Dwarf Fortress Wiki - User contributions [en]

User:SwallowedSpear

2009-03-02T20:52:58Z

SwallowedSpear:

SwallowedSpear has been ecstatic lately. He has made changes to a page recently. He has admired own fine bed recently. He has been disgusted by miasma recently. He has been caught in the rain recently. He has eaten a legendary meal recently. He has slept in a good bedroom recently.

He is a worshipper of Lal.

SwallowedSpear likes lead, white opal, picks, coral, swords, large gems, and cows for their haunting moo. When possible, he prefers to consume plump helmet spawn. He absolutely detests purring maggots.

He rarely feels discouraged. He loves a good thrill. He has a good awareness of his own emotions. He takes time when making decisions. He needs alcohol to get through the working day. He enjoys being outdoors and grumbles only mildly at inclement weather.

40d Talk:Stories

2009-03-02T20:49:02Z

SwallowedSpear: /* A preface please */

Should this really be here? I think we should clear it out, no sense in having stories about the old version. --[[User:Roberto|Roberto]] 18:37, 30 October 2007 (EDT)

:I agree, blast it. --[[User:Infinity|Infinity]] 06:00, 31 October 2007 (EDT)

::The stories don't really change, honestly. I think they should stay. Also, would anyone be terribly offended at a link to the epic of Boatmurdered on this page? --[[User:The Good Professor|The Good Professor]] 22:37, 5 November 2007 (EST)

:::Not at all. The epic of Boatmurdered is epic and DF.
:::Also, I suggest that we delete a lot of the stories in here but keep the rest. Some, like "Parabolart's Carpenter," "A small problem" (whose image, which exists only on the old wiki, shows a permaflooded game), and "Next time, don't stand on it" are just plain bad, and others, like "Kerligmosus" and "A Love Story" aren't really even stories.
:::However, some stories, like "A Carpenters Dream" are well-written stories (if you ignore the grammer) and could be made from a game on any version of DF.
:::This does bring up the question of "how can I determine the quality of this story fairly," which isn't easy to answer. However, the only two alternatives to this that I see are to delete a lot of good stories or to keep a lot of junk. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 22:54, 5 November 2007 (EST)
:I think the stories should stay perhaps create a category for longer stories [[User:Jikor|Jikor]]
:The stories should stay--[[User:Nerd10101|Nerd10101]] 02:24, 9 December 2007 (EST)

I think the stories currently here could be archived to an older page and this page could be started again, it is getting rather large.--[[User:Arnos|Arnos]] 11:36, 1 January 2008 (EST)

:How about splitting it into individual pages? That's what we do on Wikipedia when a page gets extremely large. It doesn't take up significant extra space in the database, it'll be easier to manage, and this way the "worse" stories can be largely ignored without going through the heartache of deleting anything near to someone's heart. Personally, the "story" of the dwarves is the main draw of playing this game for me (that, and cool architecture). [[User:Bryan Derksen|Bryan Derksen]] 04:49, 27 April 2008 (EDT)

I think we should have a story submission page, could be this one. Then people nominate and vote on the best ones to go into a seperate story page. Anyone agree?--[[User:Cultiststeve|cultiststeve]] 11:41, 2 January 2009 (EST)

== GNU Community Fortress ==

I don't think it belong into the stories page. Could we have it moved?

== A preface please ==

Could someone add a preface at the top that explains just what this page is all about? I have no idea. Are these stories made up? Are they game generated? Are they from bloodline games? Are new stories welcome? Like I said, a preface that explains what this page is all about would be nice (just a few sentances).--[[User:Jpwrunyan|Jpwrunyan]] 23:24, 28 January 2009 (EST)

These are stories created by users based on their experiences in-game. They take what happened in-game, and go into more detail about it. [[User:SwallowedSpear|SwallowedSpear]] 15:49, 2 March 2009 (EST)

40d Talk:Swimmer

2009-01-27T18:53:21Z

SwallowedSpear:

Can you or can a dwarf not swim to the surface the answer says both. Maybe it means in adventurer mode? – [[template:unsigned|unsigned]] comment by [[User:Jikor|Jikor]]
: It was thought to be impossible, but then someone recorded a movie of a dwarf doing it, so...--[[User:SL|SL]] 20:38, 3 January 2008 (EST)

Are we sure that dwarves drown at the same rate with heavy or light equipment if they have swimming skill? Or is it just ones that have no skill?--[[User:SL|SL]] 20:38, 3 January 2008 (EST)
:I did the test for heavy vs. light, and I did not consider swimming ability. I just drowned two peasants, one in armour and one not. --[[User:Juckto|Juckto]] 05:49, 25 May 2008 (EDT)
::Just attempted to test it, but was unsuccesful as my two proficient swimmers climbed out of the pond I was trying to drown them in. So I added that to the article. --[[User:Juckto|Juckto]] 06:34, 25 May 2008 (EDT)

What are the exact requirements to build a drowning trap. I built a large outlook lake I could floor/empty. After luring some goblins into the area and filling it all to 7/7 the only goblin to drown was the one which stood directly under the area where the water entered from above. It seems that they will only drown if they are in 7/7 water and there is at least 1/7 water above them. Any confirmation/additions welcomed. [[User:Yvain|Yvain]] 16:49, 2 March 2008 (EST)
:If there is a roof above them they drown in 7/7 otherwise they can tread water, and keep their heads up to breath. --[[User:Ikkonoishi|Ikkonoishi]] 18:28, 2 March 2008 (EST)
::I've been dropping some of my caged goblins into a pit designed at the edge of a river, and they have no roof above them but are drowning quite nicely. [[User:G-Flex|G-Flex]] 02:17, 25 May 2008 (EDT)
:::Perhaps that's because the goblins are in cages? Maybe an uncaged goblin would be able to swim... on a related note, would it be advisable to place a chain in a swimming pool, to teach prisoners swimming skills? [[User:SwallowedSpear|SwallowedSpear]] 13:53, 27 January 2009 (EST)

I've been working on a water-pulse defensive mechanism, using flowing water to push things around, mostly to see if I can. Been getting some help on the DF forums. I'm going to make a few preliminary tests using dwarves as test subjects. In theory this should be a *safe* way to train swimming, because I don't know if continuous pulses of water will do enough drowning damage to kill something. ---[[User:Kefkakrazy|Kefkakrazy]] 02:18, 22 September 2008 (EDT)

== Learn to swim ==

If someone can improve the design, make a clearer image, or write better instructions, please do so. I don't know if what I wrote makes complete sense (it does to me, but then I already *know* what I mean), but it's a start at least. -[[User:Groveller|Groveller]] 14:58, 25 October 2008 (EDT)

:How much swimming skill do they tend to gain from the setup?--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 17:24, 25 October 2008 (EDT)

::I've not had much time to play with it since getting it working, but I think it'll be a fairly slow process. It could be sped up by widening the inlet channel, enlarging the reservoir and having less grates for drainage, but it also increases the risk of drowning. -[[User:Groveller|Groveller]] 06:11, 27 October 2008 (EDT)

== Dwarf Washing ==

Is there any actual way to wash blood splatters off a dwarf, in either adventure or fortress mode? Or is Grov's system just for fun? --[[User:RomeoFalling|RomeoFalling]] 21:52, 25 October 2008 (EDT)
:Captain Mayday might know. I remember reading in Nist Akath that that Captain Ironblod attempted to bathe, but the blood and vomit all over him wouldn't come off. I'm pretty sure this means it doesn't work. Might ask him what version he was using. --[[User:Xonara|Xonara]] 23:33, 24 January 2009 (EST)

== Surface definition ==

"Note that air-breathers will be unable to breathe two levels beneath the surface." What exactly is the surface? The empty space above the water or the topmost level of water? – [[template:unsigned|unsigned]] comment by [[User:Xonara|Xonara]]
: I think it actually means that air-breathers can't breathe in water deeper than 5/7, although I'll admit I could be wrong. -[[User:Fuzzy|Fuzzy]] 09:21, 3 November 2008 (EST)

::Maybe it means that you can't breathe in the bottom layer of a 2-layer reservoir? But that's kinda obvious, since it's always 7/7.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 13:16, 3 November 2008 (EST)

== The Underwater Nom ==

Placing a military dwarf previously ordered to carry two rations and a waterskin in a flooding chamber to teach him to swim, I discovered that dwarves are quite content to eat and drink while swimming, causing the floor of the chamber to be littered with turtle bones and shells from his pack. Is this the usual behavior, or was my dwarf just confused? --[[User:LucienSadi|LucienSadi]] 20:40, 11 December 2008 (EST)
:I seriously doubt Toady could have foreseen that kind of situation, and probably ignored it. Besides, as long as he's not drowning, I don't see any reason he shouldn't eat. I certainly wouldn't let myself starve just because I was in chest deep water :P --[[User:Xonara|Xonara]] 00:47, 25 January 2009 (EST)

== A couple observations ==

Swimmers won't path through water even if they're a legendary swimmer. Though, perhaps they should, currently water completely restricts work in the area. Also, dwarves can swim between z-levels. Non-novice swimmers, at least. --[[User:Xonara|Xonara]] 00:40, 25 January 2009 (EST)

40d Talk:Adventurer mode

2009-01-19T21:35:50Z

SwallowedSpear: Rip Van Winkle

How -do- you capture flies, anyway? --[[User:Alfador|Alfador]] 19:13, 5 November 2007 (EST)

How do I jump off cliffs in adventure mode? --[[User:Keizo|Keizo]]
: NO NO NO!!! Jumping of cliffs will quickly result in your death. A one z-level drop will cause injury, and oftentimes Cliffs are multiple z-levels high, and plunging 14 z-levels will kill you.--[[User:Axe27|Axe27]] 01:00, 5 October 2008 (EDT)

The [http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi forums] would probably be a better place to ask questions like these, though the movement thing would probably go well in this article. To 'catch' flies, simply be on the same tile as a swarm of them, and {{key|g}}et one as if it were an item on the ground. To jump off cliffs or other such features, hold Alt while moving, and it'll give you a choice of where you want to go in that direction. --[[User:Hesitris|Hesitris]] 06:54, 16 November 2007 (EST)

The best way to get live animals is to "L"ook/search in the square, which will dig up a multitude of small bugs. Store them in your backpack and go to town with "Spinning Live Cockroach Hits The Cougar In The Head! Its Brain Is Broken!"-ness. --[[User:DuckofDoom|DuckofDoom]] 20:19, 2 December 2007 (EST)

It mentions that you start out in the Mayor's House in a human town. Isn't that technically like the Town Hall or City Tavern, not the mayor's house. --[[User:Wahnsinniger|Wahnsinniger]] 20:57, 3 December 2007 (EST)

Erm, pressing P doesn't equip items. Instead it tries to put them in containers.[[User:Patarak|Patarak]] 02:59, 12 February 2008 (EST)

: Fixed "P", here's some news from 38a though: i met a legendary bowman, and she told me off when i asked her to join. No more <s>meat shields</s> companions except for Drunks now. --[[User:Digger|Digger]] 23:40, 18 February 2008 (EST)

:: Actually, its just the legendaries that ignore you. Lower class warriors are always happy to help. Sometimes they'll do your job for you!--[[User:Shadow archmagi|Shadow archmagi]] 05:50, 7 March 2008 (EST)

I think it might be a good idea to talk about making adventure mode run faster on this page. I can run a 6X6 fortress just fine, but for some reason, Adventure mode is slow as Toady's implementation of a UI. [[User:Pi|Pi]]

Might wanna add a note that it apears that drunks are fairly good at using captured weapons. Twice now I've hada drunk wield a spear with incredible skill, killing an ettin, and one time, me when i tried to take the spear back after it was lodged into a werewolf and he grabbed it.--[[User:Darkone|Darkone]] 18:52, 2 May 2008 (EDT)

Just added a note to wrestling noting that unconscious people are commonly found on beds and make terrific wrestling buddies.--[[User:Shadow archmagi|Shadow archmagi]] 14:42, 25 July 2008 (EDT)

==Starting Location/Gear==

It doesn't appear that humans start in the Mayor's house anymore, but in an inn of some sort. Additionally, my starting dwarf seemed to start in a valley with no dwarf settlement nearby. The dwarf was also lacking a wineskin. [[User:Aristoi|Aristoi]] 15:03, 4 August 2008 (EDT)
:As long as I've been playing, a good few months now, it's always been the case that I've started in the tavern/inn. My dwarf also started in a valley outside of a dwarf settlement, but near to one. Hadn't really played a as a dwarf adventurer before, so I thought nothing of it. --[[User:Zombiejustice|Zombiejustice]] 17:05, 4 August 2008 (EDT)
::Perhaps the article needs to have its wording changed then. There was no Mayor in the Inn, but I read on the forums there is a bug that causes him not to spawn sometimes. Additionally, on another Dwarf runthrough, the dwarf did have a wineskin, and I was in a similar valley, but the minimap "tracker" leads me to a wide "pit" that drops into the dwarf fortress but no door. I threw myself off and survived, but could not find an exit. Just many many empty rooms with occasional people.[[User:Aristoi|Aristoi]] 09:49, 5 August 2008 (EDT)

== Where's the party? ==

I've gone to several different towns now and have yet to find anybody listed as Drunk. Nor has anyone accepted my request to join. Do they still exist? Has my entire world gone on the wagon? --[[User:RomeoFalling|RomeoFalling]] 10:11, 23 October 2008 (EDT)

== "such enthusiasam" ==
i playing a dwarf in the current verison and try as i might i cannot get any millartys dwarfs to join me, the simply say "Ha! Such enthusiasam from one such as yourself"
What should i do? [[User:Gnomegnome|Gnomegnome]] 19:24, 15 November 2008 (EST)

:Gain more [[experience]] first.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 19:35, 15 November 2008 (EST)

::Adventurers seem to have alot of respect for those who have thrown a lot of rocks, tip-toed back and forth in the middle of the woods, and played in the surf on the beach. There's also troll zombie wrestling, a very popular sport...--[[User:Navian|Navian]] 19:48, 15 November 2008 (EST)

== How to STOP Wrestling? ==

Okay, having modded in a species with fairly fearsome attacks (Possibly too fearsome. Note to self: Scale back damage slightly) and gone running around in adventure mode, I've noticed that trying to actually use said attacks results in a lot of "you grab the wolf by the left front leg! You release your grip on the wolf's left front leg! You grab the wolf by the right front leg! You release your grip on the wolf's right front leg!" as opposed to ripping them in half or clawing them to shreds. Not knowing much about the combat preferences and such, is there a way to affect what kind of attack is performed when fighting unarmed?--[[User:Quil|Quil]] 10:02, 17 November 2008 (EST)

Pressing {{key|c}}, willll bring up combat preferences. The options are 'according to opponent', 'strike', 'charge', and 'close combat'. You want 'strike', 'close combat' is probably what it's been assuming is best 'according to opponent'. --[[User:Navian|Navian]] 16:18, 17 November 2008 (EST)

Mmm, could've sworn that I'd tried it on that setting, but I'll go back and take another look. Thanks for confirming what I suspected; that it was something related to combat preferences.--[[User:Quil|Quil]] 16:26, 17 November 2008 (EST)

== Rip Van Winkle ==

Sleeping is taking FOREVER. Any way to wake up early? [[User:SwallowedSpear|SwallowedSpear]] 16:35, 19 January 2009 (EST)

40d:Starting location

2009-01-17T01:44:55Z

SwallowedSpear: /* Magma */ Fun fact: "invaluable" does not mean "worthless".

A '''starting location''' (also called a ''starting site'') is a group of map tiles where a [[dwarf|dwarven]] settlement is located. Starting out in the right location is crucial to not [[fun|losing]]. Beginning players have several things to keep in mind when selecting a site.

== Choosing sites ==

[[Image:Embark_info.PNG|thumb|right|The Choose Fortress Location screen.]] When starting [[dwarf fortress mode]], the "Choose Fortress Location" screen allows you to choose your site. The right-hand pane shows its location within the entire generated [[world]]; the middle pane ("[[Region]]") shows the general [[biome|terrain]] types and [[civilization]]s in the area; and the left-hand pane shows the "Local" map. The {{k|u}}{{k|m}}{{k|k}}{{k|h}} and {{k|U}}{{k|M}}{{k|K}}{{k|H}} keys allow you to change the placement and size of your starting site within the region map -- any rectangular shape from 2x2 tiles up to the entire local area (16x16 tiles). The site you choose must contain at least one non-[[mountain]]/[[river]] square to be accessible to travelers as well as your settlers.

The far-right pane displays text information about the map tiles you have selected. Sites will usually span more than one [[biome]] type; to see the information on each biome, press the function keys ({{k|F1}} through {{k|F8}}, depending on how many biomes are contained in your site). Each biome will be home to different [[creatures]] as well as different types of rock and [[stone|rock layers]].

Pressing {{k|tab}} will show other location information as well:
* What civilizations can reach the site (remote sites such as [[glacier]]s and [[island]]s are often accessible only to dwarven [[immigrant]]s and [[trade]]rs; all other locations are usually accessible to dwarves, [[elves]], [[humans]], and [[goblins]]).
* What dwarven civilization you want your settlers to be from. Depending on whether you chose a civilization from the north, the middle or the south, you will get a combination of [[muskox]]es, [[mule]]s, [[horse]]s or [[camel]]s with your [[wagon]]. More importantly, when you select your starting equipment or make a trade agreement with the dwarven [[Trading|traders]] later you will only be able to select stones that are available at the locations of the other fortresses of your civilization. If you want to later import [[flux]] stone, [[bituminous coal]] or [[bauxite]], you need to chose wisely. You can see what items you civilization has access to on the embark screen. If you are not satisfied, you can abort the game at that stage and start the same map again, on the same location, but choosing a different dwarven civilization. This might similarly determine what kind of [[metal]]s and [[meat]] you can buy.

* The "relative elevation" of the site (useful for seeing how mountainous the terrain is)
* A "cliff indicator" (useful for the same reason)

It is recommended to choose the smallest site possible that still contains all the map features you want ([[river]], [[magma]], [[trees]], etc.) Sites larger than about 6x6 (36 tiles) will run slowly on all but the newest/fastest computers, and even a 6x6 site will probably not run at maximum speed (100 FPS) on a fast computer once several dwarves [[immigration|immigrate]] to the site (see [[maximizing framerate]] for more details).

The utility [[Utilities#Regional Prospector|Regional Prospector]] is very useful in identifying what kind of map features exist underground ([[chasm]]s, [[pits]], [[magma]], [[lake]]s, etc.) This makes good starting sites much easier to find, although it takes away the "surprise" of stumbling upon these features on your own (which may be good or bad, depending on your play style).

Once you have chosen the tiles you want for your site, press {{k|e}} to have your settlers embark on their journey. You will then be prompted to choose what [[starting builds|starting equipment and skills]] you want them to have (you can also choose to have them start with the default equipment and skills).

The [[pregenerated worlds]] page contains several pre-scouted sites (some downloadable), with descriptions of what kinds of resources are available in each.

== Surroundings ==

It's probably a good idea to avoid [[Haunted]], [[Sinister]], and [[Terrifying]] biomes, as well as extremes of cold and heat. Fortunately that still leaves you with a lot of options most of the time. Make sure you've got at least some [[trees]] and vegetation.

Make sure you at least have [[contact]] with [[Dwarves]]; [[Humans]] are also good [[trading]] partners. If you get those two, you'll probably be around [[Elves]] and [[Goblins]] too. Elves will trade some things, but are picky about what they'll accept; Goblins will just lay siege to your fortress every so often once they get angry enough about your presence.

== Terrain ==

[[Mountain]] squares will contain certain features, and each world map [[mountain]] tile is guaranteed an [[underground river]], a [[chasm]], and [[pits]] somewhere in the mountain tiles of the local view. Also, mountainous areas are worth looking into for the [[stone]] and greater probability of finding [[magma]].

[[Water]] is also a valuable commodity, for the purposes of [[farming]] and [[drinking]]. [[Ocean]] water is not drinkable. (See [[#Water |Water]] below.)

[[Forest]], [[jungle]] and [[swamp]] tiles with heavy vegetation are also beneficial for their ample supplies of [[wood]]. (See [[#Lumber |Lumber]] below.)

Some [[biomes]] will also contain unique types of fauna and flora. (See [[#Vegetation|Vegetation]] below.)

The surrounding elevation is a matter of preference. Elevation is represented in numbers from 1 to 9 and the * character for changes in elevation greater than 9. If you want an extreme landscape, with sheer cliffs and drop-offs, then pick a location with a large amount of elevation change (elevation changes of 4 or greater.) If you'd like a flatter landscape, try to settle in an area with low elevation (1's and 2's.) Remember: the more Z-levels you have on your map, the more data your computer will have to process. More Z-Levels will result in decreased performance.

== Layers ==

Pay attention to the [[layer]] types listed on the right when choosing a location. The ones listed in white are [[:Category:Sedimentary Stone Layers|sedimentary]] layers, which have the most [[iron]] [[ore]]s and are the only ones containing [[bituminous coal]]. If you plan to have [[steel]] production, you will also need a supply of [[flux]] stones. Since flux stones are almost always confined to their own layers, keep an eye out for them.

Any layer listed in brown is top[[soil]]. It can be used for farming even without water, but it only rarely contains small amounts of [[stone]] or [[ore]].

Dark gray layers are [[:Category:Igneous Extrusive Stone Layers|igneous extrusive]]. If you want valuable [[metal]]s like [[gold]] and [[aluminum]], these are your best bet.

== Water ==

[[Farming]] won't get you much in the middle of a [[desert]], though you can farm directly on [[sand]]. Try to find an area with a [[brook]] -- larger water sources can hinder [[mining]]. If the game warns you that you've selected an area with an [[aquifer]], pay attention: it's likely going to be very difficult to get through it to the stone below.

Currently a permanent source of water isn't required because farms don't dry out, this is expected to change. If your map starts with even the smallest pond you can dig under it, drain it into the room (and down again if there's that much water), and build a farm on the residual mud – water levels of 1/7 can be ignored when placing the farm plot.

== Lumber ==

The amount of [[tree]]s in the selected [[biome]] will be listed on the right hand side of your location selection screen. [[Treeless]] maps should be avoided by new players.

Trees grow on the lower surface z-levels, so make sure you have a nice large swath to chop down. Just because the biome says "heavily forested" doesn't mean you will actually have trees.

== Vegetation ==

The local flora can be a good source of [[seed]]s, [[alcohol]], and [[food]] for a just started fortress. Use the [[Gather plants]] [[designation]] to collect them for use.

=== Magma ===

Unlike in previous versions, you aren't guaranteed to find a source of [[magma]], unless you have a [[volcano]] or magma vent at your starting location. Sure, you could burn [[charcoal]] to fuel your smithies, but the convenience of magma makes it unnecessary. The site selection screen can give you a good idea of whether or not you'll be able to get any: look for darker igneous rocks like [[basalt]], [[obsidian]], [[gabbro]], and so on.

=== Towns ===

Towns created by other civilizations exist only for your benefit. Humans won't mind at all if you tear apart their main pub to build your tunnel entrance. {{version|0.27.176.38c}} Also, their buildings provide plentiful [[wood]] (a small house contains 34 wood logs. Other buildings have much more.) and other useful items such as prebuilt [[furniture]] and ready to sell trade goods.

{{World}}

{{Starting FAQ}}

[[Category:Guides]]

40d:Your first fortress

2009-01-16T21:31:40Z

SwallowedSpear: /* Selecting a dig site */ Changed "mine" to "dig".

This is a guide to help new players get started on their first [[fortress]] and teach them the basics of keeping their [[dwarf|dwarves]] alive. If you have unanswered questions or find given details confusing, please tell us so on the [[Talk:Your_first_fortress|discussion page]]! Above all else, always remember the [[Dwarf Fortress]] motto: "Losing is fun!"

We discuss generating a world, choosing a fortress location, buying [[skill]]s and items, and playing the first month or so. Setting game initialization options is covered in [[technical tricks]]. The advice here is biased for safety; with a little experience you'll do better with strategies customized for your play style and preferred start locations. For more extended treatment of particular subjects, consult the linked pages or the rest of the Dwarf Fortress Wiki.

== Generating a world ==

It all starts here. The first thing to do when starting Dwarf Fortress is to [[World generation |create a world]]. Later on, you may wish to tweak the parameters to suit your play style, but for now, the ''Create New World Now!'' option is an easy way to get into your first game.

The engine will start to create the world--watch it unfold! You might notice that worlds are rejected, sometimes even after the generator begins running rivers and lakes. This is normal, as the generator seeks a world which meets the criteria for optimum Dwarven Fun.

Generating a standard random world can take several minutes. You can speed things up by selecting ''Design New World with Parameters'' instead of ''Create New World Now!'' and setting a smaller world size. These worlds tend to be less interesting and replayable, but work well if you want to try new things.

Once you've generated a world you will return to the main screen and there will be a new option, <tt>Start Playing</tt>. Upon selecting that you can choose the game mode - [[Dwarf fortress]], [[Adventurer]], or [[Legends]]. This article is written with respect to Fortress mode.

See the article on [[world generation]] for a complete guide to the world generation screen.

== Choosing a location ==

=== The interface ===

So long as you have at least one world without an active game, you will be able to choose "Start Playing" from the main menu. Select "Dwarf Fortress" and you'll find a four-section window:

[[Image:FortressLocation_fd2f10.png | caption | This picture is shown with the default tileset. Other [[tilesets]] are available]]

Going from left to right, these windows represent:
*The local map. The black box represents the area that your fortress will occupy if you decide to embark. The blue line is a stream, the green icons represent forests and swamps, and the gray triangles are mountain slopes.
*The regional map. This is like zooming out from the local map. The entire local map is represented by that yellow X. Most of the region is forest, with a mountain range in the bottom right. The two light blue lines are minor rivers.
*The world map. This is zooming out all the way. The yellow X represents the approximate position of the region.
*Information about the area that the black box is occupying. More on this below.

You can move around the region map with {{k|←}}{{k|↑}}{{k|→}}{{k|↓}}, or at 10x speed with {{k|Shift}}+{{k|←}}{{k|↑}}{{k|→}}{{k|↓}}. Note that using {{k|Shift}} can cause the key to get "stuck" - press it again to cancel.

You can move around the local map with these keys:
{{k|u}}
{{k|h}} {{k|k}}
{{k|m}}

You cannot directly move around the world map. Movement across the world map is shown relative to your movement on the region map. In world generated with the default settings, each square of the world map contains several squares of the region map.

Your next goal will be choosing the starting location for your fortress.

=== Your surroundings ===

You can discern a lot of information by scrolling through the various modes. The interface has five modes which you cycle through by pressing {{k|TAB}}. In turn, they display the ''biomes'', ''civilizations'', and ''geology'' of the local area.

====Biomes screen====
This display gives you an idea for the environment you'll be parachuting into. Click any of the blue links for more information on the subject. [[Biome]]s are determined by the type of life in the area. On the Biome screen, you'll see:
* '''[[Temperature]]''': How hot or cold it gets in the area. Can be ''Freezing'', ''Cold'', ''Temperate'', ''Warm'', ''Hot'', and ''Scorching''. In a nutshell, temperature extremes make it harder to get and keep a reliable source of [[water]] going. In Freezing and Scorching climates, you may have to do without water at all. Temperate and Warm are both good places to start your first fort. 
* '''Amount of [[tree]]s, and [[plant|other vegetation]]''': A general indication of the density of plant life in the area. For trees, this can be ''none'', ''scarce'', ''sparse'', ''woodland'', or ''heavily forested''. For other plants, you can see ''none'', ''scarce'', ''moderate'', and ''thick''. Trees are chopped down for [[wood]], which is a critical, if small, part of your fortress. You can import lots of it from [[caravan]]s, so don't worry too much about it. However, more trees never hurt anyone, and totally treeless maps are quite a bit more difficult in the early going, so aim for ''sparse'' or greater trees. Other plants basically means shrubs, bushes, and other vegetation that you can harvest food from with the [[plant gathering]] skill. Generally speaking, you will use this trick in the first year of your fortress, then never again. [[Plant]] density is not very important. 
* '''[[Surroundings]]''': This is a hint at how wild the wilderness is. The outskirts of a jungle might be fairly calm and safe, while the heart of that same jungle could be thick with vicious predators. In game terms, this will clue you in to the specific types of [[tree]]s and [[plant]]s you will find, in addition to indicating the [[animal]] types you'll run into. This also clues you in to the ''alignment'' of the surrounding area. So, the two things this word tells you is how ''good'' or ''evil'' an area is, and how ''calm'' or ''savage'' an area is. ''Good''-aligned areas, from calm to savage, are ''serene'', ''mirthful'', or ''joyous wilds''. ''Neutral''-aligned areas are, from calm to savage, ''calm'', ''wilderness'', or ''untamed wilds''. ''Evil''-aligned areas are, from calm to savage, ''sinister'', ''haunted'', or ''terrifying''. ''Good'' zones tend to have one of the most aggressive animals in the game, the [[unicorn]], and ''evil'' areas have a multitude of [[undead]] and some of the most vicious [[creature]]s in the game. For your first fortress, stick to a ''neutral'' alignment. 
* '''Major land forms''': A last field, which will not always be full, will mention things you should know about, like [[river]]s. Rivers provide an unlimited source of [[water]], but can be home to dangerous fish like the [[longnose gar]] and [[carp]]. Still, though, the benefits generally far outweigh the risks. [[Volcano]]es are also noted here, one of the only guaranteed ways to get [[magma]]. Magma makes a few things a lot easier, but it is dangerous to work with and must be handled very carefully because of the [[fire imp|horrible]] [[magma man|creature]]s that come out of it. Not critical, especially not for your first time out. 

Sometimes, you'll be looking at a place with more than one [[biome]] in the same selected square. You can press {{k|F1}} {{k|F2}} {{k|F3}} or {{k|F4}} to view the different types of biomes. In the picture above, we are looking at the mountain in the center, which is cold and has no trees or plants because it's too high up for those things to grow.

====Civilization screen====
These are nearby [[civilization]]s that are capable of interacting with you. Other settlements are shown with various symbols on the regional map. The possible entries here are ''dwarves'', ''humans'', ''elves'', ''goblins'', and ''kobolds''.
* '''[[dwarf|Dwarves]]''': You will want to be in contact with dwarves to get [[immigrant]]s and a dwarven trading caravan. However, dwarves are, sometimes seemingly magically, everywhere. It is impossible to settle anywhere without dwarves, assuming there is at least one surviving dwarven civilization. Depending on how remote the area is, though, you may not get some of the features of the game you would otherwise: being cut off from the world will prevent most [[noble]]s from coming to your fort, which will stop the [[dwarven economy]] from ever being activated. You will also not get a [[liason]] with your dwarven caravan, so you will be unable to request goods. 
* '''[[Humans]]''': Humans are almost always friendly, and love [[trade]]. They send [[liaison]]s to let you request goods and are generally a huge boon to any fortress. 
* '''[[Elves]]''': Elves are usually friendly and make fair trading partners, but have a [[Trade#Elves|particular ethos]] about trading. They do not send a trade [[liason]] and their goods are luxuries at best. They can be very annoying, but are generally not dangerous unless you provoke them. 
* '''[[Goblin]]s''': Goblins are your main enemies in Dwarf Fortress, and will produce most of the aggression against your fort. They periodically launch ambushes, consisting of five to ten goblin warriors, and will send [[siege]]s after your fort reaches 80 dwarves. [[Trap]]ped entrances, [[war dog]]s, and eventually a [[military]] will be needed to repel them. Just be sure not to start in the middle of a goblin citadel. 
* '''[[Kobold]]''': Kobolds are petty thieves that are little more than irritations in most situations. If you are careless and let their thieves get away with a lot of stuff, though, they may upgrade to raiding parties of archers.

====Elevation screen====
Relative [[elevation]]. This is a normal topographic map that you're used to from real-life maps. It just gives you an idea of the lay of the land.
====Slope screen====
[[Slope]] steepness. This shows you where large cliffs are. Try to avoid [[cliff]]s of 4 or more, as the taller maps take a lot more computer power to run. On the other hand, flat areas are boring - a good elevation map contains lots of low elevation changes ranging from 1 to 4. However, choosing areas with high elevation changes gives you much more stone, ore, and gems to work with and may even provide decent protection against invaders. It's your choice in the long run, particularly if you don't really care about performance.
====Embark alerts====
When you're satisfied with your area and hit {{k|e}} to embark, you may get some alerts about being in a very difficult area, or about an [[aquifer]]. Aquifers can make it frustrating to get started, so if you are alerted about an aquifer, seriously consider moving somewhere else for your first fortress. After you have the basics down, tackling an aquifer is much easier.
====Location recap====

For your first fortress, it's not entirely important. However, there are some general guidelines that can help you decide: 

* Try to get a temperate or warm climate, since extreme temperatures are more difficult.
* Trees and vegetation are good for producing lumber and food for your fortress, but you don't need tons of them.
* ''Neutral''-aligned [[surroundings]] are best for your first fortress, but ''good''-aligned surroundings are also OK. Avoid ''evil''-aligned surroundings, however.
* Running water ([[river]]s, streams, and [[brook]]s) are a permanent source of [[water]]. [[Lake]]s and [[pool]]s have a finite amount of water and may dry out. Not having enough water can be a big obstacle, so try to get some running water your first time out.
* [[Humans]] and [[elves]] are friendly, so an area they have access to is nice.
* [[Magma]] is cool (hah!), but not critical.
* Areas with [[aquifer]]s require some engineering to get to rock. You'll be warned if you chose an area with an aquifer. When in doubt, don't try it.
** If you insist on starting in an area with an aquifer, read up on the dangers of aquifers, and, if at all possible, choose an embark site that includes an aquifer-less [[biome]].
* Who cares? If you like what you see, go for it. You can always start over. And remember the DF motto: Losing is fun! 

For more information on specific game mechanics such as [[sand]], [[flux]], and how to find [[iron]], check [[How_to_correctly_start_fortress_mode|this page]].

==== Fortress size ====

Once you've decided on location, you need to decide the size of your fortress area. This is the size of the game field you're playing on. Advantages of requesting a large local area include more raw materials, greater diversity of [[rock]]s and special underground features, and the ability to include desired terrain (such as a river, a forest, or a magma vent). Disadvantages include slower game performance (larger areas require more CPU power), higher likelihood of merchants failing to reach your [[trade depot]] before they run out of time, and more risk of losing immigrants as they struggle to your front [[gate]]. (Note that you can [[mine]] many levels deep into the ground, and even a 3x3 area generally contains more raw materials than you're ever likely to need.)

You can adjust the size of your fort's area by using {{k|SHIFT}} + the {{k|u}} {{k|m}} {{k|k}} or {{k|h}} keys. 

=== Embark ===

When done, hit {{k|e}} to embark. A warning may appear if you've chosen a challenging site, or one with an [[aquifer]].

==Buying skills and items==
After you embark, you're given the option to either start immediately or prepare for the journey carefully. You should pretty much always prepare carefully if you enjoy staying alive.

Here, presumably, you are the dwarf determining who will go and what they will take. You have a total of 2060☼ to spend in two categories: Skilled dwarves and items. Some items have already been selected for you, but you probably won't want most of these.

There are as many possible ways to approach setting up as there are fortress locations. The [[starting builds]] page offers several examples for you to choose from. Here, we are only going to discuss some basics that help you understand enough to make your own decisions. The embark screen opens up on the ''skills'' screen, and can be changed to the ''items'' screen by pressing {{k|TAB}}.

===Skills===
In Dwarf Fortress, it's not what you have, it's who you have. Skilled dwarves are the cornerstone of everything, from domestics to security, so it's extremely important to embark with good people.

As you will see in this screen, you have 7 dwarves, all with 10 points to put toward starting skills. We will want to use all 10 of the points on all 7 of the dwarves. By default, you won't have enough ☼ to do this, so hit {{k|TAB}} to go to the items screen and hit {{k|-}} over the ''Steel battle axe'' line to give subtract one. This should give you enough ☼ to assign all your skills. You can only spend 5 of the 10 points in any one skill, making the maximum skill level upon embark ''proficient''. This makes a total of 14 ''proficient'' skills, or a larger number of lower skill levels. 

In a fledgling fortress, the 4 indispensable jobs are [[mason]], [[miner]], [[grower]], and [[carpenter]]. A good beginning strategy is to embark with at least 1 dwarf being ''proficient'' in these 4 skills. Many people choose to double up on proficient miners and growers, since mining and farming are both pretty big jobs.

Other useful skills to consider: 
* '''[[Cook]]:''' Cooks make [[prepared meal]]s in the [[kitchen]], which helps you manage your food stock space. Well-prepared meals are also valuable [[trade]] goods, and make dwarves happy when eaten. Highly skilled cooks make better meals, and prepare meals faster. 
* '''[[Brewer]]:''' Brewers make [[booze]] in the [[still]]. Dwarves being dwarves, they need alcohol to operate at peak efficiency, and highly-skilled brewers make better tasting booze and finish brewing faster. Dwarves get happier when they drink good booze. 
* '''[[Herbalist]]:''' Herbalists gather food and seeds from [[shrub]]s in the local area. Skilled herbalists pick faster and come away with far more food. Where an unskilled herbalist will come away with one [[wild strawberry]] or none at all, a proficient herbalist will often pick 3, 4, or sometimes 5. 
* '''[[Woodcutter]]:''' Woodcutters fell [[tree]]s for use by [[carpenter]]s. Highly skilled woodcutters fell trees much faster. However, since you don't need that much wood, you can get away with a normal (no tag) woodcutter just fine. 
* '''[[Mechanic]]:''' Mechanics build and use [[mechanism]]s, which have myriad uses in [[trap]]s, [[lever]]s and some [[machine]]s. Highly skilled mechanics finish installing mechanisms much faster, and the mechanisms they build are of higher quality. However, the quality of the mechanism primarily matters to beginning players for its [[trade]] value, and in early fortresses the need for mechanisms is usually so small that any dwarf can pick it up and handle it well enough. Still, a solid choice, especially if you like [[trap]]s, which respond more quickly when made with higher-quality mechanisms. 
* '''[[Armorsmith]], [[Weaponsmith]], and [[Siege engineer]]:''' These 3 skills are not useful at all in an early fortress, but become very important later on, and training an unskilled dwarf in these skills is hard and requires a lot of material, so if you're in it for the long haul, consider them. 
* '''Military skills ([[Wrestler]], [[Axedwarf]], [[Hammerdwarf]], etc):''' Early on, it's unlikely that you'll need these, since there's generally very few things that will bother a band of dwarves who aren't hurting anyone, but certain places, such as those with a [[chasm]], will have hostile creatures around. In these areas, you may consider giving your woodcutter the Axedwarf skill so he can use his chopping axe as a weapon. 
* '''Social skills ([[Appraiser]], [[Judge of Intent]], [[Consoler]], etc):''' Putting these on one dwarf will make them a shoo-in for the Expedition Leader slot, and ranks in Appraiser and Judge of Intent will make interacting with the first caravan much easier. However, even if you don't train this at all, some persistence in trading with the first caravan will level your leader up enough to trade with the second caravan like a champion. 

Once again, examples can be found in the [[starting builds]] page. What you bring is incredibly dependent on your play style, though. Some people think bringing Mechanics along is a total waste of time, others consider them indispensable. Some people like having skills that aren't even on this list, like [[Leatherworker]]. Read the starting builds, ask questions, and explore! Who cares if your first idea doesn't work out after playing an hour? Restarting is easy and ''losing is fun''.

===Items===
Now that we're done with assigning skills, hit {{k|TAB}} to go over to the item screen. Item worth is another extremely situational thing, and you'll find as many opinions as there are Dwarf Fortress players as to what is good to bring. Once more, it depends VERY heavily on your play style. Again, [[starting builds]] can provide some good example reading. This section will only cover the basics and give you enough information to make your own decisions.

====Tools====
You'll need a couple of finished tools to get yourself started.
* '''[[Battle axe]]s''': Every [[Woodcutter]] needs an axe. Steel battle axes are the only type you can purchase on this screen, and they're expensive. You might want to bring just one, unless you expect to need a lot of lumber and/or axedwarf muscle. 
* '''[[Pick]]s''': Likewise, [[Miner]]s need picks. All picks work equally well, their material only determines the damage they do in combat. Thus, copper picks are the budgeting dwarf's choice, at a paltry 20☼ each. 
* '''[[Anvil]]''': One of the big questions to ask yourself is whether to bring an anvil on embark. It's extremely expensive at 1000☼, but to start a [[metal]] industry, you will either have to start with one or request and purchase (or steal!) one from a [[caravan]] somewhere down the line.

Generally, if you are going to a very mountainous area where you're likely to see lots of ore and you want to be able to make use of it right from the get-go, bring an anvil. If you're going to spend a few years getting your fortress established before worrying about metal production, drop it and bring more raw commodities. 

One occasional problem is that axes and picks are absent entirely. If this is the case, you can bring the materials to build these things yourself.
* Purchase an anvil.
* Purchase 3 rocks that are not [[lignite]], [[bituminous coal]], or [[graphite]]. Any other rocks will work fine.
* Purchase fuel for the forge. You can purchase it outright as charcoal at 10☼ per unit, or refine it yourself for a big savings.
** To refine it yourself, purchase one unit of charcoal, and several (at least 5) units of [[bituminous coal]]. When you arrive on site, make sure someone has the [[furnace operating]] labor enabled ({{k|v}} to select a dwarf, then select {{k|p}}references and {{k|l}}abor to designate a dwarf's labor assignments), and build a [[smelter]] (hit {{k|b}}, then {{k|e}}, then {{k|s}}). Order the smelter to turn bituminous coal into [[coke]]. [[Coke]] is functionally the same as [[charcoal]], and bituminous coal produces 3 coke for each hunk of rock you bring. You need the first hunk of charcoal to start the string, but after that it feeds itself.
* Purchase metal to shape. You can buy bars directly to save time, or again, smelt it yourself. Take [[copper]] to start out with. It's cheap, and with any luck your initial tools aren't going to see heavy combat. You can take the materials for [[bronze]], [[iron]], or [[steel]] if you like, but this is more expensive. Still, if you're willing to go through the process, you can end up with 2 steel axes, likely of decent quality, for 82☼, instead of 600☼, with no quality modifiers at all.
** If you want to save points and smelt it yourself, take copper nuggets instead of copper bars, and use the smelter to convert them into copper bars.
** A good ore to bring along is [[tetrahedrite]] - it acts simultaneously as the ore for copper and [[silver]], a good crafting metal. (That is, with every piece of tetrahedrite, you will always get a copper bar, and will sometimes get a silver bar as well [about a 20 percent chance, or one in five].) This kills two birds with one stone (heh): you still have your copper, and if you get silver you can smelt metal crafts for use as [[trade]] goods. 
* Fuel and metal in hand, deconstruct the smelter (if needed; {{k|q}} to highlight, then {{k|x}} to deconstruct), and construct a [[metalsmith's forge]]. Make sure someone has [[weaponsmith]]ing on. After the forge is up, order it to make the axes and picks you need. Deconstruct the forge when you're done and enjoy your new tools, hopefully with [[quality]] modifiers!

====Raw materials====
As it was briefly covered above, sometimes it makes more sense to bring a lot of raw materials than some finished goods. Raw materials are a lot cheaper than finished goods, and so long as you invest heavily in your dwarves' skills (which you should!), you can probably make better quality stuff, anyway.
*'''[[Stone]]''': Only bring this if you're trying to build some of your tools on the spot, as noted above. Otherwise, you will get stone coming out of your ears once you start mining. 
*'''[[Metal]]''': Generally not recommended. However, if you're expecting trouble and you're bringing an anvil, bringing many bars of [[iron]] and [[charcoal]] in lieu of a [[battle axe]] can be a big boon. If your dwarves can get to a spot that gives them a breather, a proficient [[weaponsmith]] or [[armorsmith]] could stamp out high-quality goods to give your dwarves a better fighting chance. This is a pretty advanced trick to pull off, though, so don't try to pull it if you're not confident. 
*'''[[Wood]]''': Wood is a bargain at only 3☼ per log, and the 100 logs you can bring in exchange for a steel battle axe will last you a long time. This is a great technique for making [[Woodcutter]] unneeded in the early game, but you need to budget your wood use for the first year very carefully. When you're out, you're out! 

====Consumables====
Easily the most important part of your preparation is what you're going to eat, drink, and plant once you get on site. Without food and booze, you're not going much of anywhere.
*'''[[Food]]''': Most food comes at a mere 2☼ per unit, and 8 units will feed 1 dwarf for a year. Bringing a year of food will give you a good cushion to getting your farms working, so aim for about 60 food if you can. If you must cut back, though, 40 will be fine if you make your farms an early priority. The best food staple to bring along is [[turtle]]. Turtle produces [[shell]] and [[bones]] when eaten, which can be used as raw materials for other things you need, including armor, crossbows, and crossbow bolts. Further, shell is a common request for [[strange mood]]s and is a pain to produce, so getting some early could save yourself a failed mood and a dead dwarf. 
*'''[[Booze]]''': Dwarves drink twice as often as they eat, and they always want to down some alcohol if at all possible. They also like different kinds of alcohol. Bring twice as much booze as you bring food, and divide it evenly among the 4 types of alcohol you can take ([[dwarven wine]], [[dwarven beer]], [[dwarven ale]], [[dwarven rum]]). 
*'''[[Seeds]]''': Your farms have got to start somewhere. Definitely bring along [[plump helmet spawn]] (for food and booze) and [[pig tails]] (for cloth ropes and booze variety). How many you bring is dependent on how big you want your initial farms to be. 5 of each is plenty to feed your initial dwarves, and you will get more seeds any time the plants are consumed in any way ''except cooking''. You may want to use the [[kitchen]] menu to disallow cooking of plump helmets until you have a healthy supply of seeds. Or, alternatively, just don't make any prepared meals until you've got a healthy supply of seeds. The other seed types require a lot more labor to use properly, and should probably wait until you have more dwarves in the fortress. You can buy seeds from the dwarven caravan for almost nothing, but if you want a greater variety along, go for [[rock nuts]]. The [[quarry bush]] that sprouts from it produces the greatest space to yield ratio in the game. Eventually, though, you should be planting all 6 of the underground [[crop]]s at least. 
Food and booze are stored in [[barrel]]s, with each type in its own barrel. Since barrels have a 10-unit capacity, you can get a lot of free barrels by starting with many, many kinds of food in quantities which in end 1. Barrels are important, and usually need wood to make, so it's worth it to use this quirk while you can by starting with at least one unit of every type of food. 
Seeds are stored in [[bag]]s in multiples of 14, also by type. Bags are not as important as barrels, since making cloth bags is a good way to train up your [[clothier]], but you ''can'' do the math to figure out how to get an extra bag for the cost of a single seed, if you're so inclined: get a multiple of 14, plus 1.

====Animals====
Not only dwarves live in your fortress, after all.
*'''[[Dog]]s''': Dogs are dwarf's best friend. They can be trained into [[hunting dog]]s or [[war dog]]s, require no food or maintenance, and make good pets for your dwarves. Always bring at least 2. Genders alternate when picking them up, so 2 will give you a breeding pair that will have more puppies freely. They make fantastic security early and fantastic dwarfsaving distractions later on. Dogs will happily lay down their lives to protect their master, which is huge when it means one of your best legendary dwarves is running away from an angry [[goblin]]. 
*'''[[Cat]]s''': Cats provide a wonderful function in controlling [[vermin]] in the fort. Vermin can make your dwarves extremely unhappy, so some cats are more or less a requirement. The largest problem with cats, however, is that their population is very difficult to control. Cats will choose their own owners (without the dwarf in question's consent), and after they've done so, you cannot order them butchered to control their numbers. The resulting [[catsplosion|population explosion]] can clutter hallways and murder your framerate. The best thing to do is to put all stray cats and kittens in a [[cage]] (one will hold them all). You can then butcher them without running the risk of the cats adopting dwarves before the butcher gets around to them, and if vermin start to get out of hand, you can always release one or two to help. If you want vermin control from the start, bring just ONE cat so it cannot breed and cause a population problem early. However, immigrants will very commonly bring their pet cats to the fortress, so if you can live with vermin early, you'll likely get a cat for free within a year. 
*'''Beasts of burden ([[Horse]]s, [[muskox]]en, etc)''': You will probably get a breeding pair of these for free when you start the game (they pull your starting wagon), and they will breed just as fast as anything else, so don't bring any along, and don't be afraid to use that [[cage]] to contain their numbers. Unlike cats, dwarves must choose to adopt beasts of burden, which they won't do unless they have a particular affinity for the animal. That's fairly rare, so the vast majority of the beasts of burden in your fortress will stay strays. 

Once again, check the [[starting builds]] page for more ideas, read the pages linked above, and experiment. The learning process is half the fun in Dwarf Fortress; enjoy it!

==Game on!==
We've chosen an area, selected our supplies, and we're ready to play. The game opens with your dwarves huddled around the wagon they used to get here.
==Gameplay overview==
This section will deal with the tasks you'll need to tackle in your first year of gameplay. These tasks are ''selecting a dig site'', ''building workshops'' (and ''marking stockpiles''), ''building lodging'', ''starting farms'', and ''trading''.
===Selecting a dig site===
You'll have to decide where you're going to dig in and start your fortress. You should consider the natural formations of the surrounding area when deciding where you want your main entrance. Ideally, there should be one way in and one way out. This one way should be fairly sizable, to pander to [[caravans]] and [[traffic]]. Proximity to a good [[water]] source so you can build a [[well]] more easily is also desirable. You can fix either of these things with extra digging and building later on, though, so don't sweat the decision too much.<r>

The most direct way to start is to find the side of a nearby mountain and dig into it, but if you're in a very flat area, you might have to dig downward instead. To start digging, hit {{k|d}}esignations, then {{k|d}}ig. Move your cursor using the arrow keys to where you want to dig, and hit {{k|ENTER}}, then move your cursor over to the place you want the digging to end. Mining designations are rectangular, so you can go both left and right and up and down as you're designating area. This tells your dwarves to cut into a wall and hollow it out, often leaving behind a [[stone]] if it is a rock wall. [[Soil]] walls become hollowed out, but never drop anything. These hollowed out areas are where you'll build the vast majority of everything you need. 

If you need to dig down instead of in, you need to use either a '''[[stairs|stairwell]]''' or a '''[[ramp]]'''. For a stairwell, use {{k|d}}esignations, and downward stairway ({{k|j}}). Note that this is only half of a stairwell. To build the other half, you must go down a z-level ({{k|>}}) and {{k|d}}esignate an {{k|u}}pward stairway to connect to it. You are then underground and can use {{k|m}}ining normally. For a ramp, you must go down a z-level ({{k|>}}) and {{k|d}}esignate a {{k|r}}amp on the area you want cut away. You do not need to build anything above it; your miners will figure it out. If you are building downward and want [[caravans]] to come down into your fortress, you will need to use [[ramp]]s, at least 3 right next to each other. Keep this in mind when deciding where you want to dig down. 

When designing your main entrance, be mindful that as many as 200 dwarves could be coming and going eventually, and that [[goblin]]s are going to want in at some point or another. A 3-wide entrance corridor is ideal. It is wide enough to accept a good amount of traffic and caravans, but narrow enough to use diabolical traps and designs to kill lots of goblins. Your main doors will have to be only 2-wide, though, as [[door]]s require a wall adjacent to them to build properly.

Once you've decided where you want your main entrance, it's time to move your supplies over there. We will have to set them outside for now, but we'll want to move them indoors as soon as we can. Press stock{{k|p}}iles, and designate areas for {{k|f}}ood, {{k|w}}ood, and {{k|r}}efuse. You can designate all sorts of stockpiles from this screen, so hit {{k|t}} and poke around in the custom stockpile settings for a little bit, figuring out what you can do. Do '''NOT''' designate a stone stockpile for now. It will eat up a lot of time unnecessarily. While we're organizing our supplies, deconstruct your wagon by pressing {{k|q}}uery, putting the cursor over your wagon, and pressing deconstruct ({{k|x}}). A dwarf with the [[carpentry]] labor enabled will come by and pull the wagon apart, turning it into 3 [[log]]s. The wagon is useless to you, so there's no reason to not do this. Some people prefer to wait until the wagon has been emptied before deconstructing it. In order to see the contents of a building, use the {{k|t}} command and scroll over the wagon.

Plan for your finished, 200-dwarf fortress right from the get-go. It's very easy to dig out new area. It's very HARD to go back and redo something the way it should've been from the start. 3-wide hallways is typically plenty for high-traffic areas.

===Building workshops===
Time to get some work done! Taking in raw materials and spitting out stuff that's useful: that's the name of the game for workshops. You should start putting down workshops as soon as you have raw materials. You'll need to get basic living provisions like [[bed]]s, [[table]]s, [[chair]]s, [[chest]]s, and the like down for not only your first 7 dwarves, but the [[immigrant]]s that could come at any time as soon as possible, so you can't waste any time. 

[[Stone]] will show up from your miners digging. Once you have an area with a decent amount of stone, you should get a [[mason's workshop]] built in the area. Check the [[workshop]] page for full details if you have problems building one. The keyboard command is:
* {{k|b}}uild order
* the {{k|w}}orkshops sub-menu
* {{k|m}}ason's workshop.

Once the workshop has been built by a dwarf with the [[masonry]] [[labor]], you can {{k|q}}uery the workshop to find out what it's current orders are, {{k|a}}dd or {{k|c}}ancel orders, set an existing order to {{k|r}}epeat, order the workshop dismantled, and other tasks.

Add orders for a {{k|d}}oor, a {{k|t}}able, and a {{k|c}}hair. Stone chairs will show up as ''thrones'' in the orders. They are exactly the same. Then set each order to repeat. This workshop will now make [[door]]s, [[table]]s, and [[chair]]s until you tell it to stop. You'll need a lot of these, so that's OK.

Also build a [[carpenter's workshop]] near the wood stockpile you designated earlier, and tell it to make {{k|b}}eds. Put this on {{k|r}}epeat, also. The wood you brought along, even after disassembling your wagon, won't last long. If you brought along a [[woodcutter]], now would be a good time to get him to chop down some trees. Hit {{k|d}}esignations, and then hit chop down {{k|t}}rees. Chopping designations work exactly like mining designations, but it will only highlight trees in the rectangle you give it. Don't worry about chopping a ton of wood right now; trees don't go anywhere fast, so you can always come back for more.

While making workshops anywhere the material happens to be works fine right now, you will want a more organized way of doing it later. Check out the [[Design_strategies#Workshop_Logistics|workshop logistics]] page for ideas on how to set it up. After you do get things set up, be sure to move your stockpiles underground; aboveground stockpiles are vulnerable to thieves and are usually a long way away. Don't be afraid to tear down workshops; they are built quickly and easily, and tearing them down does absolutely nothing harmful, even returning the materials used in it's construction. Be aware that workshops create [[noise]] when they are in use, which can disturb your dwarves' sleep, so don't build them close to any [[bed]]s.

===Building lodging===
With commodities coming out, it's time to set up places where they can be used. 

Tell your miners to dig out a large (5x5 minimum) room to become your [[barracks]]. The barracks is essentially a communal sleeping room where dwarves without their own apartment can come to crash. It is also the place where your [[military]] will come to [[sparring|spar]] once you start recruiting soldiers. Since your military hangs out in the barracks a lot, it's a good idea to put it near the main entrance of the fortress. If [[thieves]] stumble in, they are likely to meet a very grisly end as they bump into a pair of dwarves in the middle of combat training, and later, in case of a more major attack, they are more likely to be closer to where you need them. Note, however, that sparring dwarves can very seriously [[wound|hurt]] or kill eachother if their sparring area is too crowded, so keep beds stacked along one wall and the rest of the room clear and uncluttered. You do not need too many beds in the barracks right now. Beds in the barracks are public, and dwarves have their own schedules, so the entire fortress will not sleep at once.

After the barracks is dug, tell your dwarves to {{k|b}}uild a {{k|b}}ed. Your cursor will come up, turning red on an unacceptable location and green on an acceptable location. Unacceptable locations will give you a short reason as to why they're unacceptable. Again, just stack beds against one wall of the barracks; 5 beds will be fine to start out with. After indicating the placement of the beds, your dwarves will haul them over and install them. Once they are installed, {{k|q}}uery a bed, then make a {{k|r}}oom. Use the {{k|+}} and {{k|-}} keys to size the room that will be considered the barracks. All beds within the flashing square will be considered public, so there's no need to do this more than once. Fill up the whole 5x5 area ({{k|b}}uild {{k|d}}oors if you need to cordon off the area to make it a nice square) and hit {{k|ENTER}}. You've created your first [[room]]! A room status screen shows up. Be sure to hit {{k|b}} to confirm that it is a barracks. If you don't, the first dwarf that sleeps in this room will claim it as his or her apartment, which isn't what we want. 

The barracks will keep your dwarves from sleeping on the floor, which would make them [[thought|unhappy]]. As the game goes on, though, it is a very good idea to move dwarves into their own apartments. They get much [[thought|happier]] for it, it keeps traffic down, and provides you with some more diabolical options such as locking a troublemaker in his room by {{k|q}}uerying the door and {{k|l}}ocking (forbidding) it. See the [[bedroom design]] page for ideas on how to set up your apartments. 

With bedding handled, we need to set up a [[dining room]], which will double as our [[meeting area]]. Dwarves will eat in their apartment sometimes if you install a table and chair in it, but mostly, dwarves prefer to eat in a public [[dining room|dining hall]] with a table all to themselves. As the [[meeting area]], dwarves will also show up there whenever they have nothing better to do (have 'No Job') to socialize and kill time. It is a pretty high-traffic area, so be sure to use double-doors as the entrance and exit. It should again be fairly large (25 tiles minimum; this could be 5x5, 4x6, whatever suits your fancy). Once it's dug out, {{k|b}}uild {{k|t}}ables along the walls, and then {{k|b}}uild {{k|c}}hairs next to the tables, one per table. Once a table is laid out, {{k|q}}uery the table and make a {{k|r}}oom out of it. Fill up the dining hall area, and hit {{k|ENTER}}. Be sure to hit {{k|p}} to set it as a meeting area, and you're done here.

As with most kinds of furniture, dwarves can walk through tiles containing tables, chairs and beds. The most notable exception to this are [[statue]]s.

===Starting farms===
The basics of life are in place! Now it's just a matter of getting the farms in place to make sure life goes on. 

[[Farming]] is the most reliable source of food in the game, and the only way to be sure you're going to feed a large population. The catch is, we can only farm on [[mud]] or [[soil]]. Mud is only created through [[irrigation]], which is complicated and more trouble than it's worth if you have access to any serious quantity of soil. Avoid using irrigation if you can. The logistics of controlling enough water to make arable land on stone are extremely annoying.

On [[soil]], however, farming couldn't be easier. Simply mine out an area of soil (underground, since the seeds you can embark with will NOT grow aboveground), then {{k|b}}uild a farm {{k|p}}lot. Use {{k|u}}, {{k|m}}, {{k|k}}, and {{k|j}} to resize your plot to the size you want; 3x3 should be plenty to start out, and you will max out at roughly 30 to 40 total squares being used for food and booze production to support a full fortress. This changes some depending on the skill of your [[grower]]s, but it's a fair guideline. After placing the farmland, a dwarf with the Farming (Fields) labor enabled will come by and prepare it for use. After it's done, {{k|q}}uery the new field and decide on your crops for each season. The crop display will show every crop that can possibly be planted there - it does not nessecerally mean you have seeds to plant. [[Plump helmet]]s are best for your first field, since they can be brewed to [[booze]], eaten raw, and cooked. If you find some seasons have red letters, that is because the season has already passed and you cannot edit it again this year. You will have to pick it up in the spring of the following year. Be aware that Dwarf Fortress will '''NOT''' give you an error if you attempt to plant something you have no seeds of. It will give you an error if you '''run out''' of seeds after starting planting, but not if you simply have none to begin with. If you can't remember what kind of seeds you have, check around your wagon and your designated food stockpile using {{k|k}} for a seeds bag. Hit {{k|Enter}} when you find it to inspect the bag and see what kind of seeds it carries. Later on, you will be able to find it more easily using the {{k|z}} key and the "Stocks" menu, but right now your stocks will lack the precision to use the "zoom" key. See the [[bookkeeper]] article for more information on stockpile precision.

Eventually, you will want to be planting many, many different kinds of crops. [[Dimple cups]] are great later on, because they produce [[dimple dye]], which can be used to increase the value of the clothing your fortress produces. [[Cave wheat]] can be used to provide fodder for luxury prepared meals, and to make more brewing fodder. As your fortress grows and you need more and more luxuries to keep everyone happy, diversifying can only help you.

On a note about [[irrigation]] before wrapping this section up, mud behaves almost identically to soil. All below-ground crops can be grown equally well on either, and you build and place the plots exactly the same. There are a few differences, though. Mud can be [[Farming#Increasing_yield|fertilized]] with [[potash]], while dry soil cannot. Some above-ground crops can only be grown in mud, while others can only be planted in dry soil. Check the [[crops]] page for more details. Irrigation is a very advanced technique that provides only marginal benefits. Some "unlivable" areas can be turned around with skillful irrigation and fertilizer, but by and large they're not necessary. Just use soil whenever you can.

=== Trade ===

Now that you've given your dwarves a place to sleep and avoided the possibility of starvation, you can start thinking about the finer things in life.

First, we'll take care of a few organizational considerations, to make trading easier. Our carpenter will take care of this, since he's done making beds. Order up 2 or 3 [[bucket]]s. Buckets are used to carry water to injured, bedridden dwarves from water source [[zone]]s and are one of the requirements to building a [[well]]. Then, get to work stamping out some [[bin]]s. Bins are used to store a lot of non-perishable items in the same square; they work much the same as [[barrel]]s, but barrels are used on perishables like food and booze. You'll need a LOT of bins, but for the moment 5 or so will do. You will also need to make a lot of barrels, but since you brought a number of them with you, you can hold off a bit. Both of these can be made from [[metal]] as well, but producing them from wood is far more economical.

Since you have all this stone lying around, let's put it to use. Build a [[Craftsdwarf's workshop]], assign one of your dwarves to [[stonecrafting]]. Order this [[workshop]] to build rock {{k|c}}rafts of all sorts {{k|r}}epeatedly. Stone mugs are a good trade good - you get three mugs from one stone, adding up to 30☼ at the start. Since your stonecrafter will level up relatively quickly (and if you have several dwarves working on stonecrafts) this can quickly add up to several thousand monies worth of goods.

Now that you've got some goods to [[trade]], we'll need to {{k|b}}uild a trade {{k|d}}epot. Build this somewhere easily accessible from all edges of the map, but close to (or inside) your entrance. [[Trade depot]]s require [[architecture]] and a [[mason]], assuming you make it out of your copious quantities of stone. Many times you will not have an [[building designer]] on embark, so you will have to assign one to get the [[architecture]] phase of the depot done.

In the long term, you'll want your trade depot to be in a defensible spot. As it is 5x5 squares, and requires a 3-square wide path for the caravans to get in and out of it, you'll eventually want to spend some time thinking about its [[defense]]. Once the depot has been completed, you can check for depot access using the {{k|shift}}-{{k|D}} key.

The first caravan will come in your first autumn: the dwarven caravan from the mountainhome. When it comes, the game will pause, you'll be alerted, and the screen will center on the [[caravan]]. If you do not have a depot, or they can't get to it, they will wait on the edge of the map for you to build a depot they can get to, or to clear the obstructions. The two most common obstructions are [[tree]]s and [[boulder]]s. Trees can be chopped down, and boulders can be eliminated by {{k|d}}esignating them to be {{k|s}}moothed. This uses the [[stone detailing]] labor, so turn it on if you need.

After the caravan is on its way, you'll need to fill the depot with things to trade, and get a trader there to broker the negotiations. Hit {{k|q}}uery over the depot and press {{k|g}} to start moving supplies. Use the arrow keys to navigate the trade goods window. If you've been making stone crafts, you'll want the ''crafts'' heading to make the game filter out the bins you've been filling. Otherwise, you'll have to sift through every stone you've created while digging the fortress, which is a huge pain. Press {{k|ENTER}} on the bins to mark them for trading, and some dwarves will come along to haul the bins to the depot. Once that's take care of, {{k|q}}uery the depot and {{k|r}}equest a trader there. By default, only the broker will trade at the depot. This is generally what you want, since brokers with better [[appraisal]] skills can see the worth of all the commodities and tend to get away with giving the caravan boss a lower profit margin on the trade. Trading at the depot is a low-priority job, though, so you may have to turn off your broker's other labors temporarily to get him to respond to the request in a timely manner. Once your broker is at the depot, {{k|q}}uery the depot and start {{k|t}}rading.

On the screen that comes up, the left side shows the trader's goods, while the right side shows your own. Use the arrow keys to navigate and {{k|ENTER}} to mark something for trading. If your trader does not have at least Novice Appraiser in his skill set, you will not be able to see the values of everything, so you'll have to guess. The caravan boss will refuse to sell at a loss, and if you're close to making a deal, he'll give you a counteroffer that he'd accept. Being able to see the values of things is really helpful, but don't worry if you can't. It usually only takes one or two successful trades before your broker will hit Novice Appraiser and all will become known to you. One fun note is that raw materials cost the same from merchants as they do at the embark screen; so you already know that [[plump helmets]] are 4☼, most meat is 2☼, wooden logs are 3☼, and so on. It's difficult to know the value of your crafts, and some things must be bought as a package deal (you cannot buy seeds alone, you must also buy the bag they come in), though, so it can still be hard to trade without Appraiser.

On your first year, you're probably pretty light on things to trade with, so start small. Wood [[log]]s are very useful and cheap. Extra food can be useful if your farms are lagging behind. Maybe a barrel or two. Sell what goods you have and don't fret about it any longer.

Next year, after you get some immigrants you can think about exploring other kinds of industry as well, like the [[furniture industry]], [[meat industry]], or [[clothing industry]], but this is a great place to start.

The last element to trading is the [[liason]]. The dwarven liason will want to meet with your [[expedition leader]] to work out your requests for next year, and let you know what their requests are. By making a request of the caravan, you are essentially promising to pay more (up to double the normal price) for various things, which entices the traders to bring more of those things. Wood logs are always a great thing to request. Even at double the normal price, they're still very cheap, and merchants bring a lot of them. It's not unusual to get 50 logs from a single caravan. It saves you a massive amount of time and effort. [[Barrel]]s and [[bag]]s are also good to request, as are [[dog]]s. You can also request [[seed]]s to get your more diverse crops started. Look around, explore, and experiment. That's half the fun of the game.

The liason will also tell you what they want from you, with the same deal: they'll pay more for it if you build it. Unfortunately, they usually want stupid things that don't trade well (such as stone [[block]]s) or things you'd rather keep to yourself (such as [[booze]]). Many players simply ignore their liason's requests and build the same things they always build. Diplomatic relations will not suffer at all.

Your expedition leader must actually pick up the job ''conduct meeting'' to get this process done, and it ends up being a very low-priority job, so again, you may consider turning off your leader's other labors to make sure he gets to it. If you really want to force the liason to take the meeting, move him to the meeting spot by enlisting him in the [[Military]] and [[Military#Controlling your squads|stationing]] him at the meeting spot. Then [[Door#Door settings|forbid the door]] behind him and the liason, locking them in until the meeting is completed (when the Liason says "Goodbye" in a message).

=== The future ===

After this point, you'll be able to start exploring the other intricacies of the game. Here is a list of some other gameplay commands which have not been covered:

* [[labor]]
* [[noble]]s
* [[military]]

==Sample games==
These are sample games that others have played and recorded to provide good learning examples. They are not routinely updated, so some information may be out of date, but they still provide good hands-on tutorials of how to prepare for your fortress and play the game.

[[Indecisive's illustrated fortress mode tutorial]] 
[[Savok's first fortress playthrough]] 
[[ThunderClaw's 0.28.181.40d graphical tileset playthrough]]
[[Category:Guides]]

{{Starting FAQ}}

40d:Captured creatures

2009-01-13T20:15:27Z

SwallowedSpear: /* Execution */

You can capture creatures in a variety of ways, including [[animal trap]]s for [[vermin]], [[Traps#Cage_Trap|cage traps]] for wild [[animal]]s and hostiles (like goblins), forcibly caging tame animals (see below), and you can also buy caged animals from traders. Caged animals do not require food or nourishment{{version|0.28.181.40d}}, but this is only because animals do not require food. Caged dwarves (except those in [[jail]]) will quickly starve, for they are never fed. The only case when a caged creature is fed is during its taming.

Below is a collection of some things you can do with creatures in [[cage]]s or other holding devices.

===Training and taming===
A dwarf with the [[animal training]] labor enabled can tame wild animals (including [[vermin]]) at a [[kennel]]. A tame animal has the tag '''(Tame)''' after its name and is safe to be released into the fortress. They will not attack your dwarves, and do not set off your traps.

Beware, creatures that have killed dwarves (or other friendly creatures {{verify}}) before being tamed are "un-tamable". Despite appearing tame, such a creature will go dwarf-killing as soon as it is released, with the added bonus of being immune to traps.

Elven merchants often sell caged animals, even some that can't normally be trained. According to a forum post, a tamed tiger purchased from the elves will act as a guard, attacking hostile creatures. This is supposedly also true for other animals.

Dragons and other [[megabeast]]s may also be tamed, but this requires a [[Dungeon master]]. Specifically, any vermin or creature with the [PET_EXOTIC] flag requires a dungeon master.

Tamed vermin and animals may be adopted as [[pet]]s by the dwarves, and animals may also be [[Butchery|slaughter]]ed for food. A colony of Muskoxen or some other peaceful animal can be used as a food source, by allowing them to breed, waiting for them to grow and then cutting down some of them in a [[Butchery]].

===Holding===
You can restrain creatures by fitting them in [[chain]]s or [[rope]]s, putting them in cages, or throwing them in [[pit]]s or ponds to reduce [[lag]] or prevent adoption as pets (so they remain slaughterable without tantruming owners).

* '''Cages''': An indefinite number of animals might be locked into one single cage. If you wish to fit your own tame animals into cages, you can do this by building a cage, and assigning some animals to it via the Building properties window (accessible by {{k|q}}). "Large animal caging" jobs will then be created, and dwarves will lock the hapless animals into the cage. Any offspring they give birth to is also born in the cage (But is not ''assigned'' to the cage, so your dwarves will free it if you don't stop them.). There is some doubt whether animals do breed in cages, but an already pregnant animal will definitly give birth while in a cage.

:Caveat — When an animal is captured via a [[Traps#Cage trap|cage trap]] and then assigned to an existing cage, the dwarf moving the animal will tend to let it go. This can be avoided by building the cage the animal is in.{{v|0.27.176.38c}}

* '''Chains/ropes''': Build chains as buildings and assign animals to them. They'll be able to move one tile in any direction (including up/down) but will not be able to leave.

* '''Pits/ponds''': You can designate an area as pit or pond by creating an activity zone, designating it as pit/pond and setting its properties by pressing {{k|P}}. The pit or pond area has to have some level tiles, and some tiles that are one or more Z-levels below. Ponds will be filled with water by your dwarves, using buckets. Beware that land animals generally do not like to remain in a dark pit instead of your magnificent fortress, so they'll break free at the earliest opportunity.

===How to capture your own Dwarves===
The easiest and safest way to obtain a Dwarf cage is to build [[prison]]s with only metal cages, and get as many prisonners as you can (ignoring [[mandate]]s is usually efficient). When you have someone installed in a cage, remove the building ({{k|q}} {{k|x}}). You now have your very own Dwarf cage, ready for lots of interesting things (e.g. starvation).

Note that the dwarf '''cannot''' be released after its sentence is over and will never be fed. {{v|0.28.181.40d}}

===Zoo===
[[Zoo]] areas may be defined from cages via the {{k|q}} menu for the enjoyment of your dwarves. Be aware that dwarves will receive unhappy thoughts from seeing an animal they dislike in a zoo, but will also gain happy thoughts if they can go to view a loved animal. Owning the cage containing a loved animal is even better.

===Execution===
Imaginative methods have been discovered for the abuse of caged creatures.

* '''Execution tower''': One method is the execution tower; the caged critter is brought on top of a very tall (~10 Z-levels) tower or to the edge of a chasm; the the edge of the tower (some of the tower and some of the abyss) is designated as a Pit/Pond; the animal in the cage is assigned to be in the pit/pond and unassigned from the cage. A dwarf will run up to the tower, pull the creature out of its cage and throw it down into the depth.

* '''Execution shaft''': Almost the same as an execution tower, except that a ~10 Z-level [[stairway]] is dug near the Animal stockpile, with a single square channeled out next to the stairway on each Z-level until the bottom is reached. The top of the channel is designated a Pit/Pond [[zone]], and any creatures assigned to it will be dropped to their death automatically. It is recommended to place a door between the landing square and the up stairs, so that it can be forbidden when dropping victims, then made passable again when [[reclaim|looting the corpses]].

* '''Death chambers''': A cage can be opened remotely by attaching a [[lever]] to it. This allows for some horrible traps, such as the drowning chamber or magma death chamber. A room is set up next to a water or magma pool, separated from it by a [[floodgate]]; a cage is put into the room, and a lever is attached to it; doors leading into the chamber are locked down; the cage and the floodgate are opened remotely. The creatures will then drown or burn. (Magma will melt/burn non-magma-resistant cages along with whatever is inside it. However magma-resistant cages, and any underwater cage, must be opened for this to work because animals in cages do not drown.)

* '''Arenas''': Remote cage opening can also be used to set up arenas; a tame animal such as a tiger or dogs is locked into the arena; a cage containing a hostile animal, such as a goblin (presumably stripped of its weapons and armor) is also brought in the arena; doors are locked down and the cage is opened. The animals will shred the goblin (or in a worse case, the creatures will kill off your animals - therefore it is wise to assign some guards to the doorways to put down any breakout attempts).

* '''"Gangplank"''': Goblins and other non-flying creatures do not like heights or magma. You can combine both by creating a hanging platform. When you want to execute the goblins on the platform, simply release them from their cages and disconnect the platform. Watch as the helpless little buggers fly down several Z levels and are incinerated in your magma pool. One way of doing so is by using a retractable bridge to support the platform, and simply retract the bridge to dump the prisoners. This is also a good way to use all ten thousand units of your [[stone]] for something useful.

* '''"Injury shaft"''': This method does not kill prisoners so much as injure them, but it can result in death and is very amusing. First, dig down 2-3 Z-levels (2 is recommended, or else the fun will end too quickly!), with staircases leading to the bottom. Then, dig for two squares to one side on the lowest Z-level of the shaft. On the middle tile, place a cage trap. Then, back at the surface Z-level, dig a down-staircase two squares to the left of the first down-staircase. Dig a channel on the next Z-level if you used a two-plane shaft, or an up/down-staircase if you used a 3-plane shaft. Then, if you used a 3-plane shaft, dig a channel on the third z-plane. Now, remove the up-down staircase if you used the 3-plane shaft, and then the down-staircase. If you used a 2-plane shaft, just remove the up-staircase, and then the down-staircase. Now, designate the shaft as a Pit, and place your prisoners next to it. Assign the prisoner to be chucked into the pit. Watch as they fall, injure themselves, go for the exit, and get caught in the cage trap you placed on the bottom! The cycle never ends, and is an amusing time-killer (and prisoner-killer).

* '''Trash Compacter''': Dig out a 2-level shaft in the same manner as the "Injury Shaft". Instead of placing a cage trap, place a locked door in its place. Then, build a drawbridge on the bottom of the shaft (the drawbridge should be set so it opens "up", where the prisoners will fall. On the surface, place pressure plates linked to the drawbridge, then designate the shaft as a Pit. Assign a prisoner to the pit. Your dwarf will lead the prisoner to the shaft, standing on the pressure plate and making the drawbridge open. The prisoner will hit the bottom, briefly stunned, and as the dwarf walks away, the drawbridge will slam down on them, obliterating them.

===Other uses===
* '''Confiscating prisoner items''': You can strip a captured critter of its equipment by accessing the [[Stocks]] screen, finding its possessions, and ordering them {{k|d}}umped from there. Items on goblins are easily identifiable by looking for currently worn narrow/small clothing and weaponry. If you're in doubt whether an item you chose is indeed on your prisoners, {{k|z}}oom on it and you should be pointed to the cage. After you ordered the items dumped, dwarves will come and force the items off your captives.

* '''Usage as an execution device''': Instead of executing the trapped creature, one could execute a noble by placing a caged megabeast in its quarters and then releasing the beast. Remember to also install a cage trap to recapture the beast afterward.

[[Category:Creatures]]

40d:Captured creatures

2009-01-13T20:11:36Z

SwallowedSpear: /* Execution */ Added a closing parenthesi.

You can capture creatures in a variety of ways, including [[animal trap]]s for [[vermin]], [[Traps#Cage_Trap|cage traps]] for wild [[animal]]s and hostiles (like goblins), forcibly caging tame animals (see below), and you can also buy caged animals from traders. Caged animals do not require food or nourishment{{version|0.28.181.40d}}, but this is only because animals do not require food. Caged dwarves (except those in [[jail]]) will quickly starve, for they are never fed. The only case when a caged creature is fed is during its taming.

Below is a collection of some things you can do with creatures in [[cage]]s or other holding devices.

===Training and taming===
A dwarf with the [[animal training]] labor enabled can tame wild animals (including [[vermin]]) at a [[kennel]]. A tame animal has the tag '''(Tame)''' after its name and is safe to be released into the fortress. They will not attack your dwarves, and do not set off your traps.

Beware, creatures that have killed dwarves (or other friendly creatures {{verify}}) before being tamed are "un-tamable". Despite appearing tame, such a creature will go dwarf-killing as soon as it is released, with the added bonus of being immune to traps.

Elven merchants often sell caged animals, even some that can't normally be trained. According to a forum post, a tamed tiger purchased from the elves will act as a guard, attacking hostile creatures. This is supposedly also true for other animals.

Dragons and other [[megabeast]]s may also be tamed, but this requires a [[Dungeon master]]. Specifically, any vermin or creature with the [PET_EXOTIC] flag requires a dungeon master.

Tamed vermin and animals may be adopted as [[pet]]s by the dwarves, and animals may also be [[Butchery|slaughter]]ed for food. A colony of Muskoxen or some other peaceful animal can be used as a food source, by allowing them to breed, waiting for them to grow and then cutting down some of them in a [[Butchery]].

===Holding===
You can restrain creatures by fitting them in [[chain]]s or [[rope]]s, putting them in cages, or throwing them in [[pit]]s or ponds to reduce [[lag]] or prevent adoption as pets (so they remain slaughterable without tantruming owners).

* '''Cages''': An indefinite number of animals might be locked into one single cage. If you wish to fit your own tame animals into cages, you can do this by building a cage, and assigning some animals to it via the Building properties window (accessible by {{k|q}}). "Large animal caging" jobs will then be created, and dwarves will lock the hapless animals into the cage. Any offspring they give birth to is also born in the cage (But is not ''assigned'' to the cage, so your dwarves will free it if you don't stop them.). There is some doubt whether animals do breed in cages, but an already pregnant animal will definitly give birth while in a cage.

:Caveat — When an animal is captured via a [[Traps#Cage trap|cage trap]] and then assigned to an existing cage, the dwarf moving the animal will tend to let it go. This can be avoided by building the cage the animal is in.{{v|0.27.176.38c}}

* '''Chains/ropes''': Build chains as buildings and assign animals to them. They'll be able to move one tile in any direction (including up/down) but will not be able to leave.

* '''Pits/ponds''': You can designate an area as pit or pond by creating an activity zone, designating it as pit/pond and setting its properties by pressing {{k|P}}. The pit or pond area has to have some level tiles, and some tiles that are one or more Z-levels below. Ponds will be filled with water by your dwarves, using buckets. Beware that land animals generally do not like to remain in a dark pit instead of your magnificent fortress, so they'll break free at the earliest opportunity.

===How to capture your own Dwarves===
The easiest and safest way to obtain a Dwarf cage is to build [[prison]]s with only metal cages, and get as many prisonners as you can (ignoring [[mandate]]s is usually efficient). When you have someone installed in a cage, remove the building ({{k|q}} {{k|x}}). You now have your very own Dwarf cage, ready for lots of interesting things (e.g. starvation).

Note that the dwarf '''cannot''' be released after its sentence is over and will never be fed. {{v|0.28.181.40d}}

===Zoo===
[[Zoo]] areas may be defined from cages via the {{k|q}} menu for the enjoyment of your dwarves. Be aware that dwarves will receive unhappy thoughts from seeing an animal they dislike in a zoo, but will also gain happy thoughts if they can go to view a loved animal. Owning the cage containing a loved animal is even better.

===Execution===
Imaginative methods have been discovered for the abuse of caged creatures.

* '''Execution tower''': One method is the execution tower; the caged critter is brought on top of a very tall (~10 Z-levels) tower or to the edge of a chasm; the the edge of the tower (some of the tower and some of the abyss) is designated as a Pit/Pond; the animal in the cage is assigned to be in the pit/pond and unassigned from the cage. A dwarf will run up to the tower, pull the creature out of its cage and throw it down into the depth.

* '''Execution shaft''': Almost the same as an execution tower, except that a ~10 Z-level [[stairway]] is dug near the Animal stockpile, with a single square channeled out next to the stairway on each Z-level until the bottom is reached. The top of the channel is designated a Pit/Pond [[zone]], and any creatures assigned to it will be dropped to their death automatically. It is recommended to place a door between the landing square and the up stairs, so that it can be forbidden when dropping victims, then made passable again when [[reclaim|looting the corpses]].

* '''Death chambers''': A cage can be opened remotely by attaching a [[lever]] to it. This allows for some horrible traps, such as the drowning chamber or magma death chamber. A room is set up next to a water or magma pool, separated from it by a [[floodgate]]; a cage is put into the room, and a lever is attached to it; doors leading into the chamber are locked down; the cage and the floodgate are opened remotely. The creatures will then drown or burn. (Magma will melt/burn non-magma-resistant cages along with whatever is inside it. However magma-resistant cages, and any underwater cage, must be opened for this to work because animals in cages do not drown.)

* '''Arenas''': Remote cage opening can also be used to set up arenas; a tame animal such as a tiger or dogs is locked into the arena; a cage containing a hostile animal, such as a goblin (presumably stripped of its weapons and armor) is also brought in the arena; doors are locked down and the cage is opened. The animals will shred the goblin (or in a worse case, the creatures will kill off your animals - therefore it is wise to assign some guards to the doorways to put down any breakout attempts).

* '''"Gangplank"''': Goblins and other non-flying creatures do not like heights or magma. You can combine both by creating a hanging platform. When you want to execute the goblins on the platform, simply release them from their cages and disconnect the platform. Watch as the helpless little buggers fly down several Z levels and are incinerated in your magma pool. One way of doing so is by using a retractable bridge to support the platform, and simply retract the bridge to dump the prisoners. This is also a good way to use all ten thousand units of your [[stone]] for something useful.

* '''"Injury shaft"''': This method does not kill prisoners so much as injure them, but it can result in death and is very amusing. First, dig down 2-3 Z-levels (2 is recommended, or else the fun will end too quickly!), with staircases leading to the bottom. Then, dig for two squares to one side on the lowest Z-level of the shaft. On the middle tile, place a cage trap. Then, back at the surface Z-level, dig a down-staircase two squares to the left of the first down-staircase. Dig a channel on the next Z-level if you used a two-plane shaft, or an up/down-staircase if you used a 3-plane shaft. Then, if you used a 3-plane shaft, dig a channel on the third z-plane. Now, remove the up-down staircase if you used the 3-plane shaft, and then the down-staircase. If you used a 2-plane shaft, just remove the up-staircase, and then the down-staircase. Now, designate the shaft as a Pit/Pond, and place your prisoners next to it. Assign the prisoner to be chucked into the pit. Watch as they fall, injure themselves, go for the exit, and get caught in the cage trap you placed on the bottom! The cycle never ends, and is an amusing time-killer (and prisoner-killer).

===Other uses===
* '''Confiscating prisoner items''': You can strip a captured critter of its equipment by accessing the [[Stocks]] screen, finding its possessions, and ordering them {{k|d}}umped from there. Items on goblins are easily identifiable by looking for currently worn narrow/small clothing and weaponry. If you're in doubt whether an item you chose is indeed on your prisoners, {{k|z}}oom on it and you should be pointed to the cage. After you ordered the items dumped, dwarves will come and force the items off your captives.

* '''Usage as an execution device''': Instead of executing the trapped creature, one could execute a noble by placing a caged megabeast in its quarters and then releasing the beast. Remember to also install a cage trap to recapture the beast afterward.

[[Category:Creatures]]

40d:Captured creatures

2009-01-13T20:11:05Z

SwallowedSpear: /* Execution */ Fixed so it says "they" instead of "the"

You can capture creatures in a variety of ways, including [[animal trap]]s for [[vermin]], [[Traps#Cage_Trap|cage traps]] for wild [[animal]]s and hostiles (like goblins), forcibly caging tame animals (see below), and you can also buy caged animals from traders. Caged animals do not require food or nourishment{{version|0.28.181.40d}}, but this is only because animals do not require food. Caged dwarves (except those in [[jail]]) will quickly starve, for they are never fed. The only case when a caged creature is fed is during its taming.

Below is a collection of some things you can do with creatures in [[cage]]s or other holding devices.

===Training and taming===
A dwarf with the [[animal training]] labor enabled can tame wild animals (including [[vermin]]) at a [[kennel]]. A tame animal has the tag '''(Tame)''' after its name and is safe to be released into the fortress. They will not attack your dwarves, and do not set off your traps.

Beware, creatures that have killed dwarves (or other friendly creatures {{verify}}) before being tamed are "un-tamable". Despite appearing tame, such a creature will go dwarf-killing as soon as it is released, with the added bonus of being immune to traps.

Elven merchants often sell caged animals, even some that can't normally be trained. According to a forum post, a tamed tiger purchased from the elves will act as a guard, attacking hostile creatures. This is supposedly also true for other animals.

Dragons and other [[megabeast]]s may also be tamed, but this requires a [[Dungeon master]]. Specifically, any vermin or creature with the [PET_EXOTIC] flag requires a dungeon master.

Tamed vermin and animals may be adopted as [[pet]]s by the dwarves, and animals may also be [[Butchery|slaughter]]ed for food. A colony of Muskoxen or some other peaceful animal can be used as a food source, by allowing them to breed, waiting for them to grow and then cutting down some of them in a [[Butchery]].

===Holding===
You can restrain creatures by fitting them in [[chain]]s or [[rope]]s, putting them in cages, or throwing them in [[pit]]s or ponds to reduce [[lag]] or prevent adoption as pets (so they remain slaughterable without tantruming owners).

* '''Cages''': An indefinite number of animals might be locked into one single cage. If you wish to fit your own tame animals into cages, you can do this by building a cage, and assigning some animals to it via the Building properties window (accessible by {{k|q}}). "Large animal caging" jobs will then be created, and dwarves will lock the hapless animals into the cage. Any offspring they give birth to is also born in the cage (But is not ''assigned'' to the cage, so your dwarves will free it if you don't stop them.). There is some doubt whether animals do breed in cages, but an already pregnant animal will definitly give birth while in a cage.

:Caveat — When an animal is captured via a [[Traps#Cage trap|cage trap]] and then assigned to an existing cage, the dwarf moving the animal will tend to let it go. This can be avoided by building the cage the animal is in.{{v|0.27.176.38c}}

* '''Chains/ropes''': Build chains as buildings and assign animals to them. They'll be able to move one tile in any direction (including up/down) but will not be able to leave.

* '''Pits/ponds''': You can designate an area as pit or pond by creating an activity zone, designating it as pit/pond and setting its properties by pressing {{k|P}}. The pit or pond area has to have some level tiles, and some tiles that are one or more Z-levels below. Ponds will be filled with water by your dwarves, using buckets. Beware that land animals generally do not like to remain in a dark pit instead of your magnificent fortress, so they'll break free at the earliest opportunity.

===How to capture your own Dwarves===
The easiest and safest way to obtain a Dwarf cage is to build [[prison]]s with only metal cages, and get as many prisonners as you can (ignoring [[mandate]]s is usually efficient). When you have someone installed in a cage, remove the building ({{k|q}} {{k|x}}). You now have your very own Dwarf cage, ready for lots of interesting things (e.g. starvation).

Note that the dwarf '''cannot''' be released after its sentence is over and will never be fed. {{v|0.28.181.40d}}

===Zoo===
[[Zoo]] areas may be defined from cages via the {{k|q}} menu for the enjoyment of your dwarves. Be aware that dwarves will receive unhappy thoughts from seeing an animal they dislike in a zoo, but will also gain happy thoughts if they can go to view a loved animal. Owning the cage containing a loved animal is even better.

===Execution===
Imaginative methods have been discovered for the abuse of caged creatures.

* '''Execution tower''': One method is the execution tower; the caged critter is brought on top of a very tall (~10 Z-levels) tower or to the edge of a chasm; the the edge of the tower (some of the tower and some of the abyss) is designated as a Pit/Pond; the animal in the cage is assigned to be in the pit/pond and unassigned from the cage. A dwarf will run up to the tower, pull the creature out of its cage and throw it down into the depth.

* '''Execution shaft''': Almost the same as an execution tower, except that a ~10 Z-level [[stairway]] is dug near the Animal stockpile, with a single square channeled out next to the stairway on each Z-level until the bottom is reached. The top of the channel is designated a Pit/Pond [[zone]], and any creatures assigned to it will be dropped to their death automatically. It is recommended to place a door between the landing square and the up stairs, so that it can be forbidden when dropping victims, then made passable again when [[reclaim|looting the corpses]].

* '''Death chambers''': A cage can be opened remotely by attaching a [[lever]] to it. This allows for some horrible traps, such as the drowning chamber or magma death chamber. A room is set up next to a water or magma pool, separated from it by a [[floodgate]]; a cage is put into the room, and a lever is attached to it; doors leading into the chamber are locked down; the cage and the floodgate are opened remotely. The creatures will then drown or burn. (Magma will melt/burn non-magma-resistant cages along with whatever is inside it. However magma-resistant cages, and any underwater cage, must be opened for this to work because animals in cages do not drown.)

* '''Arenas''': Remote cage opening can also be used to set up arenas; a tame animal such as a tiger or dogs is locked into the arena; a cage containing a hostile animal, such as a goblin (presumably stripped of its weapons and armor) is also brought in the arena; doors are locked down and the cage is opened. The animals will shred the goblin (or in a worse case, the creatures will kill off your animals - therefore it is wise to assign some guards to the doorways to put down any breakout attempts).

* '''"Gangplank"''': Goblins and other non-flying creatures do not like heights or magma. You can combine both by creating a hanging platform. When you want to execute the goblins on the platform, simply release them from their cages and disconnect the platform. Watch as the helpless little buggers fly down several Z levels and are incinerated in your magma pool. One way of doing so is by using a retractable bridge to support the platform, and simply retract the bridge to dump the prisoners. This is also a good way to use all ten thousand units of your [[stone]] for something useful.

* '''"Injury shaft"''': This method does not kill prisoners so much as injure them, but it can result in death and is very amusing. First, dig down 2-3 Z-levels (2 is recommended, or else the fun will end too quickly!, with staircases leading to the bottom. Then, dig for two squares to one side on the lowest Z-level of the shaft. On the middle tile, place a cage trap. Then, back at the surface Z-level, dig a down-staircase two squares to the left of the first down-staircase. Dig a channel on the next Z-level if you used a two-plane shaft, or an up/down-staircase if you used a 3-plane shaft. Then, if you used a 3-plane shaft, dig a channel on the third z-plane. Now, remove the up-down staircase if you used the 3-plane shaft, and then the down-staircase. If you used a 2-plane shaft, just remove the up-staircase, and then the down-staircase. Now, designate the shaft as a Pit/Pond, and place your prisoners next to it. Assign the prisoner to be chucked into the pit. Watch as they fall, injure themselves, go for the exit, and get caught in the cage trap you placed on the bottom! The cycle never ends, and is an amusing time-killer (and prisoner-killer).

===Other uses===
* '''Confiscating prisoner items''': You can strip a captured critter of its equipment by accessing the [[Stocks]] screen, finding its possessions, and ordering them {{k|d}}umped from there. Items on goblins are easily identifiable by looking for currently worn narrow/small clothing and weaponry. If you're in doubt whether an item you chose is indeed on your prisoners, {{k|z}}oom on it and you should be pointed to the cage. After you ordered the items dumped, dwarves will come and force the items off your captives.

* '''Usage as an execution device''': Instead of executing the trapped creature, one could execute a noble by placing a caged megabeast in its quarters and then releasing the beast. Remember to also install a cage trap to recapture the beast afterward.

[[Category:Creatures]]

40d:Captured creatures

2009-01-13T20:06:36Z

SwallowedSpear: /* Execution */ Added "Injury Shaft" method.

You can capture creatures in a variety of ways, including [[animal trap]]s for [[vermin]], [[Traps#Cage_Trap|cage traps]] for wild [[animal]]s and hostiles (like goblins), forcibly caging tame animals (see below), and you can also buy caged animals from traders. Caged animals do not require food or nourishment{{version|0.28.181.40d}}, but this is only because animals do not require food. Caged dwarves (except those in [[jail]]) will quickly starve, for they are never fed. The only case when a caged creature is fed is during its taming.

Below is a collection of some things you can do with creatures in [[cage]]s or other holding devices.

===Training and taming===
A dwarf with the [[animal training]] labor enabled can tame wild animals (including [[vermin]]) at a [[kennel]]. A tame animal has the tag '''(Tame)''' after its name and is safe to be released into the fortress. They will not attack your dwarves, and do not set off your traps.

Beware, creatures that have killed dwarves (or other friendly creatures {{verify}}) before being tamed are "un-tamable". Despite appearing tame, such a creature will go dwarf-killing as soon as it is released, with the added bonus of being immune to traps.

Elven merchants often sell caged animals, even some that can't normally be trained. According to a forum post, a tamed tiger purchased from the elves will act as a guard, attacking hostile creatures. This is supposedly also true for other animals.

Dragons and other [[megabeast]]s may also be tamed, but this requires a [[Dungeon master]]. Specifically, any vermin or creature with the [PET_EXOTIC] flag requires a dungeon master.

Tamed vermin and animals may be adopted as [[pet]]s by the dwarves, and animals may also be [[Butchery|slaughter]]ed for food. A colony of Muskoxen or some other peaceful animal can be used as a food source, by allowing them to breed, waiting for them to grow and then cutting down some of them in a [[Butchery]].

===Holding===
You can restrain creatures by fitting them in [[chain]]s or [[rope]]s, putting them in cages, or throwing them in [[pit]]s or ponds to reduce [[lag]] or prevent adoption as pets (so they remain slaughterable without tantruming owners).

* '''Cages''': An indefinite number of animals might be locked into one single cage. If you wish to fit your own tame animals into cages, you can do this by building a cage, and assigning some animals to it via the Building properties window (accessible by {{k|q}}). "Large animal caging" jobs will then be created, and dwarves will lock the hapless animals into the cage. Any offspring they give birth to is also born in the cage (But is not ''assigned'' to the cage, so your dwarves will free it if you don't stop them.). There is some doubt whether animals do breed in cages, but an already pregnant animal will definitly give birth while in a cage.

:Caveat — When an animal is captured via a [[Traps#Cage trap|cage trap]] and then assigned to an existing cage, the dwarf moving the animal will tend to let it go. This can be avoided by building the cage the animal is in.{{v|0.27.176.38c}}

* '''Chains/ropes''': Build chains as buildings and assign animals to them. They'll be able to move one tile in any direction (including up/down) but will not be able to leave.

* '''Pits/ponds''': You can designate an area as pit or pond by creating an activity zone, designating it as pit/pond and setting its properties by pressing {{k|P}}. The pit or pond area has to have some level tiles, and some tiles that are one or more Z-levels below. Ponds will be filled with water by your dwarves, using buckets. Beware that land animals generally do not like to remain in a dark pit instead of your magnificent fortress, so they'll break free at the earliest opportunity.

===How to capture your own Dwarves===
The easiest and safest way to obtain a Dwarf cage is to build [[prison]]s with only metal cages, and get as many prisonners as you can (ignoring [[mandate]]s is usually efficient). When you have someone installed in a cage, remove the building ({{k|q}} {{k|x}}). You now have your very own Dwarf cage, ready for lots of interesting things (e.g. starvation).

Note that the dwarf '''cannot''' be released after its sentence is over and will never be fed. {{v|0.28.181.40d}}

===Zoo===
[[Zoo]] areas may be defined from cages via the {{k|q}} menu for the enjoyment of your dwarves. Be aware that dwarves will receive unhappy thoughts from seeing an animal they dislike in a zoo, but will also gain happy thoughts if they can go to view a loved animal. Owning the cage containing a loved animal is even better.

===Execution===
Imaginative methods have been discovered for the abuse of caged creatures.

* '''Execution tower''': One method is the execution tower; the caged critter is brought on top of a very tall (~10 Z-levels) tower or to the edge of a chasm; the the edge of the tower (some of the tower and some of the abyss) is designated as a Pit/Pond; the animal in the cage is assigned to be in the pit/pond and unassigned from the cage. A dwarf will run up to the tower, pull the creature out of its cage and throw it down into the depth.

* '''Execution shaft''': Almost the same as an execution tower, except that a ~10 Z-level [[stairway]] is dug near the Animal stockpile, with a single square channeled out next to the stairway on each Z-level until the bottom is reached. The top of the channel is designated a Pit/Pond [[zone]], and any creatures assigned to it will be dropped to their death automatically. It is recommended to place a door between the landing square and the up stairs, so that it can be forbidden when dropping victims, then made passable again when [[reclaim|looting the corpses]].

* '''Death chambers''': A cage can be opened remotely by attaching a [[lever]] to it. This allows for some horrible traps, such as the drowning chamber or magma death chamber. A room is set up next to a water or magma pool, separated from it by a [[floodgate]]; a cage is put into the room, and a lever is attached to it; doors leading into the chamber are locked down; the cage and the floodgate are opened remotely. The creatures will then drown or burn. (Magma will melt/burn non-magma-resistant cages along with whatever is inside it. However magma-resistant cages, and any underwater cage, must be opened for this to work because animals in cages do not drown.)

* '''Arenas''': Remote cage opening can also be used to set up arenas; a tame animal such as a tiger or dogs is locked into the arena; a cage containing a hostile animal, such as a goblin (presumably stripped of its weapons and armor) is also brought in the arena; doors are locked down and the cage is opened. The animals will shred the goblin (or in a worse case, the creatures will kill off your animals - therefore it is wise to assign some guards to the doorways to put down any breakout attempts).

* '''"Gangplank"''': Goblins and other non-flying creatures do not like heights or magma. You can combine both by creating a hanging platform. When you want to execute the goblins on the platform, simply release them from their cages and disconnect the platform. Watch as the helpless little buggers fly down several Z levels and are incinerated in your magma pool. One way of doing so is by using a retractable bridge to support the platform, and simply retract the bridge to dump the prisoners. This is also a good way to use all ten thousand units of your [[stone]] for something useful.

* '''"Injury shaft"''': This method does not kill prisoners so much as injure them, but it can result in death and is very amusing. First, dig down 2-3 Z-levels (2 is recommended, or else the fun will end too quickly!, with staircases leading to the bottom. Then, dig for two squares to one side on the lowest Z-level of the shaft. On the middle tile, place a cage trap. Then, back at the surface Z-level, dig a down-staircase two squares to the left of the first down-staircase. Dig a channel on the next Z-level if you used a two-plane shaft, or an up/down-staircase if you used a 3-plane shaft. Then, if you used a 3-plane shaft, dig a channel on the third z-plane. Now, remove the up-down staircase if you used the 3-plane shaft, and then the down-staircase. If you used a 2-plane shaft, just remove the up-staircase, and then the down-staircase. Now, designate the shaft as a Pit/Pond, and place your prisoners next to it. Assign the prisoner to be chucked into the pit. Watch as the fall, injure themselves, go for the exit, and get caught in the cage trap you placed on the bottom! The cycle never ends, and is an amusing time-killer (and prisoner-killer).

===Other uses===
* '''Confiscating prisoner items''': You can strip a captured critter of its equipment by accessing the [[Stocks]] screen, finding its possessions, and ordering them {{k|d}}umped from there. Items on goblins are easily identifiable by looking for currently worn narrow/small clothing and weaponry. If you're in doubt whether an item you chose is indeed on your prisoners, {{k|z}}oom on it and you should be pointed to the cage. After you ordered the items dumped, dwarves will come and force the items off your captives.

* '''Usage as an execution device''': Instead of executing the trapped creature, one could execute a noble by placing a caged megabeast in its quarters and then releasing the beast. Remember to also install a cage trap to recapture the beast afterward.

[[Category:Creatures]]

User:SwallowedSpear

2009-01-13T19:51:17Z

SwallowedSpear:

User:SwallowedSpear

2009-01-13T19:44:37Z

SwallowedSpear: New page: Grumbles only mildly at inclement weather.

Grumbles only mildly at inclement weather.

40d Talk:Torture

2009-01-13T19:44:23Z

SwallowedSpear:

==Creating this page==

Should we make this page so that people can find out how to kill their dwarves off in creative ways (a la "chucking towers", "gladiator arenas", "drawbridge catapults")?

[[User:SwallowedSpear|SwallowedSpear]] 21:36, 11 January 2009 (EST)

:Misplaced/Misnamed at best. Additionally, there are several places where such things are already mentioned, typically in reference to nobles, but there's no difference between getting a noble to pull a lever and any other dwarf. --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 23:56, 11 January 2009 (EST)

:Voting no. Totally unnessecery. --[[User:ThunderClaw|ThunderClaw]] 12:11, 12 January 2009 (EST)

:torture, no. personally, I would like a list of the most common/frequent ways dwarves end up dying and the most efficient selective dwarf killing methods (similar to killing obnoxious nobles), but I don't see too much of a need for those either. --[[User:Zeta|Zeta]] 18:09, 12 January 2009 (EST)

:I can see a page like this existing. The title should probably be something D for Dwarf-ish, and it should be thinly-veiled references to horrific methods of killing them, disguised as fun. "Amusement Park" or something to that effect. Only actually funny. This could also condense into or incorporate all the nobility ideas. --[[User:Eddie|Eddie]] 18:33, 12 January 2009 (EST)

::For now I've redirected it to [[Captured creatures#Execution]] ... seems appropriate. [[User:JubalHarshaw|JubalHarshaw]] 02:36, 13 January 2009 (EST)

Okay; Captured Creatures#execution sounds good; should I delete all this now, or leave it? [[User:SwallowedSpear|SwallowedSpear]] 14:44, 13 January 2009 (EST)

40d Talk:Captured creatures

2009-01-13T00:49:39Z

SwallowedSpear: /* "This can be avoided by building the cage the animal is in" */

== Taming ==
It looks like animals that killed any "good" creatures (such as elves or humans) can't be tamed (will go rampart as soon as they are released from cages).
I've got my whole fortress sealed off, a dragon came, after being hit by few stone traps and killing whole elven caravan, it fell into a cage trap. I tamed him (I do have a Dungeon Master) but when I tried to chain him before the entrance he started to kill dwarfs as soon as he was released from cage. I'm 100% sure it didn't kill any dwarfs (only a war dog) before falling in to a trap, and I'm certain it killed at least one elf. I'm using 27.176.38c, not modded in any way. --[[User:Tomato|Tomato]] 02:58, 3 March 2008 (EST)

Just to clarify a little here, it doesnt seem that killing tame animals will trigger untamability, but if Tomato's experiences are anything to go by, watch out if other civilized entities have been slain. (I am reasonably sure that tame animals are ok, by an experimental process of de-stealthing a GCS by throwing a dog into its cave, taming it, and letting it wander around in my base for a month or so waiting for the death messages) --[[User:Kaypy|Kaypy]] 10:30, 21 May 2008 (EDT)
== magma ==
Initial questions: will cages melt and its inhabitants be killed if magma is released onto it and the cage is non-magma-resistant?
:Yes, I burnt a bunch of useless donkeys and kittens this way. [[User:Dangerous Beans|Dangerous Beans]] 12:32, 1 August 2008 (EDT)

== breed in cages?==
I've done the cages to massive herds idea, but it doesn't work. They'll give birth just fine while in the cage (and the babies *won't* be locked in the cage, btw) but I've gone three years without a birth until a couple seasons after I released them all to presumably breed again. If you ask me, the ideal herd would be contained in a pit that's had access walled off, since (I believe) pathfinding lag isn't a factor when it's a wall, not a locked door.

Yea, I'm feeling a bit lazy right now, or I'd have edited this stuff into the article myself. Feel free to add it in and remove this, assuming I haven't just ended up in some weird situation where they just happen to have been pregnant for 3 years... --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 22:56, 10 January 2008 (EST)
: I am not exactly sure, but i think both a cow and a dog have given birth inside a cage after being in there for more than a year. So i toned down the statement in the article.--[[User:Koltom|Koltom]] 10:02, 27 February 2008 (EST)

Actually, the babies born in cages thing is true, but it works this way: the baby is born in the cage but is not ''assigned'' in the cage. So when it's born, a dwarf will immediately rush to free it. (Tried this by building a cage behind forbidden doors and the baby remained in the cage.)

By the way, how do you put a timestamp behind your edit? This timestamp below I have manually typed in. --[[User:ShunterAlhena]] 09:12, 11 January 2008 (EST)

:use <nowiki>--~~~~</nowiki> or the button that looks like a signature ;) --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 08:04, 11 January 2008 (EST)

== STOP HIM!!! ==

How am I supposed to put a captured goblin in an arena without letting the little bastard go? [[User:Patarak|Patarak]] 00:05, 25 January 2008 (EST)
:A lever based enter/exit door for the arena so you can lock it, His combatent will probably have to be the one to let him go in that case. Or use a pit of some kind. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 04:01, 25 January 2008 (EST)
My problem more lies with transporting the goblins from an animal stockpile to my arena/pit, which simply had the goblin released from his cage. [[User:Patarak|Patarak]] 04:32, 25 January 2008 (EST)
:Is there a problem with building a cage using the cage the gobbo's in? As for releasing... you do know levers work on cages too, right? --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 05:37, 25 January 2008 (EST)
Just to clarify, I have a problem transporting the goblin, not releasing him. When I attempted to move him, the goblin was released in the animal stockpile. I'm not sure how to specify build the cage that the goblin is using, but that would probably work, yes. [[User:Patarak|Patarak]] 05:52, 25 January 2008 (EST)
::You would {{k|b}}uild ca{{k|j}}e (yes its j to build a cage) [[User:Jikor|Jikor]] 06:51, 25 January 2008 (EST)

IIRC, in order to assign a creature to an existing cage, it first has to be taken out of the cage it's in and carried over to the new cage. However, the dwarf moving it in this way may suddenly realise they are carrying a dangerous 'thing' and drop it. This can be avoided by building the cage directly, which does not require taking the creature out. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 07:59, 25 January 2008 (EST)
:With the current (.38c) version I have noticed that transporting goblin soldiers is fine, the poor goblin just trails along and gets moved while goblin thieves will escape when tried to be moved. Perhaps it has something to do with sneaking vs not-sneaking. [[User:Yvain|Yvain]] 00:06, 10 April 2008 (EDT)
:I know for certian this behavior held in 0.23.130.23a. I imagine it probably hasn't changed since 0.27.169.33g. I tagged the article with 0.23.130.23a, so if someone knows better, please change it. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 08:09, 25 January 2008 (EST)
Whenever I build the cage, the dwarves just bring an empty one. I still haven't figured out a way to build exactly the cage the goblins are in. [[User:Patarak|Patarak]] 14:11, 25 January 2008 (EST)
:{{k|b}}uild menu -> ca{{k|j}}e [sic], then press e{{k|x}}pand list to see the indivudial cages with quality levels instead of a broader category list. Pick the one that's called "Goblin Cage(''materialname'')" and the dwarves will construct the cage with the gobbo still inside. Then link it up to a lever, station your executioner in a locked room with it, and yank the lever to start your pitfight. --[[User:TangoThree|TangoThree]] 10:23, 26 January 2008 (EST)

== RE: Arenas section ==

Is it actually possible to strip the weapons and armour off a captured creature as suggested here? --[[User:TangoThree|TangoThree]] 11:15, 26 January 2008 (EST)

: Yep, Check out the talk page for cages, under "Captured thieves" someone should probably integrate that info this article. --[[User:The Flying Febe|The Flying Febe]] 23:20, 3 February 2008 (EST)

== Sentry Animals? ==

Can tamed creatures be used as sentries? Or would I have to have a dwarf? 
--[[User:Lordmick134|Lordmick134]] 22:43, 30 March 2008 (EDT)

:Yes. Build a chain or rope and attach a tame creature to it, and it will have a good chance of spotting any nearby thieves or other sneaking creatures. I usually set up 2-3 chained critters in alcoves along my entry halls for that purpose. --[[User:Janus|Janus]] 02:55, 31 March 2008 (EDT)

::Can caged animals see ambushers farther away than the 8 tiles adjacent to them? I figure they probably don't (in which case they're still plenty useful anyways), but it'd make it a lot easier to cover large areas if I don't have to put a cage every third tile. [[User:LegacyCWAL|LegacyCWAL]] 20:08, 7 June 2008 (EDT)

No. The best way is to set up some high-traffic areas, and make sure all your valuables are indoors and that any potential ambushers have to get past your security. For example;
:xxx
:xOx
:xxx

If you put your roped animal in the middle they will have access to all 8 tiles around them with very little chance of an enemy bypassing it. --[[User:AlexFili|AlexFili]] 04:09, 9 June 2008 (EDT)

:I was afraid of that. Ambushers getting into the fortress isn't a problem because I've already done what you describe (and racked up a hell of a kill count in the process =P ). I was just hoping for a better way to help keep ambushers away from stuff like road-builders and caravans that my Corridor of Doom can't protect. --[[User:LegacyCWAL|LegacyCWAL]] 13:45, 9 June 2008 (EDT)

== Animal Training Labor ==

The article said only a dwarf with Animal Training activated will release animals. I had a dwarf releasing and caging animals with no labors active, except pump operating. Using 38c. --[[User:Strangething|Strangething]] 15:31, 14 June 2008 (EDT)

:I don't know where it says that, so I'll leave it to you to fix it. You're correct; the article is wrong. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 15:48, 14 June 2008 (EDT)

::I already fixed it --[[User:Strangething|Strangething]] 20:31, 15 June 2008 (EDT)

== Capturing friends ==

Does anyone know of a way to capture friendly entities? Elves would be awesome but I was thinking more like my own dwarves, without makind them go berserk (I'm also trying to figure out whether or not it counts as lowering population, and if not what happens if you sell them?). --[[User:MagicGuigz|MagicGuigz]] 20:00, 7 October 2008 (EDT)

:I think that making them go to sleep on a cage trap (such as by locking them in a 1x1 room with said trap in it) will do it.[[User:LegacyCWAL|LegacyCWAL]] 20:58, 7 October 2008 (EDT)

:: Ah yes probably, didn't think of that...thanks! Maybe we should include it if it's veryfied? There's lots of fun to be had with captured dwarves and humans/elves I think. --[[User:MagicGuigz|MagicGuigz]] 21:31, 7 October 2008 (EDT)

:: It was pretty hard but I managed to catch one! The trick is to dig a 3-4 z-levels hole with a hatch over it (or bridge, etc), and have a cage at the bottom. Draft someone and make him stand there while someone pulls the lever. 2 dead dwarves (and the one in the cage gravely wounded I suspect) but it was worth it. The 1x1 room thing didn't work, as they tended to starve before they actually fainted...or maybe I didn't wait long enough? More testing to come and then maybe I can include that in the article. --[[User:MagicGuigz|MagicGuigz]] 22:24, 9 October 2008 (EDT)

:: The dwarf was automatically released and helped by others... I guess the only way to keep dwarves locked is to make them go berserk...

== Slavery? ==

Is it possible to sell caged entities? I once tried to sell a caged Goblin (Pedogob, I think it was) to Dwarven Merchants, and the Goblin was released from its cage when the cage was set down in the Depot. Did I do something wrong, or is it just not possible? --[[User:Nekojin|Nekojin]]

: Bug #41 (or was it 40?). Sometimes (not always) a dwarf will take only the cage without its content to the depot. --[[User:MagicGuigz|MagicGuigz]] 11:02, 19 October 2008 (EDT)

== "This can be avoided by building the cage the animal is in" ==

Caveat — When an animal is captured via a cage trap and then assigned to an existing cage, the dwarf moving the animal will tend to let it go. This can be avoided by building the cage the animal is in.v0.27.176.38c

Can we get some clarification on the last sentence? [[User:SwallowedSpear|SwallowedSpear]] 18:56, 11 January 2009 (EST)

In DF, building an object can (and often does) refer to placing it as a building. EG: "I have 20 limonite tables for my dining hall, but I didn't build them yet". Does that clear it up? [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 19:18, 11 January 2009 (EST)

Well, does it mean that if, say, a goblin gets caught in a *Lead cage*, you should "build" that same *Lead Cage* where you want it to go? [[User:SwallowedSpear|SwallowedSpear]] 19:49, 12 January 2009 (EST)

40d:Torture

2009-01-12T02:38:08Z

SwallowedSpear: New page: This article doesn't exist yet, but please discuss whether or not it should be created on the talk page.

This article doesn't exist yet, but please discuss whether or not it should be created on the [[Talk:_Torture|talk]] page.

40d Talk:Torture

2009-01-12T02:36:57Z

SwallowedSpear: New page: ==Creating this page== Should we make this page so that people can find out how to kill their dwarves off in creative ways (a la "chucking towers", "gladiator arenas", "drawbridge catapul...

40d Talk:Captured creatures

2009-01-11T23:56:24Z

SwallowedSpear: /* "This can be avoided by building the cage the animal is in" */

40d Talk:Captured creatures

2009-01-11T23:56:10Z

SwallowedSpear: "This can be avoided by building the cage the animal is in"

== Taming ==
It looks like animals that killed any "good" creatures (such as elves or humans) can't be tamed (will go rampart as soon as they are released from cages).
I've got my whole fortress sealed off, a dragon came, after being hit by few stone traps and killing whole elven caravan, it fell into a cage trap. I tamed him (I do have a Dungeon Master) but when I tried to chain him before the entrance he started to kill dwarfs as soon as he was released from cage. I'm 100% sure it didn't kill any dwarfs (only a war dog) before falling in to a trap, and I'm certain it killed at least one elf. I'm using 27.176.38c, not modded in any way. --[[User:Tomato|Tomato]] 02:58, 3 March 2008 (EST)

Just to clarify a little here, it doesnt seem that killing tame animals will trigger untamability, but if Tomato's experiences are anything to go by, watch out if other civilized entities have been slain. (I am reasonably sure that tame animals are ok, by an experimental process of de-stealthing a GCS by throwing a dog into its cave, taming it, and letting it wander around in my base for a month or so waiting for the death messages) --[[User:Kaypy|Kaypy]] 10:30, 21 May 2008 (EDT)
== magma ==
Initial questions: will cages melt and its inhabitants be killed if magma is released onto it and the cage is non-magma-resistant?
:Yes, I burnt a bunch of useless donkeys and kittens this way. [[User:Dangerous Beans|Dangerous Beans]] 12:32, 1 August 2008 (EDT)

== breed in cages?==
I've done the cages to massive herds idea, but it doesn't work. They'll give birth just fine while in the cage (and the babies *won't* be locked in the cage, btw) but I've gone three years without a birth until a couple seasons after I released them all to presumably breed again. If you ask me, the ideal herd would be contained in a pit that's had access walled off, since (I believe) pathfinding lag isn't a factor when it's a wall, not a locked door.

Yea, I'm feeling a bit lazy right now, or I'd have edited this stuff into the article myself. Feel free to add it in and remove this, assuming I haven't just ended up in some weird situation where they just happen to have been pregnant for 3 years... --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 22:56, 10 January 2008 (EST)
: I am not exactly sure, but i think both a cow and a dog have given birth inside a cage after being in there for more than a year. So i toned down the statement in the article.--[[User:Koltom|Koltom]] 10:02, 27 February 2008 (EST)

Actually, the babies born in cages thing is true, but it works this way: the baby is born in the cage but is not ''assigned'' in the cage. So when it's born, a dwarf will immediately rush to free it. (Tried this by building a cage behind forbidden doors and the baby remained in the cage.)

By the way, how do you put a timestamp behind your edit? This timestamp below I have manually typed in. --[[User:ShunterAlhena]] 09:12, 11 January 2008 (EST)

:use <nowiki>--~~~~</nowiki> or the button that looks like a signature ;) --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 08:04, 11 January 2008 (EST)

== STOP HIM!!! ==

How am I supposed to put a captured goblin in an arena without letting the little bastard go? [[User:Patarak|Patarak]] 00:05, 25 January 2008 (EST)
:A lever based enter/exit door for the arena so you can lock it, His combatent will probably have to be the one to let him go in that case. Or use a pit of some kind. --[[User:Shades|Shades]] 04:01, 25 January 2008 (EST)
My problem more lies with transporting the goblins from an animal stockpile to my arena/pit, which simply had the goblin released from his cage. [[User:Patarak|Patarak]] 04:32, 25 January 2008 (EST)
:Is there a problem with building a cage using the cage the gobbo's in? As for releasing... you do know levers work on cages too, right? --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 05:37, 25 January 2008 (EST)
Just to clarify, I have a problem transporting the goblin, not releasing him. When I attempted to move him, the goblin was released in the animal stockpile. I'm not sure how to specify build the cage that the goblin is using, but that would probably work, yes. [[User:Patarak|Patarak]] 05:52, 25 January 2008 (EST)
::You would {{k|b}}uild ca{{k|j}}e (yes its j to build a cage) [[User:Jikor|Jikor]] 06:51, 25 January 2008 (EST)

IIRC, in order to assign a creature to an existing cage, it first has to be taken out of the cage it's in and carried over to the new cage. However, the dwarf moving it in this way may suddenly realise they are carrying a dangerous 'thing' and drop it. This can be avoided by building the cage directly, which does not require taking the creature out. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 07:59, 25 January 2008 (EST)
:With the current (.38c) version I have noticed that transporting goblin soldiers is fine, the poor goblin just trails along and gets moved while goblin thieves will escape when tried to be moved. Perhaps it has something to do with sneaking vs not-sneaking. [[User:Yvain|Yvain]] 00:06, 10 April 2008 (EDT)
:I know for certian this behavior held in 0.23.130.23a. I imagine it probably hasn't changed since 0.27.169.33g. I tagged the article with 0.23.130.23a, so if someone knows better, please change it. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 08:09, 25 January 2008 (EST)
Whenever I build the cage, the dwarves just bring an empty one. I still haven't figured out a way to build exactly the cage the goblins are in. [[User:Patarak|Patarak]] 14:11, 25 January 2008 (EST)
:{{k|b}}uild menu -> ca{{k|j}}e [sic], then press e{{k|x}}pand list to see the indivudial cages with quality levels instead of a broader category list. Pick the one that's called "Goblin Cage(''materialname'')" and the dwarves will construct the cage with the gobbo still inside. Then link it up to a lever, station your executioner in a locked room with it, and yank the lever to start your pitfight. --[[User:TangoThree|TangoThree]] 10:23, 26 January 2008 (EST)

== RE: Arenas section ==

Is it actually possible to strip the weapons and armour off a captured creature as suggested here? --[[User:TangoThree|TangoThree]] 11:15, 26 January 2008 (EST)

: Yep, Check out the talk page for cages, under "Captured thieves" someone should probably integrate that info this article. --[[User:The Flying Febe|The Flying Febe]] 23:20, 3 February 2008 (EST)

== Sentry Animals? ==

Can tamed creatures be used as sentries? Or would I have to have a dwarf? 
--[[User:Lordmick134|Lordmick134]] 22:43, 30 March 2008 (EDT)

:Yes. Build a chain or rope and attach a tame creature to it, and it will have a good chance of spotting any nearby thieves or other sneaking creatures. I usually set up 2-3 chained critters in alcoves along my entry halls for that purpose. --[[User:Janus|Janus]] 02:55, 31 March 2008 (EDT)

::Can caged animals see ambushers farther away than the 8 tiles adjacent to them? I figure they probably don't (in which case they're still plenty useful anyways), but it'd make it a lot easier to cover large areas if I don't have to put a cage every third tile. [[User:LegacyCWAL|LegacyCWAL]] 20:08, 7 June 2008 (EDT)

No. The best way is to set up some high-traffic areas, and make sure all your valuables are indoors and that any potential ambushers have to get past your security. For example;
:xxx
:xOx
:xxx

If you put your roped animal in the middle they will have access to all 8 tiles around them with very little chance of an enemy bypassing it. --[[User:AlexFili|AlexFili]] 04:09, 9 June 2008 (EDT)

:I was afraid of that. Ambushers getting into the fortress isn't a problem because I've already done what you describe (and racked up a hell of a kill count in the process =P ). I was just hoping for a better way to help keep ambushers away from stuff like road-builders and caravans that my Corridor of Doom can't protect. --[[User:LegacyCWAL|LegacyCWAL]] 13:45, 9 June 2008 (EDT)

== Animal Training Labor ==

The article said only a dwarf with Animal Training activated will release animals. I had a dwarf releasing and caging animals with no labors active, except pump operating. Using 38c. --[[User:Strangething|Strangething]] 15:31, 14 June 2008 (EDT)

:I don't know where it says that, so I'll leave it to you to fix it. You're correct; the article is wrong. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 15:48, 14 June 2008 (EDT)

::I already fixed it --[[User:Strangething|Strangething]] 20:31, 15 June 2008 (EDT)

== Capturing friends ==

Does anyone know of a way to capture friendly entities? Elves would be awesome but I was thinking more like my own dwarves, without makind them go berserk (I'm also trying to figure out whether or not it counts as lowering population, and if not what happens if you sell them?). --[[User:MagicGuigz|MagicGuigz]] 20:00, 7 October 2008 (EDT)

:I think that making them go to sleep on a cage trap (such as by locking them in a 1x1 room with said trap in it) will do it.[[User:LegacyCWAL|LegacyCWAL]] 20:58, 7 October 2008 (EDT)

:: Ah yes probably, didn't think of that...thanks! Maybe we should include it if it's veryfied? There's lots of fun to be had with captured dwarves and humans/elves I think. --[[User:MagicGuigz|MagicGuigz]] 21:31, 7 October 2008 (EDT)

:: It was pretty hard but I managed to catch one! The trick is to dig a 3-4 z-levels hole with a hatch over it (or bridge, etc), and have a cage at the bottom. Draft someone and make him stand there while someone pulls the lever. 2 dead dwarves (and the one in the cage gravely wounded I suspect) but it was worth it. The 1x1 room thing didn't work, as they tended to starve before they actually fainted...or maybe I didn't wait long enough? More testing to come and then maybe I can include that in the article. --[[User:MagicGuigz|MagicGuigz]] 22:24, 9 October 2008 (EDT)

:: The dwarf was automatically released and helped by others... I guess the only way to keep dwarves locked is to make them go berserk...

== Slavery? ==

Is it possible to sell caged entities? I once tried to sell a caged Goblin (Pedogob, I think it was) to Dwarven Merchants, and the Goblin was released from its cage when the cage was set down in the Depot. Did I do something wrong, or is it just not possible? --[[User:Nekojin|Nekojin]]

: Bug #41 (or was it 40?). Sometimes (not always) a dwarf will take only the cage without its content to the depot. --[[User:MagicGuigz|MagicGuigz]] 11:02, 19 October 2008 (EDT)

== "This can be avoided by building the cage the animal is in" ==

----

Caveat — When an animal is captured via a cage trap and then assigned to an existing cage, the dwarf moving the animal will tend to let it go. This can be avoided by building the cage the animal is in.v0.27.176.38c

Can we get some clarification on the last sentence? [[User:SwallowedSpear|SwallowedSpear]] 18:56, 11 January 2009 (EST)