Dwarf Fortress Wiki - User contributions [en]

v0.34:Flow

2014-07-04T11:47:30Z

Subjunctive: /* Fluid Displacement by Cave-in, aka Pistons */

{{av}}
{{quality|Masterwork|02:44, 08 November 2010 (UTC)}}
:''The term '''flow''' can be used to refer to several completely different things in Dwarf Fortress: things like [[miasma]] and [[smoke]], and the mechanism by which [[water]] and [[magma]] move. This article describes the latter.''

{{Material properties}}
'''Flow''' is a game mechanic used to simulate the motion of '''fluids'''. The two fluids that exist in dwarf fortress currently are '''[[water]]''' and '''[[magma]]'''. You can identify fluids that are flowing by looking for a tile that is blinking between {{Tile|≈|1:0:1}} and {{Tile|~|1:0:1}} tiles. If you have turned on [[Technical_tricks#Tiles|SHOW_FLOW_AMOUNTS]] you will see the fluid '''depth''' indicator of {{Tile|1|1:0:1}} through {{Tile|7|1:0:1}} instead and will not be able to easily tell if the game considers a tile to be flowing or not. Flow is typically present any time a fluid is in motion, but there are some exceptions which confuse things a bit.
*Note: In the current release flow does not seem to appear in magma. Magma follows the same rules of fluid motion and flow, it simply doesn't have flow in the sense that would allow it to power a water wheel.

==Basic Fluid Motion==
'''[[Water]]''' and '''[[magma]]''' both move in much the same way following a fairly simple set of rules. The only difference between the motion of [[magma]] and water is that magma behaves differently with regards to [[pressure]].

Fluids move mostly as one might expect: they will fall straight down if they can, or else they will spread out to the sides. Fluids can flow diagonally on the same z-level, but will never move sideways and down at the same time. Under basic fluid motion, fluid never moves back up, but it can appear to do so if pressure is involved.

Here is a quick example of how fluids can move to adjacent tiles. Also as water moves to an adjacent tile flow is generated in both tiles. This flow will remain for a short time before reverting to being non-flowing water. Falling water does ''not'' generate flow, so only the 3rd example will result in flow (in both tiles).

'''Before (side view)'''
▒7▒ ▒7▒ ▒
▒ ▒ ▒2▒ ▒7
▒▒▒ ▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒

'''After (side view)'''
▒ ▒ ▒2▒ ▒
▒7▒ ▒7▒ ▒43
▒▒▒ ▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒

*1. Fluids move down
*2. Fluids spread out to the sides

These rules are incomplete, however, without consideration of [[pressure]].

==Fluids under pressure, aka Teleportation==

Magma, which has no natural pressure, flows according to the rules of basic fluid motion. Water, however, can move by pressure when it falls down on top of full 7/7 water. In addition, pumps create pressure in both water and magma, and water entering the map from a stream or river follows pressure as well.

Fluids moving under '''[[pressure]]''' do not just move to adjacent tiles, they also trace a path through other full tiles of fluid trying to move to more distant tiles. Fluids moving under [[pressure]] can effectively teleport through other tiles that are already filled with fluid. When teleporting, fluids do not generate '''any''' flow, neither will they push objects around.

<diagram>
▒[#00f]7[#]▒ ▒
Before ▒[#00f]7[#]▒ ▒
▒[#00f]777[#]▒
▒▒▒▒▒
--------------------
▒ ▒ ▒
After ▒[#00f]7[#]▒[#00f]7[#]▒
▒[#00f]777[#]▒
▒▒▒▒▒
</diagram>

When a fluid tries to move by pressure, it tries to trace a path through full 7/7 fluids going down, and horizontally, but ''not'' diagonally. In this way it is like basic flow, except that pressure works faster; fluid from the source is teleported to the open space at the end, rather than having to wait for open space to open up at the source via normal flow. This is why, for example, diagonal squeezes in channels make water flow slower (they block pressure, forcing it to only spread out sideways), and why rivers and streams on the map are usually full of 7/7 water until close to the edge of the map where the rules of basic fluid motion are draining the water off the map while pressure teleports new water from the source all the way down to the end.

What's more, unlike basic flow, the path pressure traces can even go back up--but never higher than the z-level of the first 7/7 tile on the path it was tracing. So it may appear that pressure 'pushes fluids up', but in fact it's only teleporting fluid to a level even or lower.

Thus the result is that pressure movement of fluids (especially water) is common and doesn't create very much flow. However rivers and streams still seem to have some kind of flow that powers water wheels, called natural flow.

==Fluid Displacement by Cave-in, aka Pistons==
:''(see also '''[[magma piston]])'''''

There's one way to push a fluid higher than its starting level, but it might be considered a bug on the flow mechanics and probably will be changed in following versions since allows for what could be considered exploits.

A ''natural'' wall of any material '''[[cave-in|falling]]''' onto either water ''or'' '''[[magma]]''' will teleport each tile of displaced fluid to open space directly above it, leaving 1 additional tile of open space directly above the wall itself:
<diagram>
Start Step 1 Step 2
▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒
▒ I ▒ Collapse ▒ ▒ Fluid ▒ ▒
▒ ▒ ▒ -----------> ▒ [#f00]7[#] ▒ -----------> ▒ ▒
▒ ▒ Support ▒ ▒ Spreads ▒[#f00]232[#]▒
▒▒[#f00]7[#]▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒
▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒
</diagram>
When done in an u-bend example the pushing above original fluid level can be easily appreciated, although it breaks the laws of regular fluid physics:
<diagram>
Start Step 1 Step 2
▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒
▒ I ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒
▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒
▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ [#f00]7[#] ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒
▒ ▒ ▒ Collapse ▒ [#f00]7[#] ▒ ▒ Fluid ▒ ▒ ▒
▒ ▒ ▒ -----------> ▒ ▒ ▒ -----------> ▒[#f00]545[#]▒ ▒
▒▒[#f00]7[#]▒▒[#f00]7[#]▒ Support ▒▒▒▒▒[#f00]7[#]▒ Spreads ▒▒▒▒▒[#f00]7[#]▒
▒▒[#f00]7777[#]▒ ▒▒▒[#f00]777[#]▒ ▒▒▒[#f00]777[#]▒
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
</diagram>
This is the basic principle that the '''[[magma piston]]''' exploit, if you want to anticipate a future fix or simply want to simulate regular physics fluid behaviour, you can do something like this:
<diagram>
z-level Start Step 1 Step 2
z+0 ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒
z-1 ▒ | ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒
z-2 ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ [#f00]7 7[#] ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒
z-3 ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ Collapse ▒ [#f00]7 7[#] ▒ ▒ Fluid ▒ ▒ ▒
z-4 ▒ ▒[#f00]?[#]▒ -----------> ▒ ▒[#f00]?[#]▒ -----------> ▒[#f00]55455[#]▒[#f00]?[#]▒
z-5 ▒▒[#f00]777[#]▒▒[#f00]7[#]▒ Support ▒▒▒[#f00]7[#]▒▒▒[#f00]7[#]▒ Spreads ▒▒▒[#f00]7[#]▒▒▒[#f00]7[#]▒
z-6 ▒▒[#f00]777777[#]▒ ▒▒▒[#f00]7[#]▒[#f00]777[#]▒ ▒▒▒[#f00]7[#]▒[#f00]777[#]▒
z-7 ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒

z-3 Top View z-5 Top View z-3 Top View (Step 1) z-4 Top View (Step 2)
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
▒ ▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒ ▒ ▒[#f00]44544[#]▒
Axis ▒ ▒▒▒ ▒▒▒ ▒▒[#f00]777[#]▒▒▒▒ ▒ [#f00]777[#] ▒▒▒ ▒[#f00]45554[#]▒▒▒ Axis
--------▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒--------------▒▒[#f00]777[#]▒▒[#f00]7[#]▒--------------▒ [#f00]7 7[#] ▒[#f00]?[#]▒---------------▒[#f00]55455[#]▒[#f00]?[#]▒--------
Cut ▒ ▒▒▒ ▒▒▒ ▒▒[#f00]777[#]▒▒▒▒ ▒ [#f00]777[#] ▒▒▒ ▒[#f00]45554[#]▒▒▒ Cut
▒ ▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒ ▒ ▒[#f00]44544[#]▒
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
</diagram>
This example involves dropping a giant ''(minimum size 3x3x1)'' donut/cylinder/tube of natural walls onto the fluid pool, given that it will teleport a donut/cylinder/tube of fluid in the same way ''(step 1)'' but after it spreads ''(step 2)'' it'll seem that the fluid actually went through the opening in the middle of the donut/cylinder/tube like a real fluid should behave, of course one exception it won't be pushed through the right tube like it should, you'll probably want to close the tile marked with a question mark "?" so it can give the impression of real fluid mechanics.

==Natural Flow==
Many water sources such as [[river]]s and [[brook]]s are constantly flowing with '''natural flow'''. This is different from other flow effects in that it is always considered to be flowing water. This remains true even when the water flows into a complete dead end channel or even when blocked off with a floodgate. Any channels that link up to a naturally flowing source will soon become naturally flowing water as long as they remain on the same z-level. Diagonal steps have no effect on natural flow although they can be used to change [[pressure]].

Trying to move natural flow up or down to a different z-level may have unpredictable results but in most cases this will break the natural flow effect resulting in still water that can only be made to flow by artificial means.

Naturally flowing water, depending on its environment, flows in a specific direction - when SHOW_FLOW_AMOUNTS is disabled, water which flows directly into a wall will flash white while other water remains blue. This flow direction is important to note, since it affects the operation of [[water wheel]]s: water which flows directly north or south will not power an east/west-aligned water wheel, and the opposite is also true. Diagonally flowing water, however, works for everything.

==Fluid Depth==
{{Main|Water depth}}
Fluids can have a depth anywhere from 1 to 7. To see the depth of a tile of fluid you can look at it with {{k|k}} which will reveal the depth in the text at the right. Alternatively you can enable SHOW_FLOW_AMOUNTS which will replace the {{Tile|≈|1:0:1}} and {{Tile|~|1:0:1}} tiles with a numerical representation of the depth at all times. Turning on SHOW_FLOW_AMOUNTS does come with the drawback that you will no longer be able to see if a tile is flowing or not.

==Obstructions==
Water can be stopped by most solid tiles. These include [[wall]]s and [[building]]s as well as closed [[floodgate]]s, [[door]]s, and [[hatch]]es. Exceptions are vertical [[grate]]s, vertical [[bars]], and [[fortification]]s, which will allow fluids to pass freely.

==Evaporation==
Fluids that remain at a depth of 1/7 for long enough will evaporate. Evaporated fluids are simply removed from the game. In '''hot''' or '''scorching''' environments, [[murky pool]]s can evaporate at greater depths.

==Bugs==
*Items pushed by flowing water may disappear {{Bug|895}}
*Flowing water seems to cause contaminants to multiply {{Bug|296}}

{{Category|Physics}}

v0.34:Flow

2014-07-04T11:38:40Z

Subjunctive: /* Fluids under pressure, aka Teleportation */

{{av}}
{{quality|Masterwork|02:44, 08 November 2010 (UTC)}}
:''The term '''flow''' can be used to refer to several completely different things in Dwarf Fortress: things like [[miasma]] and [[smoke]], and the mechanism by which [[water]] and [[magma]] move. This article describes the latter.''

{{Material properties}}
'''Flow''' is a game mechanic used to simulate the motion of '''fluids'''. The two fluids that exist in dwarf fortress currently are '''[[water]]''' and '''[[magma]]'''. You can identify fluids that are flowing by looking for a tile that is blinking between {{Tile|≈|1:0:1}} and {{Tile|~|1:0:1}} tiles. If you have turned on [[Technical_tricks#Tiles|SHOW_FLOW_AMOUNTS]] you will see the fluid '''depth''' indicator of {{Tile|1|1:0:1}} through {{Tile|7|1:0:1}} instead and will not be able to easily tell if the game considers a tile to be flowing or not. Flow is typically present any time a fluid is in motion, but there are some exceptions which confuse things a bit.
*Note: In the current release flow does not seem to appear in magma. Magma follows the same rules of fluid motion and flow, it simply doesn't have flow in the sense that would allow it to power a water wheel.

==Basic Fluid Motion==
'''[[Water]]''' and '''[[magma]]''' both move in much the same way following a fairly simple set of rules. The only difference between the motion of [[magma]] and water is that magma behaves differently with regards to [[pressure]].

Fluids move mostly as one might expect: they will fall straight down if they can, or else they will spread out to the sides. Fluids can flow diagonally on the same z-level, but will never move sideways and down at the same time. Under basic fluid motion, fluid never moves back up, but it can appear to do so if pressure is involved.

Here is a quick example of how fluids can move to adjacent tiles. Also as water moves to an adjacent tile flow is generated in both tiles. This flow will remain for a short time before reverting to being non-flowing water. Falling water does ''not'' generate flow, so only the 3rd example will result in flow (in both tiles).

'''Before (side view)'''
▒7▒ ▒7▒ ▒
▒ ▒ ▒2▒ ▒7
▒▒▒ ▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒

'''After (side view)'''
▒ ▒ ▒2▒ ▒
▒7▒ ▒7▒ ▒43
▒▒▒ ▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒

*1. Fluids move down
*2. Fluids spread out to the sides

These rules are incomplete, however, without consideration of [[pressure]].

==Fluids under pressure, aka Teleportation==

Magma, which has no natural pressure, flows according to the rules of basic fluid motion. Water, however, can move by pressure when it falls down on top of full 7/7 water. In addition, pumps create pressure in both water and magma, and water entering the map from a stream or river follows pressure as well.

Fluids moving under '''[[pressure]]''' do not just move to adjacent tiles, they also trace a path through other full tiles of fluid trying to move to more distant tiles. Fluids moving under [[pressure]] can effectively teleport through other tiles that are already filled with fluid. When teleporting, fluids do not generate '''any''' flow, neither will they push objects around.

<diagram>
▒[#00f]7[#]▒ ▒
Before ▒[#00f]7[#]▒ ▒
▒[#00f]777[#]▒
▒▒▒▒▒
--------------------
▒ ▒ ▒
After ▒[#00f]7[#]▒[#00f]7[#]▒
▒[#00f]777[#]▒
▒▒▒▒▒
</diagram>

When a fluid tries to move by pressure, it tries to trace a path through full 7/7 fluids going down, and horizontally, but ''not'' diagonally. In this way it is like basic flow, except that pressure works faster; fluid from the source is teleported to the open space at the end, rather than having to wait for open space to open up at the source via normal flow. This is why, for example, diagonal squeezes in channels make water flow slower (they block pressure, forcing it to only spread out sideways), and why rivers and streams on the map are usually full of 7/7 water until close to the edge of the map where the rules of basic fluid motion are draining the water off the map while pressure teleports new water from the source all the way down to the end.

What's more, unlike basic flow, the path pressure traces can even go back up--but never higher than the z-level of the first 7/7 tile on the path it was tracing. So it may appear that pressure 'pushes fluids up', but in fact it's only teleporting fluid to a level even or lower.

Thus the result is that pressure movement of fluids (especially water) is common and doesn't create very much flow. However rivers and streams still seem to have some kind of flow that powers water wheels, called natural flow.

==Fluid Displacement by Cave-in, aka Pistons==
:''(see also '''[[magma piston]])'''''

There's one way to push a fluid higher than its starting level, but it might be considered a bug on the flow mechanics and probably will be changed in following versions since allows for what could be considered exploits.

A ''natural'' wall of any material '''[[cave-in|falling]]''' onto both water ''or'' '''[[magma]]''' will teleport each tile of displaced fluid to open space directly above it, leaving 1 additional tile of open space directly above the wall itself:
Start Step 1 Step 2
▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒
▒ I ▒ Collapse ▒ ▒ Fluid ▒ ▒
▒ ▒ ▒ -----------> ▒ 7 ▒ -----------> ▒ ▒
▒ ▒ Support ▒ ▒ Spreads ▒232▒
▒▒7▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒
▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒
When done in an u-bend example the pushing above original fluid level can be easily appreciated, although it breaks the laws of regular fluid physics:
Start Step 1 Step 2
▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒
▒ I ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒
▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒
▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ 7 ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒
▒ ▒ ▒ Collapse ▒ 7 ▒ ▒ Fluid ▒ ▒ ▒
▒ ▒ ▒ -----------> ▒ ▒ ▒ -----------> ▒545▒ ▒
▒▒7▒▒7▒ Support ▒▒▒▒▒7▒ Spreads ▒▒▒▒▒7▒
▒▒7777▒ ▒▒▒777▒ ▒▒▒777▒
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
This is the basic principle that the '''[[magma piston]]''' exploit, if you want to prevent a future fix or simply want to simulate regular physics fluid behaviour, you can do something like this:
z-level Start Step 1 Step 2
z+0 ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒
z-1 ▒ | ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒
z-2 ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ 7 7 ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒
z-3 ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ Collapse ▒ 7 7 ▒ ▒ Fluid ▒ ▒ ▒
z-4 ▒ ▒?▒ -----------> ▒ ▒?▒ -----------> ▒55455▒?▒
z-5 ▒▒777▒▒7▒ Support ▒▒▒7▒▒▒7▒ Spreads ▒▒▒7▒▒▒7▒
z-6 ▒▒777777▒ ▒▒▒7▒777▒ ▒▒▒7▒777▒
z-7 ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒

z-3 Top View z-5 Top View z-3 Top View (Step 1) z-4 Top View (Step 2)
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
▒ ▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒ ▒ ▒44544▒
Axis ▒ ▒▒▒ ▒▒▒ ▒▒777▒▒▒▒ ▒ 777 ▒▒▒ ▒45554▒▒▒ Axis
--------▒ ▒ ▒ ▒ ▒--------------▒▒777▒▒7▒--------------▒ 7 7 ▒?▒---------------▒55455▒?▒--------
Cut ▒ ▒▒▒ ▒▒▒ ▒▒777▒▒▒▒ ▒ 777 ▒▒▒ ▒45554▒▒▒ Cut
▒ ▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒ ▒ ▒44544▒
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
This example involves dropping a giant ''(minimum size 3x3x1)'' donut/cylinder/tube of natural walls onto the fluid pool, given that it will teleport a donut/cylinder/tube of fluid in the same way ''(step 1)'' but after it spreads ''(step 2)'' it'll seem that the fluid actually went through the opening in the middle of the donut/cylinder/tube like a real fluid should behave, of course one exception it won't be pushed through the right tube like it should, you'll probably want to close the tile marked with a question mark "?" so it can give the impression of real fluid mechanics.

==Natural Flow==
Many water sources such as [[river]]s and [[brook]]s are constantly flowing with '''natural flow'''. This is different from other flow effects in that it is always considered to be flowing water. This remains true even when the water flows into a complete dead end channel or even when blocked off with a floodgate. Any channels that link up to a naturally flowing source will soon become naturally flowing water as long as they remain on the same z-level. Diagonal steps have no effect on natural flow although they can be used to change [[pressure]].

Trying to move natural flow up or down to a different z-level may have unpredictable results but in most cases this will break the natural flow effect resulting in still water that can only be made to flow by artificial means.

Naturally flowing water, depending on its environment, flows in a specific direction - when SHOW_FLOW_AMOUNTS is disabled, water which flows directly into a wall will flash white while other water remains blue. This flow direction is important to note, since it affects the operation of [[water wheel]]s: water which flows directly north or south will not power an east/west-aligned water wheel, and the opposite is also true. Diagonally flowing water, however, works for everything.

==Fluid Depth==
{{Main|Water depth}}
Fluids can have a depth anywhere from 1 to 7. To see the depth of a tile of fluid you can look at it with {{k|k}} which will reveal the depth in the text at the right. Alternatively you can enable SHOW_FLOW_AMOUNTS which will replace the {{Tile|≈|1:0:1}} and {{Tile|~|1:0:1}} tiles with a numerical representation of the depth at all times. Turning on SHOW_FLOW_AMOUNTS does come with the drawback that you will no longer be able to see if a tile is flowing or not.

==Obstructions==
Water can be stopped by most solid tiles. These include [[wall]]s and [[building]]s as well as closed [[floodgate]]s, [[door]]s, and [[hatch]]es. Exceptions are vertical [[grate]]s, vertical [[bars]], and [[fortification]]s, which will allow fluids to pass freely.

==Evaporation==
Fluids that remain at a depth of 1/7 for long enough will evaporate. Evaporated fluids are simply removed from the game. In '''hot''' or '''scorching''' environments, [[murky pool]]s can evaporate at greater depths.

==Bugs==
*Items pushed by flowing water may disappear {{Bug|895}}
*Flowing water seems to cause contaminants to multiply {{Bug|296}}

{{Category|Physics}}

v0.34:Repeater

2014-06-29T18:25:14Z

Subjunctive: /* Fluid logic repeater */

{{quality|Exceptional|11:18, 8 March 2011 (UTC)}}{{Computing}}
{{av}}

A '''repeater''' is a device which creates a cyclic pattern of on and off signals. The simplest repeater design is a [[dwarf]] pulling a [[lever]] on [[repeat]]. However, numerous fully-automated designs are possible which can be made to operate at varying rates and linked to other systems for precise timing. Most repeaters use [[minecart]]s, fluids, or creatures to trigger [[pressure plate]]s cyclically.

As a general warning, always have a way to turn off the repeater, and/or allow your dwarves later access for repairs or modifications.

===Lever repeater===
A lever with a pull job on repeat provides the simplest repeating cycle. After taking the first job, one dwarf will typically continue to pull the lever until becoming [[hungry]], thirsty, tired, or taking a [[on break|break]], at which point another dwarf will take over. A lever repeater is generally fast (less than 100 ticks per cycle), with varying lengths of inactivity as dwarves switch out. Unfortunately, the cycle length cannot be modified, nor can the repeater be synchronized with other systems. The occasional periods of inactivity can also prove problematic in critical applications, though a [[vampire]] can be significantly more reliable than a group of living dwarves.

===Traffic repeater===
For low-priority tasks, a civilian-triggered [[pressure plate]] built in a hallway of the fortress can provide a simple oscillating signal automatically. The signal from such a repeater varies widely, though it can be adjusted somewhat by choosing hallways with more or less traffic. The lack of precision means that traffic repeaters are best utilized where a task needs to occur occasionally, but the timing is unimportant (such as triggering an [[atom smasher]] at the bottom of a garbage chute).

===Wave repeater===
A wave repeater is simply a wave traveling through a channel containing a pressure plate, as described in this [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=68659.0 forum post].
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
╔══════╗ ╔══════╗
║[#F0F]^.....║-->║[#0FF]7[#0FF]7[#0FF]7[#0FF]7[#0FF]7[#0FF]6║
╚══════╝ ╚══════╝
}}

A single 6/7 water tile flows through the channel, occasionally triggering a pressure plate set to trigger on 0-6/7 water. To get the right amount of water in it, it's simplest to fill it all the way, then designate it as a [[Activity_zone#Water_source|water source]] (and perhaps another location as a [[Activity_zone#Pit/pond|pond]]) until a dwarf takes away a single [[bucket]] full of water.

As designed (5 tiles of non-triggering water, 1 tile of triggering water), this setup triggers rapidly, on par with the repeaters described below. Counter-intuitively, making it smaller or removing more water slows the action of the repeater because the pressure plate never gets a chance to recover from triggering, which takes 100 ticks. Unfortunately, liquids behave semi-randomly, which means the period of this repeater can vary, making it unsuitable for fine timing applications.

It's possible to make a design that can be easily started and stopped, even one that conserves water, but such systems are complex, when the beauty of this design is its simplicity. If it needs to be stopped for maintenance, one is probably best off simply dropping another bucket of water in it.

===Fluid logic repeater===
The traditional repeater design is probably this [[fluid logic|fluid]]-based one, described on the [http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=33563.msg495183#msg495183 forum] by [http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=16168 AncientEnemy]):

<diagram> ≈≈≈≈≈ - infinite source of water
═╗≈╔═ - wall to channel out after construction
╠F╣ - shutoff floodgate (linked to exterior lever)
║#║ - 1-tile drawbridge (linked to pressure plate)
║p┼ - pressure plate (set to 7-7 water), and access door
╠F╣ - floodgate (linked to pressure plate)
╚═╝
</diagram>

So long as the shutoff [[floodgate]] isn't closed, [[water]] from an infinite source flows on to the pressure plate, causing the raising [[bridge]] to block access to the water source and destroy water in the circuit, while the opening of the southern floodgate compensates for the space taken up by this bridge. This water destruction mechanic means that, unlike many fluid logic circuits, this repeater needs no drainage. The single pressure plate works both to regulate the repeater, and as output.

This repeater toggles fairly slowly, about once every 300 steps, making it suitable for operating repeating bridges, floodgates, and [[Trap#Upright Spear/Spike|upright spikes]]. Off signals tend to follow on signals about 200 ticks later. As an added bonus, the southern wall can be removed and connected to a [[reservoir|cistern]] whose water level will be automatically maintained at a level between 3 and 4 deep-- perfect for [[swimmer|swimming]]!

For an alternate water-based repeater, consider the design at [[User:SL/Logic_Gates#Repeater]] which demonstrates a two level, hybrid repeater.

===Goblin repeater===
Designs based on [[creature logic]] are also possible. The following example is compact, reliable, and fairly predictable.

{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
╔═╗
═══╝[#FF0]¢╚══
[#F00]p[#FF0]¢[#FF0]^[#FF0]¢[#00F]¢[#F0F][#00F]^[#00F]¢[#F00]p
══╗[#00F]¢╔═══
╚═╝ }}

A captured goblin placed between the two pressure plates drives this system in his attempts to reach map edge through paths {{Raw Tile|¢p|#F00|#000}}. {{Raw Tile|^|#FF0|#000}} is linked to all {{Raw Tile|¢|#FF0|#000}}, and {{Raw Tile|^|#F0F|#00F}} is linked to all {{Raw Tile|¢|#00F|#000}}, as well as to output. This gives the goblin a path away from his constrained tile every 100 ticks. Delays in picking up path tend to make it run a cycle every 250 ticks. with on and off signals separated by about 120 ticks. Its rate of repetition can be doubled by hooking both {{Raw Tile|^|#FFF|#000}} to output, although this leads to close placement of on and off signals.

===Minecart repeater===

In the simplest application, a [[Minecart#Roller|roller]] can move a [[minecart]] around a circular track. Due to the fixed speed provided by rollers and the deterministic behaviour of minecarts, a minecart repeater provides a cycle with an absolutely constant repeat time. The exact period of such a powered repeater is relatively easy to regulate by choosing the operation speed of the roller, by adjusting the length of the track and by adding medium- and low-friction [[Minecart#Track stop|track stops]] to reduce movement speed.

The [[Minecart#Impulse ramps|impulse ramp]] <s>bug</s> feature allows the design of completely autonomous minecart-based repeaters. Changing the length and friction of the route provides the ability to fine-tune the period of the repeater.

See [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=114695.0 this forum thread] for designs tuned for bridge and upright spike traps.

See [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=126154.0 this forum thread] for a super-compact design.

Minecart repeaters can be calibrated to periods usable in the construction of clocks, like 200, 300 or 400 steps. Powered repeaters of this type will require nothing but a single roller and the power to run it, one pressure plate and a bit of space for the track. Repeaters using ramps to create perpetual motion don't need the roller or power but tend to be a bit more difficult to calibrate to useful periods and need additional infrastructure to stop their operation.

Minecart repeaters can also be synchronized with other systems. Adding additional pressure plates to the tracks can allow a single repeater to provide multiple offset signals. Alternatively, a pressure plate can trigger another independently-timed system.

==Clock Generation==
Although the law of big numbers means that, over large enough intervals, the abovementioned irregular repeaters (the fluid and goblin logic ones) can be used to run a clock, designs that generate perfect clock signals have been known for a while.

This [[mechanical logic|mechanical]]-fluid hybrid repeater was the first proposed device to produce completely regular signals, at a frequency determined by the speed of pressure plate recovery. The basic design consists of 4 [[screw pump]]s and 4 pressure plates but other versions are possible, depending on the number of separate steps you need.

{|
|-
|Level 0
|Level -1
|Level -2
|-
|{{diagram|color=#808080|
██████
██[#ff0]☼███
█[#00f]☼[#c0c0c0]☼[#c0c0c0]☼[#808000]═[#808000]═
███[#c0c0c0]☼[#f00]☼█
███[#0f0]☼██
██████}}
|{{diagram|color=#808080|
██████
█[#000]█[#0f0]÷[#008000]÷[#000]██
█[#008000]÷██[#0f0]÷█
█[#0f0]÷██[#008000]÷█
█[#000]█[#008000]÷[#0f0]÷[#000]██
██████}}
|{{diagram|color=#808080|
██████
█[#f00]^██[#0f0]^█
██████
██████
█[#ff0]^██[#00f]^█
██████}}
|}

{{Raw Tile|÷|#0f0|#000}}{{Raw Tile|÷|#008000|#000}} is a screw pump which pumps from the light side to the dark side. {{Raw Tile|^|#f00|#000}} is a pressure plate which disengages gear {{Raw Tile|☼|#f00|#000}} when water of depth 1-7 lands on it. The red, green, blue, and yellow pressure plates and gears are color coded only to show which is linked to which. In the game they'll all look like {{Raw Tile|^|#f0f|#000}} and {{Raw Tile|☼|#c0c0c0|#000}}. Building a pump after the gear which powers it or a gear after the pressure plate which disengages it will introduce a 1-step delay; so, depending on build order, the repeater might have a period between 400 and 408 steps. If the pumps, gears, and pressure plates are built in that order, then this system will repeat every 400 steps, exactly. Start the repeater by using a pond zone to dump 2 buckets of water onto any one of the plates.

The device as depicted uses 47-62 power during operation, and requires 62 power for startup. Drive train to power may, of course, lead to higher requirements. Once the two units of water are introduced to the system, water is conserved perfectly.

See [[User:MrFake/NStepCyclicRepeater]] for generalizable n-step clock generator instructions.

[[User:Hash/SelfPoweredHaltableRepeater]] demonstrates clock generation with integrated water [[water_wheel#perpetual_motion|reactor]].

[http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=34407.msg572324#msg572324 Forum thread] has more description and explanations.

[http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-1370-pump-basedautorepeater DFMA movie] shows the action of pump-based clock generation.

===Delay===
Clock generation is closely related to the concept of delay: making a signal reach a target a certain amount of time after it is created. Any non-mechanical circuit introduces delay in a signal-- the simplest form of delay is an identity gate. The clock signal generator described above is remarkable for introducing a consistent delay. Any consistent delay can be used for clock generation. Before the introduction of minecarts, there were three known consistent intervals in Dwarf Fortress with which to fashion a clock signal generator: the reset delay associated with a pressure plate sending a ''close'' signal; the rate with which a creature [[gravity|falls]]; and the amount of time that a screw pump will continue to pump after losing power.

{{Category|Constructions}}
{{Category|Computing}}

v0.34:Trap design

2014-06-27T15:28:38Z

Subjunctive: /* Chasm trap */

{{Quality|Masterwork|21:15, 28 April 2013 (UTC)}}
{{av}}

:''This page is one of several inter-related articles on the broader topic of defending your fortress and your dwarves. '''Trap design''' focuses on the theory and design of complex traps, mechanical systems and other automation for defending your fortress, and also on unusual uses of simple mechanic's [[trap]]s. For a general overview of the threats that will challenge your fortress and things to consider when preparing a standard defense, see the '''[[defense guide]]'''. For tips on laying out your architecture to protect your military, see '''[[security design]]'''. For specific advice on how to get your soldiers prepared for any threat, see '''[[military]]'''.''

:''For suggestions on disposing of nobles and other unwanted residents, see [[unfortunate accident]].''
:''For a basic overview of how the different machine parts work and work together, see [[machine component]].''
:''For information on catching [[vermin]]-sized creatures in [[animal trap]]s, see [[trapper]].''

==Introduction==
Simple one-tile [[trap]]s* are just that - they exist only on their own tile, trigger themselves when a target walks onto that one tile, and affect only that one tile. Complex traps and automation rely on linking [[door]]s, [[hatch cover|hatch]]es, [[floodgate]]s, and [[bridge]]s to [[lever]]s or [[pressure plate]]s, along with machinery to provide the [[power]] to run some of the more diabolical designs. When the trigger is activated, it sends a [[lever|signal]] to the linked device. That signal is not always as simple as '''do it now''', but it's specifically either to '''open''' or to '''close'''. By manipulating what does what and when, and what follows from that, impressive results can be achieved.

:''(* specifically, the [[Trap#Stone-fall_Trap|stone-fall trap]], [[Trap#Weapon_Trap|weapon trap]], and [[Trap#Cage_Trap|cage trap]].)''

* To fully understand how these component objects work individually (before combining them into diabolical and complex combinations), see those main articles.

==Basic traps==
These are the simple [[trap]]s that are placed by a mechanic. They require one [[mechanism]] but do not require levers or pressure plates. They can be a quick, easy and brutally effective "first defense" for a fledgling fortress, but they can also be combined into key parts of more complex set ups. For tips on using these basic traps effectively, see the Trap Strategies section.

===Stone fall trap===
:This is the easiest trap to build, so you can easily build them in large numbers. Building lots of them is an easy way to earn experience for your [[mechanic]], and add to the depth of your fort's defenses at the same time. Surrounding intersections and stairways is a good way of handling threats that make it inside the fortress, including [[insanity|berserk]] dwarves.

===Weapon trap===
:The gold standard of lethal traps. This is the only simple trap that works repeatedly without reloading. They do get jammed, however. View the trap with the '''items in room''' {{key|t}} mode, and if there's a corpse inside the trap, it's jammed. None of the weapons on a jammed trap will function. It may be wiser to have several weapon traps with fewer weapons, rather than a smaller number of ten-weapon traps.

:Using [[crossbow]]s or other projectile weapons in weapon traps avoids the problem of jamming, but they must be kept loaded with [[ammo]]. Mechanics will load them with any ammo that is not forbidden. They will load each until each type of weapon has ten rounds of ammo. Hammers seem to jam less than swords or axes, and spears seem to jam the most. Your dwarves will attempt to unjam traps unless otherwise forbidden.

===Cage trap===
:A very powerful type of trap. Maybe even too powerful - currently, even a wooden or glass [[cage]] can hold any creature indefinitely, even [[troll]]s and [[megabeast]]s. A cage trap never fails, although creatures with the [[trapavoid]] tag cannot be captured unless knocked [[unconscious]] or [[Giant cave spider|webbed]] first. Use cage traps as your outermost traps to catch the occasional wandering animal, angry wounded [[elephant]] or [[unicorn]], or even [[zombie]]s. Caged animals and enemies will be safely brought to any animal [[stockpile]]s you have, but may escape later if you are not careful. For more information, see [[captured creatures]].

==Linked traps==
These traps require a trigger such as a [[pressure plate]] or [[lever]]. They will require at least three [[mechanisms]], one for the trigger and two to create the link. The trigger can be located any distance from the trap, typically close for a pressure plate or far away for a lever.

For a system that repeatedly activates automatically and regularly regardless of enemies, see [[Repeater]].

===Menacing spikes===
Menacing [[trap component|spike]]s or upright spears appear on the basic mechanic's {{k|T}}rap menu, but must be activated remotely to pop out of the ground and impale anyone standing on that tile. Vast forests of these can make any area a killing field.

While upright spike defense systems never jam, they also do not discriminate. When activated, they will inflict piercing damage on whatever is standing on the tile, whether it be friend or foe. You can use [[traffic|traffic designations]] to help somewhat. Designate the spike trap tiles as ''restricted'' then make a longer path going around the spikes that's designated as ''high traffic''. [[Domestic animal|Pets]] and [[Trade|merchants/diplomats]] will probably still get skewered, though.

==Trap strategies==
These are some basic tricks that can be used with most any trap design, basic or complex.

===Bait animals===
Enemies will hunt down and kill friendly tame animals wandering outside if they have nothing better to do. Put an expendable animal on a [[restraint]] or in a 1x1 [[Activity zone#Pen/Pasture|pen]] in some random spot outside, build a few [[construction|columns]] around it to reduce the chance of them shooting it, and trap that area to hell and back.

Note that this is a horrible method of getting rid of [[cat]]s, as they will often adopt a dwarf who will then attempt to free the cat. This may lead to the unfortunate situation of Urist McCatlover getting skewered by an ambush party while on his way to free Mr. Baitykins.

===Bait furniture===
[[Building destroyer]]s can be baited by furniture, which they will path to and destroy, if they can. Furniture bait allows you to selectively target building destroyers, to draw them away from other aggressors or to a different trap. This can be useful when, for instance, you'd like to draw a building destroyer like a [[giant cave spider]] into a cage trap, but don't want to bother caging all of the other wildlife around it. It can also be useful for trapping monsters with special attacks that you'd rather not see go off, as the building destroyer won't use any special attacks on furniture as it would an animal. For instance, you could use bait furniture to trap a [[forgotten beast]] with [[syndrome|deadly dust]] without causing it to spew more contagion.

Bait furniture can be especially effective when used with [[Legendary artifact|artifact]] quality furniture. Artifact furniture cannot be destroyed, but building destroyers will still attempt to path to it, at which point they will ineffectually attempt to destroy the furniture. This makes traps baited with artifact furniture easily reusable.

===Trapping efficiently===

====Crosshair trapping====
As the converse of building many traps everywhere, consider instead herding your enemies into a few traps. A cross-hair pattern of walls or impassable channels with an array of traps in the middle gap will increase the usage of each individual trap. This is particularly useful when capturing wildlife. You may also want a few traps near the edges, to catch the creatures that attempt to go around it.

<diagram>
+++++++[#F00]^^^[#FFF]+++++++ legend
++++++++▓++++++++ ▓ stone/wall
++++++++▓++++++++ [#F00]^ trap[#FFF]
++++++++▓++++++++ + floor
++++++++▓++++++++
++++++[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]▓[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]++++++
[#F00]^[#FFF]+++++[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]▓[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]+++++[#F00]^
[#F00]^[#FFF]▓▓▓▓▓▓▓[#F00]^[#FFF]▓▓▓▓▓▓▓[#F00]^
[#F00]^[#FFF]+++++[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]▓[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]+++++[#F00]^[#FFF]
++++++[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]▓[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]++++++
++++++++▓++++++++
++++++++▓++++++++
++++++++▓++++++++
++++++++▓++++++++
+++++++[#F00]^[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]+++++++
</diagram>

====Inside corner trapping====
If the path where you will place your traps has bends, expect the enemy to take the most direct path - it's not guaranteed, but they will tend to hug the inside of a corner, and rarely detour to a dead-end (represented by "x").
<diagram>
╔═════════
║ ║xx ??
║ ║x ???
║???║ .???? ? = unpredictable path
║???║ .╔═════
║ ??║ . ║ . = ''most likely'' path
║ .║g ║ g = invader
║x . x║
║xx xx║ x = ''unlikely'' detour
╚═══════╝
</diagram>
Once in a straight hall, anything is possible (represented by "?"), but placing your best (or first) traps on the inside path near "inside" corners (and de-emphasizing outside "dead-end" corners) is the best bet. If two invaders are side-by-side, they will wander, and random actions are always possible, but if you had to guess, this is the way to do it.

====Pass trapping====
If there are a lot of hills outside, remove most of the ramps, then trap those last few routes. The only way for creatures to get around will be to go through your traps.

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ Before
++++++++++++++++++

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
+++++++^▲^++++++++ After
+++++++^^^++++++++

====Ford trapping====
Have a river or any kind of chasm? Construct a floor over it (not a bridge), then build traps over it. Brooks won't work for this, because everything can already walk over the top of a brook. It also won't work as well in winter on a map that freezes.

+++++++++++░^^░+++++++++++
+++++++++++░^^░+++++++++++
+++++++++++░^^░+++++++++++
~~ ~~ ~~ ~~░^^░~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ Nobody ever said that it had to end at the river banks.
~~ ~~ ~~ ~~░^^░~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ Building walls along the side allows you to make it longer
+++++++++++░^^░+++++++++++ and to fill it with more traps.
+++++++++++░^^░+++++++++++
+++++++++++░^^░+++++++++++

==Trap Designs==
===Bridge and drop traps===

====Drawbridge trap====
Lowering drawbridges on invaders will [[dwarven atom smasher|crush]] them into nothingness. Known as the 'Dwarven Atom Smasher', bridges will destroy most things with some notable exceptions including [[jabberer]]s and [[elephant]]s, who will not only survive unscathed but also destroy the bridge.

Try replacing the side wall of a part of your main entrance with a drawbridge, big enough so it spans the whole hallway. Link the drawbridge to a [[lever|trigger]], and whenever you feel like it activate the trap. This can be done with minimal effort and used to smash invaders, unwanted [[immigration|immigrants]], bothersome [[nobles]], or simply to destroy your garbage.

====[[Pit trap]]====
A long retracting bridge in your entrance tunnel, with the pressure plate right in front of the fortress doors. The expression on the face of the point-goblin who reaches them only to watch his comrades plunge to whatever gruesome fate you have prepared for them will be a mental picture to cherish. Remember when designing this trap that bridges do not open until 100 ticks after they've been triggered.

You may also consider linking these bridges to levers for more control, just in case a goblin thief triggers the pressure plate while a caravan is on the bridge. Or, you might consider linking the bridges to a [[repeater]].

====Cave-in trap====
[[Support]]s can be linked to [[lever|triggers]]. Building a section of floor that is deliberately held up only by a trapped support allows for an intentional [[cave-in]].
* [[Invader]]s dropped into a pit can be wounded or killed.
* Dropping a floor or wall directly onto any creature will ''instantly'' kill it, regardless of its [[size]].
* The cave-in will also knock nearby invaders unconscious. This will stun them, and also make them susceptible to simple traps (even if they possess the TRAPAVOID token).
* Cave-ins will ''not'' reveal invisible invaders, such as [[ambush]]ers unless it kills them outright, in which case their bodies become visible.

The biggest drawback of this sort of trap is the "reload" process, which can be relatively time consuming. Have a drawbridge that can seal off the work area so your mechanics and [[mason]]s can reconstruct the setup in peace.

=====Land mines=====
In any suitable open area which hasn't been dug out underneath, build a support and an adjacent multi-use pressure plate set to trigger on creatures (but not citizens), link them together, then build floor tiles above the support and pressure plate. When an enemy steps on the pressure plate, the game will pause and recenter the view with the announcement "''A section of the cavern has collapsed!''", at which point the enemy will be crushed and its companions will be stunned or knocked unconscious by the cloud of dust (though not necessarily revealed, in the case of an [[ambush]]).

More "traditional" landmines also exist, taking advantage of a bug. This involves setting a bridge to be deconstructed, then having this order be cancelled, all done while the bridge is in the down position. The bridge will then let fluids through, which with pressurized magma makes it a potent weapon.

=====Chasm trap=====
The easiest chasm trap is just a retractable bridge, very high up or over a very deep hole; instead of flinging invaders when raised, it just drops them.

A uselessly complicated collapsing spiral trap can take out ten goblins at a time. When finished, it looks like this:
<diagram>
+++
..........+++
.++++++++#+++
.+╔══════. # = retractable bridge
.+║++++++.
.+║+╔══╗+. + = floor
.+║+║A+║+.
.+║+╚═+║+. . = open space
.+║+++^║+.
.+╚════╝+. ^ = pressure plate
.++++++++.
.......... A = bait animal
</diagram>
The goblins are lured in by a restrained bait animal, and can't shoot it due to the surrounding walls. Just before they reach the bait, they trigger a pressure plate that retracts the bridge and collapses the support holding up the whole spiral. Goblins, bait animal, walls and all plummet into the chasm.

When building, you will need to construct a span of floor underneath to place a support, as bridges do not support constructions (''which is also why you want a bridge as the access, so it will not hold up the trap*)''. You will also need to have a floor tile between your floor and solid ground or wall while constructing, as the bridge alone will not work as a base, but you can remove it once the support is in place.

====Falling debris trap====
[[gravity|Falling objects]] tend to cause ridiculous injury to creatures below, and what better use for [[wear|worn]] socks than mangling intruders. Mix in some loose [[stone]], poor-quality [[furniture]], and any [[goblinite]] lying around, then bury your enemies under a pile of junk.

A retracting [[bridge]] makes a good trigger mechanism (connected to either a [[lever]] or [[pressure plate]]), while garbage dump [[zone]]s above the bridge provide an easy means to load the trap. To reset the trap, use {{k|d}} {{k|b}} {{k|c}} to reclaim the garbage and {{k|d}} {{k|b}} {{k|d}} to have your dwarves haul the junk back to the garbage dumps above. The trap can also be fully automated via [[minecart]].

====Canceled construction deadfall====
Canceling an incomplete construction immediately frees the building material. The simplest way to weaponize this knowledge is to create a one tile wide hallway that is several z-levels high, and carve down stairs into the roof from the level above. Assign your masons to create stairs in the top level of the hallway, but suspend construction on each tile after they begin. When danger threatens below, simply cancel constructions to send building material raining down on enemies below.

A more advanced design uses incomplete 8x1 bridges--each bridge will release three stones when canceled. These stones will normally be deposited on the tile where the architect was standing when the bridge was designed. A (completed) retracting bridge at the top of the hallway can provide a place for your architects to stand while loading the trap, but still allow the rocks to rain down when retracted.

This trap has the distinction of being the only overseer-triggered trap--it doesn't require dwarves to pull levers, enemies to cross pressure plates, or any sort of timing delay. With some practice, it can be used selectively to take out priority targets (elite archers, squad leaders, dangerous creatures, etc.).

===Water traps===
These traps drown, freeze, boil, or wash targets away. Errors in execution can be quite <s>[[flood|harmful]] to your fortress</s> [[fun]], so use with caution.

====Drown and burn====
A flooding room trap combined with an unextinguishable [[fire|burning]] [[lignite]] bin. The water will evaporate on the bin's tile, causing the water from the surrounding tiles to move to it, which then get evaporated as well. The water will also push the invaders onto the fire, causing them to burn to death... in a flooding chamber.

NOTE: Traps involving large quantities of water turning into [[steam]] are as effective at killing your framerate as they are [[goblin|goblins]]. Use with caution, and have the cut-off lever at the ready.

====Drowning hall====
'''Level 0'''

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ <tt>░</tt> - Wall
->++▼··················▼++-> <tt>-></tt> - Direction of traffic
->++▼··················▼++-> <tt>▼</tt> - Down-Ramps (as visible from one level above = see [[ramp]])
->++▼··················▼++-> <tt>+</tt> - Floor
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ <tt>·</tt> - Open space

'''Level -1'''
░░░░░░XX░░░░░░░░XX░░░░░░ <tt>X </tt> - Inflow
░░▲++▼··▼++++++▼··▼++▲░░
░░▲++▼··▼++++++▼··▼++▲░░ <tt>▲</tt> - Up-Ramps
░░▲++▼··▼++++++▼··▼++▲░░
░░░░░░XX░░░░░░░░XX░░░░░░ <tt>▼</tt> - Down-Ramps

'''Level -2'''
░░░░░░xx░░░░░░░░xx░░░░░░ <tt>x</tt> - Outflow
░░░░░▲++▲░░░░░░▲++▲░░░░░
░░░░░▲++▲░░░░░░▲++▲░░░░░
░░░░░▲++▲░░░░░░▲++▲░░░░░
░░░░░░xx░░░░░░░░xx░░░░░░

If enemies are in the middle of Level -1, open the inflow, then the water will first trap, and then drown them. If the pit is full, close the inflow and open the outflow. You can automate this by using [[pressure plate]]s, or if you want to have more fun, replace the water with [[magma]] (which would require pressure plates and floodgates to be [[magma-safe]]).

====Drowning tower====
This is a trap that can be built in discrete units. Each unit requires a lot of labor and protects only a small area, though in a dramatic manner. A wall of these around the map sharing a single massive water reservoir makes a very effective [[siege]] defense, as each tower component can be linked to a [[lever]] and used to wipe out a single invading squad at a time. Note: This may count as a [[stupid dwarf trick#Pressure Washer|stupid dwarf trick]].

While a [[pressure plate]] in the center of this trap can trigger it and drown hidden ambushers, such an arrangement is subject to double-activation and failure. A pressure plate that only triggers once will break and the system will be incapable of self-reloading. A lever or [[pressure plate#Latching Pressure Plates|latch]] is highly recommended.

Using a cross-hair pattern of walls, invaders are herded through the trap. Inside the fortress, Urist McLeverpuller does his job. Floodgates on the ground close, hatches on the ceiling open, and drowning ensues. When all enemies are dead, the lever is pulled again. The hatches close and the floodgates open, allowing a rush of water and bodies to spill out.

Schematics shown are for a stand-alone tower, though the upper level can be linked with many similar towers for a grid-like defensive system.

'''Level 0'''

░░X░░X░X░░X░░ <tt>░</tt> - Wall
░+++++░+++++░ <tt>+</tt> - Floor
X+++++░+++++X <tt>X</tt> - Floodgate
░+++++░+++++░ <tt>H</tt> - Hatch
░+++++░+++++░ <tt>-</tt> - Water reservoir
X+++++░+++++X
░░░░░░+░░░░░░
X+++++░+++++X
░+++++░+++++░
░+++++░+++++░
X+++++░+++++X
░+++++░+++++░
░░X░░X░X░░X░░

'''Level 1'''
░░░░░░░░░░░░░
░-----------░
░-H--H-H--H-░
░-----------░
░-----------░
░-H-------H-░
░-----------░
░-H-------H-░
░-----------░
░-----------░
░-H--H-H--H-░
░-----------░
░░░░░░░░░░░░░

====Ice trap====
Water open to the sky in freezing [[biome]]s will freeze instantly, completely destroying anything caught in it. By digging a channel entrance to your fort and selectively allowing it to flood as invaders pass through, you can commit genocide with appalling efficiency. The only disadvantage to this trap is its size: because water freezes so quickly, each entry channel must have a source of non-freezing water right next to it.

Observe in action [http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-231-degrinchinator here], or a wider version [http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-1675-semi-automaticorcsiclemaker here]. For more information, see [[User:Vattic/Orcsicle_maker_Explained|these detailed instructions]].

=====Fully Automatic Ice Trap=====
The hallway is exposed to the elements, and water there freezes instantly. The rest of the trap is underground. When an enemy steps on the pressure plate, the hallway is flooded with water immediately. Some of the water that doesn't freeze also triggers a second pressure plate. The second pressure plate pumps magma into the room directly beneath the main hallway, which melts the ice. The water is pumped out and retracting bridges then return the water and magma to their original positions. This trap was also inspired by the Degrinchinator.

Observe: http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-2239-automaticresettingicetrap

For more info, see [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=63346.0 this] thread.

====Flusher====
Have a water reservoir to one side of the path the intruders should take, and a deep chasm at the other side. When invaders are on the path, just pull a lever to flush them out.

A compact version of this can be set up with a reservoir tower and a path circling it:

'''Level 0'''

····························· <tt>░</tt> - Wall
->++++++++++++++++++++++++++· <tt>-></tt> - Direction of traffic
->++++++++++++++++++++++++++· <tt>▼</tt> - Down-Ramps (as visible from one level above = see [[ramp]])
->++++++++++++++++++++++++++· <tt>+</tt> - Floor
░XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX░+++· <tt>·</tt> - Open space
░<nowiki>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</nowiki>X+++· <tt>X</tt> - Floodgate OR retracting bridge
░<nowiki>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</nowiki>X+++· <tt>~</tt> - Water
░<nowiki>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</nowiki>X+++·
░<nowiki>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</nowiki>X+++·
░XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX░+++·
<-++++++++++++++++++++++++++·
<-++++++++++++++++++++++++++·
<-++++++++++++++++++++++++++·
·····························

Be sure that the reservoir can hold enough water to flush everything out (3 levels should be enough), that it can be automatically or easily refilled quickly, and be advised that flushing your own dwarves can be much fun. Adjust the height of the chasm depending on how much damage you want to cause to intruders or to [[Unfortunate accident|innocent bystanders]] (7 levels start to do some serious damage).

Once flushed, the victims will try to find a way out (to re-invade the fortress, or to flee). Make sure there are some maintenance-free traps in their way. If you plan to collect [[goblinite]] afterwards, have a way to drain the bottom of the trap dry.

===Magma and fire traps===
These traps incinerate targets, or possibly encase them in [[obsidian]]. Magma does not play favorites - read up (again) on magma, and use with ''extreme'' caution. Fire traps are included in this category because magma is often the best method of starting a fire.

====Magma chamber====
Create an airlock using two bridges, two doors or whatever you like best. Make it a medium sized chamber, perhaps 10x10 or so. Channel out the floors around the rim, and rig up a system to pump magma into the room, or drop it from the roof. Enemies will quickly be destroyed, and with the magma in the channels, you can pump it out for future use or just leave it. The idea here is a re-usable magma trap; you can use this with a pressure plate, too. It also leaves behind any magma-proof items the invaders might have been carrying.

Variation: By placing magma-safe hatches on the ceiling and quickly activating and deactivating the trap, you can limit the use of magma. It doesn't take a lot of magma to set a goblin on fire: only 1/7 deep will do it, and using less magma means it will dry on its own. It does take a while for an enemy to burn to death, but what's better than spending the whole summer watching a room full of smoke and dying goblins?

====Incinerator hall====
Certain minerals such as [[lignite]] and [[graphite]] have an ignition point but no melting point, meaning that once they are set on [[fire]] they will burn for a very long time (about 9-10 months) unless exposed to water or [[weather|rain]]. Any item made out of these materials has this property, which can be used to design horrifying fiery death traps.

Consider a hallway filled with lignite [[floor grate]]s, which can be built directly on the floor and do not impede the passage of enemies. Pouring magma on any one of these grates will set it alight, and the fire will spread to all connected grates. The end result is a lot of constant smoke and a hallway that kills anything that passes through it. Consider [[traffic|restricting access]] to your dwarves or building this in a pit with a retractable bridge over top: the mere fact that a location is on fire will not stop them from walking through it. On the plus side, goblins are just as stupid.

====Flamethrower bunker====

Catch a creature that has a fire breath attack, such as a [[dragon]], [[fire imp]], [[fire man]], or anything else. Tame it if you can, and drop it into a 3x3 square of fortifications surrounded by bridges. Drop the bridge when necessary, and watch the creature lay waste on your opponents. Note that this may cause you to rage if the beast is not hostile to invaders. Beware of enemy archer squads as well.

You may want to build the bridge and mechanisms out of [[dragonfire]]-safe materials if you are using a dragon.

You may do this with [[magma crab]]s (but first you must catch one) for a machinegun bunker, or [[giant cave spider]]s (or anything that has a [[web]] attack) for a paralyzing bunker.

===Weapon traps===
Traditional trap components can be used in sometimes interesting ways.

====Casual impalement====
One method of creating a zone of constant slaughter is to link a pressure plate in your main dining hall or main hallway to a patch of menacing spikes or spears. As your dwarves/pets mill around conversing/mating, they will constantly trigger the spike system without regard to the consequences.

Variation: Drop goblins into a holding pit with various spike traps linked to your pressure plate artfully placed around the chamber. Watch as every dining hall [[party]] begins to be measured in goblin blood.

====Caravan-Safe Traps====
Since traps block caravans, how can one have a depot but not have a trap-free entrance to the fortress? Simple! Caravans need 3-wide corridors, but that corridor does not need to be straight. Invaders will path straight (or as straight as they can). By knowing this, you can make trap layouts that have 3-wide corridors that intersect straight paths.

Like so:

Zig-Zag Alternating U
T+P+T+++ T = Trap ++++P+++++++++++++P++++
+T+P+T++ + = Ground/floor ++T+P+TTTTTTTTTTT+P+T++
++T+P+T+ E = Ramps going down ++T+P+T+++++++++T+P+T++
+++T+P+T to tunnel to depot ++T+P+T+++++++++T+P+T++
++++T+P+ P = Caravan path ++T+P+T+++++++++T+P+T++
++++T+P+ ++T+P+T+++EEE+++T+P+T++
+++T+P+T ++T+P+++++++++++++P+T++
++T+P+T+ ++T+PPPPPPPPPPPPPPP+T++
+T+P+T++ ++T+++++++++++++++++T++
T+P+T+++ ++TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT++
+P+T++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++

Both designs can be repeated for maximum effect or used together (make the entrance on the U wider and put Zig-Zag traps on the corridor to the depot).

====Dodge Me Trap====
Passing over a catwalk of traps, invaders will find themselves dodging into your pit. Since you can seal the pit with bridges, it doesn't complicate access to your fortress while inactive. Beware of dwarves fighting on top of it when active, as they will dodge too. Using weapon traps with a lot of possible hits can make an invader dodge multiple times at once, allowing him to dodge across an open space tile, skipping the pit. This can be dealt with in some variants by the strategic placement of walls and/or by having an incredibly broad pit. Using a low quality mechanism will also force invaders to dodge, as opposed to using a high quality mechanism in the weapon trap, which will cause the weapon trap to actually land hits on the invader.

Simple version:
+............+ ^ weapon trap
+............+ + floor, your fort on one side; the savage wilds on the other
+^^^^^^^^^^^^+ . Pit
+............+
+............+

Compact version:
+#########+ # retractable bridge with pit underneath
+#^^^^^^^^+
+#^#######+ + floor
+#^^^^^^^#+
+#######^#+ ^ traps
+#^^^^^^^#+
══+++═══════

====Goblin Grinder====
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\

═════
[#FF0]¢[#FF0]^[#F00]^[#00F]^[#00F]¢
═════
}}

In this trap described [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=62798.0 here], invaders are constrained to moving back and forth over a weapon trap {{Raw Tile|^|#F00|#000}} by two hatches over channels, {{Raw Tile|¢|#FF0|#000}} and {{Raw Tile|¢|#00F|#000}}, each linked to the pressure plate, {{Raw Tile|^|#FF0|#000}} and {{Raw Tile|^|#00F|#000}}, of the same color. Because the trapped creatures constantly path between the two hatches, a single trap may hit them many, many times.

The ends of the corridor are left open, allowing invaders to rush down the corridor, thinking it is an easy entrance into your fort. When they step on the pressure plate at the end, the hatch raises, exposing the uncrossable channel and blocking the exit. The invader's pathfinding decides to run back the other way, as that is now the only exit. As he reaches the other end, that hatch opens, causing him to run back and forth inside the corridor, unable to escape. As he runs back and forth, the traps grind him into a fine mist with no effort on your part. Creatures will occasionally fall into the pit dug underneath the hatches, but these are easily dealt with such as building a room underneath the channels filled with more traps.

By setting the pressure plates to be untriggerable by citizens, it's easy for them to walk through and collect the remaining goblinite unharmed once the siege ends.

Its two main disadvantages are being susceptible to both trap-avoiding creatures and building destroyers. These can be safeguarded by any of the other many usual ways of defending against this type of creature. It's also possible for a creature to be "stuck" in only the first few tiles of the trap, as they try to escape after taking enough damage, only walking two or three steps into the trap, then immediately turning around and trying to exit, and so only walking past already-triggered traps. Again, you can get rid of these with your military with no problem.

Some usage ideas from the thread:

* Without traps and placing only one pressure plate/hatch combination at the end leading into your fort, it makes a very simple dwarf-only one-way door into your fort. Non dwarves that attempt to enter will be blocked and turn around and take the exit. Alternately a good way of keeping creatures inside an area while allowing dwarf passage.
* With some additional work (details in the thread), it can be built as a repeater system, with a pressure plate inside hooked up to some other device that you want to repeatedly trigger. A pet running back and forth inside attempting to reach its owner or releasing a trapped prisoner and tempting them with freedom in exchange for running back and forth will repeatedly hit the pressure plate inside.
* Similarly, place a pressure plate inside that will link to some other action such as spike traps outside the entrance, impaling invaders waiting for their turn to enter the grinder as their friends run down the corridor.
* Don't fill with traps; instead, carve fortifications into the walls and use the trapped invaders as target practice and training for your archers.
* Don't fill with traps; instead fill with magma at your convenience.
* Fill with very weak weapon traps that will only maim the prisoner. Put an atom smasher near the other end that will be triggered as he tries to crawl towards freedom.

===Building destroyer and trapavoid traps===

====Door number one====
If you're having trouble dealing with building destroyers that don't set off traps, consider the following design, as seen from the side:
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
════╝╬╬
[#F00]~X[#F0F]^ ▲╔═
══════╝
}}

Put the magma {{Raw Tile|~|#F00|#000}} behind a floodgate {{Raw Tile|X|#FFF|#000}}. In front of the floodgate, place a pressure plate {{Raw Tile|^|#F0F|#000}} set to go off on magma of 0 to 0. Link the pressure plate to a retracting bridge {{Raw Tile|╬|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|╬|#FFF|#000}} that covers the exit ramp {{Raw Tile|▲|#FFF|#000}} to the area. Although you can't get the creature to set off traps, when it breaks the door, magma will spill over the pressure plate, locking the creature in the hallway that is rapidly filling with magma. You could combine this with a simple levered hatch for drainage, but there's only one way to be certain: obsidianify it from orbit.

Note that the trap as pictured is too short-- in order to catch a creature, your bridge has to close before the creature can escape from the tunnel.

====Artifact awe trap====
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
═════
+¢╬ ╬
═════
}}

This simple containment trap is designed to trap any number of building destroyers, even trapavoid building destroyers, on a single tile, after which you can do whatever you'd like with them-- bolt 'em, ice 'em, drop 'em, spike 'em, it's all good. Building destroyers are drawn by a piece of [[legendary artifact|artifact-quality]] furniture, in this case, a hatch cover {{Raw Tile|¢|#FFF|#000}}. A door {{Raw Tile|+|#FFF|#000}} prevents them from seeing further into your fort and being distracted from the enchanting beauty of your furniture. When you've captured as many creatures as you'd like on that tile, simple raise both bridges {{Raw Tile|╬|#FFF|#000}}-- first, the far one, then, the one near the artifact-- and you may even remove the artifact, to create a new trap elsewhere.

===Other traps===
Anything that can be weaponized can be turned into a trap. And anything can be weaponized.

====Bioweapon trap====
Some of the underground's nastier creatures are capable of breathing [[syndrome]]-bearing deadly dust. While such dust can easily spread and lead to the downfall of a fort, more masochistic players may seek ways to weaponize it. Syndrome-bearing blood may be used similarly, but placement of the trap is a great deal more difficult.

At its simplest, a bioweapon trap is a single tile of syndrome-bearing extract. It can be placed by moving an item covered in dust to the desired location via stockpiling or dumping, and then pouring a [[bucket]] of water over the item, transferring the dust from the item to the tile it sits on. A simple way to get your dwarves to pour a bucket of water over the item is via designation of a [[activity zone#Pit/Pond|pond]] zone. Alternatively, one can take advantage of the natural tendency of [[User:Uristocrat/Dwarven__Bathtub|dwarven bathtub]]s and simply drag contaminated items through a trench full of shallow water to create a contamination trench.

Any affected creature is likely to carry the contamination with it past the location of the bioweapon. This can be useful, if you've discovered a particularly interesting extract that you no longer have a way to generate, but it can also be dangerous to the well-being of your fortress. A pile of extract sitting in 2/7 water will not block pathing, and will simultaneously infect and wash creatures passing through it. Placement of extract in a damp trench can be difficult, as the water will tend to carry the extract on to the walls, but with persistence, it can be done. Extract/water combos like this are best placed underground to prevent freezing or evaporation. You may have difficulty preventing your dwarves from [[cleaning]] tiles affected by the extract.

The deadliness of a bioweapon depends entirely on the extract used to create it, and can range from debilitating nausea (perfect to incapacitate invaders while your military mops them up, yet unlikely to lead to serious damage to your own fort), to death by bleeding within 600 ticks (a half day). Given the proper extract, you could even create a beneficial bioweapon trap that prevents those affected from suffering pain. Footwear appears to protect, leaving any bioweapon trap much more deadly to your own dwarves than to any invader.

Bioweapon traps have the potential to be very powerful but should be considered extremely [[fun]], as extracts are capable of multiplication and don't distinguish between friend or foe. A single bioweapon trap could easily kill all of your dwarves in a season. Bioweapons never require cleaning or resetting, but won't work on many foes.

Alternative biotraps are possible. Using a 'deadly dust' creature rather than its extract is possible, but such interactions have rather short range (2 tiles at least) and may ignore invaders passing by a bit further away. By forcing invaders to walk right next to fortification that separates the beast and invader you can ensure a syndromey greeting to your unwanted guests, but the creature will be vulnerable to enemy archers. Should you discover a creature with noxious secretions that boil at a low temperature, such a creature can be used even while caged: its secretions will affect anything nearby, but the creature that bears the syndrome remains invulnerable to attack. Good luck getting the cage where you want it!

=== Animal/Gladiator Traps ===
War animals can be a messy way of dispatching your invaders. Since most war animals aren't grazers, you can put a pasture in a room and assign a bunch of war animals without any need for maintenance. Keep in mind size, a war dog is not going to do nearly as well against a troll as a lion would. However, 5 dogs should be able to overcome it. If you don't want your animals to die, simply use cage traps to catch invaders, disarm them, then drop them into the animal arena unarmed with a pit above the room. Although, this isn't a guarantee, unarmed goblins are incredibly weak. This trap has a lot more randomness involved than others, so it's more of a novelty than an effective and practical trap. Exotic animals can be much more brutal, so bonus points for catching tigers, bears,(or buying them from elves) or dragons. If you do manage to catch a dragon and tame it, you'll probably want to clear out any other animals, unless they don't mind dragon fire.

If one of your dwarves has been plagued by [[Vampire|Vampirism]], all the better. Build him/her a nice pit outfitted as barracks, throw in good weapons and armor, and watch as they train themselves nonstop up to Legendary skill in most combat abilities.

When you want to make them practice, just throw a caged prisoner in, order them to open it, and watch as they tear them to shreds.

=== Minecarts ===
A [[minecart]], while you think about it, is just a large hunk of metal traveling at a very fast speed in a straight line. Its nature can be used for your advantage.
==== Minecart grinder ====
All you need is a straight, narrow corridor, some tracks, and a way to make a minecart gain momentum (rolling down 3 z-levels worth of ramps should be more than enough).

Using the hauling designation, assign a minecart to the top of the ramp, without giving it any departure conditions. As soon as the enemies are approaching the other side of the corridor, change the departure condition to "push" and "always". Once a dwarf comes by and pushes it, the minecart will jolt down the hallway flattening everything on its path, and may even put a dent in an attacking [[Megabeast]].
By dumping minecarts on either rollers or downward ramps, multiple carts can be used on the same track without any hauling routes, allowing for multishot weapons, increasing the efficiency of the trap.
Rollers or impulse ramps can be used to make a cart return system, allowing for fully automatic systems.

==== Shotgun ====
Minecarts have the interesting properties of spilling their contents when they hit a solid object like another minecart at high speed. This can be used by filling minecarts with either heavy objects like stones, sharp objects like surplus weapons or simply a lot of them, then sending them down some ramps onto a target. On impact, the contents will continue their way at high speed, dealing damage to anything in the way. You know you want to fill a minecart with !!lignite blocks!! now.

==== Water/Magma gun ====
Minecarts submerged in [[Water]] fill themselves with liquid, which then counts as a quite heavy object. Using the shotgun effect, this allows for a weapon without need to manually load minecarts, resulting in higher rate of fire and fewer dwarves running on potentially lethal tracks. First proposed [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=114654.0 here], with an updated version [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=119831.0 here].

Using [[Magma]] makes the design potentially more lethal and certainly more dwarven, and adds the <s>usual dangers</s> [[fun]] of working with this fluid.

==== Minecart thumper ====
When falling minecarts land on a floor, they injure creatures in the tile below.{{bug|6068}} Add some rollers and a very short track loop to maximize the damage potential. Since the minecart remains physically separated from its targets, it shouldn't jam or jump off track.

{{Category|Traps}}
{{category|Fortress defense}}
{{category|Design}}

v0.34:Trap design

2014-06-27T14:39:09Z

Subjunctive: /* Inside corner trapping */

{{Quality|Masterwork|21:15, 28 April 2013 (UTC)}}
{{av}}

:''This page is one of several inter-related articles on the broader topic of defending your fortress and your dwarves. '''Trap design''' focuses on the theory and design of complex traps, mechanical systems and other automation for defending your fortress, and also on unusual uses of simple mechanic's [[trap]]s. For a general overview of the threats that will challenge your fortress and things to consider when preparing a standard defense, see the '''[[defense guide]]'''. For tips on laying out your architecture to protect your military, see '''[[security design]]'''. For specific advice on how to get your soldiers prepared for any threat, see '''[[military]]'''.''

:''For suggestions on disposing of nobles and other unwanted residents, see [[unfortunate accident]].''
:''For a basic overview of how the different machine parts work and work together, see [[machine component]].''
:''For information on catching [[vermin]]-sized creatures in [[animal trap]]s, see [[trapper]].''

==Introduction==
Simple one-tile [[trap]]s* are just that - they exist only on their own tile, trigger themselves when a target walks onto that one tile, and affect only that one tile. Complex traps and automation rely on linking [[door]]s, [[hatch cover|hatch]]es, [[floodgate]]s, and [[bridge]]s to [[lever]]s or [[pressure plate]]s, along with machinery to provide the [[power]] to run some of the more diabolical designs. When the trigger is activated, it sends a [[lever|signal]] to the linked device. That signal is not always as simple as '''do it now''', but it's specifically either to '''open''' or to '''close'''. By manipulating what does what and when, and what follows from that, impressive results can be achieved.

:''(* specifically, the [[Trap#Stone-fall_Trap|stone-fall trap]], [[Trap#Weapon_Trap|weapon trap]], and [[Trap#Cage_Trap|cage trap]].)''

* To fully understand how these component objects work individually (before combining them into diabolical and complex combinations), see those main articles.

==Basic traps==
These are the simple [[trap]]s that are placed by a mechanic. They require one [[mechanism]] but do not require levers or pressure plates. They can be a quick, easy and brutally effective "first defense" for a fledgling fortress, but they can also be combined into key parts of more complex set ups. For tips on using these basic traps effectively, see the Trap Strategies section.

===Stone fall trap===
:This is the easiest trap to build, so you can easily build them in large numbers. Building lots of them is an easy way to earn experience for your [[mechanic]], and add to the depth of your fort's defenses at the same time. Surrounding intersections and stairways is a good way of handling threats that make it inside the fortress, including [[insanity|berserk]] dwarves.

===Weapon trap===
:The gold standard of lethal traps. This is the only simple trap that works repeatedly without reloading. They do get jammed, however. View the trap with the '''items in room''' {{key|t}} mode, and if there's a corpse inside the trap, it's jammed. None of the weapons on a jammed trap will function. It may be wiser to have several weapon traps with fewer weapons, rather than a smaller number of ten-weapon traps.

:Using [[crossbow]]s or other projectile weapons in weapon traps avoids the problem of jamming, but they must be kept loaded with [[ammo]]. Mechanics will load them with any ammo that is not forbidden. They will load each until each type of weapon has ten rounds of ammo. Hammers seem to jam less than swords or axes, and spears seem to jam the most. Your dwarves will attempt to unjam traps unless otherwise forbidden.

===Cage trap===
:A very powerful type of trap. Maybe even too powerful - currently, even a wooden or glass [[cage]] can hold any creature indefinitely, even [[troll]]s and [[megabeast]]s. A cage trap never fails, although creatures with the [[trapavoid]] tag cannot be captured unless knocked [[unconscious]] or [[Giant cave spider|webbed]] first. Use cage traps as your outermost traps to catch the occasional wandering animal, angry wounded [[elephant]] or [[unicorn]], or even [[zombie]]s. Caged animals and enemies will be safely brought to any animal [[stockpile]]s you have, but may escape later if you are not careful. For more information, see [[captured creatures]].

==Linked traps==
These traps require a trigger such as a [[pressure plate]] or [[lever]]. They will require at least three [[mechanisms]], one for the trigger and two to create the link. The trigger can be located any distance from the trap, typically close for a pressure plate or far away for a lever.

For a system that repeatedly activates automatically and regularly regardless of enemies, see [[Repeater]].

===Menacing spikes===
Menacing [[trap component|spike]]s or upright spears appear on the basic mechanic's {{k|T}}rap menu, but must be activated remotely to pop out of the ground and impale anyone standing on that tile. Vast forests of these can make any area a killing field.

While upright spike defense systems never jam, they also do not discriminate. When activated, they will inflict piercing damage on whatever is standing on the tile, whether it be friend or foe. You can use [[traffic|traffic designations]] to help somewhat. Designate the spike trap tiles as ''restricted'' then make a longer path going around the spikes that's designated as ''high traffic''. [[Domestic animal|Pets]] and [[Trade|merchants/diplomats]] will probably still get skewered, though.

==Trap strategies==
These are some basic tricks that can be used with most any trap design, basic or complex.

===Bait animals===
Enemies will hunt down and kill friendly tame animals wandering outside if they have nothing better to do. Put an expendable animal on a [[restraint]] or in a 1x1 [[Activity zone#Pen/Pasture|pen]] in some random spot outside, build a few [[construction|columns]] around it to reduce the chance of them shooting it, and trap that area to hell and back.

Note that this is a horrible method of getting rid of [[cat]]s, as they will often adopt a dwarf who will then attempt to free the cat. This may lead to the unfortunate situation of Urist McCatlover getting skewered by an ambush party while on his way to free Mr. Baitykins.

===Bait furniture===
[[Building destroyer]]s can be baited by furniture, which they will path to and destroy, if they can. Furniture bait allows you to selectively target building destroyers, to draw them away from other aggressors or to a different trap. This can be useful when, for instance, you'd like to draw a building destroyer like a [[giant cave spider]] into a cage trap, but don't want to bother caging all of the other wildlife around it. It can also be useful for trapping monsters with special attacks that you'd rather not see go off, as the building destroyer won't use any special attacks on furniture as it would an animal. For instance, you could use bait furniture to trap a [[forgotten beast]] with [[syndrome|deadly dust]] without causing it to spew more contagion.

Bait furniture can be especially effective when used with [[Legendary artifact|artifact]] quality furniture. Artifact furniture cannot be destroyed, but building destroyers will still attempt to path to it, at which point they will ineffectually attempt to destroy the furniture. This makes traps baited with artifact furniture easily reusable.

===Trapping efficiently===

====Crosshair trapping====
As the converse of building many traps everywhere, consider instead herding your enemies into a few traps. A cross-hair pattern of walls or impassable channels with an array of traps in the middle gap will increase the usage of each individual trap. This is particularly useful when capturing wildlife. You may also want a few traps near the edges, to catch the creatures that attempt to go around it.

<diagram>
+++++++[#F00]^^^[#FFF]+++++++ legend
++++++++▓++++++++ ▓ stone/wall
++++++++▓++++++++ [#F00]^ trap[#FFF]
++++++++▓++++++++ + floor
++++++++▓++++++++
++++++[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]▓[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]++++++
[#F00]^[#FFF]+++++[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]▓[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]+++++[#F00]^
[#F00]^[#FFF]▓▓▓▓▓▓▓[#F00]^[#FFF]▓▓▓▓▓▓▓[#F00]^
[#F00]^[#FFF]+++++[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]▓[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]+++++[#F00]^[#FFF]
++++++[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]▓[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]++++++
++++++++▓++++++++
++++++++▓++++++++
++++++++▓++++++++
++++++++▓++++++++
+++++++[#F00]^[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]+++++++
</diagram>

====Inside corner trapping====
If the path where you will place your traps has bends, expect the enemy to take the most direct path - it's not guaranteed, but they will tend to hug the inside of a corner, and rarely detour to a dead-end (represented by "x").
<diagram>
╔═════════
║ ║xx ??
║ ║x ???
║???║ .???? ? = unpredictable path
║???║ .╔═════
║ ??║ . ║ . = ''most likely'' path
║ .║g ║ g = invader
║x . x║
║xx xx║ x = ''unlikely'' detour
╚═══════╝
</diagram>
Once in a straight hall, anything is possible (represented by "?"), but placing your best (or first) traps on the inside path near "inside" corners (and de-emphasizing outside "dead-end" corners) is the best bet. If two invaders are side-by-side, they will wander, and random actions are always possible, but if you had to guess, this is the way to do it.

====Pass trapping====
If there are a lot of hills outside, remove most of the ramps, then trap those last few routes. The only way for creatures to get around will be to go through your traps.

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ Before
++++++++++++++++++

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
+++++++^▲^++++++++ After
+++++++^^^++++++++

====Ford trapping====
Have a river or any kind of chasm? Construct a floor over it (not a bridge), then build traps over it. Brooks won't work for this, because everything can already walk over the top of a brook. It also won't work as well in winter on a map that freezes.

+++++++++++░^^░+++++++++++
+++++++++++░^^░+++++++++++
+++++++++++░^^░+++++++++++
~~ ~~ ~~ ~~░^^░~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ Nobody ever said that it had to end at the river banks.
~~ ~~ ~~ ~~░^^░~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ Building walls along the side allows you to make it longer
+++++++++++░^^░+++++++++++ and to fill it with more traps.
+++++++++++░^^░+++++++++++
+++++++++++░^^░+++++++++++

==Trap Designs==
===Bridge and drop traps===

====Drawbridge trap====
Lowering drawbridges on invaders will [[dwarven atom smasher|crush]] them into nothingness. Known as the 'Dwarven Atom Smasher', bridges will destroy most things with some notable exceptions including [[jabberer]]s and [[elephant]]s, who will not only survive unscathed but also destroy the bridge.

Try replacing the side wall of a part of your main entrance with a drawbridge, big enough so it spans the whole hallway. Link the drawbridge to a [[lever|trigger]], and whenever you feel like it activate the trap. This can be done with minimal effort and used to smash invaders, unwanted [[immigration|immigrants]], bothersome [[nobles]], or simply to destroy your garbage.

====[[Pit trap]]====
A long retracting bridge in your entrance tunnel, with the pressure plate right in front of the fortress doors. The expression on the face of the point-goblin who reaches them only to watch his comrades plunge to whatever gruesome fate you have prepared for them will be a mental picture to cherish. Remember when designing this trap that bridges do not open until 100 ticks after they've been triggered.

You may also consider linking these bridges to levers for more control, just in case a goblin thief triggers the pressure plate while a caravan is on the bridge. Or, you might consider linking the bridges to a [[repeater]].

====Cave-in trap====
[[Support]]s can be linked to [[lever|triggers]]. Building a section of floor that is deliberately held up only by a trapped support allows for an intentional [[cave-in]].
* [[Invader]]s dropped into a pit can be wounded or killed.
* Dropping a floor or wall directly onto any creature will ''instantly'' kill it, regardless of its [[size]].
* The cave-in will also knock nearby invaders unconscious. This will stun them, and also make them susceptible to simple traps (even if they possess the TRAPAVOID token).
* Cave-ins will ''not'' reveal invisible invaders, such as [[ambush]]ers unless it kills them outright, in which case their bodies become visible.

The biggest drawback of this sort of trap is the "reload" process, which can be relatively time consuming. Have a drawbridge that can seal off the work area so your mechanics and [[mason]]s can reconstruct the setup in peace.

=====Land mines=====
In any suitable open area which hasn't been dug out underneath, build a support and an adjacent multi-use pressure plate set to trigger on creatures (but not citizens), link them together, then build floor tiles above the support and pressure plate. When an enemy steps on the pressure plate, the game will pause and recenter the view with the announcement "''A section of the cavern has collapsed!''", at which point the enemy will be crushed and its companions will be stunned or knocked unconscious by the cloud of dust (though not necessarily revealed, in the case of an [[ambush]]).

More "traditional" landmines also exist, taking advantage of a bug. This involves setting a bridge to be deconstructed, then having this order be cancelled, all done while the bridge is in the down position. The bridge will then let fluids through, which with pressurized magma makes it a potent weapon.

=====Chasm trap=====
The easiest chasm trap is just a retractable bridge, very high up or over a very deep hole; instead of flinging invaders when raised, it just drops them.

A uselessly complicated collapsing spiral trap can take out ten goblins at a time. When finished, it looks like this:

+++
..........+++
.++++++++#+++
.+╔══════. # = retractable bridge
.+║++++++.
.+║+╔══╗+. + = floor
.+║+║A+║+.
.+║+╚═+║+. . = open space
.+║+++^║+.
.+╚════╝+. ^ = pressure plate
.++++++++.
.......... A = bait animal

The goblins are lured in by a restrained bait animal, and can't shoot it due to the surrounding walls. Just before they reach the bait, they trigger a pressure plate that retracts the bridge and collapses the support holding up the whole spiral. Goblins, bait animal, walls and all plummet into the chasm.

When building, you will need to construct a span of floor underneath to place a support, as bridges do not support constructions (''which is also why you want a bridge as the access, so it will not hold up the trap*)''. You will also need to have a floor tile between your floor and solid ground or wall while constructing, as the bridge alone will not work as a base, but you can remove it once the support is in place.

====Falling debris trap====
[[gravity|Falling objects]] tend to cause ridiculous injury to creatures below, and what better use for [[wear|worn]] socks than mangling intruders. Mix in some loose [[stone]], poor-quality [[furniture]], and any [[goblinite]] lying around, then bury your enemies under a pile of junk.

A retracting [[bridge]] makes a good trigger mechanism (connected to either a [[lever]] or [[pressure plate]]), while garbage dump [[zone]]s above the bridge provide an easy means to load the trap. To reset the trap, use {{k|d}} {{k|b}} {{k|c}} to reclaim the garbage and {{k|d}} {{k|b}} {{k|d}} to have your dwarves haul the junk back to the garbage dumps above. The trap can also be fully automated via [[minecart]].

====Canceled construction deadfall====
Canceling an incomplete construction immediately frees the building material. The simplest way to weaponize this knowledge is to create a one tile wide hallway that is several z-levels high, and carve down stairs into the roof from the level above. Assign your masons to create stairs in the top level of the hallway, but suspend construction on each tile after they begin. When danger threatens below, simply cancel constructions to send building material raining down on enemies below.

A more advanced design uses incomplete 8x1 bridges--each bridge will release three stones when canceled. These stones will normally be deposited on the tile where the architect was standing when the bridge was designed. A (completed) retracting bridge at the top of the hallway can provide a place for your architects to stand while loading the trap, but still allow the rocks to rain down when retracted.

This trap has the distinction of being the only overseer-triggered trap--it doesn't require dwarves to pull levers, enemies to cross pressure plates, or any sort of timing delay. With some practice, it can be used selectively to take out priority targets (elite archers, squad leaders, dangerous creatures, etc.).

===Water traps===
These traps drown, freeze, boil, or wash targets away. Errors in execution can be quite <s>[[flood|harmful]] to your fortress</s> [[fun]], so use with caution.

====Drown and burn====
A flooding room trap combined with an unextinguishable [[fire|burning]] [[lignite]] bin. The water will evaporate on the bin's tile, causing the water from the surrounding tiles to move to it, which then get evaporated as well. The water will also push the invaders onto the fire, causing them to burn to death... in a flooding chamber.

NOTE: Traps involving large quantities of water turning into [[steam]] are as effective at killing your framerate as they are [[goblin|goblins]]. Use with caution, and have the cut-off lever at the ready.

====Drowning hall====
'''Level 0'''

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ <tt>░</tt> - Wall
->++▼··················▼++-> <tt>-></tt> - Direction of traffic
->++▼··················▼++-> <tt>▼</tt> - Down-Ramps (as visible from one level above = see [[ramp]])
->++▼··················▼++-> <tt>+</tt> - Floor
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ <tt>·</tt> - Open space

'''Level -1'''
░░░░░░XX░░░░░░░░XX░░░░░░ <tt>X </tt> - Inflow
░░▲++▼··▼++++++▼··▼++▲░░
░░▲++▼··▼++++++▼··▼++▲░░ <tt>▲</tt> - Up-Ramps
░░▲++▼··▼++++++▼··▼++▲░░
░░░░░░XX░░░░░░░░XX░░░░░░ <tt>▼</tt> - Down-Ramps

'''Level -2'''
░░░░░░xx░░░░░░░░xx░░░░░░ <tt>x</tt> - Outflow
░░░░░▲++▲░░░░░░▲++▲░░░░░
░░░░░▲++▲░░░░░░▲++▲░░░░░
░░░░░▲++▲░░░░░░▲++▲░░░░░
░░░░░░xx░░░░░░░░xx░░░░░░

If enemies are in the middle of Level -1, open the inflow, then the water will first trap, and then drown them. If the pit is full, close the inflow and open the outflow. You can automate this by using [[pressure plate]]s, or if you want to have more fun, replace the water with [[magma]] (which would require pressure plates and floodgates to be [[magma-safe]]).

====Drowning tower====
This is a trap that can be built in discrete units. Each unit requires a lot of labor and protects only a small area, though in a dramatic manner. A wall of these around the map sharing a single massive water reservoir makes a very effective [[siege]] defense, as each tower component can be linked to a [[lever]] and used to wipe out a single invading squad at a time. Note: This may count as a [[stupid dwarf trick#Pressure Washer|stupid dwarf trick]].

While a [[pressure plate]] in the center of this trap can trigger it and drown hidden ambushers, such an arrangement is subject to double-activation and failure. A pressure plate that only triggers once will break and the system will be incapable of self-reloading. A lever or [[pressure plate#Latching Pressure Plates|latch]] is highly recommended.

Using a cross-hair pattern of walls, invaders are herded through the trap. Inside the fortress, Urist McLeverpuller does his job. Floodgates on the ground close, hatches on the ceiling open, and drowning ensues. When all enemies are dead, the lever is pulled again. The hatches close and the floodgates open, allowing a rush of water and bodies to spill out.

Schematics shown are for a stand-alone tower, though the upper level can be linked with many similar towers for a grid-like defensive system.

'''Level 0'''

░░X░░X░X░░X░░ <tt>░</tt> - Wall
░+++++░+++++░ <tt>+</tt> - Floor
X+++++░+++++X <tt>X</tt> - Floodgate
░+++++░+++++░ <tt>H</tt> - Hatch
░+++++░+++++░ <tt>-</tt> - Water reservoir
X+++++░+++++X
░░░░░░+░░░░░░
X+++++░+++++X
░+++++░+++++░
░+++++░+++++░
X+++++░+++++X
░+++++░+++++░
░░X░░X░X░░X░░

'''Level 1'''
░░░░░░░░░░░░░
░-----------░
░-H--H-H--H-░
░-----------░
░-----------░
░-H-------H-░
░-----------░
░-H-------H-░
░-----------░
░-----------░
░-H--H-H--H-░
░-----------░
░░░░░░░░░░░░░

====Ice trap====
Water open to the sky in freezing [[biome]]s will freeze instantly, completely destroying anything caught in it. By digging a channel entrance to your fort and selectively allowing it to flood as invaders pass through, you can commit genocide with appalling efficiency. The only disadvantage to this trap is its size: because water freezes so quickly, each entry channel must have a source of non-freezing water right next to it.

Observe in action [http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-231-degrinchinator here], or a wider version [http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-1675-semi-automaticorcsiclemaker here]. For more information, see [[User:Vattic/Orcsicle_maker_Explained|these detailed instructions]].

=====Fully Automatic Ice Trap=====
The hallway is exposed to the elements, and water there freezes instantly. The rest of the trap is underground. When an enemy steps on the pressure plate, the hallway is flooded with water immediately. Some of the water that doesn't freeze also triggers a second pressure plate. The second pressure plate pumps magma into the room directly beneath the main hallway, which melts the ice. The water is pumped out and retracting bridges then return the water and magma to their original positions. This trap was also inspired by the Degrinchinator.

Observe: http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-2239-automaticresettingicetrap

For more info, see [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=63346.0 this] thread.

====Flusher====
Have a water reservoir to one side of the path the intruders should take, and a deep chasm at the other side. When invaders are on the path, just pull a lever to flush them out.

A compact version of this can be set up with a reservoir tower and a path circling it:

'''Level 0'''

····························· <tt>░</tt> - Wall
->++++++++++++++++++++++++++· <tt>-></tt> - Direction of traffic
->++++++++++++++++++++++++++· <tt>▼</tt> - Down-Ramps (as visible from one level above = see [[ramp]])
->++++++++++++++++++++++++++· <tt>+</tt> - Floor
░XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX░+++· <tt>·</tt> - Open space
░<nowiki>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</nowiki>X+++· <tt>X</tt> - Floodgate OR retracting bridge
░<nowiki>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</nowiki>X+++· <tt>~</tt> - Water
░<nowiki>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</nowiki>X+++·
░<nowiki>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</nowiki>X+++·
░XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX░+++·
<-++++++++++++++++++++++++++·
<-++++++++++++++++++++++++++·
<-++++++++++++++++++++++++++·
·····························

Be sure that the reservoir can hold enough water to flush everything out (3 levels should be enough), that it can be automatically or easily refilled quickly, and be advised that flushing your own dwarves can be much fun. Adjust the height of the chasm depending on how much damage you want to cause to intruders or to [[Unfortunate accident|innocent bystanders]] (7 levels start to do some serious damage).

Once flushed, the victims will try to find a way out (to re-invade the fortress, or to flee). Make sure there are some maintenance-free traps in their way. If you plan to collect [[goblinite]] afterwards, have a way to drain the bottom of the trap dry.

===Magma and fire traps===
These traps incinerate targets, or possibly encase them in [[obsidian]]. Magma does not play favorites - read up (again) on magma, and use with ''extreme'' caution. Fire traps are included in this category because magma is often the best method of starting a fire.

====Magma chamber====
Create an airlock using two bridges, two doors or whatever you like best. Make it a medium sized chamber, perhaps 10x10 or so. Channel out the floors around the rim, and rig up a system to pump magma into the room, or drop it from the roof. Enemies will quickly be destroyed, and with the magma in the channels, you can pump it out for future use or just leave it. The idea here is a re-usable magma trap; you can use this with a pressure plate, too. It also leaves behind any magma-proof items the invaders might have been carrying.

Variation: By placing magma-safe hatches on the ceiling and quickly activating and deactivating the trap, you can limit the use of magma. It doesn't take a lot of magma to set a goblin on fire: only 1/7 deep will do it, and using less magma means it will dry on its own. It does take a while for an enemy to burn to death, but what's better than spending the whole summer watching a room full of smoke and dying goblins?

====Incinerator hall====
Certain minerals such as [[lignite]] and [[graphite]] have an ignition point but no melting point, meaning that once they are set on [[fire]] they will burn for a very long time (about 9-10 months) unless exposed to water or [[weather|rain]]. Any item made out of these materials has this property, which can be used to design horrifying fiery death traps.

Consider a hallway filled with lignite [[floor grate]]s, which can be built directly on the floor and do not impede the passage of enemies. Pouring magma on any one of these grates will set it alight, and the fire will spread to all connected grates. The end result is a lot of constant smoke and a hallway that kills anything that passes through it. Consider [[traffic|restricting access]] to your dwarves or building this in a pit with a retractable bridge over top: the mere fact that a location is on fire will not stop them from walking through it. On the plus side, goblins are just as stupid.

====Flamethrower bunker====

Catch a creature that has a fire breath attack, such as a [[dragon]], [[fire imp]], [[fire man]], or anything else. Tame it if you can, and drop it into a 3x3 square of fortifications surrounded by bridges. Drop the bridge when necessary, and watch the creature lay waste on your opponents. Note that this may cause you to rage if the beast is not hostile to invaders. Beware of enemy archer squads as well.

You may want to build the bridge and mechanisms out of [[dragonfire]]-safe materials if you are using a dragon.

You may do this with [[magma crab]]s (but first you must catch one) for a machinegun bunker, or [[giant cave spider]]s (or anything that has a [[web]] attack) for a paralyzing bunker.

===Weapon traps===
Traditional trap components can be used in sometimes interesting ways.

====Casual impalement====
One method of creating a zone of constant slaughter is to link a pressure plate in your main dining hall or main hallway to a patch of menacing spikes or spears. As your dwarves/pets mill around conversing/mating, they will constantly trigger the spike system without regard to the consequences.

Variation: Drop goblins into a holding pit with various spike traps linked to your pressure plate artfully placed around the chamber. Watch as every dining hall [[party]] begins to be measured in goblin blood.

====Caravan-Safe Traps====
Since traps block caravans, how can one have a depot but not have a trap-free entrance to the fortress? Simple! Caravans need 3-wide corridors, but that corridor does not need to be straight. Invaders will path straight (or as straight as they can). By knowing this, you can make trap layouts that have 3-wide corridors that intersect straight paths.

Like so:

Zig-Zag Alternating U
T+P+T+++ T = Trap ++++P+++++++++++++P++++
+T+P+T++ + = Ground/floor ++T+P+TTTTTTTTTTT+P+T++
++T+P+T+ E = Ramps going down ++T+P+T+++++++++T+P+T++
+++T+P+T to tunnel to depot ++T+P+T+++++++++T+P+T++
++++T+P+ P = Caravan path ++T+P+T+++++++++T+P+T++
++++T+P+ ++T+P+T+++EEE+++T+P+T++
+++T+P+T ++T+P+++++++++++++P+T++
++T+P+T+ ++T+PPPPPPPPPPPPPPP+T++
+T+P+T++ ++T+++++++++++++++++T++
T+P+T+++ ++TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT++
+P+T++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++

Both designs can be repeated for maximum effect or used together (make the entrance on the U wider and put Zig-Zag traps on the corridor to the depot).

====Dodge Me Trap====
Passing over a catwalk of traps, invaders will find themselves dodging into your pit. Since you can seal the pit with bridges, it doesn't complicate access to your fortress while inactive. Beware of dwarves fighting on top of it when active, as they will dodge too. Using weapon traps with a lot of possible hits can make an invader dodge multiple times at once, allowing him to dodge across an open space tile, skipping the pit. This can be dealt with in some variants by the strategic placement of walls and/or by having an incredibly broad pit. Using a low quality mechanism will also force invaders to dodge, as opposed to using a high quality mechanism in the weapon trap, which will cause the weapon trap to actually land hits on the invader.

Simple version:
+............+ ^ weapon trap
+............+ + floor, your fort on one side; the savage wilds on the other
+^^^^^^^^^^^^+ . Pit
+............+
+............+

Compact version:
+#########+ # retractable bridge with pit underneath
+#^^^^^^^^+
+#^#######+ + floor
+#^^^^^^^#+
+#######^#+ ^ traps
+#^^^^^^^#+
══+++═══════

====Goblin Grinder====
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\

═════
[#FF0]¢[#FF0]^[#F00]^[#00F]^[#00F]¢
═════
}}

In this trap described [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=62798.0 here], invaders are constrained to moving back and forth over a weapon trap {{Raw Tile|^|#F00|#000}} by two hatches over channels, {{Raw Tile|¢|#FF0|#000}} and {{Raw Tile|¢|#00F|#000}}, each linked to the pressure plate, {{Raw Tile|^|#FF0|#000}} and {{Raw Tile|^|#00F|#000}}, of the same color. Because the trapped creatures constantly path between the two hatches, a single trap may hit them many, many times.

The ends of the corridor are left open, allowing invaders to rush down the corridor, thinking it is an easy entrance into your fort. When they step on the pressure plate at the end, the hatch raises, exposing the uncrossable channel and blocking the exit. The invader's pathfinding decides to run back the other way, as that is now the only exit. As he reaches the other end, that hatch opens, causing him to run back and forth inside the corridor, unable to escape. As he runs back and forth, the traps grind him into a fine mist with no effort on your part. Creatures will occasionally fall into the pit dug underneath the hatches, but these are easily dealt with such as building a room underneath the channels filled with more traps.

By setting the pressure plates to be untriggerable by citizens, it's easy for them to walk through and collect the remaining goblinite unharmed once the siege ends.

Its two main disadvantages are being susceptible to both trap-avoiding creatures and building destroyers. These can be safeguarded by any of the other many usual ways of defending against this type of creature. It's also possible for a creature to be "stuck" in only the first few tiles of the trap, as they try to escape after taking enough damage, only walking two or three steps into the trap, then immediately turning around and trying to exit, and so only walking past already-triggered traps. Again, you can get rid of these with your military with no problem.

Some usage ideas from the thread:

* Without traps and placing only one pressure plate/hatch combination at the end leading into your fort, it makes a very simple dwarf-only one-way door into your fort. Non dwarves that attempt to enter will be blocked and turn around and take the exit. Alternately a good way of keeping creatures inside an area while allowing dwarf passage.
* With some additional work (details in the thread), it can be built as a repeater system, with a pressure plate inside hooked up to some other device that you want to repeatedly trigger. A pet running back and forth inside attempting to reach its owner or releasing a trapped prisoner and tempting them with freedom in exchange for running back and forth will repeatedly hit the pressure plate inside.
* Similarly, place a pressure plate inside that will link to some other action such as spike traps outside the entrance, impaling invaders waiting for their turn to enter the grinder as their friends run down the corridor.
* Don't fill with traps; instead, carve fortifications into the walls and use the trapped invaders as target practice and training for your archers.
* Don't fill with traps; instead fill with magma at your convenience.
* Fill with very weak weapon traps that will only maim the prisoner. Put an atom smasher near the other end that will be triggered as he tries to crawl towards freedom.

===Building destroyer and trapavoid traps===

====Door number one====
If you're having trouble dealing with building destroyers that don't set off traps, consider the following design, as seen from the side:
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
════╝╬╬
[#F00]~X[#F0F]^ ▲╔═
══════╝
}}

Put the magma {{Raw Tile|~|#F00|#000}} behind a floodgate {{Raw Tile|X|#FFF|#000}}. In front of the floodgate, place a pressure plate {{Raw Tile|^|#F0F|#000}} set to go off on magma of 0 to 0. Link the pressure plate to a retracting bridge {{Raw Tile|╬|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|╬|#FFF|#000}} that covers the exit ramp {{Raw Tile|▲|#FFF|#000}} to the area. Although you can't get the creature to set off traps, when it breaks the door, magma will spill over the pressure plate, locking the creature in the hallway that is rapidly filling with magma. You could combine this with a simple levered hatch for drainage, but there's only one way to be certain: obsidianify it from orbit.

Note that the trap as pictured is too short-- in order to catch a creature, your bridge has to close before the creature can escape from the tunnel.

====Artifact awe trap====
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
═════
+¢╬ ╬
═════
}}

This simple containment trap is designed to trap any number of building destroyers, even trapavoid building destroyers, on a single tile, after which you can do whatever you'd like with them-- bolt 'em, ice 'em, drop 'em, spike 'em, it's all good. Building destroyers are drawn by a piece of [[legendary artifact|artifact-quality]] furniture, in this case, a hatch cover {{Raw Tile|¢|#FFF|#000}}. A door {{Raw Tile|+|#FFF|#000}} prevents them from seeing further into your fort and being distracted from the enchanting beauty of your furniture. When you've captured as many creatures as you'd like on that tile, simple raise both bridges {{Raw Tile|╬|#FFF|#000}}-- first, the far one, then, the one near the artifact-- and you may even remove the artifact, to create a new trap elsewhere.

===Other traps===
Anything that can be weaponized can be turned into a trap. And anything can be weaponized.

====Bioweapon trap====
Some of the underground's nastier creatures are capable of breathing [[syndrome]]-bearing deadly dust. While such dust can easily spread and lead to the downfall of a fort, more masochistic players may seek ways to weaponize it. Syndrome-bearing blood may be used similarly, but placement of the trap is a great deal more difficult.

At its simplest, a bioweapon trap is a single tile of syndrome-bearing extract. It can be placed by moving an item covered in dust to the desired location via stockpiling or dumping, and then pouring a [[bucket]] of water over the item, transferring the dust from the item to the tile it sits on. A simple way to get your dwarves to pour a bucket of water over the item is via designation of a [[activity zone#Pit/Pond|pond]] zone. Alternatively, one can take advantage of the natural tendency of [[User:Uristocrat/Dwarven__Bathtub|dwarven bathtub]]s and simply drag contaminated items through a trench full of shallow water to create a contamination trench.

Any affected creature is likely to carry the contamination with it past the location of the bioweapon. This can be useful, if you've discovered a particularly interesting extract that you no longer have a way to generate, but it can also be dangerous to the well-being of your fortress. A pile of extract sitting in 2/7 water will not block pathing, and will simultaneously infect and wash creatures passing through it. Placement of extract in a damp trench can be difficult, as the water will tend to carry the extract on to the walls, but with persistence, it can be done. Extract/water combos like this are best placed underground to prevent freezing or evaporation. You may have difficulty preventing your dwarves from [[cleaning]] tiles affected by the extract.

The deadliness of a bioweapon depends entirely on the extract used to create it, and can range from debilitating nausea (perfect to incapacitate invaders while your military mops them up, yet unlikely to lead to serious damage to your own fort), to death by bleeding within 600 ticks (a half day). Given the proper extract, you could even create a beneficial bioweapon trap that prevents those affected from suffering pain. Footwear appears to protect, leaving any bioweapon trap much more deadly to your own dwarves than to any invader.

Bioweapon traps have the potential to be very powerful but should be considered extremely [[fun]], as extracts are capable of multiplication and don't distinguish between friend or foe. A single bioweapon trap could easily kill all of your dwarves in a season. Bioweapons never require cleaning or resetting, but won't work on many foes.

Alternative biotraps are possible. Using a 'deadly dust' creature rather than its extract is possible, but such interactions have rather short range (2 tiles at least) and may ignore invaders passing by a bit further away. By forcing invaders to walk right next to fortification that separates the beast and invader you can ensure a syndromey greeting to your unwanted guests, but the creature will be vulnerable to enemy archers. Should you discover a creature with noxious secretions that boil at a low temperature, such a creature can be used even while caged: its secretions will affect anything nearby, but the creature that bears the syndrome remains invulnerable to attack. Good luck getting the cage where you want it!

=== Animal/Gladiator Traps ===
War animals can be a messy way of dispatching your invaders. Since most war animals aren't grazers, you can put a pasture in a room and assign a bunch of war animals without any need for maintenance. Keep in mind size, a war dog is not going to do nearly as well against a troll as a lion would. However, 5 dogs should be able to overcome it. If you don't want your animals to die, simply use cage traps to catch invaders, disarm them, then drop them into the animal arena unarmed with a pit above the room. Although, this isn't a guarantee, unarmed goblins are incredibly weak. This trap has a lot more randomness involved than others, so it's more of a novelty than an effective and practical trap. Exotic animals can be much more brutal, so bonus points for catching tigers, bears,(or buying them from elves) or dragons. If you do manage to catch a dragon and tame it, you'll probably want to clear out any other animals, unless they don't mind dragon fire.

If one of your dwarves has been plagued by [[Vampire|Vampirism]], all the better. Build him/her a nice pit outfitted as barracks, throw in good weapons and armor, and watch as they train themselves nonstop up to Legendary skill in most combat abilities.

When you want to make them practice, just throw a caged prisoner in, order them to open it, and watch as they tear them to shreds.

=== Minecarts ===
A [[minecart]], while you think about it, is just a large hunk of metal traveling at a very fast speed in a straight line. Its nature can be used for your advantage.
==== Minecart grinder ====
All you need is a straight, narrow corridor, some tracks, and a way to make a minecart gain momentum (rolling down 3 z-levels worth of ramps should be more than enough).

Using the hauling designation, assign a minecart to the top of the ramp, without giving it any departure conditions. As soon as the enemies are approaching the other side of the corridor, change the departure condition to "push" and "always". Once a dwarf comes by and pushes it, the minecart will jolt down the hallway flattening everything on its path, and may even put a dent in an attacking [[Megabeast]].
By dumping minecarts on either rollers or downward ramps, multiple carts can be used on the same track without any hauling routes, allowing for multishot weapons, increasing the efficiency of the trap.
Rollers or impulse ramps can be used to make a cart return system, allowing for fully automatic systems.

==== Shotgun ====
Minecarts have the interesting properties of spilling their contents when they hit a solid object like another minecart at high speed. This can be used by filling minecarts with either heavy objects like stones, sharp objects like surplus weapons or simply a lot of them, then sending them down some ramps onto a target. On impact, the contents will continue their way at high speed, dealing damage to anything in the way. You know you want to fill a minecart with !!lignite blocks!! now.

==== Water/Magma gun ====
Minecarts submerged in [[Water]] fill themselves with liquid, which then counts as a quite heavy object. Using the shotgun effect, this allows for a weapon without need to manually load minecarts, resulting in higher rate of fire and fewer dwarves running on potentially lethal tracks. First proposed [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=114654.0 here], with an updated version [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=119831.0 here].

Using [[Magma]] makes the design potentially more lethal and certainly more dwarven, and adds the <s>usual dangers</s> [[fun]] of working with this fluid.

==== Minecart thumper ====
When falling minecarts land on a floor, they injure creatures in the tile below.{{bug|6068}} Add some rollers and a very short track loop to maximize the damage potential. Since the minecart remains physically separated from its targets, it shouldn't jam or jump off track.

{{Category|Traps}}
{{category|Fortress defense}}
{{category|Design}}

v0.34:Trap design

2014-06-27T14:37:54Z

Subjunctive: /* Crosshair trapping */

{{Quality|Masterwork|21:15, 28 April 2013 (UTC)}}
{{av}}

:''This page is one of several inter-related articles on the broader topic of defending your fortress and your dwarves. '''Trap design''' focuses on the theory and design of complex traps, mechanical systems and other automation for defending your fortress, and also on unusual uses of simple mechanic's [[trap]]s. For a general overview of the threats that will challenge your fortress and things to consider when preparing a standard defense, see the '''[[defense guide]]'''. For tips on laying out your architecture to protect your military, see '''[[security design]]'''. For specific advice on how to get your soldiers prepared for any threat, see '''[[military]]'''.''

:''For suggestions on disposing of nobles and other unwanted residents, see [[unfortunate accident]].''
:''For a basic overview of how the different machine parts work and work together, see [[machine component]].''
:''For information on catching [[vermin]]-sized creatures in [[animal trap]]s, see [[trapper]].''

==Introduction==
Simple one-tile [[trap]]s* are just that - they exist only on their own tile, trigger themselves when a target walks onto that one tile, and affect only that one tile. Complex traps and automation rely on linking [[door]]s, [[hatch cover|hatch]]es, [[floodgate]]s, and [[bridge]]s to [[lever]]s or [[pressure plate]]s, along with machinery to provide the [[power]] to run some of the more diabolical designs. When the trigger is activated, it sends a [[lever|signal]] to the linked device. That signal is not always as simple as '''do it now''', but it's specifically either to '''open''' or to '''close'''. By manipulating what does what and when, and what follows from that, impressive results can be achieved.

:''(* specifically, the [[Trap#Stone-fall_Trap|stone-fall trap]], [[Trap#Weapon_Trap|weapon trap]], and [[Trap#Cage_Trap|cage trap]].)''

* To fully understand how these component objects work individually (before combining them into diabolical and complex combinations), see those main articles.

==Basic traps==
These are the simple [[trap]]s that are placed by a mechanic. They require one [[mechanism]] but do not require levers or pressure plates. They can be a quick, easy and brutally effective "first defense" for a fledgling fortress, but they can also be combined into key parts of more complex set ups. For tips on using these basic traps effectively, see the Trap Strategies section.

===Stone fall trap===
:This is the easiest trap to build, so you can easily build them in large numbers. Building lots of them is an easy way to earn experience for your [[mechanic]], and add to the depth of your fort's defenses at the same time. Surrounding intersections and stairways is a good way of handling threats that make it inside the fortress, including [[insanity|berserk]] dwarves.

===Weapon trap===
:The gold standard of lethal traps. This is the only simple trap that works repeatedly without reloading. They do get jammed, however. View the trap with the '''items in room''' {{key|t}} mode, and if there's a corpse inside the trap, it's jammed. None of the weapons on a jammed trap will function. It may be wiser to have several weapon traps with fewer weapons, rather than a smaller number of ten-weapon traps.

:Using [[crossbow]]s or other projectile weapons in weapon traps avoids the problem of jamming, but they must be kept loaded with [[ammo]]. Mechanics will load them with any ammo that is not forbidden. They will load each until each type of weapon has ten rounds of ammo. Hammers seem to jam less than swords or axes, and spears seem to jam the most. Your dwarves will attempt to unjam traps unless otherwise forbidden.

===Cage trap===
:A very powerful type of trap. Maybe even too powerful - currently, even a wooden or glass [[cage]] can hold any creature indefinitely, even [[troll]]s and [[megabeast]]s. A cage trap never fails, although creatures with the [[trapavoid]] tag cannot be captured unless knocked [[unconscious]] or [[Giant cave spider|webbed]] first. Use cage traps as your outermost traps to catch the occasional wandering animal, angry wounded [[elephant]] or [[unicorn]], or even [[zombie]]s. Caged animals and enemies will be safely brought to any animal [[stockpile]]s you have, but may escape later if you are not careful. For more information, see [[captured creatures]].

==Linked traps==
These traps require a trigger such as a [[pressure plate]] or [[lever]]. They will require at least three [[mechanisms]], one for the trigger and two to create the link. The trigger can be located any distance from the trap, typically close for a pressure plate or far away for a lever.

For a system that repeatedly activates automatically and regularly regardless of enemies, see [[Repeater]].

===Menacing spikes===
Menacing [[trap component|spike]]s or upright spears appear on the basic mechanic's {{k|T}}rap menu, but must be activated remotely to pop out of the ground and impale anyone standing on that tile. Vast forests of these can make any area a killing field.

While upright spike defense systems never jam, they also do not discriminate. When activated, they will inflict piercing damage on whatever is standing on the tile, whether it be friend or foe. You can use [[traffic|traffic designations]] to help somewhat. Designate the spike trap tiles as ''restricted'' then make a longer path going around the spikes that's designated as ''high traffic''. [[Domestic animal|Pets]] and [[Trade|merchants/diplomats]] will probably still get skewered, though.

==Trap strategies==
These are some basic tricks that can be used with most any trap design, basic or complex.

===Bait animals===
Enemies will hunt down and kill friendly tame animals wandering outside if they have nothing better to do. Put an expendable animal on a [[restraint]] or in a 1x1 [[Activity zone#Pen/Pasture|pen]] in some random spot outside, build a few [[construction|columns]] around it to reduce the chance of them shooting it, and trap that area to hell and back.

Note that this is a horrible method of getting rid of [[cat]]s, as they will often adopt a dwarf who will then attempt to free the cat. This may lead to the unfortunate situation of Urist McCatlover getting skewered by an ambush party while on his way to free Mr. Baitykins.

===Bait furniture===
[[Building destroyer]]s can be baited by furniture, which they will path to and destroy, if they can. Furniture bait allows you to selectively target building destroyers, to draw them away from other aggressors or to a different trap. This can be useful when, for instance, you'd like to draw a building destroyer like a [[giant cave spider]] into a cage trap, but don't want to bother caging all of the other wildlife around it. It can also be useful for trapping monsters with special attacks that you'd rather not see go off, as the building destroyer won't use any special attacks on furniture as it would an animal. For instance, you could use bait furniture to trap a [[forgotten beast]] with [[syndrome|deadly dust]] without causing it to spew more contagion.

Bait furniture can be especially effective when used with [[Legendary artifact|artifact]] quality furniture. Artifact furniture cannot be destroyed, but building destroyers will still attempt to path to it, at which point they will ineffectually attempt to destroy the furniture. This makes traps baited with artifact furniture easily reusable.

===Trapping efficiently===

====Crosshair trapping====
As the converse of building many traps everywhere, consider instead herding your enemies into a few traps. A cross-hair pattern of walls or impassable channels with an array of traps in the middle gap will increase the usage of each individual trap. This is particularly useful when capturing wildlife. You may also want a few traps near the edges, to catch the creatures that attempt to go around it.

<diagram>
+++++++[#F00]^^^[#FFF]+++++++ legend
++++++++▓++++++++ ▓ stone/wall
++++++++▓++++++++ [#F00]^ trap[#FFF]
++++++++▓++++++++ + floor
++++++++▓++++++++
++++++[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]▓[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]++++++
[#F00]^[#FFF]+++++[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]▓[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]+++++[#F00]^
[#F00]^[#FFF]▓▓▓▓▓▓▓[#F00]^[#FFF]▓▓▓▓▓▓▓[#F00]^
[#F00]^[#FFF]+++++[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]▓[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]+++++[#F00]^[#FFF]
++++++[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]▓[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]++++++
++++++++▓++++++++
++++++++▓++++++++
++++++++▓++++++++
++++++++▓++++++++
+++++++[#F00]^[#F00]^[#F00]^[#FFF]+++++++
</diagram>

====Inside corner trapping====
If the path where you will place your traps has bends, expect the enemy to take the most direct path - it's not guaranteed, but they will tend to hug the inside of a corner, and rarely detour to a dead-end (represented by "x").

╔═════════
║ ║xx ??
║ ║x ???
║???║ .???? ? = unpredictable path
║???║ .╔═════
║ ??║ . ║ . = ''most likely'' path
║ .║g ║ g = invader
║x . x║
║xx xx║ x = ''unlikely'' detour
╚═══════╝

Once in a straight hall, anything is possible (represented by "?"), but placing your best (or first) traps on the inside path near "inside" corners (and de-emphasizing outside "dead-end" corners) is the best bet. If two invaders are side-by-side, they will wander, and random actions are always possible, but if you had to guess, this is the way to do it.

====Pass trapping====
If there are a lot of hills outside, remove most of the ramps, then trap those last few routes. The only way for creatures to get around will be to go through your traps.

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ Before
++++++++++++++++++

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
+++++++^▲^++++++++ After
+++++++^^^++++++++

====Ford trapping====
Have a river or any kind of chasm? Construct a floor over it (not a bridge), then build traps over it. Brooks won't work for this, because everything can already walk over the top of a brook. It also won't work as well in winter on a map that freezes.

+++++++++++░^^░+++++++++++
+++++++++++░^^░+++++++++++
+++++++++++░^^░+++++++++++
~~ ~~ ~~ ~~░^^░~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ Nobody ever said that it had to end at the river banks.
~~ ~~ ~~ ~~░^^░~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ Building walls along the side allows you to make it longer
+++++++++++░^^░+++++++++++ and to fill it with more traps.
+++++++++++░^^░+++++++++++
+++++++++++░^^░+++++++++++

==Trap Designs==
===Bridge and drop traps===

====Drawbridge trap====
Lowering drawbridges on invaders will [[dwarven atom smasher|crush]] them into nothingness. Known as the 'Dwarven Atom Smasher', bridges will destroy most things with some notable exceptions including [[jabberer]]s and [[elephant]]s, who will not only survive unscathed but also destroy the bridge.

Try replacing the side wall of a part of your main entrance with a drawbridge, big enough so it spans the whole hallway. Link the drawbridge to a [[lever|trigger]], and whenever you feel like it activate the trap. This can be done with minimal effort and used to smash invaders, unwanted [[immigration|immigrants]], bothersome [[nobles]], or simply to destroy your garbage.

====[[Pit trap]]====
A long retracting bridge in your entrance tunnel, with the pressure plate right in front of the fortress doors. The expression on the face of the point-goblin who reaches them only to watch his comrades plunge to whatever gruesome fate you have prepared for them will be a mental picture to cherish. Remember when designing this trap that bridges do not open until 100 ticks after they've been triggered.

You may also consider linking these bridges to levers for more control, just in case a goblin thief triggers the pressure plate while a caravan is on the bridge. Or, you might consider linking the bridges to a [[repeater]].

====Cave-in trap====
[[Support]]s can be linked to [[lever|triggers]]. Building a section of floor that is deliberately held up only by a trapped support allows for an intentional [[cave-in]].
* [[Invader]]s dropped into a pit can be wounded or killed.
* Dropping a floor or wall directly onto any creature will ''instantly'' kill it, regardless of its [[size]].
* The cave-in will also knock nearby invaders unconscious. This will stun them, and also make them susceptible to simple traps (even if they possess the TRAPAVOID token).
* Cave-ins will ''not'' reveal invisible invaders, such as [[ambush]]ers unless it kills them outright, in which case their bodies become visible.

The biggest drawback of this sort of trap is the "reload" process, which can be relatively time consuming. Have a drawbridge that can seal off the work area so your mechanics and [[mason]]s can reconstruct the setup in peace.

=====Land mines=====
In any suitable open area which hasn't been dug out underneath, build a support and an adjacent multi-use pressure plate set to trigger on creatures (but not citizens), link them together, then build floor tiles above the support and pressure plate. When an enemy steps on the pressure plate, the game will pause and recenter the view with the announcement "''A section of the cavern has collapsed!''", at which point the enemy will be crushed and its companions will be stunned or knocked unconscious by the cloud of dust (though not necessarily revealed, in the case of an [[ambush]]).

More "traditional" landmines also exist, taking advantage of a bug. This involves setting a bridge to be deconstructed, then having this order be cancelled, all done while the bridge is in the down position. The bridge will then let fluids through, which with pressurized magma makes it a potent weapon.

=====Chasm trap=====
The easiest chasm trap is just a retractable bridge, very high up or over a very deep hole; instead of flinging invaders when raised, it just drops them.

A uselessly complicated collapsing spiral trap can take out ten goblins at a time. When finished, it looks like this:

+++
..........+++
.++++++++#+++
.+╔══════. # = retractable bridge
.+║++++++.
.+║+╔══╗+. + = floor
.+║+║A+║+.
.+║+╚═+║+. . = open space
.+║+++^║+.
.+╚════╝+. ^ = pressure plate
.++++++++.
.......... A = bait animal

The goblins are lured in by a restrained bait animal, and can't shoot it due to the surrounding walls. Just before they reach the bait, they trigger a pressure plate that retracts the bridge and collapses the support holding up the whole spiral. Goblins, bait animal, walls and all plummet into the chasm.

When building, you will need to construct a span of floor underneath to place a support, as bridges do not support constructions (''which is also why you want a bridge as the access, so it will not hold up the trap*)''. You will also need to have a floor tile between your floor and solid ground or wall while constructing, as the bridge alone will not work as a base, but you can remove it once the support is in place.

====Falling debris trap====
[[gravity|Falling objects]] tend to cause ridiculous injury to creatures below, and what better use for [[wear|worn]] socks than mangling intruders. Mix in some loose [[stone]], poor-quality [[furniture]], and any [[goblinite]] lying around, then bury your enemies under a pile of junk.

A retracting [[bridge]] makes a good trigger mechanism (connected to either a [[lever]] or [[pressure plate]]), while garbage dump [[zone]]s above the bridge provide an easy means to load the trap. To reset the trap, use {{k|d}} {{k|b}} {{k|c}} to reclaim the garbage and {{k|d}} {{k|b}} {{k|d}} to have your dwarves haul the junk back to the garbage dumps above. The trap can also be fully automated via [[minecart]].

====Canceled construction deadfall====
Canceling an incomplete construction immediately frees the building material. The simplest way to weaponize this knowledge is to create a one tile wide hallway that is several z-levels high, and carve down stairs into the roof from the level above. Assign your masons to create stairs in the top level of the hallway, but suspend construction on each tile after they begin. When danger threatens below, simply cancel constructions to send building material raining down on enemies below.

A more advanced design uses incomplete 8x1 bridges--each bridge will release three stones when canceled. These stones will normally be deposited on the tile where the architect was standing when the bridge was designed. A (completed) retracting bridge at the top of the hallway can provide a place for your architects to stand while loading the trap, but still allow the rocks to rain down when retracted.

This trap has the distinction of being the only overseer-triggered trap--it doesn't require dwarves to pull levers, enemies to cross pressure plates, or any sort of timing delay. With some practice, it can be used selectively to take out priority targets (elite archers, squad leaders, dangerous creatures, etc.).

===Water traps===
These traps drown, freeze, boil, or wash targets away. Errors in execution can be quite <s>[[flood|harmful]] to your fortress</s> [[fun]], so use with caution.

====Drown and burn====
A flooding room trap combined with an unextinguishable [[fire|burning]] [[lignite]] bin. The water will evaporate on the bin's tile, causing the water from the surrounding tiles to move to it, which then get evaporated as well. The water will also push the invaders onto the fire, causing them to burn to death... in a flooding chamber.

NOTE: Traps involving large quantities of water turning into [[steam]] are as effective at killing your framerate as they are [[goblin|goblins]]. Use with caution, and have the cut-off lever at the ready.

====Drowning hall====
'''Level 0'''

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ <tt>░</tt> - Wall
->++▼··················▼++-> <tt>-></tt> - Direction of traffic
->++▼··················▼++-> <tt>▼</tt> - Down-Ramps (as visible from one level above = see [[ramp]])
->++▼··················▼++-> <tt>+</tt> - Floor
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ <tt>·</tt> - Open space

'''Level -1'''
░░░░░░XX░░░░░░░░XX░░░░░░ <tt>X </tt> - Inflow
░░▲++▼··▼++++++▼··▼++▲░░
░░▲++▼··▼++++++▼··▼++▲░░ <tt>▲</tt> - Up-Ramps
░░▲++▼··▼++++++▼··▼++▲░░
░░░░░░XX░░░░░░░░XX░░░░░░ <tt>▼</tt> - Down-Ramps

'''Level -2'''
░░░░░░xx░░░░░░░░xx░░░░░░ <tt>x</tt> - Outflow
░░░░░▲++▲░░░░░░▲++▲░░░░░
░░░░░▲++▲░░░░░░▲++▲░░░░░
░░░░░▲++▲░░░░░░▲++▲░░░░░
░░░░░░xx░░░░░░░░xx░░░░░░

If enemies are in the middle of Level -1, open the inflow, then the water will first trap, and then drown them. If the pit is full, close the inflow and open the outflow. You can automate this by using [[pressure plate]]s, or if you want to have more fun, replace the water with [[magma]] (which would require pressure plates and floodgates to be [[magma-safe]]).

====Drowning tower====
This is a trap that can be built in discrete units. Each unit requires a lot of labor and protects only a small area, though in a dramatic manner. A wall of these around the map sharing a single massive water reservoir makes a very effective [[siege]] defense, as each tower component can be linked to a [[lever]] and used to wipe out a single invading squad at a time. Note: This may count as a [[stupid dwarf trick#Pressure Washer|stupid dwarf trick]].

While a [[pressure plate]] in the center of this trap can trigger it and drown hidden ambushers, such an arrangement is subject to double-activation and failure. A pressure plate that only triggers once will break and the system will be incapable of self-reloading. A lever or [[pressure plate#Latching Pressure Plates|latch]] is highly recommended.

Using a cross-hair pattern of walls, invaders are herded through the trap. Inside the fortress, Urist McLeverpuller does his job. Floodgates on the ground close, hatches on the ceiling open, and drowning ensues. When all enemies are dead, the lever is pulled again. The hatches close and the floodgates open, allowing a rush of water and bodies to spill out.

Schematics shown are for a stand-alone tower, though the upper level can be linked with many similar towers for a grid-like defensive system.

'''Level 0'''

░░X░░X░X░░X░░ <tt>░</tt> - Wall
░+++++░+++++░ <tt>+</tt> - Floor
X+++++░+++++X <tt>X</tt> - Floodgate
░+++++░+++++░ <tt>H</tt> - Hatch
░+++++░+++++░ <tt>-</tt> - Water reservoir
X+++++░+++++X
░░░░░░+░░░░░░
X+++++░+++++X
░+++++░+++++░
░+++++░+++++░
X+++++░+++++X
░+++++░+++++░
░░X░░X░X░░X░░

'''Level 1'''
░░░░░░░░░░░░░
░-----------░
░-H--H-H--H-░
░-----------░
░-----------░
░-H-------H-░
░-----------░
░-H-------H-░
░-----------░
░-----------░
░-H--H-H--H-░
░-----------░
░░░░░░░░░░░░░

====Ice trap====
Water open to the sky in freezing [[biome]]s will freeze instantly, completely destroying anything caught in it. By digging a channel entrance to your fort and selectively allowing it to flood as invaders pass through, you can commit genocide with appalling efficiency. The only disadvantage to this trap is its size: because water freezes so quickly, each entry channel must have a source of non-freezing water right next to it.

Observe in action [http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-231-degrinchinator here], or a wider version [http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-1675-semi-automaticorcsiclemaker here]. For more information, see [[User:Vattic/Orcsicle_maker_Explained|these detailed instructions]].

=====Fully Automatic Ice Trap=====
The hallway is exposed to the elements, and water there freezes instantly. The rest of the trap is underground. When an enemy steps on the pressure plate, the hallway is flooded with water immediately. Some of the water that doesn't freeze also triggers a second pressure plate. The second pressure plate pumps magma into the room directly beneath the main hallway, which melts the ice. The water is pumped out and retracting bridges then return the water and magma to their original positions. This trap was also inspired by the Degrinchinator.

Observe: http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-2239-automaticresettingicetrap

For more info, see [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=63346.0 this] thread.

====Flusher====
Have a water reservoir to one side of the path the intruders should take, and a deep chasm at the other side. When invaders are on the path, just pull a lever to flush them out.

A compact version of this can be set up with a reservoir tower and a path circling it:

'''Level 0'''

····························· <tt>░</tt> - Wall
->++++++++++++++++++++++++++· <tt>-></tt> - Direction of traffic
->++++++++++++++++++++++++++· <tt>▼</tt> - Down-Ramps (as visible from one level above = see [[ramp]])
->++++++++++++++++++++++++++· <tt>+</tt> - Floor
░XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX░+++· <tt>·</tt> - Open space
░<nowiki>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</nowiki>X+++· <tt>X</tt> - Floodgate OR retracting bridge
░<nowiki>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</nowiki>X+++· <tt>~</tt> - Water
░<nowiki>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</nowiki>X+++·
░<nowiki>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</nowiki>X+++·
░XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX░+++·
<-++++++++++++++++++++++++++·
<-++++++++++++++++++++++++++·
<-++++++++++++++++++++++++++·
·····························

Be sure that the reservoir can hold enough water to flush everything out (3 levels should be enough), that it can be automatically or easily refilled quickly, and be advised that flushing your own dwarves can be much fun. Adjust the height of the chasm depending on how much damage you want to cause to intruders or to [[Unfortunate accident|innocent bystanders]] (7 levels start to do some serious damage).

Once flushed, the victims will try to find a way out (to re-invade the fortress, or to flee). Make sure there are some maintenance-free traps in their way. If you plan to collect [[goblinite]] afterwards, have a way to drain the bottom of the trap dry.

===Magma and fire traps===
These traps incinerate targets, or possibly encase them in [[obsidian]]. Magma does not play favorites - read up (again) on magma, and use with ''extreme'' caution. Fire traps are included in this category because magma is often the best method of starting a fire.

====Magma chamber====
Create an airlock using two bridges, two doors or whatever you like best. Make it a medium sized chamber, perhaps 10x10 or so. Channel out the floors around the rim, and rig up a system to pump magma into the room, or drop it from the roof. Enemies will quickly be destroyed, and with the magma in the channels, you can pump it out for future use or just leave it. The idea here is a re-usable magma trap; you can use this with a pressure plate, too. It also leaves behind any magma-proof items the invaders might have been carrying.

Variation: By placing magma-safe hatches on the ceiling and quickly activating and deactivating the trap, you can limit the use of magma. It doesn't take a lot of magma to set a goblin on fire: only 1/7 deep will do it, and using less magma means it will dry on its own. It does take a while for an enemy to burn to death, but what's better than spending the whole summer watching a room full of smoke and dying goblins?

====Incinerator hall====
Certain minerals such as [[lignite]] and [[graphite]] have an ignition point but no melting point, meaning that once they are set on [[fire]] they will burn for a very long time (about 9-10 months) unless exposed to water or [[weather|rain]]. Any item made out of these materials has this property, which can be used to design horrifying fiery death traps.

Consider a hallway filled with lignite [[floor grate]]s, which can be built directly on the floor and do not impede the passage of enemies. Pouring magma on any one of these grates will set it alight, and the fire will spread to all connected grates. The end result is a lot of constant smoke and a hallway that kills anything that passes through it. Consider [[traffic|restricting access]] to your dwarves or building this in a pit with a retractable bridge over top: the mere fact that a location is on fire will not stop them from walking through it. On the plus side, goblins are just as stupid.

====Flamethrower bunker====

Catch a creature that has a fire breath attack, such as a [[dragon]], [[fire imp]], [[fire man]], or anything else. Tame it if you can, and drop it into a 3x3 square of fortifications surrounded by bridges. Drop the bridge when necessary, and watch the creature lay waste on your opponents. Note that this may cause you to rage if the beast is not hostile to invaders. Beware of enemy archer squads as well.

You may want to build the bridge and mechanisms out of [[dragonfire]]-safe materials if you are using a dragon.

You may do this with [[magma crab]]s (but first you must catch one) for a machinegun bunker, or [[giant cave spider]]s (or anything that has a [[web]] attack) for a paralyzing bunker.

===Weapon traps===
Traditional trap components can be used in sometimes interesting ways.

====Casual impalement====
One method of creating a zone of constant slaughter is to link a pressure plate in your main dining hall or main hallway to a patch of menacing spikes or spears. As your dwarves/pets mill around conversing/mating, they will constantly trigger the spike system without regard to the consequences.

Variation: Drop goblins into a holding pit with various spike traps linked to your pressure plate artfully placed around the chamber. Watch as every dining hall [[party]] begins to be measured in goblin blood.

====Caravan-Safe Traps====
Since traps block caravans, how can one have a depot but not have a trap-free entrance to the fortress? Simple! Caravans need 3-wide corridors, but that corridor does not need to be straight. Invaders will path straight (or as straight as they can). By knowing this, you can make trap layouts that have 3-wide corridors that intersect straight paths.

Like so:

Zig-Zag Alternating U
T+P+T+++ T = Trap ++++P+++++++++++++P++++
+T+P+T++ + = Ground/floor ++T+P+TTTTTTTTTTT+P+T++
++T+P+T+ E = Ramps going down ++T+P+T+++++++++T+P+T++
+++T+P+T to tunnel to depot ++T+P+T+++++++++T+P+T++
++++T+P+ P = Caravan path ++T+P+T+++++++++T+P+T++
++++T+P+ ++T+P+T+++EEE+++T+P+T++
+++T+P+T ++T+P+++++++++++++P+T++
++T+P+T+ ++T+PPPPPPPPPPPPPPP+T++
+T+P+T++ ++T+++++++++++++++++T++
T+P+T+++ ++TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT++
+P+T++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++

Both designs can be repeated for maximum effect or used together (make the entrance on the U wider and put Zig-Zag traps on the corridor to the depot).

====Dodge Me Trap====
Passing over a catwalk of traps, invaders will find themselves dodging into your pit. Since you can seal the pit with bridges, it doesn't complicate access to your fortress while inactive. Beware of dwarves fighting on top of it when active, as they will dodge too. Using weapon traps with a lot of possible hits can make an invader dodge multiple times at once, allowing him to dodge across an open space tile, skipping the pit. This can be dealt with in some variants by the strategic placement of walls and/or by having an incredibly broad pit. Using a low quality mechanism will also force invaders to dodge, as opposed to using a high quality mechanism in the weapon trap, which will cause the weapon trap to actually land hits on the invader.

Simple version:
+............+ ^ weapon trap
+............+ + floor, your fort on one side; the savage wilds on the other
+^^^^^^^^^^^^+ . Pit
+............+
+............+

Compact version:
+#########+ # retractable bridge with pit underneath
+#^^^^^^^^+
+#^#######+ + floor
+#^^^^^^^#+
+#######^#+ ^ traps
+#^^^^^^^#+
══+++═══════

====Goblin Grinder====
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\

═════
[#FF0]¢[#FF0]^[#F00]^[#00F]^[#00F]¢
═════
}}

In this trap described [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=62798.0 here], invaders are constrained to moving back and forth over a weapon trap {{Raw Tile|^|#F00|#000}} by two hatches over channels, {{Raw Tile|¢|#FF0|#000}} and {{Raw Tile|¢|#00F|#000}}, each linked to the pressure plate, {{Raw Tile|^|#FF0|#000}} and {{Raw Tile|^|#00F|#000}}, of the same color. Because the trapped creatures constantly path between the two hatches, a single trap may hit them many, many times.

The ends of the corridor are left open, allowing invaders to rush down the corridor, thinking it is an easy entrance into your fort. When they step on the pressure plate at the end, the hatch raises, exposing the uncrossable channel and blocking the exit. The invader's pathfinding decides to run back the other way, as that is now the only exit. As he reaches the other end, that hatch opens, causing him to run back and forth inside the corridor, unable to escape. As he runs back and forth, the traps grind him into a fine mist with no effort on your part. Creatures will occasionally fall into the pit dug underneath the hatches, but these are easily dealt with such as building a room underneath the channels filled with more traps.

By setting the pressure plates to be untriggerable by citizens, it's easy for them to walk through and collect the remaining goblinite unharmed once the siege ends.

Its two main disadvantages are being susceptible to both trap-avoiding creatures and building destroyers. These can be safeguarded by any of the other many usual ways of defending against this type of creature. It's also possible for a creature to be "stuck" in only the first few tiles of the trap, as they try to escape after taking enough damage, only walking two or three steps into the trap, then immediately turning around and trying to exit, and so only walking past already-triggered traps. Again, you can get rid of these with your military with no problem.

Some usage ideas from the thread:

* Without traps and placing only one pressure plate/hatch combination at the end leading into your fort, it makes a very simple dwarf-only one-way door into your fort. Non dwarves that attempt to enter will be blocked and turn around and take the exit. Alternately a good way of keeping creatures inside an area while allowing dwarf passage.
* With some additional work (details in the thread), it can be built as a repeater system, with a pressure plate inside hooked up to some other device that you want to repeatedly trigger. A pet running back and forth inside attempting to reach its owner or releasing a trapped prisoner and tempting them with freedom in exchange for running back and forth will repeatedly hit the pressure plate inside.
* Similarly, place a pressure plate inside that will link to some other action such as spike traps outside the entrance, impaling invaders waiting for their turn to enter the grinder as their friends run down the corridor.
* Don't fill with traps; instead, carve fortifications into the walls and use the trapped invaders as target practice and training for your archers.
* Don't fill with traps; instead fill with magma at your convenience.
* Fill with very weak weapon traps that will only maim the prisoner. Put an atom smasher near the other end that will be triggered as he tries to crawl towards freedom.

===Building destroyer and trapavoid traps===

====Door number one====
If you're having trouble dealing with building destroyers that don't set off traps, consider the following design, as seen from the side:
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
════╝╬╬
[#F00]~X[#F0F]^ ▲╔═
══════╝
}}

Put the magma {{Raw Tile|~|#F00|#000}} behind a floodgate {{Raw Tile|X|#FFF|#000}}. In front of the floodgate, place a pressure plate {{Raw Tile|^|#F0F|#000}} set to go off on magma of 0 to 0. Link the pressure plate to a retracting bridge {{Raw Tile|╬|#FFF|#000}}{{Raw Tile|╬|#FFF|#000}} that covers the exit ramp {{Raw Tile|▲|#FFF|#000}} to the area. Although you can't get the creature to set off traps, when it breaks the door, magma will spill over the pressure plate, locking the creature in the hallway that is rapidly filling with magma. You could combine this with a simple levered hatch for drainage, but there's only one way to be certain: obsidianify it from orbit.

Note that the trap as pictured is too short-- in order to catch a creature, your bridge has to close before the creature can escape from the tunnel.

====Artifact awe trap====
{{diagram|spaces=yes|\
═════
+¢╬ ╬
═════
}}

This simple containment trap is designed to trap any number of building destroyers, even trapavoid building destroyers, on a single tile, after which you can do whatever you'd like with them-- bolt 'em, ice 'em, drop 'em, spike 'em, it's all good. Building destroyers are drawn by a piece of [[legendary artifact|artifact-quality]] furniture, in this case, a hatch cover {{Raw Tile|¢|#FFF|#000}}. A door {{Raw Tile|+|#FFF|#000}} prevents them from seeing further into your fort and being distracted from the enchanting beauty of your furniture. When you've captured as many creatures as you'd like on that tile, simple raise both bridges {{Raw Tile|╬|#FFF|#000}}-- first, the far one, then, the one near the artifact-- and you may even remove the artifact, to create a new trap elsewhere.

===Other traps===
Anything that can be weaponized can be turned into a trap. And anything can be weaponized.

====Bioweapon trap====
Some of the underground's nastier creatures are capable of breathing [[syndrome]]-bearing deadly dust. While such dust can easily spread and lead to the downfall of a fort, more masochistic players may seek ways to weaponize it. Syndrome-bearing blood may be used similarly, but placement of the trap is a great deal more difficult.

At its simplest, a bioweapon trap is a single tile of syndrome-bearing extract. It can be placed by moving an item covered in dust to the desired location via stockpiling or dumping, and then pouring a [[bucket]] of water over the item, transferring the dust from the item to the tile it sits on. A simple way to get your dwarves to pour a bucket of water over the item is via designation of a [[activity zone#Pit/Pond|pond]] zone. Alternatively, one can take advantage of the natural tendency of [[User:Uristocrat/Dwarven__Bathtub|dwarven bathtub]]s and simply drag contaminated items through a trench full of shallow water to create a contamination trench.

Any affected creature is likely to carry the contamination with it past the location of the bioweapon. This can be useful, if you've discovered a particularly interesting extract that you no longer have a way to generate, but it can also be dangerous to the well-being of your fortress. A pile of extract sitting in 2/7 water will not block pathing, and will simultaneously infect and wash creatures passing through it. Placement of extract in a damp trench can be difficult, as the water will tend to carry the extract on to the walls, but with persistence, it can be done. Extract/water combos like this are best placed underground to prevent freezing or evaporation. You may have difficulty preventing your dwarves from [[cleaning]] tiles affected by the extract.

The deadliness of a bioweapon depends entirely on the extract used to create it, and can range from debilitating nausea (perfect to incapacitate invaders while your military mops them up, yet unlikely to lead to serious damage to your own fort), to death by bleeding within 600 ticks (a half day). Given the proper extract, you could even create a beneficial bioweapon trap that prevents those affected from suffering pain. Footwear appears to protect, leaving any bioweapon trap much more deadly to your own dwarves than to any invader.

Bioweapon traps have the potential to be very powerful but should be considered extremely [[fun]], as extracts are capable of multiplication and don't distinguish between friend or foe. A single bioweapon trap could easily kill all of your dwarves in a season. Bioweapons never require cleaning or resetting, but won't work on many foes.

Alternative biotraps are possible. Using a 'deadly dust' creature rather than its extract is possible, but such interactions have rather short range (2 tiles at least) and may ignore invaders passing by a bit further away. By forcing invaders to walk right next to fortification that separates the beast and invader you can ensure a syndromey greeting to your unwanted guests, but the creature will be vulnerable to enemy archers. Should you discover a creature with noxious secretions that boil at a low temperature, such a creature can be used even while caged: its secretions will affect anything nearby, but the creature that bears the syndrome remains invulnerable to attack. Good luck getting the cage where you want it!

=== Animal/Gladiator Traps ===
War animals can be a messy way of dispatching your invaders. Since most war animals aren't grazers, you can put a pasture in a room and assign a bunch of war animals without any need for maintenance. Keep in mind size, a war dog is not going to do nearly as well against a troll as a lion would. However, 5 dogs should be able to overcome it. If you don't want your animals to die, simply use cage traps to catch invaders, disarm them, then drop them into the animal arena unarmed with a pit above the room. Although, this isn't a guarantee, unarmed goblins are incredibly weak. This trap has a lot more randomness involved than others, so it's more of a novelty than an effective and practical trap. Exotic animals can be much more brutal, so bonus points for catching tigers, bears,(or buying them from elves) or dragons. If you do manage to catch a dragon and tame it, you'll probably want to clear out any other animals, unless they don't mind dragon fire.

If one of your dwarves has been plagued by [[Vampire|Vampirism]], all the better. Build him/her a nice pit outfitted as barracks, throw in good weapons and armor, and watch as they train themselves nonstop up to Legendary skill in most combat abilities.

When you want to make them practice, just throw a caged prisoner in, order them to open it, and watch as they tear them to shreds.

=== Minecarts ===
A [[minecart]], while you think about it, is just a large hunk of metal traveling at a very fast speed in a straight line. Its nature can be used for your advantage.
==== Minecart grinder ====
All you need is a straight, narrow corridor, some tracks, and a way to make a minecart gain momentum (rolling down 3 z-levels worth of ramps should be more than enough).

Using the hauling designation, assign a minecart to the top of the ramp, without giving it any departure conditions. As soon as the enemies are approaching the other side of the corridor, change the departure condition to "push" and "always". Once a dwarf comes by and pushes it, the minecart will jolt down the hallway flattening everything on its path, and may even put a dent in an attacking [[Megabeast]].
By dumping minecarts on either rollers or downward ramps, multiple carts can be used on the same track without any hauling routes, allowing for multishot weapons, increasing the efficiency of the trap.
Rollers or impulse ramps can be used to make a cart return system, allowing for fully automatic systems.

==== Shotgun ====
Minecarts have the interesting properties of spilling their contents when they hit a solid object like another minecart at high speed. This can be used by filling minecarts with either heavy objects like stones, sharp objects like surplus weapons or simply a lot of them, then sending them down some ramps onto a target. On impact, the contents will continue their way at high speed, dealing damage to anything in the way. You know you want to fill a minecart with !!lignite blocks!! now.

==== Water/Magma gun ====
Minecarts submerged in [[Water]] fill themselves with liquid, which then counts as a quite heavy object. Using the shotgun effect, this allows for a weapon without need to manually load minecarts, resulting in higher rate of fire and fewer dwarves running on potentially lethal tracks. First proposed [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=114654.0 here], with an updated version [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=119831.0 here].

Using [[Magma]] makes the design potentially more lethal and certainly more dwarven, and adds the <s>usual dangers</s> [[fun]] of working with this fluid.

==== Minecart thumper ====
When falling minecarts land on a floor, they injure creatures in the tile below.{{bug|6068}} Add some rollers and a very short track loop to maximize the damage potential. Since the minecart remains physically separated from its targets, it shouldn't jam or jump off track.

{{Category|Traps}}
{{category|Fortress defense}}
{{category|Design}}

v0.34:Workshop design

2014-06-26T01:40:45Z

Subjunctive: /* Basement stockpiles */

{{Quality|Superior|20:25, 28 April 2013 (UTC)}}
{{av}}
Most [[workshop]]s in Dwarf fortress are represented by 9 squares in a 3 by 3 square pattern. Some are 5 by 5 ([[Siege workshop]]), or 1 by 1 ([[Quern]], [[Screw press]], and [[Millstone]]). Getting a proper work flow is very important to the success and [[wealth]] of your fortress.

Laying out your workshops in the most efficient way possible is quite a science. There are several points that should be considered.

== [[Industry|Industries]] ==
Keeping workshops of a specific industry together is a great way to see if you need more workers creating [[alcohol|booze]] or making [[leather]] [[trade good|toys]]. If you have all of the [[food]] related workshops in a single [[room]], you can tell with a glance that your [[cook]]s are slacking off.

== [[Stockpile]]s ==
Just as you want your [[loom]]s close to your [[clothier's shop]]s, and you want your [[tanner's shop]] next to your [[butcher's shop]], you will want logical stockpiles close to your workshops.
It makes sense to put your raw food stockpile right next to the [[kitchen]], so that your cook doesn't spend all of his time walking from one end of the fortress to the other. If the correct stockpile is close at hand, those roasts will be coming out of that kitchen in no time.

== [[Artifact]]s ==

=== Using stocks ===
When a dwarf claims a workshop for his very own, you have a 50/50 chance of the artifact he's about to make being really awesome. He could make an artifact [[throne]] out of three lumps of [[bituminous coal]], and it will be worth a whopping 4800 [[currency|dwarf bucks]]. However, if you forbid every [[stone]] in your fortress except for the natural [[platinum]], he'll make you something very near a six figure artifact.

There are a few ways to control what he chooses. A start is to have the workshop that he claimed be in a room that is only reachable through a [[door]]. As soon as he claims it, lock the door so that he'll just sit there yelling out the things he needs. Now you can go on making only the items available you want him to use (usually the most expensive). You can forbid unwanted items both from the stocks (may require highest precision achieved by your bookkeeper, especially for stones) or ''after'' he has collected them (will retask search for that item), dump items inside the workshop or near the door (the latter won't work if he has a preference). If you use mass-forbid take good care to allow everything after the artifact is finished!

=== Artifact Construction Complex ===

Alternative solution is to build Artifact Construction Complex, containing every mood-able workshop and small stockpiles of most precious types of ore, metal bars, gems, etc. When not in use, ACC should be either locked, or everything in it forbidden (including workshops). Forbidding is better, because in this case these workshops won't receive orders from your [[Manager]]. You can also deal with it by filling workshop's job queue with 10 suspended jobs. Once the dwarf is struck by the mood, ACC is opened, and all claimable workshops not belonging to ACC is forbidden.

This way the normal operation of the workshops is disrupted only for the time needed for moody dwarf to claim workshop, instead of all artifact construction time in first method. Further more, only one type of workshop is nonoperational, instead of all workshops that use forbidden materials.

=== [[Tantrum]]s ===
When the very worst happens and your triple [[legendary]] dwarf fails his strange [[mood]] and goes on [[Fun|a rampage destroying the faces of all the pets and dwarfs around him]], it's good to be prepared.

The easiest form of protection is a simple door on the room the workshop is in. Lock for the few months it takes for him to die of [[thirst]]. You can spend the time waiting for him to die by getting his [[coffin]] made and situated.

Putting [[trap|cage and weapon traps]] around the common [[stair]]s is always a good idea, for both tantrummers and for possible [[Fun#Ambush|invasions]].

==Workshop plans==

===Basement stockpiles ===

This design gives workshops easy access to input and output stockpiles.

<diagram>
Level 1: Level 2 (below, as shown, but could be above as well)

╔══════╦══════╗ ╔══════╦══════╗
║WWWWWW║WWWWWW║ ║iiiiii║iiiiii║
║WWWWWW║WWWWWW║ ║iiiiii║iiiiii║
║WWWWWW║WWWWWW║ OiiiiiiOiiiiiiO
║..>>..║..>>..║ ...<<.....<<...
╚══════╩══════╝ OooooooOooooooO
║oooooo║oooooo║
W = workshop ║oooooo║oooooo║
i = input item ╚══════╩══════╝
o = output item
</diagram>

Alternatively you can place input above and output below the workshops or the other way round, depending, for example, on the location of your trade depot, or other workshops involved in the chain of production. Additional stairs may be useful.

=== 3x3 rooms ===

This design makes it easier to contain berserk dwarves.

(Beware access may be blocked depending on a workshop's pattern of internal [[impassable tile]]s. Different workshops have different internal patterns of passable and impassable floor tiles. When building a workshop, Dwarf Fortress indicates which tiles are passable/impassable by pattern of light/dark green X's. The central tile is always passable, so for those using tilesets, similar tiles to the middle tile are passable.)
<diagram>
╔═══╦═══┼..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
╩══┼╩┼══┼..
....X......
╦══┼╦┼══┼..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
╚═══╩═══┼..

W = workshop
X = up/down staircase
. = floor
</diagram>
Access and stockpiles are placed above and below the room. Similar workshops can be grouped together for easier checking on, and doors can be locked should a moody dwarf's wishes be unmet. This concept can be used for your entire fortress:

Below you can see a piece from around the central staircase, to see how the design should start. Notice that it is pretty modular, you can have two workshops pushed together, or you can separate them all, and you have a couple options on how you set up your entrances, connecting two workshops with one door, or leaving them with separate entrances. Up to you. Notice the initial diagonal terminates at a workshop, and starts the grid pattern.
<diagram>
║WWW║.║```║.║WWW║`
║WWW║.╠═══╣.║WWW║`
║WWW║.║WWW║.║WWW║`
╩═══┼.║WWW║.┼═══╩═
......║WWW║.......
══════┼═╦═┼═══┼═══
WWWWWW║.O.║WWW║WWW
WWWWWW╠OXO╣WWW║WWW
WWWWWW║.O.║WWW║WWW
══════┼═╩═┼═══┼═══
......║WWW║.......
╦═══┼.║WWW║.┼═══╦═
║WWW║.║WWW║.║WWW║`
║WWW║.╠═══╣.║WWW║`
║WWW║.┼WWW┼.║WWW║`
╚═══╣.║WWW║.╠═══╝`
````║.║WWW║.║`````
````║.╠═══╣.║`````
</diagram>
The floors alternate workshop/storage. On workshop floors the diagonals immediate to the main stairway are mined out a couple spaces to make room for the first workshops; around those you can start mining in straight lines and start a grid pattern. For storage floors you can leave a wall of stone around the staircase with only one or two walls mined out for access; then mine out everything around it. On the ground level you start by mining into a cave, clear out space for a trade depot, and mine out one spot where you build a single downward staircase; here the entire fortress starts. It works great and is very efficient, though it takes a while to get setup right.

=== Decentralized Workshop Complex ===
Designed for use with the [[Bedroom_design#Decentralized_living|decentralized living]] plan, this plan emphasizes fine-grained planning with many small, specific stockpiles and planned workshop quarters. It therefore requires some micro-management to get going. However, once you have it working, things work extremely smoothly and you should never have a significant delay in production again.

[[Image:Workshops.GIF]]

Total workshop loadout for 1 floor:
* Sixteen (16) 3x3 workshops
* Four (4) 4x3 workshops
* Two (2) 5x5 workshops

Maximum walk to stockpile on same wing: 18.

The light gray crosses are optional doors. They can be useful for sealing off a Kitchen or Butcher's Shop to keep [[miasma]] from annoying the neighbors. Beyond that, the blue field is the stairwell access (recommend separate up stairs and down stairs for safety reasons), and the gray fields are stockpiles.

4x3 workshops are useful for workshops with strange blocked square formations (the Bowyer's shop is an example). They can also be nice for setting up a tiny 1x2 or 1x3 stockpile for a specific workshop - with bins, this can be a significant reserve of material. Imagine a Clothier or Leatherworker with 3 full bins of cloth or leather right next to them.

The 5x5 workshops are useful for [[shop]]s, [[kennel]]s, and [[siege workshop]]s. You can even put your [[trade depot]] in one of them if you've got a mind to. Maintaining proper security can be a nightmare in that situation (remember that [[troll]]s and others can break down doors and floodgates), but if you manage to get it done it can be a trader's dream come true. They can also be useful for making a specialty shop with a few stockpiles designed to accomplish only one thing (encrusting statues with gems, for example).

The 3x3 workshops are best organized into wings, where a pair of workshops share a similar function with the pair directly next to them. They share stockpile space better this way. When set up correctly, less than 10 dwarves will regularly use each stockpile room, so traffic is a non-issue. There tends to be a lot of dwarves in the halls, though, because [[peasant]] haulers visit the workshops frequently, hence the 3-wide corridors.

Finally, this design offers lots and lots of wall space for smoothing and engraving. Free wealth is good.

=== Interconnected 6x6 rooms with stockpiles ===

<diagram>
╬══┼┼══╬══┼┼══╬
║.****.║.****.║
║**..**║**..**║
┼*....*┼*....*┼
┼*....*┼*....*┼
║**..**║**..**║
║.****.║.****.║
╬══┼┼══╬══┼┼══╬
║.****.║.****.║
║**..**║**..**║
┼*....*┼*....*┼
┼*....*┼*....*┼
║**..**║**..**║
║.****.║.****.║ * = pathway
╬══┼┼══╬══┼┼══╬
</diagram>

In this design, each room functions as workshop, hallway, and stockpile. A workshop is placed near the center of each room, preferably so that only a walkable tile overlaps the (*) pathways. The pathways form a virtual double-wide diagonal hallway, allowing dwarves to move through the fortress easily. The pathways, as well as the remainder of each room, are filled with the appropriate stockpiles. Each room should have at least one set of stairs for easy access to adjacent z-levels.

Each workshop has a short path to several nearby workshops on the same and other z-levels, allowing for a lot of flexibility in which workshops are placed in which rooms. Each room is also lockable if necessary. Optionally, the corner can be replaced with a door to allow faster movement between diagonally adjacent workshops.

=== Fluid workshop locations ===
Alternatively, you can employ a "work site" methodology where workshops are constructed and destroyed as necessary. For example, if you mine out a huge dining hall and it is completely filled with stone, build a masonry shop in the hall to manufacture tables and chairs. This eliminates the need for a stone hauler because your mason only has to travel a few squares to get raw material. In addition it makes furniture hauling more efficient because the tables and chairs are right next to their eventual location. And of course it clears stone out of your dining hall, eliminating the need for a refuse hauler to dump it all.

=== Smelting Operations ===
In very resource-heavy maps, 10-12 [[smelter]]s may be necessary to keep up with mining operations. I've had very efficient results with this setup - and it looks good, to boot. The stairways lead down into a high Z-level mining operation (keeps the [[noise]] away from the bedrooms, too), with additional [[bar]] storage 1-2 levels below. One or more [[magma forge]]s would be down the hall from the bar stockpiles.

<diagram>
╔════════════╗
║SMSSMSSMSSMS║
║SSSSSSSSSSSS║
║SSSSSSSSSSSS║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
╠┼┼═══┼┼═══┼┼╣
║............║
║............╠══════╗
║..╔═....═╗..┼OOOSMS║
║..║>>BBBB║..┼OOOSSS║
═════╝...>>BBBB...║OOOSSS║
.........BBBBBB...║OOOSMS║
.........BBBBBB...║OOOSSS║
.........BBBBBB...║OOOSSS║
═════╗...BBBB>>...║OOOSMS║
║..║BBBB>>║..┼OOOSSS║
║..╚═....═╝..┼OOOSSS║
║............╠══════╝
║............║
╠┼┼═══┼┼═══┼┼╣
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║SMSSMSSMSSMS║
║SSSSSSSSSSSS║
║SSSSSSSSSSSS║
╚════════════╝

*S = Smelter
*M = Magma access (lines up with unpassable tile on magma smelter)
*B = Bar Stockpile
*O = Ore Stockpile
</diagram>

=== Pillars ===
See Midna's page on [[User:Midna/Pillars|pillar design]].

=== Organics processing complex ===

[[Image:Organics_processing_complex.png|thumb|right|Big squares are 7x7, smaller squares are 3x3, black squares are workshops and colored rectangles are stockpiles]]

This is a nice, rectangular design which puts the food/drink industry, and the many other industries that feed of its by-products, together in one neat arrangement.

The green stockpile should accept brewable plants, and plants which can be processed: [[Pig tail|Pig tails]], [[cave wheat]], [[sweet pod]], [[quarry bush]], [[dimple cup]], [[kobold bulb]], [[longland grass]], [[valley herb]], [[rope reed]], [[blade weed]], [[hide root]], [[sliver barb]], [[whip vine]]. The red stockpile should accept their products. Optionally, an 8 tile stockpile can be placed around the quern which holds the millable plants.

Expansion options include a finished good stockpile to the right, a soap stockpile nearby if you make a lot of soap, a stone stockpile below the bone one for input into crafters and masons/mechanics, a wood stockpile below which feeds into the same furniture stockpile as the mechanics and masons, and a jeweler. With the latter additions, the craftsdwarves can now decorate furniture as well as finished goods with bones and (if you include the jeweler) gems.

Also, this plan is only meant to expand to the right and bottom-right. So you can safely plug its top and left sides flush with the rest of your fortress without worrying about future expansion. The number of workshops should be sufficient for all but the largest forts.

{{Category|Design}}

v0.34:Workshop design

2014-06-26T01:39:12Z

Subjunctive: /* Interconnected 6x6 rooms with stockpiles */

{{Quality|Superior|20:25, 28 April 2013 (UTC)}}
{{av}}
Most [[workshop]]s in Dwarf fortress are represented by 9 squares in a 3 by 3 square pattern. Some are 5 by 5 ([[Siege workshop]]), or 1 by 1 ([[Quern]], [[Screw press]], and [[Millstone]]). Getting a proper work flow is very important to the success and [[wealth]] of your fortress.

Laying out your workshops in the most efficient way possible is quite a science. There are several points that should be considered.

== [[Industry|Industries]] ==
Keeping workshops of a specific industry together is a great way to see if you need more workers creating [[alcohol|booze]] or making [[leather]] [[trade good|toys]]. If you have all of the [[food]] related workshops in a single [[room]], you can tell with a glance that your [[cook]]s are slacking off.

== [[Stockpile]]s ==
Just as you want your [[loom]]s close to your [[clothier's shop]]s, and you want your [[tanner's shop]] next to your [[butcher's shop]], you will want logical stockpiles close to your workshops.
It makes sense to put your raw food stockpile right next to the [[kitchen]], so that your cook doesn't spend all of his time walking from one end of the fortress to the other. If the correct stockpile is close at hand, those roasts will be coming out of that kitchen in no time.

== [[Artifact]]s ==

=== Using stocks ===
When a dwarf claims a workshop for his very own, you have a 50/50 chance of the artifact he's about to make being really awesome. He could make an artifact [[throne]] out of three lumps of [[bituminous coal]], and it will be worth a whopping 4800 [[currency|dwarf bucks]]. However, if you forbid every [[stone]] in your fortress except for the natural [[platinum]], he'll make you something very near a six figure artifact.

There are a few ways to control what he chooses. A start is to have the workshop that he claimed be in a room that is only reachable through a [[door]]. As soon as he claims it, lock the door so that he'll just sit there yelling out the things he needs. Now you can go on making only the items available you want him to use (usually the most expensive). You can forbid unwanted items both from the stocks (may require highest precision achieved by your bookkeeper, especially for stones) or ''after'' he has collected them (will retask search for that item), dump items inside the workshop or near the door (the latter won't work if he has a preference). If you use mass-forbid take good care to allow everything after the artifact is finished!

=== Artifact Construction Complex ===

Alternative solution is to build Artifact Construction Complex, containing every mood-able workshop and small stockpiles of most precious types of ore, metal bars, gems, etc. When not in use, ACC should be either locked, or everything in it forbidden (including workshops). Forbidding is better, because in this case these workshops won't receive orders from your [[Manager]]. You can also deal with it by filling workshop's job queue with 10 suspended jobs. Once the dwarf is struck by the mood, ACC is opened, and all claimable workshops not belonging to ACC is forbidden.

This way the normal operation of the workshops is disrupted only for the time needed for moody dwarf to claim workshop, instead of all artifact construction time in first method. Further more, only one type of workshop is nonoperational, instead of all workshops that use forbidden materials.

=== [[Tantrum]]s ===
When the very worst happens and your triple [[legendary]] dwarf fails his strange [[mood]] and goes on [[Fun|a rampage destroying the faces of all the pets and dwarfs around him]], it's good to be prepared.

The easiest form of protection is a simple door on the room the workshop is in. Lock for the few months it takes for him to die of [[thirst]]. You can spend the time waiting for him to die by getting his [[coffin]] made and situated.

Putting [[trap|cage and weapon traps]] around the common [[stair]]s is always a good idea, for both tantrummers and for possible [[Fun#Ambush|invasions]].

==Workshop plans==

===Basement stockpiles ===

This design gives workshops easy access to input and output stockpiles.

Level 1: Level 2 (below, as shown, but could be above as well)

╔══════╦══════╗ ╔══════╦══════╗
║WWWWWW║WWWWWW║ ║iiiiii║iiiiii║
║WWWWWW║WWWWWW║ ║iiiiii║iiiiii║
║WWWWWW║WWWWWW║ OiiiiiiOiiiiiiO
║..>>..║..>>..║ ...<<.....<<...
╚══════╩══════╝ OooooooOooooooO
║oooooo║oooooo║
W = workshop ║oooooo║oooooo║
i = input item ╚══════╩══════╝
o = output item

Alternatively you can place input above and output below the workshops or the other way round, depending, for example, on the location of your trade depot, or other workshops involved in the chain of production. Additional stairs may be useful.

=== 3x3 rooms ===

This design makes it easier to contain berserk dwarves.

(Beware access may be blocked depending on a workshop's pattern of internal [[impassable tile]]s. Different workshops have different internal patterns of passable and impassable floor tiles. When building a workshop, Dwarf Fortress indicates which tiles are passable/impassable by pattern of light/dark green X's. The central tile is always passable, so for those using tilesets, similar tiles to the middle tile are passable.)
<diagram>
╔═══╦═══┼..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
╩══┼╩┼══┼..
....X......
╦══┼╦┼══┼..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
╚═══╩═══┼..

W = workshop
X = up/down staircase
. = floor
</diagram>
Access and stockpiles are placed above and below the room. Similar workshops can be grouped together for easier checking on, and doors can be locked should a moody dwarf's wishes be unmet. This concept can be used for your entire fortress:

Below you can see a piece from around the central staircase, to see how the design should start. Notice that it is pretty modular, you can have two workshops pushed together, or you can separate them all, and you have a couple options on how you set up your entrances, connecting two workshops with one door, or leaving them with separate entrances. Up to you. Notice the initial diagonal terminates at a workshop, and starts the grid pattern.
<diagram>
║WWW║.║```║.║WWW║`
║WWW║.╠═══╣.║WWW║`
║WWW║.║WWW║.║WWW║`
╩═══┼.║WWW║.┼═══╩═
......║WWW║.......
══════┼═╦═┼═══┼═══
WWWWWW║.O.║WWW║WWW
WWWWWW╠OXO╣WWW║WWW
WWWWWW║.O.║WWW║WWW
══════┼═╩═┼═══┼═══
......║WWW║.......
╦═══┼.║WWW║.┼═══╦═
║WWW║.║WWW║.║WWW║`
║WWW║.╠═══╣.║WWW║`
║WWW║.┼WWW┼.║WWW║`
╚═══╣.║WWW║.╠═══╝`
````║.║WWW║.║`````
````║.╠═══╣.║`````
</diagram>
The floors alternate workshop/storage. On workshop floors the diagonals immediate to the main stairway are mined out a couple spaces to make room for the first workshops; around those you can start mining in straight lines and start a grid pattern. For storage floors you can leave a wall of stone around the staircase with only one or two walls mined out for access; then mine out everything around it. On the ground level you start by mining into a cave, clear out space for a trade depot, and mine out one spot where you build a single downward staircase; here the entire fortress starts. It works great and is very efficient, though it takes a while to get setup right.

=== Decentralized Workshop Complex ===
Designed for use with the [[Bedroom_design#Decentralized_living|decentralized living]] plan, this plan emphasizes fine-grained planning with many small, specific stockpiles and planned workshop quarters. It therefore requires some micro-management to get going. However, once you have it working, things work extremely smoothly and you should never have a significant delay in production again.

[[Image:Workshops.GIF]]

Total workshop loadout for 1 floor:
* Sixteen (16) 3x3 workshops
* Four (4) 4x3 workshops
* Two (2) 5x5 workshops

Maximum walk to stockpile on same wing: 18.

The light gray crosses are optional doors. They can be useful for sealing off a Kitchen or Butcher's Shop to keep [[miasma]] from annoying the neighbors. Beyond that, the blue field is the stairwell access (recommend separate up stairs and down stairs for safety reasons), and the gray fields are stockpiles.

4x3 workshops are useful for workshops with strange blocked square formations (the Bowyer's shop is an example). They can also be nice for setting up a tiny 1x2 or 1x3 stockpile for a specific workshop - with bins, this can be a significant reserve of material. Imagine a Clothier or Leatherworker with 3 full bins of cloth or leather right next to them.

The 5x5 workshops are useful for [[shop]]s, [[kennel]]s, and [[siege workshop]]s. You can even put your [[trade depot]] in one of them if you've got a mind to. Maintaining proper security can be a nightmare in that situation (remember that [[troll]]s and others can break down doors and floodgates), but if you manage to get it done it can be a trader's dream come true. They can also be useful for making a specialty shop with a few stockpiles designed to accomplish only one thing (encrusting statues with gems, for example).

The 3x3 workshops are best organized into wings, where a pair of workshops share a similar function with the pair directly next to them. They share stockpile space better this way. When set up correctly, less than 10 dwarves will regularly use each stockpile room, so traffic is a non-issue. There tends to be a lot of dwarves in the halls, though, because [[peasant]] haulers visit the workshops frequently, hence the 3-wide corridors.

Finally, this design offers lots and lots of wall space for smoothing and engraving. Free wealth is good.

=== Interconnected 6x6 rooms with stockpiles ===

<diagram>
╬══┼┼══╬══┼┼══╬
║.****.║.****.║
║**..**║**..**║
┼*....*┼*....*┼
┼*....*┼*....*┼
║**..**║**..**║
║.****.║.****.║
╬══┼┼══╬══┼┼══╬
║.****.║.****.║
║**..**║**..**║
┼*....*┼*....*┼
┼*....*┼*....*┼
║**..**║**..**║
║.****.║.****.║ * = pathway
╬══┼┼══╬══┼┼══╬
</diagram>

In this design, each room functions as workshop, hallway, and stockpile. A workshop is placed near the center of each room, preferably so that only a walkable tile overlaps the (*) pathways. The pathways form a virtual double-wide diagonal hallway, allowing dwarves to move through the fortress easily. The pathways, as well as the remainder of each room, are filled with the appropriate stockpiles. Each room should have at least one set of stairs for easy access to adjacent z-levels.

Each workshop has a short path to several nearby workshops on the same and other z-levels, allowing for a lot of flexibility in which workshops are placed in which rooms. Each room is also lockable if necessary. Optionally, the corner can be replaced with a door to allow faster movement between diagonally adjacent workshops.

=== Fluid workshop locations ===
Alternatively, you can employ a "work site" methodology where workshops are constructed and destroyed as necessary. For example, if you mine out a huge dining hall and it is completely filled with stone, build a masonry shop in the hall to manufacture tables and chairs. This eliminates the need for a stone hauler because your mason only has to travel a few squares to get raw material. In addition it makes furniture hauling more efficient because the tables and chairs are right next to their eventual location. And of course it clears stone out of your dining hall, eliminating the need for a refuse hauler to dump it all.

=== Smelting Operations ===
In very resource-heavy maps, 10-12 [[smelter]]s may be necessary to keep up with mining operations. I've had very efficient results with this setup - and it looks good, to boot. The stairways lead down into a high Z-level mining operation (keeps the [[noise]] away from the bedrooms, too), with additional [[bar]] storage 1-2 levels below. One or more [[magma forge]]s would be down the hall from the bar stockpiles.

<diagram>
╔════════════╗
║SMSSMSSMSSMS║
║SSSSSSSSSSSS║
║SSSSSSSSSSSS║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
╠┼┼═══┼┼═══┼┼╣
║............║
║............╠══════╗
║..╔═....═╗..┼OOOSMS║
║..║>>BBBB║..┼OOOSSS║
═════╝...>>BBBB...║OOOSSS║
.........BBBBBB...║OOOSMS║
.........BBBBBB...║OOOSSS║
.........BBBBBB...║OOOSSS║
═════╗...BBBB>>...║OOOSMS║
║..║BBBB>>║..┼OOOSSS║
║..╚═....═╝..┼OOOSSS║
║............╠══════╝
║............║
╠┼┼═══┼┼═══┼┼╣
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║SMSSMSSMSSMS║
║SSSSSSSSSSSS║
║SSSSSSSSSSSS║
╚════════════╝

*S = Smelter
*M = Magma access (lines up with unpassable tile on magma smelter)
*B = Bar Stockpile
*O = Ore Stockpile
</diagram>

=== Pillars ===
See Midna's page on [[User:Midna/Pillars|pillar design]].

=== Organics processing complex ===

[[Image:Organics_processing_complex.png|thumb|right|Big squares are 7x7, smaller squares are 3x3, black squares are workshops and colored rectangles are stockpiles]]

This is a nice, rectangular design which puts the food/drink industry, and the many other industries that feed of its by-products, together in one neat arrangement.

The green stockpile should accept brewable plants, and plants which can be processed: [[Pig tail|Pig tails]], [[cave wheat]], [[sweet pod]], [[quarry bush]], [[dimple cup]], [[kobold bulb]], [[longland grass]], [[valley herb]], [[rope reed]], [[blade weed]], [[hide root]], [[sliver barb]], [[whip vine]]. The red stockpile should accept their products. Optionally, an 8 tile stockpile can be placed around the quern which holds the millable plants.

Expansion options include a finished good stockpile to the right, a soap stockpile nearby if you make a lot of soap, a stone stockpile below the bone one for input into crafters and masons/mechanics, a wood stockpile below which feeds into the same furniture stockpile as the mechanics and masons, and a jeweler. With the latter additions, the craftsdwarves can now decorate furniture as well as finished goods with bones and (if you include the jeweler) gems.

Also, this plan is only meant to expand to the right and bottom-right. So you can safely plug its top and left sides flush with the rest of your fortress without worrying about future expansion. The number of workshops should be sufficient for all but the largest forts.

{{Category|Design}}

v0.34:Workshop design

2014-06-26T01:38:43Z

Subjunctive: /* Smelting Operations */

{{Quality|Superior|20:25, 28 April 2013 (UTC)}}
{{av}}
Most [[workshop]]s in Dwarf fortress are represented by 9 squares in a 3 by 3 square pattern. Some are 5 by 5 ([[Siege workshop]]), or 1 by 1 ([[Quern]], [[Screw press]], and [[Millstone]]). Getting a proper work flow is very important to the success and [[wealth]] of your fortress.

Laying out your workshops in the most efficient way possible is quite a science. There are several points that should be considered.

== [[Industry|Industries]] ==
Keeping workshops of a specific industry together is a great way to see if you need more workers creating [[alcohol|booze]] or making [[leather]] [[trade good|toys]]. If you have all of the [[food]] related workshops in a single [[room]], you can tell with a glance that your [[cook]]s are slacking off.

== [[Stockpile]]s ==
Just as you want your [[loom]]s close to your [[clothier's shop]]s, and you want your [[tanner's shop]] next to your [[butcher's shop]], you will want logical stockpiles close to your workshops.
It makes sense to put your raw food stockpile right next to the [[kitchen]], so that your cook doesn't spend all of his time walking from one end of the fortress to the other. If the correct stockpile is close at hand, those roasts will be coming out of that kitchen in no time.

== [[Artifact]]s ==

=== Using stocks ===
When a dwarf claims a workshop for his very own, you have a 50/50 chance of the artifact he's about to make being really awesome. He could make an artifact [[throne]] out of three lumps of [[bituminous coal]], and it will be worth a whopping 4800 [[currency|dwarf bucks]]. However, if you forbid every [[stone]] in your fortress except for the natural [[platinum]], he'll make you something very near a six figure artifact.

There are a few ways to control what he chooses. A start is to have the workshop that he claimed be in a room that is only reachable through a [[door]]. As soon as he claims it, lock the door so that he'll just sit there yelling out the things he needs. Now you can go on making only the items available you want him to use (usually the most expensive). You can forbid unwanted items both from the stocks (may require highest precision achieved by your bookkeeper, especially for stones) or ''after'' he has collected them (will retask search for that item), dump items inside the workshop or near the door (the latter won't work if he has a preference). If you use mass-forbid take good care to allow everything after the artifact is finished!

=== Artifact Construction Complex ===

Alternative solution is to build Artifact Construction Complex, containing every mood-able workshop and small stockpiles of most precious types of ore, metal bars, gems, etc. When not in use, ACC should be either locked, or everything in it forbidden (including workshops). Forbidding is better, because in this case these workshops won't receive orders from your [[Manager]]. You can also deal with it by filling workshop's job queue with 10 suspended jobs. Once the dwarf is struck by the mood, ACC is opened, and all claimable workshops not belonging to ACC is forbidden.

This way the normal operation of the workshops is disrupted only for the time needed for moody dwarf to claim workshop, instead of all artifact construction time in first method. Further more, only one type of workshop is nonoperational, instead of all workshops that use forbidden materials.

=== [[Tantrum]]s ===
When the very worst happens and your triple [[legendary]] dwarf fails his strange [[mood]] and goes on [[Fun|a rampage destroying the faces of all the pets and dwarfs around him]], it's good to be prepared.

The easiest form of protection is a simple door on the room the workshop is in. Lock for the few months it takes for him to die of [[thirst]]. You can spend the time waiting for him to die by getting his [[coffin]] made and situated.

Putting [[trap|cage and weapon traps]] around the common [[stair]]s is always a good idea, for both tantrummers and for possible [[Fun#Ambush|invasions]].

==Workshop plans==

===Basement stockpiles ===

This design gives workshops easy access to input and output stockpiles.

Level 1: Level 2 (below, as shown, but could be above as well)

╔══════╦══════╗ ╔══════╦══════╗
║WWWWWW║WWWWWW║ ║iiiiii║iiiiii║
║WWWWWW║WWWWWW║ ║iiiiii║iiiiii║
║WWWWWW║WWWWWW║ OiiiiiiOiiiiiiO
║..>>..║..>>..║ ...<<.....<<...
╚══════╩══════╝ OooooooOooooooO
║oooooo║oooooo║
W = workshop ║oooooo║oooooo║
i = input item ╚══════╩══════╝
o = output item

Alternatively you can place input above and output below the workshops or the other way round, depending, for example, on the location of your trade depot, or other workshops involved in the chain of production. Additional stairs may be useful.

=== 3x3 rooms ===

This design makes it easier to contain berserk dwarves.

(Beware access may be blocked depending on a workshop's pattern of internal [[impassable tile]]s. Different workshops have different internal patterns of passable and impassable floor tiles. When building a workshop, Dwarf Fortress indicates which tiles are passable/impassable by pattern of light/dark green X's. The central tile is always passable, so for those using tilesets, similar tiles to the middle tile are passable.)
<diagram>
╔═══╦═══┼..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
╩══┼╩┼══┼..
....X......
╦══┼╦┼══┼..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
╚═══╩═══┼..

W = workshop
X = up/down staircase
. = floor
</diagram>
Access and stockpiles are placed above and below the room. Similar workshops can be grouped together for easier checking on, and doors can be locked should a moody dwarf's wishes be unmet. This concept can be used for your entire fortress:

Below you can see a piece from around the central staircase, to see how the design should start. Notice that it is pretty modular, you can have two workshops pushed together, or you can separate them all, and you have a couple options on how you set up your entrances, connecting two workshops with one door, or leaving them with separate entrances. Up to you. Notice the initial diagonal terminates at a workshop, and starts the grid pattern.
<diagram>
║WWW║.║```║.║WWW║`
║WWW║.╠═══╣.║WWW║`
║WWW║.║WWW║.║WWW║`
╩═══┼.║WWW║.┼═══╩═
......║WWW║.......
══════┼═╦═┼═══┼═══
WWWWWW║.O.║WWW║WWW
WWWWWW╠OXO╣WWW║WWW
WWWWWW║.O.║WWW║WWW
══════┼═╩═┼═══┼═══
......║WWW║.......
╦═══┼.║WWW║.┼═══╦═
║WWW║.║WWW║.║WWW║`
║WWW║.╠═══╣.║WWW║`
║WWW║.┼WWW┼.║WWW║`
╚═══╣.║WWW║.╠═══╝`
````║.║WWW║.║`````
````║.╠═══╣.║`````
</diagram>
The floors alternate workshop/storage. On workshop floors the diagonals immediate to the main stairway are mined out a couple spaces to make room for the first workshops; around those you can start mining in straight lines and start a grid pattern. For storage floors you can leave a wall of stone around the staircase with only one or two walls mined out for access; then mine out everything around it. On the ground level you start by mining into a cave, clear out space for a trade depot, and mine out one spot where you build a single downward staircase; here the entire fortress starts. It works great and is very efficient, though it takes a while to get setup right.

=== Decentralized Workshop Complex ===
Designed for use with the [[Bedroom_design#Decentralized_living|decentralized living]] plan, this plan emphasizes fine-grained planning with many small, specific stockpiles and planned workshop quarters. It therefore requires some micro-management to get going. However, once you have it working, things work extremely smoothly and you should never have a significant delay in production again.

[[Image:Workshops.GIF]]

Total workshop loadout for 1 floor:
* Sixteen (16) 3x3 workshops
* Four (4) 4x3 workshops
* Two (2) 5x5 workshops

Maximum walk to stockpile on same wing: 18.

The light gray crosses are optional doors. They can be useful for sealing off a Kitchen or Butcher's Shop to keep [[miasma]] from annoying the neighbors. Beyond that, the blue field is the stairwell access (recommend separate up stairs and down stairs for safety reasons), and the gray fields are stockpiles.

4x3 workshops are useful for workshops with strange blocked square formations (the Bowyer's shop is an example). They can also be nice for setting up a tiny 1x2 or 1x3 stockpile for a specific workshop - with bins, this can be a significant reserve of material. Imagine a Clothier or Leatherworker with 3 full bins of cloth or leather right next to them.

The 5x5 workshops are useful for [[shop]]s, [[kennel]]s, and [[siege workshop]]s. You can even put your [[trade depot]] in one of them if you've got a mind to. Maintaining proper security can be a nightmare in that situation (remember that [[troll]]s and others can break down doors and floodgates), but if you manage to get it done it can be a trader's dream come true. They can also be useful for making a specialty shop with a few stockpiles designed to accomplish only one thing (encrusting statues with gems, for example).

The 3x3 workshops are best organized into wings, where a pair of workshops share a similar function with the pair directly next to them. They share stockpile space better this way. When set up correctly, less than 10 dwarves will regularly use each stockpile room, so traffic is a non-issue. There tends to be a lot of dwarves in the halls, though, because [[peasant]] haulers visit the workshops frequently, hence the 3-wide corridors.

Finally, this design offers lots and lots of wall space for smoothing and engraving. Free wealth is good.

=== Interconnected 6x6 rooms with stockpiles ===

╬══┼┼══╬══┼┼══╬
║.****.║.****.║
║**..**║**..**║
┼*....*┼*....*┼
┼*....*┼*....*┼
║**..**║**..**║
║.****.║.****.║
╬══┼┼══╬══┼┼══╬
║.****.║.****.║
║**..**║**..**║
┼*....*┼*....*┼
┼*....*┼*....*┼
║**..**║**..**║
║.****.║.****.║ * = pathway
╬══┼┼══╬══┼┼══╬

In this design, each room functions as workshop, hallway, and stockpile. A workshop is placed near the center of each room, preferably so that only a walkable tile overlaps the (*) pathways. The pathways form a virtual double-wide diagonal hallway, allowing dwarves to move through the fortress easily. The pathways, as well as the remainder of each room, are filled with the appropriate stockpiles. Each room should have at least one set of stairs for easy access to adjacent z-levels.

Each workshop has a short path to several nearby workshops on the same and other z-levels, allowing for a lot of flexibility in which workshops are placed in which rooms. Each room is also lockable if necessary. Optionally, the corner can be replaced with a door to allow faster movement between diagonally adjacent workshops.

=== Fluid workshop locations ===
Alternatively, you can employ a "work site" methodology where workshops are constructed and destroyed as necessary. For example, if you mine out a huge dining hall and it is completely filled with stone, build a masonry shop in the hall to manufacture tables and chairs. This eliminates the need for a stone hauler because your mason only has to travel a few squares to get raw material. In addition it makes furniture hauling more efficient because the tables and chairs are right next to their eventual location. And of course it clears stone out of your dining hall, eliminating the need for a refuse hauler to dump it all.

=== Smelting Operations ===
In very resource-heavy maps, 10-12 [[smelter]]s may be necessary to keep up with mining operations. I've had very efficient results with this setup - and it looks good, to boot. The stairways lead down into a high Z-level mining operation (keeps the [[noise]] away from the bedrooms, too), with additional [[bar]] storage 1-2 levels below. One or more [[magma forge]]s would be down the hall from the bar stockpiles.

<diagram>
╔════════════╗
║SMSSMSSMSSMS║
║SSSSSSSSSSSS║
║SSSSSSSSSSSS║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
╠┼┼═══┼┼═══┼┼╣
║............║
║............╠══════╗
║..╔═....═╗..┼OOOSMS║
║..║>>BBBB║..┼OOOSSS║
═════╝...>>BBBB...║OOOSSS║
.........BBBBBB...║OOOSMS║
.........BBBBBB...║OOOSSS║
.........BBBBBB...║OOOSSS║
═════╗...BBBB>>...║OOOSMS║
║..║BBBB>>║..┼OOOSSS║
║..╚═....═╝..┼OOOSSS║
║............╠══════╝
║............║
╠┼┼═══┼┼═══┼┼╣
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║SMSSMSSMSSMS║
║SSSSSSSSSSSS║
║SSSSSSSSSSSS║
╚════════════╝

*S = Smelter
*M = Magma access (lines up with unpassable tile on magma smelter)
*B = Bar Stockpile
*O = Ore Stockpile
</diagram>

=== Pillars ===
See Midna's page on [[User:Midna/Pillars|pillar design]].

=== Organics processing complex ===

[[Image:Organics_processing_complex.png|thumb|right|Big squares are 7x7, smaller squares are 3x3, black squares are workshops and colored rectangles are stockpiles]]

This is a nice, rectangular design which puts the food/drink industry, and the many other industries that feed of its by-products, together in one neat arrangement.

The green stockpile should accept brewable plants, and plants which can be processed: [[Pig tail|Pig tails]], [[cave wheat]], [[sweet pod]], [[quarry bush]], [[dimple cup]], [[kobold bulb]], [[longland grass]], [[valley herb]], [[rope reed]], [[blade weed]], [[hide root]], [[sliver barb]], [[whip vine]]. The red stockpile should accept their products. Optionally, an 8 tile stockpile can be placed around the quern which holds the millable plants.

Expansion options include a finished good stockpile to the right, a soap stockpile nearby if you make a lot of soap, a stone stockpile below the bone one for input into crafters and masons/mechanics, a wood stockpile below which feeds into the same furniture stockpile as the mechanics and masons, and a jeweler. With the latter additions, the craftsdwarves can now decorate furniture as well as finished goods with bones and (if you include the jeweler) gems.

Also, this plan is only meant to expand to the right and bottom-right. So you can safely plug its top and left sides flush with the rest of your fortress without worrying about future expansion. The number of workshops should be sufficient for all but the largest forts.

{{Category|Design}}

v0.34:Workshop design

2014-06-26T01:37:56Z

Subjunctive: /* 3x3 rooms */

{{Quality|Superior|20:25, 28 April 2013 (UTC)}}
{{av}}
Most [[workshop]]s in Dwarf fortress are represented by 9 squares in a 3 by 3 square pattern. Some are 5 by 5 ([[Siege workshop]]), or 1 by 1 ([[Quern]], [[Screw press]], and [[Millstone]]). Getting a proper work flow is very important to the success and [[wealth]] of your fortress.

Laying out your workshops in the most efficient way possible is quite a science. There are several points that should be considered.

== [[Industry|Industries]] ==
Keeping workshops of a specific industry together is a great way to see if you need more workers creating [[alcohol|booze]] or making [[leather]] [[trade good|toys]]. If you have all of the [[food]] related workshops in a single [[room]], you can tell with a glance that your [[cook]]s are slacking off.

== [[Stockpile]]s ==
Just as you want your [[loom]]s close to your [[clothier's shop]]s, and you want your [[tanner's shop]] next to your [[butcher's shop]], you will want logical stockpiles close to your workshops.
It makes sense to put your raw food stockpile right next to the [[kitchen]], so that your cook doesn't spend all of his time walking from one end of the fortress to the other. If the correct stockpile is close at hand, those roasts will be coming out of that kitchen in no time.

== [[Artifact]]s ==

=== Using stocks ===
When a dwarf claims a workshop for his very own, you have a 50/50 chance of the artifact he's about to make being really awesome. He could make an artifact [[throne]] out of three lumps of [[bituminous coal]], and it will be worth a whopping 4800 [[currency|dwarf bucks]]. However, if you forbid every [[stone]] in your fortress except for the natural [[platinum]], he'll make you something very near a six figure artifact.

There are a few ways to control what he chooses. A start is to have the workshop that he claimed be in a room that is only reachable through a [[door]]. As soon as he claims it, lock the door so that he'll just sit there yelling out the things he needs. Now you can go on making only the items available you want him to use (usually the most expensive). You can forbid unwanted items both from the stocks (may require highest precision achieved by your bookkeeper, especially for stones) or ''after'' he has collected them (will retask search for that item), dump items inside the workshop or near the door (the latter won't work if he has a preference). If you use mass-forbid take good care to allow everything after the artifact is finished!

=== Artifact Construction Complex ===

Alternative solution is to build Artifact Construction Complex, containing every mood-able workshop and small stockpiles of most precious types of ore, metal bars, gems, etc. When not in use, ACC should be either locked, or everything in it forbidden (including workshops). Forbidding is better, because in this case these workshops won't receive orders from your [[Manager]]. You can also deal with it by filling workshop's job queue with 10 suspended jobs. Once the dwarf is struck by the mood, ACC is opened, and all claimable workshops not belonging to ACC is forbidden.

This way the normal operation of the workshops is disrupted only for the time needed for moody dwarf to claim workshop, instead of all artifact construction time in first method. Further more, only one type of workshop is nonoperational, instead of all workshops that use forbidden materials.

=== [[Tantrum]]s ===
When the very worst happens and your triple [[legendary]] dwarf fails his strange [[mood]] and goes on [[Fun|a rampage destroying the faces of all the pets and dwarfs around him]], it's good to be prepared.

The easiest form of protection is a simple door on the room the workshop is in. Lock for the few months it takes for him to die of [[thirst]]. You can spend the time waiting for him to die by getting his [[coffin]] made and situated.

Putting [[trap|cage and weapon traps]] around the common [[stair]]s is always a good idea, for both tantrummers and for possible [[Fun#Ambush|invasions]].

==Workshop plans==

===Basement stockpiles ===

This design gives workshops easy access to input and output stockpiles.

Level 1: Level 2 (below, as shown, but could be above as well)

╔══════╦══════╗ ╔══════╦══════╗
║WWWWWW║WWWWWW║ ║iiiiii║iiiiii║
║WWWWWW║WWWWWW║ ║iiiiii║iiiiii║
║WWWWWW║WWWWWW║ OiiiiiiOiiiiiiO
║..>>..║..>>..║ ...<<.....<<...
╚══════╩══════╝ OooooooOooooooO
║oooooo║oooooo║
W = workshop ║oooooo║oooooo║
i = input item ╚══════╩══════╝
o = output item

Alternatively you can place input above and output below the workshops or the other way round, depending, for example, on the location of your trade depot, or other workshops involved in the chain of production. Additional stairs may be useful.

=== 3x3 rooms ===

This design makes it easier to contain berserk dwarves.

(Beware access may be blocked depending on a workshop's pattern of internal [[impassable tile]]s. Different workshops have different internal patterns of passable and impassable floor tiles. When building a workshop, Dwarf Fortress indicates which tiles are passable/impassable by pattern of light/dark green X's. The central tile is always passable, so for those using tilesets, similar tiles to the middle tile are passable.)
<diagram>
╔═══╦═══┼..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
╩══┼╩┼══┼..
....X......
╦══┼╦┼══┼..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
╚═══╩═══┼..

W = workshop
X = up/down staircase
. = floor
</diagram>
Access and stockpiles are placed above and below the room. Similar workshops can be grouped together for easier checking on, and doors can be locked should a moody dwarf's wishes be unmet. This concept can be used for your entire fortress:

Below you can see a piece from around the central staircase, to see how the design should start. Notice that it is pretty modular, you can have two workshops pushed together, or you can separate them all, and you have a couple options on how you set up your entrances, connecting two workshops with one door, or leaving them with separate entrances. Up to you. Notice the initial diagonal terminates at a workshop, and starts the grid pattern.
<diagram>
║WWW║.║```║.║WWW║`
║WWW║.╠═══╣.║WWW║`
║WWW║.║WWW║.║WWW║`
╩═══┼.║WWW║.┼═══╩═
......║WWW║.......
══════┼═╦═┼═══┼═══
WWWWWW║.O.║WWW║WWW
WWWWWW╠OXO╣WWW║WWW
WWWWWW║.O.║WWW║WWW
══════┼═╩═┼═══┼═══
......║WWW║.......
╦═══┼.║WWW║.┼═══╦═
║WWW║.║WWW║.║WWW║`
║WWW║.╠═══╣.║WWW║`
║WWW║.┼WWW┼.║WWW║`
╚═══╣.║WWW║.╠═══╝`
````║.║WWW║.║`````
````║.╠═══╣.║`````
</diagram>
The floors alternate workshop/storage. On workshop floors the diagonals immediate to the main stairway are mined out a couple spaces to make room for the first workshops; around those you can start mining in straight lines and start a grid pattern. For storage floors you can leave a wall of stone around the staircase with only one or two walls mined out for access; then mine out everything around it. On the ground level you start by mining into a cave, clear out space for a trade depot, and mine out one spot where you build a single downward staircase; here the entire fortress starts. It works great and is very efficient, though it takes a while to get setup right.

=== Decentralized Workshop Complex ===
Designed for use with the [[Bedroom_design#Decentralized_living|decentralized living]] plan, this plan emphasizes fine-grained planning with many small, specific stockpiles and planned workshop quarters. It therefore requires some micro-management to get going. However, once you have it working, things work extremely smoothly and you should never have a significant delay in production again.

[[Image:Workshops.GIF]]

Total workshop loadout for 1 floor:
* Sixteen (16) 3x3 workshops
* Four (4) 4x3 workshops
* Two (2) 5x5 workshops

Maximum walk to stockpile on same wing: 18.

The light gray crosses are optional doors. They can be useful for sealing off a Kitchen or Butcher's Shop to keep [[miasma]] from annoying the neighbors. Beyond that, the blue field is the stairwell access (recommend separate up stairs and down stairs for safety reasons), and the gray fields are stockpiles.

4x3 workshops are useful for workshops with strange blocked square formations (the Bowyer's shop is an example). They can also be nice for setting up a tiny 1x2 or 1x3 stockpile for a specific workshop - with bins, this can be a significant reserve of material. Imagine a Clothier or Leatherworker with 3 full bins of cloth or leather right next to them.

The 5x5 workshops are useful for [[shop]]s, [[kennel]]s, and [[siege workshop]]s. You can even put your [[trade depot]] in one of them if you've got a mind to. Maintaining proper security can be a nightmare in that situation (remember that [[troll]]s and others can break down doors and floodgates), but if you manage to get it done it can be a trader's dream come true. They can also be useful for making a specialty shop with a few stockpiles designed to accomplish only one thing (encrusting statues with gems, for example).

The 3x3 workshops are best organized into wings, where a pair of workshops share a similar function with the pair directly next to them. They share stockpile space better this way. When set up correctly, less than 10 dwarves will regularly use each stockpile room, so traffic is a non-issue. There tends to be a lot of dwarves in the halls, though, because [[peasant]] haulers visit the workshops frequently, hence the 3-wide corridors.

Finally, this design offers lots and lots of wall space for smoothing and engraving. Free wealth is good.

=== Interconnected 6x6 rooms with stockpiles ===

╬══┼┼══╬══┼┼══╬
║.****.║.****.║
║**..**║**..**║
┼*....*┼*....*┼
┼*....*┼*....*┼
║**..**║**..**║
║.****.║.****.║
╬══┼┼══╬══┼┼══╬
║.****.║.****.║
║**..**║**..**║
┼*....*┼*....*┼
┼*....*┼*....*┼
║**..**║**..**║
║.****.║.****.║ * = pathway
╬══┼┼══╬══┼┼══╬

In this design, each room functions as workshop, hallway, and stockpile. A workshop is placed near the center of each room, preferably so that only a walkable tile overlaps the (*) pathways. The pathways form a virtual double-wide diagonal hallway, allowing dwarves to move through the fortress easily. The pathways, as well as the remainder of each room, are filled with the appropriate stockpiles. Each room should have at least one set of stairs for easy access to adjacent z-levels.

Each workshop has a short path to several nearby workshops on the same and other z-levels, allowing for a lot of flexibility in which workshops are placed in which rooms. Each room is also lockable if necessary. Optionally, the corner can be replaced with a door to allow faster movement between diagonally adjacent workshops.

=== Fluid workshop locations ===
Alternatively, you can employ a "work site" methodology where workshops are constructed and destroyed as necessary. For example, if you mine out a huge dining hall and it is completely filled with stone, build a masonry shop in the hall to manufacture tables and chairs. This eliminates the need for a stone hauler because your mason only has to travel a few squares to get raw material. In addition it makes furniture hauling more efficient because the tables and chairs are right next to their eventual location. And of course it clears stone out of your dining hall, eliminating the need for a refuse hauler to dump it all.

=== Smelting Operations ===
In very resource-heavy maps, 10-12 [[smelter]]s may be necessary to keep up with mining operations. I've had very efficient results with this setup - and it looks good, to boot. The stairways lead down into a high Z-level mining operation (keeps the [[noise]] away from the bedrooms, too), with additional [[bar]] storage 1-2 levels below. One or more [[magma forge]]s would be down the hall from the bar stockpiles.

╔════════════╗
║SMSSMSSMSSMS║
║SSSSSSSSSSSS║
║SSSSSSSSSSSS║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
╠┼┼═══┼┼═══┼┼╣
║............║
║............╠══════╗
║..╔═....═╗..┼OOOSMS║
║..║>>BBBB║..┼OOOSSS║
═════╝...>>BBBB...║OOOSSS║
.........BBBBBB...║OOOSMS║
.........BBBBBB...║OOOSSS║
.........BBBBBB...║OOOSSS║
═════╗...BBBB>>...║OOOSMS║
║..║BBBB>>║..┼OOOSSS║
║..╚═....═╝..┼OOOSSS║
║............╠══════╝
║............║
╠┼┼═══┼┼═══┼┼╣
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║OOOOOOOOOOOO║
║SMSSMSSMSSMS║
║SSSSSSSSSSSS║
║SSSSSSSSSSSS║
╚════════════╝

*S = Smelter
*M = Magma access (lines up with unpassable tile on magma smelter)
*B = Bar Stockpile
*O = Ore Stockpile

=== Pillars ===
See Midna's page on [[User:Midna/Pillars|pillar design]].

=== Organics processing complex ===

[[Image:Organics_processing_complex.png|thumb|right|Big squares are 7x7, smaller squares are 3x3, black squares are workshops and colored rectangles are stockpiles]]

This is a nice, rectangular design which puts the food/drink industry, and the many other industries that feed of its by-products, together in one neat arrangement.

The green stockpile should accept brewable plants, and plants which can be processed: [[Pig tail|Pig tails]], [[cave wheat]], [[sweet pod]], [[quarry bush]], [[dimple cup]], [[kobold bulb]], [[longland grass]], [[valley herb]], [[rope reed]], [[blade weed]], [[hide root]], [[sliver barb]], [[whip vine]]. The red stockpile should accept their products. Optionally, an 8 tile stockpile can be placed around the quern which holds the millable plants.

Expansion options include a finished good stockpile to the right, a soap stockpile nearby if you make a lot of soap, a stone stockpile below the bone one for input into crafters and masons/mechanics, a wood stockpile below which feeds into the same furniture stockpile as the mechanics and masons, and a jeweler. With the latter additions, the craftsdwarves can now decorate furniture as well as finished goods with bones and (if you include the jeweler) gems.

Also, this plan is only meant to expand to the right and bottom-right. So you can safely plug its top and left sides flush with the rest of your fortress without worrying about future expansion. The number of workshops should be sufficient for all but the largest forts.

{{Category|Design}}

Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Community Portal

2014-06-26T01:29:10Z

Subjunctive: /* I */

{{shortcut|DF:CP}}
This page is for organizing the war effort against entropy.__NOTOC__
Also, please check out the [[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki:Improvement_Drive|Dwarf Fortress Wiki Improvement Drive!]]

{| id="toc"
|
* [[#We are doing this! Let us do it right.|We are doing this! Let us do it right.]]
** [[#A|A]] [[#B|B]] [[#C|C]] [[#D|D]] [[#E|E]] [[#F|F]] [[#G|G]] [[#H|H]] [[#I|I]] [[#J|J]] [[#K|K]] [[#L|L]] [[#M|M]]
** [[#N|N]] [[#O|O]] [[#P|P]] [[#Q|Q]] [[#R|R]] [[#S|S]] [[#T|T]] [[#U|U]] [[#V|V]] [[#W|W]] [[#X|X]] [[#Y|Y]] [[#Z|Z]]
** [[#More rules|More]]
* [[#Notice Templates|Notice Templates]]
|}

== We are doing this! Let us do it right. ==

=====A=====
* '''A'''lphabet: Okay, the first rule is that there must be a rule for each letter of the alphabet. Thanks to the community, we now have all twenty-six rules (plus [[#More rules|a few more]])! (Inspired by [[User:Peristarkawan|Peristarkawan]]'s [[wikipedia:nomic|nomic]] instincts)

=====B=====
* '''B'''e bold! So says Wikipedia. If you see a mistake, be it a fact or a typo, change it. Don't leave it to someone else to clean up mistakes. Feel free to make changes. If you think an article needs a major rewrite, and you think you can do it, go ahead and do it! You can also use the discussion (talk) page to post suggestions.

=====C=====
* '''C'''ategories: When editing a page, stop to think about what categories it should be included in, and add them if necessary. Don't forget to consider categories that don't yet exist. Capitalize the tag like <tt><nowiki>[[Category:Stub]]</nowiki></tt>. (However, if the page and category are version-specific, you should use <tt><nowiki>{{Category|CategoryName}}</nowiki></tt> instead).

=====D=====
* '''D'''iscussion: Use the discussion page to voice suggestions and to ask questions. Try to limit inline comments. Before editing, check the discussion page to see if there are any changes being planned. The [[DF:CD|centralized discussion]] page is being used to announce such discussions to the general population, so as to make them findable for those who do not religiously keep up with Recent Changes. Please add your own discussions to it.
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=====E=====
* '''E'''liminate fluff. This includes redirects that aren't linked to and wouldn't be typed in the search box. The {{[[Template:deletion|deletion]]}} or {{[[Template:deletion|del]]}} template is your friend. (See also the [[Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Deletion Policy|Deletion Policy]].)

=====F=====
* '''F'''acts: Keep your information factual. If you haven't confirmed something, post it on the discussion page. Don't create linkless one-liner pages. Add as much pertinent information as you can and avoid conjecture (possibly, maybe, could be, likely) by providing concrete examples from the game or links to other parts of the wiki.

=====G=====
* '''G'''ameterms: To avoid confusion, use the terms the game uses whenever possible. For example, the game refers to "armor" and "aluminum" rather than "armour" or "aluminium", and the plural forms of "dwarf" and "bronze colossus" should be "dwarves" and "bronze colossuses" rather than "dwarfs" or "bronze colossi".

=====H=====
* '''H'''eadings: Organize the content of each page into sections of related information. After the introduction, use appropriate headings for each section, and follow the '''N'''aming style of this guide. Keep headings to a minimum; consider a list or a table if you have many repetitive facts.

=====I=====
* '''I'''mages: Images and [[screenshot]]s should clearly depict the subject. Small diagrams can be constructed with [[DF:Diagram]] (<nowiki><diagram></nowiki>) or {{tl|RT}}, for easy editing, and to save on space. When uploading images, give them a name that is descriptive and unlikely to be duplicated. Names like "1", "screenshot", and "untitled" should be avoided. PNG images are preferred over JPEG where possible, as they don't lose visual quality during compression (and tend to be smaller anyways).

=====J=====
* '''J'''ealousy: Don't be shocked if someone rewrites or removes your article; your hard work is not lost. Post suggestions on the discussion page and talk about the issue. All versions are stored in the history, so your material can be reused or merged with existing content if the rewriter left something out.

=====K=====
* '''K'''eys: This wiki is about a game that uses nearly 100% keyboard input, so we have a template to improve the display of keys: [[:Template:K|k]] (abbreviation of [[:Template:Key|key]]). For example, the syntax <code><nowiki>{{k|q}}</nowiki></code> will generate {{k|q}}, a standardized and visually pleasing representation of the "q" key. The enter key should be done as <code><nowiki>{{k|Enter}}</nowiki></code> ( {{k|Enter}} ), for example, and the arrow keys use arrow characters, found at [[CP437|this handy code page]]. The right arrow key, for example, appears as {{k|→}}.

=====L=====
* '''L'''osing is [[fun]]! 

=====M=====
* '''M'''ore people should use the raw files (found in your 'install dir\raw\objects') to get information about creatures and objects. They have loads of good information that the game actually uses.

=====N=====
* '''N'''aming: The titles of new pages should be singular nouns, with only the first word capitalized. Example: [[Screw pump]], [[Metalsmith's forge]], [[Gear assembly]]. Exceptions are proper nouns and terms that are always plural. Getting the wrong name can mean extra redirects and always means a page move. Screw pump is not the same as Screw Pump. Exceptions may be made in cases where two very different things would otherwise have the same page name, such as [[bar]] versus [[bars]]. Do not put question marks in the names of articles: due to the way they are handled in URIs it messes things up, though not irreversibly.

=====O=====
* '''O'''riginal research is good! Forget what you've seen on That Other Wiki; personal experience is perfectly fine here. Without original research, this wiki would be a tiny fraction of its current self – so if you see something that seems wrong, needs verification, or just lacks information, load up the current edition and check for yourself (but please, say you've done so on the talk page).

=====P=====
* '''P'''review: Use the preview button to check for typos. Avoid cluttering the history of a page with multiple edits. Mark small changes as 'minor' so they can be (optionally) hidden from the recent changes page.

=====Q=====
* '''Q'''ueue: Check the special pages for work still to be done! There are lists of [[Special:Deadendpages|Dead end pages]]. [[Special:Uncategorizedcategories|Uncategorized categories]], [[Special:BrokenRedirects|Broken redirects]], and [[Special:Specialpages|others]] that all need work occasionally. If you feel more like writing content than maintaining the wiki, the list of [[:Category:Stub|stub pages]] is a good place for you to start, followed by the [[Special:ShortPages|short pages]] that exist.

=====R=====
* '''R'''edundancy: Before creating a new page, do a search to find out if the topic is already discussed in detail somewhere else. If you find that redundant pages already exist, merge their content and have one redirect to the other. This rule also refers to redundant material inside pages.

=====S=====
* '''S'''tyle: In general, try to follow the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style Wikipedia Manual of Style] when writing articles. For example, introduce keyword articles by highlighting the first keyword in bold, such as '''Rules'''.
* Also see [[DF:Manual of Style]] for information specific to this wiki.

=====T=====
* '''T'''imelessness: The wiki is intended as a guide for all players, even new ones. As such, references to differences from or similarities to old major versions of DF should be moved to the appropriate version page. Avoid phrases like "now marble can be used to make steel" or "before, farms required two floodgates", etc. For facts that are likely to change, or placeholder features, use the {{tl|Version}} template, and for bugs that have yet to be fixed, use the {{tl|Bug}} template. Note that references to differences from or similarities to '''newer''' versions of DF may still be acceptable on pages for old versions, as are references to changes in minor releases in the same namespace.

=====U=====
* '''U'''ser pages: Introduce yourself, let the community know who you are. If you have a comment on someone's actions on the wiki, praise or otherwise, post it on their talk page, and they'll get notified next time they log in. Avoid editing other users' user pages unless it's absolutely necessary (for example, removing a user page from an inappropriate category). Keep this place civilized; avoid flame wars, personal attacks and insults.

=====V=====
* '''V'''erify: Many loosely based assumptions are floating around. Verify your information and check [[:Category:Articles needing further verification]] if you think you can help verify others. If you have something that is not verified, use the <code><nowiki>{{verify}}</nowiki></code> tag right after it.

=====W=====
*'''W'''it can be hard to recognise once it has been written down. It is best if it is used on clearly humour/story-related pages, talk pages, or user pages, but kept to a minimum in fact-based articles like [[Dwarf]] or [[Summer]]. Use an appropriate template such as {{tl|D for Dwarf}} if there might be confusion.

=====X=====
* '''X'''eniality: Be nice to people who are new to Dwarf Fortress.

=====Y=====
* '''Y'''e Olde Info: It's outdated - update it. Keep the wiki up to date. Remember, sieges were only buggy in a few old versions! Also make sure you're looking at the correct version of a page, especially when editing - if you're playing the latest released version, the information present in the "v0.31", "40d", or "23a" pages is likely to be outdated and incorrect for you, but people playing those old versions will want information that is accurate for them.

=====Z=====
* '''Z''': the mark of '''Z'''orro. Sign each of your 'Talk' entries with your own --<nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>.

==== More rules ====
* '''[[DF:REDIR|Redirects]]:''' Redirects should almost always be created in a versioned namespace (e.g. {{DF:Current}}). For example, instead of creating a redirect from [[Kitten]] to [[Cat]], create a redirect from [[{{DF:Current}}:Kitten]] to [[{{DF:Current}}:Cat]]. Doing this makes links to [[Kitten]] work from both {{DF:Current}} pages and pages in the main namespace. Redirects should almost never be created in the main namespace. See [[DF:REDIR]] for more information.
* '''[[DF:MOS|Spelling]]:''' American and British spellings are both acceptable, unless they violate [[#G|Rule G]].

== Notice Templates ==

There are templates available for marking pages needing improvement. Ideally, you should make appropriate changes and move on, but if you are unable to access the required information, post a notice to flag an issue up. Using template notices provides a consistent way of flagging a page. Notices in use can be tracked through category pages. Notices based on rules from this page should all use the [[:Category:Pages that break Community Portal rules]] category.

This section is far from complete.

=== Template for Notice Templates ===

{{Colored Notice Box|#0000FF|Contents of the message.
Second value is sidebar colour in HTML hex, RR GG BB, e.g. #FF0000 (red), #009900 (dark green), #0088FF, (light blue), #000000 (black)}}
<nowiki>{{Colored Notice Box|#FF00FF|Contents of the message}}</nowiki>

=== Image Rules Notice ===

{{Image Rules Notice|cat=no}}
{{tl|Image Rules Notice}}

=== Timelessness Notice ===

{{Timelessness Notice|cat=no}}
{{tl|Timelessness Notice}}

=== New Notices ===

If several pages arise that break the same rule, create a new template based off one of the above templates. Remember to include the [[:Category:Pages that break Community Portal rules]] tag at the bottom, or some other appropriate category so that other users can track pages that need reworking. To create a new template, type <nowiki>[[Template:Rule name notice]]</nowiki> into an article, or directly into the address bar of your browser.

[[category:wikiprojects]]

Template:Image Rules Notice

2014-06-26T01:26:05Z

Subjunctive: Point to <diagram> instead of {{diagram}}.

{{ambox|type=content|issue='''This page needs improving:''' ''Images and [[screenshot]]s'' should clearly depict the subject. Small diagrams can be constructed with [[DF:Diagram]] (<nowiki><diagram></nowiki>) or {{tl|RT}}, for easy editing, and to save on space. When uploading images, give them a name that is descriptive and unlikely to be duplicated. Names like "1", "screenshot", and "untitled" should be avoided. Read more on the [[Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Community Portal|Community portal]].}}
<includeonly>{{#ifeq:{{{cat|yes}}}|no||[[Category:Pages that break Community Portal rules]]}}</includeonly><noinclude>

==Usage==
Use this notice at the top of pages that have used inappropriate images. The notice should be removed when the page is corrected, or discussion indicates that the image is actually suitable.

Add {{tl|Image Rules Notice}} to top of offending page.

[[Category:Formatting Templates]]</noinclude>

Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Manual of Style

2014-06-26T01:22:31Z

Subjunctive: /* List of useful templates / new editor help? */

Discuss points of style, a few "threads" have been started to hit on some major issues. Please feel free to add new topics.
:Links to those threads would be helpful, since you're apparently referring to pre-existing discussions.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 05:34, 3 April 2010 (UTC)

==Where to link a new page from?==
After a forum discussion here: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=84137.0, I decided my idea for a "Style Projects" category/page wasn't completely useless so I made a start of it: [[Style Project]]. Any thoughts? Where should it get linked from? I don't think the concept is in any way version specific. How should the page get categorized? Rated? There's a lot I don't know about starting a page. [[User:GhostDwemer|GhostDwemer]] 16:29, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

:Personally I'd say link it from [[DF2010:Design strategies]] under Aesthetics, and at the top if you want. If it's version independent then just put it in the main namespace and link to it from every version of the design strategies page. Then just look around the wiki and link to it from anywhere that seems appropriate. I don't think anyone cares too much... the only thing some people might care about is whether it needs to be linked from the main page and personally I'd say this is probably too narrow of a subject to be linked directly on the main page. As for categories, I usually look at how other pages are categorized. For example, Look at the Design strategies page and just copy it's category list if you find nothing else.

:So basically I'd say... look at the main page to see what articles linked directly from the main page might benefit from a link to your page. Then dig around elsewhere and add links from those pages. Copy the categories from the most applicable page and any other pages that seem like they might have reasonable categories. Basically you want people to find it easily when they're "drilling down" into the appropriate topics. Personally I'd say the more applicable pages you can find to link to it, the better. Like it might be worth linking to it from [[DF2010:Stupid dwarf trick]] --[[User:Ral|Ral]] 23:52, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

== Spelling ==
Do we use British or American spellings? Whichever we use, we should at the least be consistent. [[User:Emi|Emi]] 04:14, 3 April 2010 (UTC)
:No, we shouldn't. This is neither a specifically British nor American game, it's an ''international'' game and so an international site. The ''only'' time such spelling needs be consistent is when it matches (or conflicts with) a game-term, or such that it's consistent within a single page.

:I don't feel it's the job of the Admin to tell users to read and write either American or British exclusively, and thus alienate the other to any degree (however unintentionally that may be!). Quite the opposite, we should welcome all - [[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki:Community_Portal#X|X is for Xeniality]]! More, it's no editor's job either - as that can lead to cultural edit wars and just plain, dull petty jingoism. I know that color and colour, flavour and flavor, and all the rest are the same - it's a wide, wide web - it's time we all get used to it. ; ) --[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 05:34, 3 April 2010 (UTC)
::By consistency, I was referring to how the game uses Armor, thus we probably shouldn't use Armour. [[user:Emi|Emi]] [[user_talk:Emi|[T]]] 05:47, 3 April 2010 (UTC)
:::I agree. If the game says "Armor," then the page and all references to the concept should read "Armor," not "Armour." However, I don't think it's appropriate to get up in arms  about "Armour" if it's not referring to the in game concept -- this is a terrible example. Flavour, if it's written somewhere, does not deserve an armed attack on all instances of the word to change it to Flavor, nor vice versa, since they're not arms. Or something. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 19:40, 8 April 2010 (UTC)
:Writing in English is hard enough for me. :) – [[template:unsigned|unsigned]] comment by [[User:Kummahiih|Kummahiih]]
::::<nods> If the term is found on the [[armor]] page, then of course it should all match - as I said above. Likewise something's referring to armor as a game concept, the item "plate armor" for instance. But if a tangential line on the article on [[beak dog]]s reads something like "''they're dangerous, and can quickly mangle an unarmoured dwarf"'', there is no need (nor just reason) to change that. It's not referring to the game term, it's not linking to any page, it's simply referring to the abstract strategic concept, which is the same in either spelling. Slavish enforcement of spelling where it makes no diff is not the way to go. This wiki is not that rules-centric, and most users like it that way.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 23:09, 8 April 2010 (UTC)

== Repetitive Intensifiers ==
Does "very, very yellow" offer any useful information over "very yellow"? [[User:Emi|Emi]] 04:14, 3 April 2010 (UTC)
:Does asking this question offer any, any useful information over not asking? A rather specific question for a "Manual of Style", especially without a specific reference or more general point to be made. But I would hazard the guess that that particular editor found that particular phrasing both useful and mildly entertaining in that context - this wiki is not as sterile as some, nor as formal.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 05:34, 3 April 2010 (UTC)
::These questions were mainly a starting point, to give people an idea of the sort of things that we mean when we say 'style'. And you're right, it is very specific, but I think it's a decent thing to consider, along with the use of 'literally' as a generic intensifier, etc... [[user:Emi|Emi]] [[user_talk:Emi|[T]]] 05:52, 3 April 2010 (UTC)
:::I know what you're saying, but to try to regulate such would be a literally endless deathmarch. "Style" is personal, and some works and some doesn't, and some very cludgey stuff works when it shouldn't. I have a very wordy style, others have a very pithy, terse one, and neither is better or more or less "appropriate". Any literally unclear or broken usage will get cleaned up on its own without our enforcement, but very, very personal style should simply be overlooked so long as it works in context. (We have better things to do, really!) ; D --[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 06:01, 3 April 2010 (UTC)
::::Well, not right now I don't, EmiBot's current tagging job is going to take all night I think. She has to go to each page, load every link until she reaches a no page exception and then tag the page. She'll end up loading lots of pages per each actual page processed. [[user:Emi|Emi]] [[user_talk:Emi|[T]]] 06:06, 3 April 2010 (UTC)

== Humor ==
Does humor belong in informative articles? Where is humor acceptable? Is humor (or "humorous prose") within an article like [[40d:carp]] useful, or does it only serve to confuse and make solid information harder to find? [[User:Emi|Emi]] 04:14, 3 April 2010 (UTC)
:Yes, depending. So long as the humour is ''either'' separate or clearly a side-product, it's fine. When a user decides to rewrite an article as their own stand-up routine, that's usually not acceptable. Adding the '''<nowiki>{{D for Dwarf}}</nowiki>''' template above a comedic rant is often acceptable, but not if the sole purpose seems to be for the amusement of the editor, rather than the reader, or if it's just not relevant. In the end, it's no diff than any other edit - some efforts are generally appreciated and accepted, and some are just "wrong-o".

:In short, you can't define it, you can only know it when you see it. But Carp, in specific, have a long and highly honoured history in DF culture. And cheese. And fire, and magma, and beards, and microcline, and elephants, and cats, and migrants, and nobles, and losing, and... --[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 05:34, 3 April 2010 (UTC)
::I know that all those things have such a history, but if you're a new player reading the article on carp, you are very likely to be confused and come out unsure of what was solid info and what was hyperbole, or comedic. I think in general, the sort of stuff {{tl|D for Dwarf}} describes is what shouldn't be in informative articles, or at least not such a broad marking -- perhaps it would be better used in sections rather than at the top of an article like it often is placed? [[user:Emi|Emi]] [[user_talk:Emi|[T]]] 05:56, 3 April 2010 (UTC)

:::Actually, the current community standards suggest that "Wit" be kept to a minimum. Missed that.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 21:09, 3 April 2010 (UTC)
:::Having discovered this game only a year ago I'd like to say that '''every single inside joke''' on this wiki was both entertaining and part of the game experience. I relied on this wiki so much I even feel stranded a bit. Mark it with D-for Dwarf template for it to be found and I think that everything will be fine. My two cents. [[Special:Contributions/90.191.16.52|90.191.16.52]] 19:26, 8 April 2010 (UTC)
::::As another person who has recently found Dwarf Fortress and the wiki, I love the D-for Dwarf stuff. It provides a clue to what other players consider interesting or historic for the game, and usually gives some information on how the topic of that article can provide 'fun'.--[[Special:Contributions/66.207.88.49|66.207.88.49]] 11:56, 11 April 2010 (UTC)

:::When I first picked up DF about two years ago, I distinctly remember actually using the D for Dwarf category as my primary point of navigation through the wiki, and several times lamenting the lack of further pages in that style. Much of the flavor of the game comes from the (frequently absurd) conclusions that the player base draws from observed behavior, quirks and bugs. Generally it is easier to come to grips with the fact that your fortress has crumbled to an end after an out-of-control fire incident when you are able to chuckle to yourself about dwarfs who think there's nothing about a glowing !!sock!! that isn't totally cool and worthy of being stored in their wooden chests. Take that away and (unless our hypothetical new player is able to independently reach the same conclusion) and all you have is yet another reason to be annoyed that the game is still in alpha. --[[User:Johntor|Johntor]] 19:46, 16 April 2010 (UTC)

::It should be fairly easy to distinguish fact from hyperbole/rant etc. if you use the '''<nowiki>{{D for Dwarf}}</nowiki>''' tag correctly though, for example, adding the 'humorous' bit at the bottom of a page, preceded by the tag. If used correctly, I believe it's acceptable. I started playing after the carp days, and still found those types of articles hilarious. --[[User:Ramperkash|Ramperkash]]
::: The occasional humorous bits included in the wiki here have always been one of my favorite things about dwarf fortress. I would be very sad if these were removed from the wiki. [[User:Doctorzuber|Doctorzuber]] 01:53, 8 April 2010 (UTC)
:I don't think (hope not) that anyone is going to delete "all humour" - that would be lame indeed. But there are recent examples where some self-appointed site Wit has added reams of quips into an article - and that's just not going to work very often. The yardstick, I think, is multifold: 1) will it muddy/confuse the facts to a newbie? And/or is the humour "funny" to the Users as a whole? It's not like the Quotes page where if one person likes it then it's pretty much there to stay. Just as with any style, it's subject to editing.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 02:50, 8 April 2010 (UTC)
:Perhaps we should revise the D for Dwarf template so it boxes in the D for Dwarf material? Such as <nowiki>{{D for Dwarf|My Funny Jokes About Plumbers Here}}</nowiki> -- that way we still have our humor, but we make it significantly obvious what is meant as silliness and what is serious / factual. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 19:36, 8 April 2010 (UTC)
::If you can get it to work (style-wise) on [[40d:carp]] and [[40d:fire]], then I think you've got a winner. (Those are two of the more "muddied" articles I can think of.)--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 23:12, 8 April 2010 (UTC)
:I believe humour has it's place on the DF wiki. That place is not everywhere, but it's definitely in the [[40d:carp]] article. I can't think of any hard rules on where humour is appropriate, but I'd say if the subject is a major source of [[Fun]] then it's probably okay. A more mundane subject like [[Well]] is probably best left completely straight. [[User:KFK|KFK]] 14:28, 24 April 2010 (UTC)
:The absence of wit/humor in relevant-to-the-game articles would make me sad. There's barely a single feature in this game that can't lead to [[Fun]], and a witty phrase or sentence concerning that outcome (either how to get there, or how to avoid it) is quite effective at conveying the nature of the Fun to be had (or not had, as you choose). --[[User:Greycat|Greycat]] 18:11, 4 May 2010 (UTC)
:Humor doesn't seem like a problem to me as long as it isn't causing some sort of confusion. For example, sarcasm where the sarcasm may not be apparent. --[[User:Ral|Ral]] 01:15, 30 April 2011 (UTC)

== Page Format ==
We should have some sort of general format for pages, so that like-information appears consistently in the same spots on different pages. This might be a little harder to figure out. [[User:Emi|Emi]] 04:14, 3 April 2010 (UTC)
:We currently do within like pages. Every creature, every stone, every workshop, every skill... um... pro'ly some other stuff, is parallel. Truly parallel items ( [[40d:armor piece]], [[40d:trade good]]s ) are grouped under a single umbrella article, and some (like [[40d:gem]]) even listed in a table. If an editor gets excited and confident, they can suggest/establish a format for a new category of page. But a stone and a workshop do not have the same sort of information that needs to be communicated, so trying to establish a single format for all seems counter-productive.

:When formating a page, you want:
:* A clear Intro (if the article is long).
:* '''Bold key words''' - anything that redirects to that article should be clearly noticeable early in the article. If in a lower section, mention it and add an internal subsection link.
:* Use a Table of Contents if necessary
:* Use graphics - tables, images, templates - ''especially'' if templates exist for that page type! (spec creatures, workshops, etc.)
:: --[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 05:34, 3 April 2010 (UTC)

:::Along the same lines, I think it might be good to look at how some of the existing templates are designed. Specifically [[Template:Buildings]], [[Template:Creatures]] and [[Template:Workshops]] to name a few. Buildings and Creatures are both large (maybe excessively so) and none of them seem to follow the same formatting rules. I would be happy to play around with it, but I'm much more of a 'code' person rather than a 'style' person, so I'm not sure what would be a good way to reformat them. Any thoughts?--[[User:Soy|Soy]] 00:12, 7 April 2010 (UTC)
::::"Creatures", for one, is going to need a work-over, as constants in 40d seem to have become variables in 31.01 - let me cogitate on it, I'll leave this page open and get back to you on it.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 20:01, 7 April 2010 (UTC)
:::::I'm confused on the "constants in 40d seem to have become variables" comment. Could you clarify please? --[[User:Soy|Soy]] 21:00, 7 April 2010 (UTC)
::::::Re creatures? Did you play the prev version? There are only a few "constants" in a creature's template - most answer "what do you get when you butcher one?" Used to be 100% predictable - now it seems highly ''un''predictable. Meat, fat - even bones. Look at any cv creature page - [[dragon]], for instance - see all those ? marks? ''That's'' what I mean.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 02:50, 8 April 2010 (UTC)
:::::::That's what I wanted to clear up: you're talking about Template:CreatureInfo and I'm talking about [[Template:Creatures]]. I was thinking it would make sense to break it up into sub-templates for the categories contained in [[:Category:Creatures]] e.g.: one for humanoids, animals, megabeasts, etc. For Template:CreatureInfo (the one you were considering) it would be an extremely simple process to remove those static links and allow each editor to propagate them with whatever is appropriate, maybe even a range of numbers? I'm not really sure as I wasn't considering that particular area, sorry. --[[User:Soy|Soy]] 04:39, 8 April 2010 (UTC)
:Oh - ''that!'' Yeah, no doubt - we'll need a new template, since the redirects go to diff creature articles. The style format should relate to how we present diff creature articles - the [[creature]] page is not to my satisfaction, and it's all inter-related. "Humanoids"? Aren't some animals half/half? In-game distinctions might be best, sim to how they're listed in the RAW's - "domestic animals" is one from 40d, and so on. Easier to list, too, since only one RAW file needs to be addressed at a time. Other approaches are certainly valid and possible.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 18:52, 8 April 2010 (UTC)

== Image Use ==
Where should we use images, and how should we include them (where on a page)? [[User:Emi|Emi]] 04:14, 3 April 2010 (UTC)
:Wherever they are helpful, and however they look best. Again, no single rule fits all. On the right, usually (but not always), and matched up with relevant text as much as possible. Thumbnailed down to a reasonable size (big enough to be visible/useful - if still too big, then that requires either a new pic or a text that encourages the user to "click to expand").

:The guidelines for image use are simple:
:* Use .PNG format.
:* Use one of the default graphics packages, the tileset or ascii. ''(Note that the Mayday download is NOT one of these!)''
:* Use the default [[colour scheme]].
:* Make it look good.
:* No copyrighted material, etc etc.
:That's it.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 05:34, 3 April 2010 (UTC)

::No copyrighted material, is a hard thing to do though. Because in theory, any screenshots of the game are considered copyrighted, or are at the very least, in a very gray zone. [[user:Emi|Emi]] [[user_talk:Emi|[T]]] 05:53, 3 April 2010 (UTC)

:::I assume it means no material that cannot be freely reproduced, i.e, either you own the copyright or it is under a creative commons license, etc. --[[User:Bombcar|Bombcar]] 20:11, 3 April 2010 (UTC)
::::Let's please NOT get into an amateur discussion of copyright laws. Put 50 experienced copyright lawyers in a room, and you'll have ''more'' than 50 opinions on what the law actually states for any particular situation - and we're amateurs, and from different nations with diff laws, and this is international and national issues. Common practice is that screenshots are kosher on this wiki. And we can leave it at that.--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 21:09, 3 April 2010 (UTC)
:::::Actually, this is something we need to discuss. in the US, any images of a copyrighted game are considered copyright by the holder of the game's copyright. All we can claim is fair use, which is fine -- I doubt Toady One is going to sue us for using DF images. The other consideration is that of tilesets: the creators of the tilesets still hold exclusive copyright unless they release it into the public domain or into a free license. This brings up international considerations, however; some countries do not allow a author to release material into the public domain, and others allow third parties to pursue litigation and compensation on behalf of the copyright holder. So, in summary, we can require that images are released into the public domain AND a free license, or just a free license if they are not images of the game itself; otherwise, we have to require that the image is fair use for the topic at hand. Alternatively, we could request that Toady One loosens his license in regards to screenshots of the game. --[[User:Briess|Briess]] 22:40, 18 April 2010 (UTC)

== Handling template breaking of redirects? ==

<s>How do we want to handle this? For example, [[Furnace Operator]] doesn't work; nor does [[pearlash]] - you have to use [[ash|pearlash]] to get it to go to the right place. Note that these examples don't work on this page; see [[40d:kiln]] for examples.</s> --[[User:Bombcar|Bombcar]] 17:56, 3 April 2010 (UTC)
:''(This is not a style question - reposting on Current Events.)''--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 21:09, 3 April 2010 (UTC)

== Vanity articles ==

What to do about pages like [[Asax|this]], which have no value to the game or to any other player, only to the one player (or a very few at most)? Almost like a [[bloodline]] page. On one hand, not hurting anything, ''and'' it's good practice if that editor ever wants to actually contribute something, you know, "useful". But on the other, it is hurting, because it's more bandwidth for the next version change. Meh. Maybe just not worth the trouble to worry about either way, cost/benefit-wise. Thoughts?--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 01:16, 5 April 2010 (UTC)
:I was actually thinking about this the other day but didn't know where to discuss it. I'm all for a Community Legends category or something similar, as I believe there's a [[Cacame_Awemedinade|Cacame]] page, [[Tholtig]], [[Morul]], and I imagine Ironblood or Nist Akath will get their own page sooner or later considering their massive reputation. Obviously we'd have to watch for people arbitrarily adding tons of stuff, but I'm certainly not against it so long as it's patrolled and kept 'rare' so to speak. --[[User:Retro|Retro]] 01:33, 5 April 2010 (UTC)
:Oh, and for reference, the Asax page spawned from [http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=52295.90 here]. --[[User:Retro|Retro]] 01:42, 5 April 2010 (UTC)
::This page exists and can exist for the same reason that [[Boatmurdered]] can have a page. The community decides that some things are epic - those things become community lore and thus part of the meta-game. This is the kind of thing that the D is for Dwarf tag is for. (Also, no extra bandwidth because he should remain unversioned, and thus never need to be moved). --[[User:Squirrelloid|Squirrelloid]] 02:29, 5 April 2010 (UTC)
:::While there's nothing inherently unacceptable about vanity articles, and the occasional well written vanity article now and then can be a good thing (within reason), well... the Asax article in particular is just not very good. There's nothing there that's extraordinarily interesting, and there's certainly no actual content worthy of including on the wiki. It needs to be either significantly expanded (if there even is any more material to expand it with - I've not yet read the forum thread), or else deleted entirely. And I'm leaning distinctly towards the latter, as it stands. This article feels to me like the aforementioned "arbitrarily adding tons of stuff", and that's certainly not something to be encouraged. --[[User:Morlark|Morlark]] 09:04, 6 April 2010 (UTC)
Well, it seems these are natural expansions from the [[forums]] - an area that I've largely dropped due to time constraints, and so remain (blissfully?) ignorant of. And even then, some of the subforums were always of far less interest than others for me, or for any reader. Unfortunately, there is no fair-handed way to legislate what is "interesting" and what is not. When [[planepacked]] hit the wiki, I was bored beyond description - someone had a glitch in their game (or maybe abused the hell out an exploit for personal bragging rights), so effin what?! But here we are. So, looks like they stay, and the only option is to add <nowiki>{{D for Dwarf}}</nowiki> and/or edit them so they read better. : \ --[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 16:02, 6 April 2010 (UTC)
:I think the solution to this is an umbrella page, to be frank. Not sure what all of your positions are on that, but someone could reasonably go through the D for Dwarf articles and decide which ones could just go in a 'Community Stories' page. [[User:Sensei|Sensei: Last seen somewhere in the Basic Jungle of Terror]] 00:24, 29 April 2010 (UTC)
::Personally, I don't really see a reason for having this kind of stuff here. I find it interesting, sure, and I like reading about stories like Asax and some of the other historic figures, but I just don't feel that they have any business being here, on the Wiki.

::It's a community subject, rather than a game subject. As such it should be kept within the community (E.G., the Bay12 forum). The same could be said about most of the "D for Dwarf" articles, in my opinion. I don't really think they contribute a whole lot to the ideals behind having a Wiki, and they can actually serve to confuse a point rather than clarify it.

::I like having those little fields on the home page for quotes and pictures from the community, but I think that's about as far as the "flavor" really needs to go here. It was my understanding that this was supposed to be a repository for information pertaining to the base game itself, not the community that sprung up around it. --[[User:Kagus|Kagus]] 00:40, 29 April 2010 (UTC)

The thing though is that if people hear about something on the forums, or any other DF community that is more about "the DF community" then about DF itself, then there should be ''someplace'' where they can learn about it. I think having that sort of thing here serves that good for little to no cost. Just segregate that sort of thing in some way (even a "community" category/box shoudl be sufficient) and then let people have fun. Even better, put it in a separate namespace (with a redirect from mainspace). Zero problems, plenty of value. [[User:Mason11987|Mason]] ([[User talk:Mason11987|T]]-[[Special:Contributions/Mason11987|C]]) 13:16, 29 April 2010 (UTC)

== in-article Capitalization ==

Articles are all capitalized - but that doesn't mean that they're all Capitalized. In an article, we should refer to a dwarf's [[armor]], not to their [[Armor]]. This gets exceptionally annoying in, for example, lists of plants, like [[Plump helmet]]s and [[Pig tail]]s, but also when suddenly [[Gold]] appears as if it's become some sort of sports team, or perhaps we're referring to someone's lawyer by last name. Even the "see also" at the bottom of a page? Altho' on one level it just doesn't matter, it reinforces that capitalization twitch. For example:

:'''See Also:'''
:*[[DF2010:Plaster powder|Plaster powder]]

vs.

:'''See Also:'''
:*[[DF2010:Plaster powder|plaster powder]]

I'd rather use the latter. It's not a proper noun (not even as an article name), and we're not speaking German (which does capitalize random nouns).--[[User:Albedo|Albedo]] 20:55, 6 April 2010 (UTC)

:Links should be capitalized according to standard grammatical practices. So don't link <nowiki>[[Like this]], link [[like this]]</nowiki>. Of course, if the word should be capitalized, like if it's at the start of a sentence, capitalize it. Proper nouns, like [[Urist]] or [[Toady]], should of course also be capitalized. Plant names aren't proper, unless it's the plump helmet Vendorblood the Menace of Crafting, and so shouldn't be capitalized.

:Since we can't have any simple rules, though, I think your '''See also''' example should be the former. Items in a list are treated grammatically like a sentence, and a '''See also''' section is a list of other articles to visit, even if it's only one item long. So it should be
:*[[DF2010:Plaster powder|Plaster powder]]
: not
:*[[DF2010:Plaster powder|Plaster Powder]]
: or
:*[[DF2010:Plaster powder|plaster powder]]
: or, god forbid,
:*[[DF2010:Plaster powder|plaster Powder]].

:Also to further complicate things and draw this conversation into areas it probably shouldn't go, section headers should only have the first word capitalized, so it should be '''See also''', not '''See Also'''. This is neither here nor there, however, and is just a rule I picked up from Wikipedia. In general, I defer to Wikipedia practices when editing any wiki, since that's kind of the norm. --[[User:Mikaka|Mikaka]] 21:43, 6 April 2010 (UTC)
::Agreed, I think Wikipedia should be a general standard, unless there's a reason to change it, like our version namespaces. --[[User:Aescula|Aescula]] 21:40, 25 April 2010 (UTC)

:It's generally considered correct for bulletted/numbered lists and tabular data to be capitalised. Obviously, if people are capitalising article titles in non-lists, or in in-line lists within a sentence then that isn't correct. But for the specific example you gave, the correct capitalisation would be:

:'''See also:'''
:[[DF2010:Plaster powder|Plaster powder]]

:--[[User:Morlark|Morlark]]

== Footer ==

Fixed footer at bottom obstructs found items if you use seach in your broswer. For example, look at [DF2010:Creature_tokens] article in firefox, hit ctrl+f and type "MEGABEAST". String is found, but footer overlays its position, making it look like searching is broken. Suggestion: get rid of fixed position of footer, nothing on it needs to be visible all the time. [[Special:Contributions/85.207.18.54|85.207.18.54]] 11:31, 9 May 2010 (UTC)

== Dwarfs vs. Dwarves ==

I have seen a bit of a conflict of plurals throughout the wiki. For example on the [[Military]] page in the "Current Reported Military-Related Bugs" section both terms are used in separate instances. From a grammatical standpoint both forms are correct plurals, but it seems a bit inconsistent to see them both used within a line or two of each other. Which is correct?
:Spellcheck might not think so, but every noun ending in one "f" (calf, leaf, wolf) has it's plural form ending with "ves" (calves, leaves, wolves). I would argue that ''"dwarves"'' is the correct way to write it. --[[User:DUMBELLS|dUMBELLS]] 00:49, 30 April 2011 (UTC)
:Tolkien wrote it "dwarves" as do most fantasy authors. I don't think I've ever seen "dwarfs" anywhere but this wiki. I've actually been changing it to "dwarves" in any document I do any extensive editing in. Also, it is written "dwarves" in the game. --[[User:Ral|Ral]] 01:10, 30 April 2011 (UTC)
I do believe there is a growing tendency to differentiate between "dwarfs" (people suffering from dwarfism) and "dwarves" (fantasy race group). Even the Great Compendium of All Undisputed Knowledge (aka Wikipedia) mentions this in a footnote.
:As Ral mentioned, "[NAME:dwarf:'''dwarves''':dwarven]" - I'd say that's definitive enough. --[[User:Quietust|Quietust]] 02:39, 30 April 2011 (UTC)

== Labor pages side table suggestion ==

I think it would be immensely helpful to include in the side table on all labor-description pages what the associated skill's level actually affects - whether it is the quality of the resulting item/work, speed of completion, both, or whatnot.

I would gladly do so, but I have just begun playing DF - which is possibly why people longer affiliated with it may not even realize this is quite a big consideration for a potential reader of the wiki pages. Needless to say, but included for the sake of completion, I am not fully certain which labors fall under which aforementioned category.

--[[User:Sheepify|Sheepify]] 01:37, 30 April 2011 (UTC)
:I assume you're referring to '''Skill''' pages, since there are no labor pages (aside from Cleaning) for version 0.31.xx or even 40d (23a does have them, though, and I've been planning to create them for the sake of completeness). --[[User:Quietust|Quietust]] 02:38, 30 April 2011 (UTC)
:: The page at http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/Labor
::With

::DF2010:Labor
::From Dwarf Fortress Wiki
::(Redirected from Labor)

::in caption.

::Decided to make an addition to the discussion, though my suckage at wikiediting is of the highest... Myeah.
::--[[User:Sheepify|Sheepify]] 03:12, 30 April 2011 (UTC)
::P.S. Hah. Yes. The '''Skill''' pages that the Labor page links to. I'm slow, but I get there... occasionally :D

== New layout and information included for the Workshop pages ==

The workshop pages don't include any description of what the orders actually accomplish, or, for that matter, what is required to accomplish a specific task. This is most problematic for the Farmer's Workshop. In order to find out what each of the orders do, you have to click on the related labors listed at the top of the page. There is no indication that those links will tell you what the orders do. I'd like to propose a new layout for the Workshop pages, and then implement that across the board.

There is a workshop template on the right of every page, but it doesn't cover the actions in enough detail for new users. This is acceptable in some workshops, like Carpenter's Workshop, where everything is pretty straight-forward. You don't need a descriptive line of text underneath "Make wooden barrel" saying "This requires one piece of wood and produces a wooden barrel." In Farmer's Workshop, however, you DO need a line under "Process Plants (to barrel)" that tells you that this means you'll be making dwarven syrup, you'll need some sweet pods and an empty barrel. Or for "Process Plants (to bag)," which means that you'll need an empty bag, Quarry Bushes, and end up with Quarry Bush Leaves, a Rock nut, and that the bag will be filled with the Leaves, and can then be stored in a barrel.

So can I whip up a new format (possibly using tables) for the workshops and try it out? Who's in charge around here? ;)

Oh, and what brought me to this conclusion was that I'm relatively new to DF, and the most logical thing for me to do as a new player was to look at all the fun workshops I could make, and see what they did. The Workshop articles had me bouncing around the wiki too much. And my background is in information design and visual communications. So, hello!

Looking forward to input. [[User:Darchitect|Darchitect]] 23:15, 23 February 2012 (UTC)Darchitect

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

We already have the creature raws on each page. Why not add the entity raws for the applicable creatures, namely <s>Dwarfs</s> <s>Dwarves</s> [http://valarguild.org/varda/Tolkien/encyc/articles/d/dwarves/dwarfpluralof.htm Dwarrows], Elves, Humans, Goblins, Kobolds. All animal people civs use the same raws, so for them it may be better to create a seperate [[Animal Peoples]] page. [[User:Monkeyfetus|Monkeyfetus]] 01:52, 1 March 2012 (UTC)

== <nowiki>{{av}}</nowiki> template placement (and general article layout/order) ==

Not all templates place the <code><nowiki>{{av}}</nowiki></code> template at the top of the article, leading to an inconsistent look. Example: [[DF2012:Ivory]] vs [[DF2012:Animal caretaker]].
Which should we use?

In my opinion, articles look best with the av template above any notice boxes. This also prevents the version box from jumping around if another version didn't have a notice box. My proposal:

# First, include the quality template (usually automatic). This prevents a layout problem.
# Include the av template, if applicable. [[Dwarf_Fortress_Wiki:Community_portal|Some]] pages don't need it.
# Include any notice boxes, like [[Template:Image rules notice]], [[Template:buggy]], [[Template:old]], etc
# Include content
# Categories (probably doesn't matter, since placement is irrelevant)

--[[User:Lethosor|Lethosor]] ([[User_talk:Lethosor|talk]]) 02:11, 13 February 2013 (UTC)

== List of useful templates / new editor help? ==

Are there such things? As a somewhat experienced wiki editor, I'm mostly interested in the specific templates used around this wiki and their documentation. I already found out about [[Template:RT]] and its various subtemplates. Are there any templates for inserting large DF tile maps, formatted simply with <nowiki><pre></nowiki> instead of wikitables? Like in [[DF2012:Exploratory_mining]], for example. -[[Special:Contributions/91.156.198.36|91.156.198.36]] 10:07, 20 April 2013 (UTC)

:I was looking to correct the formatting on some misaligned text maps (like [[Workshop_design#3x3_rooms]]'s second example), but it looks like it should be triggering <nowiki><pre></nowiki> formatting already because of the leading space. Is there some other magic I should employ?--[[User:Subjunctive|Subjunctive]] ([[User talk:Subjunctive|talk]]) 00:42, 26 June 2014 (UTC)

::Actually, it might be a font issue for the high-ASCII characters on iPhone. That would be annoying!-[[User:Subjunctive|Subjunctive]] ([[User talk:Subjunctive|talk]]) 00:47, 26 June 2014 (UTC)

:::They look properly-aligned to me (not on mobile), but I'll change them to use diagrams instead. —[[User:Lethosor|Lethosor]] ([[User talk:Lethosor|talk]]) 00:55, 26 June 2014 (UTC)

::::Yeah, just discovered <nowiki><diagram></nowiki>. I'll see about converting all the ones I can find.-[[User:Subjunctive|Subjunctive]] ([[User talk:Subjunctive|talk]]) 01:22, 26 June 2014 (UTC)

Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Manual of Style

2014-06-26T01:22:19Z

Subjunctive: /* List of useful templates / new editor help? */

Dwarf Fortress Wiki:Sandbox

2014-06-26T01:21:16Z

Subjunctive:

{{sandbox}}
{{#df_foreachtag:
[LINK:ACTIVE:DF2012:Cat]
[LINK::v0.31:Cat]
[LINK::40d:Cat]
[LINK::23a:Cat]
|LINK|*link to [[\3:\4]] (\2)
}}

=== 3x3 rooms ===

This design makes it easier to contain berserk dwarves.

(Beware access may be blocked depending on a workshop's pattern of internal [[impassable tile]]s. Different workshops have different internal patterns of passable and impassable floor tiles. When building a workshop, Dwarf Fortress indicates which tiles are passable/impassable by pattern of light/dark green X's. The central tile is always passable, so for those using tilesets, similar tiles to the middle tile are passable.)
{{diagram|spaces=yes|1=\
╔═══╦═══┼..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
╩══┼╩┼══┼..
....X......
╦══┼╦┼══┼..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
║WWW║WWW║..
╚═══╩═══┼..

W = workshop
X = up/down staircase
. = floor
}}
Access and stockpiles are placed above and below the room. Similar workshops can be grouped together for easier checking on, and doors can be locked should a moody dwarf's wishes be unmet. This concept can be used for your entire fortress:

Below you can see a piece from around the central staircase, to see how the design should start. Notice that it is pretty modular, you can have two workshops pushed together, or you can separate them all, and you have a couple options on how you set up your entrances, connecting two workshops with one door, or leaving them with separate entrances. Up to you. Notice the initial diagonal terminates at a workshop, and starts the grid pattern.
<diagram>
║WWW║.║```║.║WWW║`
║WWW║.╠═══╣.║WWW║`
║WWW║.║WWW║.║WWW║`
╩═══┼.║WWW║.┼═══╩═
......║WWW║.......
══════┼═╦═┼═══┼═══
WWWWWW║.O.║WWW║WWW
WWWWWW╠OXO╣WWW║WWW
WWWWWW║.O.║WWW║WWW
══════┼═╩═┼═══┼═══
......║WWW║.......
╦═══┼.║WWW║.┼═══╦═
║WWW║.║WWW║.║WWW║`
║WWW║.╠═══╣.║WWW║`
║WWW║.┼WWW┼.║WWW║`
╚═══╣.║WWW║.╠═══╝`
````║.║WWW║.║`````
````║.╠═══╣.║`````
</diagram>
The floors alternate workshop/storage. On workshop floors the diagonals immediate to the main stairway are mined out a couple spaces to make room for the first workshops; around those you can start mining in straight lines and start a grid pattern. For storage floors you can leave a wall of stone around the staircase with only one or two walls mined out for access; then mine out everything around it. On the ground level you start by mining into a cave, clear out space for a trade depot, and mine out one spot where you build a single downward staircase; here the entire fortress starts. It works great and is very efficient, though it takes a while to get setup right.

Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Manual of Style

2014-06-26T00:47:43Z

Subjunctive: /* List of useful templates / new editor help? */

Dwarf Fortress Wiki talk:Manual of Style

2014-06-26T00:42:47Z

Subjunctive: /* List of useful templates / new editor help? */ Q about formatting of tile map text.