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Minecart

2026-03-29T02:53:11Z

Bumber: /* Controlling Speed */ Roller speed strip

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[[File:minecart_sprite_preview.png|right]]A '''minecart''' is a [[tool]] intended for [[hauling]]. It can be made of [[wood]] at a [[carpenter's workshop]] or 2 bars of [[metal]] at a [[metalsmith's forge]] (using the [[Blacksmith|blacksmithing]] labor.) Minecarts store up to five times as many items as [[wheelbarrow]]s and are quite a bit faster than dwarves hauling objects by hand, but have the disadvantages of requiring a dedicated track network, a complex route planning phase, and the possibility of dwarves [[Fun|blundering into the path of carts filled with lead ore]]. Tracks may be carved into stone, or [[Construction|constructed]]; the latter allows above-ground routes, but these are more difficult to set up due to their additional [[building material|material requirements]].

Just like wheelbarrows, minecarts are considered [[item]]s and are stored in a [[furniture]] [[stockpile]]. Despite their five-times-greater capacity, they are only 33% larger than wheelbarrows (minecarts have a [[size]] of 40,000 cm³) and are identical in base [[item value|value]] when made from the same [[material]] (the value may differ due to the [[item quality]]). [[thief|Thieves]] or even mischievous animals can steal minecarts, even when they are moving on a track.{{cite forum|109460/3289070}} However, minecarts moving fast enough or being ridden cannot be stolen.

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

== Basic Minecart Usage ==
[[File:Leitnagel Hund.png|thumb|Minecarts]]Minecarts can be used to swiftly transport dwarves, [[flow|fluids]], and/or large amounts of items, but before you have a functional minecart, there are several preconditions that need to be met. First of all, you need an actual minecart, constructed either in a [[carpenter's workshop]] or [[metalsmith's forge]]. For the minecart to be able to move, you also need to carve (with {{Menu icon|v|t}}) or construct (with {{Menu icon|b|n|k}}) a track, which could be as simple as a straight line. Finally, you need to construct stops on your track (with {{Menu icon|b|n|K}}) where the minecart will start and stop.

After you have created the stops and assigned a cart to the track, you must create logic routes connecting several stops and designate starting conditions for each stop by selecting the stops for the minecart, take note to designate the tiles where your minecart will physically stop. This is done with the {{Menu icon|h}} hauling key. The most basic conditions are how the cart's movement is initiated and in which direction the cart should start moving. Carts can be either pushed (a dwarf stands at a stop and gives the cart a single push) or guided (a dwarf continually pushes the cart forward, guiding it along the track). The [[hauling]] [[labor]] required for pushing and guiding carts is called "Push/Haul Vehicles" and is turned on by default.

To control which items are to be transported, you can add conditions specifying: (1) which kind of items are to be loaded and unloaded, (2) stockpile links to define which stockpile(s) the items should be un/loaded to and from.

===Capacity and weights ===
Minecarts have a [[Size|capacity]] of 500,000 cm³ – five times the capacity of [[wheelbarrow]]s.

'''Examples* of the capacity of one cart'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Item
! # of items
|-
| [[stone]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 5
|-
| [[wood|log]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 10
|-
| [[block]]/[[bar]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 83
|-
| minecarts
| style="text-align: right;" | 12
|-
| [[Kitchen|prepared meals]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 500
|-
| [[Trap_component#Spiked_ball|spiked balls]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 500
|-
| [[Sand]] [[bags]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 500
|-
| [[Weapon#Native_weapons|mace]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 625
|-
| [[Weapon#Native_weapons|spears]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 1250
|-
| [[cloth]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 2500
|}
: ''(* See [[Size#Items]] for a more complete list of item sizes, and use the formula {500,000 ÷ (item size)}, dropping all fractions, to determine a minecart's capacity for that item.''

:: ''Example: A [[door]] is listed at a volume of "30,000". 500,000 ÷ 30,000 = 16.666, so a minecart can hold 16 doors, plus some smaller object(s) equal to or less than .667 (2/3) of a door, or 20,000.)''

The total weight of the loaded minecart does not affect the initial velocity received from pushing or launching from a roller.{{bug|6296}} However, the load of a minecart ''does'' affect whether a [[pressure plate]] triggers or not, based on the pressure plate's setting and the ''total'' weight of the 'cart.

'''Weights of different carts'''

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Type of cart
! Empty cart
! Fully loaded (items)
|-
| oaken minecart
| 28Γ
| 378Γ (10 oak logs)
|-
| iron minecart
| 314Γ
| 1698Γ (83 marble blocks)
|-
|-
| copper minecart
| 357Γ
| 1682Γ (10 obsidian boulders)
|-
| platinum minecart
| 856Γ
| 10482Γ (83 gold bars)
|}

The weight of a minecart is one twenty-fifth (1/25) the [[density]] of its material in Urists. Because pressure plates can be set to trigger at intervals of 50 Urists, minecarts with weights just under a multiple of 50 are ideal for switching based on whether they're full or empty. The best minecart materials for full/empty switching are as follows:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Material !! Minecart weight !! Content weight required to trigger !! Banana roasts required to trigger (for scale)
|-
| [[Glumprong]] || 48 || 2 || 4
|-
| [[Electrum]] || 596 || 4 || 7
|-
| [[Nickel silver]] || 346 || 4 || 7
|-
| [[Brass]] || 342 || 8 || 14
|-
| [[Bismuth]] ([[Strange mood|moods]] only) || 391 || 9 || 15
|-
| [[Fine pewter]] || 291 || 9 || 15
|-
| [[Lay pewter]] || 291 || 9 || 15
|-
| [[Tin]] || 291 || 9 || 15
|-
| [[Trifle pewter]] || 291 || 9 || 15
|}

{{anchor|Tracks}}

=== Creating tracks ===
[[File:minecart_ride_anim.gif|thumb|200px|right|A dwarf riding a minecart from a higher level.]]Minecart tracks are made up of contiguous track, tracked ramp, or bridge tiles. Track tiles and tracked ramp tiles have a direction or series of directions associated with them. These directions dictate which directions a minecart on a given tile may move from that tile. For example, a Track NE (northeast) tile allows a minecart on it to move either north or east from its present position. Therefore, if you want your minecart to move east along a straight piece of track, then return west using that same track, you would need to use EW tracks so that the cart could travel east initially, then return west over the same track. Excluding designs in which the cart will "jump" tracks via a drop or other ramp, tracks must be valid end to end to work for most looped or straight-track applications. A single east only track tile in your line of east-west tracks will cause any route using the track to fail the moment it tries to go the wrong way over that tile. Minecart tracks can be built in two ways: carved or constructed. A given minecart track need not use carved or constructed elements exclusively, as the two methods can be used interchangeably depending on the needs of a given section of track. The way the tracks are built is slightly different between the two, as explained below.

====Simple tracks====

'''Carved'''

A single-tile wide strip of natural stone can be designated to be [[Stonecutter|carved]] (with {{menu icon|v|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 existent or newly designated track. Carved tracks are removed by [[smoothing]] the rock they're on, which results in a smooth floor (that can be re-carved if necessary), or by building a [[floor]] on top and subsequently removing it. Dwarves can carve corner tracks in one pass by designating the track carving twice and canceling unwanted carvings (with {{menu icon|x}}). Tracks can be carved in any natural floor tile, rough, smooth and even over engravings, providing an easy method to remove low-quality or undesired floor engravings. Once a track has been carved, it's important to check the track directions for each tile in the route carefully to make sure no mistakes were made by yourself or the game's track carving logic.

'''Constructed'''

Tracks can also be built as regular [[construction]]s (through {{menu icon|b|n|k}}. This method is resource-expensive, since each track tile requires one stone, [[bar]], or [[block]] for construction. 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]]). 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.

====Ramps====

'''Carved'''

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 track '''starting on 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.

'''Constructed'''

The track and ramp must be constructed first as a constructed Ramp, and then as a Track from the construct track menu ({{menu icon|b|n|k}}). When constructing track ramps, the stated direction should be the same as the connected tracks. For example, a track going up from West to East would require, starting from the West, a Track (EW), a Track/Ramp (EW) and a Wall behind the ramp, underneath the section of track above it. Incorrectly placed ramps result in minecarts ignoring the ramp and crashing into the supporting wall. They will not, however, display as unusable as when the supporting wall is missing.

'''Examples of ramps'''

A simple ramp would look like this:
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
z +0 z +1
░░░░ ░░░░
═▲o ░▼═
░░░░ ░░░░
o : wall
}}

Carving track corners into ramps is rather unintuitive and complicated. Since carving tracks always requires two tiles to connect in a straight line as input, you have to give two separate designations for a single job: a track bit from the ramp tile to the "below" direction and another one to the wall of the "upward" direction. If you wanted to change direction on a ramp from east to north:
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
z +0 z +1
░░░░░ ░░░░░
░░░░░ ══╗░░
══▲░░ ░░▼░░
░░░░░ ░░░░░
}}

you would need to connect the ramp on z +0 both to the west and to the north by issuing two "carve track" commands, one selecting the ramp and the track tile to the west, and another connecting the ramp tile with the wall to the north. An stonecutter would then carve a NW track corner into the ramp, allowing carts to pass the corner correctly both going up and down. Such track corners are perfectly serviceable for guided carts, but moving down a route of several of them by pushed or ridden cart is problematic - ramps on corners behave very counter-intuitively, resulting in loss of speed when going down and diagonal movement when going up.

Moving to and from ramps (or between ramps "pointing" in different directions) causes some non-trivial adjustments to speed and even moving along the tiles at a fixed speed ''unrelated to the entry/exit velocity values'', because transitions to/from ramps are processed differently and are not to be "skipped". This affects compact track/ramp combinations (such as e.g. a simple 2x2 ramp spiral) most, and combined with bouncing often makes them work not in the way one could expect. {{cite forum|144328/5705102}}

=== Hauling route ===

A hauling route is a list of directions describing how and under what conditions a minecart will move. The proper setting up of routes is essential for a working rail system. Routes, stops, departure conditions and stockpile links are managed from the {{menu icon|h}} hauling menu.

==== Route ====
A route defines the path a minecart will take along a track, as well as under what conditions it will move or stop moving. A route is made up of stops. Stops are precisely what they sound like, a position on the track at which you want a minecart to stop. A minecart track might use as little as a single stop for a looped track, which will serve as both a starting and stopping point for the cart, or it could contain many stops, perhaps to load supplies or wait for a bridge to be manually lowered, before reaching its destination or returning to its starting point. It is important to note that you only need to place stops on a route where you actually want the cart to stop and wait for some action to occur. They are not needed to help navigate the cart along the track beyond telling it where on the track to stop.

New routes are created with the {{menu icon|h}} hauling key. Existing ones can be removed (without confirmation), and also nicknamed ([[File:Quill.png]]). Before operating, the route must have a vehicle assigned ([[File:Button assign vehicle.png]]) 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.

==== Stops ====
Stops are the individual waypoints that make up a hauling route. A given stop consists of the location of a tile, as well as conditions describing when, where, and how a cart should be moved after being stopped at that tile. Stops can be created from within the {{menu icon|h}} hauling menu, by placing the cursor over a tile and hitting [[File:Button add stop.png]] while highlighting the route (or a stop within) you've already designated. A minecart will begin its route at the first stop created, and continue through each subsequent stop, being guided, pushed, or ridden from each stop to the next depending on the conditions specified. In many basic minecart applications, the cart will end up at the same stop it began at, though this is not always the case. It is important to note that hauling stop order is enforced, even if there is no track. A dwarf will drag the cart overland back to a skipped stop in the route's list if your tracks bypass it somehow, including if the minecart does not stop on the stop after it is pushed/ridden.

Once a stop has been placed, it is given a default set of conditions under which to move the minecart if it is stopped there. Each new stop gets the same default conditions regardless of the track it is placed upon (e.g. guide the cart to the north). For this reason new stops might get marked by yellow exclamation marks ({{DFtext|!|#ff0}}) due to invalid directions. One important thing to note is that as you place additional stops, the display will show paths between the stops you have defined. However, this is '''not''' necessarily the actual route the minecart will take once the route is in operation. For example, if a route were defined with two stops at opposite ends of a track with many twists and turns, a line will be drawn directly between those stops to show the order in which they will be visited. These route lines may crisscross all over the tracks, but so long as the track is valid end to end, the cart will follow the track from one stop to the next, even across twists, turns, and z-level changes. Route stops, which are the steps that make up a route, should not be confused with physical Track Stops, described below.

Note that setting a stop on a sloped track may cause the minecart to roll away, preventing it from being properly loaded.

===== Stockpile links =====
By placing the cursor on top of a stockpile and using {{k|s}}, you can create stockpile links while defining a hauling stop. Links can also be redefined by selecting them, placing the cursor over a different stockpile, and pressing {{k|p}}. The cart will then be filled by items present in its various linked stockpiles in preference to other items. Note that bins should be used with caution in stockpiles that are linked to minecarts. Bins cause problems when used with the "Desired Items" list in a stop's conditions. For example, if a minecart is set to accept only granite blocks, and to depart north when it is 100% full of granite blocks, it will not depart if any of those granite blocks are in bins, even if bins are also included in the desired items list. Two solutions to this problem exist as of v0.40.24. First, bins can be disallowed in stockpiles that are linked to stops. Alternatively, bins '''can''' be used in conjunction with minecarts provided that the minecart's departure conditions use only "any items" instead of "desired items." This option can be toggled in the advanced conditions menu for a stop, accessible via the {{key|C|}} key. The cart's contents can still be controlled by specifying what items are allowed in the linked stockpile.

===== 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).
# An initial departure direction (NSEW). Note that this defines the initial direction of movement only. Even if a track includes many turns, as long as the initial movement direction is valid the cart will follow the minecart track thereafter.
# 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 stockpile and set to depart once it is full of items from its linked stockpiles, regardless of type.

=== Track Stops ===
A Track Stop, not to be confused with a route stop, is an optional, single-tile construction which serves two purposes. First, it can be used to cancel a cart's momentum in order to slow or stop it as it passes over the Track Stop. This might be necessary if a cart were pushed down a series of ramps to its destination. Second, a Track Stop can cause a cart to automatically dump its contents as it passes over the Track Stop. Track Stops are constructed via {{menu icon|b|n|K}}, and must be constructed atop an existing piece of track. If a Track Stop has been set to automatically dump a cart's contents, the cart will dump its contents in the direction indicated when it passes over the Track Stop. Depending on the friction settings chosen for the Track Stop, the cart might then stop after dumping, or it might continue on its route to another destination.

Track Stops are not mandatory; in fact, their main use is in automated rail systems. 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. Dumping will occur even with a guided cart. '''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. It will dump any contents the moment they are loaded.

Track Stops are constructed using the [[Mechanic]] labor.

* See [[#More_on_Track_stop |More on Track Stops]]

=== Step-by-step tutorial ===

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-v50.03.png|200px|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-v50.03.png|200px|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 stonecutters 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-v50.03.png|200px|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 (Under "Constructions") next to the output stockpile:

{|
| [[File:minecart-example-4-v50.03.png|200px|Track stop designation.]]
| [[File:minecart-example-5-v50.03.png|200px|Select dumping direction.]]
|}

You must 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-v50.03.png|200px|Track stop constructed.]]

Now we'll define the actual ''route''. This is done in the {{k|H}}auling menu. Press 'Add New Route' to begin defining a route. Select 'Add a stop' then click the track next to the input stockpile:

{|
| [[File:minecart-example-7-v50.03.png|200px|Route definition, in progress.]]
| [[File:minecart-example-8-v50.03.png|400px|Route definition, in progress.]]
|}

Select 'Add a stop' again then click the stop next to the output stockpile define the second stop:

{|
| [[File:minecart-example-9-v50.03.png|200px|Stop 2 designation.]]
| [[File:minecart-example-10-v50.03.png|400px|Route definition, two stops.]]
|}

At this point, the route has been positioned, but they haven't been ''defined'' yet.

Click the Minecart icon for the route (not the stop) and assign a minecart to the route.

Select the minecart icon for the first stop to select what items will be hauled to the minecart. By default no items will be hauled to the minecart. As we've set the input stockpile to only take blocks from the workshop, you can either set to to accept blocks, or set it to accept all items.

Click the stockpile icon for the first stop, select the "take from" icon (middle button) and select the input stockpile.

[[File:minecart-example-11-v50.03.png|350px|Set the stockpile.]]

Select the Conditions button ('''<>=≠''') for the first stop and check out the defaults. For the first stop, these are largely fine however you should change the direction button for all the conditions so the minecart goes the correct direction when it's ready.

[[File:minecart-example-11.1-v50.03.png|350px|Set the direction.]]

Select Conditions for the second stop. These need to be changed so the minecart is returned to the start immediately. Erase the bottom two conditions, change the direction to point back to the stop, and then finally click the '''>=''' button so it changes to '''<='''. This will make it so the cart is returned regardless of how full it is (which is good, as it'll always be empty!)

[[File:minecart-example-11.2-v50.03.png|350px|Fix the conditions for the second stop.]]

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!

If the route has any issues, you'll see a red ! on the minecart in the route screen. Be aware that this appears initially until the minecart is put in place. If your route is correctly set up, your dwarves carry items to the cart and the percentage will change on the route screen.

{|
| [[File:minecart-example-12-v50.03.png|frame|Route with an issue.]]
| [[File:minecart-example-13-v50.03.png|frame|Cart correctly getting filled up.]]
|}

=== 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:
:* Game cannot find a path for ''guiding'' the cart without carrying. The game checks for haul route validity assuming the cart will be guided. This warning will be shown when the path crosses impassable tiles, requires a dwarf to carry the cart, or is not fully guidable.
:** If your cart path relies upon advanced tricks like deliberate falling into pits or ignoring floor types, even a path designed entirely as you intended will still trigger the yellow warning. If the route is working as intended, you can safely ignore this warning.
:* Invalid departure direction in one or more conditions for the stop. Edit the stop using {{k|Enter}} and press{{k|d}} until it is pointing in a valid direction.
:* Track stop built on trackless tile. Track stops must be built on tiles where tracks already exist to be usable.
:* Discontinuous track. If the route indicator seems to draw between your first and last stop, this is the cause. Make sure destinations are linked by track to both directions, and that there are no sneaky gaps in the tracks.
:** ''Ramps''' are notorious for their finicky use. It is recommended to check every ramp to confirm no unintended one-way ramps remain.
:** 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 wall on the side opposite to the track ("behind" the ramp), or they will neither work nor be marked as "unusable". The wall can be natural or constructed.
:* Discrepancies in desired/kept item configurations.

'''Symptom:''' The status '''0% V''' always appears to the right of one stop.

:;Possible Causes:
:* Stop not set to take from a stockpile. Edit the Stop using {{k|Enter}} and make sure you see a message like "Take from Stockpile #1".
:* Take conditions and stockpile contents do not overlap.
:* Track stop is 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. (Alternatively, with [[DFHack]] you can modify "Dump on arrival" to "No" using the {{key|q}} menu without rebuilding the stop.)
:* Minecart itself is designated to be dumped (such as when using mass-dump).

'''Symptom:''' Dwarves fill the minecart properly, but will not move it thereafter.

:;Possible Causes:
:* Minecart contains items not listed as desired on its current stop. Check minecart contents using the {{key|k}} and {{key|z}} keys and ensure that all items in the cart are desired items.
:* Minecart contain desired items ''in bins''. Minecarts seem to have problems realizing that they are in fact full of desired items if some of those items are in bins, even if bins are also among the desired items for that stop. '''This cannot be solved by adding the appropriate bins to the stop's desired items.''' Either disallow bins in stockpiles you intend to load minecarts from, or set the departure conditions to rely only on percentage of total load rather than percentage of desired items using the advanced conditions menu ({{key|C}} key).

'''Symptom:''' Dwarves repeatedly attempt to load the minecart, but no items are ever loaded into it.

:;Possible Causes:
:* Track Stop set to dump used as a loading site. Every time a dwarf places an item into a cart resting on such a track stop, the item will be immediately dumped, causing unlimited, useless cart loading jobs. Autodumping Track Stops should never be used at a loading site.

'''Symptom:''' A dwarf picks up the minecart and carries it to its destination.
:* See [[#Quirks|Quirks]]

=== Danger ===
Minecarts are not without <strike>danger</strike> [[fun]]. 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 (dwarves guiding minecarts will ignore traffic restrictions), as well as by [[pasture|pasturing]] domestic animals and preventing the access of other creatures to the tracks. 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.

The only <s>fool</s>''dwarf''-proof method is to make the tracks inaccessible. There are several ways to create a track which works for minecarts but doesn't allow creature-traversal; the simplest is perhaps building a [[statue]] on the tracks. Other options include adding single-tile holes (minecarts moving at reasonable speed will jump the gap), vertical drops, minecart-triggered doors, small pools of liquid (4/7 water or 2/7 magma), and hostile creatures overlooking the tracks. For safety, both ends of the track should be isolated, making the dangerous center sections completely inaccessible (though maintenance access can be provided by a locked door).

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 [[Trap_design#Minecarts|used as weapons]] by imaginative players.

== Advanced usage and 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 separately.

=== More on 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|n|K}}; 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). In thoughts screen, dwarves will admire track stops as traps.

If a [[stockpile]] is placed on the tile 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 track stops are built on top of existing track to operate on moving minecarts, but they can also be used without tracks to create [[Quantum_stockpile#The_Minecart_Stop|automatic quantum stockpiles]] (see also [[#Step-by-step_tutorial|step-by-step tutorial]]). 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. You can link your quantum stockpile to various other stockpiles, ensuring that your dwarves will keep them supplied as necessary. 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 dumped by any other means) into open space fall through z-levels until they land on a solid surface. Items falling onto a designated [[stockpile]] will automatically be considered part of that stockpile, even if the stockpile is set to disallow those items (they will, however, be automatically moved to a more appropriate stockpile, if available). Items falling on top of a minecart will '''not''' fall "inside" the minecart. Use with caution; dwarves have fragile skulls.{{bug|5945}}

=== Automated propulsion ===
==== Roller ====
{{Main|Roller}}

A '''roller''' is a [[power]]ed [[machine component]] for the automated propulsion of minecarts. They are built over the top of existing tracks with {{K|b|M|r}}, requiring a [[mechanic]], ''(length/4)+1'' [[mechanism]]s and a [[rope]]. Rollers may also be placed directly on ramps to help pull carts up Z levels. 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 (1-10), variable-direction and variable-speed ([[Minecart#Numbers_behind_the_scene|see below]]), all traits that can be set at construction time; a roller uses two units of power per tile it is long.

Single-tile rollers transfer power in all four cardinal directions, while other rollers generally only transfer power perpendicular to their activity direction. Longer rollers can also transfer power along their activity direction if built in the correct order, although this can be hard to accomplish and is easily broken. Rollers cannot be powered from above.

Rollers have great acceleration and capped speed. Carts going faster than the roller are unaffected. If a cart moves across an active roller in the direction the roller works and moves slower than the roller's specified speed, the cart will be set to the roller's speed. A cart going against a roller's movement direction will be sent back the way it came (once again at the roller's speed), unless it was moving extremely fast: speed increment of 100000 allows to reverse carts from the full "highest" (50000) speed roller to full "highest" speed back, but ramps can accelerate a cart beyond this. {{cite forum|144328/5702453}}
A cart crossing over a roller perpendicular to its current movement direction will gain the roller's amount of speed in the perpendicular direction without directly changing its forward motion. Without an adjacent wall to constrict its movement, this will typically send a cart off the rails on a diagonal path, completely unable to follow any tracks until it collides with a wall or is otherwise brought to rest. However, if the roller is placed over a track turn and pushes ''from'' the direction of that turn's track, the turn affects carts ''after'' the roller, so they will be forced into the turn rather than derailed in a diagonal direction. {{cite forum|144328/5702453}}

{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
tracks: full:
║ ║
═╗═ ═╢═
║ ║

╢ : roller pushing from W to E
}}
If the roller is powered, carts from ''all'' directions (unless too fast) exit S, because speed imparted by the roller forces carts toward E and ''then'' into the turn.
If not powered, carts from W and N exit S, carts from E and S exit W. Carts above derail speed will ignore the turn, of course.

{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
║ ║
═╗═ ═╟═
║ ║

╟ : Roller pushing from E to W
}}
Carts from the E or W: exit W.
Carts from N: derailed diagonally, exit SW.
Carts from S: derailed diagonally, exit NW.

Rollers affects carts on a track - if placed on a floor or ramp without any tracks, they are ignored. Depowered rollers are also ignored, friction is determined by the tiles underneath.

Because of their one-way nature, rollers are unsuitable for most two-way minecart tracks (unless you set gears toggling roller A->B off while toggling A<-B rollers on). However, a minecart set to be ''guided'' is not affected by rollers at all{{cite forum|109460/3286235}} — this allows a one-way track to be used in both directions. In addition, unpowered rollers do not affect minecarts.

Care must be taken in [[glacier]]s and other extremely cold [[biome]]s, since rollers (and the machinery used to power them) will not operate when constructed on natural [[ice]] floors.

==== Impulse ramps ====
Carts can be given momentum without rollers or changing z-level by exploiting a design oversight in a phenomenon called "'''impulse ramps'''". Ramps don't actually impart any downward velocity even when making carts descend; there is no basic "rolling downhill" acceleration effect. However, a track ramp which has at least one wall/fortification and exactly one other connection will ''always'' accelerate a cart towards the other connection, no matter where the cart enters the tile from. If a track ramp faces three directions such as ╩, then two of those directions need to be facing walls for the cart to be accelerated towards the remaining direction. This means carts can be accelerated even if the cart doesn't actually change z-level at all.

Example of straight impulse acceleration:

{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
═▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲═ ═╚╚╚╚╚╚╚╚╚╚═
▒ : Wall
═ : Normal track
▲/╚ : N/E Track/Ramp
}}If a cart enters from the left, it will speed up on every track/ramp and exit to the right going very very fast—more than one tile every step. If it enters from the right, then it will bounce back impulsed by the ramp if it's going slow enough.

As another oddity, carts coming from ramps will in some cases "teleport" through most of the next tile. This is called the "checkpoint effect", and is explained in detail in the Physics section, below. This negates the deceleration of the next tile if it is a ramp "angled" in a different direction.

You can just make an upward spiral alternating impulse ramps and regular upward ramps. It takes no power, is quick and cheap to build, requiring only channeling and track carving, and the cart goes up fast, but not so fast that it launches its contents.

Examples of impulse elevators:

{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
z +0 z +1 z +2 z +3
░░░░░ ░░░░░ ░░░░░ ░░░░░
░╔░░░ ░▼╚╗░ ░░▼▼░ ░░░░░
░╝░░░ ░▼░░░ ░░░╔░ ░░░▼░
░▼▼░░ ░░░░░ ░░░╝░ ░╚╗▼░
░░░░░ ░░░░░ ░░░░░ ░░░░░

z +0 z +1 z +2 z +3 z +4 z +5 z +6 z +7 z +8 z +9
░░░░ ░░░░ ░░░░ ░░░░ ░░░░ ░░░░ ░░░░ ░░░░ ░░░░ ░░░░
░▼░░ ░░╗░ ░╔▼░ ░▼░░ ░░░░ ░╔╝░ ░▼▼░ ░░░░ ░░╗░ ░╔▼░
░╔╝░ ░▼▼░ ░░░░ ░╚░░ ░▼╝░ ░░▼░ ░╚░░ ░▼╝░ ░░▼░ ░░░░
░░░░ ░░░░ ░░░░ ░░░░ ░░░░ ░░░░ ░░░░ ░░░░ ░░░░ ░░░░

░ : Wall
╔,╚,╗,╝ : Track/Ramp
▼ : Down Ramp (empty space)
}}

Note that these impulse elevators, due to the checkpoint effect and upward curved ramp effect, will not actually result in carts traveling straight up the ramp. They will lose speed, bounce off a ramp, then be accelerated back into the spiral after a 9-turn delay on both tiles on the floor where they are stopped. This is because the checkpoint effect allows carts to travel up the ramps in a single turn, but also prevents the impulse ramps from adding acceleration unless the cart is slowed to staying on the ramp for more than one turn. Initial acceleration will carry the cart up a variable number of floors before this effect occurs, but this bouncing back and forth will occur every 5 z-levels after the first time the cart stops. When the cart ''is'' traveling upwards, it will pass every tile at a rate of one tile per turn regardless of its actual speed, due to the checkpoint effect. In tracks with only a single cart, this is negligible, but when multiple carts are on the same track (such as when you place multiple carts on a magma cart lift) this can cause collisions which derail carts, or cause other unexpected or undesired behaviors.

The following impulse ramp (while larger) should alleviate these problems by using a straight ramp to go upwards, preceded by an impulse ramp to exploit the checkpoint effect and negate up ramp costs. Corners still decelerate carts, so the cart will tend towards a velocity of 72k, which is above derail speed. Derail speed breaks (see Controlling Speed, below) may be necessary at the top.

{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
z +0 z +1 z +2 z +3
░░░░░░ ░░░░░░ ░░░░░░ ░░░░░░
░░░░░░ ░╔╔═░░ ░░▼▼╗░ ░░░░░░
░║░░░░ ░▼░░░░ ░░░░╗░ ░░░░▼░
░╚░░░░ ░▼░░░░ ░░░░║░ ░░░░▼░
░╚▼▼░░ ░░░░░░ ░░░░░░ ░░═╝╝░
░░░░░░ ░░░░░░ ░░░░░░ ░░░░░░

░ : Wall
║,═,╔,╚,╗,╝ : Track/Ramp
▼ : Down Ramp (empty space)
}}

Also, if you want to have a cart following a below-derail speed, the following track works well:
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
z +0 z +1 z +2 z +3
░░░░░ ░░░░░ ░░░░░ ░░░░░
░░░░░ ░══░░ ░▼▼║░ ░░░▼░
░║░░░ ░▼░░░ ░░░║░ ░░░▼░
░║▼▼░ ░▼░░░ ░░░░░ ░░══░
░░░░░ ░░░░░ ░░░░░ ░░░░░

░ : Wall
║,═ : Track/Ramp
▼ : Down Ramp (empty space)
}}
In this elevator, the cart collides with the walls in the corners, but then realigns on the ramp, picks up speed, checkpoints through the next ramp, and slams into the next wall. It is slower (10 ticks per floor) but produces reliable speeds, and will exit the impulse elevator at little more than push speeds.

A sort of opposite effect to impulse ramps also exists: ramps lacking the proper "up" and "down" connections are treated as flat track, even if they actually go up or down z-levels. This allows building "anti-impulse" slopes consisting entirely of ramps only connected up, which a minecart can travel up forty levels and more, needing no more than a single push.

=== Controlling traffic ===

==== Switching ====

As tracks are constructions or tile features, [[door]]s and other furniture can be built on them. 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.
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
->
A ════┤≡════ B
┤ : roller pushing to East
≡ : door
}}
The roller pushes the cart east, but until the "departure condition" is fulfilled, the door remains closed and blocks the path.

[[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.

A powered track switch can be constructed by building an "inverted" corner as illustrated below.
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
B B
║ -> ║
║ ║
════╚═══ ════├════
A C A C
├ : roller pushing 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'. The switch works by the roller first reversing the incoming cart's movement and the cart ''then'' following the track corner.

This switch is very reliable, reacts instantly to on/off signals, and carts of any speed can be switched by this design, although very fast carts will require rollers that are several tiles long, up to three. The requirement for power can be inconvenient or impractical. Non-powered solutions may use controlled derailment, or a connecting bridge.
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
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).

Since it depends on derailing, this switch requires a very fast cart, faster than what can be achieved with rollers alone. To gain sufficient speed, a cart must be accelerated further, usually by descending several levels or through impulse ramps. The high speed makes the cart much more dangerous and harder to control.

If carts are moving too slowly to derail at the corner, a retractable bridge may be used as a connector between A and C.
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
B╥
║
║
A╞════bbb════╡C
}}
The bridge must overlap the corner. Bridges behave like a track crossing, allowing carts to pass in a straight line. When retracted, the corner reappears, so the carts will continue to B. Bridges take 100 steps to react to a signal, necessitating rather long "lead times" when switching tracks via bridge.

As mentioned above, special care must be taken to make sure the bridge doesn't change state while the cart is passing over it. Retracting bridges will throw the cart, causing it to stop dead. Raising bridges can even crush the cart.

==== 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 t/st (tiles per step), '''unless''' the route in the direction of travel is blocked:

Will derail at > 0.5 t/st:

{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
in ══╗ -> derailing
║
out
}}

Will not derail at > 0.5 t/st:
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
in ══╗O
║
out

O : wall/column.
}}

This behavior can be used to build a "speed limiter", that will ensure that when a minecart exits it is traveling below derail speed, as illustrated in these three examples:
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
░░░░ ░░░░░ ░░░░░
in ═╔═╗░ ░╔S╗░ ░╔S╗░
out ═╬═╝░ out ═╗═╝░ out ═╗═╝░
░╚S╝░ ░╚═╝═ in ░╚S╝░
░░░░░ ░░░░ ║░░░
in
░ : wall
S : Track Stop (High Friction or lower)
}}
If the minecart is traveling below derailment speed, it will not be affected; if fast enough to derail at a turn, it will jump the open turn to the alternate path, be slowed as it crosses the Track Stop, and get put back into the main path only once it can take a corner. (Granted, you could do the same just with any track corners, but it may take a lot of turns and time.)

Since all the derailings, bounces and ramps can impart a sideways component of speed small enough to start visible drift many tiles away (say, [[Fun|in the middle of a bridge]]), track turns have one more use: forcing the carts to move strictly along the grid directions. Carts passing a turn below derailing speed convert one component of velocity into another, thus eliminating the drift.

A powered setup using corner rollers to decelerate carts can also be used:
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
in ═╔╔╔╔╔╔╔ in ═┤┤┤┤┤┤┤
╚╚╚╚╚╚╚═ out ╚╚╚╚╚╚╚═ out
┤ : roller pushing to East
}}
Each roller reduces cart speed by 50000. When speed is finally reversed, the cart is sent south at a predictable 0.5 t/st, then directed west again. This design is suitable for extremely fast minecarts; the above layout capable of taking a cart moving over 6 t/st to below derail speed in a single step! As long as the cart lands on one of the roller tiles, all previous tiles apply their deceleration. (A cart fast enough to skip over the entire roller will not be slowed at all.) The linear design also means you can send a bunch of carts into it at once without collisions.

=== Loading liquids ===
[[Water]] and [[magma]] can also be loaded into minecarts by submerging them to a depth of at least 6/7 while standing still or moving at speeds of at most 10000. Loading fluids onto minecarts can be difficult because the added friction provided by fluids can stop a cart in a submerged tile. Curiously, filling a minecart with magma does not injure a dwarf ''riding'' it. A minecart will hold enough fluid to increase the depth of a single tile by 2. This amount is listed as "'''833 units'''" (rather than "depth 2"), which weighs 459Γ (water) or 999Γ (magma). An iron or steel cart filled with magma weighs 1313Γ, while an adamantine cart filled with magma weighs 1007Γ. Since you need a minecart above the liquid's level, possible arrangements may include pressure-activated sluices, rollers (with magma-safe chains for magma), pouring from above to "submerge" it briefly on the same level and drain excess away (dig deeper and leave a vaporizer, though if you could have power for rollers, may as well use a pump) and exploits with ramps (not necessarily impulse ramps, "same height" passing dip does it).
The liquids can be dumped by a constructed track stop.

== Quirks ==
This little quirk concerns dwarf-managed 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.

Dwarves will also carry a minecart to its next stop if the direction specified is incorrect (or invalid). This can often occur when using the default departure settings and forgetting to set the direction of each condition.

Dwarves can admire buildings while riding mine carts. Dwarves will not fall asleep during a ride (at least not from being drowsy). If riding on a continuous powered track loop, the dwarf will die of dehydration/starvation as they can not jump off to get sustenance.{{cite forum|109460/3377228}} Dwarves riding in submerged minecarts will gain experience in [[swimming]].{{cite forum|129889}}

Tracks block wagon access to trade depots, unless they're on a ramp. [[Bridge]]s can also be used, as they function as tracks but do not block wagons.

== 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 in a straight line until they either are brought to a stop by friction or an obstacle, or until they encounter a turn. A minecart will roll straight past "blocked" ends of T-junctions or track ends, they have no power to restrict a cart's movement. The cart's behavior is largely independent of the weight of its contents (including fluids and dwarves): heavily loaded carts gain more momentum when accelerating, but this only plays a role in collisions: a heavy cart gains just as much speed and is as easy to stop as a light one. In either case, dwarves can not push nor ride an unpowered cart up a ramp. The cart will stall and roll back towards 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.

The difference between "Push" and "Ride" is whether the dwarf will go along with the cart or not.

{{DFtext|Push}}: the dwarf will give the cart an initial push, not enough to go up a ramp, but enough to go some way along flat track. The dwarf will remain at the first stop, ready for a new job.

{{DFtext|Ride}}: the dwarf will give the cart the same initial push and then hop aboard the cart riding it to the next stop.

{{DFtext|Guide}}: the dwarf will steadily walk the cart to its destination while seemingly ignoring all laws of physics.

While being guided by a dwarf, minecarts will:
*Ignore the weight of any and all items inside.
*Ignore active working rollers.
*Will ''not'' collide with other guided carts even when a full frontal collision would be expected.
*Will ascend ramps with ease like a crundle scaling a cliff.

Because of these quirks, minecarts being guided will always 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.
It also means for simple non-powered rail systems, "Guide" is the recommended method of transport despite it diverting a dwarf from other, potentially more important tasks.

Some samples with behavior:
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
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, a cart "pushed" from B will go over the junction and roll off into the unknown south.

=== Numbers behind the scenes ===

According to early research by '''expwnent'''{{cite forum|112831/3536975}}:

The minecart has 3 variables for velocity. Velocity can be thought of as tiles per 100000 ticks, so a velocity of one hundred thousand means a cart travels one tile per tick. By going down a large number of ramps, a maximum velocity of 270,000 can be reached, which presents the limit for most practical applications. Short bursts of (much) higher speeds are possible through carefully planned collisions of high-speed carts.{{cite forum|137557/5145499}} (See [[#Perfectly Elastic Collisions|Perfectly Elastic Collisions]].)

Every tick the cart adjusts sub-tile position units by the amount of their velocity, as well as adjusts velocity depending on current tile (speed is reduced by the "friction" of the tile, or accelerated if going "down" a ramp). On flat (non-ramp) tiles, the cart will move to the next tile when the sub-tile position goes 50000 away from the centre of the tile, denoted by the no-fraction integer value - tile 15 e.g. has its centre at the exact value 15 and its borders at co-ordinates 14.5 and 15.5.

Since most deceleration and acceleration is applied per step, with the notable exception of corners, a cart going at twice the speed of another one can travel about four times the distance before coming to a stop when going in a straight line, but only twice the distance along a winding track with very many corners.

A push will teleport a cart to the middle of the next tile in one tick with 19990 speed (10 speed is lost due to track friction), while a roller will directly give a cart the roller's set speed (minus friction) and the cart starts accumulating distance from its standing position. When a cart leaves a ramp it will emerge after one tick at the very end of the next regular tile.

Friction of tiles:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Tile
! Friction
! Comment
|-
| Tracks
| 10
|-
| Ground/Floor
| 200
|-
| Unusable ramp
| 10
|-
| Upwards ramp
| 4910 (10+4900)
|-
| Downwards ramp
| -4890 (10-4900)
|-
| Roller
| ±100000 (but capped by the set speed)
|-
| Corner track
| 10
| Speed reduced by 1000 upon leaving the corner tile
|-
| Track stop (highest)
| 50000
|-
| Track stop (high)
| 10000
|-
| Track stop (medium)
| 500
|-
| Track stop (low)
| 50
|-
| Track stop (lowest)
| 10
|-
| Water 1-6
| Additional (WaterLevel - 1) * 100
| rowspan="2" | [[#Skipping|See Skipping]]
|-
| Magma 1-6
| Additional (WaterLevel - 1) * 500
|-
| Empty space
| 0
|}

Water of depth 7/7 provides a friction of about 10000 per step. Maximum-depth magma causes at least as much friction, possibly more. This higher friction may not apply to very slow-moving carts.

Impulse sources:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Feature
! Speed
|-
| Push
| 20000
|-
| Roller lowest
| 10000
|-
| Roller low
| 20000
|-
| Roller medium
| 30000
|-
| Roller high
| 40000
|-
| Roller Highest
| 50000
|-
|}

Note, again, that nearly all of these values are applied ''per tick'', rather than ''per tile''. The exceptions are curves, which is 1k deceleration per direction change at the end of the tile, and rollers, which ''set'' the speed every tick. This makes rollers particularly useful in high-deceleration situations, such as underwater, but require that ''nearly every tile'' in such high-deceleration situations have a roller.

A cart heading up a ramp can experience deceleration on multiple ticks, (and stays on the tile more ticks the slower it is going, resulting in greater deceleration,) and as such, a cart leaving a "Highest Speed" roller with 50k velocity will not be able to climb 10 consecutive straight ramps, since they are ''not'' "5k deceleration each". In fact, the first ramp not on a roller will be -15k velocity, and, depending slightly upon other factors of "remainder" x position, the second may completely cancel forward momentum, and send it rolling back down, where it will bounce off the roller repeatedly. Using rollers to power carts up ramps reliably requires rollers every other un-rollered ramp. Fortunately, rollers can be built upon ramps, themselves, which allows for rollers to only need to be built every other floor. (Exploiting the [[#Checkpoint Effect|checkpoint effect]] can allow one to bypass this requirement.)

There are two important speed values which affect carts' behaviour:

"Derailing" can happen when a cart moves at speeds in excess of 50000 - carts will ignore track corners unless forced to obey them by walls or other obstacles blocking the straight path.

The "shotgun" effect takes place when a collision changes a cart's movement speed by more than 55000: loaded carts subject to such a change eject their contents, which then keep on moving in a ballistic trajectory, in the direction and at the speed the cart had before the collision (with a small random vector added). This effect entirely rides on the amount of speed ''change'' - a speeding cart crashing into a wall can be subject to it just as well as a standing cart accelerated by a speedy cart smacking into it. It can even happen when two relatively slow-moving carts (down to speeds below 20000 in extreme cases) collide head-on.

=== Sub-tile Positions and Velocity ===
Carts store six values that are unique to them. Three sub-tile position values, and three velocity values. (X, Y, and Z.)

Note that the Z position and velocity only matter when a cart is in flight. (See [[#Falling|Falling]] and [[#Cart Jumps|Cart Jumps]].)

Each non-ramp tile is functionally composed of 100,000 individual minimal-length positions ''within'' the tile in both dimensions. When a cart has velocity, it is added or subtracted from the current position every tick, and then a friction force is applied to the cart.

In essence, every sub-tile position unit is a decimal value of a tile, 0.00001 tiles, in a game that largely prefers integer values.

The exact cart coordinates shown e.g. by a DFHack script must be rounded arithmetically (up or down to the nearest integer) to find the current tile: a cart in the centre of a tile will be at sub-tile zero in all directions, and it will cross into the next tile when subtile value is more than 50 000 higher or lower than the full number.

When carts move beyond the borders of a tile, they physically move a tile on the map, and start at the far end of the sub-tile position the next tile. (I.E., traveling West, a cart that starts a tick 15,000 X away from the border and has an X velocity of -20,000 will move -5000 X past the adjacent border of the next tile in direction -X. It will also lose 10 velocity in that tick due to friction with the track if it is on a track, or 100 velocity if it is on regular ground, or no velocity if it is airborne.)

Ramp tiles are longer, approximately 141,420{{cite forum|157627/0}} in the direction where it "slants downward", (to approximate a 45 degree slope, it is square root of two times longer,) with a centre-to-border distance of 70,710. Because of this, a cart with no velocity dropped from a hatch will land at the center of a tile, 70,710 away from the tile's borders in both directions, and will start rolling in the ramp's "downward" direction, picking up the ramp's acceleration (4890 per tick in the direction of the ramp's "downward" direction) every single tick, then moving that sub-tile amount every tick. (This results in a cart that takes 5 ticks of acceleration to leave its ramp - 6 ticks overall - and to leave the ramp with about 23k velocity, slightly more than a push.) When it enters another ramp ''facing the same direction downwards'', a cart will start at the -70710 or +70710 position, and have twice as far to travel. This means that if a cart enters a ramp from the side, it will gain twice the momentum of simply starting at the midpoint of a ramp.

Note that passing from one direction of ramp to another or to flat terrain causes unintuitive behavior, "teleporting" to the end of another tile in what is called the "[[#Checkpoint Effect|checkpoint effect]]".

Note, however, that all sub-tile positions are carried over from tile-to-tile. This separate tracking of velocity and position between X and Y can lead to problems with diagonal motion:

{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
z0 z-1
▒║▒ ▒▒▒
═▼═ ▒╬▒
▒ ▒ ▒║▒
▒ : Wall
═, ║ : Track
╬ : Track and Ramp
}}

If a cart is passing West-to-East over this setup, the valid ramp to the South will apply "Southward" acceleration to the cart (-Y velocity) as it passes through the ramp tile. Assuming it only spends two ticks in that tile, it will have gained a lasting -5k Y velocity, which will still apply motion Southward. If the cart continues travelling over straight track for another ten steps, it will have accumulated enough Southward motion to try to move a tile South, even if all tracks are facing East-West.

A single tile spent on the ramp will not grant lasting southward motion, because the acceleration will be neutralised through the checkpoint effect when the cart leaves the ramp again, but the cart will be displaced about 5k sub-tiles southward, which can cause it to gain more or less speed than an undisplaced cart when meeting another south- or north-accelerating ramp.

'''Non-curving tracks do not correct this motion'''.

They don't "tip back over" without adjustments in the track. Any value of sideways motion on tracks larger than 990 will lead to a derailment. (Lower values will be nullified by friction before they are enough to lead to derailment, but there is currently no way to apply such a small amount of velocity.)

If the tile to the South is a wall at that point, it will be considered a collision with a wall that ''halts all motion''. If the tile is open, the cart will simply leave the track and travel over the terrain beside it. In almost any circumstance, this is undesirable behavior.

The only way to appropriately deal with this is to either cancel out this behavior with an equal amount of acceleration in the opposite direction, or to take a curve.

Note, again, that sub-track position is saved in both directions, so when a cart approaches a curve, it will already have a shorter or longer distance past the curve when it makes the turn.

Curves are applied at the end of a tile. If a cart is moving East, and approaches a North-West track corner at 30k velocity, and friction is eliminated for the purposes of a cleaner demonstration, then when it enters the tile on the western (X coordinate) border of the tile, but in a central North-South (Y) orientation (sub-tile -50k X and 0 Y due to arithmetic rounding), it will then move 30k East (+X) the next tick, and be at -20k X sub-tile position, and 0 Y sub-tile position. Next tick, it is at +10k X sub-tile position, and 0k Y sub-tile position. Two more ticks would take it to +70k X, but that's past the tile border, so it stops at 50k, turns (and thus loses 1k velocity, but translates the rest from X-velocity to Y-velocity) and travels another 20k. It is now at 0k X sub-tile position, and -20k Y sub-tile position (i.e. it's re-set from the end to the middle of the tile with respect to the X co-ordinate). Next tick, it travels at 29k velocity North, and so moves to 0k X sub-tile position, and +9k Y sub-tile position. Then in two more turns, it leaves to the North.

In the case of diagonal motion due to having velocities in X and Y at the same time, it is critical which tile the cart actually tries to enter next. Only if the path into that tile is blocked by the corner branches will the cart take the corner and rewrite its velocity, otherwise it leaves the corner tile without changes to its motion. If the cart is redirected by the corner, all sideways velocity is lost, as forwards velocity ''overwrites'' sideways velocity in a curve. If, in that example in the paragraph above, the cart entered at -50k X sub-tile position with 30k X velocity, and 40k Y sub-tile position and -1k Y velocity, it would take that "curve" (or rather, redirection of velocity) on the fourth turn, while it is at 37k Y sub-tile position to start with, and then move to -53k Y sub-tile position at the end of that tick. It would then move to -26k Y sub-tile position in the following turn, and take 3 turns to clear the tile.

But, most importantly, it would be centered in the X sub-tile position, and all sideways velocity is safely removed.

There are two common ways to gain sideways velocity: Rollers facing perpendicular to the cart's travel path (which, as covered above, are almost always a bad idea, as it is easier to push ''against'' the travel direction of a cart into a curve, which redirects all velocity in the new direction,) and [[#Corner Ramp Derail|corner ramps]], and require a curved track to compensate for sideways velocity within a few tiles.

=== Track Direction Irrelevance ===
Carts that are traveling independently (that is, not guided) only care that tracks ''are'' on the tile, not which direction the tracks actually move. Tracks respect only curves (with two exits) and ramps.

This means, for example, that the following tracks, when a (non-guided) cart travels from West-to-East, are functionally identical in effect:

{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
A════════════B A╬║╚╔╣╩╦╠╥╨╞╡B
}}

This is because so far as the cart is concerned, only valid ramps and curves with two exits where there is no exit in the path they are traveling matters.

Hence, if a minecart encounters the end of the track or a T junction with no "exit" in its movement direction, it will simply leave the track and continue on its course in a straight line until it encounters an obstacle, slows to a stop, or encounters another track even if the tile at which it joins the new track instantly sends it around a corner.

In fact, in a track designed for pushes or rides, a "║", a "╦", a "╬", and a "╥" are ''only different in appearance'', and are ignored by an unguided cart, which will continue in its current direction, regardless of the track. For any purpose but guided tracks, ''only curves and ramps matter at all''.

Tracks like T-junctions, however, ''are'' respected by dwarves guiding carts, who will lift and carry carts if they cannot find a valid track to their destination, and can choose to follow any orthogonal direction at a four-way junction in much the same way as they normally pathfind. What this functionally means is that T and four-way junctions ''only guide dwarves hauling a cart, not carts, themselves''.

Carts only check for curves when they are halfway through a tile. When they get there, they look to see if their path has no exit. (That is, if it is traveling East, it checks if there is an East exit.) If there is, it ignores all other track directions, and keeps traveling. If there is not, it checks to see if there are only two exits to the track, and if one of those directions was the direction it "came from". (That is, if traveling West from the East, it checks if there is a valid exit to the West, and if not, if there is an East exit and EITHER a North or South exit.) If there is not, it ignores the track anyway, and keeps on traveling as though it were still on track.

If there is a curve the cart will respect, it checks for derailment. Carts derail if their speed is higher than 50k. Carts at this critical speed will then check for blockages of their forward path. If there is an obstacle to their path, which may be a wall or even furniture or buildings like a door, they will not derail and respect the curve, anyway. Derailing carts do not "[[#Cart Jumps|jump]]" unless they hit completely untracked tile or an invalid ramp, but simply ignore the layout of the tracks entirely. With invalid ramps, this means not respecting the ramp, and likely results in collision with a wall, zeroing of all velocity, and a cart that requires manual retrieval.

If the cart is traveling at a speed that will not derail, or is forced to turn by a supporting wall, it will subtract 1000 from the "forwards" velocity of the cart, and redirect all forward velocity to the direction of the curve. This change in the direction of velocity ''overwrites'' any "diagonal" velocity, which can prevent diagonal velocity derailments, but any perpendicular velocity is not preserved, and is instead discarded.

=== Valid and Invalid Ramps ===
Ramps are functionally defined for cart purposes as being a tile which exerts an acceleration force upon its "downward slope", and which allows connection to tracks a z-level above or below. This downward slope requires a cart to have at least one track branch touching a wall tile and one ''and exactly one'' carved exit to the tile that is the "bottom" of the ramp. Ramps accelerate carts in this "downward" direction (possibly leading to [[#Corner Ramp Derail|diagonal movement]]), and the deceleration of an "uphill" ramp is actually just the acceleration being applied against the direction of a cart's movement.

This is where players can find an exploit in the behavior of ramps - if there are ''two'' "downhill" exits to a ramp (such as a "T junction" on a ramp where only one exit faces a wall), then the ramp provides no acceleration ''or'' deceleration, allowing carts to travel up ramps without any loss of momentum except for the standard "flat track" deceleration, because as far as the cart is concerned, the track ''is'' flat. (A T junction is also not a curve, so the track is considered flat and straight no matter what direction the cart is traveling.)

Similar effects can be achieved when there are ''no'' "downhill" exits to a ramp. This may be the case if you have, for example, an East-West track with a one-tile channel with a ramp in it. The cart will travel through the "dip" with no change in velocity. It can also be the case if you abuse the [[#Track Direction Irrelevance|Track Direction Irrelevance]], and set only exits ''up'' the ramp, and none leading ''down'' the ramp. For example, if a cart is traveling from West to East up a slope, only carving East exits on each tile of ramp will make the cart travel up the ramp, and then recognize the tile it is on as being a "flat" tile, thus ignoring any deceleration from traveling uphill.

Note that this effect only reliably occurs at below-derail speeds as the cart will treat the ramp as an invitation for a ramp jump otherwise. (This almost always results in a collision with a wall that will stop forward progress.)

=== Falling ===
When falling, a minecart appears to cause no damage upon collision, possibly to allow cart "stacking" across Z-levels.{{cite devlog|2012|04|06}} A dwarf riding in a minecart that is dropped multiple z-levels suffers normal fall damage. Minecarts can fall through up/down stairs.

While airborne, carts do not feel the effects of friction in any horizontal direction, and will continue until they strike an obstacle. Carts that land on tracks instantly re-rail themselves regardless of track directionality.

Falling carts accelerate similarly to the way that a ramp will accelerate a cart in a special z-only velocity that only applies to airborne carts. (Actually, since a tile is notionally 1.5 times as high as it is wide/long, acceleration due to gravity in freefall appears slightly ''slower'' than ramp acceleration, since it has to move the cart (or any other object) a greater distance.) Ramp acceleration, while it logically should be partially z-directional, is only recorded as x- or y-directional, and there is no translation of z-directional velocity upon landing. Landing carts zero out their vertical velocity upon landing, even when landing on ramps, although carts that had horizontal momentum while falling preserve it.

This means a cart falling onto a track ramp is accelerated as if starting from the middle of the ramp - i.e. to the same speed, no matter how many Z-levels it was dropped, vertical velocity is negated. {{cite forum|144328/5701211}} As a consequence, the fall damage to passengers is also negated.

Carts falling onto a floor can, however, cause damage to creatures ''one tile below the floor''. This can be used in an [[exploit]] called a "thumper", where carts are caused to repeatedly fall on a floor above an entrance to the fort, inflicting significant damage (as though it were a collision) on those below the cart.

=== Cart Jumps ===
Carts that cross off of "up" ramps relative to their current direction of travel, which do not have a ceiling above them, are traveling above derail speed, and do not have valid ramp track before them can translate a portion of their horizontal velocity into vertical velocity, causing a cart to be projected into the air until vertical velocity is negated and overcome by the gravitational acceleration. Because downwards acceleration is applied per-tick, this creates a reasonable facsimile of the parabolic motion of an actual object rolled up a ramp and launched with significant speed.

{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
z0 z0 hiding ramps z+1 A z+1 B (hidden ramp)
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
═▲▲▲▲▲══▲▒▲═ ═╚╚╚╚╚═══▒══ ▼▼▼▼▼ ▼═▼ ▼▼▼▼▼ ▼╚▼
▒ : Wall
═ : track
▲ : Ramp
}}
In this diagram, if there is no ceiling above it, the track in z+1 A will launch its carts airborne when they travel across the ramp. z+1 B (with a ramp on the tile on the hill) will not launch the cart. The cart would also not be launched with ''any'' valid ramp, even if it does not travel in an appropriate direction, such as North/South (which the cart will ignore, as it is not a curve, anyway, although it may produce acceleration that may cause diagonal movement.)

Carts will also start "jumping" from the track if it hits an un-tracked tile, flying over and ignoring any tracks until it is ready to land. Carts that land upon tracked tiles re-rail themselves, and clever designers use this feature to jump over curved track sections in one direction or another. (Retracting bridges over untracked tiles can cause jumps or not cause jumps depending upon the status of the bridge.) Minecart speed must be carefully regulated to ensure reliability of jump length.

Hitting untracked tiles at around 70k velocity creates a vertical component to acceleration that allows for jumps of around 6 (horizontal) tiles that do not actually leave the z-level the cart is on, but which do apply z-direction velocity on the cart, as per falling.

At the start of a jump, there is a takeoff period before the cart stops interacting with terrain and starts counting as a projectile(i.e the cart will fly over open space, but will still bump into fortifications, activate checkpoint effects etc.). The "runway" length before takeoff is affected by the velocity of the cart. After flying through the runway, the cart starts acting as a projectile. However, if the last tile of the runway is not open space - for instance, it is a track or a floor - the cart will not act as a projectile for 1 extra tile. In other words, the runway is extended by 1 tile if its last tile is not open space.

Carts that approach a downward slope at a high enough velocity will also make a jump, (or rather, ignore the ramp and fly forwards) but will not do so if the [[#Checkpoint Effect|Checkpoint Effect]] is exploited through an impulse ramp before the actual downhill as the impulse ramp "tricks" the cart into thinking it has already started going downhill.

=== Skipping ===
If a minecart is moving fast enough, it can skip over [[water]] or [[magma]] of level 5 or higher, 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]].

Skipping causes significant friction on the cart, and even a cart going at max speed from ramps can only make about 50 tiles without requiring re-acceleration. (Carts that decelerate enough that they do not trigger the skipping effect will, of course, sink.)

=== Corner Ramp Derail ===

Corners on upward ramps can cause diagonal movement, forcing a derail even if the cart has a wall next to it, which will force a stop when it touches a wall that forces dwarves to manually reset the cart.

This is caused by the fact that a cart, after turning the bend in the track and entering e.g. a flat tile, will be subject to the checkpoint effect which applies 5k acceleration opposed to the last amount of ramp acceleration it received. Since the cart has just passed a corner, this compensatory speed adjustment now goes to the "outside" of the corner and creates enough lateral velocity to carry the cart off the track after eleven steps. (Down corner ramps do not have this problem, as the downward direction is in line with the past-corner movement direction and the checkpoint effect works on the only remaining movement vector.)

There are two fixes to this problem. One is to simply not put corners on up ramps. The other is to "cancel" the lateral speed after a cart has passed the ramp, either by sending the cart through another corner or by putting a high-friction track stop on the exit tile. In the latter case, the cart will lose 10000 speed in the desired direction, but the same speed loss will apply to the undesired lateral speed, nullifying it.

=== Checkpoint Effect ===
The checkpoint effect, [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=144328.0 explained in depth by Larix], is an odd and highly exploitable feature of ramps where minecarts "teleport" through the next tile of track, ignoring nearly all minecart physics (except that they stop at all walls or other obstacles and only respect curves with no backing wall and invalid ramps if they are below derail speed) and passing through that tile in just a single tick, and to the very end of the next tile.

This effect occurs when a cart leaves a downward ramp for any other direction of tile. (This includes ramps which accelerate in different directions, even a ramp which goes from accelerating East to accelerating North due to a bend in a chain of standard down ramps in a curve.) This allows, for example, two valid straight ramps directly next to one another with a cart dropped onto one or the other with no momentum to have the cart pick up acceleration going "down" the ramp as normal, but then flying up through the "up" ramp it travels into with no loss of momentum, as though it had come from an impulse ramp. If the two ramps had at least one space of distance between them, and then a cart were dropped in, the cart would instead "rock" back and forth between the two ramps.

This seems to be because ramps have a slightly longer length than regular tiles—141,420, rather than 100,000 distance. When this "snaps back" after a ramp, it seems to project the cart suddenly further along the track, making it jump a tile ahead even when otherwise moving at relatively low speeds.

This [[bug]] is the cause of a ''wide array'' of unexpected behavior among people who do not take this bug into account. It causes derailments or failure to climb up seemingly valid impulse elevators. In general, it makes a system that behaves extremely counter-intuitively, and operates ''any time a cart encounters a valid ramp''. At the same time, when its effect is accounted for, it is highly exploitable: It causes "perpetual motion devices" using no power when two opposing ramps are placed next to one another, since the "uphill" effect of the opposing ramp is ignored, preventing deceleration.

Another useful thing to note about this exploit is that carts traveling at no less than 71,000 or so speed (enough to travel half a ramp tile in a single tick) can travel through every tile in just one tick at no change in velocity as long as the tiles alternate between impulse ramp or actual down ramp and any other tile type. The cart checkpoints through the non-down-ramp tiles, and can pass through the (impulse) down ramp tiles in a single tick, before they can actually start gaining momentum.

{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
═▲═▲═▲═▲═▲═ ═╚═╚═╚═╚═╚═
▒ : Wall
═ : Normal track
▲/╚ : N/E Track/Ramp
}}

If the cart enters from the West at less than 72,000 speed, some of those ramps will cause Eastward acceleration.

This means that an impulse ramp not contiguous to other impulse ramps has a top speed of around 75k:

{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒
▒╔═╗▒ ▒╔═╗▒
▒╚▲╝▒ ▒╚╗╝▒
▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒
}}
This setup makes a cart that travels clockwise at a speed that fluctuates around 75k velocity. If the cart has more than 72k velocity, it fails to accelerate in the ramp, as it leaves the ramp in a single turn due to checkpointing to the halfway point. After that, the curves sap 1k velocity, and every tick saps 10 velocity.

Two contiguous impulse ramps with a same-facing "downwards slope", however, do not suffer the checkpoint effect in the second tile, giving functionally triple the space to accelerate. This means it will add velocity (at the standard rate of 4.9k per tick) up to a maximum speed of 216k.
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒
▒╔══╗▒ ▒╔══╗▒
▒╚▲▲╝▒ ▒╚╗╗╝▒
▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒
}}
This example results in a cart moving three times as fast as the previous cart.

Three successive ramps results in the highest attainable speeds.

In practical terms, this means that only consecutive ramps should be used for high acceleration, but singleton ramps can be used to have speeds that are somewhat regulated.

=== Stacking ===
If a minecart lands on top of another minecart, they may form a stack, with the upper cart on the z-level above the lower. Subsequent carts do not form a stack, but rather quantum stockpile in the same space. This behaviour is useful for [[megaprojects]] and [[trap design]] with minecarts as the weaponry. Moderation should still be exercised: carts take longer to fall into a "stacking" tile already occupied by other carts and will spend that time "hanging" in the air above the stack. This can lead to following carts striking them, which can cause all kinds of malfunctions. The extra time is two game steps for every cart already in the stack, which doesn't hurt stacks of ten carts very much but makes stacks of 100+ rather impractical.

These minecarts on the upper level generally need to be struck with another minecart to move out, or have their support removed. The latter option is safest done by shooting it away with another minecart, manual removal of a stack-supporting cart typically causes the next cart from the stack to [[fun|fall on top]] of the hauler.

=== Perfectly Elastic Collisions ===
Minecart collisions are perfectly elastic, meaning that not only do minecarts not take damage, but that two carts that are rolling which have frontal collisions of near-similar speed, and where one cart is no more than twice the mass of the other cart, will result in a billiard-ball-like effect of the lighter cart bouncing off the heavier cart with a proportional speed increase dependent upon the relative momentum behind the heavier cart.

Using this trick with carts already at the 270,000 maximum speed from ramps can result in "supersonic" carts traveling at speeds in the millions (travelling a dozen tiles per tick), but where they are suddenly subject to 10,000 units of "terminal velocity" friction per tick. [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=137557.0 Thread with SCIENCE here].

While hypothetically capable of launching a minecart into orbit when used in conjunction with a ramp, no cargo can be contained in the launched cart, as the collisions will force ejections of the cargo. Your "unwilling volunteer" [[goblin]] space pioneers will simply become paste underneath the wheels of an extreme high-speed cart.

== Non-standard uses ==
Minecarts include some interesting characteristics that have motivated uses beyond hauling. They can be useful for creating fully-automated [[Quantum stockpile|quantum stockpiles]], [[garbage disposal]]s, [[Water_wheel#Micro_Water_Reactor|water reactors]], and [[portable drain]]s. Storing perishable goods (meat, meals, etc.) inside a minecart appears to guard against rot and vermin.
Minecarts can be [[Trap_design#Minecarts|used as weapons]], or as (hopefully non-fatal) triggers to restart stalled [[health care]]. They can also be used to time/control game events, either using a basic [[repeater]] or much more advanced [[minecart logic]].
Minecarts trigger [[pressure plate]]s, which means a trap can be designed to trigger when a thief attempts to steal a minecart.
A pressure plate can be used as automatic and more precise custom "launch when full enough" system - as long as weight of your minecarts stays the same. You cannot build a hatch or roller on the same tile, so launch by bumping with another cart.{{cite forum|15096/4580050}}
Dwarves riding minecarts can attack enemies within reach (which goes back to dev log). This applies to shooting, and they actually can hit targets while riding by.{{cite forum|109460/5266119}} Whether a minecart protects the rider and how it interacts with dodging is not known yet. Minecart riders can also [[Swimmer#Teaching_swimming|train swimming]] and [[Megaprojects#Surveillance_Track|detect ambushers]].

== Simple Example Layouts ==

=== 2-way Minecart Route ===
[[File:Simple2wayminecart.PNG|500px|Simple 2-way Minecart Route]]

This is an example of how a 2 way route can be established.
* Stop 1 is non dumping, frictionless (Feeder Stockpile from North in this example)
* Stop 2 friction and dump (dumps South in this example)
* Stop 3 is non dumping, frictionless (Feeder Stockpile from North in this example)
* Stop 4 friction and dump (dumps South in this example)

Now you create a Route hauling your desired items from Stop 1 to Stop 2 . Immediately guide the empty cart to Stop 3 (because the stop has no friction, a pushed cart will overshoot the stop).
Haul desired items from Stop 3 to Stop 4. Immediately guide the empty Cart to Stop 1.

=== Automated Minecart Funicular (Elevator that also goes sideways)===
This is an example to set up stone delivery from multiple Z levels with a common set of tracks while automatically returning the cart to where it is supposed to go. In this example, the South track goes upwards towards the drop off point, the North track goes downwards for cart return.
The design pictured consists of the following:
[[File:MinecartFunicular.gif|frame|left]]
* Two ramps next to a wall spaced one tile apart
* Tracks on top of the ramps to make an inclined track
* A 3X1 channel dug down next to the ramps on the side opposite the wall
* 2 gear assemblies, one between the ramps, one over the middle channel
* Rollers on the upward track pointing towards the wall (South ramp in this example)
* A hatch over the channel next to your downwards ramp (North ramp in this example)
* A wall diagonally adjacent to the to the upwards channel
* Tracks leading from the hatch to the single wall
* A wall next to the curved section of track
* A pressure plate set to trigger on minecarts on the track underneath the minecart. Link the pressure plate to the hatch
* Set up a minecart route with one stop where the minecart is. Set the condition to push the minecart in the direction of the channel with any condition and contents you wish
* Each subsequent level needs to be shifted one tile in the direction of the ramp down
{{clear}}
The unloading level just needs to pass the cart over a track stop set to dump in whatever direction you want, then send it back down the return track. It also needs to provide power to the rollers, 12 power is required per level.
[[File:MinecartFunicularTop.gif|thumb|left]]
{{clear}}
How it works
* The minecart sitting on the pressure plate keeps the hatch open so that other carts may pass
* When the cart is off the pressure plate the hatch closes. This causes the cart to pass over the hatch back to its loading position
[[File:MinecartFunicularHatch.gif|thumb|left]]
{{clear}}
== Adventure mode ==
In addition to being used for hauling, minecarts can also be ridden in [[adventure mode]]. (Adapted from forum thread {{cite forum|122903/4258212}})

# If the minecart is in your inventory, drop it. If it is already on the ground, proceed to step 2.
# Press {{k|u}} when you are 1 tile away from the minecart (or standing on the same tile as the minecart).
# You will be presented with the following options:
[[File:minecart adventure mode menu.png|left]]
{{clear}}
* If you {{DFtext|Push}} the minecart, it will move a few tiles in the direction you chose. Physics comes into play here, so it will gain/lose speed depending on the usual factors.
* If you {{DFtext|Ride}} the minecart, you will hop into the minecart, even if you were a tile away, and it will move in the chosen direction with you in it. It will gain/lose speed depending on the usual factors. Whilst the minecart is in motion, you should press {{k|.}} to skip your turn; if you attempt to move whilst the minecart is still in motion, the laws of physics come into play, and you will take [[wound|damage]]. However, it is currently possible to jump out of a moving minecart safely.{{bug|10104}} Alternatively, you can push the minecart whilst it's still in motion (although it's unclear how one can bend [[physics]] so as to push a moving minecart whilst inside the minecart). If you push it in the same direction you are already travelling in, you will greatly increase the minecart's velocity. You can also push it in different directions, and this will cause it to gradually change direction-the amount of pushes this requires depends on the minecart's velocity. Once the minecart has stopped moving, you may move out of it safely, or you may want to give it another push. Note that if you push a minecart right after having ridden it (still on the same tile as the minecart), it will act as though you chose to ''ride'' it.
* When the minecart is on a track, options appear to {{DFtext|Guide}} it in directions that the tracks lead. This moves the cart 1 tile in the direction it is guided. Guiding the cart is the only way to move a minecart from a maximum friction track stop (other than taking it into inventory.)

Minecarts in adventure mode are not restricted by a lack of tracks. However, they are hindered by natural ramps. Attempting to go up a slope will lead up the cart slamming into the wall. The good news is you'll make it over the ramp. The bad news is you likely won't stick the landing.

Note that while carts are a powerful weapon if heavy and fast enough, they have their limits, and a collision can sharply reduce the speed of a cart depending on what you hit, potentially enough to eject the rider. Trying to run over a human will send them flying, while trying to ram a dragon will not end well.

If you want to test this out without creating an adventurer, the [[object testing arena]] allows you to spawn minecarts ({{k|k}}-{{k|c}}-{{k|n}})

== Forging and Melting ==
* Metal minecarts cost '''two''' [[metal]] bars to forge, or '''six''' [[adamantine]] wafers.
* When a non-adamantine metal minecart is melted down, it will return '''1.8''' metal bars, for an '''efficiency of 90%'''.
* When an adamantine minecart is melted down, it will produce '''1.8''' wafers, for an '''efficiency of 30%'''.

== See also ==
* [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=109460.0 The "How Does Minecart" Thread] by '''Girlinhat''' et al.
* [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=112831.0 SCIENCE: Quantifying minecart physics] by '''Snaake''' et al.
* [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=129676.0 How to build a Multi-cart Ore to Magma Minecart Project without needing power] by '''WanderingKid'''. (Images recovered from wayback machine and posted here: https://imgur.com/gallery/LpRsDwO)
* [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=144328.0 My very own Minecart Education Thread. Ten Lessons, now complete.] by '''Larix'''.
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hctG2dQzHwg Real-life railcarts/conveyor hybrid] which uses similar mechanics.

== Bugs ==
*A dwarf will drop her [[child|baby]], if she has one, when boarding a minecart set to be ridden.
*Dwarves have no concept of traffic safety and will walk into busy minecart lines to retrieve objects, often with deadly consequences. This is especially problematic in [[Swimming#Minecart_training|clever applications]] depending on dwarves riding the carts very frequently, because they have a bad habit of dumping their worn clothes on the tracks after a minecart ride. Adding an automatically-operated [[hatch cover]] at the end of such a ride can help prevent [[unfortunate accident]]s.
*Dwarves cannot guide a minecart through an unlocked door unless another dwarf opens the door.{{bug|6056}}
*It is possible for a creature and minecart moving towards each other to pass without collision if they exchange tiles in the same tick.
*After a minecart ride, a dwarf will sometimes haul the minecart to a storage stockpile, leaving another dwarf to haul the vehicle back to the route.
*Minecarts falling onto a floor injure creatures in the tile below the floor.{{bug|6068}}
*If a minecart travelling at high speed hits a wall, it and its contents may go through the wall, or even end up embedded in it.{{bug|5996}}
*A minecart's initial velocity is not affected by weight, when pushed or launched from rollers.{{bug|6296}}
*Removing a stop that has a vehicle waiting on it may cause the game to crash.{{bug|5980}}
*Jumping out of a minecart in motion does not lead to injury.{{bug|10104}}
*Jumping into a stationary minecart can lead to significant injury.{{bug|10229}}

{{Gamedata|{{raw|v50:item_tool.txt|ITEM_TOOL|ITEM_TOOL_MINECART}}}}

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

[[ru:Minecart]]

Mechanical logic

2026-03-29T02:17:23Z

Bumber: /* Power to signal converter */ Ignore extra signals

{{migrated article}}
{{Quality|Unrated}}
{{Computing}}

{{av}}

'''Mechanical logic''' is one discipline of [[computing]] using mechanical [[power]] to perform logical operations. In this case powered or unpowered [[machine component|machine components]] represent the binary information.

The principles of mechanical logic are simple. [[Gear assembly|Gear assemblies]] linked to [[lever]]s or [[pressure plate]]s will be toggled between disengaged and engaged when they receive an on/off signal. In this manner, you can conditionally attach power supply from [[windmill]]s or [[water wheel]]s to specially arranged gears to build logic gates.

== Mechanical logic compared with other logic disciplines ==
===Advantages===
* Mechanical logic is very fast. Gears don't have a reaction delay like many components used by [[fluid logic]]. If a gear is toggled the flow of power will change immediately, there will be no added delay introduced by the movement of creatures, fluids or minecarts.
* Mechanical logic is very flexible. Gears can toggle, so inverting signals is easy and you don't have to deal with different machine components.
* Mechanical logic is very reconfigurable. You don't have to deal with [[creature|creatures]] or fluid before changing anything.
===Disadvantages===
* Mechanical logic needs a substantial amount of wood to create and transmit power.
* Mechanical logic still needs converters to trigger something else than machine components, either by applying [[minecart logic]] or by using [[water|fluid]].
* Mechanical logic needs a substantial amount of mechanisms, particularly if you stick to [[mechanical logic#Load based|load based mechanical logic]].

== General concepts ==
There are two general concepts. The older and less popular one is the so-called load-based mechanical logic. The other one is the so-called toggle-based mechanical logic. Note that the two can be integrated, however.

=== Load based ===
Load based mechanical logic uses logic gates with a defined amount of power. They have an additional amount of load in terms of mechanism or other machine components, consuming all of the power if connected. The gates are designed in a way that the load is disconnected while the output is true, and connected while the output is false. Every circuit has to have its own power supply. Compact complex circuits are very difficult to design, because power and load need to be controlled for each circuit, and each gate in a circuit needs to be connected to others it interacts with. However, the advantage is that load-based mechanical logic computes instantly.

=== Toggle based ===
Toggle based mechanical logic works more like [[fluid logic]], not controlling the flow of fluid but the flow of power. It uses the fact that gears don't have a defined state when receiving an on or an off signal, but toggle between connected and disengaged, independent of the type of signal. It normally uses a central power supply. It is quite easy to create very complex gates with multiple output signals such as, for example, a binary to decimal converter. The cost of this ease of use and design, however, is that toggle based circuits need to be converted not just for output, but sometimes also for further processing.

=== Example ===
The first example shows a load based XOR gate. It takes input signals from two different triggers. Its output gear (O) is powered when exactly one of the two input triggers is on and the other one is off. This is done as follows: The power will be connected to the gear with the P (from the bottom of the diagram or another z-level). One input is linked to gear 1 the other to gear 2. This way power will flow from P to O if either one of the input signals is off. The power input is linked directly to the load L which must be calibrated precisely so that the power provided can move the output and load and ''one'' of the input-toggled gears, but not ''both''. You can build this on top of a [[Mechanical logic#Power to signal converter|power to signal converter]] as shown on this page. As you can see, this gate is complicated to construct. You will need four gears and four more to connect the input in addition to all the components needed for the converter and the load, and your load assembly will need to be precisely calibrated and can only be used for this circuit. When using a common load (shared with other circuits), the gate would have to be linked to it through two signal-driven gears put in line. This would increase the parts count by two installed and four link gears.
<div style="width:1px; white-space:nowrap;">
'''load based XOR'''
{| cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-spacing:0; border-style:solid; border-width:thin; border-color:#000000;"
|
{| cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-spacing:0; padding:0; margin:0; vertical-align:middle;"
|-
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|-
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#444|*|#DDD||||1|#F4F|right}}
|{{RTL|#222|*|#BBB||||O|#FF4|right}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|-
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF| |#FFF|L|#F44|right}}
|{{RTL|#444|*|#DDD||||P|#4F4|right}}
|{{RTL|#444|*|#DDD||||2|#D4D|right}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|}
|}
</div>
 A toggle based XOR gate looks much simpler:
<div style="width:1px; white-space:nowrap;">
'''toggle based XOR'''
{| cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-spacing:0; border-style:solid; border-width:thin; border-color:#000000;"
|
{| cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-spacing:0; padding:0; margin:0; vertical-align:middle;"
|-
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|-
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#222|*|#BBB}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|-
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|{{RTL|#FFF}}
|}
|}
</div>
In stark contrast to the load-based XOR, it consists of a single gear. While it requires a power source and an output, it can accept power from an axle and serve as output gear by itself. This is how it works: Connect it to your source of power, and link it to one of your input triggers. Build a temporary lever anywhere and connect it, too. Pull the lever once. You can deconstruct the temporary lever now. Now the gear is disengaged, and you link the second input trigger to it. Since gears toggle, every time your trigger changes state and sends a signal the gear will change state. Initially both triggers are off, and the gear is disengaged. When one trigger changes state, it will activate the gear. Independent of which trigger changes next, both will have the same state afterwards, and the gear will be disengaged again. So the gear will transport power when both input triggers are at different state: XOR. You can build this on top of a [[Mechanical logic#Power to signal converter|power to signal converter]] as shown on this page. As you can see, you won't need many mechanisms to build this gate. 1 for the gear, 4 to connect to the input and 1 will be lost after disconnecting the temporary lever (that needs 3 temporarily). And of course you will need all the components for the converter, but no load. 

'''toggle based XNOR'''
* Use a single gear as for the XOR, but omit the temporary lever step.

'''toggle based NOR'''
* Multiple gears in series, with one (and only one) input connected to each gear. Any single ON(signal) input will produce an OFF(power) output.
* Can be converted to OR by adding an [[inverter]] to the output
* No temporary levers, so it uses fewer mechanisms.

'''toggle based AND'''
* Same as the NOR except use temporary levers to pre-toggle each input gear. For large logic arrays it is probably best to convert your Boolean equations to NOR logic, as that is the quickest simplest and least expensive (in mechanisms) to implement. With the added benefit that all mechanisms can be recovered from gears.

'''toggle based NAND'''
* A 3x1 gear assembly for each input. Input goes to the center (signal) gear. Power goes to either one of the other gears (the power gear), output is the other outer gear (output gear). Can be expanded indefinitely by adding additional 3x1 arrays in parallel (i.e. 3x2 for a 2 input, 3x5 for 5 input). The theory is that power is transmitted across all of the power gears (which are all connected to each other in parallel. Any single signal gear which has an OFF state (gear engaged) will allow power through to the output gears. It requires every input gear to be disengaged (ON signal) in order to produce an OFF (unpowered) output.

'''toggle based OR'''
* Same as the NAND except pre-toggle each signal gear.

== Power to signal converter ==
When you are dealing with mechanical logic, you'll finally want or have to trigger something else than machine components like doors or bridges (or, with toggle-based mechanical logic, another gear assembly). Currently, there exists no trigger in dwarf fortress that reacts on the working state of machine components, that is, the presence or absence of power. The traditional solution to this was to use a hydromechanical power-to-signal converter, remarkably similar to hydromechanical [[Memory_(computing)|memory]].
<div style="width:1px; white-space:nowrap;">
'''Z 0'''
{| cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-spacing:0; border-style:solid; border-width:thin; border-color:#000000;"
|
{| cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-spacing:0; padding:0; margin:0; vertical-align:middle;"
|-
|{{RTL|#DDD}}
|{{RTL|#DDD}}
|{{RTL|#DDD}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|-
|{{RTL|#DDD}}
|{{RTL|#222|·|#BBB}}
|{{RTL|#444|÷|#DDD}}
|{{RTL|#444|÷|#DDD|►|#00A|center|►|#00A|center}}
|{{RTL|#222|·|#BBB}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|-
|{{RTL|#DDD}}
|{{RTL|#DDD}}
|{{RTL|#DDD}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|}
|}
</div>
<div style="width:1px; white-space:nowrap;">
'''Z-1'''
{| cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-spacing:0; border-style:solid; border-width:thin; border-color:#000000;"
|
{| cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-spacing:0; padding:0; margin:0; vertical-align:middle;"
|-
|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|-
|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#00A|^|#DDD||||7|#88F|left}}
|{{RTL|#DDD||||||7|#88F|left}}
|{{RTL|#DDD||||||7|#88F|left}}
|{{RTL|#DDD||||||7|#88F|left}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|-
|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|{{RTL|#222}}
|-
|}
|}
</div>
 
When the pump is connected to power, it will suck water from the pressure plate and pump it to the right. The water level on the pressure plate will fall to 0. The plate can be constructed to react on 0…3 water. You can invert it to get an off signal instead setting it to 4…7. In both cases the ''off signal'' will have a delay of about 100 steps. This gate is fluid conserving.

However, the introduction of minecarts have created alternatives that are more compact and don't require water, largely rendering the hydromechanical PTS device obsolete. The following minecart-based PTS converter is fast, easy to build, and extraordinarily compact:

[[File:2x2pts.png]]

[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=114923.0 Bloodbeard's Minecart Dwarfputing Ideas thread] on the DF forums has other examples of minecart-based PTS.

By extending the track, it's also possible to have a circuit that ignores extra signals until the minecart returns to reset position.

==Load based Mechanical signal-input power-output gates==
* These gates can be used either by adding a power -> link signal converter (also known as a "rotation sensor"), or directly used to control pumps, such as in other logic gates (the unsourced fluid logic gates use these, for instance). The conventional "rotation sensor" consists of a pump powered by the gate's OUTPUT gear, pumping an infinite supply of water onto a water-sensing pressure plate with an infinite drain.
* There are certain things important to all the gates:
* Each gate has an OUTPUT gear, which will be placed next to a pump which the gate will control.
* In diagrams, the OUTPUT gear is below the 'O' gear, connected to it by gears or vertical axles. The P indicates where you should hook power up, and L indicates where load (gears or pumps that don't have a water source) should be connected, and ¦ and - are horizontal axles. The Is are gears linked to INPUTs (some gates have one input, but most have two).
* Gates which incorporate a NOT will have the power network branch off from the 'O' gear, and have a train of power-draining stuff connected to the input gears, whereas gates which do not incorporate a NOT will have the power connected to the input gears instead. The principle behind normal gates is that when the INPUTs are ON, power is connected. The principle behind the NOT gates is that power is always connected, but when the INPUTs are ON, a large enough power requirement is connected to send the power requirements above the power supply, shutting down the system.
* If your windmills produce no power, you'll have to come up with some way to use water wheels for power instead.
* You should build only enough windmills (or water wheels) to power the system, and should not connect the network for one gate to another gate's network, since the load would shut everything down or nothing at all.
* The gates' instructions will explain how much load and power you need to have at each P and L in the more complicated gates.

===Legend===
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Symbol
! Meaning
|-
| {{diagram|[#ff0]O}}
| A gear which connects to your OUTPUT gear, which outputs power when the gate is producing an ON output.
|-
| {{diagram|[#aaf]I}}
| A gear connected to an INPUT. In most gates you will have two Is, with each one connected to a different input.
|-
| {{diagram|-}} and {{diagram|¦}}
| Horizontal axles
|-
| {{diagram|[#0f0]P}}
| Power goes here
|-
| {{diagram|[#aaf]i}}
| Two more gears, each connected to the two different inputs.
|-
| {{diagram|[#f00]L}}
| a chain of gears or pumps which serve to add load to the system, generally shutting it off when connected.
|-
| {{diagram|*}}
| A gear which isn't linked to any inputs or outputs and just serves to connect the power or whatever.
|}

===Mechanical identity gate ===
{{diagram|
[#ff0]O[#aaf]I--[#0f0]P}}

* This takes an linked input signal and converts it to power without changing it.
* Connected to the input gear, such that they will only be connected to the system if the input gear is receiving an ON signal, are gears with windmills on top of them. Build only enough windmills to power the devices that the gate's OUTPUT gear are connected to (and the gears/axles).
* When the INPUT is ON, the INPUT gear will be active, and the network will provide power to the OUTPUT. When the INPUT is OFF, it will not provide power to the OUTPUT.

===Mechanical NOT gate===
{{diagram|
[#ff0]O[#aaf]I[#f00]L
¦
¦
[#0f0]P}}

* When the INPUT is ON, the INPUT gear will be active, and the network should need more power than is available. The devices connected to OUTPUT should shut down. When INPUT is OFF, the devices should have power since the INPUT gear will be disconnected.

===Mechanical NAND gate===
{{diagram|
[#ff0]O[#aaf]I[#aaf]I[#f00]L
¦
¦
[#0f0]P}}

* This works just like the NOT gate, except that there are two inputs and both have to be active to shut down the system instead of one. Make sure you have enough power to run the system when one of the input gears is active.

===Mechanical AND gate===
{{diagram|
[#ff0]O[#aaf]I[#aaf]I[#0f0]P}}

* This works like the identity gate, except that there are two inputs and both have to be active for the system to get power.

===Mechanical OR gate===
{{diagram|
[#ff0]O[#aaf]I
[#aaf]I*[#0f0]P}}

* This works like the identity gate, except that there are two inputs, and if either is active, the system receives power. Note that the entire power network is connected to both inputs, such that if either input is active the entire power network is powering the system.

===Mechanical NOR gate===
{{diagram|
[#aaf]I*[#f00]L
[#ff0]O[#aaf]I
¦
¦
[#0f0]P}}

* This works like the NOT gate, except that there are two inputs, and if either is active, the gear train or pump stack signified by the 'L' will be connected to the system. You need to have enough load to push power requirements above the amount of power produced by the power supply, shutting the system down.

===Mechanical XOR gate===
{{diagram|
[#ff0]O[#aaf]I
[#aaf]I*-[#0f0]P
[#000].[#aaf]i
[#000].[#aaf]i
[#000].[#f00]L}}

* Except for the 'i's and 'L', this gate is identical to the OR gate. The additional components add the 'exclusive' part of the 'XOR' to the gate.
*The 'i's are additional gears connected to each of your inputs, and the L is additional load (large enough to stop the system, of course).

===Mechanical XNOR gate===
{{diagram|
[#000].[#000].[#aaf]I*[#f00]L
[#000].[#000].[#ff0]O[#aaf]I
[#000].[#000].¦
[#0f0]P[#aaf]-*
[#000].[#000].[#aaf]i
[#000].[#000].[#aaf]i
[#000].[#000].[#0f0]P}}

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! A
! B
! Drain
! Power
! Extra Power
! Result
|-
| 0
| 0
| No
| Yes
| No
| 1
|-
| 0
| 1
| Yes
| Yes
| No
| 0
|-
| 1
| 0
| Yes
| Yes
| No
| 0
|-
| 1
| 1
| Yes
| Yes
| Yes
| 1
|}

* The XNOR gate is an equality gate: The output is ON when both inputs are equal, and OFF when they are not equal.
* This gate may be '''even more complicated''' to build than the XOR gate!
* First, your 'i's are again gears connected to your two inputs. The extra P below them is additional power source, ideally only one windmill.
* Here's where it gets complicated. The load has to be sufficient to shut down the system when additional power supply is disconnected. However, when BOTH inputs are on, there needs to be enough power from additional P to bring the system back online.
* Thus our gate does what it is supposed to: Produce enough power to have the OUTPUT gear be ON when both A and B are either 0 or 1, but not when they are not equal.

{{Category|Computing}}
{{Category|Logic}}
[[ru:Mechanical logic]]

Minecart logic

2026-03-29T02:12:05Z

Bumber: /* Newton's Cradle Memory */ Adv mode considerations

{{migrated article}}
{{Quality|Unrated}}
{{Computing}}
{{av}}

The addition of [[minecart]]s to ''Dwarf Fortress'' has opened up new and exciting logic and computing options for the ambitious [[Dwarf fortress mode|fortress]] manager. Minecart-based logic gates and memory cells are easy to build, quick to react, and can even be built without power, water, or creatures. The training your [[doctor]]s will receive is just one of many reasons to compute with minecarts!

== Techniques and Circuits ==
There exist a great number of different techniques by which a minecart can receive input, compute, and deliver output. This article does not aim for a comprehensive list of techniques and circuits; the interested reader is encouraged to investigate further. The following examples were chosen to demonstrate both a variety of techniques and a few commonly used gates.

==== Key ====
Adequately diagramming minecart logic devices can be difficult; each tile on each z-level might need to display up to four slices (track, [[ramp]], [[furniture]], minecart) that can lay on top of each other. Ramps are displayed on the furniture layer for the sake of simplicity, and some slices may be omitted when unnecessary. Components of each lower slice are displayed on the higher slice when unchanged by new components to give the reader a sense of position. Wall {{Raw Tile|O|#FFF|#000}} is typically displayed only where it is essential to the operation of the circuit, and drawn only as sequences of pillars to avoid confusion with track. Unengraved floor {{Raw Tile|,|#FFF|#000}} is sometimes needed for other components, but of course can be smoothed as desired. Track direction is laid out with {{Raw Tile|║|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|═|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|╗|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|╝|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|╚|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|╔|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|╩|#FFF|#000}} and ends in a tile with {{Raw Tile|╨|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|╥|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|╡|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|╞|#FFF|#000}}. Minecarts {{Raw Tile|■|#FFF|#000}} are accelerated by rollers to the east {{Raw Tile|╟|#FFF|#000}} west {{Raw Tile|╢|#FFF|#000}} north {{Raw Tile|╧|#FFF|#000}} or south {{Raw Tile|╤|#FFF|#000}} and decelerated by track stops {{Raw Tile|≡|#FFF|#000}}. Rollers are controlled via [[Gear_assembly|gear assemblies]], either engaged {{Raw Tile|☼|#FFF|#000}} or disengaged {{Raw Tile|☼|#777|#000}}, typically connected to sufficient [[power]] {{Raw Tile|P|#0F0|#000}}. [[Pressure plate]]s {{Raw Tile|^|#FFF|#000}} provide output and, in some cases, modulate the circuit itself. Up {{Raw Tile|▲|#FFF|#000}} and down {{Raw Tile|▼|#FFF|#000}} ramps may be necessary to travel z-levels or alter minecart velocity; they may be roofed or covered with empty space {{Raw Tile|.|#0FF|#000}} in some views. [[Hatch]]es {{Raw Tile|¢|#FFF|#000}} and retractable [[bridge]]s {{Raw Tile|╬|#000|#CCC}} are commonly used to control the path of minecarts. Where necessary, clarification can be found in the descriptions of each circuit.

=== Power to signal ===
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
O O
╥, ╤☼
║ [#F0F]^[#0F0]P
╨, ╧☼
O O
track furniture}}

In this, the simplest of all designs, the output plate sends an '''on''' signal when the gear assemblies {{Raw Tile|☼|#FFF|#000}} are powered {{Raw Tile|P|#0F0|#000}}. When power is lost, the minecart settles onto either the northern or southern roller spaces, and the output plate sends an '''off''' signal.

This device is very general purpose. Left as an exercise for the reader, alternate construction can result in edge detection or in a [[repeater]] design.

=== Newton's Cradle Memory ===
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
O O O
╥, ╤[#0C0]☼[#0F0]P [#000][#0f0]■[#0C0]☼[#0F0]P
║ ║ ║
║ [#F0F]^ [#000][#ff0]■
╨, ╧[#CC0]☼[#0F0]P ╧[#CC0]☼[#0F0]P
O O O
track furniture minecart}}

[[User:TinyPirate|TinyPirate]]'s Newton's Cradle [[Memory_(computing)|memory]] cell is notable both for its small footprint and for demonstrating an important principle of minecarts. When the northern gear assembly {{Raw Tile|☼|#0C0|#000}} is briefly engaged, the northern roller {{Raw Tile|╤|#FFF|#000}} becomes powered, launching the northern minecart {{Raw Tile|■|#000|#0F0}} into the southern minecart {{Raw Tile|■|#000|#FF0}}. The southern minecart then leaves the output plate {{Raw Tile|^|#F0F|#000}} and settles on the southern (unpowered) roller. When the southern gear assembly is briefly engaged, the situation reverses: the southern minecart settles on the output plate, knocking the northern minecart onto the northern (unpowered) roller-- as in its original state. A pressure plate is a practical means of briefly engaging gear assemblies. It may be desirable to extend the roller over the empty track if adventure mode use is anticipated, as pressure plates in that mode don't engage long enough to move both carts, causing it not to be set properly.

=== Continuous roller OR ===
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
╔═╗═╗ ╔═╗═╗
║ ║O║ ║ [#F0F]^O║
║ ║O║ ╤[#0F0]☼╧O║
║ ║O║ [#0F0]P╤[#FF0]☼╧O║
╚═╩═╝ ╚═╧═╝
track furniture}}
[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=114923.msg3891809#msg3891809 Veylon's] roller OR continuously evaluates two operands via a minecart traveling counter-clockwise using principles of power transmission through single tile rollers. Should either input {{Raw Tile|☼|#0F0|#000}} or {{Raw Tile|☼|#FF0|#000}} be engaged, power {{Raw Tile|P|#0F0|#000}} is transmitted to the southernmost, S->N roller {{Raw Tile|╧|#FFF|#000}}. Although the minecart is left with diagonal velocity, walls prevent derailment. When neither input is engaged, the minecart continues over the T-junction to the east, missing the output plate {{Raw Tile|^|#F0F|#000}}.

=== Roller switched AND ===
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
║ ║
╔╗ [#0F0]P[#0F0]╧╗
║║ ║║
╔╗ [#0F0]P[#FF0]╧╗
║║ [#F0F]^║
╚╗ ╚╗
track furniture}}
[[User:Larix|Larix]]'s roller-switched AND takes advantage of the behavior of rollers to avoid troublesome diagonal velocity. It is potentially confusing both for the counter-intuitive direction of its rollers as well as the way that rollers respond to signals. When the minecart encounters either activated (that is, the last signal received was an '''off''') S->N roller {{Raw Tile|╧|#FF0|#000}} or {{Raw Tile|╧|#0F0|#000}}, its velocity is completely rewritten and reversed, sending it onto the alternate (clockwise) path. Should neither roller be activated (that is, the last signal received by both was an '''on'''), the track bends will be ignored and the minecart will travel directly south, over the output plate {{Raw Tile|^|#F0F|#000}}.

=== Resetting bridge-derailment AND ===
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
O[#0FF].═[#0FF]. O▼═▼ O[#FF0]¢═▼

track ramp furniture
z+1
O O O
O╔O╗ O▲O▲ O▲O▲
╚═╚O ╚═▲O [#0f0]╬[#F0F]^▲O
╚═╝ ╚═╝ ╚═╝
track ramp furniture
z+0}}

Walls to the east of the gate are for preventing derailment of minecart.

When both the yellow hatch {{Raw Tile|¢|#FF0|#000}} and the green retractable bridge {{Raw Tile|╬|#000|#0F0}} are open, minecarts on this circuit make a continuous loop, triggering the output plate {{Raw Tile|^|#F0F|#000}}. If either is closed, the plate is never activated. If the bridge is closed, the minecart derails to the southern path, avoiding the plate. If the hatch is closed, the minecart is unable to drop into the northwest ramp, and so sits on the upper, northwestern tile until the hatch opens.

There are many concerns when using a gate like this. Minecarts can be flung when a bridge changes state underneath them (if this happens, minecart seem to gain speed at random direction which can derail or slow down or even stop the minecart), and unfortunately, hatch covers cannot provide the same derailment effect on flat track. Additionally, because your minecart never evaluates both operands at exactly the same moment, it's possible for this gate to output when neither operand is actually true (i.e., last received an '''on''' signal) at the same moment (it's usually not a very big trouble though, as the delay between minecart stepping on hatch and bridge is around 8 steps).

It's not always a problem, but this behavior is common to AND gates. Paradoxically, one solution is to moderate your inputs via an extra AND gate; this design shows how that can be done. When a large number of circuits such as that shown are created and the hatches of all of them are linked to a single lever, a quick flick (on and off) of that lever can guarantee that all of your circuits fire at the same time-- that is, that all of your inputs for the next computation change state simultaneously. The minecarts then return to their position atop the hatches, ready for another flick of your clock lever.

Worth noting, as well, is the central eastern impulse ramp that allows the minecart to maintain enough velocity to complete this circuit. Impulse ramps like this can be used to make unpowered gates. However, their behavior is unintuitive, and they should only be used with extreme caution.

=== MPL NOT ===
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\

O, O,
track ramp
z+2
╔═╗ ╔═╗ ╔═╗
O══[#0FF].[#0FF].╝ O▲═▼▼╝ O▲[#F0F]^▼[#0F0]¢╝
track ramp furniture
z+1

OOO══O OOO▲▲O
track ramp
z+0
}}

Larix's [[User:Larix/MPL/2|powerless logic gates]] avoid the reliability and latency issues that plague many minecart designs through the use of paired impulse ramps and hatches that control not just path, but direction of movement. A minecart traveling the pictured circuit while the input hatch {{Raw Tile|¢|#0F0|#000}} is open will settle into a counter-clockwise path, regardless of the direction of its initial velocity. Yet when the hatch becomes closed, the minecart cannot travel counter-clockwise, but instead is accelerated in the clockwise direction, onto the output plate {{Raw Tile|^|#F0F|#000}}. It will then oscillate between the far east and far west ramps until the hatch is opened, at which point it will resume counter-clockwise motion.

Use of ramps with high-velocity minecarts may necessitate ceilings as demonstrated on z+2. The exact nature of the ceiling (floor, wall) is unimportant. Some diagrammed walls are unnecessary for the design and are drawn to help the reader in orientation.

=== Other techniques and gates ===
Any logic gate can be made with a combination of those shown. NAND, for instance, is NOT AND; XOR is OR AND (NOT AND). Clocks and edge detection are suggested and proven designs exist, if not on this page. But the examples above were chosen for the disparate techniques they demonstrate. The interested reader is encouraged to further research, or the design of his or her own gates.

Doors can be used to block the travel of a minecart through a circuit, or to prevent derailment, although for reliability's sake, care needs to be taken that the door cannot change state while the minecart is in motion, or it may jam on top of the minecart. [[Floodgate]]s won't jam in this fashion, although they do introduce some latency. Minecarts of multiple weights, with pressure plates that trigger only on the weight of one, may be used in certain designs; Bloodbeard's fantastically tiny [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=114923.msg3532411#msg3532411 load-adjusted memory cell] is a good example. Rollers can be used perpendicularly to a track to derail a cart and impart diagonal velocity. Switchable track stops can prevent or permit derailment. The possibilities are far from exhausted-- and that's assuming one is only interested in ''practical'' techniques.

== Integration with other disciplines ==
There's no reason minecart logic needs to be used in isolation. Combining it with other logical disciplines allows one to use each where it is strong, and avoid each where it is weak.

=== Mechanical logic ===
This is the most obvious choice. [[Mechanical logic]] offers the potential for incredible speed, yet requires a medium to generate useful signals or to create delay (hence, to create repeaters), and it's hard to use gear assemblies as memory cells. Minecart logic excels at precisely these tasks. Minecart-based power-to-signal and memory are tiny and fast. Minecart-based delay is precisely tunable. The superiority of minecart logic has made water obsolete for these purposes.

=== Creature logic ===
Minecart logic, particularly Larix's powerless MPL logic, has replaced [[creature logic]] as the logic-of-last-resort (for when power and fluid are unavailable) or first-resort (for when computation is desired before power can be set up or fluid accessed). However, for the borg logic hobbyist, integration with minecarts suggests interesting possibilities. It is difficult to imagine a simpler clock than a minecart with a "push always after x days" condition, and guided minecarts offer unprecedented control over the path of [[dwarf|dwarves]].

=== Fluid logic ===
Minecart logic outperforms [[fluid logic]] sufficiently to have mostly replaced it. However, the problem of automated fluid delivery may be best solved through some fluid logic techniques, and may suggest some [[stupid dwarf trick]]s for those that want to use the fluid capacity of minecarts to compute.

== See also ==
* BloodBeard's [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=114923.0 Minecart Dwarfputing Ideas] thread.
* TinyPirate's [http://youtu.be/qgfDPZbdI0A Minecart Logic 101] instructional video.
* [[User:Larix/MPL|Powerless logic]] based on hatch-switched minecarts. [[User:Larix/MPL/2|Logic gates]] built under this design doctrine.

{{Category|Fortress mode}}
{{Category|Computing}}
{{Category|Logic}}

[[ru:Minecart_logic]]

Minecart logic

2026-03-29T02:06:39Z

Bumber: /* Newton's Cradle Memory */ Use plates to engage

{{migrated article}}
{{Quality|Unrated}}
{{Computing}}
{{av}}

The addition of [[minecart]]s to ''Dwarf Fortress'' has opened up new and exciting logic and computing options for the ambitious [[Dwarf fortress mode|fortress]] manager. Minecart-based logic gates and memory cells are easy to build, quick to react, and can even be built without power, water, or creatures. The training your [[doctor]]s will receive is just one of many reasons to compute with minecarts!

== Techniques and Circuits ==
There exist a great number of different techniques by which a minecart can receive input, compute, and deliver output. This article does not aim for a comprehensive list of techniques and circuits; the interested reader is encouraged to investigate further. The following examples were chosen to demonstrate both a variety of techniques and a few commonly used gates.

==== Key ====
Adequately diagramming minecart logic devices can be difficult; each tile on each z-level might need to display up to four slices (track, [[ramp]], [[furniture]], minecart) that can lay on top of each other. Ramps are displayed on the furniture layer for the sake of simplicity, and some slices may be omitted when unnecessary. Components of each lower slice are displayed on the higher slice when unchanged by new components to give the reader a sense of position. Wall {{Raw Tile|O|#FFF|#000}} is typically displayed only where it is essential to the operation of the circuit, and drawn only as sequences of pillars to avoid confusion with track. Unengraved floor {{Raw Tile|,|#FFF|#000}} is sometimes needed for other components, but of course can be smoothed as desired. Track direction is laid out with {{Raw Tile|║|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|═|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|╗|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|╝|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|╚|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|╔|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|╩|#FFF|#000}} and ends in a tile with {{Raw Tile|╨|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|╥|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|╡|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|╞|#FFF|#000}}. Minecarts {{Raw Tile|■|#FFF|#000}} are accelerated by rollers to the east {{Raw Tile|╟|#FFF|#000}} west {{Raw Tile|╢|#FFF|#000}} north {{Raw Tile|╧|#FFF|#000}} or south {{Raw Tile|╤|#FFF|#000}} and decelerated by track stops {{Raw Tile|≡|#FFF|#000}}. Rollers are controlled via [[Gear_assembly|gear assemblies]], either engaged {{Raw Tile|☼|#FFF|#000}} or disengaged {{Raw Tile|☼|#777|#000}}, typically connected to sufficient [[power]] {{Raw Tile|P|#0F0|#000}}. [[Pressure plate]]s {{Raw Tile|^|#FFF|#000}} provide output and, in some cases, modulate the circuit itself. Up {{Raw Tile|▲|#FFF|#000}} and down {{Raw Tile|▼|#FFF|#000}} ramps may be necessary to travel z-levels or alter minecart velocity; they may be roofed or covered with empty space {{Raw Tile|.|#0FF|#000}} in some views. [[Hatch]]es {{Raw Tile|¢|#FFF|#000}} and retractable [[bridge]]s {{Raw Tile|╬|#000|#CCC}} are commonly used to control the path of minecarts. Where necessary, clarification can be found in the descriptions of each circuit.

=== Power to signal ===
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
O O
╥, ╤☼
║ [#F0F]^[#0F0]P
╨, ╧☼
O O
track furniture}}

In this, the simplest of all designs, the output plate sends an '''on''' signal when the gear assemblies {{Raw Tile|☼|#FFF|#000}} are powered {{Raw Tile|P|#0F0|#000}}. When power is lost, the minecart settles onto either the northern or southern roller spaces, and the output plate sends an '''off''' signal.

This device is very general purpose. Left as an exercise for the reader, alternate construction can result in edge detection or in a [[repeater]] design.

=== Newton's Cradle Memory ===
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
O O O
╥, ╤[#0C0]☼[#0F0]P [#000][#0f0]■[#0C0]☼[#0F0]P
║ ║ ║
║ [#F0F]^ [#000][#ff0]■
╨, ╧[#CC0]☼[#0F0]P ╧[#CC0]☼[#0F0]P
O O O
track furniture minecart}}

[[User:TinyPirate|TinyPirate]]'s Newton's Cradle [[Memory_(computing)|memory]] cell is notable both for its small footprint and for demonstrating an important principle of minecarts. When the northern gear assembly {{Raw Tile|☼|#0C0|#000}} is briefly engaged, the northern roller {{Raw Tile|╤|#FFF|#000}} becomes powered, launching the northern minecart {{Raw Tile|■|#000|#0F0}} into the southern minecart {{Raw Tile|■|#000|#FF0}}. The southern minecart then leaves the output plate {{Raw Tile|^|#F0F|#000}} and settles on the southern (unpowered) roller. When the southern gear assembly is briefly engaged, the situation reverses: the southern minecart settles on the output plate, knocking the northern minecart onto the northern (unpowered) roller-- as in its original state. A pressure plate is a practical means of briefly engaging gear assemblies.

=== Continuous roller OR ===
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
╔═╗═╗ ╔═╗═╗
║ ║O║ ║ [#F0F]^O║
║ ║O║ ╤[#0F0]☼╧O║
║ ║O║ [#0F0]P╤[#FF0]☼╧O║
╚═╩═╝ ╚═╧═╝
track furniture}}
[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=114923.msg3891809#msg3891809 Veylon's] roller OR continuously evaluates two operands via a minecart traveling counter-clockwise using principles of power transmission through single tile rollers. Should either input {{Raw Tile|☼|#0F0|#000}} or {{Raw Tile|☼|#FF0|#000}} be engaged, power {{Raw Tile|P|#0F0|#000}} is transmitted to the southernmost, S->N roller {{Raw Tile|╧|#FFF|#000}}. Although the minecart is left with diagonal velocity, walls prevent derailment. When neither input is engaged, the minecart continues over the T-junction to the east, missing the output plate {{Raw Tile|^|#F0F|#000}}.

=== Roller switched AND ===
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
║ ║
╔╗ [#0F0]P[#0F0]╧╗
║║ ║║
╔╗ [#0F0]P[#FF0]╧╗
║║ [#F0F]^║
╚╗ ╚╗
track furniture}}
[[User:Larix|Larix]]'s roller-switched AND takes advantage of the behavior of rollers to avoid troublesome diagonal velocity. It is potentially confusing both for the counter-intuitive direction of its rollers as well as the way that rollers respond to signals. When the minecart encounters either activated (that is, the last signal received was an '''off''') S->N roller {{Raw Tile|╧|#FF0|#000}} or {{Raw Tile|╧|#0F0|#000}}, its velocity is completely rewritten and reversed, sending it onto the alternate (clockwise) path. Should neither roller be activated (that is, the last signal received by both was an '''on'''), the track bends will be ignored and the minecart will travel directly south, over the output plate {{Raw Tile|^|#F0F|#000}}.

=== Resetting bridge-derailment AND ===
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
O[#0FF].═[#0FF]. O▼═▼ O[#FF0]¢═▼

track ramp furniture
z+1
O O O
O╔O╗ O▲O▲ O▲O▲
╚═╚O ╚═▲O [#0f0]╬[#F0F]^▲O
╚═╝ ╚═╝ ╚═╝
track ramp furniture
z+0}}

Walls to the east of the gate are for preventing derailment of minecart.

When both the yellow hatch {{Raw Tile|¢|#FF0|#000}} and the green retractable bridge {{Raw Tile|╬|#000|#0F0}} are open, minecarts on this circuit make a continuous loop, triggering the output plate {{Raw Tile|^|#F0F|#000}}. If either is closed, the plate is never activated. If the bridge is closed, the minecart derails to the southern path, avoiding the plate. If the hatch is closed, the minecart is unable to drop into the northwest ramp, and so sits on the upper, northwestern tile until the hatch opens.

There are many concerns when using a gate like this. Minecarts can be flung when a bridge changes state underneath them (if this happens, minecart seem to gain speed at random direction which can derail or slow down or even stop the minecart), and unfortunately, hatch covers cannot provide the same derailment effect on flat track. Additionally, because your minecart never evaluates both operands at exactly the same moment, it's possible for this gate to output when neither operand is actually true (i.e., last received an '''on''' signal) at the same moment (it's usually not a very big trouble though, as the delay between minecart stepping on hatch and bridge is around 8 steps).

It's not always a problem, but this behavior is common to AND gates. Paradoxically, one solution is to moderate your inputs via an extra AND gate; this design shows how that can be done. When a large number of circuits such as that shown are created and the hatches of all of them are linked to a single lever, a quick flick (on and off) of that lever can guarantee that all of your circuits fire at the same time-- that is, that all of your inputs for the next computation change state simultaneously. The minecarts then return to their position atop the hatches, ready for another flick of your clock lever.

Worth noting, as well, is the central eastern impulse ramp that allows the minecart to maintain enough velocity to complete this circuit. Impulse ramps like this can be used to make unpowered gates. However, their behavior is unintuitive, and they should only be used with extreme caution.

=== MPL NOT ===
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\

O, O,
track ramp
z+2
╔═╗ ╔═╗ ╔═╗
O══[#0FF].[#0FF].╝ O▲═▼▼╝ O▲[#F0F]^▼[#0F0]¢╝
track ramp furniture
z+1

OOO══O OOO▲▲O
track ramp
z+0
}}

Larix's [[User:Larix/MPL/2|powerless logic gates]] avoid the reliability and latency issues that plague many minecart designs through the use of paired impulse ramps and hatches that control not just path, but direction of movement. A minecart traveling the pictured circuit while the input hatch {{Raw Tile|¢|#0F0|#000}} is open will settle into a counter-clockwise path, regardless of the direction of its initial velocity. Yet when the hatch becomes closed, the minecart cannot travel counter-clockwise, but instead is accelerated in the clockwise direction, onto the output plate {{Raw Tile|^|#F0F|#000}}. It will then oscillate between the far east and far west ramps until the hatch is opened, at which point it will resume counter-clockwise motion.

Use of ramps with high-velocity minecarts may necessitate ceilings as demonstrated on z+2. The exact nature of the ceiling (floor, wall) is unimportant. Some diagrammed walls are unnecessary for the design and are drawn to help the reader in orientation.

=== Other techniques and gates ===
Any logic gate can be made with a combination of those shown. NAND, for instance, is NOT AND; XOR is OR AND (NOT AND). Clocks and edge detection are suggested and proven designs exist, if not on this page. But the examples above were chosen for the disparate techniques they demonstrate. The interested reader is encouraged to further research, or the design of his or her own gates.

Doors can be used to block the travel of a minecart through a circuit, or to prevent derailment, although for reliability's sake, care needs to be taken that the door cannot change state while the minecart is in motion, or it may jam on top of the minecart. [[Floodgate]]s won't jam in this fashion, although they do introduce some latency. Minecarts of multiple weights, with pressure plates that trigger only on the weight of one, may be used in certain designs; Bloodbeard's fantastically tiny [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=114923.msg3532411#msg3532411 load-adjusted memory cell] is a good example. Rollers can be used perpendicularly to a track to derail a cart and impart diagonal velocity. Switchable track stops can prevent or permit derailment. The possibilities are far from exhausted-- and that's assuming one is only interested in ''practical'' techniques.

== Integration with other disciplines ==
There's no reason minecart logic needs to be used in isolation. Combining it with other logical disciplines allows one to use each where it is strong, and avoid each where it is weak.

=== Mechanical logic ===
This is the most obvious choice. [[Mechanical logic]] offers the potential for incredible speed, yet requires a medium to generate useful signals or to create delay (hence, to create repeaters), and it's hard to use gear assemblies as memory cells. Minecart logic excels at precisely these tasks. Minecart-based power-to-signal and memory are tiny and fast. Minecart-based delay is precisely tunable. The superiority of minecart logic has made water obsolete for these purposes.

=== Creature logic ===
Minecart logic, particularly Larix's powerless MPL logic, has replaced [[creature logic]] as the logic-of-last-resort (for when power and fluid are unavailable) or first-resort (for when computation is desired before power can be set up or fluid accessed). However, for the borg logic hobbyist, integration with minecarts suggests interesting possibilities. It is difficult to imagine a simpler clock than a minecart with a "push always after x days" condition, and guided minecarts offer unprecedented control over the path of [[dwarf|dwarves]].

=== Fluid logic ===
Minecart logic outperforms [[fluid logic]] sufficiently to have mostly replaced it. However, the problem of automated fluid delivery may be best solved through some fluid logic techniques, and may suggest some [[stupid dwarf trick]]s for those that want to use the fluid capacity of minecarts to compute.

== See also ==
* BloodBeard's [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=114923.0 Minecart Dwarfputing Ideas] thread.
* TinyPirate's [http://youtu.be/qgfDPZbdI0A Minecart Logic 101] instructional video.
* [[User:Larix/MPL|Powerless logic]] based on hatch-switched minecarts. [[User:Larix/MPL/2|Logic gates]] built under this design doctrine.

{{Category|Fortress mode}}
{{Category|Computing}}
{{Category|Logic}}

[[ru:Minecart_logic]]

Water wheel

2026-03-29T02:03:23Z

Bumber: /* Flowing Water */ Fun

{{migrated article}}
{{Quality|Exceptional}}
{{V50 machine|name=Water wheel|key=h
|icon=[[File:water_wheel_icon.png]]
|construction=
* 3 [[Log]]s
|construction_job=
[[Carpentry]]
|power=Needs 10 power. Generates 100 power. Net gain of 90 power.
}}{{av}}
'''Water wheels''' provide [[power]] via water [[flow]]. To build one, select {{key|b}}uild menu and choose {{key|m}}achines/fluids. It requires 3 [[wood]] and generates 90 net power, which can be used to operate one or more [[Screw pump|pumps]] or [[mill]]s. You can use [[axle]]s and [[Gear assembly|gears]] to distribute the power of a water wheel, or connect the machinery directly.

Water wheels do ''not'' work with [[waterfall]]s, or magma—they need "[[flow]]ing" water, according to the definition of the game.

(* Dwarf Fortress' version of "flow" is not intuitive—see below.)

''For a basic overview of how the different machine parts work together, see [[machinery]].''

== Construction ==
[[File:water_wheel_anim.gif|thumb|151px|right|Animation of a water wheel connected to a millstone.]] The [[carpentry]] labor is needed for construction.

A water wheel occupies 3 adjacent tiles (N-S or E-W axis, no diagonals). It is the [[Wood#Types|color]] of the first wood selected for it, so you could build a red wheel with one piece of [[goblin-cap]] and two of any other wood.

While you can build a water wheel on solid ground, it won't provide any power. A useful water wheel is built in an empty tile with no floor (you need to dig a ramp going down) so it can be powered by water from tiles one [[Z-axis|z-level]] below. Build the water wheel with its central tile orthogonally next to a gear assembly, a horizontal axle, a screw pump, or the central tile of a pre-existing water wheel.

Don't hang the water wheel from a gear assembly you wish to control with a switch, as a disconnected ("switched off") gear assembly can't support anything and will cause the water wheel to deconstruct.

A water wheel produces [[power]] as long as it has [[flow]]ing water with a minimum depth of 4/7 under at least one of its three tiles. The easiest way to do it is by placing the water wheel over a [[river]] or [[brook]]. '''With a brook, you must first channel through the surface''', since brooks have a floor of sorts over them.

Furthermore, the water beneath the water wheel must be flowing in the right '''direction''' for it to work. For example, placing a N-S water wheel over water flowing straight east or west will be useless. Since most water in Dwarf Fortress flows diagonally, this is rarely an issue.

==Designs==
'''Key:'''

'''#''' = '''Wall'''
○ = '''Millstone'''
+ = '''Floor'''
~ = '''Water'''
W = '''Water Wheel'''
* = '''Gear Assembly'''
═ = '''Axle'''

{|style="border: 1px solid #0b0; background: #dfd"
|+'''Basic watermill design'''
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #333; padding: 0"|○
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #333; padding: 0"|*
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|═
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|═
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|═
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #7FF; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|}
{|style="border: 1px solid #0b0; background: #dfd"
|+'''Dual watermill design'''
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #07f; padding: 0"|~
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #7FF; padding: 0"|~
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #333; padding: 0"|○
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #333; padding: 0"|*
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|═
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|═
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|═
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|}
This is by no means the limit of water power from one location, depending on the width of your river/brook/channel you can stack many water wheels side-by-side (really big assembles will need to be artificial as there is a limit to how wide the game created water flows get). Just remember to make sure there is a support structure in place before you place the next wheel.

== Perpetual Motion ==

Due to the relatively low power draw of a [[screw pump]], a ''self-powering'' assembly can be made with a water wheel that still leaves plenty of excess power for other uses. This is undeniably an [[exploit]] and possibly a bug.

To get it working, you must start the pump manually.*

:''(* Exceptions are [[aquifer]]s, which can sometimes have a natural [[flow]]. This can be good if, for example, you want the wheel '''not''' to provide any power while building a pump next to it. It is not clear what causes an aquifer to keep a flow. It is difficult to replicate and might be lost with additional [[channel]]ing, so designs will have to be adapted if found.)''

It is good to have a ready source of water to refill the machine, as water tends to escape and evaporate. As the water level decreases, the water wheel may intermittently stop providing power; when the level falls below 4/7, the wheel stops providing power altogether.

'''*REMEMBER TO BUILD AN ORTHOGONAL PUMP, HORIZONTAL AXLE, OR GEAR ASSEMBLY BEFORE THE WATER WHEEL*'''

===Dwarven Water Reactor===
{{projects}}
This compact two-wheel design produces 170 surplus power (less additional [[axle|power train]]). While the water reactor provides a constant source of mechanical power in high amounts, the use of several reactors can cause performance issues in the game. When building your water reactor, it is recommended that you include a method to stop it once started ''(explained below)''.

<div style="float:right; margin:2ex 20ex;">  
{|
!'''Lower Level'''
!
!'''Upper Level'''
|-
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{| style="border-spacing:0;"
|-
|{{RT|╔|7:0:1}}
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|-
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|-
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|-
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|O|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|-
|{{RT|╚|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|╗|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|╔|7:0:1}}
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|

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</div>

[[File:Reactor with mist generator.png|thumb|right|Reactor with Mist Generator attached.]]
[[File:Water channel.png|thumb|right|Lower Level water channel]]
:: '''Key'''
:{{Raw Tile|║ ═ ╔ ╗ ╦ O ╚ ╝|7:0:1}} = '''Wall'''
:{{Raw Tile|+|7:0:0}} = '''Floor'''
:{{Raw Tile|W|6:0:0}} = '''Water Wheel''' with floor underneath
:{{Raw Tile|W|6:1:1}} = '''Water Wheel''' with water underneath
:{{Raw Tile|≈|1:0:1}} = '''Water''' on current level
:{{Raw Tile|≈|3:0:1}} = '''Water''' on level below
:{{Raw Tile|X|2:0:0}} = '''Screw Pump''' output to north {{Raw Tile|X|2:0:1}} = '''Screw Pump''' drawing from south ''(and temporary initial [[Pump operator|operator]] location, to start process)''

Dig the V-shaped channel, then fill it with water (either by designating it as a [[pond]] and letting your dwarves [[Hauling#Water_hauling|haul water]] in [[bucket]]s, or via connecting to an existing source of water). On the top level, channel out two tiles under each wheel: one tile under the center of the wheel and another one by the pump output. Build the pump pumping from the south, then the two water wheels.

Start the pump manually ( {{k|q}}, {{k|Enter}} )—if there is enough water*, the "reactor" will start immediately and the pump operator will leave. The water from the north end of the pump will spill over the top-most floor tile, filling that to 7/7 and the two tiles east and west of it to ~5/7, but will not overflow back past the water wheel to the walkway area. Note that for the upper level, no southern walls are shown as none are needed, unless you don't follow the design and do something to create water pressure.

*''(* Estimated minimum depth to prime the reactor is 3/7 to 4/7, though this is not guaranteed as ~some~ water will be in motion on the z-level above via the pump action.)''
* The ideal amount of water in this design is apparently 63 units of water. In other words, six tiles below the V are full (7/7), and three more above are also full up to 7/7, which will generate a reliable, permanent flow without ever losing any of that water to evaporation. An easy way to do this is to simply leave your pond fill command on after the reactor activates. They will eventually fill it up to the optimal level and stop.
* When you first start the pump, you are likely to have at least some excess water splash out while the fluid level achieves equilibrium - don't locate this in an area that you don't want any mud in.
* If the reactor is connected to a load totaling more than 100 power (including that used by the water wheels and pump), it may sometimes fail to start. Using a gear assembly to disconnect the load from the reactor before starting it can fix this.

The reactor can be safely halted either by blocking the tile the pump draws water from or "overloading" the reactor (since drawing more power than the reactor supplies will stop the pump that keeps the cycle going until the load is reduced and the pump is manually restarted by dwarf-power). An easy way to halt the reactor is to place a lever-linked hatch cover over the tile the pump draws from. When the cover is closed, the pump can't draw any water, and the reactor stops. More drastically, the reactor will obviously be halted by deconstructing the pump. Deconstructing one wheel will cause a flood (and almost immediately cancel any job order to deconstruct the other components), and deconstructing the pump will cause both wheels to collapse (unless they are attached to [[machinery]] outside them, not shown).

[[Power]] can be routed up from the pump or off to the side from a wheel; the bottom of the pump is difficult to access without danger of water escaping. Routing power from a wheel is typically safe in practice, but it's not impossible for a small amount of water to escape the reactor if it is temporarily overfilled. Power can also be routed out of the reactor via a gear or horizontal axle over the pump's intake tile; while this does not interfere with the pump's operation or present a danger of flooding, it makes it more difficult to shut down the reactor. In either case, it's typically wise to place a [[gear assembly]] linked to a [[lever]] early in the power train in order to allow disconnecting the power at that point, as opposed to needing to halt the entire reactor to stop the power supply.

Expanded versions can produce more power, and can be added later with minimal advance planning; such extensibility is easily attainable by placing dis-engageable gears on either side of the two water wheels, then attaching minireactors at your leisure, or halting the original reactor by other means. Alternatively, it may be easier to simply produce a second reactor, then connect to the power train at another location.

''Note: If created in an aquifer, there is a chance that the channeled tiles will have a natural [[flow|water flow]] - this will cause the pump to start the moment the first wheel is finished, flooding the work area for the second.''
*This can be countered by connecting something that consumes >90 power while building the water wheels -19 [[gear assembly|Gear assemblies]] works

===Mini Water Reactor===
This alternative is even more compact than the original dwarven water reactor, but it can be used in tight spots where you don't need more than 80 units of power surplus. You can consider this an extension unit to the DWR, as it can be added to one or the other side to provide an additional 80 power to the resulting power train.

To safely build a mini reactor and add it to a previous reactor without the risk of flooding and/or loss of power, you need to '''first turn off the original reactor'''.

It is better if you plan ahead; for example, build a larger reactor from the start, if you need more than 170 units of power

As stated previously, the design below produces 80 surplus power (less additional powertrain).

{|
|'''Lower Level'''
|'''Upper Level'''
|-
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{| style="border-spacing:0;"
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|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{RTB|0:0:0}}
|-
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{RTB|0:0:0}}
|-
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|╚|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|╗|7:0:1}}
|-
|{{RT|╚|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|╗|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|-
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|{{RT|╚|7:0:1}}
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|}

|
{| style="border-spacing:0;"
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|}
|}
When building the mini reactor, follow the same order as for the DWR. The channel, however, is slightly different—you only need one water wheel. If it is an addition to a full size reactor or set of reactors, all channels will need to be fairly full with water to start the reactor.

===Micro Water Reactor===

Replacing the pump with a dumping [[minecart]], the micro reactor is even more compact and produces up to 90 surplus power per water wheel (less additional power drain).

<diagram>
z z-1
+++ ╔═╗
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+ ║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#6:0][@]═[#@] ║[#1:0]▲[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+ ╚═╝
+++

</diagram>

Channel two adjacent tiles to create a trench, remove the ramp from one trench tile and build a [[Minecart#Track_Stops|track stop]] dumping into the other trench tile. Optionally link a lever to the track stop (to disable and enable the reactor later). Add a minecart to the track stop, build a water wheel over the trench, and use a pond [[zone]] to fill the ramp tile. The reactor requires 11 units of water for continuous operation; any excess will simply disappear. Once filled, the minecart will dump water into the ramp tile. The water will then flow back to the minecart tile, refilling the minecart and repeating the process endlessly.
It's best to use a [[metal]] minecart for this, as wooden ones may be pushed from the track stop by the moving water.

For more power, each trench can operate two water wheels and multiple trenches can be arranged in a row to provide as much power as needed. (Each trench should remain isolated to avoid interference.) This example provides 356 surplus power with only 4 tiles of moving water:

<diagram>
z z-1
+++++
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#6:0][@]═[#0:0][@6:0]─[#6:0][@]═[#@] ╔═╦═╗
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+ ║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+ ║[#1:0]▲[#@]║[#1:0]▲[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#6:0][@]═[#0:0][@6:0]─[#6:0][@]═[#@] ╚═╩═╝
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+
+++++

</diagram>

For a more compact design, several trench rows can be staggered to produce a solid block of water wheels, scaling to whatever size necessary. The example below provides 538 power with 8 tiles of moving water:

<diagram>
z z-1
+++++ ╔═╗
++[#1:0].[#@]++ ║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]───[#@]+ ║[#1:0]▲[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]───[#6:0][@]═[#@] ╔╩╦╩╗
+[#0:0][@6:0]───[#@]+ ║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]───[#@]+ ║[#1:0]▲[#@]║[#1:0]▲[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]───[#6:0][@]═[#@] ╚╦╩╦╝
+[#0:0][@6:0]───[#@]+ ║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║
++[#1:0].[#@]++ ║[#1:0]▲[#@]║
+++++ ╚═╝

</diagram>

Note: To avoid access problems, large blocks of micro-reactors should be built and filled one layer at a time.

== Flowing Water ==

[[File:Flowing water reactor over.png|thumb|right|Water wheels over a patch of "flowing" water]]
[[File:Flowing Water Reactor Under.png|thumb|right|A screw pump produces pressurized water that flows off the map edge through carved fortifications, flagging the water as flowing.]]
[[File:Flowing water reactor still.png|thumb|right|The water movement can be cut off and the water retains the "flowing" flag.]]

Water wheels need flowing water. The game considers it to be flowing water under two circumstances:

1. When deeper water flows into shallower water ("gradient flow".) Water which does not have a gradient—such as stretches of water 7/7 deep—is generally not considered to be flowing water even if the water technically flows through those tiles.

2. When water flows off the map edge or into an aquifer. (Water entering an aquifer vanishes from the map, since the aquifer can never become full, even if it's only a single tile). This type of flow returns from a map edge or an aquifer sink, giving the water the "flowing" quality. Water flowing off the map counts as flowing even at full 7/7 depth. This kind of flow is found in brooks, streams and rivers. Artificial water channels work just as well, as long as they flow off the map.

A tile marked as flowing off the map will keeps this quality even if the water movement is later blocked. This is evident in that a dammed river will continue to power water wheels, even though the water is no longer flowing off the map. This works just as well for dwarf-made water channels, the flowing quality is so persistent that it will remain even if the area is completely drained and refilled, although while the tiles contain less than 4/7 water they won't power water wheels regardless.

Adventure mode doesn't handle flowing water predictably. Water reactors may suddenly stop providing power each time the map is loaded in. Water won't regain flow status even as the minecart continues to dump fluid. Aquifer drains don't create flow. Even river water may become still after freezing and thawing. (Map edge drains don't have anywhere to drain, and may lead to [[Fun]] instead!)

=== Legitimate Artificial Rivers ===
You can create an underground river with 7/7 water to power water wheels by letting water from a river, lake, sea, or aquifer flow off the map edge in a cavern. For this, you need to build an aqueduct and bring the river to the map edge. Be careful: if the water spreads significantly before flowing off the map edge, the game won't consider it flowing water. Water flowing from a higher elevation (Z level) to a lower one is also considered flowing water.

=== Flowing Water Reactors ===
You can exploit the game's definition of flowing water to create bodies of water that power water wheels despite the absence of actual water flow. When a channel is dug into an aquifer, it will sometimes have a "natural flow". However, if water is pumped into an aquifer channel, the channel will always have a "natural flow" because water is regarded as disappearing from the map at that point, and the tiles are marked as flowing water, and will power water wheels—even if the pump is removed.

The other way to create water movement is letting water flow off the map edge—most commonly through a fortification carved into a map edge, although a map edge on the surface or in a cavern also works. The water will be considered flowing water, even if the map edge gets blocked by a floodgate or a raising bridge. You can even do this with stagnant water pools (e.g. murky pools); for example, digging out a channel next to a map edge, building a floodgate to seal the map edge drain, filling the channel with 4/7 water, opening the floodgate, closing it, and filling it back up to 4/7 water.

The ethics of these reactors are not very different from constant motion machines, these using water wheels to generate power and a fraction of said power to move the water with a screw pump. A water wheel generates 100 units of power and consumes 10 units of power, the latter 10 presumably being the energy the water wheel requires to move the water in front of its blades. But if the water wheel moves water in and of itself, the pump actually becomes unnecessary. The water wheel itself both moves the water and is moved by the water.
[[File:water_wheel_preview.png|thumb|340px|center|Circular version works much better than the triangular one.]]
{{Translation| dwarven = arel kol | elvish = alu rere | goblin = esp sost | human = thomo pobe}}

{{buildings}}

Water wheel

2026-03-29T01:58:42Z

Bumber: /* Flowing Water */

{{migrated article}}
{{Quality|Exceptional}}
{{V50 machine|name=Water wheel|key=h
|icon=[[File:water_wheel_icon.png]]
|construction=
* 3 [[Log]]s
|construction_job=
[[Carpentry]]
|power=Needs 10 power. Generates 100 power. Net gain of 90 power.
}}{{av}}
'''Water wheels''' provide [[power]] via water [[flow]]. To build one, select {{key|b}}uild menu and choose {{key|m}}achines/fluids. It requires 3 [[wood]] and generates 90 net power, which can be used to operate one or more [[Screw pump|pumps]] or [[mill]]s. You can use [[axle]]s and [[Gear assembly|gears]] to distribute the power of a water wheel, or connect the machinery directly.

Water wheels do ''not'' work with [[waterfall]]s, or magma—they need "[[flow]]ing" water, according to the definition of the game.

(* Dwarf Fortress' version of "flow" is not intuitive—see below.)

''For a basic overview of how the different machine parts work together, see [[machinery]].''

== Construction ==
[[File:water_wheel_anim.gif|thumb|151px|right|Animation of a water wheel connected to a millstone.]] The [[carpentry]] labor is needed for construction.

A water wheel occupies 3 adjacent tiles (N-S or E-W axis, no diagonals). It is the [[Wood#Types|color]] of the first wood selected for it, so you could build a red wheel with one piece of [[goblin-cap]] and two of any other wood.

While you can build a water wheel on solid ground, it won't provide any power. A useful water wheel is built in an empty tile with no floor (you need to dig a ramp going down) so it can be powered by water from tiles one [[Z-axis|z-level]] below. Build the water wheel with its central tile orthogonally next to a gear assembly, a horizontal axle, a screw pump, or the central tile of a pre-existing water wheel.

Don't hang the water wheel from a gear assembly you wish to control with a switch, as a disconnected ("switched off") gear assembly can't support anything and will cause the water wheel to deconstruct.

A water wheel produces [[power]] as long as it has [[flow]]ing water with a minimum depth of 4/7 under at least one of its three tiles. The easiest way to do it is by placing the water wheel over a [[river]] or [[brook]]. '''With a brook, you must first channel through the surface''', since brooks have a floor of sorts over them.

Furthermore, the water beneath the water wheel must be flowing in the right '''direction''' for it to work. For example, placing a N-S water wheel over water flowing straight east or west will be useless. Since most water in Dwarf Fortress flows diagonally, this is rarely an issue.

==Designs==
'''Key:'''

'''#''' = '''Wall'''
○ = '''Millstone'''
+ = '''Floor'''
~ = '''Water'''
W = '''Water Wheel'''
* = '''Gear Assembly'''
═ = '''Axle'''

{|style="border: 1px solid #0b0; background: #dfd"
|+'''Basic watermill design'''
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #333; padding: 0"|○
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #333; padding: 0"|*
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|═
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|═
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|═
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #7FF; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|}
{|style="border: 1px solid #0b0; background: #dfd"
|+'''Dual watermill design'''
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #07f; padding: 0"|~
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #7FF; padding: 0"|~
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #333; padding: 0"|○
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #333; padding: 0"|*
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|═
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|═
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|═
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|}
This is by no means the limit of water power from one location, depending on the width of your river/brook/channel you can stack many water wheels side-by-side (really big assembles will need to be artificial as there is a limit to how wide the game created water flows get). Just remember to make sure there is a support structure in place before you place the next wheel.

== Perpetual Motion ==

Due to the relatively low power draw of a [[screw pump]], a ''self-powering'' assembly can be made with a water wheel that still leaves plenty of excess power for other uses. This is undeniably an [[exploit]] and possibly a bug.

To get it working, you must start the pump manually.*

:''(* Exceptions are [[aquifer]]s, which can sometimes have a natural [[flow]]. This can be good if, for example, you want the wheel '''not''' to provide any power while building a pump next to it. It is not clear what causes an aquifer to keep a flow. It is difficult to replicate and might be lost with additional [[channel]]ing, so designs will have to be adapted if found.)''

It is good to have a ready source of water to refill the machine, as water tends to escape and evaporate. As the water level decreases, the water wheel may intermittently stop providing power; when the level falls below 4/7, the wheel stops providing power altogether.

'''*REMEMBER TO BUILD AN ORTHOGONAL PUMP, HORIZONTAL AXLE, OR GEAR ASSEMBLY BEFORE THE WATER WHEEL*'''

===Dwarven Water Reactor===
{{projects}}
This compact two-wheel design produces 170 surplus power (less additional [[axle|power train]]). While the water reactor provides a constant source of mechanical power in high amounts, the use of several reactors can cause performance issues in the game. When building your water reactor, it is recommended that you include a method to stop it once started ''(explained below)''.

<div style="float:right; margin:2ex 20ex;">  
{|
!'''Lower Level'''
!
!'''Upper Level'''
|-
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|-
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|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
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|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
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|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|O|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
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</div>

[[File:Reactor with mist generator.png|thumb|right|Reactor with Mist Generator attached.]]
[[File:Water channel.png|thumb|right|Lower Level water channel]]
:: '''Key'''
:{{Raw Tile|║ ═ ╔ ╗ ╦ O ╚ ╝|7:0:1}} = '''Wall'''
:{{Raw Tile|+|7:0:0}} = '''Floor'''
:{{Raw Tile|W|6:0:0}} = '''Water Wheel''' with floor underneath
:{{Raw Tile|W|6:1:1}} = '''Water Wheel''' with water underneath
:{{Raw Tile|≈|1:0:1}} = '''Water''' on current level
:{{Raw Tile|≈|3:0:1}} = '''Water''' on level below
:{{Raw Tile|X|2:0:0}} = '''Screw Pump''' output to north {{Raw Tile|X|2:0:1}} = '''Screw Pump''' drawing from south ''(and temporary initial [[Pump operator|operator]] location, to start process)''

Dig the V-shaped channel, then fill it with water (either by designating it as a [[pond]] and letting your dwarves [[Hauling#Water_hauling|haul water]] in [[bucket]]s, or via connecting to an existing source of water). On the top level, channel out two tiles under each wheel: one tile under the center of the wheel and another one by the pump output. Build the pump pumping from the south, then the two water wheels.

Start the pump manually ( {{k|q}}, {{k|Enter}} )—if there is enough water*, the "reactor" will start immediately and the pump operator will leave. The water from the north end of the pump will spill over the top-most floor tile, filling that to 7/7 and the two tiles east and west of it to ~5/7, but will not overflow back past the water wheel to the walkway area. Note that for the upper level, no southern walls are shown as none are needed, unless you don't follow the design and do something to create water pressure.

*''(* Estimated minimum depth to prime the reactor is 3/7 to 4/7, though this is not guaranteed as ~some~ water will be in motion on the z-level above via the pump action.)''
* The ideal amount of water in this design is apparently 63 units of water. In other words, six tiles below the V are full (7/7), and three more above are also full up to 7/7, which will generate a reliable, permanent flow without ever losing any of that water to evaporation. An easy way to do this is to simply leave your pond fill command on after the reactor activates. They will eventually fill it up to the optimal level and stop.
* When you first start the pump, you are likely to have at least some excess water splash out while the fluid level achieves equilibrium - don't locate this in an area that you don't want any mud in.
* If the reactor is connected to a load totaling more than 100 power (including that used by the water wheels and pump), it may sometimes fail to start. Using a gear assembly to disconnect the load from the reactor before starting it can fix this.

The reactor can be safely halted either by blocking the tile the pump draws water from or "overloading" the reactor (since drawing more power than the reactor supplies will stop the pump that keeps the cycle going until the load is reduced and the pump is manually restarted by dwarf-power). An easy way to halt the reactor is to place a lever-linked hatch cover over the tile the pump draws from. When the cover is closed, the pump can't draw any water, and the reactor stops. More drastically, the reactor will obviously be halted by deconstructing the pump. Deconstructing one wheel will cause a flood (and almost immediately cancel any job order to deconstruct the other components), and deconstructing the pump will cause both wheels to collapse (unless they are attached to [[machinery]] outside them, not shown).

[[Power]] can be routed up from the pump or off to the side from a wheel; the bottom of the pump is difficult to access without danger of water escaping. Routing power from a wheel is typically safe in practice, but it's not impossible for a small amount of water to escape the reactor if it is temporarily overfilled. Power can also be routed out of the reactor via a gear or horizontal axle over the pump's intake tile; while this does not interfere with the pump's operation or present a danger of flooding, it makes it more difficult to shut down the reactor. In either case, it's typically wise to place a [[gear assembly]] linked to a [[lever]] early in the power train in order to allow disconnecting the power at that point, as opposed to needing to halt the entire reactor to stop the power supply.

Expanded versions can produce more power, and can be added later with minimal advance planning; such extensibility is easily attainable by placing dis-engageable gears on either side of the two water wheels, then attaching minireactors at your leisure, or halting the original reactor by other means. Alternatively, it may be easier to simply produce a second reactor, then connect to the power train at another location.

''Note: If created in an aquifer, there is a chance that the channeled tiles will have a natural [[flow|water flow]] - this will cause the pump to start the moment the first wheel is finished, flooding the work area for the second.''
*This can be countered by connecting something that consumes >90 power while building the water wheels -19 [[gear assembly|Gear assemblies]] works

===Mini Water Reactor===
This alternative is even more compact than the original dwarven water reactor, but it can be used in tight spots where you don't need more than 80 units of power surplus. You can consider this an extension unit to the DWR, as it can be added to one or the other side to provide an additional 80 power to the resulting power train.

To safely build a mini reactor and add it to a previous reactor without the risk of flooding and/or loss of power, you need to '''first turn off the original reactor'''.

It is better if you plan ahead; for example, build a larger reactor from the start, if you need more than 170 units of power

As stated previously, the design below produces 80 surplus power (less additional powertrain).

{|
|'''Lower Level'''
|'''Upper Level'''
|-
|
{| style="border-spacing:0;"
|-
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|{{H2O}}
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|{{H2O}}
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|{{H2O}}
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|{{RT|╗|7:0:1}}
|-
|{{RT|╚|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|╗|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
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|
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|}
When building the mini reactor, follow the same order as for the DWR. The channel, however, is slightly different—you only need one water wheel. If it is an addition to a full size reactor or set of reactors, all channels will need to be fairly full with water to start the reactor.

===Micro Water Reactor===

Replacing the pump with a dumping [[minecart]], the micro reactor is even more compact and produces up to 90 surplus power per water wheel (less additional power drain).

<diagram>
z z-1
+++ ╔═╗
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+ ║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#6:0][@]═[#@] ║[#1:0]▲[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+ ╚═╝
+++

</diagram>

Channel two adjacent tiles to create a trench, remove the ramp from one trench tile and build a [[Minecart#Track_Stops|track stop]] dumping into the other trench tile. Optionally link a lever to the track stop (to disable and enable the reactor later). Add a minecart to the track stop, build a water wheel over the trench, and use a pond [[zone]] to fill the ramp tile. The reactor requires 11 units of water for continuous operation; any excess will simply disappear. Once filled, the minecart will dump water into the ramp tile. The water will then flow back to the minecart tile, refilling the minecart and repeating the process endlessly.
It's best to use a [[metal]] minecart for this, as wooden ones may be pushed from the track stop by the moving water.

For more power, each trench can operate two water wheels and multiple trenches can be arranged in a row to provide as much power as needed. (Each trench should remain isolated to avoid interference.) This example provides 356 surplus power with only 4 tiles of moving water:

<diagram>
z z-1
+++++
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#6:0][@]═[#0:0][@6:0]─[#6:0][@]═[#@] ╔═╦═╗
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+ ║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+ ║[#1:0]▲[#@]║[#1:0]▲[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#6:0][@]═[#0:0][@6:0]─[#6:0][@]═[#@] ╚═╩═╝
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+
+++++

</diagram>

For a more compact design, several trench rows can be staggered to produce a solid block of water wheels, scaling to whatever size necessary. The example below provides 538 power with 8 tiles of moving water:

<diagram>
z z-1
+++++ ╔═╗
++[#1:0].[#@]++ ║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]───[#@]+ ║[#1:0]▲[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]───[#6:0][@]═[#@] ╔╩╦╩╗
+[#0:0][@6:0]───[#@]+ ║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]───[#@]+ ║[#1:0]▲[#@]║[#1:0]▲[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]───[#6:0][@]═[#@] ╚╦╩╦╝
+[#0:0][@6:0]───[#@]+ ║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║
++[#1:0].[#@]++ ║[#1:0]▲[#@]║
+++++ ╚═╝

</diagram>

Note: To avoid access problems, large blocks of micro-reactors should be built and filled one layer at a time.

== Flowing Water ==

[[File:Flowing water reactor over.png|thumb|right|Water wheels over a patch of "flowing" water]]
[[File:Flowing Water Reactor Under.png|thumb|right|A screw pump produces pressurized water that flows off the map edge through carved fortifications, flagging the water as flowing.]]
[[File:Flowing water reactor still.png|thumb|right|The water movement can be cut off and the water retains the "flowing" flag.]]

Water wheels need flowing water. The game considers it to be flowing water under two circumstances:

1. When deeper water flows into shallower water ("gradient flow".) Water which does not have a gradient—such as stretches of water 7/7 deep—is generally not considered to be flowing water even if the water technically flows through those tiles.

2. When water flows off the map edge or into an aquifer. (Water entering an aquifer vanishes from the map, since the aquifer can never become full, even if it's only a single tile). This type of flow returns from a map edge or an aquifer sink, giving the water the "flowing" quality. Water flowing off the map counts as flowing even at full 7/7 depth. This kind of flow is found in brooks, streams and rivers. Artificial water channels work just as well, as long as they flow off the map.

A tile marked as flowing off the map will keeps this quality even if the water movement is later blocked. This is evident in that a dammed river will continue to power water wheels, even though the water is no longer flowing off the map. This works just as well for dwarf-made water channels, the flowing quality is so persistent that it will remain even if the area is completely drained and refilled, although while the tiles contain less than 4/7 water they won't power water wheels regardless.

Adventure mode doesn't handle flowing water predictably. Water reactors may suddenly stop providing power each time the map is loaded in. Water won't regain flow status even as the minecart continues to dump fluid. Even river water may become still after freezing and thawing.

=== Legitimate Artificial Rivers ===
You can create an underground river with 7/7 water to power water wheels by letting water from a river, lake, sea, or aquifer flow off the map edge in a cavern. For this, you need to build an aqueduct and bring the river to the map edge. Be careful: if the water spreads significantly before flowing off the map edge, the game won't consider it flowing water. Water flowing from a higher elevation (Z level) to a lower one is also considered flowing water.

=== Flowing Water Reactors ===
You can exploit the game's definition of flowing water to create bodies of water that power water wheels despite the absence of actual water flow. When a channel is dug into an aquifer, it will sometimes have a "natural flow". However, if water is pumped into an aquifer channel, the channel will always have a "natural flow" because water is regarded as disappearing from the map at that point, and the tiles are marked as flowing water, and will power water wheels—even if the pump is removed.

The other way to create water movement is letting water flow off the map edge—most commonly through a fortification carved into a map edge, although a map edge on the surface or in a cavern also works. The water will be considered flowing water, even if the map edge gets blocked by a floodgate or a raising bridge. You can even do this with stagnant water pools (e.g. murky pools); for example, digging out a channel next to a map edge, building a floodgate to seal the map edge drain, filling the channel with 4/7 water, opening the floodgate, closing it, and filling it back up to 4/7 water.

The ethics of these reactors are not very different from constant motion machines, these using water wheels to generate power and a fraction of said power to move the water with a screw pump. A water wheel generates 100 units of power and consumes 10 units of power, the latter 10 presumably being the energy the water wheel requires to move the water in front of its blades. But if the water wheel moves water in and of itself, the pump actually becomes unnecessary. The water wheel itself both moves the water and is moved by the water.
[[File:water_wheel_preview.png|thumb|340px|center|Circular version works much better than the triangular one.]]
{{Translation| dwarven = arel kol | elvish = alu rere | goblin = esp sost | human = thomo pobe}}

{{buildings}}

Water wheel

2026-03-29T01:57:06Z

Bumber: /* Flowing Water */ Adventure mode

{{migrated article}}
{{Quality|Exceptional}}
{{V50 machine|name=Water wheel|key=h
|icon=[[File:water_wheel_icon.png]]
|construction=
* 3 [[Log]]s
|construction_job=
[[Carpentry]]
|power=Needs 10 power. Generates 100 power. Net gain of 90 power.
}}{{av}}
'''Water wheels''' provide [[power]] via water [[flow]]. To build one, select {{key|b}}uild menu and choose {{key|m}}achines/fluids. It requires 3 [[wood]] and generates 90 net power, which can be used to operate one or more [[Screw pump|pumps]] or [[mill]]s. You can use [[axle]]s and [[Gear assembly|gears]] to distribute the power of a water wheel, or connect the machinery directly.

Water wheels do ''not'' work with [[waterfall]]s, or magma—they need "[[flow]]ing" water, according to the definition of the game.

(* Dwarf Fortress' version of "flow" is not intuitive—see below.)

''For a basic overview of how the different machine parts work together, see [[machinery]].''

== Construction ==
[[File:water_wheel_anim.gif|thumb|151px|right|Animation of a water wheel connected to a millstone.]] The [[carpentry]] labor is needed for construction.

A water wheel occupies 3 adjacent tiles (N-S or E-W axis, no diagonals). It is the [[Wood#Types|color]] of the first wood selected for it, so you could build a red wheel with one piece of [[goblin-cap]] and two of any other wood.

While you can build a water wheel on solid ground, it won't provide any power. A useful water wheel is built in an empty tile with no floor (you need to dig a ramp going down) so it can be powered by water from tiles one [[Z-axis|z-level]] below. Build the water wheel with its central tile orthogonally next to a gear assembly, a horizontal axle, a screw pump, or the central tile of a pre-existing water wheel.

Don't hang the water wheel from a gear assembly you wish to control with a switch, as a disconnected ("switched off") gear assembly can't support anything and will cause the water wheel to deconstruct.

A water wheel produces [[power]] as long as it has [[flow]]ing water with a minimum depth of 4/7 under at least one of its three tiles. The easiest way to do it is by placing the water wheel over a [[river]] or [[brook]]. '''With a brook, you must first channel through the surface''', since brooks have a floor of sorts over them.

Furthermore, the water beneath the water wheel must be flowing in the right '''direction''' for it to work. For example, placing a N-S water wheel over water flowing straight east or west will be useless. Since most water in Dwarf Fortress flows diagonally, this is rarely an issue.

==Designs==
'''Key:'''

'''#''' = '''Wall'''
○ = '''Millstone'''
+ = '''Floor'''
~ = '''Water'''
W = '''Water Wheel'''
* = '''Gear Assembly'''
═ = '''Axle'''

{|style="border: 1px solid #0b0; background: #dfd"
|+'''Basic watermill design'''
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #333; padding: 0"|○
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #333; padding: 0"|*
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|═
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|═
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|═
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #7FF; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|}
{|style="border: 1px solid #0b0; background: #dfd"
|+'''Dual watermill design'''
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #07f; padding: 0"|~
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #7FF; padding: 0"|~
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #333; padding: 0"|○
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #333; padding: 0"|*
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|═
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|═
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|═
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|style="color: #970; padding: 0"|W
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|- style="font-family: monospace; font-weight: bold; font-size: 135%"
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|#
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #777; padding: 0"|+
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|style="color: #07F; padding: 0"|~
|}
This is by no means the limit of water power from one location, depending on the width of your river/brook/channel you can stack many water wheels side-by-side (really big assembles will need to be artificial as there is a limit to how wide the game created water flows get). Just remember to make sure there is a support structure in place before you place the next wheel.

== Perpetual Motion ==

Due to the relatively low power draw of a [[screw pump]], a ''self-powering'' assembly can be made with a water wheel that still leaves plenty of excess power for other uses. This is undeniably an [[exploit]] and possibly a bug.

To get it working, you must start the pump manually.*

:''(* Exceptions are [[aquifer]]s, which can sometimes have a natural [[flow]]. This can be good if, for example, you want the wheel '''not''' to provide any power while building a pump next to it. It is not clear what causes an aquifer to keep a flow. It is difficult to replicate and might be lost with additional [[channel]]ing, so designs will have to be adapted if found.)''

It is good to have a ready source of water to refill the machine, as water tends to escape and evaporate. As the water level decreases, the water wheel may intermittently stop providing power; when the level falls below 4/7, the wheel stops providing power altogether.

'''*REMEMBER TO BUILD AN ORTHOGONAL PUMP, HORIZONTAL AXLE, OR GEAR ASSEMBLY BEFORE THE WATER WHEEL*'''

===Dwarven Water Reactor===
{{projects}}
This compact two-wheel design produces 170 surplus power (less additional [[axle|power train]]). While the water reactor provides a constant source of mechanical power in high amounts, the use of several reactors can cause performance issues in the game. When building your water reactor, it is recommended that you include a method to stop it once started ''(explained below)''.

<div style="float:right; margin:2ex 20ex;">  
{|
!'''Lower Level'''
!
!'''Upper Level'''
|-
|
{| style="border-spacing:0;"
|-
|{{RT|╔|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|═|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|╦|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|═|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|╗|7:0:1}}
|-
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|-
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|-
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|O|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|-
|{{RT|╚|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|╗|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|╔|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|╝|7:0:1}}
|-
|{{RTB|0:0:0}}
|{{RT|╚|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|═|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|╝|7:0:1}}
|{{RTB|0:0:0}}
|}

|

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{| style="border-spacing:0;"
|-
|{{RT|╔|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|═|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|═|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|═|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|╗|7:0:1}}
|-
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|W|6:1:1}}
|{{RT|+|7:0:0}}
|{{RT|W|6:1:1}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|-
|{{RT|╝|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|W|6:1:1}}
|{{RT|X|2:0:0}}
|{{RT|W|6:1:1}}
|{{RT|╚|7:0:1}}
|-
|{{RT|+|7:0:0}}
|{{RT|W|6:0:0}}
|{{RT|X|2:0:1}}
|{{RT|W|6:0:0}}
|{{RT|+|7:0:0}}
|-
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|{{RT|≈|3:0:1}}
|{{RT|+|7:0:0}}
|{{RT|+|7:0:0}}
|-
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|{{RT|+|7:0:0}}
|{{RT|+|7:0:0}}
|}
|}
</div>

[[File:Reactor with mist generator.png|thumb|right|Reactor with Mist Generator attached.]]
[[File:Water channel.png|thumb|right|Lower Level water channel]]
:: '''Key'''
:{{Raw Tile|║ ═ ╔ ╗ ╦ O ╚ ╝|7:0:1}} = '''Wall'''
:{{Raw Tile|+|7:0:0}} = '''Floor'''
:{{Raw Tile|W|6:0:0}} = '''Water Wheel''' with floor underneath
:{{Raw Tile|W|6:1:1}} = '''Water Wheel''' with water underneath
:{{Raw Tile|≈|1:0:1}} = '''Water''' on current level
:{{Raw Tile|≈|3:0:1}} = '''Water''' on level below
:{{Raw Tile|X|2:0:0}} = '''Screw Pump''' output to north {{Raw Tile|X|2:0:1}} = '''Screw Pump''' drawing from south ''(and temporary initial [[Pump operator|operator]] location, to start process)''

Dig the V-shaped channel, then fill it with water (either by designating it as a [[pond]] and letting your dwarves [[Hauling#Water_hauling|haul water]] in [[bucket]]s, or via connecting to an existing source of water). On the top level, channel out two tiles under each wheel: one tile under the center of the wheel and another one by the pump output. Build the pump pumping from the south, then the two water wheels.

Start the pump manually ( {{k|q}}, {{k|Enter}} )—if there is enough water*, the "reactor" will start immediately and the pump operator will leave. The water from the north end of the pump will spill over the top-most floor tile, filling that to 7/7 and the two tiles east and west of it to ~5/7, but will not overflow back past the water wheel to the walkway area. Note that for the upper level, no southern walls are shown as none are needed, unless you don't follow the design and do something to create water pressure.

*''(* Estimated minimum depth to prime the reactor is 3/7 to 4/7, though this is not guaranteed as ~some~ water will be in motion on the z-level above via the pump action.)''
* The ideal amount of water in this design is apparently 63 units of water. In other words, six tiles below the V are full (7/7), and three more above are also full up to 7/7, which will generate a reliable, permanent flow without ever losing any of that water to evaporation. An easy way to do this is to simply leave your pond fill command on after the reactor activates. They will eventually fill it up to the optimal level and stop.
* When you first start the pump, you are likely to have at least some excess water splash out while the fluid level achieves equilibrium - don't locate this in an area that you don't want any mud in.
* If the reactor is connected to a load totaling more than 100 power (including that used by the water wheels and pump), it may sometimes fail to start. Using a gear assembly to disconnect the load from the reactor before starting it can fix this.

The reactor can be safely halted either by blocking the tile the pump draws water from or "overloading" the reactor (since drawing more power than the reactor supplies will stop the pump that keeps the cycle going until the load is reduced and the pump is manually restarted by dwarf-power). An easy way to halt the reactor is to place a lever-linked hatch cover over the tile the pump draws from. When the cover is closed, the pump can't draw any water, and the reactor stops. More drastically, the reactor will obviously be halted by deconstructing the pump. Deconstructing one wheel will cause a flood (and almost immediately cancel any job order to deconstruct the other components), and deconstructing the pump will cause both wheels to collapse (unless they are attached to [[machinery]] outside them, not shown).

[[Power]] can be routed up from the pump or off to the side from a wheel; the bottom of the pump is difficult to access without danger of water escaping. Routing power from a wheel is typically safe in practice, but it's not impossible for a small amount of water to escape the reactor if it is temporarily overfilled. Power can also be routed out of the reactor via a gear or horizontal axle over the pump's intake tile; while this does not interfere with the pump's operation or present a danger of flooding, it makes it more difficult to shut down the reactor. In either case, it's typically wise to place a [[gear assembly]] linked to a [[lever]] early in the power train in order to allow disconnecting the power at that point, as opposed to needing to halt the entire reactor to stop the power supply.

Expanded versions can produce more power, and can be added later with minimal advance planning; such extensibility is easily attainable by placing dis-engageable gears on either side of the two water wheels, then attaching minireactors at your leisure, or halting the original reactor by other means. Alternatively, it may be easier to simply produce a second reactor, then connect to the power train at another location.

''Note: If created in an aquifer, there is a chance that the channeled tiles will have a natural [[flow|water flow]] - this will cause the pump to start the moment the first wheel is finished, flooding the work area for the second.''
*This can be countered by connecting something that consumes >90 power while building the water wheels -19 [[gear assembly|Gear assemblies]] works

===Mini Water Reactor===
This alternative is even more compact than the original dwarven water reactor, but it can be used in tight spots where you don't need more than 80 units of power surplus. You can consider this an extension unit to the DWR, as it can be added to one or the other side to provide an additional 80 power to the resulting power train.

To safely build a mini reactor and add it to a previous reactor without the risk of flooding and/or loss of power, you need to '''first turn off the original reactor'''.

It is better if you plan ahead; for example, build a larger reactor from the start, if you need more than 170 units of power

As stated previously, the design below produces 80 surplus power (less additional powertrain).

{|
|'''Lower Level'''
|'''Upper Level'''
|-
|
{| style="border-spacing:0;"
|-
|{{RT|╔|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|═|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|╗|7:0:1}}
|{{RTB|0:0:0}}
|-
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{RTB|0:0:0}}
|-
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{RTB|0:0:0}}
|-
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|╚|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|╗|7:0:1}}
|-
|{{RT|╚|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|╗|7:0:1}}
|{{H2O}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|-
|{{RTB|0:0:0}}
|{{RT|╚|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|═|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|╝|7:0:1}}
|}

|
{| style="border-spacing:0;"
|-
|{{RT|╔|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|═|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|═|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|╗|7:0:1}}
|-
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|W|6:1:1}}
|{{RT|+|7:0:0}}
|{{RT|║|7:0:1}}
|-
|{{RT|╝|7:0:1}}
|{{RT|W|6:1:1}}
|{{RT|X|2:0:0}}
|{{RT|╚|7:0:1}}
|-
|{{RT|+|7:0:0}}
|{{RT|W|6:0:0}}
|{{RT|X|2:0:1}}
|{{RT|+|7:0:0}}
|-
|{{RT|+|7:0:0}}
|{{RT|+|7:0:0}}
|{{RT|≈|3:0:1}}
|{{RT|+|7:0:0}}
|-
|{{RT|+|7:0:0}}
|{{RT|+|7:0:0}}
|{{RT|+|7:0:0}}
|{{RT|+|7:0:0}}
|}
|}
When building the mini reactor, follow the same order as for the DWR. The channel, however, is slightly different—you only need one water wheel. If it is an addition to a full size reactor or set of reactors, all channels will need to be fairly full with water to start the reactor.

===Micro Water Reactor===

Replacing the pump with a dumping [[minecart]], the micro reactor is even more compact and produces up to 90 surplus power per water wheel (less additional power drain).

<diagram>
z z-1
+++ ╔═╗
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+ ║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#6:0][@]═[#@] ║[#1:0]▲[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+ ╚═╝
+++

</diagram>

Channel two adjacent tiles to create a trench, remove the ramp from one trench tile and build a [[Minecart#Track_Stops|track stop]] dumping into the other trench tile. Optionally link a lever to the track stop (to disable and enable the reactor later). Add a minecart to the track stop, build a water wheel over the trench, and use a pond [[zone]] to fill the ramp tile. The reactor requires 11 units of water for continuous operation; any excess will simply disappear. Once filled, the minecart will dump water into the ramp tile. The water will then flow back to the minecart tile, refilling the minecart and repeating the process endlessly.
It's best to use a [[metal]] minecart for this, as wooden ones may be pushed from the track stop by the moving water.

For more power, each trench can operate two water wheels and multiple trenches can be arranged in a row to provide as much power as needed. (Each trench should remain isolated to avoid interference.) This example provides 356 surplus power with only 4 tiles of moving water:

<diagram>
z z-1
+++++
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#6:0][@]═[#0:0][@6:0]─[#6:0][@]═[#@] ╔═╦═╗
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+ ║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+ ║[#1:0]▲[#@]║[#1:0]▲[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#6:0][@]═[#0:0][@6:0]─[#6:0][@]═[#@] ╚═╩═╝
+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+[#0:0][@6:0]─[#@]+
+++++

</diagram>

For a more compact design, several trench rows can be staggered to produce a solid block of water wheels, scaling to whatever size necessary. The example below provides 538 power with 8 tiles of moving water:

<diagram>
z z-1
+++++ ╔═╗
++[#1:0].[#@]++ ║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]───[#@]+ ║[#1:0]▲[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]───[#6:0][@]═[#@] ╔╩╦╩╗
+[#0:0][@6:0]───[#@]+ ║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]───[#@]+ ║[#1:0]▲[#@]║[#1:0]▲[#@]║
+[#0:0][@6:0]───[#6:0][@]═[#@] ╚╦╩╦╝
+[#0:0][@6:0]───[#@]+ ║[#0:0][@6:0]■[#@]║
++[#1:0].[#@]++ ║[#1:0]▲[#@]║
+++++ ╚═╝

</diagram>

Note: To avoid access problems, large blocks of micro-reactors should be built and filled one layer at a time.

== Flowing Water ==

[[File:Flowing water reactor over.png|thumb|right|Water wheels over a patch of "flowing" water]]
[[File:Flowing Water Reactor Under.png|thumb|right|A screw pump produces pressurized water that flows off the map edge through carved fortifications, flagging the water as flowing.]]
[[File:Flowing water reactor still.png|thumb|right|The water movement can be cut off and the water retains the "flowing" flag.]]

Water wheels need flowing water. The game considers it to be flowing water under two circumstances:

1. When deeper water flows into shallower water ("gradient flow".) Water which does not have a gradient—such as stretches of water 7/7 deep—is generally not considered to be flowing water even if the water technically flows through those tiles.

2. When water flows off the map edge or into an aquifer. (Water entering an aquifer vanishes from the map, since the aquifer can never become full, even if it's only a single tile). This type of flow returns from a map edge or an aquifer sink, giving the water the "flowing" quality. Water flowing off the map counts as flowing even at full 7/7 depth. This kind of flow is found in brooks, streams and rivers. Artificial water channels work just as well, as long as they flow off the map.

A tile marked as flowing off the map will keeps this quality even if the water movement is later blocked. This is evident in that a dammed river will continue to power water wheels, even though the water is no longer flowing off the map. This works just as well for dwarf-made water channels, the flowing quality is so persistent that it will remain even if the area is completely drained and refilled, although while the tiles contain less than 4/7 water they won't power water wheels regardless.

Adventure mode doesn't handle flowing water predictably. Water reactors may suddenly stop providing power each time the map is loaded in. Even river water may become still after freezing and thawing.

=== Legitimate Artificial Rivers ===
You can create an underground river with 7/7 water to power water wheels by letting water from a river, lake, sea, or aquifer flow off the map edge in a cavern. For this, you need to build an aqueduct and bring the river to the map edge. Be careful: if the water spreads significantly before flowing off the map edge, the game won't consider it flowing water. Water flowing from a higher elevation (Z level) to a lower one is also considered flowing water.

=== Flowing Water Reactors ===
You can exploit the game's definition of flowing water to create bodies of water that power water wheels despite the absence of actual water flow. When a channel is dug into an aquifer, it will sometimes have a "natural flow". However, if water is pumped into an aquifer channel, the channel will always have a "natural flow" because water is regarded as disappearing from the map at that point, and the tiles are marked as flowing water, and will power water wheels—even if the pump is removed.

The other way to create water movement is letting water flow off the map edge—most commonly through a fortification carved into a map edge, although a map edge on the surface or in a cavern also works. The water will be considered flowing water, even if the map edge gets blocked by a floodgate or a raising bridge. You can even do this with stagnant water pools (e.g. murky pools); for example, digging out a channel next to a map edge, building a floodgate to seal the map edge drain, filling the channel with 4/7 water, opening the floodgate, closing it, and filling it back up to 4/7 water.

The ethics of these reactors are not very different from constant motion machines, these using water wheels to generate power and a fraction of said power to move the water with a screw pump. A water wheel generates 100 units of power and consumes 10 units of power, the latter 10 presumably being the energy the water wheel requires to move the water in front of its blades. But if the water wheel moves water in and of itself, the pump actually becomes unnecessary. The water wheel itself both moves the water and is moved by the water.
[[File:water_wheel_preview.png|thumb|340px|center|Circular version works much better than the triangular one.]]
{{Translation| dwarven = arel kol | elvish = alu rere | goblin = esp sost | human = thomo pobe}}

{{buildings}}

Pressure plate

2026-03-29T01:50:48Z

Bumber:

{{Quality|Exceptional}}
{{av}}
[[File:pressure_plate_preview.png|right]]'''Pressure plates''' act in similar ways to [[lever]]s, in that they require a pair of [[mechanism]]s to link them to a [[bridge]], [[cage]], [[chain]], [[door]], [[floodgate]], [[hatch]], [[grate]] (wall or floor), [[bars]] (vertical or floor), [[support]], [[Trap_component|spears/spikes]], [[gear assembly]] or [[minecart|track stop]]. They send an "open" signal the instant any of their trigger conditions are met (though linked items retain their normal [[Pressure plate#Build order & delay|reaction delay]], if any), and reset with a "close" signal after their conditions have not been met for 99 consecutive [[Time|ticks]] (or only 3 ticks for adventure mode). Proper [[trap design]] will often leave a time delay space for traps based on enemy movement.

Pressure plates are not targeted by [[building destroyer]]s.

==Trigger conditions==

There are currently four possible trigger conditions:

# water levels
# magma levels
# track (minecart) weight (only works on tracks)
# creature weight (including a separate toggle for citizens)

The first two can be set to trigger on the presence or absence of liquids, or any particular fluid level range. The latter two can only trigger on present weight within a user-configured range (though they can be set to 'untrigger' when a weight is removed).

Triggering signals for water and magma: CLOSE < min <= OPEN <= max < CLOSE

Pressure plates are sensitive to some creatures and uninfluenced by others (see [[#Unusual triggers|Unusual Triggers]]). They are not sensitive to inert weight or [[trapavoid]] creatures. Pressure plates trigger when the accumulated weight of detected creatures reaches a threshold specified by the player (see [[#Choosing Weights|Choosing Weights]]).

== Types ==

'''One-use''' pressure plates send their signal, then deconstruct the first time they're triggered, ''destroying'' all mechanisms inside them (and potentially causing unhappy [[thought]]s if any of them were of masterwork quality). As such, only use low-quality mechanisms in one-use pressure plates (and '''never''' use [[artifact]]s)!

'''Resetting''' pressure plates can be reused as many times as you want. They reset 99 ticks after their trigger is removed. That is approximately 2 hours of Fortress Mode (game world) time passage; since 1 hour = 50 ticks. In adventure mode, pressure plates reset after only 3 ticks. This discrepancy must be accounted for if any complex machines are intended to be visited by adventurers.

== Uses ==
Pressure plates are used as triggers for a variety of other device actions, such as [[bridge]] raising, or [[trap design|traps]] involving the release of [[magma]] or [[water]]. Most linked devices are obvious, on the "open" signal they open as expected. Cages and chains "release" their occupants on the open signal.

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

(See the individual device pages for complete details of how ''open'' and ''close'' signals affect each device.)

==== [[Bridge]]s ====
Note that retracting and raising bridges have, effectively, the opposite reaction from an "open" signal, or can, depending on the design. When the "open" signal is sent, both bridges "disappear" from view - the retracting bridge disappears completely, and the raising bridge becomes a wall. But this means that the raising bridge ''closes'' the passage on the same level with that wall that it creates. This can be used to create either an "open" passage or "closed" passage on the "open" signal, depending on the design.

==== Screw pumps ====
Pressure plates are not connected ''directly'' to [[screw pump]]s. To trigger fluid flow via screw pumps, either have a pump permanently "on" and use a [[hatch]] over the fluid intake tile, or use some other barrier (door, floodgate, bridge, etc) to otherwise restrict the fluid flow as desired, or link to a [[gear assembly]] to toggle the [[power]] on/off - but note how pressure plates and gear assemblies interact, as mentioned above.

== Operation ==
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 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 second plate will not abort the ''close'' signal scheduled from the first 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 & delay ===
One 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 [[Door|doors]] and [[Hatch|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 [[Trap#Upright spear/spike|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 assembly|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.
* [[Drawbridge|Bridges]], [[Bars|vertical bars]], [[Floodgate|floodgates]], and [[Grate|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.

===Unusual triggers===
Pressure plates will not be set off by dead creatures - 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. They will be set off by any creatures that fall onto them and survive, even if those creatures [[gravity|fall]] onto another creature occupying the same tile. Also, pressure plates ''will'' be set off by a sufficiently large [[undead]] corpse ''reanimating'' on their tile.

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.

For keeping the plate accessible while still allowing fluids to pass through, digging a downstair into natural floor, building a floor on that downstair, building the plate on the floor, then deconstructing the floor will work. In the case the natural floor is gone, obsidian-casting the plate will suffice for digging stairs.

==Advanced techniques==

===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.

===Lightspeed repeater===
Pressure plates have a refractory period of 99 ticks, limiting [[repeater]]s to triple-digit cycles. However, multiple pressure plates attached to a target can be "staggered" such that the ''open'' signal from one plate is followed much sooner by the ''close'' signal from another plate. Using three pressure plates, a repeater can be constructed to toggle a target three times in 100 ticks:

Time --->

Repeater 1 ---O--C--O--C--O--C--O--C
Repeater 2 -----O--C--O--C--O--C--O-
Repeater 3 -------O--C--O--C--O--C--
What the door sees ---O-OCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOC

This can be extended, with additional pressure plates, up to a maximum of one cycle every two ticks (one tick for open, and one for close) using 50 pressure plates. While these designs were [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=92454.msg2585477#msg2585477 originally created with fluid-logic], the introduction of [[minecart]]s provides a much simpler way to stagger the signals from multiple pressure plates.

Note that only a few targets that don't have a built-in delay can handle switching at such speeds ([[door]]s, [[hatch]]es, and [[gear assembly|gears]]).

Keep also in mind that quickly switching buildings will dramatically reduce the performance of your game due to map connectivity information being constantly rebuilt - a single door opening and closing every dozen steps may reduce your frame rate by about a third.

===Priority close===
Pressure plates are very timely when detecting a trigger and sending an ''open'' signal, but require 99 ticks when sending a ''close'' signal. Unfortunately, there are situations where closing a hatch or door 100 ticks later might just be too late. This limitation can be overcome by constructing multiple pressure plates that are continually refreshed in a cycle less than 100 ticks. When a trigger condition occurs the cycle is stopped, leading the pressure plate that would have been refreshed next to send a ''close'' signal much sooner. [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=128095.msg4449221#msg4449221 A well-calibrated design] should be able to provide a ''close'' signal in five ticks or less.

==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, minecarts, creatures, 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. Minecart weight ranges can be selected using the [-] and [+] buttons, while the others are configured by selecting the minimum and maximum weights from the list presented.

The number of mechanisms required to build a pressure plate depends on how many types of things (water, magma, minecarts, and/or creatures) 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, although a pressure plate with a narrow weight threshold could potentially trigger for only goblins and dwarves.

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 a while, and then take another mechanism to the pressure plate itself and complete the task. Your pressure plate is now ready for action.

===Choosing Weights===
The weight of a creature depends on individual [[Creature_token#BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER|build]]: skinny, small creatures weigh less than enormous, fat ones of the same species.{{cite forum|180213/8399792}} As shown in the list, children and adolescents are usually smaller than fully grown creatures and may not trigger plates adjusted to adults' size. Equipment adds to a creatures weight; dwarves in steel armor will activate plates set to higher triggers.{{cite forum|180213/8399792}}

Creatures with the [[trapavoid]] token will not trigger pressure plates, regardless of weight. [[Vermin]] do not trigger traps since they aren't treated as actual creatures for the purpose of triggering any sort of trap, and weigh no more than 2000 anyway.

The configuration window allows selection of all weights 10,000 to 2,000,000, though the displayed numbers are divided by 10 and rounded down (so the row for "(75000)" actually corresponds to a size of 750,000). For weights which correspond to actual creatures, one candidate creature will be selected and displayed (e.g. [[gremlin]]s for 1000, [[kobold]]s for 2000, [[bat man|bat men]] for 3000, etc.). Clicking on an entry which ''is'' highlighted will set it to both the minimum and maximum, while clicking a non-highlighted entry will set it to be either the minimum or maximum, depending on whether it's below the current minimum or above the current maximum.

A pressure plate set to trigger on {{k|T}}rack can also be adjusted to respond only to [[Minecart]]s of defined weights. The default settings are 1 as minimum and "any" as maximum, which responds to carts of any weight. If only carts of specific weights are supposed to trigger a signal, different minimum and maximum values can be chosen, in steps of 50 kg, ranging from 1 to 2000. Only carts falling within the limits specified will trigger a signal, carts that are too light or too heavy will not. The gross weight of the cart will be consulted, i.e. the weight of the cart including its cargo (and potentially rider). Differing weights of empty carts only cover part of the choosable weight range - the heaviest empty carts are made from platinum and weigh 856 kg.

{{buildings}}
{{Category|Machine components}}

Pressure plate

2026-03-29T01:49:02Z

Bumber: Adventure mode

{{Quality|Exceptional}}
{{av}}
[[File:pressure_plate_preview.png|right]]'''Pressure plates''' act in similar ways to [[lever]]s, in that they require a pair of [[mechanism]]s to link them to a [[bridge]], [[cage]], [[chain]], [[door]], [[floodgate]], [[hatch]], [[grate]] (wall or floor), [[bars]] (vertical or floor), [[support]], [[Trap_component|spears/spikes]], [[gear assembly]] or [[minecart|track stop]]. They send an "open" signal the instant any of their trigger conditions are met (though linked items retain their normal [[Pressure plate#Build order & delay|reaction delay]], if any), and reset with a "close" signal after their conditions have not been met for 99 consecutive [[Time|ticks]] (or only 3 ticks for adventure mode). Proper [[trap design]] will often leave a time delay space for traps based on enemy movement.

Pressure plates are not targeted by [[building destroyer]]s.

==Trigger conditions==

There are currently four possible trigger conditions:

# water levels
# magma levels
# track (minecart) weight (only works on tracks)
# creature weight (including a separate toggle for citizens)

The first two can be set to trigger on the presence or absence of liquids, or any particular fluid level range. The latter two can only trigger on present weight within a user-configured range (though they can be set to 'untrigger' when a weight is removed).

Triggering signals for water and magma: CLOSE < min <= OPEN <= max < CLOSE

Pressure plates are sensitive to some creatures and uninfluenced by others (see [[#Unusual triggers|Unusual Triggers]]). They are not sensitive to inert weight or [[trapavoid]] creatures. Pressure plates trigger when the accumulated weight of detected creatures reaches a threshold specified by the player (see [[#Choosing Weights|Choosing Weights]]).

== Types ==

'''One-use''' pressure plates send their signal, then deconstruct the first time they're triggered, ''destroying'' all mechanisms inside them (and potentially causing unhappy [[thought]]s if any of them were of masterwork quality). As such, only use low-quality mechanisms in one-use pressure plates (and '''never''' use [[artifact]]s)!

'''Resetting''' pressure plates can be reused as many times as you want. They reset 99 ticks after their trigger is removed. That is approximately 2 hours of Fortress Mode (game world) time passage; since 1 hour = 50 ticks.

In adventure mode, pressure plates reset after only 3 ticks. Any complex machinery intended to be visited by adventurers must keep this in mind.

== Uses ==
Pressure plates are used as triggers for a variety of other device actions, such as [[bridge]] raising, or [[trap design|traps]] involving the release of [[magma]] or [[water]]. Most linked devices are obvious, on the "open" signal they open as expected. Cages and chains "release" their occupants on the open signal.

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

(See the individual device pages for complete details of how ''open'' and ''close'' signals affect each device.)

==== [[Bridge]]s ====
Note that retracting and raising bridges have, effectively, the opposite reaction from an "open" signal, or can, depending on the design. When the "open" signal is sent, both bridges "disappear" from view - the retracting bridge disappears completely, and the raising bridge becomes a wall. But this means that the raising bridge ''closes'' the passage on the same level with that wall that it creates. This can be used to create either an "open" passage or "closed" passage on the "open" signal, depending on the design.

==== Screw pumps ====
Pressure plates are not connected ''directly'' to [[screw pump]]s. To trigger fluid flow via screw pumps, either have a pump permanently "on" and use a [[hatch]] over the fluid intake tile, or use some other barrier (door, floodgate, bridge, etc) to otherwise restrict the fluid flow as desired, or link to a [[gear assembly]] to toggle the [[power]] on/off - but note how pressure plates and gear assemblies interact, as mentioned above.

== Operation ==
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 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 second plate will not abort the ''close'' signal scheduled from the first 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 & delay ===
One 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 [[Door|doors]] and [[Hatch|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 [[Trap#Upright spear/spike|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 assembly|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.
* [[Drawbridge|Bridges]], [[Bars|vertical bars]], [[Floodgate|floodgates]], and [[Grate|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.

===Unusual triggers===
Pressure plates will not be set off by dead creatures - 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. They will be set off by any creatures that fall onto them and survive, even if those creatures [[gravity|fall]] onto another creature occupying the same tile. Also, pressure plates ''will'' be set off by a sufficiently large [[undead]] corpse ''reanimating'' on their tile.

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.

For keeping the plate accessible while still allowing fluids to pass through, digging a downstair into natural floor, building a floor on that downstair, building the plate on the floor, then deconstructing the floor will work. In the case the natural floor is gone, obsidian-casting the plate will suffice for digging stairs.

==Advanced techniques==

===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.

===Lightspeed repeater===
Pressure plates have a refractory period of 99 ticks, limiting [[repeater]]s to triple-digit cycles. However, multiple pressure plates attached to a target can be "staggered" such that the ''open'' signal from one plate is followed much sooner by the ''close'' signal from another plate. Using three pressure plates, a repeater can be constructed to toggle a target three times in 100 ticks:

Time --->

Repeater 1 ---O--C--O--C--O--C--O--C
Repeater 2 -----O--C--O--C--O--C--O-
Repeater 3 -------O--C--O--C--O--C--
What the door sees ---O-OCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOC

This can be extended, with additional pressure plates, up to a maximum of one cycle every two ticks (one tick for open, and one for close) using 50 pressure plates. While these designs were [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=92454.msg2585477#msg2585477 originally created with fluid-logic], the introduction of [[minecart]]s provides a much simpler way to stagger the signals from multiple pressure plates.

Note that only a few targets that don't have a built-in delay can handle switching at such speeds ([[door]]s, [[hatch]]es, and [[gear assembly|gears]]).

Keep also in mind that quickly switching buildings will dramatically reduce the performance of your game due to map connectivity information being constantly rebuilt - a single door opening and closing every dozen steps may reduce your frame rate by about a third.

===Priority close===
Pressure plates are very timely when detecting a trigger and sending an ''open'' signal, but require 99 ticks when sending a ''close'' signal. Unfortunately, there are situations where closing a hatch or door 100 ticks later might just be too late. This limitation can be overcome by constructing multiple pressure plates that are continually refreshed in a cycle less than 100 ticks. When a trigger condition occurs the cycle is stopped, leading the pressure plate that would have been refreshed next to send a ''close'' signal much sooner. [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=128095.msg4449221#msg4449221 A well-calibrated design] should be able to provide a ''close'' signal in five ticks or less.

==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, minecarts, creatures, 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. Minecart weight ranges can be selected using the [-] and [+] buttons, while the others are configured by selecting the minimum and maximum weights from the list presented.

The number of mechanisms required to build a pressure plate depends on how many types of things (water, magma, minecarts, and/or creatures) 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, although a pressure plate with a narrow weight threshold could potentially trigger for only goblins and dwarves.

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 a while, and then take another mechanism to the pressure plate itself and complete the task. Your pressure plate is now ready for action.

===Choosing Weights===
The weight of a creature depends on individual [[Creature_token#BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER|build]]: skinny, small creatures weigh less than enormous, fat ones of the same species.{{cite forum|180213/8399792}} As shown in the list, children and adolescents are usually smaller than fully grown creatures and may not trigger plates adjusted to adults' size. Equipment adds to a creatures weight; dwarves in steel armor will activate plates set to higher triggers.{{cite forum|180213/8399792}}

Creatures with the [[trapavoid]] token will not trigger pressure plates, regardless of weight. [[Vermin]] do not trigger traps since they aren't treated as actual creatures for the purpose of triggering any sort of trap, and weigh no more than 2000 anyway.

The configuration window allows selection of all weights 10,000 to 2,000,000, though the displayed numbers are divided by 10 and rounded down (so the row for "(75000)" actually corresponds to a size of 750,000). For weights which correspond to actual creatures, one candidate creature will be selected and displayed (e.g. [[gremlin]]s for 1000, [[kobold]]s for 2000, [[bat man|bat men]] for 3000, etc.). Clicking on an entry which ''is'' highlighted will set it to both the minimum and maximum, while clicking a non-highlighted entry will set it to be either the minimum or maximum, depending on whether it's below the current minimum or above the current maximum.

A pressure plate set to trigger on {{k|T}}rack can also be adjusted to respond only to [[Minecart]]s of defined weights. The default settings are 1 as minimum and "any" as maximum, which responds to carts of any weight. If only carts of specific weights are supposed to trigger a signal, different minimum and maximum values can be chosen, in steps of 50 kg, ranging from 1 to 2000. Only carts falling within the limits specified will trigger a signal, carts that are too light or too heavy will not. The gross weight of the cart will be consulted, i.e. the weight of the cart including its cargo (and potentially rider). Differing weights of empty carts only cover part of the choosable weight range - the heaviest empty carts are made from platinum and weigh 856 kg.

{{buildings}}
{{Category|Machine components}}

Pressure plate

2026-03-29T01:45:41Z

Bumber: /* Types */ Adventure mode

{{Quality|Exceptional}}
{{av}}
[[File:pressure_plate_preview.png|right]]'''Pressure plates''' act in similar ways to [[lever]]s, in that they require a pair of [[mechanism]]s to link them to a [[bridge]], [[cage]], [[chain]], [[door]], [[floodgate]], [[hatch]], [[grate]] (wall or floor), [[bars]] (vertical or floor), [[support]], [[Trap_component|spears/spikes]], [[gear assembly]] or [[minecart|track stop]]. They send an "open" signal the instant any of their trigger conditions are met (though linked items retain their normal [[Pressure plate#Build order & delay|reaction delay]], if any), and reset with a "close" signal after their conditions have not been met for 99 consecutive [[Time|ticks]]. Proper [[trap design]] will often leave a time delay space for traps based on enemy movement.

Pressure plates are not targeted by [[building destroyer]]s.

==Trigger conditions==

There are currently four possible trigger conditions:

# water levels
# magma levels
# track (minecart) weight (only works on tracks)
# creature weight (including a separate toggle for citizens)

The first two can be set to trigger on the presence or absence of liquids, or any particular fluid level range. The latter two can only trigger on present weight within a user-configured range (though they can be set to 'untrigger' when a weight is removed).

Triggering signals for water and magma: CLOSE < min <= OPEN <= max < CLOSE

Pressure plates are sensitive to some creatures and uninfluenced by others (see [[#Unusual triggers|Unusual Triggers]]). They are not sensitive to inert weight or [[trapavoid]] creatures. Pressure plates trigger when the accumulated weight of detected creatures reaches a threshold specified by the player (see [[#Choosing Weights|Choosing Weights]]).

== Types ==

'''One-use''' pressure plates send their signal, then deconstruct the first time they're triggered, ''destroying'' all mechanisms inside them (and potentially causing unhappy [[thought]]s if any of them were of masterwork quality). As such, only use low-quality mechanisms in one-use pressure plates (and '''never''' use [[artifact]]s)!

'''Resetting''' pressure plates can be reused as many times as you want. They reset 99 ticks after their trigger is removed. That is approximately 2 hours of Fortress Mode (game world) time passage; since 1 hour = 50 ticks. In adventure mode, pressure plates reset after only 3 ticks.

== Uses ==
Pressure plates are used as triggers for a variety of other device actions, such as [[bridge]] raising, or [[trap design|traps]] involving the release of [[magma]] or [[water]]. Most linked devices are obvious, on the "open" signal they open as expected. Cages and chains "release" their occupants on the open signal.

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

(See the individual device pages for complete details of how ''open'' and ''close'' signals affect each device.)

==== [[Bridge]]s ====
Note that retracting and raising bridges have, effectively, the opposite reaction from an "open" signal, or can, depending on the design. When the "open" signal is sent, both bridges "disappear" from view - the retracting bridge disappears completely, and the raising bridge becomes a wall. But this means that the raising bridge ''closes'' the passage on the same level with that wall that it creates. This can be used to create either an "open" passage or "closed" passage on the "open" signal, depending on the design.

==== Screw pumps ====
Pressure plates are not connected ''directly'' to [[screw pump]]s. To trigger fluid flow via screw pumps, either have a pump permanently "on" and use a [[hatch]] over the fluid intake tile, or use some other barrier (door, floodgate, bridge, etc) to otherwise restrict the fluid flow as desired, or link to a [[gear assembly]] to toggle the [[power]] on/off - but note how pressure plates and gear assemblies interact, as mentioned above.

== Operation ==
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 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 second plate will not abort the ''close'' signal scheduled from the first 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 & delay ===
One 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 [[Door|doors]] and [[Hatch|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 [[Trap#Upright spear/spike|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 assembly|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.
* [[Drawbridge|Bridges]], [[Bars|vertical bars]], [[Floodgate|floodgates]], and [[Grate|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.

===Unusual triggers===
Pressure plates will not be set off by dead creatures - 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. They will be set off by any creatures that fall onto them and survive, even if those creatures [[gravity|fall]] onto another creature occupying the same tile. Also, pressure plates ''will'' be set off by a sufficiently large [[undead]] corpse ''reanimating'' on their tile.

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.

For keeping the plate accessible while still allowing fluids to pass through, digging a downstair into natural floor, building a floor on that downstair, building the plate on the floor, then deconstructing the floor will work. In the case the natural floor is gone, obsidian-casting the plate will suffice for digging stairs.

==Advanced techniques==

===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.

===Lightspeed repeater===
Pressure plates have a refractory period of 99 ticks, limiting [[repeater]]s to triple-digit cycles. However, multiple pressure plates attached to a target can be "staggered" such that the ''open'' signal from one plate is followed much sooner by the ''close'' signal from another plate. Using three pressure plates, a repeater can be constructed to toggle a target three times in 100 ticks:

Time --->

Repeater 1 ---O--C--O--C--O--C--O--C
Repeater 2 -----O--C--O--C--O--C--O-
Repeater 3 -------O--C--O--C--O--C--
What the door sees ---O-OCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOC

This can be extended, with additional pressure plates, up to a maximum of one cycle every two ticks (one tick for open, and one for close) using 50 pressure plates. While these designs were [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=92454.msg2585477#msg2585477 originally created with fluid-logic], the introduction of [[minecart]]s provides a much simpler way to stagger the signals from multiple pressure plates.

Note that only a few targets that don't have a built-in delay can handle switching at such speeds ([[door]]s, [[hatch]]es, and [[gear assembly|gears]]).

Keep also in mind that quickly switching buildings will dramatically reduce the performance of your game due to map connectivity information being constantly rebuilt - a single door opening and closing every dozen steps may reduce your frame rate by about a third.

===Priority close===
Pressure plates are very timely when detecting a trigger and sending an ''open'' signal, but require 99 ticks when sending a ''close'' signal. Unfortunately, there are situations where closing a hatch or door 100 ticks later might just be too late. This limitation can be overcome by constructing multiple pressure plates that are continually refreshed in a cycle less than 100 ticks. When a trigger condition occurs the cycle is stopped, leading the pressure plate that would have been refreshed next to send a ''close'' signal much sooner. [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=128095.msg4449221#msg4449221 A well-calibrated design] should be able to provide a ''close'' signal in five ticks or less.

==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, minecarts, creatures, 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. Minecart weight ranges can be selected using the [-] and [+] buttons, while the others are configured by selecting the minimum and maximum weights from the list presented.

The number of mechanisms required to build a pressure plate depends on how many types of things (water, magma, minecarts, and/or creatures) 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, although a pressure plate with a narrow weight threshold could potentially trigger for only goblins and dwarves.

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 a while, and then take another mechanism to the pressure plate itself and complete the task. Your pressure plate is now ready for action.

===Choosing Weights===
The weight of a creature depends on individual [[Creature_token#BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER|build]]: skinny, small creatures weigh less than enormous, fat ones of the same species.{{cite forum|180213/8399792}} As shown in the list, children and adolescents are usually smaller than fully grown creatures and may not trigger plates adjusted to adults' size. Equipment adds to a creatures weight; dwarves in steel armor will activate plates set to higher triggers.{{cite forum|180213/8399792}}

Creatures with the [[trapavoid]] token will not trigger pressure plates, regardless of weight. [[Vermin]] do not trigger traps since they aren't treated as actual creatures for the purpose of triggering any sort of trap, and weigh no more than 2000 anyway.

The configuration window allows selection of all weights 10,000 to 2,000,000, though the displayed numbers are divided by 10 and rounded down (so the row for "(75000)" actually corresponds to a size of 750,000). For weights which correspond to actual creatures, one candidate creature will be selected and displayed (e.g. [[gremlin]]s for 1000, [[kobold]]s for 2000, [[bat man|bat men]] for 3000, etc.). Clicking on an entry which ''is'' highlighted will set it to both the minimum and maximum, while clicking a non-highlighted entry will set it to be either the minimum or maximum, depending on whether it's below the current minimum or above the current maximum.

A pressure plate set to trigger on {{k|T}}rack can also be adjusted to respond only to [[Minecart]]s of defined weights. The default settings are 1 as minimum and "any" as maximum, which responds to carts of any weight. If only carts of specific weights are supposed to trigger a signal, different minimum and maximum values can be chosen, in steps of 50 kg, ranging from 1 to 2000. Only carts falling within the limits specified will trigger a signal, carts that are too light or too heavy will not. The gross weight of the cart will be consulted, i.e. the weight of the cart including its cargo (and potentially rider). Differing weights of empty carts only cover part of the choosable weight range - the heaviest empty carts are made from platinum and weigh 856 kg.

{{buildings}}
{{Category|Machine components}}

Farming

2026-03-29T01:42:12Z

Bumber: /* Yield and fertilization */ Don't fertilize at end of season

{{Quality|Superior}}
{{av}}
[[Image:Df-crops-diagram.png|thumb|200px|General farming flowchart.]]

'''Farming''' is the act of growing [[crop|crops]] for [[food]], [[alcohol]] production, [[cloth]] manufacturing, and [[paper]] making. While small forts can easily be sustained by plant gathering, [[hunting]] and trading, farming is vital to large settlements.

Farming is done at a '''farm plot''' building {{Menu icon|b|o|f|p}} | Build->Workshops->Farming->Farm Plot, then drag over the area you want to build the plot on). Building uses no resources, and can only be done on [[soil]] or [[Irrigation|muddied rock]]. Mud-free stone will not allow the building of a farm plot on top. Farming requires the "Farming (Fields)" [[labor]], and uses the [[Planter]] skill. Farm plots only display the kind of crops that they are able to grow when selected by clicking on the plot.

Depending on [[Tile attributes|where the farm plot is constructed]], different crops may be planted. Farm plots built {{DFtext|Above Ground|2:1}} are not suitable for {{DFtext|Subterranean|0:1}} crops, and vice versa. Note that the attributes {{DFtext|Inside|6:0:0}}, {{DFtext|Outside|3:0:1}} are of no relevance. You can grow surface plants indoors by channeling out the roof above the desired plot and then constructing a floor {{Menu icon|b|n|f}} | Build->Constructions->Floor) over the open space. Doing this changes the tile from {{DFtext|Dark|0:0:1}} to {{DFtext|Light|6:0:1}}, despite there being a roof (you do '''not''' need to make the roof out of [[glass]] for this to work). A plot with mixed {{DFtext|Light|6:0:1}} and {{DFtext|Dark|0:0:1}} tiles may show plants as "available" when only a tiny fraction of the tiles in the farm are valid for planting them.

Note that, although you can construct a farm plot anywhere there is either a soil floor or a mud covering, this doesn't always mean the seeds you have – especially imported ones – can be planted there. Not all crops can be grown in a given [[biome]], and some biomes will prevent the planting of '''all''' above-ground crops. Even seeds you obtained as a result of [[plant gathering]] might not be plantable where you've chosen to put your farm, if they came from a different biome.

The yellow warning message, {{DFtext|No mud/soil for farm, Mud is left by water|6:0:1}}, is displayed on '''all''' above-ground tiles, regardless of whether the farm will function - this warning may be ignored. Tiles that ''actually'' lack mud or soil are excluded from the construction entirely, with a red warning message (either {{DFtext|Blocked|4:0:1}} or {{DFtext|Needs soil or mud|4:0:1}}). See the article on [[crop]]s for details on the conditions needed to grow the available plants.

== Introduction to Farming ==
=== Building a farm ===
[[File:farm_view.jpg|thumb|Enough to feed 1 dwarf for 2 days!]]
[[File:Champignonniere meules.jpg|thumb|Mushroom farming]]

First, select an area for your farm. Building a farm on a [[soil]] layer is easiest (farming in non-soil layers will require [[irrigation]]). Aboveground farms can simply be built on the surface (though this exposes your farmers to attack); subterranean farms will need to have a suitable area dug out underground. Once you've decided on a location, open the {{K|b}}uild menu and select W{{K|o}}rkshops, {{K|f}}arming, and then Farm {{K|p}}lot to build your [[Farming|farm]].

To define the width and height of your farm plot, click the first desired corner, then the second, as you would build constructions like floors and walls. Keep your farms ''small'' – 2×2, up to 4×4, or so. Farms are surprisingly productive. You can always make more farms later if you run low on plants, and having several small farms lets you diversify your crops. (Each farm plot can only grow one kind of plant per season.) Now a dwarf with the Planters work detail (default set to "everybody does this", meaning any available dwarf will come) will come and prepare the plot for planting.

Once the farm plot has been built, you must select which crops to grow. Click on the farm - you will see a list of crops you can select to grow in the local biome and current season. Now click on the [[crop]] you wish to plant in that season. Instructing a plot to remain fallow during a particular season will tell dwarves not to plant in that plot during that season. Currently, unlike in real life, crop rotation is not necessary; soil productivity is only affected by fertilizing, and the same crop may be grown indefinitely without a decrease in performance, even without fertilizer.

From the same menu, you can press check the box next to "Not set to fertilize", changing the text to "Set to fertilize". Fertilized crops produce larger stacks of plants, which can be useful to grow your [[seed]] supply early on and your food supply later on. You must have the appropriate [[seed]]s to plant a crop on a plot. To easily see how many of each seed you have, you can go to the {{menu icon|y}} Labor menu, then click on the Kitchen tab, then click on Seeds.

Since your dwarves require food, booze and clothing, you should set up a combination of plants that will supply all of these. [[Plump helmet]]s are a good beginning crop for a first cave farm, and [[Strawberry|strawberries]] are a good choice for outdoor fields – both can be eaten raw, or brewed. [[Pig tail]]s produce cloth, which will become important once your clothing starts to [[wear]]. Check the [[crop]]s page for details on different seeds. Cooking plants destroys their seeds, so you should disable the cooking of plants in the Kitchen menu. Eating them, brewing them, or processing them through a farmer's workshop, quern, or millstone, will produce seeds.

'''Help, my farmers won't farm!'''

*Verify that your Planter work detail is set to either "Everybody does this" or "Only selected do this", and that in the latter case you have dwarves selected. If the selected dwarves are still not planting, try setting them to be specialised by clicking the green hammer / lock icon.
*Verify that the farm plot has a crop selected for the current season. (Each season must be set up separately, and some crops only grow in certain seasons.)
*Verify that you have [[seed]]s for the chosen crop, and that those seeds are accessible to your farmers (not [[forbid]]den, locked behind a door, being carried across the map by one of your haulers, etc.).
*Verify that your farmers can reach your farm plot (no locked doors, disconnected stairways, etc.).
*Verify that your farm plot is acceptable. An underground plot that has been exposed to sunlight will never grow underground plants again. It may be necessary to remove the plot and rebuild it so that you can select aboveground crops to plant. Farm plots which are partially belowground and aboveground will never be fully planted. Additionally, some aboveground [[biome]]s (such as [[mountain]]s and [[glacier]]s) are unsuitable for farming and will never grow crops.

== Yield and fertilization ==

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="float:right; margin: 1em"
! Farm Size !! Potash !! Per Square
|-
| 1 (1×1) || 1 || ''1.000''
|-
| 2 (1×2) || 1 || 0.500
|-
| 3 (1×3) || 1 || '''0.333'''
|-
| 4 (2×2) || 2 || ''0.500''
|-
| 5 (1×5) || 2 || 0.400
|-
| 6 (2×3) || 2 || 0.333
|-
| 7 (1×7) || 2 || '''0.286'''
|-
| 8 (2×4) || 3 || ''0.375''
|-
| 9 (3×3) || 3 || 0.333
|-
| 10 (2×5) || 3 || 0.300
|-
| 11 (1×11) || 3 || '''0.272'''
|-
| 12 (2×6, 3×4) || 4 || ''0.333''
|-
| 15 (3×5) || 4 || '''0.267'''
|-
| 16 (2×8, 4×4) || 5 || ''0.312''
|-
| 18 (2×9, 3×6) || 5 || 0.278
|-
| 19 (1×19) || 5 || '''0.263'''
|-
| 20 (2×10, 4×5) || 6 || ''0.300''
|-
| 21 (3×7) || 6 || 0.286
|-
| 23 (1×23) || 6 || '''0.261'''''
|-
| 24 (3×8, 4×6) || 7 || ''0.292''
|-
| 25 (5×5) || 7 || 0.280
|-
| 27 (3×9) || 7 || '''0.259'''
|-
| 30 (2×15, 3×10, 5×6) || 8 || '''0.266'''
|-
| 31 (''n/a'') || 8 || '''''0.257'''''
|-
| 35 (5×7) || 9 || '''0.257'''
|-
| 39 (3×13) || 10 || '''0.256'''
|-
| 42 (2×21, 3×14, 6×7) || 11 || '''0.262'''
|-
| 43 (''n/a'') || 11 || '''''0.262'''''
|-
| 45 (5×9) || 12 || 0.267
|-
| 46 (2×23) || 12 || '''0.261'''
|-
| 47 (''n/a'') || 12 || '''''0.255'''''
|-
| 49 (7×7) || 13 || 0.265
|-
| 50 (5×10) || 13 || 0.260
|-
| 51 (3×17) || 13 || '''0.255'''
|-
| 55 (5×11) || 14 || '''0.254'''
|-
| 63 (3×21, 7×9) || 16 || '''0.254'''
|-
| 75 (3×25, 5×15) || 19 || '''0.253'''
|-
| 87 (3×29) || 22 || '''0.252'''
|-
| 90 (9×10) || 23 || 0.256
|-
| 91 (7×13) || 23 || '''0.252'''
|-
| 95 (5×19) || 24 || '''0.252'''
|-
| 99 (9×11) || 25 || '''0.252'''
|-
| 100 (10×10) || 26 || ''0.260''
|}
Each farm tile requires a single seed to be planted. Unfertilized farm tiles can produce a stack of 0-6 plants when harvested, depending upon the [[Grower|skill]] of the planter and random chance. Fertilizing a farm plot boosts production by up to 4 additional plants per stack each harvest. For unskilled planters, yield can be effectively doubled with the use of fertilizer. This can be particularly important early on, when your fortress's seed supply is limited, because those extra plants mean more seeds for planting next season. Many crops, like quarry bushes, are impossible to farm effectively in the beginning without fertilizer. Larger harvest stack sizes can also dramatically increase the efficiency of downstream industries; see the [[grower]] article for more discussion. To fertilize a farm plot, one needs [[potash]], which is produced by processing [[ash]]. Each plot must be re-fertilized each season, and the fertilizer must be in place at the time the seeds reach maturity. Fertilizing near the end of the season will just waste potash. It does not matter whether the plot is fertilized at the time of planting. {{cite forum|139382/5375231}}

Fertilizing a farm plot requires ''floor(plot_size / 4) + 1'' potash. The table on the right illustrates the efficiency of potash as a function of plot size - the most efficient (for a specific amount of potash) are in '''bold''', the least efficient are in '''italics''', and sizes that are most efficient but very difficult to create in-game (not rectangular numbers less than or equal to 30 per side) are both '''''bold & italicized'''''. Generally, larger farms use less, approaching a limit of 1/4 bar per square. The worst yields per tile are multiples of 4; if one plans to optimize harvest yield, it's most efficient to have plots of size ''4n - 1'', where n is the number of potash used. Suitable sizes are 1×3, 1×7, 3×5, 3×9, 5×7, and 7×9. If one plans to optimize farmer experience, plots of size 2 or 4 can be fertilized and seeded quickest, and experience can be distributed among more farmers. This ensures that if a bounty of crop is needed in the future, your farmers can yield more without potash, can plant and harvest quicker, and will have more time for other jobs in between. Of course, the price you'll pay for this is more time spent highlighting each individual farm and changing the crops if you wish to adjust your farming plan.

Fertilizer may be applied to a plot by checking the box next to "Not set to fertilize" while in the farm plot menu, or checking "Fertilize every season". Only dwarves with the Planting work order will apply fertilizer; this grants 30 XP of farming experience for each unit of potash used. Note that if you do not have a potash stockpile near your farm plots, your legendary farmers may spend all of their time hauling single bars of potash from all the way on the other side of your fortress, rather than growing food.

'''Potash Production Chain:'''
Wood [[Stockpile]] > [[Wood furnace]] produces [[Ash]] (as [[bar]]s) > [[Ashery]] produces [[potash]] (as [[bar]]s).
Note: 5 bars are stored in a [[bin]]. An [[Ashery]] requires a [[block]], barrel, and bucket as components.

=== Exact yield mechanics ===
There is always at least one plant harvested. Each of the following conditions, if true, has a 50% chance to yield an additional plant:
* If the farm plot is at least 25% fertilized.
* If the farm plot is at least 50% fertilized.
* If the farm plot is at least 75% fertilized.
* If the farm plot is 100% fertilized.
* Randomly, with a (skill in 5) chance -- where the skill is the Farmer's skill level when the seed was planted. Always for Proficient (5) skill or higher.
* Randomly, with a (skill in 10) chance. Always for Accomplished or higher.
* Randomly, with a (skill in 15) chance. Always for Legendary.
* Randomly, with a (skill in 20) chance. Always for Legendary+5 or higher.
* Randomly, with a (skill in 75) chance. For this last check, the skill level is capped at Legendary+10 (25).

A Legendary+10 farmer working in a completely fertilized plot will always satisfy the first eight conditions, with a 33.3% chance of making the last check. Even then, each of these only has a 50% chance to increase yield, so the result can, in theory, be as low as 1! But on average, such a farmer can expect 5.17 crops per seed planted.

If you are farming on "poor soil" underground, all yields will be reduced by 75% (with a minimum of 1). See below for more details.

== Subterranean farming ==
To grow the six [[Crop#Dwarven crops|"dwarven" plants]], you will need an [[Tile attributes|underground]] farm plot. The seeds and spawn available to your dwarves at [[embark]] will only grow underground. Underground farm plots must be placed on soil or [[mud]]dy stone. Farm tiles located in soil layers, except any which are part of a [[cavern]], are considered "poor" (even if covered in mud) and will reduce all yields by 75%; farming any where else underground, including muddied stone in '''any''' stone layer, will not reduce yields. [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=180689.msg8448153#msg8448153] It doesn't matter what the tiles themselves are made of, just their location; even if you cast [[obsidian]] in a soil layer, mine it out, and irrigate it, it will still count as "poor".

Muddying a stone floor requires temporarily covering it with water; common methods include a [[Irrigation#via_Buckets|bucket brigade]] or '''controlled''' [[flood]]ing by temporarily diverting a river or pool, using a [[floodgate]] or [[door]] to stop the flow. You may also find a muddied area in a cavern, but note that each tile underneath the farm plot must be muddied. Most caverns have entire open areas which will be permanently covered in mud, but if you dig into the walls of a cavern or chisel away a pillar, the freshly cut floor area will not be muddied until you get it wet. Underground caverns are dirty, and frequently contain piles of mud that are perfect for quickly setting up farms. However, given the wide variety of [[Creature#Subterranean|creatures found in caverns]], you may want to take precautions. Consider keeping a [[squad]] close at hand to guard the farm, or walling off a muddied area for your dwarves' exclusive use.

Underground farming is not restricted to soil layers and caverns; underground floor of any material – rough stone, smoothed stone, ore, gem – can support subterranean farm plots once there is a layer of mud covering it. See [[irrigation]] for tips on getting the right amount of water to the farm plots.

== Above-ground farming ==

Farming of above ground crops is only possible on tiles that lie in a biome which supports their growth. Which crops are farmable depends on the biome - only plants ''native'' to a biome can actually be grown in a location: you cannot farm [[yam|yams]] in a [[taiga]], or [[hemp]] in a [[tropical]] rainforest. There are also biomes where aboveground farming is entirely impossible, since no crops are native to them: these are the notoriously cold [[glacier]] and [[tundra]], but also all [[lake]], [[mountain]] and [[ocean]] [[biome]]s. The most widespread crops can be farmed in all land biomes with the exceptions mentioned above; this ubiquitous availability uses the internal reference NOT_FREEZING, but that label is somewhat misleading, since it's a [[Biome token|shorthand]] for a group of specific biomes and doesn't imply anything about the actual temperature - mountains and oceans are generally infertile, no matter what temperature range the embark screen lists, and a [[Taiga]] with "freezing" temperatures allows farming above ground plants. On an embark which crosses multiple biomes, it's not unusual for aboveground farms in different biomes to have different lists of available crops.

Above-ground farming is basically the same as underground farming, with the simplifying distinction that above-ground plots typically do not require preparatory work. However, there are some complications, of which the first is that seeds cannot be chosen at embark, as dwarven civilizations do not have access to those sort of plants. They can be bought from [[Elves|elven]] and [[human]] caravans; above-ground plants can be gathered using the [[Plant gathering]] designation, and then [[brewer|brewed]], [[miller|milled]], [[thresher|threshed]] or [[food|eaten]] directly (depending on the plant) to produce seeds.

The second complication is that the farming must be done on [[soil]] or muddied rock, which is [[above ground]]. Typically, it is done on the surface, which is dangerous (due to aggressive animals, ambushes and sieges). However, any land which has ever been exposed to sunlight becomes permanently marked as "above ground". So, if you have multiple Z-layers of soil; you can channel some above-ground land, remove the resulting ramps, then construct a floor, above where the surface once was. The (now inside and protected) lower soil will still be suitable for farming outdoor plants like [[strawberry|strawberries]], [[longland grass]], [[rope reed]], and anything else you may find. If your soil is not thick enough, you may still get a secure above-ground farm by doing the same with any stone and muddying it. Alternatively, you may build a greenhouse by [[wall]]ing around some soil.

Note that when creating an above-ground plot, the interface may incorrectly display "No mud/soil for farm", even though mud is present. {{bug|249}} The message can be ignored.

== Farm plots in action ==
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right;margin:1em;width:35%"
|+ Growth duration for subterranean crops
|-
! Crops !! Game [[Time|ticks]] until harvest !! Days until harvest
|-
| Plump helmet, pig tail || 30000 || 25 days
|-
| Cave wheat, sweet pod, quarry bush, dimple cup || 50000 || 41.666 days
|}

Once a farm plot has been built and crops have been selected for the current season, dwarves with the "[[Grower|Farming (Fields)]]" labor enabled will begin planting the selected seeds. One seed is used per tile. The higher a dwarf's grower skill in planting, the more plants will be harvested from each seed planted. The farming labor is fairly low in priority, so if you want a full-time farmer, it is best to disable all other labors.

Plants take time to grow, depending on their type. Once a plant is fully grown, a dwarf will harvest it; by default, any dwarf will do this. Harvesting plants is not affected by any skill, although it provides a small amount of grower experience, so it's a good idea to set only your planters to harvest, not just anyone. To do that, go to {{menu icon|y}} Labor, then click Standing Orders, then click Other, then click "Everybody Harvests". This is useful only to train your planter faster; once they're skilled enough, everyone can be allowed to harvest again, so the haulers can take care of half the farming work.

<div style="float:right">
{| style="border-spacing: 0"
|{{RT|≈|6:0}}||{{RT|`|0:1}}||{{RT|τ|6:1}}||{{RT|═|6:0}}||{{RT|≈|6:0}}
|-
|{{RT|≈|6:0}}||{{RT|≈|6:0}}||{{RT|τ|6:1}}||{{RT|═|6:0}}||{{RT|≈|6:0}}
|-
|{{RT|≈|6:0}}||{{RT|≈|6:0}}||{{RT|τ|6:1}}||{{RT|═|6:0}}||{{RT|≈|6:0}}
|-
|{{RT|≈|6:0}}||{{RT|τ|6:1}}||{{RT|═|6:0}}||{{RT|≈|6:0}}||{{RT|≈|6:0}}
|-
|{{RT|≈|6:0}}||{{RT|τ|6:1}}||{{RT|═|6:0}}||{{RT|≈|6:0}}||{{RT|≈|6:0}}
|}
</div>
In the farm plot shown on the right, {{Tile|≈|6:0}} indicates tiles awaiting planting, {{Tile|═|6:0}} indicates tiles that have been planted and are now growing, and {{Tile|τ|6:1}} indicates [[longland grass]] plants that are ready for harvesting.

If harvested plants are not moved to a stockpile in time, they will wither, and eventually [[rot]] away. There is no use for withered plants. If, when the seasons change, the previous crop can not grow anymore, all immature plants will be destroyed, yielding neither seed nor plant. If the farmers are "aware" of this limitation, they will automatically stop planting crops that haven't enough time to ripen, but you might lose a few seeds in your first year when growers of insufficient skill plant seeds too close to the cutoff. Depending on the number of growers and their experience and the rate at which the plant grows, not all squares of large plots may be used. Any farm plot that has both Above Ground and Subterranean tile attributes within the plot will only be partially-planted, if at all.

=== Farm size ===
{{main|Farm size calculations}}

{{Dual image
|premium=File:DFwiki5by53by3farm.png
|classic=File:Quickstart_layout_3.png
|width=100px
|caption=A 5×5 room with a 3×3 farm plot
}}

A beginning fortress has 7 dwarves, each of which consumes 7 units of food and drink per dwarf per season, needs 196 for the whole fortress for the year. This starting group can theoretically be supported by a single farm tile, but in practice a larger farm will be necessary since a young fortress is unable to use farm tiles to their fullest potential.

A properly-managed and fully-utilized 3×3 plot growing plump helmets can produce an average of up to 2700 units of alcohol per year, enough to provide food (through booze-cooking with seeds) and drink for a fortress of 95 dwarves. A similar 5×5 plot can produce up to 7500 units of food and drink per year, enough to support 265 dwarves.

== Management ==
Use the [[labor]] menu, and go to the Kitchen tab. From here you can see how many of each kind of food you have. If you're running out of a certain kind of seed, toggle the corresponding plant "Cook" setting to red. [[Cooking]] plants doesn't leave a seed. If you have too many of a certain kind of seed, or of plump helmet, as noted above, toggle the seed "Cook" setting to green. Just make sure you check on the amount and toggle it back before you run out. It may also be a good idea to set aside a few seeds from each type of crop and [[forbid]] them, as a seed bank in case of [[fun|fun times]].

=== Managing seeds ===
[[Seed]]s are used to grow [[crop]]s. You may begin the game with a certain number of seeds, [[trade]] for them, or [[plant gathering|gather]] them. In addition to this, eating, [[milling]] and [[brewing]] plants often yield a seed (assuming your fortress hasn't hit the seed cap for that plant). [[Cooking]] plants does not yield seeds, and cooking seeds makes them unusable for planting, so you may want to watch out and make sure you don't convert the last of your plants into +strawberry roast+ without the ability to make more.

You can create a custom [[stockpile]] near your [[farm]] which will only accept [[seed]]s. This will consolidate your seeds into one place, instead of having them littered all through the [[dining room]]. Seeds are stored in [[bag]]s (up to 100 seeds per bag), and seed bags can be stored in barrels. However it is recommended to not use barrels on seed stockpiles, since the hauling habits lead to barrels getting carted around to collect each and every loose seed, interrupting the planting work; see the [[#Bugs|Bugs]] section below for workarounds.

For DF2014 the theoretical seed stockpile maximum size is 31 tiles for 200 seeds of each of 155 crops, but the actual maximum needed is much less because no fort will be situated in the right place to grow all of those. Four tiles gives enough space for 20 different crops.

Each plant has a fortress-wide seed cap, defaulted to 200 (this value can be adjusted in [[Settings#Population_and_seed_capacities|settings]]). [[Brewing]], [[milling]], and [[food|eating]] raw plants will not generate additional seeds once the cap is reached, although you may still get additional seed bags via [[trading]] and thus exceed this limit. Once the count of seeds falls below 200, new seeds will again be generated. There is also a fortress-wide total seed cap, initially set at 3000 (also configurable in settings). Once your fortress reaches this cap new seeds will still be generated, but the oldest seeds on the map will disappear.

Seeds may be toggled for [[cooking]] on the Kitchen tab of the [[labor]] menu. Disabling seed cooking will keep your seeds safe from starving dwarves. Although the item properties label them as EDIBLE_RAW, [[quarry bush|rock nuts]], like all other seeds, are ''not'' consumed as-is.

=== Managing crops ===
When your [[crop]]s are ripe, your dwarves will harvest them from the farm plots. This will yield one or more [[stack]]s of [[plant]]s, which will be [[hauling|hauled]] to the appropriate [[stockpile]]. It is generally a good idea to have sufficient [[barrel]]s to hold the food, as [[food]] is subject to [[wear|withering]] and the predation of [[vermin]]. [[Metal]] barrels are especially effective against vermin. You can create a custom stockpile that will only accept [[plant]]s, to avoid having it all mixed up with your [[meat]] and [[drink]]s. It would be a good idea to have this stockpile near your [[still]], [[farmer's workshop]], [[kitchen]], etc. You may also choose to make more specialized stockpiles, for instance if your [[windmill]] is located far away from your farms, you might have small nearby stockpiles dedicated solely to millable plants and [[flour]] so as to save on hauling.

The Kitchen tab on the [[labor]] menu allows you to control which crops, if any, your dwarves will use as ingredients when cooking. Be careful when you are cultivating new crops or running low on others, and make sure you don't cook the last of them instead of recovering the valuable seeds. Note that experienced [[farmer]]s and crop [[#Yield and fertilization|fertilization]] significantly increase the return on planted seeds, and can be quite useful when attempting to build your seed stockpile.

If you suffer from plump helmet overflow, create a plump-helmet-only stockpile, forbid plump helmets from all other food stockpiles, and let the crops in the field die if they can't be picked. Withering crops do not produce miasma.

== Adventure mode ==
Interestingly, farming does work in adventure mode, though it requires the use of [[DFHack]]'s advfort plugin - buy fruit at a market, brew them into booze and seeds, build farming plots, plant the seeds. Unfortunately the time it takes for stuff to grow is adapted to fortress mode, and it takes an inordinate amount of time for your adventurer to do a single harvest.

== Bugs ==
* "Store item in container" jobs block access to items already in the container. This causes stored seeds to become unavailable, spamming job cancellations. {{bug|9004}}
** Workaround #1: set your seed stockpile to only take from links. When seed supplies run low, toggle it back to "anywhere" temporarily to gather up all the loose seeds.
** Workaround #2: set desired barrels to 0 in the seed stockpile. This means making the stockpile larger, as only one seed bag will be stored per tile. However, at 100 seeds per bag and with the 200 seed cap per seed type (cf. [[seed]]), this still only amounts to 12 tiles for a full underground-crop seed stockpile, assuming each seed type is only stored in 2 bags. Haulers will still lock a whole bag to gather individual seeds, but this is better than locking a whole barrel full of seed bags.
** Workaround #3: create two custom [[stockpile]]s which only accept [[seed]]s. Disable barrels in the first stockpile, and set it to give to the second stockpile. Set the second to only take from links.
** Workaround #4: disable seeds in all stockpiles and recruit a few extra farmers. No hauled seeds means no planting job cancellation spam.
* Fortress-wide seed cap counts seeds carried by traders {{bug|8108}} (Fixed in version 51.06: Merchants no longer bring seeds when at seed cap.)
* Fortress-wide seed cap removes seeds that have already been planted {{bug|8107}} (Fixed in version 51.06.)
* Conflict between seed caps can cause all seeds for a crop to disappear {{bug|8091}} (Fixed in version 51.06.)
* Some crops can't be processed, and so can't be used or replanted {{bug|6940}}
** [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=162231.msg7321878#msg7321878 partial workaround] by editing the raws for bitter vetch (possibly works for other crops too)

== Caveats (warnings) ==
=== Red crops ===
Crops will sometimes be displayed as red in the field listing. This means that planting the crop would be fruitless, as it will not survive long enough to be harvested (due to it not being plantable during the next season). Note that this will only happen if your dwarves actually '''know''' that the crop will die, which will be learned either by observation (i.e. having the seeds die during a season transition) or by being planted by a sufficiently skilled Farmer.

== See also ==
* [[Irrigation]]
* [[Tile attributes]]
* [[Crops]]
* [[How large a farm do i need|How large a farm do I need?]]

{{Translation| dwarven = ivom | elvish = tòbafí | goblin = gotåm | human = ab}}

{{Category|Buildings}}
{{Category|Agriculture| }}
{{Category|Farming Workshops}}
{{Industry}}
{{Workshops}}
{{V50 menus}}
[[ru:Farming]][[zh:Farming]]

User:Bumber

2026-03-29T01:36:08Z

Bumber: Add dwarven mass transit, update page

== Dwarven Mass Transit ==

A transit system that uses two minecarts to encode X/Y coordinates and send an adventurer to the correct site. Stupid dwarf trick.

Old concept: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=147077.45

Adventure mode save: https://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=17778

{{gamedata|title={{text anchor|DFHack Blueprint}}|
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,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,trackNS
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,trackNS
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,trackNS
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,trackNS
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,trackNS
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,trackNS
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,trackNS
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,trackNS
trackEW,trackEW,trackEW,trackSW,,,trackrampNS,,,,,,,,,,,,trackNS
,,,trackNS,,,trackNE,trackEW,trackEW,trackEW,trackEW,trackEW,trackEW,trackEW,trackEW,trackEW,trackEW,trackEW,trackNW,trackSW,trackEW,trackEW,trackEW,trackEW
,,,trackNE,trackEW,trackEW,trackNW,,,,,,,,,,,,,trackNS
,,,,,,trackrampNS,,,,,,,,,,,,,trackNS
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,trackNS
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,trackNS
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,trackNS
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,trackNS
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,trackNS
#build label(build) start(10;21;stairs)

,,,,,,,,,Tp,Mr(1x6)

,,,,Mg,Mg,Mr(1x1),Tp,Tp,Tp

,,,,,,Tp
,,,,Mg,Mg,Mr(1x1),Tp,Tp,Tp,,Mg,Mg,,Mg,,Mg,,Mg
,,,,,,,,,,,,Mrs(1x1),,Mrs(1x1),,Mrs(1x1),,Mrs(1x1)

,,,,,,Tp
#>

,,,Tp,Mrs(1x1)
,,,,Mg
,,,,Mg,,,,,,,Tp,,,,,Tp,,Tp
,,,,Mhs(1x2),,,,,,Tp,Mrs(1x1),,,,,Mrs(1x1),,Mrsss(1x1)
,,,,,,,,,,,Mg,,,,,Mg,,Mg
Mw,Mg,Mw,Mh(1x1),Mg,Mh(6x1),,,,,,Mg,Mg,Mh(1x1),Mg,Mh(1x1),Mg,Mh(1x1),Mg
,Mhs(1x2),,,Mhs(1x3),,,,,,,,Mhs(1x1),,,,,,Mhs(1x1)
,,,,,,,,,,Mr(1x1),Mg,Mg,Mg,Mr(1x1),,Mr(1x1),Mg,Mg,Mg,Mr(1x1)
Mw,Mg,Mw,,,,,,,,Tp,,Mhs(1x2),,Tp,,Tp,,Mhs(1x2),,Tp
,,,,Mg,Mg,Mrss(1x1),,,,Mrss(1x2),,,,Mrss(1x2),,Mrss(1x2),,,,Mrss(1x2)
,,,,,Mg,,,,,,Mg,Mg,Mg,,,,Mg,Mg,Mg
,,,,,Mhs(1x3),,,,,,,,,,,,,Mhs(1x1)
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Mr(1x1),Mg,Mg,Mg,Mr(1x1)
,,,,,,,,,,CSa,,,,,,Tp,,Mhs(1x2),,Tp
,,,,,Mg,Mrss(1x5),,,,,,,,,,Mrss(1x2),,,,Mrss(1x2)
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Mg,Mg,Mg

,,,,,,,Tp
#>

CSdd,,CSdd

,,,,,Mg,Mrss(1x1)

}}

== My Old Fort ==
https://imgur.com/gallery/fort-motaval-strangelove-dwarf-fortress-xUcpJ

== Custom Color Scheme ==
More easily distinguishable grays for stockpile screen and blue versus black for lists.

{{color scheme
|black=#000000
|dgray=#606060
|blue=#0000ff
|lblue=#0060ff
|green=#008000
|lgreen=#00ff00
|cyan=#008080
|lcyan=#00ffff
|red=#800000
|lred=#ff0000
|magenta=#800080
|lmagenta=#ff00ff
|brown=#808000
|yellow=#ffff00
|lgray=#a0a0a0
|white=#ffffff
}}

== Short Story ==
<pre style="white-space: pre-wrap">
Adventurer's Log:
Urist Curioustragedies

Felsite 5th, 154
Stumbled across abandoned fort. First sign of civilization in several days. I see no rivers pouring from these mountains.
Soil in vicinity has traces of obsidian, but no volcano in sight. Fashioned a slab to record findings.
Hope there are supplies inside. I need a stiff drink, and surface fruit disagrees with my belly. Finding allies to fight the green menace will have to wait.

Felsite 6th, 154
Large empty pots line the stockpiles. What little food remains is petrified. This place has been abandoned much longer than I anticipated.
Perhaps it belonged to early members of our civilization? I don't recognize the events on the walls. Who are these strange figures with pointed ears, and why are they burning?
I'm getting ahead of myself. There's a staircase downwards. It may lead to the caverns. I'm no fisherdwarf, but hopefully I can hunt some beasts for food.

Felsite 7th, 154
There are glass windows surrounding the stairwell. It looks like the local cavern has been walled-off and replaced with axles and waterwheels.
Water trickles down from the ceiling (sadly out of reach,) and the wheels yet spin. A column of pumps stands tall in the corner, but water does not flow through them.

Discovered a complex network of minecarts and mechanisms beneath caverns. Not active. I will attempt to restart them tomorrow. Hopefully they will provide a shortcut home.

Felsite 8th, 154
The flow of the air indicates midday. Looks like I've overslept. It may take a while for my body to readjust to the underground.
The lower cavern has been sealed off as well. In its stead are rows and rows of minecart tracks that loop about everywhich way. Madness!
I've located what appears to be the lever to the machinery. It is in a small tower overlooking a series of small drawbridges.
The drawbridges are arranged as inscribed: [88:88]. Perhaps it's some mechanic's idea of artwork?

I pull the lever and I hear gears spin to life. The sound of minecarts rolling merrily along. The artwork shifts. It now looks like: [00:59]
I go for a closer look. By the time I reach it, the rightmost grouping has reverted to [8] again. It doesn't look like there's anything under the little bridges.

The rightmost group has a new arrangement: [7]. It seems to change about every twelth of a day. Perhaps they are symbols? A calendar?
My stomach grumbles. Only one flask of water remains. I regret that I lack the resources to study further. I shall have to return some month later.

Felsite 10th
Yesterday was wasted on those blasted minecarts! I spent hours speeding along twisted tracks, colliding with carts, and ended right where I embarked!
I have no time for this maddwarf's joyride! Hypothesis for how this fort fell: They all bathed in brain-rotting rain!

The pumps in the upper caverns remain inactive. No choice but to press on downwards to find where they lead.
The calendar had read [00:52] when I left for the minecarts over a day ago, now it reads [00:38]. The second symbol from the right has changed in my absence. I continue downwards.

Felsite 11th
Sobriety has slowed my pace. Had to skip sleep, but I've reached the bottom.
I'm at the forges. I can see the magma sea outside. It's as beautiful as the tales tell. Creatures lurk below, but they can't reach me here. Nor can I reach the cavern's bounty.
Dispair! I can see the pump stack, and it's dipping into the magma! It was not for water, after all. I must have missed the forges near the surface.
I might as well press onwards.

Last of the water's gone. I still haven't eaten in days. Following the only tunnel from the forges, I reach a secure vault.

A nearby lever opens the vault. Success! The vault is divided into three floors: Tavern, hospital, sleeping quarters.
The tavern is a mess. Tables and levers are smashed. The booze has evaporated by now. There's equipment littered everywhere, some made of a strange, lightweight metal.
Only dust remains, but it's clear how these dwarves met their end: Violently. Sometimes a single angry dwarf is all it takes to put events in motion.
There was no escape for them. Deconstructing a closed drawbridge might as well take years if you're caught in sight of a mad dwarf.
The strange blue equipment is oddly undamaged. I'll take some with me.

By luck, there is still some food left! Most of it is rotten, but there are edibles remaining near the bottom of the stack.
It consists of quarry leaves, dwarven syrup, and some funny-tasting meat I can't identify. "Funnier" than a skilled Comedian, but I'll need it for the road.
Fortune smiles again! Water remains in the hospital well! I fill up my water flasks and prepare for a good night's sleep in the sleeping quarters.

Felsite 12th, 154
I begin the journey back up. Still sober, but full.

Felsite 13th, 154
The calendar had continued its work in my absence: [00:04].
That's odd. Why do three of the symbols match? Is it near the end of their year? Who begins a calendar near the end of spring?!
It was counting up, wasn't it?

The minecarts. The minecarts! I had forgotten the measure of madness I was dealing with! Nothing good could be waiting at the end of this!
A pull of the lever. Maybe that stopped it! [00:03] No use!

I ran up past the mainaic minecarts. How long did I have left to make my escape? The count continued toward my doom.

I continued past the water wheels. Perhaps I could smash enough of them in time?
*Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!*
The pumps have started! What for? Magma!! I have to hurry!

The entrance is in sight! Almost there...
Light from the outside! It's... on fire? Why is the outside on fire?

Magma everywhere! It's starting to pour through the entrance!
Where's the entrance lever? Have to find it, fast!

Map! Where's the correct lever located?
"Surface Level Levers: Trade Depot Gates, Trade Depot Water Control" Why does a depot need water?
"Middle Area Levers: Pull in Case of Elves" Elves? Is that a ferocious megabeast?
"Safety Vault Levers: Vault Access, FTW Reset, Cavern Access, Entrance Gate" No! The levers!

Who builds only one entrance lever, then locates it in the most inaccessible section of the fort!? Who builds a device that floods the surface with magma!?
Who puts critical levers in the middle of a tavern, where drunken mainiacs beat each other senseless?

Worry about it later! Maybe I can outrun the magma and find another exit. Maybe I can stop the wheels. Maybe the magma will destroy them if break the windows!

Felsite 14th, 154
Is it really the year 154? My father claims to be one of the first dwarves. This fort's been abandoned for over a century, yet its design is beyond anything I've ever seen!

I failed to stop the pumps. I managed to smash a few axels and windows on my way down, but I can still hear wheels turning elsewhere in the fortress.
A map labels them as "Water Reactors", whatever that means.

Perhaps we're mistaken in our history. Or perhaps some wicked demon or god designed this fort. I don't really care.

The magma's begun flooding the "calendar" room. There's no escape at this point. The best I can do is prevent this tragedy from repeating itself.
I've engraved my account on this slab, and placed beside the lever that started this madness. If anybody's reading this... If anyone survived...
Do not attempt to reclaim this fort! Do not pull any mysterious levers! Forget about the goblins. Whoever designed this place is the true evil!

I can feel the heat. Magma has almost reached the top of the tower. I really wish I had some booze. Arrrrrrgggggghh!
</pre>

Grasshopper

2021-03-23T00:35:31Z

Bumber: Can be caught in 0.47.05 due to file changes

{{Quality|Superior|18:07, 1 August 2017 (UTC)}}
{{verminlookup/0}}
{{av}}
{{creaturedesc}}

'''Grasshoppers''' are a species of unremarkable [[above ground]] [[vermin]] who may be found in any non-freezing [[biome]]. They may not be caught in [[animal trap]]s prior to 0.47.05.

Some dwarves [[Preferences|like]] grasshoppers for their ''chirping'' and their ''great leaps''.

{{Translation| dwarven = isin-ikus | elvish = enena-ayefi | goblin = struxe-angnu | human = kege-buh}}
[[File:Chinese rice grasshopper (Oxya chinensis).jpg|thumb|center|400px|Admired for its ''chirping''.]]

{{gamedata}}
{{vermin}}

Bridge

2020-04-24T23:34:43Z

Bumber: /* Building bridges */

{{Quality|Masterwork|12:07, 16 August 2019 (UTC)}}
{{av}}

[[File:drawbridge_preview.png|thumb|170px|right|Medieval-style drawbridge.]] '''Bridges''' are [[building]]s which provide a temporarily walkable floor that can either be removed ("retracting" bridges) or turned into a wall ("raising" bridges) via linked [[mechanism]]s. Bridges are useful for crossing empty space and dangerous terrain, serve a vital role in [[Defense design|fortress defense]], and have a host of ancillary uses. For example, using bridges to control [[flow|fluids]] can save a ton of mechanisms and time, especially when the [[magma|fluid in question]] requires a wide opening.

==Building bridges==

Bridges can be built ({{k|b}} -> {{k|g}}) of [[metal]], [[stone]] or [[wood]]. They are first designed by an [[architect]], then require a specialist worker in the material used (e.g. a [[mason]] for a stone bridge). The size of the bridge can be altered with {{k|u}}{{k|m}}{{k|k}}{{k|h}} while placing it, up to a maximum size of 10 squares in each direction. Raising bridges must be anchored to a solid surface on the "raising" edge. Before placing the bridge ensure that the bridge raises from the direction you want it to using {{k|w}}{{k|a}}{{k|d}}{{k|x}} or retracts using {{k|s}}. The direction points to the side of the bridge which will become a wall when the bridge is raised.

=====Placement requirements=====
The error message 'Needs walkable perimeter' suggests that access is required all the way around the perimeter of the bridge, however, only one accessible adjacent tile is required. Placement of the bridge also requires that all of the tiles it occupies not have more than 1/7 water on them at the time of construction.

===Materials===
Bridges require number of tiles divided by four, rounded down, plus one ( ⌊Tiles/4⌋+1 ) of material to build.

The "core" material of the bridge is the ''oldest'' individual building material chosen (i.e. the first item to be created in the fortress or enter the map).{{cite forum|134816}} The core material determines the color, style, and description of the bridge, as well as the labor required for construction.

Care should be taken when choosing materials for bridges that will be exposed to [[fire]] or [[magma]]. Bridges built with non-[[magma-safe]] materials will heat up and eventually melt if the center tile (with bias towards the northwest if the center doesn't fall on a single tile) gets covered in magma or exposed to fire, whether the bridge is raised, lowered, or even retracted. The ability of a bridge to withstand heat is limited by the ''least'' fire-resistant item involved - a single non-magmaproof building block or mechanism will cause the whole bridge to deconstruct when exposed to sufficient heat. [[Dragonfire]] almost immediately melts nearly all bridges ([[slade]] being the prime exception).

==Raising and retracting bridges==

All bridges in DF can be either raised or retracted by linking it to a trigger with [[mechanism]]s. This requires a dwarf with the [[mechanics]] labor activated.

If a bridge is set to retract when a [[lever]] is pulled, the bridge essentially disappears, ''tossing'' anything (friend, foe, or object) on the bridge onto whatever is underneath. Clearly this can be used to drop your enemies to rocky/watery/fiery deaths (or anything more imaginative you can think up!). Note that the creatures and objects are "tossed" with a semi-random initial velocity; this can reduce the lethality of pit traps (creatures bouncing off the walls lose the precious momentum that would otherwise result in an unsurvivable splat at the bottom), interfere with the reproducibility of dwarven !!SCIENCE!!, and be [[exploit]]ed as the key mechanic in [[#Coinstar training|coinstar training]].

If a bridge is set to raise when a lever is pulled, the bridge will become a [[wall]] along the edge selected with the {{k|w}}{{k|a}}{{k|d}}{{k|x}} keys when placing the bridge. When activated, the bridge "raises" very quickly, flinging anything on the bridge into the air, with unpleasant if not always deadly side effects. The resulting wall is always one z-level tall, watertight, and invulnerable to [[building destroyer]]s. Raising "drawbridges" can be used to block fortress entrances and corridors. When lowered, bridges will destroy most anything on the underlying tiles. By destroying we mean dwarves, foes, and items will entirely disappear from the game, a rare event which led to the creation of the term [[dwarven atom smasher]].

Any water displaced by a raising bridge is destroyed regardless of how much open space is on each side or above. Water resting atop a retracting bridge falls straight down after the bridge retracts.

==Notes==

Bridges will not operate if any one creature of [[List of creatures by adult size#bridge|size 1200000]] or larger is on them. This weight limit is not cumulative - a bridge will still retract if a hundred goblins are standing on it, but a single [[rutherer]] accompanying those goblins will prevent the bridge from operating. Attempting to lower a drawbridge onto such a creature (in order to [[Dwarven atom smasher|atom-smash]] it) will cause the bridge itself to deconstruct. Attempting to "unretract" a bridge while such a creature is in any of the bridge tiles will similarly cause the bridge to deconstruct. The size limit does not apply to creatures inside cages.

It is impossible to channel out stone that is directly under a bridge, raised or not. Likewise digging a ramp under a bridge will not remove the floor tile. To remove these floor tiles, the bridge must be deconstructed. Note that [[obsidian casting]] can ''create'' new floor tiles under a bridge, which then behave in the manner above.

Big bridges can take weeks or even months to complete. You can shorten construction time by moving the materials to the site before starting construction, and by using blocks instead of rocks. The material-gathering time is somewhat shorter for blocks due to their lesser weight, and the actual construction is three times faster for blocks.

While bridges do not provide structural [[support]], the game will still allow you to place unsupported [[construction]]s adjacent to them which will result in an immediate [[cave-in]] once completed, often tossing the unlucky mason off the edge, to <s>a horrible death</s> any bystanders' great entertainment. However, extending a supported construction alongside a bridge will not cause a cave-in.
 '''Example:'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|Will cause a cave-in
|Will '''not''' cause a cave-in
|-
|
<diagram>
╔═╗[#3:0]▓[#]
║+║[#0:0][@6:0]O[#@]
╚═╝[#3:0]▓[#]
[#2:1].,'[#3:0]▓[#]
</diagram>
|
<diagram>
╔═╗[#3:0]▓[#]
║+║[#0:0][@6:0]O[#@]
╚═╝║
[#2:1]`,.[#]O
</diagram>
|}

Deconstructing bridges can be hazardous, as dwarves are not as compunctuous as with constructions and diggings to make sure no one is standing on them before destroying them.

A raised bridge cannot be linked to a lever from the inside - the mechanic must be able to access the center tile of the bridge when lowered.

If you aren't sure whether or not a 1 tile thick bridge is raised or lowered, try to build a piece of furniture, like a statue, on it. If it says blocked, the bridge is raised, if it says building present, it is lowered. You can also link another (longer) drawbridge to the same lever, to use as a visual indicator of the other bridge's status. Since this takes additional time and mechanisms, this is best reserved for when it's especially important that you know at a glance whether that bridge is blocking things.

==Uses==
Perhaps the most straightforward use of a bridge is spanning empty space or dangerous terrain. Bridges only need roughly 25% of the material that building [[floor]]s would require, and can be completed relatively quickly as well. Bridges are limited to a span of 20 tiles across open space; greater distances will require columns or other means of support. ("Floating" retracting bridges can be built into spans longer than 20 tiles, but they will deconstruct when support is checked.{{bug|9946}})

===Remote controlled gateways===
Lever-controlled bridges are one of the safer ways to control access. They are immune to building destroyers, though care must be taken to avoid operating them in the presence of exceptionally large creatures. [[Magma safe]] material should be used in the construction if there is any chance magma might flow over the bridge.

Retracting bridges built covering the top of a ramp or stairway can never be destroyed from beneath.

===Floodgates===
Raising bridges make a good replacement for most [[floodgate]] uses (e.g. flow and access control). They have the advantage of not being as easily jammed: they fling or [[Dwarven_atom_smasher|atom smash]] all items and all but the largest enemies on their tile/s when they open or close, whereas a floodgate or door will jam open with a discarded sock in it. Further, bridges cannot be destroyed by [[building destroyer]]s, while [[floodgate]]s can be. A single bridge can also be made up to ten tiles wide, potentially replacing ten floodgates and saving many mechanisims and much work. One minor downside of bridges compared to floodgates is that bridges with a width of 1 look the same when raised as when lowered, so it is easy to confuse whether they are closed or not. If you are unsure of a bridge's status, check the control lever if there is one (in most tilesets, lever to the right means closed), or try to build furniture on top of the bridge and check the resulting warning message ("blocked" means the bridge is raised, "building present" means it's lowered).

===Waste disposal===
Lowering raised bridges can be used as [[waste disposal]] for unwanted stones, [[refuse]], [[goblin]]s (dead or alive), legendary [[cheese]] makers and [[nobles]], to name a few. Even fluids get destroyed. Note, however, that lowering a drawbridge onto a sufficiently large creature (such as a [[forgotten beast]]) simply causes the bridge to deconstruct.

===[[Trap_design#Bridge_and_drop_traps|Traps]]===
Using two bridges at opposite ends of a corridor creates a very large and simple trap by walling in enemies. Or... Smashing them to tiny bits if placed to raise facing each other, with no space in between.
For added effect, place [[pressure plate]]s on both ends to raise the bridge when stepped on, to fling the units. If there is a [[floor]] directly above, they will be stunned. If there is a floor beneath the bridge, and if nobody is on the pressure plate, they will likely be smashed when the bridges come back down. If there is nothing above, they will land rather far away. Bonus points for making them land in a particularly [[Spike#Menacing_spike|nasty spot]].
If there is no floor beneath the bridge, they will fall, sometimes into something [[water|very,]] [[magma|very]] [[megabeast|bad.]]

===Minecart routing===
Lowered/extended bridges "cover" [[Minecart]] track corners constructed or carved underneath, allowing carts to travel in a straight line instead. This can let you change minecart routes via pulling levers.

===[[Cave-in]]s===
Since bridges don't support adjoining rock, it is possible to set up a cave-in so that dust can't come up, dwarves can't fall down, and flying creatures can't come up from beneath the cave-in before you set it off. Bridges are also instrumental in [[magma]]-piston applications.

===Improvised ceilings===
Building an outdoor structure, such as an [[Archery tower]], requires considerable expense and time. The reduced material requirements make bridges a viable alternative to roofing it up tile by tile. While it'll still be immune to [[Building destroyer]]s, a proper constructed ceiling is superior if you expect it to be exposed to [[Dragon|extreme temperatures]].

===Improvised walls===
[[Wall]]s cannot be built along map edges above ground, but raising bridges can. Because these bridges can be raised to act as walls, they can be used to control where wildlife, enemies, and [[caravan]]s spawn on the map edges.

A similar technique can be used to prevent fliers from spawning above ground, but it requires bridges to be built at ''every'' z-level. This requires considerable effort, as each bridge needs to be accessible to the dwarves building it, as well as needing support for each bridge. It can also be somewhat [[fun|risky]] if a dangerous creature suddenly spawns near a dwarf working on the bridge (especially in [[evil]] biomes). Note that this technique, when completed, will also prevent fliers from leaving the map.

===Ocean drains===
Designate ramps on the 2nd level below an ocean. Build a retracting bridge directly above the ramps (immediately under the ocean) leaving the ramps in place, and link it to a trigger. In order to build the bridge (and link it) you will need access to the level of the bridge. Now seal that access off (the constructed wall in the below diagram) so the chamber above the bridge is water tight. Now with the bridge in place, designate ramps up to the ocean adjacent to the bridge. Diggers with access to the level ''below'' the bridge can dig those ramps up from the level of the bridge, allowing the ocean to fill the chamber; even with the ramp squares underwater they can still dig them out. And not a drop of water will touch them... provided they clear out before you pull the lever.

Shown below is a 2x1 bridge (any size bridge can be used) before and after designating the ramps adjacent to the bridge. The stairs and passage on Z2 satisfy the 'Needs walkable perimeter' requirement and provide access to the top of the bridge for linking to a trigger. The passage is then blocked with a wall to make it water tight.

Before breaking through After
side X side Y side X side Y
Z3 ≥≥≥≥≥≥≥ ≥≥≥≥≥≥≥≥≥≥ ≥≥>≥>≥≥ ≥≥≥≥≥≥≥≥≥≥
Z2 ###B### ##Z_X_BB## ##^B^## ##Z_X_BB##
Z1 ###^### Z ^^## ###^### Z ^^##
Z0 ####### ########## ####### ##########

≥ = Water with floor > = Water without floor Z = Stairs
^ = Ramp # = Solid Rock X = Constructed Wall _ = Floor (not constructed)

===Caravan exits===
A bridge to nowhere, built well above ground level at the edge of the map, can sometimes serve as a handy exit for [[caravan]]s and [[diplomat]]s when your fortress is under [[siege]].

===Stops on the elevator===
Designate a dumpsite or set up a floodgate at the top of a shaft; use multiple remote-controlled bridges to decide on which level the stuff, water, magma etc. gets off. (bonus: use water falling at one end of the bridge to flush stuff off that was dropped onto the other end without the manual labor)

===Single lever airlock===
Raising bridges and retracting bridges controlled by a single lever will be in opposite states of being open or closed. When one is closed (raised) the other is open (retracted) and vice versa. This fact can be used to construct airlocks that are not vulnerable to [[building destroyer|building destroyers]] or mistimed lever pulls e.g.
Side View:
Z1 XXXXXXR____ D = Raising drawbridge / = Ramp _ = Floor
Z0 D_____/XXXX R = Retracting bridge X = Solid Rock or Constructed Wall

With a suitably long distance between the two bridges, the controlling lever can be placed within the airlock, and by setting the profile of the lever specific dwarves can be moved between isolated areas.

===Decorations===
Bridges benefit from two [[quality]] modifiers--one for the [[architect]]'s design, and one for the builder's creation, and their multipliers are also applied to any attached mechanisms. High-quality bridges can inspire happy [[thought]]s in your dwarves and help meet room value needs. Bridges may also be used to form [[mosaic]]s or even [[Style_project#Mosaics|animations]].

===Coinstar training===
The mechanical "tossing" action of retracting bridges can be used for training [[armor user]] and associated traits by repeatedly flinging small items at the trainee. See [[Danger_room#Coinstar_Room|Danger room]] for more information.
Alternatively, this design can be used as a trap: invaders atop a retracting bridge inside locked room will get thrown around and optionally pummelled with "ammunition" like stones or weapons placed in the room.

==Bugs==
* Metal bridges can be constructed by dwarves with any of the "metalsmith" skills enabled, however the builder's blacksmith skill is used to determine quality{{bug|4899}}
* Trees grow through bridges, may make the bridges unusable{{bug|7872}}
* Retracting bridges can be built without support, but will deconstruct when support is checked{{bug|9946}}

{{Translation
| dwarven = sazir
| elvish = valóna
| goblin = romnu
| human = ori
}}

{{buildings}}

Bridge

2020-04-24T23:33:52Z

Bumber: /* Building bridges */ Bridge center tile shows NW bias for even-length bridges

{{Quality|Masterwork|12:07, 16 August 2019 (UTC)}}
{{av}}

[[File:drawbridge_preview.png|thumb|170px|right|Medieval-style drawbridge.]] '''Bridges''' are [[building]]s which provide a temporarily walkable floor that can either be removed ("retracting" bridges) or turned into a wall ("raising" bridges) via linked [[mechanism]]s. Bridges are useful for crossing empty space and dangerous terrain, serve a vital role in [[Defense design|fortress defense]], and have a host of ancillary uses. For example, using bridges to control [[flow|fluids]] can save a ton of mechanisms and time, especially when the [[magma|fluid in question]] requires a wide opening.

==Building bridges==

Bridges can be built ({{k|b}} -> {{k|g}}) of [[metal]], [[stone]] or [[wood]]. They are first designed by an [[architect]], then require a specialist worker in the material used (e.g. a [[mason]] for a stone bridge). The size of the bridge can be altered with {{k|u}}{{k|m}}{{k|k}}{{k|h}} while placing it, up to a maximum size of 10 squares in each direction. Raising bridges must be anchored to a solid surface on the "raising" edge. Before placing the bridge ensure that the bridge raises from the direction you want it to using {{k|w}}{{k|a}}{{k|d}}{{k|x}} or retracts using {{k|s}}. The direction points to the side of the bridge which will become a wall when the bridge is raised.

=====Placement requirements=====
The error message 'Needs walkable perimeter' suggests that access is required all the way around the perimeter of the bridge, however, only one accessible adjacent tile is required. Placement of the bridge also requires that all of the tiles it occupies not have more than 1/7 water on them at the time of construction.

===Materials===
Bridges require number of tiles divided by four, rounded down, plus one ( ⌊Tiles/4⌋+1 ) of material to build.

The "core" material of the bridge is the ''oldest'' individual building material chosen (i.e. the first item to be created in the fortress or enter the map).{{cite forum|134816}} The core material determines the color, style, and description of the bridge, as well as the labor required for construction.

Care should be taken when choosing materials for bridges that will be exposed to [[fire]] or [[magma]]. Bridges built with non-[[magma-safe]] materials will heat up and eventually melt if the center tile (with bias towards the northwest if the center point is located between tiles) gets covered in magma or exposed to fire, whether the bridge is raised, lowered, or even retracted. The ability of a bridge to withstand heat is limited by the ''least'' fire-resistant item involved - a single non-magmaproof building block or mechanism will cause the whole bridge to deconstruct when exposed to sufficient heat. [[Dragonfire]] almost immediately melts nearly all bridges ([[slade]] being the prime exception).

==Raising and retracting bridges==

All bridges in DF can be either raised or retracted by linking it to a trigger with [[mechanism]]s. This requires a dwarf with the [[mechanics]] labor activated.

If a bridge is set to retract when a [[lever]] is pulled, the bridge essentially disappears, ''tossing'' anything (friend, foe, or object) on the bridge onto whatever is underneath. Clearly this can be used to drop your enemies to rocky/watery/fiery deaths (or anything more imaginative you can think up!). Note that the creatures and objects are "tossed" with a semi-random initial velocity; this can reduce the lethality of pit traps (creatures bouncing off the walls lose the precious momentum that would otherwise result in an unsurvivable splat at the bottom), interfere with the reproducibility of dwarven !!SCIENCE!!, and be [[exploit]]ed as the key mechanic in [[#Coinstar training|coinstar training]].

If a bridge is set to raise when a lever is pulled, the bridge will become a [[wall]] along the edge selected with the {{k|w}}{{k|a}}{{k|d}}{{k|x}} keys when placing the bridge. When activated, the bridge "raises" very quickly, flinging anything on the bridge into the air, with unpleasant if not always deadly side effects. The resulting wall is always one z-level tall, watertight, and invulnerable to [[building destroyer]]s. Raising "drawbridges" can be used to block fortress entrances and corridors. When lowered, bridges will destroy most anything on the underlying tiles. By destroying we mean dwarves, foes, and items will entirely disappear from the game, a rare event which led to the creation of the term [[dwarven atom smasher]].

Any water displaced by a raising bridge is destroyed regardless of how much open space is on each side or above. Water resting atop a retracting bridge falls straight down after the bridge retracts.

==Notes==

Bridges will not operate if any one creature of [[List of creatures by adult size#bridge|size 1200000]] or larger is on them. This weight limit is not cumulative - a bridge will still retract if a hundred goblins are standing on it, but a single [[rutherer]] accompanying those goblins will prevent the bridge from operating. Attempting to lower a drawbridge onto such a creature (in order to [[Dwarven atom smasher|atom-smash]] it) will cause the bridge itself to deconstruct. Attempting to "unretract" a bridge while such a creature is in any of the bridge tiles will similarly cause the bridge to deconstruct. The size limit does not apply to creatures inside cages.

It is impossible to channel out stone that is directly under a bridge, raised or not. Likewise digging a ramp under a bridge will not remove the floor tile. To remove these floor tiles, the bridge must be deconstructed. Note that [[obsidian casting]] can ''create'' new floor tiles under a bridge, which then behave in the manner above.

Big bridges can take weeks or even months to complete. You can shorten construction time by moving the materials to the site before starting construction, and by using blocks instead of rocks. The material-gathering time is somewhat shorter for blocks due to their lesser weight, and the actual construction is three times faster for blocks.

While bridges do not provide structural [[support]], the game will still allow you to place unsupported [[construction]]s adjacent to them which will result in an immediate [[cave-in]] once completed, often tossing the unlucky mason off the edge, to <s>a horrible death</s> any bystanders' great entertainment. However, extending a supported construction alongside a bridge will not cause a cave-in.
 '''Example:'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|Will cause a cave-in
|Will '''not''' cause a cave-in
|-
|
<diagram>
╔═╗[#3:0]▓[#]
║+║[#0:0][@6:0]O[#@]
╚═╝[#3:0]▓[#]
[#2:1].,'[#3:0]▓[#]
</diagram>
|
<diagram>
╔═╗[#3:0]▓[#]
║+║[#0:0][@6:0]O[#@]
╚═╝║
[#2:1]`,.[#]O
</diagram>
|}

Deconstructing bridges can be hazardous, as dwarves are not as compunctuous as with constructions and diggings to make sure no one is standing on them before destroying them.

A raised bridge cannot be linked to a lever from the inside - the mechanic must be able to access the center tile of the bridge when lowered.

If you aren't sure whether or not a 1 tile thick bridge is raised or lowered, try to build a piece of furniture, like a statue, on it. If it says blocked, the bridge is raised, if it says building present, it is lowered. You can also link another (longer) drawbridge to the same lever, to use as a visual indicator of the other bridge's status. Since this takes additional time and mechanisms, this is best reserved for when it's especially important that you know at a glance whether that bridge is blocking things.

==Uses==
Perhaps the most straightforward use of a bridge is spanning empty space or dangerous terrain. Bridges only need roughly 25% of the material that building [[floor]]s would require, and can be completed relatively quickly as well. Bridges are limited to a span of 20 tiles across open space; greater distances will require columns or other means of support. ("Floating" retracting bridges can be built into spans longer than 20 tiles, but they will deconstruct when support is checked.{{bug|9946}})

===Remote controlled gateways===
Lever-controlled bridges are one of the safer ways to control access. They are immune to building destroyers, though care must be taken to avoid operating them in the presence of exceptionally large creatures. [[Magma safe]] material should be used in the construction if there is any chance magma might flow over the bridge.

Retracting bridges built covering the top of a ramp or stairway can never be destroyed from beneath.

===Floodgates===
Raising bridges make a good replacement for most [[floodgate]] uses (e.g. flow and access control). They have the advantage of not being as easily jammed: they fling or [[Dwarven_atom_smasher|atom smash]] all items and all but the largest enemies on their tile/s when they open or close, whereas a floodgate or door will jam open with a discarded sock in it. Further, bridges cannot be destroyed by [[building destroyer]]s, while [[floodgate]]s can be. A single bridge can also be made up to ten tiles wide, potentially replacing ten floodgates and saving many mechanisims and much work. One minor downside of bridges compared to floodgates is that bridges with a width of 1 look the same when raised as when lowered, so it is easy to confuse whether they are closed or not. If you are unsure of a bridge's status, check the control lever if there is one (in most tilesets, lever to the right means closed), or try to build furniture on top of the bridge and check the resulting warning message ("blocked" means the bridge is raised, "building present" means it's lowered).

===Waste disposal===
Lowering raised bridges can be used as [[waste disposal]] for unwanted stones, [[refuse]], [[goblin]]s (dead or alive), legendary [[cheese]] makers and [[nobles]], to name a few. Even fluids get destroyed. Note, however, that lowering a drawbridge onto a sufficiently large creature (such as a [[forgotten beast]]) simply causes the bridge to deconstruct.

===[[Trap_design#Bridge_and_drop_traps|Traps]]===
Using two bridges at opposite ends of a corridor creates a very large and simple trap by walling in enemies. Or... Smashing them to tiny bits if placed to raise facing each other, with no space in between.
For added effect, place [[pressure plate]]s on both ends to raise the bridge when stepped on, to fling the units. If there is a [[floor]] directly above, they will be stunned. If there is a floor beneath the bridge, and if nobody is on the pressure plate, they will likely be smashed when the bridges come back down. If there is nothing above, they will land rather far away. Bonus points for making them land in a particularly [[Spike#Menacing_spike|nasty spot]].
If there is no floor beneath the bridge, they will fall, sometimes into something [[water|very,]] [[magma|very]] [[megabeast|bad.]]

===Minecart routing===
Lowered/extended bridges "cover" [[Minecart]] track corners constructed or carved underneath, allowing carts to travel in a straight line instead. This can let you change minecart routes via pulling levers.

===[[Cave-in]]s===
Since bridges don't support adjoining rock, it is possible to set up a cave-in so that dust can't come up, dwarves can't fall down, and flying creatures can't come up from beneath the cave-in before you set it off. Bridges are also instrumental in [[magma]]-piston applications.

===Improvised ceilings===
Building an outdoor structure, such as an [[Archery tower]], requires considerable expense and time. The reduced material requirements make bridges a viable alternative to roofing it up tile by tile. While it'll still be immune to [[Building destroyer]]s, a proper constructed ceiling is superior if you expect it to be exposed to [[Dragon|extreme temperatures]].

===Improvised walls===
[[Wall]]s cannot be built along map edges above ground, but raising bridges can. Because these bridges can be raised to act as walls, they can be used to control where wildlife, enemies, and [[caravan]]s spawn on the map edges.

A similar technique can be used to prevent fliers from spawning above ground, but it requires bridges to be built at ''every'' z-level. This requires considerable effort, as each bridge needs to be accessible to the dwarves building it, as well as needing support for each bridge. It can also be somewhat [[fun|risky]] if a dangerous creature suddenly spawns near a dwarf working on the bridge (especially in [[evil]] biomes). Note that this technique, when completed, will also prevent fliers from leaving the map.

===Ocean drains===
Designate ramps on the 2nd level below an ocean. Build a retracting bridge directly above the ramps (immediately under the ocean) leaving the ramps in place, and link it to a trigger. In order to build the bridge (and link it) you will need access to the level of the bridge. Now seal that access off (the constructed wall in the below diagram) so the chamber above the bridge is water tight. Now with the bridge in place, designate ramps up to the ocean adjacent to the bridge. Diggers with access to the level ''below'' the bridge can dig those ramps up from the level of the bridge, allowing the ocean to fill the chamber; even with the ramp squares underwater they can still dig them out. And not a drop of water will touch them... provided they clear out before you pull the lever.

Shown below is a 2x1 bridge (any size bridge can be used) before and after designating the ramps adjacent to the bridge. The stairs and passage on Z2 satisfy the 'Needs walkable perimeter' requirement and provide access to the top of the bridge for linking to a trigger. The passage is then blocked with a wall to make it water tight.

Before breaking through After
side X side Y side X side Y
Z3 ≥≥≥≥≥≥≥ ≥≥≥≥≥≥≥≥≥≥ ≥≥>≥>≥≥ ≥≥≥≥≥≥≥≥≥≥
Z2 ###B### ##Z_X_BB## ##^B^## ##Z_X_BB##
Z1 ###^### Z ^^## ###^### Z ^^##
Z0 ####### ########## ####### ##########

≥ = Water with floor > = Water without floor Z = Stairs
^ = Ramp # = Solid Rock X = Constructed Wall _ = Floor (not constructed)

===Caravan exits===
A bridge to nowhere, built well above ground level at the edge of the map, can sometimes serve as a handy exit for [[caravan]]s and [[diplomat]]s when your fortress is under [[siege]].

===Stops on the elevator===
Designate a dumpsite or set up a floodgate at the top of a shaft; use multiple remote-controlled bridges to decide on which level the stuff, water, magma etc. gets off. (bonus: use water falling at one end of the bridge to flush stuff off that was dropped onto the other end without the manual labor)

===Single lever airlock===
Raising bridges and retracting bridges controlled by a single lever will be in opposite states of being open or closed. When one is closed (raised) the other is open (retracted) and vice versa. This fact can be used to construct airlocks that are not vulnerable to [[building destroyer|building destroyers]] or mistimed lever pulls e.g.
Side View:
Z1 XXXXXXR____ D = Raising drawbridge / = Ramp _ = Floor
Z0 D_____/XXXX R = Retracting bridge X = Solid Rock or Constructed Wall

With a suitably long distance between the two bridges, the controlling lever can be placed within the airlock, and by setting the profile of the lever specific dwarves can be moved between isolated areas.

===Decorations===
Bridges benefit from two [[quality]] modifiers--one for the [[architect]]'s design, and one for the builder's creation, and their multipliers are also applied to any attached mechanisms. High-quality bridges can inspire happy [[thought]]s in your dwarves and help meet room value needs. Bridges may also be used to form [[mosaic]]s or even [[Style_project#Mosaics|animations]].

===Coinstar training===
The mechanical "tossing" action of retracting bridges can be used for training [[armor user]] and associated traits by repeatedly flinging small items at the trainee. See [[Danger_room#Coinstar_Room|Danger room]] for more information.
Alternatively, this design can be used as a trap: invaders atop a retracting bridge inside locked room will get thrown around and optionally pummelled with "ammunition" like stones or weapons placed in the room.

==Bugs==
* Metal bridges can be constructed by dwarves with any of the "metalsmith" skills enabled, however the builder's blacksmith skill is used to determine quality{{bug|4899}}
* Trees grow through bridges, may make the bridges unusable{{bug|7872}}
* Retracting bridges can be built without support, but will deconstruct when support is checked{{bug|9946}}

{{Translation
| dwarven = sazir
| elvish = valóna
| goblin = romnu
| human = ori
}}

{{buildings}}

Adventure mode quick reference

2019-01-13T15:41:35Z

Bumber: /* Key Bindings */ Use Shift/Ctrl with movement

{{Quality|Superior|20:04, 23 April 2013 (UTC)}}{{av}}
These are the keys used in [[Adventurer mode]].

==Key Bindings==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
| valign='top' style="width: 50%; padding: 0 1em" |
{{KReference|Movement|
*{{k|8|2|4|6|7|9|1|3|↑|↓|←|→}} - Move
*{{k|Alt}}+(movement key) - Move carefully or enter dangerous terrain
*{{k|Shift}}+(movement key) - Move in direction and upwards
*{{k|Ctrl}}+(movement key) - Move in direction and downwards
*{{k|<}} or {{k-|Shift|5}} (num lock off) - Ascend
*{{k|>}} or {{k-|Ctrl|5}} (num lock off) - Descend
*{{k|.}} - Wait for 10 instants
*{{k|,}} - Wait for 1 instant
*{{k|j}} - Jump. Sprint in movement options to run and jump.
*{{k|h}} - Start climbing by grabbing {{k|h}}old of a wall or tree
*{{k|s}} - Stand or lie down*
*{{k|S}} - Movement Speed and Sneak settings
*{{k|T}} - Fast Travel
*{{k|m}} - Open movement preferences interface
}}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Use {{k|s}} to lay down then crawl past NPCs blocking your way.

{{KReference|Combat|
*{{k|8|2|4|6|7|9|1|3|↑|↓|←|→}} - Random attack on adjacent creature
*{{k|A}} - Attack an adjacent creature
*{{k|f}} - Fire a projectile
*{{k|t}} - Throw an item
*{{k|C}} - Open combat preferences interface
}}

{{KReference|Environment|
*{{k|l}} - Look around
*{{k|L}} - Search the nearby area very carefully (chance of discovering small creatures)
*{{k|k}} - Talk to somebody
*{{k|K}} - Display tracks
*{{k-|Alt|k}} - Describe tracks underfoot.
*{{k|c}} - View companion interface
*{{k|o}} - Describe odor.
*{{k|O}} - Show strongest odor.
*{{k|u}} - Interact with lever, building, furniture, or mechanism.
*{{k|y}} - Assume or abandon a submissive position (yield).
}}
| valign='top' |
{{KReference|Items|
*{{k|i}} - Inventory
*{{k|d}} - Drop an item
*{{k|g}} - Grab/gather (pick up) an item
*{{k|p}} - Put an item into a container
*{{k|r}} - Remove an item you are wearing or from a container
*{{k|w}} - Wear an item*
*{{k|I}} - Interact with an object in inventory (unstick a weapon, refill waterskin etc)
*{{k|x}} - Perform action (butcher, create item, spit at someone...)
*{{k|b}} - Found a site and build
*{{k|q}} - Sheathe your weapon
}}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>If you want to get a specific item from your backpack to your hand (wield weapon), {{k|p}}ut current item into the backpack, and {{k|r}}emove the other item from the backpack.

{{KReference|Information|
*{{k|z}} - Status
*{{k|Space}} - Advance/Clear Messages
*{{k|a}} - View Announcements
*{{k|Q}} - Adventure log (tasks, map, et cetera...)
}}

{{KReference|Food/Sleep|
*{{k|Z}} - Sleep
*{{k|e}} - Eat or drink something
}}

{{KReference|Time/Weather|
*{{k|D}} - Date
*{{k|P}} - Temperature
*{{k|W}} - Weather and time of day
}}

{{KReference|Travel Keys|
*{{k|8|2|4|6|7|9|1|3|↑|↓|←|→}} - Move.
*{{k|<}} or {{k|>}} - Move into/out of tunnel (respectively).
*{{k|c}} - Start/stop cloud viewing.
*{{k|d}} - Visit location.
*{{k|h}} - Display/hide instructions
*{{k|m}} - Display/hide map.
*{{k|s}} - Sneak.
*{{k|K}} - Display all nearby tracks and strongest odor.
*{{k|Q}} - Adventure log/information.
*{{k|Z}} - Sleep/wait.
}}

|}
{{Getting Started}}
{{Category|Guides}}
{{Category|Adventurer mode}}
[[ru:Adventure Mode quick reference]]

Climber

2019-01-06T03:28:15Z

Bumber: /* Climbing safety */ Why floor climbing doesn't work

{{Quality|Superior|01:39, 24 July 2014 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Climber
| profession = Unknown
| job name = None
| tasks = None
| attributes =
* Intuition
* Unknown
}}
{{av}}

'''Climber''' is a [[skill]] which allows a [[creature]] to climb. Higher levels improve the chances of successfully stopping the "In flight" status (falling, jumping or being knocked back) by holding onto something and decrease the chance of losing hold when climbing. In [[fortress mode]], [[dwarves]] will not climb over [[wall]]s or [[tree]]s as part of normal pathing from one job to another.

Climbing requires at least one free body part with [GRASP] tag (usually hand). Some creatures such as [[cat]]s and [[giant cave spider]]s have a {{token|STANCE_CLIMBER}} tag and use [STANCE] parts (legs) instead.
Starting climbing is not possible while prone, but "In flight" and "In air" statuses override proneness.

To climb a surface, it must be able to be held from the side. Floors cannot be climbed. Surfaces, with the exception of tree branches, cannot be held from beneath. Trees and 1 z-level tall cliffs and buildings are always safe to climb. Unskilled climbers will often lose hold when attempting to climb walls (not trees) while "In air" - at least 1 z-level above floor.

Climbing speed does not depend on stats or skills, but is rather a type of [[gait]]. Some creatures (notably giant cave spiders) can climb as fast as they walk. Many kinds of animals are born with Legendary skill in climbing, these normally being either fliers, arboreal or species found in [[caverns]].

== Climbing surface ==
Climbing block walls (even at floor level) and attempting to stop flight by grabbing onto anything will improve climbing skill regardless of success.

Climbing trees, rough-hewn natural stone, soil, or constructions made of raw material is easiest and is worth 5 exp when attempting to grab while flying.

Climbing block walls is harder, but possible, and is worth 5 exp when climbing and 10 exp when attempting to grab while flying.

Climbing smoothed natural stone is impossible. [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=100851.msg4574863#msg4574863]

Climbing any protruding floor is impossible. [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=100851.msg4970315#msg4970315]

Climbing saplings to gain 1 Z level is possible.

== Climbing safety ==
Non-climbable walls are as easy as putting a floor jutting out on the side you don't want creatures climbing from.
{{diagram|spaces=yes|
z+1 ___
z+0 →g█__
}}
Goblins don't get in, dwarves don't get out. This works because you can't hold onto the side of a floor tile (or more technically, the air above it.) No tile may be held from the bottom, with the sole exception of tree branches.

Don't try to substitute the floors for walls or fortifications:
{{diagram|spaces=yes|
z+2 →→↘
z+1 ↗█_█↙
z+0 →↖█→g
}}
They'll climb diagonally upwards and over.

This, however, is a safe overhang:
{{diagram|spaces=yes|
z+2 __ __
z+1 ██_██
z+0 →→g█___
}}
Any combination of floors/fortifications/walls works for the top, as long as they protrude out at least two tiles.

Safe minimalist fortifications:
{{diagram|spaces=yes|
z+2 __
z+1 ╬__
z+0 →→g█_
}}
The roof prevents archers from jumping off the wall and charging the enemy.

Creatures cannot jump up z-levels. They ''can'' jump straight through fortifications while hanging on the side, although not necessarily will always.{{bug|8160}}

Potentially unsafe:
{{diagram|spaces=yes|
z+2 ___
z+1 →╬↘
z+0 →↖█→g
}}
Lastly, always be wary of trees. It goes without saying that they are the enemy of dwarfkind. Trees can be used by invaders as siege towers to leap onto your walls. A paved road around your walls is an effective way of holding back the wooden menace.

== Adventurer mode ==
Adventurers with a free, working grasp can climb by {{k|h}}olding an adjacent wall (possibly offset by 1 z-level above or below) or tree branches 1 z-level above. This initiates the "Climbing" status, which allows you to move in any direction relative to the wall, including straight up and down with {{k|<}} and {{k|>}} or diagonally upwards and downwards with {{k|Shift}}-direction and {{k|Ctrl}}-direction, respectively. Any movement prompts for which surface to climb to next; choosing a surface on a different z-level moves you to that z-level even if you did not move diagonally upwards or downwards to begin with. Adventurers cannot initiate climbing while on the ground (meaning you cannot prop yourself up against a wall in one final, daring stand), though you can initiate climbing while [[Swimmer|swimming]].

Pressing {{k|h}} (or {{k|s}}) while climbing immediately removes the "Climbing" status, causing you to fall. Doing so 1 or 2 z-levels from the ground (or water) is typically safe, though much higher up can have [[Gravity|consequences]]. When falling or "In flight" for any other reason, passing by a graspable surface opens a menu allowing you to attempt to stop your fall by latching on to the surface.

Climbing most walls and trees neither requires nor grants any skill in climbing. As noted above, the exceptions to this rule are climbing block walls, e.g. most walls of generated buildings, and attempting to stop your flight by grabbing on to any wall or tree. Accordingly, the quickest way to train climbing is to shimmy around the rooftop of a 2 or more z-level tall structure in a [[hamlet]] or [[town]].

==Bugs==

* Dwarves climb trees and refuse to climb down until they die of thirst.{{bug|9252}} With timely intervention, they can be saved by cutting down the tree or building stairs alongside a branch.

{{skills}}

Climber

2019-01-05T09:19:55Z

Bumber: Citations to FotF

{{Quality|Superior|01:39, 24 July 2014 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Climber
| profession = Unknown
| job name = None
| tasks = None
| attributes =
* Intuition
* Unknown
}}
{{av}}

'''Climber''' is a [[skill]] which allows a [[creature]] to climb. Higher levels improve the chances of successfully stopping the "In flight" status (falling, jumping or being knocked back) by holding onto something and decrease the chance of losing hold when climbing. In [[fortress mode]], [[dwarves]] will not climb over [[wall]]s or [[tree]]s as part of normal pathing from one job to another.

Climbing requires at least one free body part with [GRASP] tag (usually hand). Some creatures such as [[cat]]s and [[giant cave spider]]s have a {{token|STANCE_CLIMBER}} tag and use [STANCE] parts (legs) instead.
Starting climbing is not possible while prone, but "In flight" and "In air" statuses override proneness.

To climb a surface, it must be able to be held from the side. Floors cannot be climbed. Surfaces, with the exception of tree branches, cannot be held from beneath. Trees and 1 z-level tall cliffs and buildings are always safe to climb. Unskilled climbers will often lose hold when attempting to climb walls (not trees) while "In air" - at least 1 z-level above floor.

Climbing speed does not depend on stats or skills, but is rather a type of [[gait]]. Some creatures (notably giant cave spiders) can climb as fast as they walk. Many kinds of animals are born with Legendary skill in climbing, these normally being either fliers, arboreal or species found in [[caverns]].

== Climbing surface ==
Climbing block walls (even at floor level) and attempting to stop flight by grabbing onto anything will improve climbing skill regardless of success.

Climbing trees, rough-hewn natural stone, soil, or constructions made of raw material is easiest and is worth 5 exp when attempting to grab while flying.

Climbing block walls is harder, but possible, and is worth 5 exp when climbing and 10 exp when attempting to grab while flying.

Climbing smoothed natural stone is impossible. [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=100851.msg4574863#msg4574863]

Climbing any protruding floor is impossible. [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=100851.msg4970315#msg4970315]

Climbing saplings to gain 1 Z level is possible.

== Climbing safety ==
Non-climbable walls are as easy as putting a floor jutting out on the side you don't want creatures climbing from.
{{diagram|spaces=yes|
z+1 ___
z+0 →g█__
}}
Goblins don't get in, dwarves don't get out. This works because you can't hold onto the side of a floor tile. No tile may be held from the bottom, with the sole exception of tree branches.

Don't try to substitute the floors for walls or fortifications:
{{diagram|spaces=yes|
z+2 →→↘
z+1 ↗█_█↙
z+0 →↖█→g
}}
They'll climb diagonally upwards and over.

This, however, is a safe overhang:
{{diagram|spaces=yes|
z+2 __ __
z+1 ██_██
z+0 →→g█___
}}
Any combination of floors/fortifications/walls works for the top, as long as they protrude out at least two tiles.

Safe minimalist fortifications:
{{diagram|spaces=yes|
z+2 __
z+1 ╬__
z+0 →→g█_
}}
The roof prevents archers from jumping off the wall and charging the enemy.

Creatures cannot jump up z-levels. They ''can'' jump straight through fortifications while hanging on the side, although not necessarily will always.{{bug|8160}}

Potentially unsafe:
{{diagram|spaces=yes|
z+2 ___
z+1 →╬↘
z+0 →↖█→g
}}
Lastly, always be wary of trees. It goes without saying that they are the enemy of dwarfkind. Trees can be used by invaders as siege towers to leap onto your walls. A paved road around your walls is an effective way of holding back the wooden menace.

== Adventurer mode ==
Adventurers with a free, working grasp can climb by {{k|h}}olding an adjacent wall (possibly offset by 1 z-level above or below) or tree branches 1 z-level above. This initiates the "Climbing" status, which allows you to move in any direction relative to the wall, including straight up and down with {{k|<}} and {{k|>}} or diagonally upwards and downwards with {{k|Shift}}-direction and {{k|Ctrl}}-direction, respectively. Any movement prompts for which surface to climb to next; choosing a surface on a different z-level moves you to that z-level even if you did not move diagonally upwards or downwards to begin with. Adventurers cannot initiate climbing while on the ground (meaning you cannot prop yourself up against a wall in one final, daring stand), though you can initiate climbing while [[Swimmer|swimming]].

Pressing {{k|h}} (or {{k|s}}) while climbing immediately removes the "Climbing" status, causing you to fall. Doing so 1 or 2 z-levels from the ground (or water) is typically safe, though much higher up can have [[Gravity|consequences]]. When falling or "In flight" for any other reason, passing by a graspable surface opens a menu allowing you to attempt to stop your fall by latching on to the surface.

Climbing most walls and trees neither requires nor grants any skill in climbing. As noted above, the exceptions to this rule are climbing block walls, e.g. most walls of generated buildings, and attempting to stop your flight by grabbing on to any wall or tree. Accordingly, the quickest way to train climbing is to shimmy around the rooftop of a 2 or more z-level tall structure in a [[hamlet]] or [[town]].

==Bugs==

* Dwarves climb trees and refuse to climb down until they die of thirst.{{bug|9252}} With timely intervention, they can be saved by cutting down the tree or building stairs alongside a branch.

{{skills}}

Baron

2018-12-05T16:39:30Z

Bumber: Grammar

{{Quality|Superior|20:12, 20 May 2013 (UTC)}}
{{Noble
| noble= Baron
| office= Decent Office
| quarters= Decent Quarters
| dining= Decent Dining Room
| tomb= Tomb
| chests=2
| cabinets=1
| racks=1
| stands=1
| mandates=1
| demands=2
| arrival=
* 1 off-site [[holding]]
| function=
* Meet with [[diplomat]]s
* Appoints a [[Champion]]
}}{{av}}

When a fortress meets certain requirements, the [[liaison]] will offer to make it a barony. The player will then have the option to choose a citizen to promote to the rank of '''baron''', which will take effect when the liaison leaves the map. This offer can be temporarily rejected (by choosing the "we'd rather keep our distance" option or by canceling out of the selection screen after agreeing), deferring the choice until the liaison's next visit. Until the offer is accepted and a candidate nominated, the liaison(s) will not negotiate trade agreements. The promotion screen (see example below) displays only the names and titles of potential candidates, so it may be helpful to research potential candidates in advance of the liaison's offer when more information is available.

It is also possible for a citizen to inherit a baron(ess) title, even from another site, immediately giving that citizen noble status. This can potentially result in the fortress becoming overrun with baron(esse)s that will never leave for the sites that they are the rulers of.

If the appointed baron(ess) is [[marriage|married]], then the spouse will become the baron(ess) consort, and will be considered an unlisted noble (doesn't appear in the {{k|n}}oble menu, but is listed as a [[noble]] in the {{k|u}}nits menu).

Once appointed, the local baron(ess) can issue [[mandate]]s and [[demand]]s, and these will be strongly influenced by his or her personal [[preference]]s. Of particular note, a baron(ess) with no item preferences will never issue any mandates (but may still make demands). If a non-mandater is appointed, it may be a good idea to supply additional happy [[thought]]s for him/her to replace those that would have been experienced from having mandates met.

The selected baron(ess) may still perform useful labour from his/her normal life (as a miner, for example). However, as the baron is supposed to be a [[Noble#Notes|lazy noble]], this seems to be an unintended, broken behaviour in all 0.34.xx versions (so far) and might be fixed in future releases.

If a baron dies, goes insane, or has an [[unfortunate accident]], players will not be able to appoint a new baron and consequently cannot get other nobles which are upgraded from baron, i.e. [[count]] and [[duke]]. However, in at least some situations, the fortress can still eventually become the seat of the [[monarch|monarchy]] of its civilization, in which case a baron (or count/duke) for the fortress at least sometimes arrives as part of the monarch's entourage.

[[File:Barony appointment.PNG|200px|thumb|right|A picture detailing how a baron is appointed]]
== Requirements (v0.44.11+)==

Nobility status is entirely based on the number of off-site holdings now. Currently 1 (Baron), 4 (Count), 9 (Duke), (and 9+n*2 for modded higher ranks). The land holder trigger numbers now influence the rate at which your civilization will send out settlers to found new sites near your fortress. If your fortress is inaccessible or your civ's population is really low, they won't be able to do it.{{cite forum|171295/7807510}}

== Requirements (v0.44.10-)==
*Have a caravan leave when your population is 20 or more
*Exported 10k wealth
*Created 100k wealth (imported wealth does not count)

If a player meets the above requirements and still can't promote anyone, this may be due to a glitch. This affects some games and requires that the trade caravan depart before meeting with the liaison in order to get the barony option. Try keeping your mayor and liaison separate until after the caravan has left the map.

{{gamedata| [POSITION:BARON]
[NAME_MALE:baron:barons]
[NAME_FEMALE:baroness:baronesses]
[SPOUSE_MALE:baron consort:barons consort]
[SPOUSE_FEMALE:baroness consort:baronesses consort]
[NUMBER:AS_NEEDED]
[LAND_HOLDER:1]
[LAND_NAME:a barony]
[RESPONSIBILITY:LAW_MAKING]
[RESPONSIBILITY:RECEIVE_DIPLOMATS]
[SUCCESSION:BY_HEIR]
[APPOINTED_BY:MONARCH]
[REPLACED_BY:COUNT]
[PRECEDENCE:40]
[SPECIAL_BURIAL]
[MENIAL_WORK_EXEMPTION]
[MENIAL_WORK_EXEMPTION_SPOUSE]
[SLEEP_PRETENSION]
[PUNISHMENT_EXEMPTION]
[FLASHES]
[BRAG_ON_KILL]
[CHAT_WORTHY]
[DO_NOT_CULL]
[KILL_QUEST]
[COLOR:5:0:0]
[ACCOUNT_EXEMPT]
[DUTY_BOUND]
[DEMAND_MAX:2]
[MANDATE_MAX:1]
[REQUIRED_BOXES:2]
[REQUIRED_CABINETS:1]
[REQUIRED_RACKS:1]
[REQUIRED_STANDS:1]
[REQUIRED_OFFICE:500]
[REQUIRED_BEDROOM:500]
[REQUIRED_DINING:500]
[REQUIRED_TOMB:500]}}
{{Nobles}}
{{Category|Aristocrats}}

Windmill

2018-10-18T04:08:03Z

Bumber: Source says waterwheels, not windmills

{{Quality|Fine}}
{{Machine_component|name=Windmill|key=m
|construction=
* 4 [[wood|Log]]s
|construction_job=
# [[Building designer|Architecture]]
# [[Carpentry]]
|power=Generates 40, 20, or 0 power, depending on wind level
}}{{av}}

:''For a basic overview of how the different machine parts work and work together, see [[Machine component|machinery]].''

A '''windmill''' is a [[machine component]] that provides [[power]] via wind on the surface of a fortress map. In order for the windmill to generate power, its center tile must have the "outside" [[Tile attributes|attribute]]. The power produced by each windmill depends on the latitude at which your fortress is located within the world. The power generated by a windmill is transmitted downward through its center tile, so you must [[channel]] out the central tile and build the windmill on top of an existing [[axle|vertical axle]] or [[gear assembly]] (or the actual machine you wish to power).

When building a windmill on top of an existing axle or assembly, you might get a "no access" message even if your dwarves can reach the center space of the windmill. You'll need to build a floor so that there's a place to stand adjacent to one of the nine windmill squares (i.e. one space between the standing platform and the windmill axle). Spaces adjacent to the windmill's axle (i.e. within the 3x3 building area) aren't sufficient for construction access.

Due to what is assumed to be a bug, it is sometimes possible for windmills to transmit their power through a solid floor without channeling. They only have this effect if the windmill is built ''first'', and whatever it's powering ''second''; however, this does not always work reliably.

As with other machines, windmills freeze if the floor under them is natural ice.

==Synchronization==
Windmills can be synchronized using the method described [https://www.reddit.com/r/dwarffortress/comments/5cxv5t/science_i_have_found_a_way_to_synchronize/ here].

When collapsing, [[water wheel]]s do not cause a [[cave-in]] and the center tile of the waterwheel causes the tiles below it to be indoors. By building a series of hanging [[gear assembly|gear assemblies]], [[axle]]s, and waterwheels connected to a single supported gear assembly, you can deconstruct the supported gear assembly to allow all the windmills to start simultaneously.

{{buildings}}

Nether-cap

2018-07-14T05:07:42Z

Bumber: Remove incorrect info. Water does freeze at exactly 10000U: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=171332.0

{{Quality|Exceptional|07:47, 23 September 2016 (UTC)}}
{{Treelookup/0|wiki=no}}
{{av}}

'''Nether-caps''' are a type of mushroom-like subterranean [[tree]]. Once fully grown, they can be designated for [[wood cutting]] and produce nether-cap [[log]]s. They often grow on muddied rock in the 3rd [[Caverns|underground cavern]] layer and, once discovered, will begin to grow in any suitable environment within your fortress as well.

Nether-caps and their products are dark indigo, and they have the unique property of being naturally cold, having a fixed [[temperature]] of {{ct|10000}} (the [[Water#Freezing point|freezing point of water]]). This fixed temperature gives nether-cap wood a strange quasi-[[magma-safe]] quality. You can use nether-cap as a substitution for metal [[magma-safe]] components (for example, in a [[magma]] [[pump stack]]), but a nether-cap minecart will not resist magma, and nether-cap items [[dump]]ed into magma will be destroyed. Interestingly, nether-cap logs can still be burned into ash or charcoal at a [[wood furnace]], and nether-cap items laying on the ground can be ignited by fire breathing/throwing creatures. Nether-cap cannot cause [[water]] to turn into [[ice]].

Some [[dwarves]] [[Preferences|like]] nether-caps for their ''coldness to the touch''.

{{gamedata}}
{{Plants}}
{{Category|Subterranean trees}}
{{Category|Magma safe materials}}

Writer

2018-06-03T22:27:21Z

Bumber:

{{Quality|Superior|13:11, 8 May 2018 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Writer
| profession = Unknown
| job name = None
| tasks = None
| attributes =
* Unknown
}}
{{av}}

{{new in v0.42}}

'''Writer''' is a [[skill]] which affects the organization and clarity of a written work. Skill in Writer improves how clearly the work conveys its intended topic(s). This is more important to educational or technical works than [[Wordsmith]].

==See also==
*[[Wordsmith]]

{{Skills}}

Fluid engineer

2018-06-03T22:25:23Z

Bumber: Changed quality rating from "Superior" to "Fine" using the rating script

{{Quality|Fine|22:25, 3 June 2018 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Fluid engineer
| profession =
| job name =
| tasks = * Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
*Unknown
}}
{{av}}

{{new in v0.42}}

'''Fluid engineer''' is a [[scholar]] skill. It is used by scholars when thinking about engineering [[topics]], specifically under the Fluid division.

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Archimedes principle
|
|[[wikipedia:Archimedes' principle|Archimedes' principle]]
|Fluid
|-
|Force pump
|
|[[wikipedia:Piston pump#Force pump|Piston pump § Force pump]]
|Fluid
|-
|Theory of siphon
|The action of the siphon
|[[wikipedia:Siphon|Siphon]]
|Fluid
|-
|Valves
|The construction and use of valves
|[[wikipedia:Valve|Valve]]
|Fluid
|}

{{Skills}}

Fluid engineer

2018-06-03T22:25:13Z

Bumber:

{{Quality|Superior|13:11, 8 May 2018 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Fluid engineer
| profession =
| job name =
| tasks = * Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
*Unknown
}}
{{av}}

{{new in v0.42}}

'''Fluid engineer''' is a [[scholar]] skill. It is used by scholars when thinking about engineering [[topics]], specifically under the Fluid division.

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Archimedes principle
|
|[[wikipedia:Archimedes' principle|Archimedes' principle]]
|Fluid
|-
|Force pump
|
|[[wikipedia:Piston pump#Force pump|Piston pump § Force pump]]
|Fluid
|-
|Theory of siphon
|The action of the siphon
|[[wikipedia:Siphon|Siphon]]
|Fluid
|-
|Valves
|The construction and use of valves
|[[wikipedia:Valve|Valve]]
|Fluid
|}

{{Skills}}

Optics engineer

2018-06-03T22:24:45Z

Bumber: Changed quality rating from "Superior" to "Fine" using the rating script

{{Quality|Fine|22:24, 3 June 2018 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Optics engineer
| profession =
| job name =
| tasks =
* Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
*Unknown
}}
{{av}}

{{new in v0.42}}

'''Optics engineer''' is a [[scholar]] skill. It is used by scholars when thinking about engineering [[topics]], specifically under the Optics division.

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Atmospheric refraction
|
|[[wikipedia:Atmospheric refraction|Atmospheric refraction]]
|Optics
|-
|Camera obscura
|The construction and use of the camera obscura
|[[wikipedia:Camera obscura|Camera obscura]]
|Optics
|-
|Cause of twilight
|
|[[wikipedia:Atmospheric optics|Atmospheric optics]]
|Optics
|-
|Crystal lens
|The construction and use of the crystal lens
|[[wikipedia:Lens (optics)|Lens (optics)]] and [[wikipedia:Crystal|Crystal]]
|Optics
|-
|Glass lens
|The construction and use of the glass lens
|[[wikipedia:Lens (optics)|Lens (optics)]] and [[wikipedia:Glass|Glass]]
|Optics
|-
|Height of atmosphere
|
|[[wikipedia: Atmosphere of Earth|Atmosphere of Earth]]
|Optics
|-
|Law of refraction
|
|[[wikipedia:Snell's law|Snell's law]]
|Optics
|-
|Parabolic mirror
|
|[[wikipedia:Parabolic reflector|Parabolic reflector]]
|Optics
|-
|Theory of color
|
|[[wikipedia:Color theory|Color theory]]
|Optics
|-
|Theory of rainbows
|
|[[wikipedia:Rainbows|Rainbows]]
|Optics
|-
|Water filled spheres
|The construction and use of water-filled sphere as a lens
|[[wikipedia:Lens (optics)|Lens (optics)]] and [[wikipedia:History_of_optics#Early_history_of_optics|History of optics § Early history of optics]]
|Optics
|}

{{Skills}}

Optics engineer

2018-06-03T22:24:35Z

Bumber:

{{Quality|Superior|19:46, 30 January 2018 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Optics engineer
| profession =
| job name =
| tasks =
* Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
*Unknown
}}
{{av}}

{{new in v0.42}}

'''Optics engineer''' is a [[scholar]] skill. It is used by scholars when thinking about engineering [[topics]], specifically under the Optics division.

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Atmospheric refraction
|
|[[wikipedia:Atmospheric refraction|Atmospheric refraction]]
|Optics
|-
|Camera obscura
|The construction and use of the camera obscura
|[[wikipedia:Camera obscura|Camera obscura]]
|Optics
|-
|Cause of twilight
|
|[[wikipedia:Atmospheric optics|Atmospheric optics]]
|Optics
|-
|Crystal lens
|The construction and use of the crystal lens
|[[wikipedia:Lens (optics)|Lens (optics)]] and [[wikipedia:Crystal|Crystal]]
|Optics
|-
|Glass lens
|The construction and use of the glass lens
|[[wikipedia:Lens (optics)|Lens (optics)]] and [[wikipedia:Glass|Glass]]
|Optics
|-
|Height of atmosphere
|
|[[wikipedia: Atmosphere of Earth|Atmosphere of Earth]]
|Optics
|-
|Law of refraction
|
|[[wikipedia:Snell's law|Snell's law]]
|Optics
|-
|Parabolic mirror
|
|[[wikipedia:Parabolic reflector|Parabolic reflector]]
|Optics
|-
|Theory of color
|
|[[wikipedia:Color theory|Color theory]]
|Optics
|-
|Theory of rainbows
|
|[[wikipedia:Rainbows|Rainbows]]
|Optics
|-
|Water filled spheres
|The construction and use of water-filled sphere as a lens
|[[wikipedia:Lens (optics)|Lens (optics)]] and [[wikipedia:History_of_optics#Early_history_of_optics|History of optics § Early history of optics]]
|Optics
|}

{{Skills}}

Geographer

2018-06-03T22:24:17Z

Bumber: Changed quality rating from "Fine" to "Superior" using the rating script

{{Quality|Superior|22:24, 3 June 2018 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Geographer
| profession =
| job name =
| tasks = * Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
*Memory
*Unknown
}}
{{av}}

{{new in v0.42}}

'''Geographer''' is a [[scholar]] skill. It is used by scholars when thinking about geography-related [[topics]].

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Accurate maps
|
|[[wikipedia:Map|Map]]
|Cartography
|-
|Cartography
|The process involved in creating maps
|[[wikipedia:Cartography|Cartography]]
|Cartography
|-
|Distance scale
|
|[[wikipedia:Scale (map)|Scale (map)]]
|Cartography
|-
|Economic
|The placement of economic information on maps
|[[wikipedia:Economic geography|Economic geography]]
|Cartography
|-
|Geological
|The placement of geological information on maps
|[[wikipedia:Geologic map|Geologic map]]
|Cartography
|-
|Grid system
|
|[[wikipedia:Grid reference|Grid reference]]
|Cartography
|-
|Height measurements
|
|[[wikipedia:Topographic map|Topographic map]] and [[wikipedia:Levelling|Levelling]]
|Cartography
|-
|Map projections
|
|[[wikipedia:Map projection|Map projection]]
|Cartography
|-
|Atlases
|The collection of maps and other information together into a single text
|[[wikipedia:Atlas|Atlas]]
|Form
|-
|Econometrics
|The process of economic data collection
|[[wikipedia:Econometrics|Econometrics]]
|Method
|-
|Cartographical surveying
|
|[[wikipedia:Cartography|Cartography]] and [[wikipedia:Surveying|Surveying]]
|Surveying
|-
|Engineering surveying
|
|[[wikipedia:Construction surveying|Construction surveying]]
|Surveying
|-
|Land surveying
|
|[[wikipedia:Cadastral surveying|Cadastral surveying]]
|Surveying
|-
|Military surveying
|
|[[wikipedia:Construction surveying|Construction surveying]] and [[wikipedia:Military engineerin|Military engineering]]
|Surveying
|-
|-
|Surveying
|The process of surveying land
|[[wikipedia:Surveying|Surveying]]
|Surveying
|-
|Surveying staff
|The construction and use of the surveying staff
|[[wikipedia:Level staff|Level staff]]
|Surveying
|-
|Triangulation
|
|[[wikipedia:Triangulation|Triangulation]]
|Surveying
|-
|Anemology
|The forces that govern wind patterns
|[[wikipedia:Global wind patterns|Global wind patterns]]
|Theory
|-
|Delta formation
|The process of the formation of deltas at the mouths of rivers
|[[wikipedia:River delta#Formation|River delta § Formation]]
|Theory
|-
|Latitude climate zones
|
|[[wikipedia:Clime|Clime]]
|Theory
|-
|Origin of rainfall from evap condense
|The origin of rainfall through evaporation and condensation
|[[wikipedia:Evaporation|Evaporation]] and [[wikipedia:Condensation|Condensation]]
|Theory
|-
|Water cycle
|A world-wide cycle involving precipitation, oceans, rivers, and other forms of water
|[[wikipedia:Water cycle|Water cycle]]
|Theory
|}

{{Skills}}

Logician

2018-06-03T22:23:24Z

Bumber:

{{Quality|Superior|13:10, 8 May 2018 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Logician
| profession =
| job name =
| tasks =
* Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
*Unknown
}}
{{av}}

{{new in v0.42}}

'''Logician''' is a [[scholar]] skill. It is used by scholars when thinking about philosophy [[topics]].

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Nature of beauty
|Discourse on the nature of beauty
|[[wikipedia:Beauty (ancient thought)|Beauty (ancient thought)]]
|Aesthetics
|-
|Value of art
|
|[[wikipedia:Aesthetics|Aesthetics]]
|Aesthetics
|-
|Belief
|Discourse on the nature of belief
|[[wikipedia:Epistemology#Belief|Epistemology § Belief]]
|Epistemology
|-
|Justification
|Discourse on the nature of justification
|[[wikipedia:Epistemology#Justification|Epistemology § Justification]]
|Epistemology
|-
|Perception
|Discourse on the nature of perception
|[[wikipedia:Philosophy of perception|Philosophy of perception]]
|Epistemology
|-
|Truth
|
|[[wikipedia:Epistemology#Truth|Epistemology § Truth]]
|Epistemology
|-
|Individual value
|Discourse on the meaning of individual happiness
|[[wikipedia:Value (ethics)#Personal values|Value (ethics) § Personal values]]
|Ethics
|-
|State consequentialism
|Discourse on ethics as it regards the benefit of the state
|[[wikipedia:State consequentialism|State consequentialism]]
|Ethics
|-
|Interpersonal ethics
|Discourse on ethics as applied to interpersonal conduct
|[[wikipedia:Value (ethics)#Cultural values|Value (ethics) § Cultural values]]
|Ethics (applied)
|-
|Medical
|Discourse on medical ethics
|[[wikipedia:Medical ethics|Medical ethics]]
|Ethics (applied)
|-
|Military
|Discourse on ethics as applied to war
|[[wikipedia:Ethics#Military ethics|Ethics § Military ethics]]
|Ethics (applied)
|-
|Analogical inference
|
|[[wikipedia:Argument from analogy|Argument from analogy]]
|Logic
|-
|Deductive reasoning
|Deductive reasoning
|[[wikipedia:Deductive reasoning|Deductive reasoning]]
|Logic
|-
|Dialectic reasoning
|
|[[wikipedia:Dialectic|Dialectic]]
|Logic
|-
|Direct inference
|
|[[wikipedia:Statistical syllogism|Statistical syllogism]]
|Logic
|-
|Formal reasoning
|Formal reasoning
|[[wikipedia:Reason|Reason]]
|Logic
|-
|Hypothetical syllogisms
|Hypothetical syllogisms
|[[wikipedia:Hypothetical syllogism|Hypothetical syllogism]]
|Logic
|-
|Inductive reasoning
|
|[[wikipedia:Inductive reasoning|Inductive reasoning]]
|Logic
|-
|Propositional logic
|
|[[wikipedia:Propositional calculus|Propositional calculus]]
|Logic
|-
|Syllogistic logic
|Syllogistic logic
|[[wikipedia:Syllogism|Syllogism]]
|Logic
|-
|Causation
|The nature of causation
|[[wikipedia:Causality|Causality]]
|Metaphysics
|-
|Events
|Discourse on the nature of events
|[[wikipedia:Event (philosophy)|Event (philosophy)]]
|Metaphysics
|-
|Existence
|
|[[wikipedia:Existence|Existence]]
|Metaphysics
|-
|Mind body
|Discourse on the nature of mind and body
|[[wikipedia:Mind–body problem|Mind–body problem]]
|Metaphysics
|-
|Objects and properties
|
|[[wikipedia:Essence|Essence]]
|Metaphysics
|-
|Processes
|
|[[wikipedia:Process philosophy|Process philosophy]]
|Metaphysics
|-
|Time
|Discourse on the nature of time
|[[wikipedia:Time|Time]]
|Metaphysics
|-
|Wholes and parts
|The relationship between wholes and parts
|[[wikipedia:Mereology|Mereology]]
|Metaphysics
|-
|Education
|Education, its forms and recommendations
|[[wikipedia:Education|Education]]
|Specialized
|-
|Law
|Discourse on law
|[[wikipedia:Law|Law]]
|Specialized
|-
|Dictionary
|Dictionaries
|[[wikipedia:Dictionary|Dictionary]]
|Specialized (language)
|-
|Etymology
|The notion of etymology
|[[wikipedia:Etymology|Etymology]]
|Specialized (language)
|-
|Grammar
|Grammar
|[[wikipedia:Grammar|Grammar]]
|Specialized (language)
|-
|Diplomacy
|Discourse on diplomacy
|[[wikipedia:Diplomacy|Diplomacy]]
|Specialized (politics)
|-
|Economic policy
|Discourse on economic policy
|[[wikipedia:Economic policy|Economic policy]]
|Specialized (politics)
|-
|Government forms
|Discourse on government
|[[wikipedia:Government|Government]]
|Specialized (politics)
|-
|Social welfare
|Discourse on social welfare
|[[wikipedia:Welfare|Welfare]]
|Specialized (politics)
|-
|Value agendas
|The philosopher will choose a [[Belief]] that they have and write about that: Format "Worthlessness/nuances/value of (belief)" Reading books that push these will result in a dwarf's (or adventurer's) values changing.
|[[wikipedia:Propaganda|Propaganda]]
|''n/a''
|}

{{Skills}}

Critical thinker

2018-06-03T22:22:07Z

Bumber:

{{Quality|Fine|22:20, 3 June 2018 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Critical thinker
| profession =
| job name =
| tasks = * Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
*Unknown
}}
{{av}}

{{new in v0.42}}

'''Critical thinker''' is a [[scholar]] skill. It is used by scholars when thinking about history [[topics]]. It seems to be an important skill for [[scholar]]s in general, especially when writing [[book]]s/[[scroll]]s. As dwarves level in this skill very slowly, it can be worth assigning dwarves that already have a few levels in it as your [[scholar]]s.

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Alternate history
|The exploration of how history would be different if some key past events had transpired differently
|[[wikipedia:Alternate history|Alternate history]]
|Form
|-
|Autobiographical adventure
|The method of writing a biography of oneself, particularly as it concerns a military campaign or adventure
|[[wikipedia:Autobiography|Autobiography]]
|Form
|-
|Biographical dictionaries
|The compilation of brief biographies into one large collection
|[[wikipedia:Biographical dictionary|Biographical dictionary]]
|Form
|-
|Biography
|The method of writing the history of a single individual
|[[wikipedia:Biography|Biography]]
|Form
|-
|Comparative anthropology
|The method of comparing and contrasting different cultures
|[[wikipedia:Cross-cultural studies|Cross-cultural studies]]
|Form
|-
|Comparative biography
|The method of compiling several biographies to compare and contrast the subjects' character and to gain insight into history
|[[wikipedia:Biography|Biography]]
|Form
|-
|Cultural history
|The method of accurately and comprehensively describing cultures and civilizations
|[[wikipedia:Cultural history|Cultural history]]
|Form
|-
|Encyclopedia
|
|[[wikipedia:Encyclopedia|Encyclopedia]]
|Form
|-
|Genealogy
|The compilation of family lineages and methods of displaying them artfully
|[[wikipedia:Genealogy|Genealogy]]
|Form
|-
|Treatise on tech evolution
|
|[[wikipedia:Technological evolution|Technological evolution]]
|Form
|-
|Archaeology
|The method of collecting and evaluating artifacts to learn about history and culture
|[[wikipedia:Archaeology|Archaeology]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Personal interviews
|Using personal interviews as sources
|[[wikipedia:Interview|Interview]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Role of cultural differences
| The role of cultural differences in source reliability and interpretation
|[[wikipedia:Cultural relativism|Cultural relativism]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Role of state bias and propaganda
|
|[[wikipedia:Propaganda|Propaganda]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Role of systemic bias
|
|[[wikipedia:Systemic bias|Systemic bias]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Source reliability
|The reliability of sources
|[[wikipedia:Source criticism|Source criticism]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Historical causation
|The causes of historical events
|[[wikipedia:Causality#History|Causality § History]]
|Theory
|-
|Historical cycles
|The notion of historical, governmental and social cycles
|[[wikipedia:Cyclic history|Cyclic history]]
|Theory
|-
|Social conflict
|
|[[wikipedia:Social conflict|Social conflict]]
|Theory
|-
|Sociology
|The notion of bonds between members of a community
|[[wikipedia:Sociology|Sociology]]
|Theory
|}

{{Skills}}

Critical thinker

2018-06-03T22:20:34Z

Bumber: Changed quality rating from "Superior" to "Fine" using the rating script

{{Quality|Fine|22:20, 3 June 2018 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Critical thinker
| profession =
| job name =
| tasks = * Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
}}
{{av}}

{{new in v0.42}}

'''Critical thinker''' is a [[scholar]] skill. It is used by scholars when thinking about history [[topics]]. It seems to be an important skill for [[scholar]]s in general, especially when writing [[book]]s/[[scroll]]s. As dwarves level in this skill very slowly, it can be worth assigning dwarves that already have a few levels in it as your [[scholar]]s.

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Alternate history
|The exploration of how history would be different if some key past events had transpired differently
|[[wikipedia:Alternate history|Alternate history]]
|Form
|-
|Autobiographical adventure
|The method of writing a biography of oneself, particularly as it concerns a military campaign or adventure
|[[wikipedia:Autobiography|Autobiography]]
|Form
|-
|Biographical dictionaries
|The compilation of brief biographies into one large collection
|[[wikipedia:Biographical dictionary|Biographical dictionary]]
|Form
|-
|Biography
|The method of writing the history of a single individual
|[[wikipedia:Biography|Biography]]
|Form
|-
|Comparative anthropology
|The method of comparing and contrasting different cultures
|[[wikipedia:Cross-cultural studies|Cross-cultural studies]]
|Form
|-
|Comparative biography
|The method of compiling several biographies to compare and contrast the subjects' character and to gain insight into history
|[[wikipedia:Biography|Biography]]
|Form
|-
|Cultural history
|The method of accurately and comprehensively describing cultures and civilizations
|[[wikipedia:Cultural history|Cultural history]]
|Form
|-
|Encyclopedia
|
|[[wikipedia:Encyclopedia|Encyclopedia]]
|Form
|-
|Genealogy
|The compilation of family lineages and methods of displaying them artfully
|[[wikipedia:Genealogy|Genealogy]]
|Form
|-
|Treatise on tech evolution
|
|[[wikipedia:Technological evolution|Technological evolution]]
|Form
|-
|Archaeology
|The method of collecting and evaluating artifacts to learn about history and culture
|[[wikipedia:Archaeology|Archaeology]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Personal interviews
|Using personal interviews as sources
|[[wikipedia:Interview|Interview]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Role of cultural differences
| The role of cultural differences in source reliability and interpretation
|[[wikipedia:Cultural relativism|Cultural relativism]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Role of state bias and propaganda
|
|[[wikipedia:Propaganda|Propaganda]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Role of systemic bias
|
|[[wikipedia:Systemic bias|Systemic bias]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Source reliability
|The reliability of sources
|[[wikipedia:Source criticism|Source criticism]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Historical causation
|The causes of historical events
|[[wikipedia:Causality#History|Causality § History]]
|Theory
|-
|Historical cycles
|The notion of historical, governmental and social cycles
|[[wikipedia:Cyclic history|Cyclic history]]
|Theory
|-
|Social conflict
|
|[[wikipedia:Social conflict|Social conflict]]
|Theory
|-
|Sociology
|The notion of bonds between members of a community
|[[wikipedia:Sociology|Sociology]]
|Theory
|}

{{Skills}}

User talk:Lethosor

2018-06-03T22:18:28Z

Bumber: /* Chemist Page Quality Rating */

{{User:Lethosor/header}}
{{Archive|
* [[/archive1|Archive 1 (February-August 2013)]]
* [[/archive2|Archive 2 (Sept. 2013 - May 2014)]]
}}
__TOC__
{{clear}}

==Bot requests==
<div style="" class="plainlinks">
[{{fullurl:User talk:Lethosor|action=edit&section=1&editintro={{urlencode:User:Lethosor/edit intro/bot}}}} '''Add a new request''']
</div>

=== Underpopulated categories ===

Many categories in the DF2014 namespace don't list some of the pages that have the category link. An empty edit on a page (well, any edit) will correct this, but only for that page. This sounds like a job for a bot. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] ([[User talk:VengefulDonut|talk]]) 19:00, 21 July 2014 (UTC)
:I'm pretty sure that's a cache problem, so I'll try rebuilding link tables on the server side and see if that helps (it would probably be a lot faster than sending a bot around to null-edit every page). —[[User:Lethosor|Lethosor]] ([[User talk:Lethosor|talk]]) 20:41, 21 July 2014 (UTC)
::This has been fixed. The problem was that the server that actually runs the job queue was still using the old configuration (without the DF2014 namespace). —[[User:Lethosor|Lethosor]] ([[User talk:Lethosor|talk]]) 21:17, 8 November 2014 (UTC)

== Diagram ==

Take a look over [[DF talk:diagram|here]]. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] ([[User talk:VengefulDonut|talk]]) 15:45, 26 July 2014 (UTC)

== Ceramic Industry page assistance. ==

(Message here) --[[User:DorfyDave|DorfyDave]] ([[User talk:DorfyDave|talk]]) 04:16, 24 August 2014 (UTC)
Thanks for the help with the ceramic industry stuff.

I see what you are doing with the thumbnail workflows on other pages, so if you would rather it be small and let the reader expand it, that would be fine.

I was thinking that the pages looked better with the intro section before the regular content, keeping it separate from the auto TOC / Header listed content, but if you prefer that everything follow the layered header format, that's fine.

:My primary concern was the wrapping caused by inserting the full-size flowchart next to a section. It looks like you've addressed that by splitting up the flowchart, which looks good to me. —[[User:Lethosor|Lethosor]] ([[User talk:Lethosor|talk]]) 15:48, 25 August 2014 (UTC)

== Removing/restoring [[Main:Fruit]] ==

Not that I am protesting it, but why exactly did you remove and then restore the [[Main:Fruit]] page? Because to me, all that happened now is that the creation entry on the page's history is gone, which isn't really anything notable either.
--{{User:Latias1290/Sig/src|13:03|August 26, 2014}} 13:03, 26 August 2014 (UTC)
:I deleted it at first because I didn't realize AutoRedirect wasn't handling section redirects properly, then restored it when I noticed it was broken. That article's [http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php?title=Fruit&action=history history] still shows your revision, so I'm not sure what you mean - is it missing from [[Special:RecentChanges]]? —[[User:Lethosor|Lethosor]] ([[User talk:Lethosor|talk]]) 13:07, 26 August 2014 (UTC)
::The creation entry I was talking about was actually the first entry, and the entry that is now the only one was the second before you removed it. When I created the page I first had it directly redirect to [[cv:Tree#Fruit]], which after testing didn't work. I usually save the page when the preview doesn't show a red link and the link is correct, and after saving I test it, This time, however, the link in the preview was blue and correct, but actually following the redirect only led to [[cv:Tree]] instead of [[cv:Tree#Fruit]]. The entry you are seeing now is the result of fixing this by making it into a double redirect through [[cv:Fruit]].
:::It looks to me like your first edit was to [[DF2014:Fruit]] - when [[Main:Fruit]] didn't exist, it would have automatically redirected to [[DF2014:Fruit]], so it might have appeared to exist when it didn't. (The problem here is that I made AutoRedirect follow redirect chains internally, since Mediawiki's maximum-redirect setting is buggy, so a nonexistent [[Main:Fruit]] would actually redirect to what [[cv:Fruit]] redirects to - the problem is that it ignores sections at the moment, so section redirects will need to be manually created until I can fix that.) —[[User:Lethosor|Lethosor]] ([[User talk:Lethosor|talk]]) 13:18, 26 August 2014 (UTC)

== settings-manager ==

I don't know where to put it because I don't have a github account and don't know if you have a personal thread for your scripts like the others, but couldn't you add a TEXT mode entry in line 116 of your settings-manager script?
--[[Special:Contributions/78.250.50.116|78.250.50.116]] 04:40, 18 September 2014 (UTC)
:I originally excluded it because it only works on Linux, but I'll add it back for Linux users. Thanks! —[[User:Lethosor|Lethosor]] ([[User talk:Lethosor|talk]]) 19:44, 18 September 2014 (UTC)

== Interesting glitch with redirects ==

I went to see what "Candy" was by going to a page named "Candy", and I found out that it meant Adamantine. But I saw that I got redirected to [[v0.34:Adamantine]], which shouldn't happen seeing as mainspace redirects should always go to the cv namespace. So I went back to fix it, and I saw that [[main:Candy]] redirected to [[main:Adamantine]], so I went there to fix it. But that page redirected properly to [[DF2014:Adamantine]]. This is where it gets interesting.

So when you go to [[main:Candy]], you get redirected to [[main:Adamantine]] which in turn redirects to [[DF2014:Adamantine]]. But - for some reason, you don't get sent to [[DF2014:Adamantine]], but to [[v0.34:Adamantine]]. Going to [[main:Adamantine]] in the first place redirects you to [[DF2014:Adamantine]] properly.

I have no idea how this happens, and since you maintain most of the wiki, I think you would be the right person to tell this to.
--{{User:Latias1290/Sig/src|13:42|November 01, 2014}} 13:42, 1 November 2014 (UTC)

:My best guess is that the [[Main:Candy]] redirect is cached and still points to [[v0.34:Adamantine]]. Our [[DF:REDIR|new policy]] is to keep redirects in versioned namespaces, so feel free to tag any broken redirects (in the main namespace) that you find with {{tl|bad redirect}} and I'll delete them. —[[User:Lethosor|Lethosor]] ([[User talk:Lethosor|talk]]) 14:48, 1 November 2014 (UTC)

:I just saw a redlink on the exploratory tunnels page(redlink to [[DF2014:Break]]) and went to create it, when I discovered that the pages for Break existed for 23a and 40d, but not for 34.11 and 40.x. I went to check those to import content, and they turned out to be redirects. So I just redirected [[DF2014:Break]] to [[DF2014:On break]] and when I went to create additional redirects in the mainspace, I found that [[main:Break]] redirects to [[main:On break]] which redirects to [[cv:On break]]. But, again, it ultimately did not redirect to cv:On break but to v0.34:Break. I think that if it is indeed a cache problem we should rebuild redirect caches. {{User:Latias1290/Sig/src|12:08|November 02, 2014}}
:PS: Or just batch-delete all of this kind of redirects. {{User:Latias1290/Sig/src|12:09|November 02, 2014}}
:I don't like "bumping" this message like this, but since it's rather annoying, and ten days have been since I told you, almost all of these redirects are broken. Take a look at [[main:Aluminium]] for example, it goes to its 34.11 page. I think that it goes like this; when a page in the mainspace redirects to another page in the mainspace, which in turn goes to a cv space page, it goes to 0.34 instead of the current version. Going to the main>cv redirect initially does not cause this glitch. {{User:Latias1290/Sig/src|12:46|November 12, 2014}}
::It would be helpful if you could add {{tl|bad redirect}} to those pages (preferably before the "#REDIRECT" line) so I can delete them. I'm not sure what's causing the problem, but I'll see if I can override broken redirects with the AutoRedirect extension as well. —[[User:Lethosor|Lethosor]] ([[User talk:Lethosor|talk]]) 20:18, 12 November 2014 (UTC)

== Migrated citations ==

As seen on [[DF2014:Dragonfire]], migrated citations can become confused, pointing to non-existent pages. I'm not sure how to fix it, but in general citations shouldn't automatically change what they are pointing at.--[[User:Loci|Loci]] ([[User talk:Loci|talk]]) 18:26, 14 November 2014 (UTC)

== <nowiki>{{ArticleVersion}}</nowiki> bug ==

I just found another very strange bug regarding the articleversion template. The more research I did on it, the weirder it got. The bug is that when you are not logged in, and you visit a non-DF2014 page with an av template, the latest version shows as v0.40.16 instead of v0.40.18. {{User:Latias1290/Sig/src|10:17|November 25, 2014}}
PS: This bug does not replicate when you are logged in. {{User:Latias1290/Sig/src|10:19|November 25, 2014}}
:This is because pages are cached for logged-out users. You can refresh individual pages by adding "?action=purge" to the end of the URL (or possibly by null-editing them). It appears to occur in DF2014 pages as well - [[DF2014:Hemp]], for example. —[[User:Lethosor|Lethosor]] ([[User talk:Lethosor|talk]]) 23:49, 25 November 2014 (UTC)

== Lost password request ==

I've forgotten my password. User: Bumber

:You don't seem to have an email address associated with your account. I sent a message to Bumber on the forums, assuming that's you. —[[User:Lethosor|Lethosor]] ([[User talk:Lethosor|talk]]) 01:24, 30 April 2016 (UTC)

Thanks.

== Redirects ==

Thank you for the correction. I felt I might be doing it wrong but couldn't find an example of it done right to copy. Now I know. :) [[User:Volatar|Volatar]] ([[User talk:Volatar|talk]]) 16:02, 30 July 2015 (UTC)

== v0.42.05 raws update ==

Just a friendly reminder that the wiki raws need updated to pick up the [http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php?title=Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki:Page_request/List&diff=222917&oldid=222913 new critters in v0.42.05]. It would also be nice if your bot could auto-create the new creature pages so we don't end up with [[back bear man]] and the like.--[[User:Loci|Loci]] ([[User talk:Loci|talk]]) 23:05, 2 February 2016 (UTC)

:Quietust updated the extension, but I'm having trouble deploying the changes for some reason (which Emily can hopefully figure out). I don't know if I'll have enough time this/next week to write a script to create the new creature pages - if not, Quietust might have something still laying around from 0.34/0.40. —[[User:Lethosor|Lethosor]] ([[User talk:Lethosor|talk]]) 17:45, 6 February 2016 (UTC)

== Page move reminder ==

[[DF2014:Box]] to [[DF2014:Container]] please. [[User:Brightgalrs|Brightgalrs]] ([[User talk:Brightgalrs|talk]]) 23:01, 7 July 2016 (UTC)

:Done. It took me a second to figure out what the issue was - I'm surprised Mediawiki wouldn't let you move a page over another one that was just a redirect. —[[User:Lethosor|Lethosor]] ([[User talk:Lethosor|talk]]) 00:21, 10 July 2016 (UTC)
::Thanks! [[User:Brightgalrs|Brightgalrs]] ([[User talk:Brightgalrs|talk]]) 22:50, 11 July 2016 (UTC)

== v0.43.05 raws update ==

Just a friendly reminder that the wiki raws need updated to pick up the changes through v0.43.05.--[[User:Loci|Loci]] ([[User talk:Loci|talk]]) 19:48, 2 August 2016 (UTC)

:Done. —[[User:Lethosor|Lethosor]] ([[User talk:Lethosor|talk]]) 01:43, 22 August 2016 (UTC)

== Multiple redirects leads to incorrect namespace ==

Discussion here: [[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki_talk:Centralized_Discussion#Solution_for_this]] [[User:Brightgalrs|Brightgalrs]] ([[User talk:Brightgalrs|talk]]) 10:49, 21 November 2016 (UTC)

== Vandalism ==

We had an attack on August 3rd. [[Talk:Main Page (fix plz)]] ‎needs moved back to Talk:Main Page, and the rest of [http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/Special:Contributions/Etihand the vandal's handiwork] can just be deleted. I can't think of any legitimate reason a user would need to move Talk:Main Page, so it should probably be move-locked to prevent future hijacks.--[[User:Loci|Loci]] ([[User talk:Loci|talk]]) 15:53, 7 August 2017 (UTC)

:It should be cleaned up now. Sorry for the delay there. [[Main Page]] was already move-protected, but apparently that didn't apply to the talk page, so both should be move-protected now too. —[[User:Lethosor|Lethosor]] ([[User talk:Lethosor|talk]]) 13:29, 8 August 2017 (UTC)

== Sorry, I need a password reset ==

I just logged in, saw the post about passwords needing to be changed. (Feeling all smart since I just setup a password manager) I updated my password, only to realize I didn't save the new password correctly in the manager. I tried to reset it but the wiki had a note saying to contact you since it can't do outbound email right now.

My user name is [[Frobnic8]].

My most notable contribution here are the PDF versions of the old Bronzemurder illustration by Tim Denee: [[Bronzemurder]]

The files are still hosted at my website. To prove it's me, I've also left you a note at http://eldritch.org/erskin/temp/df_wiki.txt

Sorry for the hassle, but if you could set me a temporary password or send me a link to a password reset to the associated email address for the account, that'd be awesome.

Thanks!

--[[Special:Contributions/70.163.4.102|70.163.4.102]] 15:40, 30 October 2017 (UTC)

:Done —[[User:Lethosor|Lethosor]] ([[User talk:Lethosor|talk]]) 01:59, 1 November 2017 (UTC)

::Thanks! --[[User:Frobnic8|Frobnic8]] ([[User talk:Frobnic8|talk]]) 02:51, 1 November 2017 (UTC)

== Password reset ==

I could have sworn I did this already, but now there's no sign of my edit here. Dunno what happened to it. Can I please get a password reset for user Urist McDorf. I believe the email info associated is still good (j*y@y*m). Thanks. [[Special:Contributions/108.49.199.220|108.49.199.220]] 06:56, 1 November 2017 (UTC)

== Totally failed to make an account ==

Really think I did everything right.

The Captcha app you are using says it "shutdown" on 3-31-2018 so i'm wondering if that's the issue. – [[template:unsigned|unsigned]] comment by [[User:216.201.251.142|216.201.251.142]]

:Yeah, we know about it. Emi and Briess are working on some upgrades, and we'll try to upgrade the captcha once it's done. In the meantime, you can PM me on the forums (or email me at gmail.com) and I think I can set up an account for you. —[[User:Lethosor|Lethosor]] ([[User talk:Lethosor|talk]]) 13:41, 13 April 2018 (UTC)

== Chemist Page Quality Rating ==

The quality rating of the [[chemist]] page is listed as *Superior*, despite being a stub. I can't even decrease the quality down to +Fine+ using the rating script.
I added the memory attribute as stated by Toady's recent FotF reply, and I'll insert the relevant [[topics]] for the skill, but there's probably a lot more work to be done.
--[[User:Bumber|Bumber]] ([[User talk:Bumber|talk]]) 06:39, 1 June 2018 (UTC)

:The "override" link [http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php?title=DF2014:Chemist&action=history worked for me]. You have to click on the rating at the top that you want to select, then submit. The calculated score is unreliable, to say the least. —[[User:Lethosor|Lethosor]] ([[User talk:Lethosor|talk]]) 16:27, 1 June 2018 (UTC)

::I couldn't figure out how the override worked and just assumed it was an admin thing. Didn't realize you had to click one of the quality options at the top. —[[User:Bumber|Bumber]] ([[User talk:Bumber|talk]]) 22:18, 3 June 2018 (UTC)

Mechanic

2018-06-01T07:14:46Z

Bumber: Topics table

{{Quality|Exceptional|00:48, 12 June 2010 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 4:1
| skill = Mechanic
| profession = [[Engineer]]
| job name = [[Mechanics]]
| tasks =
* Construct Mechanisms
* Machine construction
* Trap construction
* Link up lever/pressure plate
* Load Trap
* Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| workshop = [[Mechanic's workshop]]
| attributes =
* Strength
* Agility
* Endurance
* Analytical Ability
* Creativity
* Spatial Sense
}}
{{av}}

'''Mechanic''' is the skill associated with the '''mechanics''' [[labor]]. Mechanics can work at a [[mechanic's workshop]] or a [[metalsmith's forge]] to manufacture [[mechanism]]s, and place any [[building]]s that require mechanisms such as [[lever]]s, [[Gear assembly|gear]]s and [[trap]]s. They are also responsible for linking up [[lever]]s or [[pressure plate]]s to objects such as [[bridge]]s, [[floodgate]]s and other [[trap design|contraptions]].

A dwarf will gain mechanics skill by manufacturing [[mechanism]]s in the [[mechanic's workshop]]. A dwarf with a high skill in mechanics will typically produce higher quality mechanisms, and can link up objects faster than a novice. High quality mechanisms may provide happy [[thought]]s to passing dwarves. Skill is also gained by loading cage traps, and by completing linking tasks.

Mechanics can also make [[traction bench]]es, which are occasionally needed by doctors to treat compound fractures.

To manufacture metal mechanisms, navigate into the trap component sub-menu at any metalsmith's forge. This process will use the '''mechanics''' [[labor]].

The mechanic skill is also used by [[scholars]] when thinking about engineering-related [[topics]].

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Balance wheel
|
|[[wikipedia:Balance wheel|Balance wheel]]
|Machine
|-
|Bellows
|The construction and use of the bellows
|[[wikipedia:Bellows|Bellows]]
|Machine
|-
|Camshaft
|
|[[wikipedia:Camshaft|Camshaft]]
|Machine
|-
|Chain drive
|The construction and use of chain drives
|[[wikipedia:Chain drive|Chain drive]]
|Machine
|-
|Chariot odometer
|
|[[wikipedia:Odometer|Odometer]]
|Machine
|-
|Combination lock
|
|[[wikipedia:Combination lock|Combination lock]]
|Machine
|-
|Crank
|
|[[wikipedia:Crank (mechanism)|Crank (mechanism)]]
|Machine
|-
|Crankshaft
|
|[[wikipedia:Crankshaft|Crankshaft]]
|Machine
|-
|Differential gear
|
|[[wikipedia:Differential (mechanical device)|Differential (mechanical device)]]
|Machine
|-
|Double acting piston bellows
|
|[[wikipedia:Bellows|Bellows]]
|Machine
|-
|Lever
|The construction and use of the lever
|[[wikipedia:Lever|Lever]]
|Machine
|-
|Mechanical compass
|
|[[wikipedia:Compass (drawing tool)|Compass]]
|Machine
|-
|Padlock
|The construction and use of the padlock
|[[wikipedia:Padlock|Padlock]]
|Machine
|-
|Piston
|
|[[wikipedia:Piston pump#Force pump|Piston pump § Force pump]]
|Machine
|-
|Pulley
|The construction and use of the pulley
|[[wikipedia:Pulley|Pulley]]
|Machine
|-
|Screw
|The construction and use of the screw
|[[wikipedia:Screw|Screw]]
|Machine
|-
|Straight beam balance
|The construction and use of the straight-beam balance
|[[wikipedia:Weighing scale#Mechanical balances|Weighing scale § Mechanical balances]]
|Machine
|-
|Theory of gears
|The reasons why gears are effective
|[[wikipedia:Gear|Gear]]
|Machine
|-
|Theory of lever
|The reasons why the lever is effective
|[[wikipedia:Lever|Lever]]
|Machine
|-
|Theory of pulley
|The reasons why pulleys are effective
|[[wikipedia:Pulley|Pulley]]
|Machine
|-
|Theory of screw
|The reasons why screws are effective
|[[wikipedia:Screw|Screw]]
|Machine
|-
|Theory of wedge
|The reasons why the wedge is effective
|[[wikipedia:Wedge (mechanical device)|Wedge]]
|Machine
|-
|Theory of wheel and axle
|The reasons why the wheel-and-axle construction is effective
|[[wikipedia:Wheel and axle|Wheel and axle]]
|Machine
|-
|Trip hammer
|
|[[wikipedia:Trip hammer|Trip hammer]]
|Machine
|-
|Tumbler lock
|The construction and use of the tumbler lock
|[[wikipedia:Pin tumbler lock|Pin tumbler lock]]
|Machine
|-
|Verge escapement
|The construction and use of the verge escapement
|[[wikipedia:Verge escapement|Verge escapement]]
|Machine
|-
|Warded lock
|The construction and use of the warded lock
|[[wikipedia:Warded lock|Warded lock]]
|Machine
|-
|Water powered piston bellows
|
|[[wikipedia:Du_Shi#The_Water-Powered_Blast_Furnace|Du Shi § The Water-Powered Blast Furnace]]
|Machine
|-
|Water powered sawmill
|
|[[wikipedia:Watermill|Watermill]]
|Machine
|-
|Water powered trip hammer
|
|[[wikipedia:Trip hammer|Trip hammer]] and [[wikipedia:Water wheel|Water wheel]]
|Machine
|-
|Water wheel
|
|[[wikipedia:Water wheel|Water wheel]]
|Machine
|-
|Windlass
| The construction and use of the windlass
|[[wikipedia:Windlass|Windlass]]
|Machine
|}

==See Also==
*[[Trap design]]
*[[Machine component]]

{{Skills}}

Diagnostician

2018-06-01T07:12:40Z

Bumber: Topics table. Not sure this needs to be here, but w/e.

{{Quality|Superior|07:35, 17 May 2015 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 5:0
| skill = Diagnostician
| specialty = Diagnoser
| profession = [[Doctor]]
| job name = [[Diagnosis]]
| tasks =
* Diagnose wounded dwarves
* Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
* Analytical Ability
* Memory
* Intuition
}}
{{av}}

'''Diagnostician''' is the skill associated with the [[diagnosis]] [[labor]]. Diagnosers are responsible for deciding how a dwarf who is hurt should be treated at a [[hospital]].

Diagnostician [[skill|skill level]] is related to the speed at which the labor is completed. It is the only relevant skill of the [[chief medical dwarf]] noble position, and the [[health screen]] will not display information without it.

Diagnosers determine the freshest hell unleashed on your fortress' injured as part of the [[health care|health care industry]].

The diagnostician skill is also used by [[scholars]] when thinking about medical science-related [[topics]].

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Anesthesia
|Anesthesia
|[[wikipedia:Anesthesia|Anesthesia]]
|Method
|-
|Asylum for mentally ill
|
|[[wikipedia:Psychiatric hospital|Psychiatric hospital]]
|Method
|-
|Autopsy
|
|[[wikipedia:Autopsy|Autopsy]]
|Method
|-
|Cataract surgery
|
|[[wikipedia:Cataract surgery|Cataract surgery]]
|Method
|-
|Cauterization
|Cauterization
|[[wikipedia:Cauterization|Cauterization]]
|Method
|-
|Fracture immobilization
|
|[[wikipedia:Bone fracture#Immobilization|Bone fracture § Immobilization]]
|Method
|-
|Fracture treatment
|The treatment of fractures
|[[wikipedia:Bone fracture#Treatment|Bone fracture § Treatment]]
|Method
|-
|Hernia surgery
|Hernia surgery
|[[wikipedia:Hernia#Surgery|Hernia § Surgery]]
|Method
|-
|Hospital lab
|
|[[wikipedia:Medical laboratory|Medical laboratory]]
|Method
|-
|Lithotomy surgery
|The lithotomy surgery
|[[wikipedia:Lithotomy|Lithotomy]]
|Method
|-
|Medical school
|
|[[wikipedia:Medical school|Medical school]]
|Method
|-
|Physical examination
|The method of physical examination in diagnosing illness
|[[wikipedia:Physical examination|Physical examination]]
|Method
|-
|Professional hospital staff
|
|[[wikipedia:Surgeon|Surgeon]] and [[wikipedia:Physician|Physician]]
|Method
|-
|Specialized wards
|
|[[wikipedia:Hospital#Departments or wards|Hospital § Departments or wards]]
|Method
|-
|Tracheotomy surgery
|The tracheotomy surgery
|[[wikipedia:Tracheotomy|Tracheotomy]]
|Method
|-
|Traumatic injuries
|The treatment of traumatic injuries
|[[wikipedia:Major trauma|Major trauma]]
|Method
|-
|Draining
| The surgical method of draining
|[[wikipedia:Drain (surgery)|Drain (surgery)]]
|Method (surgery)
|-
|Excision
|The surgical method of excision
|[[wikipedia:Excision|Excision]]
|Method (surgery)
|-
|Incision
|The surgical method of incision
|[[wikipedia:Surgical incision|Surgical incision]]
|Method (surgery)
|-
|Ligature
|The surgical method of ligature
|[[wikipedia:Ligature (medicine)|Ligature (medicine)]]
|Method (surgery)
|-
|Probing
|The surgical method of probing
||[[wikipedia:Endoscopy|Endoscopy]]
|Method (surgery)
|-
|Scraping
|The surgical method of scraping
|[[wikipedia:Debridement|Debridement]]
|Method (surgery)
|-
|Suturing
|The surgical method of suturing
|[[wikipedia:Surgical suture|Surgical suture]]
|Method (surgery)
|-
|Acute and chronic conditions
|The distinction between acute and chronic conditions
|[[wikipedia:Acute (medicine)|Acute (medicine)]] and [[wikipedia:Chronic condition|Chronic condition]]
|Theory
|-
|Anatomical studies
|Anatomical studies for medical edification
|[[wikipedia:Human body|Human body]]
|Theory
|-
|Blood vessels
|
|[[wikipedia:Blood vessel|Blood vessel]]
|Theory
|-
|Classification of bodily fluids
|The classification of bodily fluids
|[[wikipedia:Body fluid|Body fluid]] or [[wikipedia:Humorism|Humorism]]
|Theory
|-
|Classification of mental illnesses
|
|[[wikipedia:Mental disorder|Mental disorder]]
|Theory
|-
|Classification of muscles
|
|[[wikipedia:Muscle|Muscle]]
|Theory
|-
|Comparative anatomy
|
|[[wikipedia:Comparative anatomy|Comparative anatomy]]
|Theory
|-
|Convalescence
|
|[[wikipedia:Convalescence|Convalescence]]
|Theory
|-
|Disease and fouled water
|The connection between disease and fouled water
|[[wikipedia:Waterborne diseases|Waterborne diseases]]
|Theory
|-
|Endemic disease
|
|[[wikipedia:Endemic (epidemiology)|Endemic (epidemiology)]]
|Theory
|-
|Epidemic disease
| The theory of epidemic disease
|[[wikipedia:Epidemic|Epidemic]]
|Theory
|-
|Exacerbation
|The notion of the exacerbation of a patient's condition
|[[wikipedia:Exacerbation|Exacerbation]]
|Theory
|-
|Eye anatomy
|The anatomy of the eye
|[[wikipedia:Human eye|Human eye]]
|Theory
|-
|Fracture classification
|The classification of fractures
|[[wikipedia:Bone fracture#Classification|Bone fracture § Classification]]
|Theory
|-
|Motor vs sensory nerves
|
|[[wikipedia:Motor nerve|Motor nerve]] and [[wikipedia:Sensory nerve|Sensory nerve]]
|Theory
|-
|Nervous system function
|
|[[wikipedia:Nervous system|Nervous system]]
|Theory
|-
|Paroxysm
|The notion of paroxysm
|[[wikipedia:Paroxysmal attack|Paroxysmal attack]]
|Theory
|-
|Pathology
|The classification of disease
|[[wikipedia:Nosology|Nosology]]
|Theory
|-
|Prognosis
|Determining the likely outcome given a patient's current status
|[[wikipedia:Prognosis|Prognosis]]
|Theory
|-
|Pulmonary circulation
|
|[[wikipedia:Pulmonary circulation|Pulmonary circulation]]
|Theory
|-
|Pulmonary medicine
| Pulmonary medicine
|[[wikipedia:Pulmonology|Pulmonology]]
|Theory
|-
|Reaction time
|
|[[wikipedia:Mental chronometry|Mental chronometry]]
|Theory
|-
|Relapse
|
|[[wikipedia:Relapse|Relapse]]
|Theory
|-
|Specialized surgical instruments
|The use of specialized surgical instruments
|[[wikipedia:Surgical instrument|Surgical instrument]]
|Theory
|-
|Surgical models
|The use of practice models in surgery
|[[wikipedia:Surgical planning|Surgical planning]]
|Theory
|-
|The voice
|The source of the voice
|[[wikipedia:Phonation|Phonation]]
|Theory
|-
|Toxicology
|The classification of toxic substances
|[[wikipedia:Toxicology|Toxicology]]
|Theory
|-
|Treatment of mental illnesses
|
|[[wikipedia:Treatment of mental disorders|Treatment of mental disorders]]
|Theory
|-
|Animals as surgical models
|The use of animals as surgical models
|[[wikipedia:Vivisection|Vivisection]]
|Tool
|-
|Animal remedies
|Remedies prepared from animals
|[[wikipedia:Traditional Chinese medicine#Animal substances|Traditional Chinese medicine § Animal substances]]
|Tool
|-
|Bandages
|The method of bandaging wounds
|[[wikipedia:Bandage|Bandage]]
|Tool
|-
|Dedicated hospitals
|
|[[wikipedia:Hospital|Hospital]]
|Tool
|-
|Forceps
|
|[[wikipedia:Forceps|Forceps]]
|Tool
|-
|Herbal remedies
|Herbal remedies
|[[wikipedia:Herbalism|Herbalism]]
|Tool
|-
|Mineral remedies
|Mineral remedies
|[[wikipedia:List of traditional Chinese medicines#Minerals|List of traditional Chinese medicines § Minerals]]
|Tool
|-
|Mud bags as surgical models
|The use of mud bags as surgical models
|[[wikipedia:Surgical planning|Surgical planning]]
|Tool
|-
|Needles
| The construction and use of surgical needles
|[[wikipedia:Surgical suture#Needles|Surgical suture § Needles]]
|Tool
|-
|Orthopedic cast
|
|[[wikipedia:Orthopedic cast|Orthopedic cast]]
|Tool
|-
|Plants as surgical models
|
|[[wikipedia:Surgical planning|Surgical planning]]
|Tool
|-
|Scalpel
|
|[[wikipedia:Scalpel|Scalpel]]
|Tool
|-
|Surgical scissors
|
|[[wikipedia:Surgical scissors|Surgical scissors]]
|Tool
|-
|Traction bench
|
|[[wikipedia:Hippocratic bench|Hippocratic bench]]
|Tool
|}

{{skills}}

{{Category|Healthcare}}

Record keeper

2018-06-01T07:10:32Z

Bumber: Topics table. Not entirely sure this needs to be here, but w/e.

{{Quality|Superior|21:25, 9 June 2010 (UTC)}}{{Skill
| color = 5:0
| skill = Record keeper
| specialty = [[Clerk]]
| profession = [[Administrator]]
| job name = Noble/Admin
| tasks =
* Update Stockpile Records
* Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
* Analytical Ability
* Memory
* Focus
}}
{{av}}

'''Record keeper''' is a skill associated with the [[Bookkeeper]] appointed [[noble]]. It is used to determine how quickly the bookkeeper can take an [[stocks|inventory]] of the fortress and update the records to reflect any changes. It is trained by a bookkeeper doing the '''update stockpile records''' administrative [[labor]]. To do this, the bookkeeper needs at least a meager [[office]], created from a [[Throne|chair or throne]] (Since ''Meager'' is the lowest possible room quality just a 1x1 room, i.e. just the throne or chair itself, suffices.). For more information on room quality, see [[Room]].

As wealth and items are created or lost, e.g. by dwarves drinking up all your booze, the records will gradually deteriorate in precision, eventually ending up at the lowest precision rating. An assigned bookkeeper will therefore periodically update the records. How often depends on what precision he is trying to maintain, with the highest precision requiring the most work.

An experienced bookkeeper can easily maintain the highest precision level without working around the clock, even in large fortresses. Getting to the highest precision level is mostly a challenge only in the first 2 years or so.

The record keeper skill is also used by [[scholars]] when thinking about history [[topics]].

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Alternate history
|The exploration of how history would be different if some key past events had transpired differently
|[[wikipedia:Alternate history|Alternate history]]
|Form
|-
|Autobiographical adventure
|The method of writing a biography of oneself, particularly as it concerns a military campaign or adventure
|[[wikipedia:Autobiography|Autobiography]]
|Form
|-
|Biographical dictionaries
|The compilation of brief biographies into one large collection
|[[wikipedia:Biographical dictionary|Biographical dictionary]]
|Form
|-
|Biography
|The method of writing the history of a single individual
|[[wikipedia:Biography|Biography]]
|Form
|-
|Comparative anthropology
|The method of comparing and contrasting different cultures
|[[wikipedia:Cross-cultural studies|Cross-cultural studies]]
|Form
|-
|Comparative biography
|The method of compiling several biographies to compare and contrast the subjects' character and to gain insight into history
|[[wikipedia:Biography|Biography]]
|Form
|-
|Cultural history
|The method of accurately and comprehensively describing cultures and civilizations
|[[wikipedia:Cultural history|Cultural history]]
|Form
|-
|Encyclopedia
|
|[[wikipedia:Encyclopedia|Encyclopedia]]
|Form
|-
|Genealogy
|The compilation of family lineages and methods of displaying them artfully
|[[wikipedia:Genealogy|Genealogy]]
|Form
|-
|Treatise on tech evolution
|
|[[wikipedia:Technological evolution|Technological evolution]]
|Form
|-
|Archaeology
|The method of collecting and evaluating artifacts to learn about history and culture
|[[wikipedia:Archaeology|Archaeology]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Personal interviews
|Using personal interviews as sources
|[[wikipedia:Interview|Interview]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Role of cultural differences
| The role of cultural differences in source reliability and interpretation
|[[wikipedia:Cultural relativism|Cultural relativism]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Role of state bias and propaganda
|
|[[wikipedia:Propaganda|Propaganda]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Role of systemic bias
|
|[[wikipedia:Systemic bias|Systemic bias]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Source reliability
|The reliability of sources
|[[wikipedia:Source criticism|Source criticism]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Historical causation
|The causes of historical events
|[[wikipedia:Causality#History|Causality § History]]
|Theory
|-
|Historical cycles
|The notion of historical, governmental and social cycles
|[[wikipedia:Cyclic history|Cyclic history]]
|Theory
|-
|Social conflict
|
|[[wikipedia:Social conflict|Social conflict]]
|Theory
|-
|Sociology
|The notion of bonds between members of a community
|[[wikipedia:Sociology|Sociology]]
|Theory
|}

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

Tracker

2018-06-01T07:04:27Z

Bumber: Topics table

{{Quality|Fine|21:55, 30 December 2010 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Tracker
| profession = Unknown
| job name = None
| tasks = None
| attributes =
* Unknown
}}
{{av}}

'''Tracker''' is a [[skill]] currently only used in [[Adventurer mode]] which allows an adventurer to track [[creature]]s. Higher levels let you spot more tracks and help distinguish different tracks. The only time that this skill is not being trained is when your adventurer is sleeping, waiting, or having too much [[fun]]. As a result, it will typically reach legendary status by the end of an in-game week.

Historical figures that have done scouting, beast hunting or wandering in the past always seem to have some levels of this skill.

In [[fortress mode]], this is used by [[scholar]]s who are [[naturalist]]s.

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Dissection
|The dissection of creatures
|[[wikipedia:Dissection|Dissection]]
|Method
|-
|Anatomy
|The anatomical study of creatures
|[[wikipedia:Anatomy|Anatomy]]
|Observation
|-
|Embryology
|The embriological development of creatures
|[[wikipedia:Embryology|Embryology]]
|Observation
|-
|Foraging behavior
|The foraging behavior and diet of creatures
|[[wikipedia:Foraging|Foraging]]
|Observation
|-
|Migration
|The migratory patterns of creatures
|[[wikipedia:Animal migration|Animal migration]]
|Observation
|-
|Reproductive behavior
|The reproductive behavior of creatures
|[[wikipedia:Reproduction|Reproduction]]
|Observation
|-
|Social behavior
|The social behavior of creatures
|[[wikipedia:Social behavior|Social behavior]]
|Observation
|-
|Veterinary medicine
|The diseases of creatures
|[[wikipedia:Veterinary medicine|Veterinary medicine]]
|Observation
|-
|Climactic adaptation
|The way that creatures are suited to the climates in which they live
|[[wikipedia:Climatic adaptation|Climatic adaptation]]
|Theory
|-
|Comparative anatomy
|
|[[wikipedia:Comparative anatomy|Comparative anatomy]]
|Theory
|-
|Food chain
|
|[[wikipedia:Food chain|Food chain]]
|Theory
|-
|Physical taxonomy
|The classification of creatures by their physical features
|[[wikipedia:Aristotle's biology#Classification|Aristotle's biology § Classification]]
|Theory
|-
|Struggle for existence
|The struggle for survival among creatures
|[[wikipedia:Struggle for existence|Struggle for existence]]
|Theory
|}

{{skills}}

Fluid engineer

2018-06-01T07:03:39Z

Bumber: Remove accidental copy-pasted engineering category

{{Quality|Superior|13:11, 8 May 2018 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Fluid engineer
| profession =
| job name =
| tasks = * Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
}}
{{av}}

{{new in v0.42}}

'''Fluid engineer''' is a [[scholar]] skill. It is used by scholars when thinking about engineering [[topics]], specifically under the Fluid division.

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Archimedes principle
|
|[[wikipedia:Archimedes' principle|Archimedes' principle]]
|Fluid
|-
|Force pump
|
|[[wikipedia:Piston pump#Force pump|Piston pump § Force pump]]
|Fluid
|-
|Theory of siphon
|The action of the siphon
|[[wikipedia:Siphon|Siphon]]
|Fluid
|-
|Valves
|The construction and use of valves
|[[wikipedia:Valve|Valve]]
|Fluid
|}

{{Skills}}

Logician

2018-06-01T07:01:24Z

Bumber: Topics table

{{Quality|Superior|13:10, 8 May 2018 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Logician
| profession =
| job name =
| tasks =
* Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
}}
{{av}}

{{new in v0.42}}

'''Logician''' is a [[scholar]] skill. It is used by scholars when thinking about philosophy [[topics]].

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Nature of beauty
|Discourse on the nature of beauty
|[[wikipedia:Beauty (ancient thought)|Beauty (ancient thought)]]
|Aesthetics
|-
|Value of art
|
|[[wikipedia:Aesthetics|Aesthetics]]
|Aesthetics
|-
|Belief
|Discourse on the nature of belief
|[[wikipedia:Epistemology#Belief|Epistemology § Belief]]
|Epistemology
|-
|Justification
|Discourse on the nature of justification
|[[wikipedia:Epistemology#Justification|Epistemology § Justification]]
|Epistemology
|-
|Perception
|Discourse on the nature of perception
|[[wikipedia:Philosophy of perception|Philosophy of perception]]
|Epistemology
|-
|Truth
|
|[[wikipedia:Epistemology#Truth|Epistemology § Truth]]
|Epistemology
|-
|Individual value
|Discourse on the meaning of individual happiness
|[[wikipedia:Value (ethics)#Personal values|Value (ethics) § Personal values]]
|Ethics
|-
|State consequentialism
|Discourse on ethics as it regards the benefit of the state
|[[wikipedia:State consequentialism|State consequentialism]]
|Ethics
|-
|Interpersonal ethics
|Discourse on ethics as applied to interpersonal conduct
|[[wikipedia:Value (ethics)#Cultural values|Value (ethics) § Cultural values]]
|Ethics (applied)
|-
|Medical
|Discourse on medical ethics
|[[wikipedia:Medical ethics|Medical ethics]]
|Ethics (applied)
|-
|Military
|Discourse on ethics as applied to war
|[[wikipedia:Ethics#Military ethics|Ethics § Military ethics]]
|Ethics (applied)
|-
|Analogical inference
|
|[[wikipedia:Argument from analogy|Argument from analogy]]
|Logic
|-
|Deductive reasoning
|Deductive reasoning
|[[wikipedia:Deductive reasoning|Deductive reasoning]]
|Logic
|-
|Dialectic reasoning
|
|[[wikipedia:Dialectic|Dialectic]]
|Logic
|-
|Direct inference
|
|[[wikipedia:Statistical syllogism|Statistical syllogism]]
|Logic
|-
|Formal reasoning
|Formal reasoning
|[[wikipedia:Reason|Reason]]
|Logic
|-
|Hypothetical syllogisms
|Hypothetical syllogisms
|[[wikipedia:Hypothetical syllogism|Hypothetical syllogism]]
|Logic
|-
|Inductive reasoning
|
|[[wikipedia:Inductive reasoning|Inductive reasoning]]
|Logic
|-
|Propositional logic
|
|[[wikipedia:Propositional calculus|Propositional calculus]]
|Logic
|-
|Syllogistic logic
|Syllogistic logic
|[[wikipedia:Syllogism|Syllogism]]
|Logic
|-
|Causation
|The nature of causation
|[[wikipedia:Causality|Causality]]
|Metaphysics
|-
|Events
|Discourse on the nature of events
|[[wikipedia:Event (philosophy)|Event (philosophy)]]
|Metaphysics
|-
|Existence
|
|[[wikipedia:Existence|Existence]]
|Metaphysics
|-
|Mind body
|Discourse on the nature of mind and body
|[[wikipedia:Mind–body problem|Mind–body problem]]
|Metaphysics
|-
|Objects and properties
|
|[[wikipedia:Essence|Essence]]
|Metaphysics
|-
|Processes
|
|[[wikipedia:Process philosophy|Process philosophy]]
|Metaphysics
|-
|Time
|Discourse on the nature of time
|[[wikipedia:Time|Time]]
|Metaphysics
|-
|Wholes and parts
|The relationship between wholes and parts
|[[wikipedia:Mereology|Mereology]]
|Metaphysics
|-
|Education
|Education, its forms and recommendations
|[[wikipedia:Education|Education]]
|Specialized
|-
|Law
|Discourse on law
|[[wikipedia:Law|Law]]
|Specialized
|-
|Dictionary
|Dictionaries
|[[wikipedia:Dictionary|Dictionary]]
|Specialized (language)
|-
|Etymology
|The notion of etymology
|[[wikipedia:Etymology|Etymology]]
|Specialized (language)
|-
|Grammar
|Grammar
|[[wikipedia:Grammar|Grammar]]
|Specialized (language)
|-
|Diplomacy
|Discourse on diplomacy
|[[wikipedia:Diplomacy|Diplomacy]]
|Specialized (politics)
|-
|Economic policy
|Discourse on economic policy
|[[wikipedia:Economic policy|Economic policy]]
|Specialized (politics)
|-
|Government forms
|Discourse on government
|[[wikipedia:Government|Government]]
|Specialized (politics)
|-
|Social welfare
|Discourse on social welfare
|[[wikipedia:Welfare|Welfare]]
|Specialized (politics)
|-
|Value agendas
|The philosopher will choose a [[Belief]] that they have and write about that: Format "Worthlessness/nuances/value of (belief)" Reading books that push these will result in a dwarf's (or adventurer's) values changing. [[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=154197.0|Citation]] [[http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/|2 (Devlog on 7/25/2015]]
|[[wikipedia:Propaganda|Propaganda]]
|''n/a''
|}

{{Skills}}

Mathematician

2018-06-01T06:59:57Z

Bumber: Extra space between table and skills

{{Quality|Fine|06:21, 1 June 2018 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Mathematician
| profession =
| job name =
| tasks = * Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
*Memory
*Unknown
}}
{{av}}

{{new in v0.42}}

'''Mathematician''' is a [[scholar]] skill. It is used by scholars when thinking about mathematical [[topics]].

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Divergence of harmonic series
|The divergence of the harmonic series
|[[wikipedia:Harmonic series (mathematics)|Harmonic series (mathematics)]]
|Algebra
|-
|Equations
|The technique of balancing and completion for solving equations
|[[wikipedia:The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing|The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing]], [[wikipedia:Algebra|Algebra]], and [[wikipedia:Equation|Equation]]
|Algebra
|-
|Large sums
|Simple formulas for certain arbitrarily large sums
|[[wikipedia:Summation|Summation]]
|Algebra
|-
|Pascal's triangle
|A triangular configuration of numbers relating to the successive powers of any sum
|[[wikipedia:Pascal's triangle|Pascal's triangle]]
|Algebra
|-
|Quadratic by completing square
|The solving of quadratic equations by completion of the square
|[[wikipedia:Completing the square|Completing the square]]
|Algebra
|-
|Quadratic formula
|A formula which solves quadratic equations
|[[wikipedia:Quadratic formula|Quadratic formula]]
|Algebra
|-
|Solving higher order polynomials
|Methods for solving certain equations involving powers higher than the quadratic
|[[wikipedia:Galois theory|Galois theory]] 
|Algebra
|-
|Systems of equations
|Methods of solving systems of equations
|[[wikipedia:Linear system|Linear system]]
|Algebra
|-
|Area enclosed by line and parabola
|The area enclosed by a parabola and a line
|[[wikipedia:The Quadrature of the Parabola|The Quadrature of the Parabola]]
|Geometry
|-
|Area of circle
|
|[[wikipedia:Area of a disk|Area of a disk]]
|Geometry
|-
|Area of triangle from side lengths
|
|[[wikipedia:Heron's formula|Heron's formula]]
|Geometry
|-
|Basic geometry
|Geometric objects: points, lines, circles, triangles, and so on
|[[wikipedia:Geometry|Geometry]]
|Geometry
|-
|Chords
|The properties of chords
|[[wikipedia:Chord (geometry)|Chord (geometry)]]
|Geometry
|-
|Chord tables
|A table of chord lengths indexed by angle
|[[wikipedia:Ptolemy's table of chords|Ptolemy's table of chords]]
|Geometry
|-
|Conic sections
|The categorization and properties of conic sections
|[[wikipedia:Conic section|Conic section]]
|Geometry
|-
|Existence of pi
|The relationship between the area of a circle and its radius, involving the ratio of the circumference of the circle to its diameter
|[[wikipedia:Pi|Pi]]
|Geometry
|-
|Geometric mean
|The relationship between the length of the altitude of a right triangle and the lengths of the segments into which it divides the hypotenuse
|[[wikipedia:Geometric mean theorem|Geometric mean theorem]]
|Geometry
|-
|Inscribed triangle on diameter is right
|The angles of triangles inscribed in a circle with one edge on the diameter
|[[wikipedia:Thales' theorem|Thales' theorem]]
|Geometry
|-
|Irrational numbers
|The existence of incommensurable ratios
|[[wikipedia:Irrational number|Irrational number]]
|Geometry
|-
|Isosceles base angles equal
|The equality of the base angle of isosceles triangles
|[[wikipedia:Pons asinorum|Pons asinorum]]
|Geometry
|-
|Law of sines
|
|[[wikipedia:Law of sines|Law of sines]]
|Geometry
|-
|Pi to 6 digits
|
|[[wikipedia:Zu Chongzhi#Mathematics|Zu Chongzhi § Mathematics]] and [[wikipedia:Milü|Milü]]
|Geometry
|-
|Pythagorean theorem
|The relationship between the lengths of the hypotenuse of a right triangle and the other two sides
|[[wikipedia:Pythagorean theorem|Pythagorean theorem]]
|Geometry
|-
|Pythagorean triples 3 digit
|Examples of triples of large whole numbers which, when taken together, are the lengths of the sides of a right triangle
|[[wikipedia:Pythagorean triples|Pythagorean triples]]
|Geometry
|-
|Pythagorean triples 4 digit
|Examples of triples of very large whole numbers which, when taken together, are the lengths of the sides of a right triangle
|[[wikipedia:Pythagorean triples|Pythagorean triples]]
|Geometry
|-
|Pythagorean triples small
|Examples of triples of small whole numbers which, when taken together, are the lengths of the sides of a right triangle
|[[wikipedia:Pythagorean triples|Pythagorean triples]]
|Geometry
|-
|Similar and congruent triangles
|The properties of similar and congruent triangles
|[[wikipedia:Similarity (geometry)|Similarity (geometry)]] and [[wikipedia:Congruence (geometry)|Congruence (geometry)]]
|Geometry
|-
|Sum-difference trig identities
|Trigonometric identities relating to the sums and differences of angles
|[[wikipedia:List of trigonometric identities#Angle sum and difference identities|List of trigonometric identities § Angle sum and difference identities]]
|Geometry
|-
|Surface area of sphere
|The computation of the surface area of a sphere
|[[wikipedia:Sphere#Surface area|Sphere § Surface area]]
|Geometry
|-
|Volume of cone
|The computation of the volume of a cone
|[[wikipedia:Cone#Volume|Cone § Volume]]
|Geometry
|-
|Volume of pyramid
|The computation of the volume of different pyramids
|[[wikipedia:Pyramid (geometry)#Volume|Pyramid (geometry) § Volume]]
|Geometry
|-
|Volume of sphere
|The computation of the volume of a sphere
|[[wikipedia:Sphere#Volume|Sphere § Volume]]
|Geometry
|-
|Axioms
|Axiomatic reasoning
|[[wikipedia:Axiomatic system|Axiomatic system]]
|Method
|-
|Method of exhaustion
|An approximation of the ratio of a circumference of a circle to its diameter, using the area of polygons and the method of exhaustion
|[[wikipedia:Method of exhaustion|Method of exhaustion]]
|Method
|-
|Proof by contradiction
|The method of proof by contradiction
|[[wikipedia:Proof by contradiction|Proof by contradiction]]
|Method
|-
|Algebra
|Notation for abbreviating the unknown and other elements of an equation in a systematic and useful fashion
|[[wikipedia:Algebra|Algebra]]
|Notation
|-
|Negative numbers
|Notation for negative quantities
|[[wikipedia:Negative number|Negative number]]
|Notation
|-
|Place values
|Positional notation
|[[wikipedia:Positional notation|Positional notation]]
|Notation
|-
|Scientific notation
|Notation for very large numbers
|[[wikipedia:Scientific notation|Scientific notation]]
|Notation
|-
|Symbol for addition
|The idea of using symbolic notation for addition
|[[wikipedia:Plus and minus signs#Plus sign|Plus and minus signs § Plus sign]]
|Notation
|-
|Zero
|A symbol for nothingness
|[[wikipedia:0 (number)|0 (number)]]
|Notation
|-
|Approximation of root 2
|An approximation for the length of the diagonal of a square
|[[wikipedia:Square root of 2#History|Square root of 2 § History]]
|Numbers
|-
|Chinese remainder algorithm
|An algorithm for computing a number which has given remainders when divided by several given primes
|[[wikipedia:Chinese remainder theorem|Chinese remainder theorem]]
|Numbers
|-
|Division
|An algorithm for dividing one number into another, possibly yielding a remainder
|[[wikipedia:Euclidean division|Euclidean division]]
|Numbers
|-
|Euclid's Theorem
|A proof that there are infinitely many prime numbers
|[[wikipedia:Euclid's theorem|Euclid's theorem]]
|Numbers
|-
|Euclidean Algorithm
| An algorithm for computing the greatest common divisor of two numbers
|[[wikipedia:Euclidean algorithm|Euclidean algorithm]]
|Numbers
|-
|Irrationality of root 2
|A proof that the length of a diagonal of a square is incommensurable with its edge
|[[wikipedia:Square root of 2#Proofs of irrationality|Square root of 2 § Proofs of irrationality]]
|Numbers
|-
|Sieve algorithm for primes
|
|[[wikipedia:Sieve of Eratosthenes|Sieve of Eratosthenes]]
|Numbers
|-
|Unique prime factorization
|The unique decomposition of a number into products of its prime divisors
|[[wikipedia:Fundamental theorem of arithmetic|Fundamental theorem of arithmetic]]
|Numbers
|}

{{Skills}}

Mathematician

2018-06-01T06:59:21Z

Bumber: Topics table

Critical thinker

2018-06-01T06:58:33Z

Bumber: Topics table

{{Quality|Superior|13:10, 8 May 2018 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Critical thinker
| profession =
| job name =
| tasks = * Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
}}
{{av}}

{{new in v0.42}}

'''Critical thinker''' is a [[scholar]] skill. It is used by scholars when thinking about history [[topics]]. It seems to be an important skill for [[scholar]]s in general, especially when writing [[book]]s/[[scroll]]s. As dwarves level in this skill very slowly, it can be worth assigning dwarves that already have a few levels in it as your [[scholar]]s.

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Alternate history
|The exploration of how history would be different if some key past events had transpired differently
|[[wikipedia:Alternate history|Alternate history]]
|Form
|-
|Autobiographical adventure
|The method of writing a biography of oneself, particularly as it concerns a military campaign or adventure
|[[wikipedia:Autobiography|Autobiography]]
|Form
|-
|Biographical dictionaries
|The compilation of brief biographies into one large collection
|[[wikipedia:Biographical dictionary|Biographical dictionary]]
|Form
|-
|Biography
|The method of writing the history of a single individual
|[[wikipedia:Biography|Biography]]
|Form
|-
|Comparative anthropology
|The method of comparing and contrasting different cultures
|[[wikipedia:Cross-cultural studies|Cross-cultural studies]]
|Form
|-
|Comparative biography
|The method of compiling several biographies to compare and contrast the subjects' character and to gain insight into history
|[[wikipedia:Biography|Biography]]
|Form
|-
|Cultural history
|The method of accurately and comprehensively describing cultures and civilizations
|[[wikipedia:Cultural history|Cultural history]]
|Form
|-
|Encyclopedia
|
|[[wikipedia:Encyclopedia|Encyclopedia]]
|Form
|-
|Genealogy
|The compilation of family lineages and methods of displaying them artfully
|[[wikipedia:Genealogy|Genealogy]]
|Form
|-
|Treatise on tech evolution
|
|[[wikipedia:Technological evolution|Technological evolution]]
|Form
|-
|Archaeology
|The method of collecting and evaluating artifacts to learn about history and culture
|[[wikipedia:Archaeology|Archaeology]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Personal interviews
|Using personal interviews as sources
|[[wikipedia:Interview|Interview]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Role of cultural differences
| The role of cultural differences in source reliability and interpretation
|[[wikipedia:Cultural relativism|Cultural relativism]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Role of state bias and propaganda
|
|[[wikipedia:Propaganda|Propaganda]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Role of systemic bias
|
|[[wikipedia:Systemic bias|Systemic bias]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Source reliability
|The reliability of sources
|[[wikipedia:Source criticism|Source criticism]]
|Sourcing
|-
|Historical causation
|The causes of historical events
|[[wikipedia:Causality#History|Causality § History]]
|Theory
|-
|Historical cycles
|The notion of historical, governmental and social cycles
|[[wikipedia:Cyclic history|Cyclic history]]
|Theory
|-
|Social conflict
|
|[[wikipedia:Social conflict|Social conflict]]
|Theory
|-
|Sociology
|The notion of bonds between members of a community
|[[wikipedia:Sociology|Sociology]]
|Theory
|}

{{Skills}}

Geographer

2018-06-01T06:57:11Z

Bumber: Topics table

{{Quality|Fine|06:24, 1 June 2018 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Geographer
| profession =
| job name =
| tasks = * Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
*Memory
*Unknown
}}
{{av}}

{{new in v0.42}}

'''Geographer''' is a [[scholar]] skill. It is used by scholars when thinking about geography-related [[topics]].

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Accurate maps
|
|[[wikipedia:Map|Map]]
|Cartography
|-
|Cartography
|The process involved in creating maps
|[[wikipedia:Cartography|Cartography]]
|Cartography
|-
|Distance scale
|
|[[wikipedia:Scale (map)|Scale (map)]]
|Cartography
|-
|Economic
|The placement of economic information on maps
|[[wikipedia:Economic geography|Economic geography]]
|Cartography
|-
|Geological
|The placement of geological information on maps
|[[wikipedia:Geologic map|Geologic map]]
|Cartography
|-
|Grid system
|
|[[wikipedia:Grid reference|Grid reference]]
|Cartography
|-
|Height measurements
|
|[[wikipedia:Topographic map|Topographic map]] and [[wikipedia:Levelling|Levelling]]
|Cartography
|-
|Map projections
|
|[[wikipedia:Map projection|Map projection]]
|Cartography
|-
|Atlases
|The collection of maps and other information together into a single text
|[[wikipedia:Atlas|Atlas]]
|Form
|-
|Econometrics
|The process of economic data collection
|[[wikipedia:Econometrics|Econometrics]]
|Method
|-
|Cartographical surveying
|
|[[wikipedia:Cartography|Cartography]] and [[wikipedia:Surveying|Surveying]]
|Surveying
|-
|Engineering surveying
|
|[[wikipedia:Construction surveying|Construction surveying]]
|Surveying
|-
|Land surveying
|
|[[wikipedia:Cadastral surveying|Cadastral surveying]]
|Surveying
|-
|Military surveying
|
|[[wikipedia:Construction surveying|Construction surveying]] and [[wikipedia:Military engineerin|Military engineering]]
|Surveying
|-
|-
|Surveying
|The process of surveying land
|[[wikipedia:Surveying|Surveying]]
|Surveying
|-
|Surveying staff
|The construction and use of the surveying staff
|[[wikipedia:Level staff|Level staff]]
|Surveying
|-
|Triangulation
|
|[[wikipedia:Triangulation|Triangulation]]
|Surveying
|-
|Anemology
|The forces that govern wind patterns
|[[wikipedia:Global wind patterns|Global wind patterns]]
|Theory
|-
|Delta formation
|The process of the formation of deltas at the mouths of rivers
|[[wikipedia:River delta#Formation|River delta § Formation]]
|Theory
|-
|Latitude climate zones
|
|[[wikipedia:Clime|Clime]]
|Theory
|-
|Origin of rainfall from evap condense
|The origin of rainfall through evaporation and condensation
|[[wikipedia:Evaporation|Evaporation]] and [[wikipedia:Condensation|Condensation]]
|Theory
|-
|Water cycle
|A world-wide cycle involving precipitation, oceans, rivers, and other forms of water
|[[wikipedia:Water cycle|Water cycle]]
|Theory
|}

{{Skills}}

Optics engineer

2018-06-01T06:55:43Z

Bumber: Topics table

{{Quality|Superior|19:46, 30 January 2018 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Optics engineer
| profession =
| job name =
| tasks =
* Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
}}
{{av}}

{{new in v0.42}}

'''Optics engineer''' is a [[scholar]] skill. It is used by scholars when thinking about engineering [[topics]], specifically under the Optics division.

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Atmospheric refraction
|
|[[wikipedia:Atmospheric refraction|Atmospheric refraction]]
|Optics
|-
|Camera obscura
|The construction and use of the camera obscura
|[[wikipedia:Camera obscura|Camera obscura]]
|Optics
|-
|Cause of twilight
|
|[[wikipedia:Atmospheric optics|Atmospheric optics]]
|Optics
|-
|Crystal lens
|The construction and use of the crystal lens
|[[wikipedia:Lens (optics)|Lens (optics)]] and [[wikipedia:Crystal|Crystal]]
|Optics
|-
|Glass lens
|The construction and use of the glass lens
|[[wikipedia:Lens (optics)|Lens (optics)]] and [[wikipedia:Glass|Glass]]
|Optics
|-
|Height of atmosphere
|
|[[wikipedia: Atmosphere of Earth|Atmosphere of Earth]]
|Optics
|-
|Law of refraction
|
|[[wikipedia:Snell's law|Snell's law]]
|Optics
|-
|Parabolic mirror
|
|[[wikipedia:Parabolic reflector|Parabolic reflector]]
|Optics
|-
|Theory of color
|
|[[wikipedia:Color theory|Color theory]]
|Optics
|-
|Theory of rainbows
|
|[[wikipedia:Rainbows|Rainbows]]
|Optics
|-
|Water filled spheres
|The construction and use of water-filled sphere as a lens
|[[wikipedia:Lens (optics)|Lens (optics)]] and [[wikipedia:History_of_optics#Early_history_of_optics|History of optics § Early history of optics]]
|Optics
|}

{{Skills}}

Fluid engineer

2018-06-01T06:54:12Z

Bumber: Topics table

{{Quality|Superior|13:11, 8 May 2018 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Fluid engineer
| profession =
| job name =
| tasks = * Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
}}
{{av}}

{{new in v0.42}}

'''Fluid engineer''' is a [[scholar]] skill. It is used by scholars when thinking about engineering [[topics]], specifically under the Fluid division.

==Engineering==
{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Archimedes principle
|
|[[wikipedia:Archimedes' principle|Archimedes' principle]]
|Fluid
|-
|Force pump
|
|[[wikipedia:Piston pump#Force pump|Piston pump § Force pump]]
|Fluid
|-
|Theory of siphon
|The action of the siphon
|[[wikipedia:Siphon|Siphon]]
|Fluid
|-
|Valves
|The construction and use of valves
|[[wikipedia:Valve|Valve]]
|Fluid
|}

{{Skills}}

Astronomer

2018-06-01T06:52:29Z

Bumber: More topics?

{{Quality|Fine|06:22, 1 June 2018 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Astronomer
| profession =
| job name =
| tasks = * Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
*Memory
*Unknown
}}
{{av}}

{{new in v0.42}}

'''Astronomer''' is a [[scholar]] skill. It is used by scholars when thinking about astronomical [[topics]].

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Empirical observation
|Methods of empirical observation in astronomy
|[[wikipedia:Empirical evidence|Empirical evidence]]
|Method
|-
|Path models
|
|[[wikipedia:Orbit modeling|Orbit modeling]]
|Method
|-
|Astrography
| The creation of star charts
|[[wikipedia:Star chart|Star chart]]
|''n/a''
|-
|Dates of lunar and solar eclipses
|
|[[wikipedia:Saros (astronomy)|Saros (astronomy)]]
|''n/a''
|-
|Daylight variation with solar year
|The variation of daylight with the season
|[[wikipedia:Daytime#Daytime variations with latitude and seasons|Daytime § Daytime variations with latitude and seasons]]
|''n/a''
|-
|Geocentrism
|The theory that the sun moves around the world
|[[wikipedia:Geocentric model|Geocentric model]]
|''n/a''
|-
|Height of tides vs moon and sun
|The height of the tides, the moon and the sun
|[[wikipedia:Pytheas#Pytheas_on_the_tides|Pytheas § Pytheas on the tides]] and [[wikipedia:Tide|Tide]]
|''n/a''
|-
|Heliocentrism
|The theory that the world moves around the sun
|[[wikipedia:Heliocentric model|Heliocentric model]]
|''n/a''
|-
|Path of the moon
|The path of the moon
|[[wikipedia:Orbit of the Moon|Orbit of the Moon]]
|''n/a''
|-
|Phases of the moon
|The phases of the moon
|[[wikipedia:Lunar phase|Lunar phase]]
|''n/a''
|-
|Precession of equinoxes
|
|[[wikipedia:Axial precession|Axial precession]]
|''n/a''
|-
|Relationship between lunar solar year
|The relationship between the lunar and solar year
|[[wikipedia:Lunisolar calendar|Lunisolar calendar]]
|''n/a''
|-
|Shape of the world
|
|[[wikipedia:Spherical Earth|Spherical Earth]]
|''n/a''
|-
|Star catalogues 100
|
|[[wikipedia:Star catalogue|Star catalogue]]
|''n/a''
|-
|Star catalogues 1000
|
|[[wikipedia:Star catalogue|Star catalogue]]
|''n/a''
|-
|Star magnitude classification
|
|[[wikipedia:Magnitude (astronomy)|Magnitude (astronomy)]]
|''n/a''
|-
|Stellar Spectroscopy
|The classification of stars based on the light they emit
|[[wikipedia:Astronomical spectroscopy|Astronomical spectroscopy]]
|''n/a''
|-
|Summer winter moon
|The rise of the moon according to the season
|[[wikipedia:Lunar calendar|Lunar calendar]]
|''n/a''
|-
|Summer winter sun
| The rise of the sun according to the season
|[[wikipedia:Solar calendar|Solar calendar]]
|''n/a''
|-
|Tides and the moon
| The relationship between the moon and the tides
|[[wikipedia:Seleucus_of_Seleucia#Tides|Seleucus of Seleucia § Tides]] and [[wikipedia:Tide|Tide]]
|''n/a''
|}

Also possibly these engineering topics:
{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Armillary sphere
|The construction and use of armillary spheres
|[[wikipedia:Armillary sphere|Armillary sphere]]
|Astronomy
|-
|Astrolabe
|The construction and use of the astrolabe
|[[wikipedia:Astrolabe|Astrolabe]]
|Astronomy
|-
|Dioptra
|The construction and use of the dioptra
|[[wikipedia:Dioptra|Dioptra]]
|Astronomy
|-
|Mural instrument
|
|[[wikipedia:Mural instrument|Mural instrument]]
|Astronomy
|-
|Orrery
|
|[[wikipedia:Orrery|Orrery]]
|Astronomy
|-
|Spherical astrolabe
|
|[[wikipedia:Astrolabe|Astrolabe]]
|Astronomy
|}

{{Skills}}

Chemist

2018-06-01T06:44:10Z

Bumber: Topics table

{{Quality|Superior|13:10, 8 May 2018 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Chemist
| profession = Scholar
| job name =
| tasks = * Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
*Memory
*Unknown
}}
{{av}}

{{new in v0.42}}

'''Chemist''' is a [[scholar]] skill. It is used by scholars when thinking about chemistry-related [[topics]].
{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="width: 60%"
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Topic
! scope="col" style="width: 50%;" | Description
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Wikipedia link
! scope="col" style="width: 25%;" | Subdivision
|-
|Adhesives
|The preparation and use of adhesive materials
|[[wikipedia:Adhesive|Adhesive]]
|Chemicals
|-
|Aqua regia
|The preparation of aqua regia
|[[wikipedia:Aqua regia|Aqua regia]]
|Chemicals
|-
|Oil of vitriol
|The preparation of oil of vitriol
|[[wikipedia:Sulfuric acid|Sulfuric acid]]
|Chemicals
|-
|Spirit of niter
|The preparation of spirit of niter
|[[wikipedia:Nitric acid|Nitric acid]]
|Chemicals
|-
|Alkali and acids
|The classification of alkali and acids
|[[wikipedia:pH|pH]]
|Classification
|-
|Combustibles
|The classification of combustible materials
|[[wikipedia:Combustibility|Combustibility]]
|Classification
|-
|Elemental theory
|The classification of materials based on which elemental materials might form them
|[[wikipedia:Classical element|Classical element]] or [[wikipedia:Atomic theory|Atomic theory]]
|Classification
|-
|Ores
|The classification of ores
|[[wikipedia:Ore|Ore]]
|Classification
|-
|Scratch test
|
|[[wikipedia:Scratch hardness|Scratch hardness]]
|Classification
|-
|Alembic
|The construction and use of the alembic
|[[wikipedia:Alembic|Alembic]]
|Laboratory
|-
|Blast furnace
|The construction and use of the blast furnace
|[[wikipedia:Blast furnace|Blast furnace]]
|Laboratory
|-
|Crucible
| The construction and use of the crucible
|[[wikipedia:Crucible|Crucible]]
|Laboratory
|-
|Lab ovens
|The construction and use of laboratory ovens
|[[wikipedia:Laboratory oven|Laboratory oven]]
|Laboratory
|-
|Systematic experiments
|Methods for performing experiments systematically in the laboratory
|[[wikipedia:Scientific method|Scientific method]]
|Laboratory
|-
|Theory of distillation
|The theory and methods involved in distillation
|[[wikipedia:Distillation|Distillation]]
|Laboratory
|-
|Theory of evaporation
|The theory and methods involved in evaporation
|[[wikipedia:Evaporation|Evaporation]]
|Laboratory
|-
|Theory of liquid liquid extraction
|The theory and methods involved in the extraction of a constituent liquid from one solution to another
|[[wikipedia:Liquid–liquid extraction|Liquid–liquid extraction]]
|Laboratory
|-
|Ampoule
|The construction and use of the ampoule
|[[wikipedia:Ampoule|Ampoule]]
|Laboratory (glass)
|-
|Beaker
| The construction and use of the beaker
|[[wikipedia:Beaker (glassware)|Beaker]]
|Laboratory (glass)
|-
|Flask
| The construction and use of the flask
|[[wikipedia:Flask|Flask]]
|Laboratory (glass)
|-
|Funnel
|The construction and use of the funnel
|[[wikipedia:Funnel|Funnel]]
|Laboratory (glass)
|-
|Retort
|The construction and use of the retort
|[[wikipedia:Retort|Retort]]
|Laboratory (glass)
|-
|Vial
|The construction and use of the vial
|[[wikipedia:Vial|Vial]]
|Laboratory (glass)
|-
|Alloys
| The mixture of metals to produce alloys
|[[wikipedia:Alloy|Alloy]]
|Metallurgy
|}

{{Skills}}

Astronomer

2018-06-01T06:42:39Z

Bumber: Topics table

User talk:Lethosor

2018-06-01T06:39:32Z

Bumber: /* Chemist Page Quality Rating */ new section

Geographer

2018-06-01T06:24:38Z

Bumber: Changed quality rating from "Superior" to "Fine" using the rating script

Geographer

2018-06-01T06:24:28Z

Bumber: Uses Memory attribute according to FotF: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=169696.msg7775903#msg7775903

{{Quality|Superior|13:10, 8 May 2018 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Geographer
| profession =
| job name =
| tasks = * Ponder
* Discuss
* Research
| attributes =
*Memory
*Unknown
}}
{{av}}

{{new in v0.42}}

'''Geographer''' is a [[scholar]] skill. It is used by scholars when thinking about geography-related [[topics]].

{{Skills}}

Chemist

2018-06-01T06:23:01Z

Bumber: Uses Memory attribute according to FotF: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=169696.msg7775903#msg7775903