Dwarf Fortress Wiki - User contributions [en]

Utility:Lazy Newb Pack

2017-03-18T14:06:04Z

Strburst: /* Current Packs */ Update link to Enay's pack to latest version

{{Quality|Exceptional|02:12, 3 November 2014 (UTC)}}
{{uv|DF2014}}

The Lazy Newb Pack was a pre-configured package for Windows containing Dwarf Fortress, a launcher program, and a small collection of [[graphics]] packs and [[utilities]]. While the original has been discontinued, it has been replaced by similar packs for all three platforms supported by DF (Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux). These can be found further down this page.

The current packs are ideal for new players, or anyone who doesn't want to find, configure, install, and update everything for themselves.

==General information==

These new packs generally include all the utilities that a veteran player might want on a new computer, while configuring everything in such a way that it is still easier for new players. In general, it's safe to simply ignore any option you don't understand and trust that the default settings will be okay.

The packages are built around the idea that newbies will likely have more difficulty with the game than with a package of utilities - which often make the game easier - and that there are many players who are not new but would still prefer an option to get all the extras in one place with a minimum of fiddling. Most include just about everything that still works and could be useful.

It is also worth nothing that most of the contents of each pack were created by the community and just collected, configured, and redistributed by the maintainer of each pack. Of course there are a few personal touches too, but the vast majority of each is thanks to others - not least Toady for Dwarf Fortress itself.

==Current Packs==
All of these packs use the [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=140808.0 PyLNP] launcher, maintained by Pidgeot. (Note that "PyLNP" and "LNP" are not interchangeable - the former refers to the launcher itself, while the latter refers to a pack as a whole.)
{{#randorder:
===[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=126076 Windows: PeridexisErrant's DF Starter Pack]===

This pack is maintained by PeridexisErrant, and aims to include everything - while ensuring that ignoring any option still works for new players. Contents and a changelog are listed on the forum thread (linked above).
|
===[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=163211.0 Linux: Enay's Unofficial Lazy Newb Pack]===

This package by Enay is a traditional package of compiled utilities, actively maintained and tested on Debian Jessie (64bit). It should work out-of-the-box with Debian-derived (Ubuntu, Mint, etc.) distributions, but support or continuing updates are not guaranteed.
|
===[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=158322.0 Mac: Lazy Mac Pack]===

A Lazy Newb Pack for Mac with lots of graphics packs but with not so many utilities.
|}}

==Old, Retired, and Obsolete Packs==

This section is provided for information, and should not be interpreted as a recommendation for these packs. It may however be interesting to look back at how the LNP/Starter Pack movement evolved.

==== The original GUI / Launcher ====

A key component of the LNP is a launcher, which allows easy configuration of the DF install, launches utilities, and generally means that you can simply click a button instead of having to edit configuration files by hand. The original launcher was windows-only, being coded in Visual Basic, and for several years meant that the LNP was only available for Windows computers. In 2012 Dricus created a [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=124613 Java-based launcher], which was cross platform and more flexible - but also required manual configuration and it was never finished. Mac and Linux packs were available based on this version. As of mid-2014, both have been replaced by the [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=140808 PyLNP launcher] (Python) on all platforms.

==== The First LNP ====

The first Lazy Newb Pack was created in 2010. It was a Windows-only package containing Dwarf Fortress, a launcher program, and a small collection of [[graphics]] packs and [[utilities]]; it was [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=59026 officially discontinued] in November 2013 since it had not been updated in over a year.

===[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=128960 Mac OS X: MacNewbie Reborn]===

This pack is Fricy's updated version of the old MacNewbie Cyan pack. Unfortunately it hasn't been maintained since 2016 in January and was last updated for Dwarf Fortress v0.42.04. 

===[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=140966 Beautato's Linux Lazy Newb Pack]===

This package by Beautato is a more traditional package of compiled utilities that was previously maintained and tested on Ubuntu. Unfortunately it hasn't been maintained since 2015 in March and was last updated for Dwarf Fortress v0.40.24.

==== [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=130792 Lazy Newb Pack Installer for Linux (outdated)] ====

Created by Andrewd18, the Linux installer is a shell script that installs the Dwarf Fortress Lazy Newb Pack. It downloads and builds a DF installation from available source code and binaries, and also checks for the dependencies required by 64-bit systems. The home of this pack is [https://github.com/andrewd18/df-lnp-installer on Github]. Unfortunately, it is unmaintained since June 2014. If Beautato's or Enay's packs don't work on your platform it may be worth trying it anyway.

{{Category|Utilities}}

Cave-in

2016-03-05T03:47:40Z

Strburst: /* How cave-ins work */ Ramps don't provide support either

{{quality|Fine}}{{av}}
{{buggy}}
:''A section of the cavern has collapsed!''

A '''cave-in''' is when walls, floors, and other terrain plummet downwards to lower [[Z-axis|Z-levels]] under the influence of [[gravity]]. A cave-in will occur if constructions or ground tiles are detached from all support ([[bridge]]s and [[hatch]]es do not provide support). Since it is only a placeholder, the system is highly unrealistic—you can hold up a giant megafortress by a slender pillar of soap. [[Main:Toady One|Toady One]] has stated he intends to implement more realistic cave-ins in future versions.

Cave-ins can be disabled in the [[d_init.txt]] file by changing [CAVEINS:YES] to [CAVEINS:NO].

== How cave-ins work ==

Any ''disconnected'' [[construction]] or section of [[rock]] or [[soil]] will cave in. The game checks for connections along the X, Y, and Z axes (that's left/right, up/down, and above/below). Any construction, even [[Stairs]] (natural or constructed), and [[support]]s (naturally) provide support/connections. [[Stairs|Upstairs]] will provide support for the z-level above even if there is no downstairs above, acting as an invisible floor. '''Diagonal connections, [[bridge]]s, and [[ramp]]s do not provide support.'''

Note that supports and fortifications, but '''not''' [[statue]]s, create an invisible floor on the level above them. No dwarf can enter the invisible floor, but it will hold an area attached to the floor tiles in four directions alongside it or the constructed/natural wall above it.

== Results of a cave-in ==

* Any unsupported terrain crashes down through multiple [[floor]]s and [[ramp]]s, and stops only upon reaching a wall, a mined up or up/down stair, a multi-tile tree, or a support.
* Falling natural [[floor]]s, [[stair]]s and [[ramp]]s will be destroyed, leaving behind a natural floor of the highest such terrain; natural stone walls pile up; and constructions deconstruct, leaving behind their building materials.
* Any [[creature]] caught directly underneath (on the same tile underneath) a cave-in is killed, the only exception being [[Ghost]]s.
* Most [[plant]]s under a cave-in are obliterated, but not multi-tile [[tree]]s.
* [[Tree]]s, [[shrub]]s and saplings that fall are obliterated. Falling [[grass]] of all types (including [[cave moss]] and [[floor fungus]]) gets turned into undifferentiated green "Grass".
* Any item caught under falling natural walls is destroyed completely. Natural floors and constructed walls and floors have a chance of destroying items.{{verify}}
* Anything standing on the area that caves in falls and may get away with being stunned. The fall victim has a chance of being unable to walk away, somewhat proportional to the distance fallen but not set in stone. <s>No</s> Pun intended.
* A large amount of dust is generated. Any creature caught by the dust from the collapse is knocked [[unconscious]] and can be thrown a few tiles even up z-levels, which may cause them to fall off, say, a narrow bridge fifty z-levels above the ground, or can mash them into a fine paste against the wall. Dwarves will receive an unhappy thought from choking on dust clouds (which won't matter if they're dead).
* All [[building]]s and non-wall [[construction]]s under the falling area are destroyed. Buildings above the cave-in will deconstruct if they are no longer supported.
* Supported natural terrain will remain intact during the cave-in (terrain unsupported from below will collapse).
* Anything falling into a fluid sinks to the bottom. Therefore, it is not a good idea to punch a skylight into your meeting area if you forgot that e.g. your [[gem]] pile was directly below and you had a [[magma]] tube three Z levels afterwards... you get the idea.
* Any fluid displaced by falling natural walls is not destroyed, but transported to directly on top of the fallen walls. This principle can be used to construct [[magma piston]]s.
* Soil layers will change into the lowest soil type on map.
* [[Magma mist]] will be generated in all tiles of magma that were in the path of the cave-in.
* Any mined minerals or stone in the area directly under the cave-in will be forced out from under the cave-in (or even up a few z-levels too, if the cave-in falls a long distance).
* Dropping rock layers on top of a cavern-soil floor will remove the soil; [[irrigation]] will be required to resume [[tree farm]]ing.
* Any terrain that is rendered unsupported by the cave-in will cause a subsequent cave-in.

== Avoiding cave-ins ==

Do not make unconnected sections of rock.

Actually, you're quite unlikely to cause cave-ins unless you are actively trying to cause them. In which case, you'd be wondering how to avoid cave-ins that ''cause damage'' to your folks. That's simple: Add a [[support]] under the stone mass, and link it to a distant [[lever]]. When you're done, hide everyone, pull the lever and watch the fireworks. If you're feeling lazier, use statues to keep dwarves off the wrong squares. Provided they move directly away from the cave-in area, the dust may not catch them - and they don't blunder off edges and die unless the dust catches them.

One of the more common accidental cave-ins results when you're taking out the floor in a checker-pattern (dwarves [[channel]]ing may sometimes tend to make this mistake) and the area below isn't supported, resulting in a situation like the diagram below:

Floor -1
▒▒▒▒▒▒
▒ ▒
▒ X +▒ <-- The X is a floor tile. It's not attached, so it will fall down.
▒ +>▒
▒ ▒
▒▒▒▒▒▒

Floor -2
▒▒▒▒▒▒
▒....▒
▒...▒▒ <-- Causing this area to receive a cave-in flow and knocking out any dwarves in its reach.
▒...<▒
▒....▒
▒▒▒▒▒▒

Another thing to watch out for is if you want to dig away a hill above ground, to make room for your fancy overground fort. You may dig away the hill on one level, and then have a huge platform of "floor" on the z-level above that falls on your [[miner]] if they get disconnected from the ground. Easy thing to miss the first time you do it. To avoid this, channel ''from the surface downwards'', which doesn't remove anything that isn't supported - though you might still mine out something that was supporting a floor you ''weren't'' mining, so be careful. Miners also don't check that there's nobody standing on the floor that will shortly cease to exist - meaning that several miners channelling floors in the same area are a danger to each other. So you should allow only one dwarf to mine out floors in an area at a time.

== Using cave-ins ==
Intentional cave-ins serve several purposes:
* '''Defense'''
*: Use cave-ins to block off water approaches to underground cavern levels. Combined with walls higher up, a cavern can (with great effort) be rendered completely safe from all intruding vermin.1
* '''Death'''
*: Since a cave-in kills all [[creatures]] instantly, it can provide a [[Unfortunate accident|convenient]] or amusing way to off a group of creatures. This is also one of the most effective ways of dealing with [[titan]]s and [[forgotten beast]]s with dangerous [[syndrome]]s, especially airborne contaminants (deadly dust/vapors) and poisonous blood. For certain randomly generated creatures, they may be so indestructible that a cave-in is the ''only'' way to kill them. Also, it's a great way to 'spare' an [[Wound|'injured']] dwarf who likes 'laying' in a bed all to [[Noble|himself.]]
* '''Removal of floor tiles'''
*: Causing a cave-in will destroy non-reinforced (no wall or support underneath) floor tiles directly underneath the falling terrain - this is a good way to hollow out a large area. All that's left to do is a little bit of cleanup on the edges, but look at all the channeling you saved yourself!
* '''Breaking through multiple aquifer levels'''
*: Showcase with two levels: [[User:Rhenaya/HowtoDualAquifer]]
* '''Trapping [TRAPAVOID] creatures:'''
*: Since the dust from a cave-in can knock creatures unconscious, and any unconscious creature triggers a trap (including your dwarves and other friendly creatures), combine a cave-in with nearby cage traps for the capture. Note that this is only useful for kobolds and gremlins, as all other creatures which avoid traps are also immune to being knocked unconscious.
* '''Moving Water / Magma faster than [[Screw_pump#Pump_stack|Pump Stack]]s'''
*: Main article: [[Magma piston]]

=== Caving-in the toplevel/terrain from inside ===

You can cause terrain above you to cave in without going outside by first mining up stairs below the "borderline" you want to channel, channel the tiles above them, and removing the stairs afterwards.
The tiles above the up stairs can be mined from below while standing on the stair, so you don't have to go outside. Ramps would also work for that alone, but the ramps would allow enemies to enter, whereas the up-stairs alone do not allow passage to above as there is no corresponding down-stair above them.

1Not literal [[vermin]], those won't be blocked.

== Bugs ==
*Layer-material can change when collapsing soil layers.{{bug|1206}}
*Forest fires cause constant collapses.{{bug|6829}}
*Rarely, a cave-in may happen right at the start of the game. This can have several effects depending on where it happens, including releasing underground tree spores.

{{buildings}}
{{Category|Physics}}

Cave-in

2016-03-05T03:46:08Z

Strburst: /* Using cave-ins */ Minor grammar

{{quality|Fine}}{{av}}
{{buggy}}
:''A section of the cavern has collapsed!''

A '''cave-in''' is when walls, floors, and other terrain plummet downwards to lower [[Z-axis|Z-levels]] under the influence of [[gravity]]. A cave-in will occur if constructions or ground tiles are detached from all support ([[bridge]]s and [[hatch]]es do not provide support). Since it is only a placeholder, the system is highly unrealistic—you can hold up a giant megafortress by a slender pillar of soap. [[Main:Toady One|Toady One]] has stated he intends to implement more realistic cave-ins in future versions.

Cave-ins can be disabled in the [[d_init.txt]] file by changing [CAVEINS:YES] to [CAVEINS:NO].

== How cave-ins work ==

Any ''disconnected'' [[construction]] or section of [[rock]] or [[soil]] will cave in. The game checks for connections along the X, Y, and Z axes (that's left/right, up/down, and above/below). Any construction, even [[Stairs]] (natural or constructed), and [[support]]s (naturally) provide support/connections. [[Stairs|Upstairs]] will provide support for the z-level above even if there is no downstairs above, acting as an invisible floor. '''Diagonal connections and [[bridge]]s do not provide support.'''

Note that supports and fortifications, but '''not''' [[statue]]s, create an invisible floor on the level above them. No dwarf can enter the invisible floor, but it will hold an area attached to the floor tiles in four directions alongside it or the constructed/natural wall above it.

== Results of a cave-in ==

* Any unsupported terrain crashes down through multiple [[floor]]s and [[ramp]]s, and stops only upon reaching a wall, a mined up or up/down stair, a multi-tile tree, or a support.
* Falling natural [[floor]]s, [[stair]]s and [[ramp]]s will be destroyed, leaving behind a natural floor of the highest such terrain; natural stone walls pile up; and constructions deconstruct, leaving behind their building materials.
* Any [[creature]] caught directly underneath (on the same tile underneath) a cave-in is killed, the only exception being [[Ghost]]s.
* Most [[plant]]s under a cave-in are obliterated, but not multi-tile [[tree]]s.
* [[Tree]]s, [[shrub]]s and saplings that fall are obliterated. Falling [[grass]] of all types (including [[cave moss]] and [[floor fungus]]) gets turned into undifferentiated green "Grass".
* Any item caught under falling natural walls is destroyed completely. Natural floors and constructed walls and floors have a chance of destroying items.{{verify}}
* Anything standing on the area that caves in falls and may get away with being stunned. The fall victim has a chance of being unable to walk away, somewhat proportional to the distance fallen but not set in stone. <s>No</s> Pun intended.
* A large amount of dust is generated. Any creature caught by the dust from the collapse is knocked [[unconscious]] and can be thrown a few tiles even up z-levels, which may cause them to fall off, say, a narrow bridge fifty z-levels above the ground, or can mash them into a fine paste against the wall. Dwarves will receive an unhappy thought from choking on dust clouds (which won't matter if they're dead).
* All [[building]]s and non-wall [[construction]]s under the falling area are destroyed. Buildings above the cave-in will deconstruct if they are no longer supported.
* Supported natural terrain will remain intact during the cave-in (terrain unsupported from below will collapse).
* Anything falling into a fluid sinks to the bottom. Therefore, it is not a good idea to punch a skylight into your meeting area if you forgot that e.g. your [[gem]] pile was directly below and you had a [[magma]] tube three Z levels afterwards... you get the idea.
* Any fluid displaced by falling natural walls is not destroyed, but transported to directly on top of the fallen walls. This principle can be used to construct [[magma piston]]s.
* Soil layers will change into the lowest soil type on map.
* [[Magma mist]] will be generated in all tiles of magma that were in the path of the cave-in.
* Any mined minerals or stone in the area directly under the cave-in will be forced out from under the cave-in (or even up a few z-levels too, if the cave-in falls a long distance).
* Dropping rock layers on top of a cavern-soil floor will remove the soil; [[irrigation]] will be required to resume [[tree farm]]ing.
* Any terrain that is rendered unsupported by the cave-in will cause a subsequent cave-in.

== Avoiding cave-ins ==

Do not make unconnected sections of rock.

Actually, you're quite unlikely to cause cave-ins unless you are actively trying to cause them. In which case, you'd be wondering how to avoid cave-ins that ''cause damage'' to your folks. That's simple: Add a [[support]] under the stone mass, and link it to a distant [[lever]]. When you're done, hide everyone, pull the lever and watch the fireworks. If you're feeling lazier, use statues to keep dwarves off the wrong squares. Provided they move directly away from the cave-in area, the dust may not catch them - and they don't blunder off edges and die unless the dust catches them.

One of the more common accidental cave-ins results when you're taking out the floor in a checker-pattern (dwarves [[channel]]ing may sometimes tend to make this mistake) and the area below isn't supported, resulting in a situation like the diagram below:

Floor -1
▒▒▒▒▒▒
▒ ▒
▒ X +▒ <-- The X is a floor tile. It's not attached, so it will fall down.
▒ +>▒
▒ ▒
▒▒▒▒▒▒

Floor -2
▒▒▒▒▒▒
▒....▒
▒...▒▒ <-- Causing this area to receive a cave-in flow and knocking out any dwarves in its reach.
▒...<▒
▒....▒
▒▒▒▒▒▒

Another thing to watch out for is if you want to dig away a hill above ground, to make room for your fancy overground fort. You may dig away the hill on one level, and then have a huge platform of "floor" on the z-level above that falls on your [[miner]] if they get disconnected from the ground. Easy thing to miss the first time you do it. To avoid this, channel ''from the surface downwards'', which doesn't remove anything that isn't supported - though you might still mine out something that was supporting a floor you ''weren't'' mining, so be careful. Miners also don't check that there's nobody standing on the floor that will shortly cease to exist - meaning that several miners channelling floors in the same area are a danger to each other. So you should allow only one dwarf to mine out floors in an area at a time.

== Using cave-ins ==
Intentional cave-ins serve several purposes:
* '''Defense'''
*: Use cave-ins to block off water approaches to underground cavern levels. Combined with walls higher up, a cavern can (with great effort) be rendered completely safe from all intruding vermin.1
* '''Death'''
*: Since a cave-in kills all [[creatures]] instantly, it can provide a [[Unfortunate accident|convenient]] or amusing way to off a group of creatures. This is also one of the most effective ways of dealing with [[titan]]s and [[forgotten beast]]s with dangerous [[syndrome]]s, especially airborne contaminants (deadly dust/vapors) and poisonous blood. For certain randomly generated creatures, they may be so indestructible that a cave-in is the ''only'' way to kill them. Also, it's a great way to 'spare' an [[Wound|'injured']] dwarf who likes 'laying' in a bed all to [[Noble|himself.]]
* '''Removal of floor tiles'''
*: Causing a cave-in will destroy non-reinforced (no wall or support underneath) floor tiles directly underneath the falling terrain - this is a good way to hollow out a large area. All that's left to do is a little bit of cleanup on the edges, but look at all the channeling you saved yourself!
* '''Breaking through multiple aquifer levels'''
*: Showcase with two levels: [[User:Rhenaya/HowtoDualAquifer]]
* '''Trapping [TRAPAVOID] creatures:'''
*: Since the dust from a cave-in can knock creatures unconscious, and any unconscious creature triggers a trap (including your dwarves and other friendly creatures), combine a cave-in with nearby cage traps for the capture. Note that this is only useful for kobolds and gremlins, as all other creatures which avoid traps are also immune to being knocked unconscious.
* '''Moving Water / Magma faster than [[Screw_pump#Pump_stack|Pump Stack]]s'''
*: Main article: [[Magma piston]]

=== Caving-in the toplevel/terrain from inside ===

You can cause terrain above you to cave in without going outside by first mining up stairs below the "borderline" you want to channel, channel the tiles above them, and removing the stairs afterwards.
The tiles above the up stairs can be mined from below while standing on the stair, so you don't have to go outside. Ramps would also work for that alone, but the ramps would allow enemies to enter, whereas the up-stairs alone do not allow passage to above as there is no corresponding down-stair above them.

1Not literal [[vermin]], those won't be blocked.

== Bugs ==
*Layer-material can change when collapsing soil layers.{{bug|1206}}
*Forest fires cause constant collapses.{{bug|6829}}
*Rarely, a cave-in may happen right at the start of the game. This can have several effects depending on where it happens, including releasing underground tree spores.

{{buildings}}
{{Category|Physics}}

Swimmer

2016-02-28T17:18:39Z

Strburst: /* Minecart training */ Minor grammar

{{Quality|Exceptional|01:13, 4 February 2015 (UTC)}}
{{Skill
| color = 3:0
| skill = Swimmer
| specialty = Peasant
| profession = None
| job name = None
| tasks =
* Getting in and out of water
* Staying calm underwater
| attributes =
* Strength
* Agility
* Endurance
* Willpower
* Spatial Sense
* Kinesthetic Sense
}}
{{av}}

'''Swimmer''' is a skill used by creatures to move through [[tile]]s containing [[depth|deep]] liquid (primarily [[water]]), and generally avoid drowning.

Creatures may have a {{token|SWIM_SPEED|c}} [[creature token]] that modifies their movement [[speed]] while swimming. A typical value of 2500 results in the creature moving roughly one third as fast in water as the default speed on land. A creature's effective swimming speed is modified by its Swimmer skill level; a legendary swimmer may be ''faster'' in water than on land.

== Drowning ==
Dwarves with dabbling (level 1) or no [[experience]] as Swimmers will start drowning immediately upon contact with deep surface [[water]] (i.e. surface water of 7/7 depth). Those of novice (level 2) level experience or greater can be in deep surface water without drowning. Any dwarf will start drowning in 7/7 water if there is more water on levels above them (e.g. they are at the bottom of a two level deep cistern, or the bottom of the ocean). A [[bridge]] (or presumably any other building that prevents access to the air above the water) will also cause non-aquatic/amphibious creatures to begin drowning in 7/7 water--this can be useful for disposing of trolls in a [[drowning chamber|drowning]] [[pit trap|pit]].

Any conscious, uninjured, not stunned dwarf finding themselves in water of depth 4/7 or greater will try to leave if they can find a path out of around 20 tiles in length or less.[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=116764.0] If they can't find an exit within that distance, they won't move.

Dabbling swimmers require a [[ramp]] or [[stairs|stairway]] within 20 tiles to have any chance of getting out of deep water. Fortunately every natural shallow body of water has ramps.

Novice swimmers are able to get out of deep water safely without needing a ramp or stairway, but they will start drowning if [[Status_icons|stunned]]. Once that happens it can be difficult to get them out, as they lose the ability to exit anywhere and behave just like an untrained or dabbling swimmer. Everyone is stunned by falling into water rather than entering it calmly, which is what normally happens when they aren't entering it of their [[Carp|own free will]].

Adequate (level 3) swimmers do not panic and start drowning in that situation, even when attacked, so training to this level is highly recommended. Higher levels only increase speed while swimming.

Note that you can drown in [[magma]] as well, but most creatures tend to melt first.

== Learning/Teaching swimming ==
A dwarf in the water will gain the ability to swim very fast - sadly not fast enough to prevent death from drowning. While water with a depth of 7/7 is deadly for non-swimmers, 6/7 or less will not harm any dwarf. So you can use water from 4/7 to 6/7 safely to teach your little ones how to swim. The speed of learning is independent of the depth, but water with a depth less of than 4/7 is not deep enough to make a dwarf swim, and therefore learn anything.

Training your little ones just requires a place of constantly or temporarily 4-6/7 water. Military orders or making rooms a meeting hall will not entice dwarves into the water, so you may need to prevent them from leaving an area (locked door, etc.) and then fill the area with the required amount of water, or dump them in from above using a [[bridge|retracting bridge]].

Swimming, since it involves no activity, can be potentially useful to train physically handicapped dwarves, whose conditions might go away or become manageable with an attribute boost to strength, endurance, willpower etc.

A fully automated method to train idlers is to use water flowing over a 1-z drop, with a 1-wide meeting zone at the top of the ledge, and a swimming pool at the bottom. Idlers will go to the meeting zone, be swept over the side into the pool and swim to the ramp, and repeat this for as long as they are idle. The meeting zone must have a low enough rate of flow that it has unsubmerged tiles, so dwarves voluntarily move into it. This can be accomplished with tricks like restricting flow through diagonal passages (see [[Pressure]] for details). Be aware that in recent versions dwarves can now suffer injuries more easily when [[gravity|falling]], so this method can cause serious harm when the dwarves are washed over the edge. Constructing the landing zone out of [[density|lighter]] materials will help prevent serious complications.

Diagram of the 'fully automated' configuration described above:

.... - (pool continues as desired)
║≈≈≈≈║ - depth 4-6 swimming pool on Z-1
║+++▲║ - dropoff / entrance ramp from above
║<nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>║ - meeting hall, depth 0-3
╚╗%╔═╝
║%║ - screw pump (S->N)
║.║ - limited pump source (e.g. depth ~4-per-tick tile on Z-1)
╚═╝
Not pictured: exit from the swimming pool, preferably close to the entrance ramp to minimize delays in training.

===Minecart training===

With the addition of [[minecart]]s, a safe automated swimming experience can be almost guaranteed. Originally, the design involved hauling dwarves down into a pond and forcing them to swim back out.[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=129889.0] However, it was discovered that dwarves gain swimming skill while simply riding in the minecart. A simple loop track which descends 1 z-level into a pool of water then climbs back out will train your dwarves quickly and conveniently. It is advisable to ensure your pond has a uniform depth--fluid, as [[flow]] can interfere with the minecart, even knocking it off-track. A depth of 4/7 or 5/7 is ideal. Note that water will slow the minecart considerably; you'll want an impulse ramp after roughly 10 tiles of 4/7 water.

{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
z z+1
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
░╔══▲══════════▲══════╗░ ░ ░
░║░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░║░ ░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░
░╚════▲═══▲░░░▲══════▲╝░ ░ ▼╗+╞▼ ░
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░║^░░░░░░░░░░░
░+░ ░H+░
░+░ ░░+░
}}

[[Image:Swim track 0.png|thumb|right|250px|A large swimming track]]

# Carve the tracks and add impulse ramps (shown) or rollers on level z.
# Optionally, add [[statue]]s or other buildings along the tracks for your dwarves to [[thought|admire]] (make sure to leave the corner walls intact).
# Fill the track section on layer z with 4/7 water.
# Link the pressure plate '^' to the hatch cover 'H' (this is necessary to automatically dispose of [[wear|worn]] clothing that dwarves drop at the end of the ride).
# Set stop 1 to ride down the ramp to the east immediately/always.
# Assign a minecart to the route (wooden minecarts are recommended in case of collisions).
# Dwarves with the "Push/Haul Vehicles" labor enabled will now automatically train swimming.

== Adventure Mode ==
In [[adventurer mode]], as a novice swimmer or better, by standing next to a body of water and moving carefully ({{k|alt}}+direction) in the direction of the water (falling 1 or 2 z-levels is no longer an issue), you can swim about and train your skill. It is advisable to train it above novice level since getting stunned, winded or tired will make you flounder and die. To get out, alt-move carefully against a shoreline and select the option to move above (or, simply move toward the shore if it has ramps).

Swimmers can also dive and rise through the [[z-axis]] by pressing {{k|>}} and {{k|<}} respectively. Note that air-breathers will be unable to breathe without air in the tile above them, and without returning to the surface will eventually drown. (Sadly, there's no oxygen meter as of yet, so you'll never know when they're about to expire. Don't linger too long.)

In adventure mode, water preference can be switched between "when possible" and "necessary" by pressing {{k|m}}.

To teach companions to swim, some patience is necessary. Enter a body of water until they follow you inside, then immediately get out. They will flounder around and attempt to get out before they drown, but as long as they make it back on land, they will gain swimming experience. Repeat until they manage to swim without drowning. Drowning itself can also be beneficial as certain attributes, notably toughness and endurance, are greatly benefited by the strain caused by the experience. Provided that the experience does not reach its fatal conclusion, the toughness of your band should reach a point where it is only be exceeded by larger or more supernatural entities.

If the temperature (press {{k|P}}) is "freezing" or if it is "cold" and close to sundown, the water may freeze while you are swimming, which instantly kills you and leaves your frozen corpse encased in ice and a valuable find for archeologists.
{{Skills}}