craftsdwarf is often better suited at sitting in their [[workshop]] and having others deliver raw materials to them than going out and obtaining their own raw materials themselves, but in the early game dwarf-time is limited, and a single dwarf who can work an entire production chain can do so relatively efficiently and let your other dwarves be used elsewhere.

There is no requirement that a dwarves job combination needs to look 'right' or logical. A weaponsmith will most probably not spend nearly 100% of their time creating weapons - what they do with the other part of their time may have nothing at all to do with forges or smithing. Jobs which require little time in general, or little time early even if time-intensive later, may well be paired with any time-intensive task solely to provide the dwarf with something to usefully and skillfully do with most of their time, and freed from that duty as needed for the other tasks.

Another constraint you can impose on your skill combinations is to try to limit dwarves to [[moodable]] skill and one non-moodable skill (or a moodable and a less desired moodable skill at lower level), so any mood will improve the desired one. For example, pairing craft skills with farming skills gives you dwarves that will perform useful food production or raw good processing services while also getting their mood in a valuable finished goods skill. Example: Clothier/Grower.

Finally, when combining skills think twice about placing your most valuable skills (e.g. [[grower]]) alongside dangerous skills (e.g. [[hunting]], [[wood cutting]], etc.). Your most valuable dwarves should be kept safe inside your fortress; less valuable dwarves should be chosen to venture into the wilderness.

==== Which dwarf should have which skill? ====
Dwarves who craft goods they prefer, or work materials they prefer, gain a bonus to the quality of the finished work. This can inform your choice of which skills you choose, for example by choosing a weaver because you notice a preference for sheep wool yarn, or you might choose the skills you want and then try to find a suitable dwarf to use that skill. In the latter case, since all dwarves have one metal preference you might assign an armorsmithing skill to a dwarf with a preference for iron, steel, or adamantine.

The dwarf with the most social skills will end up being the [[Expedition leader]], who will then become the [[mayor]] and start making [[demand]]s and [[mandate]]s. Thus you should avoid giving the most social skills to a dwarf who has [[preferences]] for things like [[adamantine]] and [[traction bench]]es. Ideally, a dwarf with no item preferences will result in a mandate-free [[noble]].

Dwarves have physical and mental attributes that affect the performance of certain skills. You may wish to give a socially adept and patient dwarf the leadership/broker skills, or a dwarf who doesn't tire easily a skill which will be in frequent use like mining. You can also try to match skills to [[personality]], some of which have obvious implications for their willingness to work long hours or how frequently they might take breaks.

Of course, all combined these represent a lot of possible constraints on where you assign particular skills, and it would be impossible to apply them in total to your entire desired skill load. Use these as a guide, but don't be upset if all your dwarves are anti-social psychopaths - someone still needs to be the leader, after all.

==== Other considerations ====
[[Migrant]]s can and will arrive with a wide selection of decently trained skills. While it is a gamble, chances are pretty decent that migrants will arrive with a highly trained skill that is also highly desirable and would usurp the job of one of the seven starting ones. The first few migration waves are likely to give you a much better talent pool than what you can assign at embark. On the other hand, you may never see a migrant arrive with the skill you really want. Even then, migrants still provide an excellent pool of workers to train for the specific skills you desire.

Skills atrophy if not used (they are marked "rusty" and later "very rusty"), and they can eventually decrease in level. Consider that skills which you will use years after embark are going to be rusty or even deleveled. Embark to the first caravan is long enough for a skill to start rusting, so you might want to make sure you'll use every skill you embark with before the first year ends to avoid catastrophic rusting.

Remember that you need to survive in order to accomplish any goals. Have a plan for lasting to at least the first caravan, if not one for longterm sustainability.

== Items ==

The items you choose to bring with you will need to satisfy a number of needs. Most importantly, you need to keep yourself alive - at least until the caravan arrives in the fall to resupply your fortress. You probably also want to plan on some way of making a shelter, whether that be the traditional delved hall, a majestic castle, a log cabin, or something even more exotic. You may want to plan for mishaps by bringing essential medical supplies, especially those which may be hard to acquire on site. And you might bring items which will assist in creating items for trade to that first caravan, should you need anything for the skills you're planning on.

For the purposes of this article, livestock are considered items.

All embarks get the following items without paying for them: 2 animals (who pulled the wagon), and the 3 wood that make up the wagon.

=== Motivations ===

==== Survival ====

A single dwarf eats about 2x/season, and drinks about 4x/season. With 7 dwarves that's ~approximately~ 14 meals per season and 28 alcohol per season, or ~42 meals and ~84 alcohol until the end of Fall. The dwarf caravan tends to arrive in the third month of fall, so you will probably need to plan on a full 3 seasons. You are also likely to get at least one if not two small waves of migrants before the caravan arrives.

It is possible to bring enough food and drink to make it to the caravan - indeed, bringing enough food isn't especially hard (especially once you factor in slaughtering the animals who hauled your wagon. Bringing sufficient alcohol is harder, although bringing plump helmets to brew can significantly cut the cost.

The likely best way to keep your dwarves in drink is also the most labor intensive - setting up farming in the first season or two is perfectly plausible, allowing to grow your own [[plants]] from seeds and brew the products. (Keep in mind not all plants can be brewed - don't plant dimple cups and expect to make alcohol). In addition to the necessary seeds, starting your own farming operation is going to require either some [[soil]] or [[irrigation|some way to get the ground muddy]].

It is possible to make all your alcohol by harvesting aboveground plants, if highly inefficient. It also only works in biomes with collectable plant life. Notably evil biomes and glaciers are unlikely to provide suitable vegetation.

==== Shelter ====
Barring a convenient cave, you're going to have to do something for shelter. Shelter is your first defense against roving creatures, keeping them away from where your dwarves are working so they don't spam job cancellations and strew items all over the place. (As you might guess, most 'convenient caves' aren't actually that convenient, as they tend to have residents). Basic walls that allow you egress won't stop a dedicated invader, but you ''probably'' won't see those until year 2 or 3, so you have a little time to develop more elaborate defenses.

Food outside will also spoil a lot faster than food inside, so making a cellar of some sort to store your food in will increase the longevity of your food supplies. The rate at which food spoils depends on ambient temperature, so the urgency of making a cellar will depend on where you settled. It might be possible to go without a cellar in a freezing biome.{{verify}} The only way you can avoid thinking about food storage in the first year is if you collect food and make alcohol as needed - ie, by using an herbalist to collect local plants - which can avoid needing to mine at all.

Delving a shelter requires mining, which means having picks to dig with. One can always bring one or more picks at embark, but its also possible to bring the supplies necessary to make them. See [[Starting build#Finished product or do it yourself|finished product or do it yourself]].

An aboveground shelter can be made with stone or wood or possibly more exotic materials. Stone of course requires mining, and thus picks. Wood can be had with an axe assuming trees are present, and axes, like picks, can similarly be brought at embark or made on site. It is of course possible to bring sufficient raw materials to build walls with, but this is far less efficient than just bringing a pick or an axe, although it could make a fun challenge. Building your initial fort out of soap, while possible, is not recommended, although possibly hilariously entertaining.

==== Industry ====
Most industries require little more than materials you can collect at the site and a workshop. As long as you have access to some sort of building material (stone, wood, or even ice), you won't need to bring anything for these. However, if you want to get an industry going immediately, it does help to bring a few building materials along (or be willing to use the wood from the wagon, if only temporarily).

Some industries require fire-safe materials to build with. Nearly all stone qualifies, as does metal. Wood can be converted to a fire safe material by burning it to ashes in a wood burners workshop, but of course that workshop requires a fire-safe material. If you're mining, this condition is easy to satisfy, but if you intend to run any of these industries right away you will need to plan on bringing appropriate materials.

Some industries require plant or animal matter to work with. Clothiers ultimately need cloth, which comes from certain plants or animals. Leatherworkers need tanned skins. (And while you can get 2 off your pack animals, this isn't sufficient to run an industry). If you plan on running these types of industries you will need to have a plan for providing suitable raw materials. Hunting can cover leatherworking needs (although this requires a hunter and hunting implements), and foraging can find rope reed plants, but its usually better to bring enough appropriate animals or plant seeds to have a good shot at getting started in a predictable and sustainable way. Similarly, milking and cheese making require milkable animals, and bonecarving requires a dependable source of bones.

Metal industries require [[metal]] and an [[anvil]]. You cannot make an anvil on site without already having an anvil, so if you plan on doing any forging before the first caravan you will need to bring one with you. Metal can be brought as bars or as ores to be smelted in a smelter into bars, or can be mined yourself. Each unit of ore smelted will produce 4 bars of metal, so there is definitely a cost-advantage for creating the bars on site. You will need to provide [[fuel]] or magma to run these workshops; a bar of coke and some bituminous coal can bring your metal industries up to speed much faster than relying on charcoal. Keep in mind that if you wish to produce steel, you will need some form of refined fuel even if you have easy access to magma. Bringing along some bituminous coal is a cheap and efficient way to guarantee a supply, especially since volcanic regions typically lack coal resources. This will greatly ease your wood consumption as well.

Soap requires a lot of wood consumption and a source of tallow to be done in a sustainable way. [[Lye]] can be bought at embark to skip the first steps and make soap more directly (though, due to a bug, an entire stack of lye will be used to create a single bar of soap, so bringing more than one unit of lye is not recommended {{bug|2117}}). You will still need to bring or make buckets and have an empty barrel to actually produce soap though, but fortunately this is just a matter of having sufficient wood.

Jewelers require gems. Cut gems can be brought at embark, but are too expensive to bring in quantity. Generally a jeweler requires mining to find sufficient gems or a glassworker to produce raw glass to work with.

Glassmaking and Pottery requires sand or clay and fuel. It's hard to viably run these industries solely off imports. You can check the pre-embark screen for clay layers, but sand is reported as a soil layer which may contain no sand at all unless in a Sand Desert biome. Like metal workshops, coal can be brought to substitute for fuel fairly efficiently, and [[magma]] can abate the need for fuel entirely.

As is probably obvious, certain industries depend on similar inputs. Planning on a set of industries which require similar complementary inputs can let you more efficiently spend your starting points at embark or more efficiently plan your digging during the first year. If you plan on a lot of fuel-dependent industries, it may be worthwhile to prioritize finding a source of magma.

=== Optimization ===

==== Container mechanics and free items ====

Many items come in containers such as [[barrel]]s and [[bag]]s, including [[food]], liquids, [[seed]]s, and [[powder]]s. The cost to embark with these items can be cheaper than the cost of the container itself, and each different type of item for each category will come in its own container. Furthermore, you'll get a new container after every 10th instance for food, most liquids, and seeds, and after every item of powders.{{verify}} [[Alcohol]] gets a new barrel after every 5th unit. (Food actually groups by animal type, so if you get horse tripe and horse meat they'll combine in one barrel, but horse meat and donkey meat will come in separate barrels). Thus diversifying your initial food supply with 1 of each low-cost food item will net you a large number of barrels. Similarly, it is worth taking 1 of each seed you weren't planning on taking more of solely for the bags. Taking some sand or gypsum powder is also a cheap way to get bags. [[Lye]] (for soap) and [[milk]]s can be brought for more barrels - and milk can be made into cheese for a low-cost embark option that becomes food.

As stockpiling and some jobs are container limited, getting as many free containers as you can will free up labor (and possibly valuable materials) that would otherwise be used making containers. Note, however, that this behavior is considered by some to be an [[exploit]] since it provides substantial advantage at no cost.

==== Finished product or do it yourself ====
Bringing raw materials and making the finished product yourself is often easier on your embark points than bringing the finished product. On the other hand, making it yourself takes time during which you aren't making use of the finished product.

The most common scenario involves [[Metalsmith's_forge|forging your own metal tools and weapons]]. While not usually too much of a hardship, it can be dangerous to make your own weapons or picks if you expect possible hostile creatures. Furthermore, you will lose time - possibly 1/4 to 1/2 the first month - if you forge your own picks.

Of special note regarding weapons is that a training battle axe is perfectly capable of chopping trees, and is made with nothing more than a carpentry workshop and a log. While the delay in acquiring one is minimal, a wood battle axe is not a good weapon, and so it loses utility for doing anything other than acquiring more wood.

You can also easily plan on making all or most of one's own booze, as plump helmets can be bought at embark and brewed at a still.

Any finished good can of course be made from raw materials that you bring, but most of them are not essential like the above, and thus you can generally wait until you find suitable resources on site or buy them from caravans.

==== Biome considerations: Dude, where's my wood? ====
Some environments have a shortage of trees. While you can direct production of a lot of item types to other materials, [[bed]]s require [[wood]]. In addition, it is difficult to make [[bin]]s out of non-wood materials early in the game, especially without ready magma (since otherwise you'll probably need to burn wood to make metal bins). If you have an aquifer it can be even worse - stone may be difficult or impossible to access easily. While you can ultimately ask for wood from your liaison and buy whatever the humans and elves happen to bring, and eventually you can create a tree farm underground, tight wood will limit storage and sleeping arrangements for at least the first year if not longer. You may wish to plan accordingly if embarking in a site with sparse or no trees.

==== Items for moods ====
When a dwarf is taken by a [[strange mood]], he often needs obscure material or he will go insane and die, possibly with severe consequences to an entire fortress. Bringing along some of the harder-to-find ores ([[cassiterite]], [[sphalerite]], [[bismuthinite]], [[garnierite]]), and putting those aside, forbidding their use "just in case", is spending a few points on an insurance policy. Many players also choose to bring a few items like pig tail cloth and cave spider silk just in case.

Alternately, if you're otherwise being minimalistic on gear you're bringing you can choose to bring a few valuable components to try to maximize the value of mood items. That artifact animal trap will be worth a lot more if your woodcarver grabs a blue diamond instead of moss agate.

==== Free Equipment ====

Unfortunately, no free equipment is available when embarking in Dwarf Fortress mode. This is in contrast to [[Adventure mode]], in which the only equipment available on starting is free equipment.

==Site considerations==
Each fortress [[location]] offers particular challenges and opportunities, and can make different demands on your starting build. Your starting build may need to be adjusted depending on the [[region]] your fort occupies, the specific vision you have of your fortress, and what it will take to [[losing|stay alive]] where you're going!

The differences include what [[biome]]s, [[region]]s and likely [[metal]]s are present in your chosen embark site.

=== General Surroundings ===
Simply put, if your [[surroundings]] are [[evil]] or [[savage]], your dwarves have a higher risk of suddenly facing personal combat before they are safely behind their defenses. Consider bringing extra weaponry, in the form of axes, picks or crossbows. Hand in hand with those, consider skill mixes that include [[axedwarf]], [[mining]] (the skill used to wield a pick), and [[marksdwarf]] (for [[crossbow]]s).

The same is true if you are embarking near an exposed magma vent or an open chasm - these features can be seen on the embark map, but it's impossible to tell if they are "open" to the surface or not, until you are there in person.

Be sure to include some source of [[water]] on the map, preferably running [[water]]. Water is (almost) essential for any fortress. In Cold and Freezing climates streams and [[lake]]s will often be frozen year-round and your dwarves may quickly die of exposure, in Hot climates [[murky pool]]s will dry up, and in Dry ones rain will only rarely re-fill them, if ever. Choose Temperate or tropical zones for an easier game.

===Aquifers===
If an [[aquifer]] is present in the first soil or stone layers (visible on the pre-embark menu), it may bar all access to [[stone]] and [[ore]] until you find a way through the water barrier. Consider bringing some stone for building, and ore for your first basic needs. This may be critical to getting your fortress running smoothly.

=== Mountains ===
Mountains often have abundant [[ore]]s, but at the loss of trees and plants. In previous versions lacking [[cavern]]s, this was a serious drawback. Brave pioneers can dig down into the caverns to find essentials like water, mud, and plants. However, players should be aware that above-ground crops will not grow in mountain biomes, no matter how muddy you may make the surface.

Depending on the exact layers, it's common to find exposed [[vein]]s of useful [[ore]]s that can be immediately mined for [[Make your own weapons|DIY]] weapons and tools.

=== Wooded/Plains ===
Flatlands with at least some trees and gatherable plants can also make for highly successful fortresses. Advantages over mountain zones include abundant trees and plants and (unless frozen) more abundant water. There are even (rare) magma vents. More water also means a high likelihood of an [[aquifer]] being present. Make sure to check on embark.

The greatest disadvantage is the potential lack of exposed [[stone]] to mine. The first level(s) below the surface is often [[soil]] of some type, which offers no building materials. However, soil is mined much more quickly than stone (x3-x4 faster), and expansive accommodations (rooms) can be achieved quickly even by untrained miners. You will find stone, you just have to go down a bit for it - but that's what dwarves do, isn't it?

[[Experience|Training]] a [[Miner]] from No Skill to Proficient takes less than a month (~20 days with hauling disabled) in soil, and to Legendary in just under a season after. From embark, this means you should have legendary miners in early summer if you dig only in soil. Times increase slightly for each additional miner used.

=== Oceanside ===
With many features in common with some of the above locations, [[beach]]es are often a mix of ease intermingled with bouts of extreme difficulty. Minerals and trees are often abundant, as well as farmland and sand, but there is often no drinking water unless the biome has a flowing [[water]] of some sort.

By definition, the settlement will fall between (at least) two [[biome]]s (one land, one water), potentially hazardous if the player expects a peaceful oceanside meadow, without realizing the [[terrifying]] ocean is full of amphibious zombie [[whale]]s.

Hunters should be replaced with fisherdwarves and a fish cleaner (although the latter can be easily trained). Due to a current bug, fish stocks will never be restored, severely limiting the value of fishing {{bug|2780}}. Depending how much water vs. land, more starting wood and ores might be helpful. Swimming is rarely useful in Fortress mode, even at the beach, and can be trained.

=== Desert, Glaciers, and Barren ===
Treeless (or near-treeless) [[biome]]s are challenging sites for a fortress: you get most of the disadvantages of a flatland site without having access to nearly as many trees and plants. However, near-lifeless zones such as [[glacier]]s are wonderful for players with slower computers, as there's little to burden the CPU but your dwarves and livestock. [[Desert]]s and barren areas often have sand; with a sufficient source of energy (preferably magma or [[coke]], keeping in mind the scarcity of trees in these biomes), you can build almost anything out of unlimited glass.

==Technical tricks/modifications==
Starting builds are located in data/init/[[embark_profiles.txt]]. They are editable as well as (usually) transferable.

==Sample starting builds==
See [[Sample Starting Builds]]

{{Starting FAQ}}
{{Category|Guides}}
{{Category|Fortress mode}}

v0.34:Starting build

2013-01-23T17:00:09Z

13thEssence: /* Industry */

{{quality|Exceptional|10:09, 24 April 2011 (UTC)}}{{av}}

:''This is not a tutorial, a FAQ, or a new players guide. This is a mildly advanced theoretical treatment for someone ready to take the plunge and make all the decisions about their own fortress. The following are intended for beginners:''
::*[[Quickstart guide]]
::*[[Main:From Caravan to Happy Dwarves|Beginner Flowchart]]
::*[[User:Calite/Gloss_Guide|Beginner Checklist]]
:''For an explanation of the interface for starting out, see [[Embark]].''

A '''starting build''' is a personal strategy for choosing the initial supplies, equipment, and [[skill]]s of your initial seven dwarves when starting a new game in [[fortress mode]] (see [[Sample Starting Builds]]). These skills and items which you assign to your dwarves will have a large impact on life in your new fortress, especially in its first year.

This page attempts to provide a discussion about how and why you make the choices on what you bring with you. This page is not an explanation of the mechanics of doing so, see the [[embark]] page for an explanation of the interface itself. This page assumes you have already made certain decisions, such as where you plan on settling, and that you are looking at the [[Embark#Prepare_Carefully|Prepare Carefully]] screen.

One thing should be made clear - there is no "best" build, no "perfect" or "clearly superior" final mix of skills and items, if only because there isn't any one goal of play. The goals you have for a fortress will dictate which sets of items and skills are best suited to achieving that goal - in your opinion. And then there is the environment, where your dwarves will arrive, the creatures, the resources available, and so forth. Finally, some people do things solely because it is hard, and that makes it more [[fun]] for them.

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== Components of a Starting Build ==
There are two main components of a starting build: skills and items.

Skills for your initial dwarves determine how quickly they will work early on, what industries you are able to start with skilled workers, how well you can defend your dwarves early on, and what the quality of various goods they produce will be, and possibly many other considerations. This page considers in detail how you might go about choosing skills for your starting dwarves, and examines the multiple competing perspectives from which you can make that decision.

The items that your dwarves bring with you can be tailored a number of ways. There are trade-offs to cheaper and more expensive alternatives, and reasons why you might choose either. This section explores the nature of these trade-offs and the reasons for making a decision. It also looks at optimizing goods brought in more general contexts.

Starting builds can and should vary based upon a number of other variables. [[location|Where you choose to settle]] will dictate what raw materials are available, and thus require different skill sets to utilize, not to mention different threats from native wildlife based on [[biome]], [[surroundings|savagery]], and [[surroundings|alignment]]. Which dwarven civilization you chose will restrict the materials with which you can start. Making choices about these variables is not part of a starting build. What you choose for skills and items because of these choices is part of your starting build, and so some general guidelines about different environments is given last.

This page does not cover the interface for accomplishing these tasks; please see the [[embark]] page for that information.

== Skill Optimization ==
With only 7 dwarves, you can't take every [[skill]], so you must balance what you do take. At the starting phase, each dwarf can only be assigned a maximum total of 10 skill levels, with no single skill starting higher than "5". Maximum skill distribution is thus constrained to 1 level in each of 10 skills, or 5 levels in each of two skills, or something in between. Because dwarves can [[experience|learn]] any and all skills once your fortress starts, these initial choices do not dictate what the dwarves can do, opening up incredible latitude to choose skills for reasons other than survival.

:''(* Note that an unskilled dwarf starts with all Skills at Level '''0'''. Adding +5 Levels is then Level '''5'''. This is true regardless of how many "points" a level costs when first buying skills at embark.)''

A brief list of considerations governing skill choice:
:* Maximizing starting skill ranks vs. generalizing and having more skills covered at lower levels.
:* Balancing multiple skills for a single dwarf, so they aren't constantly needed for two different tasks at critical periods
:* Military vs economic needs
:* Your goals vs "basic survival needs" to keep your fortress healthy and happy.
:* Speed that a skill can be trained in game
:* Demand for a skill during a game
:* Whether quality or speed are significant considerations for tasks/final product
:* Balancing the desire to create [[wealth]] ''(with high-value products)'' with the need to maintain [[thought|morale]] ''(with low-value but commonly used products, like [[bed]]s, which normally are made from [[wood]])''.
:* most importantly - ''your playstyle'' - what '''you''' think is "[[fun]]"!

==== Breadth vs. Depth ====

A dwarf with only 2 starting skills at 5 ranks each is pretty good at 2 tasks, but untrained at anything else. A dwarf with nothing higher than level 1 is passable at many tasks, but not good at anything. Each dwarf in your party is going to be somewhere along this continuum, and you'll need to choose where.

Level in a skill dictates how fast a dwarf completes a task (most of the time), and the [[quality]] of the result (if applicable). On one extreme, [[butchery]] has no time variance for slaughtering a tame animal, and has no quality associated with the outcome. On the other extreme, [[Metal industry|metalworking]] tasks can take a long time for an untrained worker to complete and their high material value means the quality multiplier has a large impact on the end value.

Dwarves who complete tasks faster can do more total [[job]]s within a given time. The rate at which speed increases with level varies with skill, so some skills will benefit more than others.

Dwarves who make items of higher quality will contribute more to fortress [[wealth]] and may have a large impact on fortress [[thought|happiness]] if their work is readily available to be seen by other dwarves. Items which typically contribute to happiness are common public items like [[bed]]s and [[table]]s. Items which contribute the most to fortress wealth often cannot be displayed, but make useful [[trade goods]] or [[equipment]] for your military.

Aside from the obvious trade off, there is another reason to prefer depth - dwarves can obviously only complete so many total jobs within a given timespan. If a dwarf is busy doing one thing, he can't simultaneously be doing something else. So a dwarf who is highly skilled in a few skills may not actually experience any disadvantage if he is kept doing those things in which he specializes. The generalist dwarf, on the other hand, may be able to do many more different tasks adequately, but he can still only do one type of task at a time. A dwarf with one highly used skill (such as Mechanics or Mining) can feasibly spend all his time using only his primary skill and thus has no need to generalize. In effect, the generalist is wasting more skill points whenever he does jobs than the specialist, so long as the specialist tends to do jobs he has levels in. Specializing your initial skill investment is therefore superior if you specialize the division of labor in your fortress.

Of course, you can still only bring 7 dwarves with 10 total levels of skills each, so covering everything you want to do in 14 skills may be hard, if not impossible. A generalist or two can cover more bases that have little quality need or are otherwise fast even without a high level. The generalists real problem arises from the fact that any dwarf can do any task, and having 1 level isn't much better than having no levels. Which isn't to say there isn't a situation where a 1/1/1/1/1/5 dwarf is the right solution (indeed, the typical recommended [[leader]]/[[broker]] takes 1/1/1/1/1 in [[appraiser]]/[[judge of intent]]/[[negotiator]]/+2 social skills because none of these skills have a time or quality component), but most less-specialized dwarves are more likely to fall in the 5/3/2 or 4/3/3 end of the spectrum solely because there is a minimum investment necessary to be noticeably better than not having any levels at all.

==== Design Constraints: Which skills do I need, really? ====

The only thing that you absolutely must do in the first year is get your [[food]] supplies into a food stockpile, preferably inside, or your food will [[rot]] on the ground and your dwarves will starve. Anything else you want to do can be accommodated by sufficient investment in initial supplies and/or skills. This means the options for possible starting builds are vast because virtually any set of starting skills for your dwarves is viable (and that's before you even think about equipment, which adds more variables). So the short answer is: none.

That said, there are some skills which will be '''used''', to one extent or another, by virtually every fortress - but that doesn't mean you '''need''' or even want to invest points in them to start. You could even manipulate the fortress (see [[challenge]]) to completely avoid one or more of the following, but these are the skills you will find it exceptionally hard to avoid creating jobs for:

*[[Mining]] - to dig your fortress, and create loose [[stone]] for projects. It's only possible to avoid mining if you're secretly an [[elf]].
** Inexperienced [[miner]]s work very slowly. Mining can be leveled up quite quickly by mining [[soil#soil|soil]], but taking two dwarves with at least some points in mining is recommended in most cases.
*[[Carpentry]], [[wood cutter|Wood cutting]] - [[bed]]s can only be produced from [[wood]] (rare [[mood]]s aside). This skill is also quite useful for producing [[bin]]s and [[barrel]]s.
** It's best not to assign carpentery and wood cutting to the same dwarf. Doing so creates a bottleneck early on, when carpentry is your only reliable industry.
*[[Masonry]] - to fashion dwarven [[furniture]] from stone, and build [[buildings]] and [[constructions]] from stone.
** Due to the vast supply of loose stones, masons can be easily trained by [[repeat]]ing jobs at a mason's workshop.
*[[Grower|Growing]] - your farmers' work echoes throughout so many other tasks, it's stunning.
** Skilled planters produce larger stacks of crops, which means more food, more booze, more cloth, more dye, ....
** While it's possible to feed your fortress on nothing but caravan goods, you'll never come by enough alcohol that way, so you'll eventually need to grow or gather plants for brewing. Dwarves will literally go crazy if forced to drink nothing but water for long periods. Thus you'll want to plan for farming eventually - not that you must bring a highly skilled [[Grower]], but it'll certainly be ''very'' helpful.
** Planters with low skill levels can decrease your seed stockpiles - each seed planted by an untrained grower will usually result in a single replacement seed, but may produce no seed at all if the crop fails. When you start out with only a handful of seeds, a few losses can easily impact the sustainability of your fortress.
*[[Brewer|Brewing]], [[Cook|Cooking]] - A skilled brewer produces [[alcohol]] more quickly. Likewise, a skilled [[cook]] prepares [[prepared meal|meals]] more quickly (and more appealingly). However, most food can be eaten raw, and your dwarves can exist for a time on water.
*[[Mechanics]] - If you want traps, and most people will. Also needed for most machinery. Mechanisms sell for a high price as a bonus.
*[[Architecture|Building Designer]] - Mandatory for some buildings and constructions, but skill only improves speed a tad and increases structure [[value]].
*[[Appraiser]] - you will use this whenever you trade with a caravan. Without it, the game won't tell you how much anything is worth, making trading difficult. It's highly recommended to start with a dwarf with Novice (1 pt) Appraiser skill.
*[[Clothier]], [[Leatherworker]] - At least one of these skills will be necessary to supply your dwarves with new [[clothing]]. Articles of clothing count as [[finished goods]] with quality modifiers, and clothes can be traded easily (either before or after your dwarves wear them).

The very fact that you ''will'' use these skills can make many of them desirable to choose as starting skills for your dwarves. Of the above, Mining, Masonry, Growing, Cooking, and Mechanics are generally worth considering as "highly desirable". However, '''any skill can be used untrained, and/or get trained on the job''' - it just means a slower process and/or average lower quality product than if done by a dwarf with a higher [[experience|skill level]]. Some skills (e.g. [[Record Keeper]]) are rarely worth investing initial points in even though you will almost always use them; you can simply let the dwarf learn on the job. Others (e.g. Mining, Carpentry) may be worth investing points in depending on your goals or the tempo with which you want to achieve them. (Mining is easy to train so you could forgo initial investment and just train on the job, but this could force you to spend longer on the surface, increasing your exposure to dangers. A skilled carpenter can contribute a lot to fortress mood, but won't produce much [[value]]; see the discussion of Quality below.)

Many other skills are optional for your fortress; you will have to deliberately choose to use them. The skills above are essential to basic aspects of the game, and avoiding one requires a deliberate choice ''not'' to use it (and likely a lot of effort spent to avoid doing so). A fortress can make its wealth by smithing fine weapons, weaving quality cloth, encrusting precious stones onto furniture, or crafting quality trinkets. Or all of those. But there usually isn't a compelling reason to choose any one in particular. A fortress that never designates a tile for mining, however, requires [[challenges|exceptional effort]] to achieve.

There is no universal design constraint on which skills to start with. Ultimately the answer to "What skills do I need?" is "Whichever ''you'' want". Choosing a mixture of these commonly used skills and your desired specialized skills will make starting up your fortress easier and more efficient, but you don't need to start with any of them. Choosing to avoid some skills may force you to use some others, but nothing compels you to invest in any skill in particular.

A common skill list (Just as a general quick start):
*2 Miners
*1 Woodcutter
*1 Grower/Cook
*1 Grower/Brewer
*1 Carpenter
*1 Mason

This is not the be all end all, of course; it all depends upon your location, your goals, and what you consider fun.

==== Balancing military and economic needs ====

Not all embarks will require a military presence in the first year, but anyone planning an expedition to a [[sinister]], [[haunted]], or [[terrifying]] [[biome]] would be foolish not to be prepared for nasty dwarf-killing creatures. The solution doesn't strictly need to be military skills; quick delving and a skilled mechanic may be sufficient; but starting with a military dwarf will give you the earliest possible protection and a lot more versatility in where that protection can be applied. Whatever you choose to do, understand the risk and be prepared for it.

==== Training considerations ====

Some skills are harder to gain experience in than others - requiring valuable resources or taking an extended period of time, and thus inconvenient to train from scratch. Investing in some of these skills for your initial dwarves can make those industries much less painful to start. For example, [[metal]]-related skills generally eat metal [[bar]]s, and thus the less time you spend training metal workers up to a decent level, the faster they'll be churning out high-quality items and the fewer raw materials (bars and [[fuel]]) they'll waste in training. On the other hand, despite its importance, skills like mining train relatively quickly and barring extenuating circumstances (expected need to accomplish particular digging projects in the first month or you'll get mauled by a Giant for example) there's little need to actually invest your starting skills in it - they can learn on the job.

==== Quality, value, and happiness ====

[[Quality]] is an important part of Dwarf Fortress. Higher-quality items produce better and more frequent happy [[thought]]s and are worth more money in [[wealth]] and [[trade]]. When choosing skills that produce objects of quality, the desire to produce valuable goods for trade will often conflict with the desire to produce objects that will make your dwarves happy. Built items that are frequently encountered tend to be things like [[furniture]] (especially [[bed]]s) which tend to have low material values and thus low total value despite the quality of the work. Further, these things tend to be inconvenient to trade (due to [[weight]] and storage constraints). It is often best to strike a balance between dwarves who produce valuable trade goods and dwarves who produce quality items that will make your population happy - and thus be able to achieve both goals simultaneously.

It's worth noting that built furniture and worn clothing counts its value twice -- once under the appropriate category and once for displayed value. If you're trying to maximize your created [[wealth]] total, a good metalsmith producing [[statue]]s from high-value metals is optimal. A mason can also build furniture directly from metal ores such as gold nuggets, if these are enabled in the stocks "Stone" screen. While building with ore saves time and [[fuel]], it generally results in a 25% reduction of total material value compared to refining the ore. This is balanced somewhat by the fact that masonry is much easier to train, and therefore more likely to yield a high [[quality]] modifier to offset the reduced material value.

==== Moodable skills ====

[[Strange mood]]s can give a dwarf Legendary skill in his/her highest-level "moodable" skill, and moods take hold of dwarves with different professions at different rates. Some skills are "moodable" where others are not. You might choose to take a certain skill solely because it opens up moods for that skill with that dwarf. Some moodable skills are more valuable than others - a legendary weaponsmith is both valuable and useful. A legendary tanner is generally a waste of a mood since tanned hides have no quality.

Because a dwarf can only have a strange mood in one skill, pairing a moodable skill with a non-moodable skill can ensure that if the dwarf has a mood it will be in the skill you desire. See the section on combining skills below for more details on ways to pair skills.

Dwarves with no moodable skill can be allowed to do one task using a moodable skill to give them a moodable skill with no starting build investment, so moodable skill considerations should not be considered a primary reason to choose particular skills - you should also want to make use of them for other reasons.

==== Combining Skills ====
Every dwarf is going to have 2 or more [[skills]]. This means that even once you know which skills you want, you're going to need to pair them up before assigning them. Not all skill combinations are equally functional.

Some skills are highly time-consuming, either because the skill is in frequent demand (e.g. [[mining]]), because it requires extensive travel (e.g. [[wood cutting]]), or because it takes a long time to do an individual job (e.g. [[strand extraction]]). If a dwarf is spending most of their time using that skill, they aren't making much use of their other skill. Pairing two time-consuming skills together therefore tends to be a bad idea, as one or both jobs are not going to get the attention they need or deserve. Similarly, pairing a skill with time-critical jobs with a time-consuming skill also tends to be a bad idea. If your [[grower]] is also mining, he may not stop to plant crops one season. Or he might neglect to harvest your crops in a timely fashion and they could rot on the ground (if you only let your growers harvest). Arranging your skill combinations to avoid these situations is generally beneficial. For example, Masons, miners, growers, and any craft that your fortress will base their economy off of (glass, stonecrafts, armour, etc) will take a lot of time, so plan accordingly.

Instead, pairing relatively time-intensive tasks with less time-intensive tasks will let your dwarf accomplish all such tasks adequately. Once you get a metal industry rolling, an armorer/weaponsmith will need to make a lot fewer weapons to outfit your soldiers than he will armor components. Thus he can usefully do both jobs without hurting your productivity overly much. Similarly, a mason might also be your architect, since building designer is a very infrequently used skill.

Working at different jobs levels up specific [[attribute]]s. One could level up a miner until he becomes mighty and ultra-tough - and then turn him into a soldier, or retire him to haul stone. If you plan on doing so, it may not be a good idea to give this guy a second critical job that will demand a lot of time away from their focus.

Since tasks will take place in specific areas, another approach is to combine tasks into dwarves who will take care of a specific industry, or spend all their time in one generally narrow part of the fortress - the forges, or the kitchens, or outdoors, for instance. So combining Farming with cooking, rather than mining, for example, and turn on only Haul Food, not Haul Stone. Metalworkers spending their time in the forge can easily handle more than one type of metalworking skill, and are also well-situated to be furnace operators.

Similarly, you can also make the craftsmen of your finished products also responsible for the production of intermediate products from raw ingredients. This way when they run out of materials to make into finished goods they can immediately switch over to working raw products into intermediate products so they'll have more to work with later. This works better in some industries than in others. A single butcher/tanner/cook trying to process multiple animals simultaneously will likely result in rotten food, carcases, or skins. But a weaponsmith who doubles as a furnace operator can usefully ensure he has material to work with when you want him to. Later on, however, a highly skilled craftsdwarf is often better suited at sitting in their [[workshop]] and having others deliver raw materials to them than going out and obtaining their own raw materials themselves, but in the early game dwarf-time is limited, and a single dwarf who can work an entire production chain can do so relatively efficiently and let your other dwarves be used elsewhere.

There is no requirement that a dwarves job combination needs to look 'right' or logical. A weaponsmith will most probably not spend nearly 100% of their time creating weapons - what they do with the other part of their time may have nothing at all to do with forges or smithing. Jobs which require little time in general, or little time early even if time-intensive later, may well be paired with any time-intensive task solely to provide the dwarf with something to usefully and skillfully do with most of their time, and freed from that duty as needed for the other tasks.

Another constraint you can impose on your skill combinations is to try to limit dwarves to [[moodable]] skill and one non-moodable skill (or a moodable and a less desired moodable skill at lower level), so any mood will improve the desired one. For example, pairing craft skills with farming skills gives you dwarves that will perform useful food production or raw good processing services while also getting their mood in a valuable finished goods skill. Example: Clothier/Grower.

Finally, when combining skills think twice about placing your most valuable skills (e.g. [[grower]]) alongside dangerous skills (e.g. [[hunting]], [[wood cutting]], etc.). Your most valuable dwarves should be kept safe inside your fortress; less valuable dwarves should be chosen to venture into the wilderness.

==== Which dwarf should have which skill? ====
Dwarves who craft goods they prefer, or work materials they prefer, gain a bonus to the quality of the finished work. This can inform your choice of which skills you choose, for example by choosing a weaver because you notice a preference for sheep wool yarn, or you might choose the skills you want and then try to find a suitable dwarf to use that skill. In the latter case, since all dwarves have one metal preference you might assign an armorsmithing skill to a dwarf with a preference for iron, steel, or adamantine.

The dwarf with the most social skills will end up being the [[Expedition leader]], who will then become the [[mayor]] and start making [[demand]]s and [[mandate]]s. Thus you should avoid giving the most social skills to a dwarf who has [[preferences]] for things like [[adamantine]] and [[traction bench]]es. Ideally, a dwarf with no item preferences will result in a mandate-free [[noble]].

Dwarves have physical and mental attributes that affect the performance of certain skills. You may wish to give a socially adept and patient dwarf the leadership/broker skills, or a dwarf who doesn't tire easily a skill which will be in frequent use like mining. You can also try to match skills to [[personality]], some of which have obvious implications for their willingness to work long hours or how frequently they might take breaks.

Of course, all combined these represent a lot of possible constraints on where you assign particular skills, and it would be impossible to apply them in total to your entire desired skill load. Use these as a guide, but don't be upset if all your dwarves are anti-social psychopaths - someone still needs to be the leader, after all.

==== Other considerations ====
[[Migrant]]s can and will arrive with a wide selection of decently trained skills. While it is a gamble, chances are pretty decent that migrants will arrive with a highly trained skill that is also highly desirable and would usurp the job of one of the seven starting ones. The first few migration waves are likely to give you a much better talent pool than what you can assign at embark. On the other hand, you may never see a migrant arrive with the skill you really want. Even then, migrants still provide an excellent pool of workers to train for the specific skills you desire.

Skills atrophy if not used (they are marked "rusty" and later "very rusty"), and they can eventually decrease in level. Consider that skills which you will use years after embark are going to be rusty or even deleveled. Embark to the first caravan is long enough for a skill to start rusting, so you might want to make sure you'll use every skill you embark with before the first year ends to avoid catastrophic rusting.

Remember that you need to survive in order to accomplish any goals. Have a plan for lasting to at least the first caravan, if not one for longterm sustainability.

== Items ==

The items you choose to bring with you will need to satisfy a number of needs. Most importantly, you need to keep yourself alive - at least until the caravan arrives in the fall to resupply your fortress. You probably also want to plan on some way of making a shelter, whether that be the traditional delved hall, a majestic castle, a log cabin, or something even more exotic. You may want to plan for mishaps by bringing essential medical supplies, especially those which may be hard to acquire on site. And you might bring items which will assist in creating items for trade to that first caravan, should you need anything for the skills you're planning on.

For the purposes of this article, livestock are considered items.

All embarks get the following items without paying for them: 2 animals (who pulled the wagon), and the 3 wood that make up the wagon.

=== Motivations ===

==== Survival ====

A single dwarf eats about 2x/season, and drinks about 4x/season. With 7 dwarves that's ~approximately~ 14 meals per season and 28 alcohol per season, or ~42 meals and ~84 alcohol until the end of Fall. The dwarf caravan tends to arrive in the third month of fall, so you will probably need to plan on a full 3 seasons. You are also likely to get at least one if not two small waves of migrants before the caravan arrives.

It is possible to bring enough food and drink to make it to the caravan - indeed, bringing enough food isn't especially hard (especially once you factor in slaughtering the animals who hauled your wagon. Bringing sufficient alcohol is harder, although bringing plump helmets to brew can significantly cut the cost.

The likely best way to keep your dwarves in drink is also the most labor intensive - setting up farming in the first season or two is perfectly plausible, allowing to grow your own [[plants]] from seeds and brew the products. (Keep in mind not all plants can be brewed - don't plant dimple cups and expect to make alcohol). In addition to the necessary seeds, starting your own farming operation is going to require either some [[soil]] or [[irrigation|some way to get the ground muddy]].

It is possible to make all your alcohol by harvesting aboveground plants, if highly inefficient. It also only works in biomes with collectable plant life. Notably evil biomes and glaciers are unlikely to provide suitable vegetation.

==== Shelter ====
Barring a convenient cave, you're going to have to do something for shelter. Shelter is your first defense against roving creatures, keeping them away from where your dwarves are working so they don't spam job cancellations and strew items all over the place. (As you might guess, most 'convenient caves' aren't actually that convenient, as they tend to have residents). Basic walls that allow you egress won't stop a dedicated invader, but you ''probably'' won't see those until year 2 or 3, so you have a little time to develop more elaborate defenses.

Food outside will also spoil a lot faster than food inside, so making a cellar of some sort to store your food in will increase the longevity of your food supplies. The rate at which food spoils depends on ambient temperature, so the urgency of making a cellar will depend on where you settled. It might be possible to go without a cellar in a freezing biome.{{verify}} The only way you can avoid thinking about food storage in the first year is if you collect food and make alcohol as needed - ie, by using an herbalist to collect local plants - which can avoid needing to mine at all.

Delving a shelter requires mining, which means having picks to dig with. One can always bring one or more picks at embark, but its also possible to bring the supplies necessary to make them. See [[Starting build#Finished product or do it yourself|finished product or do it yourself]].

An aboveground shelter can be made with stone or wood or possibly more exotic materials. Stone of course requires mining, and thus picks. Wood can be had with an axe assuming trees are present, and axes, like picks, can similarly be brought at embark or made on site. It is of course possible to bring sufficient raw materials to build walls with, but this is far less efficient than just bringing a pick or an axe, although it could make a fun challenge. Building your initial fort out of soap, while possible, is not recommended, although possibly hilariously entertaining.

==== Industry ====
Most industries require little more than materials you can collect at the site and a workshop. As long as you have access to some sort of building material (stone, wood, or even ice), you won't need to bring anything for these. However, if you want to get an industry going immediately, it does help to bring a few building materials along (or be willing to use the wood from the wagon, if only temporarily).

Some industries require fire-safe materials to build with. Nearly all stone qualifies, as does metal. Wood can be converted to a fire safe material by burning it to ashes in a wood burners workshop, but of course that workshop requires a fire-safe material. If you're mining, this condition is easy to satisfy, but if you intend to run any of these industries right away you will need to plan on bringing appropriate materials.

Some industries require plant or animal matter to work with. Clothiers ultimately need cloth, which comes from certain plants or animals. Leatherworkers need tanned skins. (And while you can get 2 off your pack animals, this isn't sufficient to run an industry). If you plan on running these types of industries you will need to have a plan for providing suitable raw materials. Hunting can cover leatherworking needs (although this requires a hunter and hunting implements), and foraging can find rope reed plants, but its usually better to bring enough appropriate animals or plant seeds to have a good shot at getting started in a predictable and sustainable way. Similarly, milking and cheese making require milkable animals, and bonecarving requires a dependable source of bones.

Metal industries require [[metal]] and an [[anvil]]. You cannot make an anvil on site without already having an anvil, so if you plan on doing any forging before the first caravan you will need to bring one with you. Metal can be brought as bars or as ores to be smelted in a smelter into bars, or can be mined yourself. Each unit of ore smelted will produce 4 bars of metal, so there is definitely a cost-advantage for creating the bars on site. You will need to provide [[fuel]] or magma to run these workshops; a bar of coke and some bituminous coal can bring your metal industries up to speed much faster than relying on charcoal. Keep in mind that if you wish to produce steel, you will need some form of refined fuel even if you have easy access to magma. Bringing along some bituminous coal is a cheap and efficient way to guarantee a supply, especially since volcanic regions typically lack coal resources. This will greatly ease your wood consumption as well.

Soap requires a lot of wood consumption and a source of tallow to be done in a sustainable way. [[Lye]] can be bought at embark to skip the first steps and make soap more directly (though, due to a bug, an entire stack of lye will be used to create a single bar of soap, so bringing more than one unit of lye is not recommended {{bug|2117}}). You will still need to bring or make buckets and have an empty barrel to actually produce soap though, but fortunately this is just a matter of having sufficient wood.

Jewelers require gems. Cut gems can be brought at embark, but are too expensive to bring in quantity. Generally a jeweler requires mining to find sufficient gems or a glassworker to produce raw glass to work with.

Glassmaking and Pottery requires sand or clay and fuel. It's hard to viably run these industries solely off imports. You can check the pre-embark screen for clay layers, but sand is reported as a soil layer which may contain no sand at all unless in a Sand Desert biome. Like metal workshops, coal can be brought to substitute for fuel fairly efficiently, and [[magma]] can abate the need for fuel entirely.

As is probably obvious, certain industries depend on similar inputs. Planning on a set of industries which require similar complementary inputs can let you more efficiently spend your starting points at embark or more efficiently plan your digging during the first year. If you plan on a lot of fuel-dependent industries, it may be worthwhile to prioritize finding a source of magma.

=== Optimization ===

==== Container mechanics and free items ====

Many items come in containers such as [[barrel]]s and [[bag]]s, including [[food]], liquids, [[seed]]s, and [[powder]]s. The cost to embark with these items can be cheaper than the cost of the container itself, and each different type of item for each category will come in its own container. Furthermore, you'll get a new container after every 10th instance for food, most liquids, and seeds, and after every item of powders.{{verify}} [[Alcohol]] gets a new barrel after every 5th unit. (Food actually groups by animal type, so if you get horse tripe and horse meat they'll combine in one barrel, but horse meat and donkey meat will come in separate barrels). Thus diversifying your initial food supply with 1 of each low-cost food item will net you a large number of barrels. Similarly, it is worth taking 1 of each seed you weren't planning on taking more of solely for the bags. Taking some sand or gypsum powder is also a cheap way to get bags. [[Lye]] (for soap) and [[milk]]s can be brought for more barrels - and milk can be made into cheese for a low-cost embark option that becomes food.

As stockpiling and some jobs are container limited, getting as many free containers as you can will free up labor (and possibly valuable materials) that would otherwise be used making containers. Note, however, that this behavior is considered by some to be an [[exploit]] since it provides substantial advantage at no cost.

==== Finished product or do it yourself ====
Bringing raw materials and making the finished product yourself is often easier on your embark points than bringing the finished product. On the other hand, making it yourself takes time during which you aren't making use of the finished product.

The most common scenario involves [[Metalsmith's_forge|forging your own metal tools and weapons]]. While not usually too much of a hardship, it can be dangerous to make your own weapons or picks if you expect possible hostile creatures. Furthermore, you will lose time - possibly 1/4 to 1/2 the first month - if you forge your own picks.

Of special note regarding weapons is that a training battle axe is perfectly capable of chopping trees, and is made with nothing more than a carpentry workshop and a log. While the delay in acquiring one is minimal, a wood battle axe is not a good weapon, and so it loses utility for doing anything other than acquiring more wood.

You can also easily plan on making all or most of one's own booze, as plump helmets can be bought at embark and brewed at a still.

Any finished good can of course be made from raw materials that you bring, but most of them are not essential like the above, and thus you can generally wait until you find suitable resources on site or buy them from caravans.

==== Biome considerations: Dude, where's my wood? ====
Some environments have a shortage of trees. While you can direct production of a lot of item types to other materials, [[bed]]s require [[wood]]. In addition, it is difficult to make [[bin]]s out of non-wood materials early in the game, especially without ready magma (since otherwise you'll probably need to burn wood to make metal bins). If you have an aquifer it can be even worse - stone may be difficult or impossible to access easily. While you can ultimately ask for wood from your liaison and buy whatever the humans and elves happen to bring, and eventually you can create a tree farm underground, tight wood will limit storage and sleeping arrangements for at least the first year if not longer. You may wish to plan accordingly if embarking in a site with sparse or no trees.

==== Items for moods ====
When a dwarf is taken by a [[strange mood]], he often needs obscure material or he will go insane and die, possibly with severe consequences to an entire fortress. Bringing along some of the harder-to-find ores ([[cassiterite]], [[sphalerite]], [[bismuthinite]], [[garnierite]]), and putting those aside, forbidding their use "just in case", is spending a few points on an insurance policy. Many players also choose to bring a few items like pig tail cloth and cave spider silk just in case.

Alternately, if you're otherwise being minimalistic on gear you're bringing you can choose to bring a few valuable components to try to maximize the value of mood items. That artifact animal trap will be worth a lot more if your woodcarver grabs a blue diamond instead of moss agate.

==== Free Equipment ====

Unfortunately, no free equipment is available when embarking in Dwarf Fortress mode. This is in contrast to [[Adventure mode]], in which the only equipment available on starting is free equipment.

==Site considerations==
Each fortress [[location]] offers particular challenges and opportunities, and can make different demands on your starting build. Your starting build may need to be adjusted depending on the [[region]] your fort occupies, the specific vision you have of your fortress, and what it will take to [[losing|stay alive]] where you're going!

The differences include what [[biome]]s, [[region]]s and likely [[metal]]s are present in your chosen embark site.

=== General Surroundings ===
Simply put, if your [[surroundings]] are [[evil]] or [[savage]], your dwarves have a higher risk of suddenly facing personal combat before they are safely behind their defenses. Consider bringing extra weaponry, in the form of axes, picks or crossbows. Hand in hand with those, consider skill mixes that include [[axedwarf]], [[mining]] (the skill used to wield a pick), and [[marksdwarf]] (for [[crossbow]]s).

The same is true if you are embarking near an exposed magma vent or an open chasm - these features can be seen on the embark map, but it's impossible to tell if they are "open" to the surface or not, until you are there in person.

Be sure to include some source of [[water]] on the map, preferably running [[water]]. Water is (almost) essential for any fortress. In Cold and Freezing climates streams and [[lake]]s will often be frozen year-round and your dwarves may quickly die of exposure, in Hot climates [[murky pool]]s will dry up, and in Dry ones rain will only rarely re-fill them, if ever. Choose Temperate or tropical zones for an easier game.

===Aquifers===
If an [[aquifer]] is present in the first soil or stone layers (visible on the pre-embark menu), it may bar all access to [[stone]] and [[ore]] until you find a way through the water barrier. Consider bringing some stone for building, and ore for your first basic needs. This may be critical to getting your fortress running smoothly.

=== Mountains ===
Mountains often have abundant [[ore]]s, but at the loss of trees and plants. In previous versions lacking [[cavern]]s, this was a serious drawback. Brave pioneers can dig down into the caverns to find essentials like water, mud, and plants. However, players should be aware that above-ground crops will not grow in mountain biomes, no matter how muddy you may make the surface.

Depending on the exact layers, it's common to find exposed [[vein]]s of useful [[ore]]s that can be immediately mined for [[Make your own weapons|DIY]] weapons and tools.

=== Wooded/Plains ===
Flatlands with at least some trees and gatherable plants can also make for highly successful fortresses. Advantages over mountain zones include abundant trees and plants and (unless frozen) more abundant water. There are even (rare) magma vents. More water also means a high likelihood of an [[aquifer]] being present. Make sure to check on embark.

The greatest disadvantage is the potential lack of exposed [[stone]] to mine. The first level(s) below the surface is often [[soil]] of some type, which offers no building materials. However, soil is mined much more quickly than stone (x3-x4 faster), and expansive accommodations (rooms) can be achieved quickly even by untrained miners. You will find stone, you just have to go down a bit for it - but that's what dwarves do, isn't it?

[[Experience|Training]] a [[Miner]] from No Skill to Proficient takes less than a month (~20 days with hauling disabled) in soil, and to Legendary in just under a season after. From embark, this means you should have legendary miners in early summer if you dig only in soil. Times increase slightly for each additional miner used.

=== Oceanside ===
With many features in common with some of the above locations, [[beach]]es are often a mix of ease intermingled with bouts of extreme difficulty. Minerals and trees are often abundant, as well as farmland and sand, but there is often no drinking water unless the biome has a flowing [[water]] of some sort.

By definition, the settlement will fall between (at least) two [[biome]]s (one land, one water), potentially hazardous if the player expects a peaceful oceanside meadow, without realizing the [[terrifying]] ocean is full of amphibious zombie [[whale]]s.

Hunters should be replaced with fisherdwarves and a fish cleaner (although the latter can be easily trained). Due to a current bug, fish stocks will never be restored, severely limiting the value of fishing {{bug|2780}}. Depending how much water vs. land, more starting wood and ores might be helpful. Swimming is rarely useful in Fortress mode, even at the beach, and can be trained.

=== Desert, Glaciers, and Barren ===
Treeless (or near-treeless) [[biome]]s are challenging sites for a fortress: you get most of the disadvantages of a flatland site without having access to nearly as many trees and plants. However, near-lifeless zones such as [[glacier]]s are wonderful for players with slower computers, as there's little to burden the CPU but your dwarves and livestock. [[Desert]]s and barren areas often have sand; with a sufficient source of energy (preferably magma), you can build almost anything out of unlimited glass.

==Technical tricks/modifications==
Starting builds are located in data/init/[[embark_profiles.txt]]. They are editable as well as (usually) transferable.

==Sample starting builds==
See [[Sample Starting Builds]]

{{Starting FAQ}}
{{Category|Guides}}
{{Category|Fortress mode}}

v0.34:Starting build

2013-01-23T16:58:41Z

13thEssence: /* Industry */

{{quality|Exceptional|10:09, 24 April 2011 (UTC)}}{{av}}

:''This is not a tutorial, a FAQ, or a new players guide. This is a mildly advanced theoretical treatment for someone ready to take the plunge and make all the decisions about their own fortress. The following are intended for beginners:''
::*[[Quickstart guide]]
::*[[Main:From Caravan to Happy Dwarves|Beginner Flowchart]]
::*[[User:Calite/Gloss_Guide|Beginner Checklist]]
:''For an explanation of the interface for starting out, see [[Embark]].''

A '''starting build''' is a personal strategy for choosing the initial supplies, equipment, and [[skill]]s of your initial seven dwarves when starting a new game in [[fortress mode]] (see [[Sample Starting Builds]]). These skills and items which you assign to your dwarves will have a large impact on life in your new fortress, especially in its first year.

This page attempts to provide a discussion about how and why you make the choices on what you bring with you. This page is not an explanation of the mechanics of doing so, see the [[embark]] page for an explanation of the interface itself. This page assumes you have already made certain decisions, such as where you plan on settling, and that you are looking at the [[Embark#Prepare_Carefully|Prepare Carefully]] screen.

One thing should be made clear - there is no "best" build, no "perfect" or "clearly superior" final mix of skills and items, if only because there isn't any one goal of play. The goals you have for a fortress will dictate which sets of items and skills are best suited to achieving that goal - in your opinion. And then there is the environment, where your dwarves will arrive, the creatures, the resources available, and so forth. Finally, some people do things solely because it is hard, and that makes it more [[fun]] for them.

__TOC__

== Components of a Starting Build ==
There are two main components of a starting build: skills and items.

Skills for your initial dwarves determine how quickly they will work early on, what industries you are able to start with skilled workers, how well you can defend your dwarves early on, and what the quality of various goods they produce will be, and possibly many other considerations. This page considers in detail how you might go about choosing skills for your starting dwarves, and examines the multiple competing perspectives from which you can make that decision.

The items that your dwarves bring with you can be tailored a number of ways. There are trade-offs to cheaper and more expensive alternatives, and reasons why you might choose either. This section explores the nature of these trade-offs and the reasons for making a decision. It also looks at optimizing goods brought in more general contexts.

Starting builds can and should vary based upon a number of other variables. [[location|Where you choose to settle]] will dictate what raw materials are available, and thus require different skill sets to utilize, not to mention different threats from native wildlife based on [[biome]], [[surroundings|savagery]], and [[surroundings|alignment]]. Which dwarven civilization you chose will restrict the materials with which you can start. Making choices about these variables is not part of a starting build. What you choose for skills and items because of these choices is part of your starting build, and so some general guidelines about different environments is given last.

This page does not cover the interface for accomplishing these tasks; please see the [[embark]] page for that information.

== Skill Optimization ==
With only 7 dwarves, you can't take every [[skill]], so you must balance what you do take. At the starting phase, each dwarf can only be assigned a maximum total of 10 skill levels, with no single skill starting higher than "5". Maximum skill distribution is thus constrained to 1 level in each of 10 skills, or 5 levels in each of two skills, or something in between. Because dwarves can [[experience|learn]] any and all skills once your fortress starts, these initial choices do not dictate what the dwarves can do, opening up incredible latitude to choose skills for reasons other than survival.

:''(* Note that an unskilled dwarf starts with all Skills at Level '''0'''. Adding +5 Levels is then Level '''5'''. This is true regardless of how many "points" a level costs when first buying skills at embark.)''

A brief list of considerations governing skill choice:
:* Maximizing starting skill ranks vs. generalizing and having more skills covered at lower levels.
:* Balancing multiple skills for a single dwarf, so they aren't constantly needed for two different tasks at critical periods
:* Military vs economic needs
:* Your goals vs "basic survival needs" to keep your fortress healthy and happy.
:* Speed that a skill can be trained in game
:* Demand for a skill during a game
:* Whether quality or speed are significant considerations for tasks/final product
:* Balancing the desire to create [[wealth]] ''(with high-value products)'' with the need to maintain [[thought|morale]] ''(with low-value but commonly used products, like [[bed]]s, which normally are made from [[wood]])''.
:* most importantly - ''your playstyle'' - what '''you''' think is "[[fun]]"!

==== Breadth vs. Depth ====

A dwarf with only 2 starting skills at 5 ranks each is pretty good at 2 tasks, but untrained at anything else. A dwarf with nothing higher than level 1 is passable at many tasks, but not good at anything. Each dwarf in your party is going to be somewhere along this continuum, and you'll need to choose where.

Level in a skill dictates how fast a dwarf completes a task (most of the time), and the [[quality]] of the result (if applicable). On one extreme, [[butchery]] has no time variance for slaughtering a tame animal, and has no quality associated with the outcome. On the other extreme, [[Metal industry|metalworking]] tasks can take a long time for an untrained worker to complete and their high material value means the quality multiplier has a large impact on the end value.

Dwarves who complete tasks faster can do more total [[job]]s within a given time. The rate at which speed increases with level varies with skill, so some skills will benefit more than others.

Dwarves who make items of higher quality will contribute more to fortress [[wealth]] and may have a large impact on fortress [[thought|happiness]] if their work is readily available to be seen by other dwarves. Items which typically contribute to happiness are common public items like [[bed]]s and [[table]]s. Items which contribute the most to fortress wealth often cannot be displayed, but make useful [[trade goods]] or [[equipment]] for your military.

Aside from the obvious trade off, there is another reason to prefer depth - dwarves can obviously only complete so many total jobs within a given timespan. If a dwarf is busy doing one thing, he can't simultaneously be doing something else. So a dwarf who is highly skilled in a few skills may not actually experience any disadvantage if he is kept doing those things in which he specializes. The generalist dwarf, on the other hand, may be able to do many more different tasks adequately, but he can still only do one type of task at a time. A dwarf with one highly used skill (such as Mechanics or Mining) can feasibly spend all his time using only his primary skill and thus has no need to generalize. In effect, the generalist is wasting more skill points whenever he does jobs than the specialist, so long as the specialist tends to do jobs he has levels in. Specializing your initial skill investment is therefore superior if you specialize the division of labor in your fortress.

Of course, you can still only bring 7 dwarves with 10 total levels of skills each, so covering everything you want to do in 14 skills may be hard, if not impossible. A generalist or two can cover more bases that have little quality need or are otherwise fast even without a high level. The generalists real problem arises from the fact that any dwarf can do any task, and having 1 level isn't much better than having no levels. Which isn't to say there isn't a situation where a 1/1/1/1/1/5 dwarf is the right solution (indeed, the typical recommended [[leader]]/[[broker]] takes 1/1/1/1/1 in [[appraiser]]/[[judge of intent]]/[[negotiator]]/+2 social skills because none of these skills have a time or quality component), but most less-specialized dwarves are more likely to fall in the 5/3/2 or 4/3/3 end of the spectrum solely because there is a minimum investment necessary to be noticeably better than not having any levels at all.

==== Design Constraints: Which skills do I need, really? ====

The only thing that you absolutely must do in the first year is get your [[food]] supplies into a food stockpile, preferably inside, or your food will [[rot]] on the ground and your dwarves will starve. Anything else you want to do can be accommodated by sufficient investment in initial supplies and/or skills. This means the options for possible starting builds are vast because virtually any set of starting skills for your dwarves is viable (and that's before you even think about equipment, which adds more variables). So the short answer is: none.

That said, there are some skills which will be '''used''', to one extent or another, by virtually every fortress - but that doesn't mean you '''need''' or even want to invest points in them to start. You could even manipulate the fortress (see [[challenge]]) to completely avoid one or more of the following, but these are the skills you will find it exceptionally hard to avoid creating jobs for:

*[[Mining]] - to dig your fortress, and create loose [[stone]] for projects. It's only possible to avoid mining if you're secretly an [[elf]].
** Inexperienced [[miner]]s work very slowly. Mining can be leveled up quite quickly by mining [[soil#soil|soil]], but taking two dwarves with at least some points in mining is recommended in most cases.
*[[Carpentry]], [[wood cutter|Wood cutting]] - [[bed]]s can only be produced from [[wood]] (rare [[mood]]s aside). This skill is also quite useful for producing [[bin]]s and [[barrel]]s.
** It's best not to assign carpentery and wood cutting to the same dwarf. Doing so creates a bottleneck early on, when carpentry is your only reliable industry.
*[[Masonry]] - to fashion dwarven [[furniture]] from stone, and build [[buildings]] and [[constructions]] from stone.
** Due to the vast supply of loose stones, masons can be easily trained by [[repeat]]ing jobs at a mason's workshop.
*[[Grower|Growing]] - your farmers' work echoes throughout so many other tasks, it's stunning.
** Skilled planters produce larger stacks of crops, which means more food, more booze, more cloth, more dye, ....
** While it's possible to feed your fortress on nothing but caravan goods, you'll never come by enough alcohol that way, so you'll eventually need to grow or gather plants for brewing. Dwarves will literally go crazy if forced to drink nothing but water for long periods. Thus you'll want to plan for farming eventually - not that you must bring a highly skilled [[Grower]], but it'll certainly be ''very'' helpful.
** Planters with low skill levels can decrease your seed stockpiles - each seed planted by an untrained grower will usually result in a single replacement seed, but may produce no seed at all if the crop fails. When you start out with only a handful of seeds, a few losses can easily impact the sustainability of your fortress.
*[[Brewer|Brewing]], [[Cook|Cooking]] - A skilled brewer produces [[alcohol]] more quickly. Likewise, a skilled [[cook]] prepares [[prepared meal|meals]] more quickly (and more appealingly). However, most food can be eaten raw, and your dwarves can exist for a time on water.
*[[Mechanics]] - If you want traps, and most people will. Also needed for most machinery. Mechanisms sell for a high price as a bonus.
*[[Architecture|Building Designer]] - Mandatory for some buildings and constructions, but skill only improves speed a tad and increases structure [[value]].
*[[Appraiser]] - you will use this whenever you trade with a caravan. Without it, the game won't tell you how much anything is worth, making trading difficult. It's highly recommended to start with a dwarf with Novice (1 pt) Appraiser skill.
*[[Clothier]], [[Leatherworker]] - At least one of these skills will be necessary to supply your dwarves with new [[clothing]]. Articles of clothing count as [[finished goods]] with quality modifiers, and clothes can be traded easily (either before or after your dwarves wear them).

The very fact that you ''will'' use these skills can make many of them desirable to choose as starting skills for your dwarves. Of the above, Mining, Masonry, Growing, Cooking, and Mechanics are generally worth considering as "highly desirable". However, '''any skill can be used untrained, and/or get trained on the job''' - it just means a slower process and/or average lower quality product than if done by a dwarf with a higher [[experience|skill level]]. Some skills (e.g. [[Record Keeper]]) are rarely worth investing initial points in even though you will almost always use them; you can simply let the dwarf learn on the job. Others (e.g. Mining, Carpentry) may be worth investing points in depending on your goals or the tempo with which you want to achieve them. (Mining is easy to train so you could forgo initial investment and just train on the job, but this could force you to spend longer on the surface, increasing your exposure to dangers. A skilled carpenter can contribute a lot to fortress mood, but won't produce much [[value]]; see the discussion of Quality below.)

Many other skills are optional for your fortress; you will have to deliberately choose to use them. The skills above are essential to basic aspects of the game, and avoiding one requires a deliberate choice ''not'' to use it (and likely a lot of effort spent to avoid doing so). A fortress can make its wealth by smithing fine weapons, weaving quality cloth, encrusting precious stones onto furniture, or crafting quality trinkets. Or all of those. But there usually isn't a compelling reason to choose any one in particular. A fortress that never designates a tile for mining, however, requires [[challenges|exceptional effort]] to achieve.

There is no universal design constraint on which skills to start with. Ultimately the answer to "What skills do I need?" is "Whichever ''you'' want". Choosing a mixture of these commonly used skills and your desired specialized skills will make starting up your fortress easier and more efficient, but you don't need to start with any of them. Choosing to avoid some skills may force you to use some others, but nothing compels you to invest in any skill in particular.

A common skill list (Just as a general quick start):
*2 Miners
*1 Woodcutter
*1 Grower/Cook
*1 Grower/Brewer
*1 Carpenter
*1 Mason

This is not the be all end all, of course; it all depends upon your location, your goals, and what you consider fun.

==== Balancing military and economic needs ====

Not all embarks will require a military presence in the first year, but anyone planning an expedition to a [[sinister]], [[haunted]], or [[terrifying]] [[biome]] would be foolish not to be prepared for nasty dwarf-killing creatures. The solution doesn't strictly need to be military skills; quick delving and a skilled mechanic may be sufficient; but starting with a military dwarf will give you the earliest possible protection and a lot more versatility in where that protection can be applied. Whatever you choose to do, understand the risk and be prepared for it.

==== Training considerations ====

Some skills are harder to gain experience in than others - requiring valuable resources or taking an extended period of time, and thus inconvenient to train from scratch. Investing in some of these skills for your initial dwarves can make those industries much less painful to start. For example, [[metal]]-related skills generally eat metal [[bar]]s, and thus the less time you spend training metal workers up to a decent level, the faster they'll be churning out high-quality items and the fewer raw materials (bars and [[fuel]]) they'll waste in training. On the other hand, despite its importance, skills like mining train relatively quickly and barring extenuating circumstances (expected need to accomplish particular digging projects in the first month or you'll get mauled by a Giant for example) there's little need to actually invest your starting skills in it - they can learn on the job.

==== Quality, value, and happiness ====

[[Quality]] is an important part of Dwarf Fortress. Higher-quality items produce better and more frequent happy [[thought]]s and are worth more money in [[wealth]] and [[trade]]. When choosing skills that produce objects of quality, the desire to produce valuable goods for trade will often conflict with the desire to produce objects that will make your dwarves happy. Built items that are frequently encountered tend to be things like [[furniture]] (especially [[bed]]s) which tend to have low material values and thus low total value despite the quality of the work. Further, these things tend to be inconvenient to trade (due to [[weight]] and storage constraints). It is often best to strike a balance between dwarves who produce valuable trade goods and dwarves who produce quality items that will make your population happy - and thus be able to achieve both goals simultaneously.

It's worth noting that built furniture and worn clothing counts its value twice -- once under the appropriate category and once for displayed value. If you're trying to maximize your created [[wealth]] total, a good metalsmith producing [[statue]]s from high-value metals is optimal. A mason can also build furniture directly from metal ores such as gold nuggets, if these are enabled in the stocks "Stone" screen. While building with ore saves time and [[fuel]], it generally results in a 25% reduction of total material value compared to refining the ore. This is balanced somewhat by the fact that masonry is much easier to train, and therefore more likely to yield a high [[quality]] modifier to offset the reduced material value.

==== Moodable skills ====

[[Strange mood]]s can give a dwarf Legendary skill in his/her highest-level "moodable" skill, and moods take hold of dwarves with different professions at different rates. Some skills are "moodable" where others are not. You might choose to take a certain skill solely because it opens up moods for that skill with that dwarf. Some moodable skills are more valuable than others - a legendary weaponsmith is both valuable and useful. A legendary tanner is generally a waste of a mood since tanned hides have no quality.

Because a dwarf can only have a strange mood in one skill, pairing a moodable skill with a non-moodable skill can ensure that if the dwarf has a mood it will be in the skill you desire. See the section on combining skills below for more details on ways to pair skills.

Dwarves with no moodable skill can be allowed to do one task using a moodable skill to give them a moodable skill with no starting build investment, so moodable skill considerations should not be considered a primary reason to choose particular skills - you should also want to make use of them for other reasons.

==== Combining Skills ====
Every dwarf is going to have 2 or more [[skills]]. This means that even once you know which skills you want, you're going to need to pair them up before assigning them. Not all skill combinations are equally functional.

Some skills are highly time-consuming, either because the skill is in frequent demand (e.g. [[mining]]), because it requires extensive travel (e.g. [[wood cutting]]), or because it takes a long time to do an individual job (e.g. [[strand extraction]]). If a dwarf is spending most of their time using that skill, they aren't making much use of their other skill. Pairing two time-consuming skills together therefore tends to be a bad idea, as one or both jobs are not going to get the attention they need or deserve. Similarly, pairing a skill with time-critical jobs with a time-consuming skill also tends to be a bad idea. If your [[grower]] is also mining, he may not stop to plant crops one season. Or he might neglect to harvest your crops in a timely fashion and they could rot on the ground (if you only let your growers harvest). Arranging your skill combinations to avoid these situations is generally beneficial. For example, Masons, miners, growers, and any craft that your fortress will base their economy off of (glass, stonecrafts, armour, etc) will take a lot of time, so plan accordingly.

Instead, pairing relatively time-intensive tasks with less time-intensive tasks will let your dwarf accomplish all such tasks adequately. Once you get a metal industry rolling, an armorer/weaponsmith will need to make a lot fewer weapons to outfit your soldiers than he will armor components. Thus he can usefully do both jobs without hurting your productivity overly much. Similarly, a mason might also be your architect, since building designer is a very infrequently used skill.

Working at different jobs levels up specific [[attribute]]s. One could level up a miner until he becomes mighty and ultra-tough - and then turn him into a soldier, or retire him to haul stone. If you plan on doing so, it may not be a good idea to give this guy a second critical job that will demand a lot of time away from their focus.

Since tasks will take place in specific areas, another approach is to combine tasks into dwarves who will take care of a specific industry, or spend all their time in one generally narrow part of the fortress - the forges, or the kitchens, or outdoors, for instance. So combining Farming with cooking, rather than mining, for example, and turn on only Haul Food, not Haul Stone. Metalworkers spending their time in the forge can easily handle more than one type of metalworking skill, and are also well-situated to be furnace operators.

Similarly, you can also make the craftsmen of your finished products also responsible for the production of intermediate products from raw ingredients. This way when they run out of materials to make into finished goods they can immediately switch over to working raw products into intermediate products so they'll have more to work with later. This works better in some industries than in others. A single butcher/tanner/cook trying to process multiple animals simultaneously will likely result in rotten food, carcases, or skins. But a weaponsmith who doubles as a furnace operator can usefully ensure he has material to work with when you want him to. Later on, however, a highly skilled craftsdwarf is often better suited at sitting in their [[workshop]] and having others deliver raw materials to them than going out and obtaining their own raw materials themselves, but in the early game dwarf-time is limited, and a single dwarf who can work an entire production chain can do so relatively efficiently and let your other dwarves be used elsewhere.

There is no requirement that a dwarves job combination needs to look 'right' or logical. A weaponsmith will most probably not spend nearly 100% of their time creating weapons - what they do with the other part of their time may have nothing at all to do with forges or smithing. Jobs which require little time in general, or little time early even if time-intensive later, may well be paired with any time-intensive task solely to provide the dwarf with something to usefully and skillfully do with most of their time, and freed from that duty as needed for the other tasks.

Another constraint you can impose on your skill combinations is to try to limit dwarves to [[moodable]] skill and one non-moodable skill (or a moodable and a less desired moodable skill at lower level), so any mood will improve the desired one. For example, pairing craft skills with farming skills gives you dwarves that will perform useful food production or raw good processing services while also getting their mood in a valuable finished goods skill. Example: Clothier/Grower.

Finally, when combining skills think twice about placing your most valuable skills (e.g. [[grower]]) alongside dangerous skills (e.g. [[hunting]], [[wood cutting]], etc.). Your most valuable dwarves should be kept safe inside your fortress; less valuable dwarves should be chosen to venture into the wilderness.

==== Which dwarf should have which skill? ====
Dwarves who craft goods they prefer, or work materials they prefer, gain a bonus to the quality of the finished work. This can inform your choice of which skills you choose, for example by choosing a weaver because you notice a preference for sheep wool yarn, or you might choose the skills you want and then try to find a suitable dwarf to use that skill. In the latter case, since all dwarves have one metal preference you might assign an armorsmithing skill to a dwarf with a preference for iron, steel, or adamantine.

The dwarf with the most social skills will end up being the [[Expedition leader]], who will then become the [[mayor]] and start making [[demand]]s and [[mandate]]s. Thus you should avoid giving the most social skills to a dwarf who has [[preferences]] for things like [[adamantine]] and [[traction bench]]es. Ideally, a dwarf with no item preferences will result in a mandate-free [[noble]].

Dwarves have physical and mental attributes that affect the performance of certain skills. You may wish to give a socially adept and patient dwarf the leadership/broker skills, or a dwarf who doesn't tire easily a skill which will be in frequent use like mining. You can also try to match skills to [[personality]], some of which have obvious implications for their willingness to work long hours or how frequently they might take breaks.

Of course, all combined these represent a lot of possible constraints on where you assign particular skills, and it would be impossible to apply them in total to your entire desired skill load. Use these as a guide, but don't be upset if all your dwarves are anti-social psychopaths - someone still needs to be the leader, after all.

==== Other considerations ====
[[Migrant]]s can and will arrive with a wide selection of decently trained skills. While it is a gamble, chances are pretty decent that migrants will arrive with a highly trained skill that is also highly desirable and would usurp the job of one of the seven starting ones. The first few migration waves are likely to give you a much better talent pool than what you can assign at embark. On the other hand, you may never see a migrant arrive with the skill you really want. Even then, migrants still provide an excellent pool of workers to train for the specific skills you desire.

Skills atrophy if not used (they are marked "rusty" and later "very rusty"), and they can eventually decrease in level. Consider that skills which you will use years after embark are going to be rusty or even deleveled. Embark to the first caravan is long enough for a skill to start rusting, so you might want to make sure you'll use every skill you embark with before the first year ends to avoid catastrophic rusting.

Remember that you need to survive in order to accomplish any goals. Have a plan for lasting to at least the first caravan, if not one for longterm sustainability.

== Items ==

The items you choose to bring with you will need to satisfy a number of needs. Most importantly, you need to keep yourself alive - at least until the caravan arrives in the fall to resupply your fortress. You probably also want to plan on some way of making a shelter, whether that be the traditional delved hall, a majestic castle, a log cabin, or something even more exotic. You may want to plan for mishaps by bringing essential medical supplies, especially those which may be hard to acquire on site. And you might bring items which will assist in creating items for trade to that first caravan, should you need anything for the skills you're planning on.

For the purposes of this article, livestock are considered items.

All embarks get the following items without paying for them: 2 animals (who pulled the wagon), and the 3 wood that make up the wagon.

=== Motivations ===

==== Survival ====

A single dwarf eats about 2x/season, and drinks about 4x/season. With 7 dwarves that's ~approximately~ 14 meals per season and 28 alcohol per season, or ~42 meals and ~84 alcohol until the end of Fall. The dwarf caravan tends to arrive in the third month of fall, so you will probably need to plan on a full 3 seasons. You are also likely to get at least one if not two small waves of migrants before the caravan arrives.

It is possible to bring enough food and drink to make it to the caravan - indeed, bringing enough food isn't especially hard (especially once you factor in slaughtering the animals who hauled your wagon. Bringing sufficient alcohol is harder, although bringing plump helmets to brew can significantly cut the cost.

The likely best way to keep your dwarves in drink is also the most labor intensive - setting up farming in the first season or two is perfectly plausible, allowing to grow your own [[plants]] from seeds and brew the products. (Keep in mind not all plants can be brewed - don't plant dimple cups and expect to make alcohol). In addition to the necessary seeds, starting your own farming operation is going to require either some [[soil]] or [[irrigation|some way to get the ground muddy]].

It is possible to make all your alcohol by harvesting aboveground plants, if highly inefficient. It also only works in biomes with collectable plant life. Notably evil biomes and glaciers are unlikely to provide suitable vegetation.

==== Shelter ====
Barring a convenient cave, you're going to have to do something for shelter. Shelter is your first defense against roving creatures, keeping them away from where your dwarves are working so they don't spam job cancellations and strew items all over the place. (As you might guess, most 'convenient caves' aren't actually that convenient, as they tend to have residents). Basic walls that allow you egress won't stop a dedicated invader, but you ''probably'' won't see those until year 2 or 3, so you have a little time to develop more elaborate defenses.

Food outside will also spoil a lot faster than food inside, so making a cellar of some sort to store your food in will increase the longevity of your food supplies. The rate at which food spoils depends on ambient temperature, so the urgency of making a cellar will depend on where you settled. It might be possible to go without a cellar in a freezing biome.{{verify}} The only way you can avoid thinking about food storage in the first year is if you collect food and make alcohol as needed - ie, by using an herbalist to collect local plants - which can avoid needing to mine at all.

Delving a shelter requires mining, which means having picks to dig with. One can always bring one or more picks at embark, but its also possible to bring the supplies necessary to make them. See [[Starting build#Finished product or do it yourself|finished product or do it yourself]].

An aboveground shelter can be made with stone or wood or possibly more exotic materials. Stone of course requires mining, and thus picks. Wood can be had with an axe assuming trees are present, and axes, like picks, can similarly be brought at embark or made on site. It is of course possible to bring sufficient raw materials to build walls with, but this is far less efficient than just bringing a pick or an axe, although it could make a fun challenge. Building your initial fort out of soap, while possible, is not recommended, although possibly hilariously entertaining.

==== Industry ====
Most industries require little more than materials you can collect at the site and a workshop. As long as you have access to some sort of building material (stone, wood, or even ice), you won't need to bring anything for these. However, if you want to get an industry going immediately, it does help to bring a few building materials along (or be willing to use the wood from the wagon, if only temporarily).

Some industries require fire-safe materials to build with. Nearly all stone qualifies, as does metal. Wood can be converted to a fire safe material by burning it to ashes in a wood burners workshop, but of course that workshop requires a fire-safe material. If you're mining, this condition is easy to satisfy, but if you intend to run any of these industries right away you will need to plan on bringing appropriate materials.

Some industries require plant or animal matter to work with. Clothiers ultimately need cloth, which comes from certain plants or animals. Leatherworkers need tanned skins. (And while you can get 2 off your pack animals, this isn't sufficient to run an industry). If you plan on running these types of industries you will need to have a plan for providing suitable raw materials. Hunting can cover leatherworking needs (although this requires a hunter and hunting implements), and foraging can find rope reed plants, but its usually better to bring enough appropriate animals or plant seeds to have a good shot at getting started in a predictable and sustainable way. Similarly, milking and cheese making require milkable animals, and bonecarving requires a dependable source of bones.

Metal industries require [[metal]] and an [[anvil]]. You cannot make an anvil on site without already having an anvil, so if you plan on doing any forging before the first caravan you will need to bring one with you. Metal can be brought as bars or as ores to be smelted in a smelter into bars, or can be mined yourself. Each unit of ore smelted will produce 4 bars of metal, so there is definitely a cost-advantage for creating the bars on site. You will need to provide [[fuel]] or magma to run these workshops; a bar of coke and some bituminous coal can bring your metal industries up to speed much faster than relying on charcoal. Keep in mind that if you wish to produce steel, you will need some form of refined fuel even if you have easy access to magma. Bringing along some bituminous coal is a cheap and efficient way to guarantee a supply, especially since volcanic regions typically lack coal resources. This will greatly ease your wood consumption as well.

Soap requires a lot of wood consumption and a source of tallow to be done in a sustainable way. [[Lye]] can be bought at embark to skip the first steps and make soap more directly (though, due to a bug, an entire stack of lye will be used to create a single bar of soap, so bringing more than one unit of lye is not recommended {{bug|2117}}). You will still need to bring or make buckets and have an empty barrel to actually produce soap though, but fortunately this is just a matter of having sufficient wood.

Jewelers require gems. Cut gems can be brought at embark, but are too expensive to bring in quantity. Generally a jeweler requires mining to find sufficient gems or a glassworker to produce raw glass to work with.

Glassmaking and Pottery requires sand or clay and fuel. Its hard to viably run these industries solely off imports. You can check the pre-embark screen for clay, but sand is reported as a soil layer which may contain no sand at all unless in a Sand Desert biome. Like metal workshops, coal can be brought to substitute for fuel fairly efficiently, and [[magma]] can abate the need for fuel entirely.

As is probably obvious, certain industries depend on similar inputs. Planning on a set of industries which require similar complementary inputs can let you more efficiently spend your starting points at embark or more efficiently plan your digging during the first year. If you plan on a lot of fuel-dependent industries, it may be worthwhile to prioritize finding a source of magma.

=== Optimization ===

==== Container mechanics and free items ====

Many items come in containers such as [[barrel]]s and [[bag]]s, including [[food]], liquids, [[seed]]s, and [[powder]]s. The cost to embark with these items can be cheaper than the cost of the container itself, and each different type of item for each category will come in its own container. Furthermore, you'll get a new container after every 10th instance for food, most liquids, and seeds, and after every item of powders.{{verify}} [[Alcohol]] gets a new barrel after every 5th unit. (Food actually groups by animal type, so if you get horse tripe and horse meat they'll combine in one barrel, but horse meat and donkey meat will come in separate barrels). Thus diversifying your initial food supply with 1 of each low-cost food item will net you a large number of barrels. Similarly, it is worth taking 1 of each seed you weren't planning on taking more of solely for the bags. Taking some sand or gypsum powder is also a cheap way to get bags. [[Lye]] (for soap) and [[milk]]s can be brought for more barrels - and milk can be made into cheese for a low-cost embark option that becomes food.

As stockpiling and some jobs are container limited, getting as many free containers as you can will free up labor (and possibly valuable materials) that would otherwise be used making containers. Note, however, that this behavior is considered by some to be an [[exploit]] since it provides substantial advantage at no cost.

==== Finished product or do it yourself ====
Bringing raw materials and making the finished product yourself is often easier on your embark points than bringing the finished product. On the other hand, making it yourself takes time during which you aren't making use of the finished product.

The most common scenario involves [[Metalsmith's_forge|forging your own metal tools and weapons]]. While not usually too much of a hardship, it can be dangerous to make your own weapons or picks if you expect possible hostile creatures. Furthermore, you will lose time - possibly 1/4 to 1/2 the first month - if you forge your own picks.

Of special note regarding weapons is that a training battle axe is perfectly capable of chopping trees, and is made with nothing more than a carpentry workshop and a log. While the delay in acquiring one is minimal, a wood battle axe is not a good weapon, and so it loses utility for doing anything other than acquiring more wood.

You can also easily plan on making all or most of one's own booze, as plump helmets can be bought at embark and brewed at a still.

Any finished good can of course be made from raw materials that you bring, but most of them are not essential like the above, and thus you can generally wait until you find suitable resources on site or buy them from caravans.

==== Biome considerations: Dude, where's my wood? ====
Some environments have a shortage of trees. While you can direct production of a lot of item types to other materials, [[bed]]s require [[wood]]. In addition, it is difficult to make [[bin]]s out of non-wood materials early in the game, especially without ready magma (since otherwise you'll probably need to burn wood to make metal bins). If you have an aquifer it can be even worse - stone may be difficult or impossible to access easily. While you can ultimately ask for wood from your liaison and buy whatever the humans and elves happen to bring, and eventually you can create a tree farm underground, tight wood will limit storage and sleeping arrangements for at least the first year if not longer. You may wish to plan accordingly if embarking in a site with sparse or no trees.

==== Items for moods ====
When a dwarf is taken by a [[strange mood]], he often needs obscure material or he will go insane and die, possibly with severe consequences to an entire fortress. Bringing along some of the harder-to-find ores ([[cassiterite]], [[sphalerite]], [[bismuthinite]], [[garnierite]]), and putting those aside, forbidding their use "just in case", is spending a few points on an insurance policy. Many players also choose to bring a few items like pig tail cloth and cave spider silk just in case.

Alternately, if you're otherwise being minimalistic on gear you're bringing you can choose to bring a few valuable components to try to maximize the value of mood items. That artifact animal trap will be worth a lot more if your woodcarver grabs a blue diamond instead of moss agate.

==== Free Equipment ====

Unfortunately, no free equipment is available when embarking in Dwarf Fortress mode. This is in contrast to [[Adventure mode]], in which the only equipment available on starting is free equipment.

==Site considerations==
Each fortress [[location]] offers particular challenges and opportunities, and can make different demands on your starting build. Your starting build may need to be adjusted depending on the [[region]] your fort occupies, the specific vision you have of your fortress, and what it will take to [[losing|stay alive]] where you're going!

The differences include what [[biome]]s, [[region]]s and likely [[metal]]s are present in your chosen embark site.

=== General Surroundings ===
Simply put, if your [[surroundings]] are [[evil]] or [[savage]], your dwarves have a higher risk of suddenly facing personal combat before they are safely behind their defenses. Consider bringing extra weaponry, in the form of axes, picks or crossbows. Hand in hand with those, consider skill mixes that include [[axedwarf]], [[mining]] (the skill used to wield a pick), and [[marksdwarf]] (for [[crossbow]]s).

The same is true if you are embarking near an exposed magma vent or an open chasm - these features can be seen on the embark map, but it's impossible to tell if they are "open" to the surface or not, until you are there in person.

Be sure to include some source of [[water]] on the map, preferably running [[water]]. Water is (almost) essential for any fortress. In Cold and Freezing climates streams and [[lake]]s will often be frozen year-round and your dwarves may quickly die of exposure, in Hot climates [[murky pool]]s will dry up, and in Dry ones rain will only rarely re-fill them, if ever. Choose Temperate or tropical zones for an easier game.

===Aquifers===
If an [[aquifer]] is present in the first soil or stone layers (visible on the pre-embark menu), it may bar all access to [[stone]] and [[ore]] until you find a way through the water barrier. Consider bringing some stone for building, and ore for your first basic needs. This may be critical to getting your fortress running smoothly.

=== Mountains ===
Mountains often have abundant [[ore]]s, but at the loss of trees and plants. In previous versions lacking [[cavern]]s, this was a serious drawback. Brave pioneers can dig down into the caverns to find essentials like water, mud, and plants. However, players should be aware that above-ground crops will not grow in mountain biomes, no matter how muddy you may make the surface.

Depending on the exact layers, it's common to find exposed [[vein]]s of useful [[ore]]s that can be immediately mined for [[Make your own weapons|DIY]] weapons and tools.

=== Wooded/Plains ===
Flatlands with at least some trees and gatherable plants can also make for highly successful fortresses. Advantages over mountain zones include abundant trees and plants and (unless frozen) more abundant water. There are even (rare) magma vents. More water also means a high likelihood of an [[aquifer]] being present. Make sure to check on embark.

The greatest disadvantage is the potential lack of exposed [[stone]] to mine. The first level(s) below the surface is often [[soil]] of some type, which offers no building materials. However, soil is mined much more quickly than stone (x3-x4 faster), and expansive accommodations (rooms) can be achieved quickly even by untrained miners. You will find stone, you just have to go down a bit for it - but that's what dwarves do, isn't it?

[[Experience|Training]] a [[Miner]] from No Skill to Proficient takes less than a month (~20 days with hauling disabled) in soil, and to Legendary in just under a season after. From embark, this means you should have legendary miners in early summer if you dig only in soil. Times increase slightly for each additional miner used.

=== Oceanside ===
With many features in common with some of the above locations, [[beach]]es are often a mix of ease intermingled with bouts of extreme difficulty. Minerals and trees are often abundant, as well as farmland and sand, but there is often no drinking water unless the biome has a flowing [[water]] of some sort.

By definition, the settlement will fall between (at least) two [[biome]]s (one land, one water), potentially hazardous if the player expects a peaceful oceanside meadow, without realizing the [[terrifying]] ocean is full of amphibious zombie [[whale]]s.

Hunters should be replaced with fisherdwarves and a fish cleaner (although the latter can be easily trained). Due to a current bug, fish stocks will never be restored, severely limiting the value of fishing {{bug|2780}}. Depending how much water vs. land, more starting wood and ores might be helpful. Swimming is rarely useful in Fortress mode, even at the beach, and can be trained.

=== Desert, Glaciers, and Barren ===
Treeless (or near-treeless) [[biome]]s are challenging sites for a fortress: you get most of the disadvantages of a flatland site without having access to nearly as many trees and plants. However, near-lifeless zones such as [[glacier]]s are wonderful for players with slower computers, as there's little to burden the CPU but your dwarves and livestock. [[Desert]]s and barren areas often have sand; with a sufficient source of energy (preferably magma), you can build almost anything out of unlimited glass.

==Technical tricks/modifications==
Starting builds are located in data/init/[[embark_profiles.txt]]. They are editable as well as (usually) transferable.

==Sample starting builds==
See [[Sample Starting Builds]]

{{Starting FAQ}}
{{Category|Guides}}
{{Category|Fortress mode}}