Dwarf Fortress Wiki - User contributions [en]

40d:Strange mood

2009-10-23T14:43:27Z

Torasin: /* Demands */

Periodically, individual dwarves are struck with an idea for a [[legendary artifact]] and enter a '''strange mood'''. Dwarves which enter a strange mood will stop whatever they are doing and pursue the construction of this artifact to the exclusion of all else. This will be based on a particular [[skill]] that creates a finished end product that can have a [[quality]], rather than intermediary material such as bars of metal or raw food. They will not stop to eat, drink, sleep, or even run away from dangerous creatures. If they do not manage to begin construction of the artifact within a handful of months, they will go [[Strange mood#Failure|insane]] and die soon afterward.

A dwarf will only be struck by a mood once in their lifetime. Upon completion of their artifact they will usually become [[legendary]] in that skill, and will then return to their normal life in the fortress with their newfound skill. A fortress will only have at most one dwarf in a strange mood at any one time.

==Overview==
The entire process can be summarized as follows:
# Strange moods can only occur when the below necessary [[#Conditions|conditions]] are met. [[Soldier]]s and [[baby|babies]] cannot enter moods, nor [[Noble#Immigrant_Nobles|immigrant nobles]], but any other dwarf can, including [[child]]ren.
# The game will pause, center on a dwarf, and announce that the dwarf has entered one of five different types of strange moods. The [[#Types|types of mood]] are listed below. While in a mood, a dwarf will display a blinking exclamation point (see [[status icons]]).
# For the duration of the mood, the dwarf will claim a workshop related to the skill that the mood affects (not all skills are eligible), kick out any dwarf who was using it, and render it otherwise unusable until the mood has been resolved. If a moody dwarf does not claim a workshop, it is because the appropriate workshop does not exist. (See [[#Skills and workshops|skills and workshops]] below to determine which workshop(s) might be required.) A moody dwarf will ''not'' be available to build a needed workshop; another dwarf with the appropriate [[labor]] designation must do so for them, if one is necessary.
# After claiming a workshop, the dwarf will set about collecting the required materials for their artifact. If the dwarf remains idle inside the workshop, it's because they cannot find the right material. Reference the [[#Demands|demands]] section to determine what may be required.
# Once all materials have been gathered, the game will once again pause and center, and the moody dwarf will begin construction. Upon completion the dwarf will create a semi-random artifact related to the skill affected and gain [[legendary]] (or higher) status in that skill (unless the mood type is [[#Possessed|possessed]]). See the [[#Skills and workshops|skills and workshops]] for information on which skills can be gained, or the [[#Artifacts created|artifacts created]] section for more details on the artifacts themselves.

== Types of moods ==
For each of the following types of moods, the first message is how the mood is [[Announcement|announced]]; the second message appears in the dwarf's profile when he or she is viewed with the {{K|v}} key. All moody dwarves will have "Strange Mood" listed as their active task.

=== Fey ===
* {{Gametext|<dwarf> is taken by a fey mood!|#fff}}
: ''Has the aspect of one fey!''

This is the most basic strange mood. Fey dwarves will clearly state their demands when the workshop they are in is examined.

A fey dwarf's happiness is automatically set to 'quite content'.

=== Secretive ===
* {{Gametext|<dwarf> withdraws from society...|#ccc}}
: ''Peculiarly secretive...''

Secretive moods are the same as fey moods, except a secretive dwarf will sketch pictures of their required materials instead of clearly stating their demands if they cannot find what they need. Descriptions of all these [[Mood#Demands|secretive requirements]] can be seen only by viewing the workshop that the moody dwarf has claimed, with {{k|q}}, and then only while the dwarf is waiting inside it. More than one "picture" is likely; these will cycle through the entire list automatically if any one is not available. (Since materials are gathered ''in order'', it's quite possible that only one of a long list is needed to allow the moody dwarf to continue on their project. If the dwarf has gathered some of the materials (seen as "tasked" when looking at the workshop with {{k|t}}), then the next in the list is what they are looking for.)

A secretive dwarf's happiness is automatically set to 'quite content'.

=== Possessed ===
* {{Gametext|<dwarf> has been possessed!|#f0f}}
: ''Possessed by unknown forces!''

Possessed dwarves have cryptic material requests, and have the unfortunate distinction of not receiving any experience upon successful construction of an artifact. It is unknown if controllable circumstances lead to a possessed mood instead of one of the more desirable fey or secretive moods. Possessed dwarves will mutter the name of the artifact they are working on once they have all the materials they need.

A possession is the only mood that does ''not'' result in a jump in [[experience]].

A possessed dwarf's happiness is automatically set to 'quite content'.

=== Fell ===
* {{Gametext|<dwarf> looses a roaring laughter, fell and terrible!|#a0a}}
: ''Has a horrible fell look!''

A dwarf that goes into a fell mood will always take over a [[butcher's shop]] or a [[tanner's shop]]. The dwarf will then ''murder'' the nearest dwarf, drag the corpse into the shop and make some sort of object out of dwarf [[leather]] or [[bone]]. Once the artifact is completed, the fell dwarf will become a legendary [[bone carver]] or [[leatherworker]]. Strangely, none of the other dwarves seem to mind the murder. Only unhappy dwarves may enter a fell mood.

Aside from the potential loss of an important dwarf in the wrong place at the wrong time, there doesn't seem to be any downside to a fell mood. The end result is always an artifact and a legendary craftsdwarf. Since the only ingredient used (a dwarf) is available in abundance, a fell mood will only fail if the fell dwarf is completely isolated from other dwarves, or if the proper workshop does not exist.

=== Macabre ===
* {{Gametext|<dwarf> begins to stalk and brood...|#777}}
: ''Brooding darkly...''

Macabre moods are similar to fell moods, but the dwarf will not murder a fellow dwarf. A macabre dwarf may require bones, skulls, and chunks/remains; if you do not happen to have any, you will have to "make" some, or let the moody dwarf go insane. Like fell moods, only unhappy dwarves can enter macabre moods.

{{Spoiler}}

== Demands ==
Once a workshop is claimed, the dwarf will begin collecting materials. Each artifact will require between one and ten materials to complete. If the moody dwarf remains idle, then the necessary materials are not available. [[Forbidden]] items must be reclaimed ({{K|d}} - {{K|b}} - {{K|c}}) before they may be used, but moody dwarves will ignore settings regarding [[economic stone]]. Press {{K|q}} and highlight the workshop to receive a series of clues about what the dwarf needs. Hints that stay active for longer than 2 seconds mean that multiple pieces of that material will be required; each single demand will be displayed for 2 seconds, so if it says "gems... shining" for 6 seconds, 3 gems are demanded. Materials will always be fetched ''in order'', so if at least one item has already been retrieved (the items will show up with "TSK" ("task") next to them when the workshop is viewed with the {{K|t}} context menu), it will usually be possible to tell what item is required next.

You can use this to your advantage to get your dwarf to pick specific types of items, even if the moody dwarf has already started storing materials in their workshop: if a fey weaponsmith starts piling up copper bars, forbid those bars and he'll go pick another bar instead. If you forbid all metals except say steel (the stocks screen makes this fairly convenient), then he'll skip all those other metals and make his artifact weapon out of strong, valuable steel instead of whatever random inferior metal he might have picked otherwise. Don't forbid any of his materials after your dwarf has begun building his artifact - he won't go back to collecting materials once started and will end up going insane.

Note though that if a dwarf has a demand for a specific item, such as a [[bar|bar of metal]], raw [[gem]], or [[shell]], then that item type will be ''required''. For this reason, it is usually a good idea to keep an example of each item type on hand, particularly cut and raw gems, shells, bones, leather, raw (green) glass, both silk and plant cloth.

In somewhat rarer cases, a dwarf with a personality preference for a specific material, such as steel or silver [[bars]], will demand exactly that specific sub-type of material. For this reason, it is a good idea to keep as many types of material on hand as possible, including the three different kinds of glass. Forbidding materials won't let you get around this either: if they want a specific material subtype and you forbid it in favor of something else, they'll just sulk in their workshop until you unforbid the material or they are able to find it some other way - or they go [[insane]]. Asking a liaison for likely materials ''in advance'' is a good plan - "next year" is far too long for a moody dwarf to last. Check your dwarves' [[preference]]s if you care.

Once you have struck [[Adamantine]], all moods which use cloth or metal as a primary component will insist on using Adamantine cloth or wafers over all other materials; moody dwarves which happen to want metal for decorations will still choose bars based on distance or preference. Moods involving stone crafting or masonry will not prefer [[raw Adamantine]] over other stones.

The various demands are translated here:

:{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;width:90%;"
|-
! Material
! Fey
! Secretive
! Possessed
|-
|
| <dwarf> screams "I must have <demand>!"
| <dwarf> sketches pictures of <demand>.
| <dwarf> mutters "<artifact> needs <demand>..."
|-
| [[Stone]]
| rock
| a quarry
| stone... rock
|-
| Stone [[block]]
| rock blocks
| square blocks
| blocks... bricks
|-
| [[Wood]]
| wood logs
| a forest
| tree... life
|-
| Metal [[bar]]
| metal bars
| shining bars of metal
| bars... metal
|-
| [[Gem]]s (cut)
| cut gems
| cut gems
| gems... shining
|-
| [[Gem]]s (raw)
| rough gems
| rough gems
| rough... color
|-
| [[Glass]] (green)
| raw green glass
| glass
| raw... green
|-
| [[Glass]] (clear)
| clear glass{{verify}}
| glass and burning wood
| raw... clear
|-
| [[Glass]] (crystal)
| crystal glass{{verify}}
| rough gems and glass
| raw... crystal
|-
| [[Bone]]
| bones
| skeletons
| bones... yes
|-
| [[Shell]]
| shells
| a shell
| a shell...
|-
| [[Leather]]
| tanned hides
| stacked leather
| leather... skin
|-
| [[Cloth]] (plant)
| plant fiber cloth
| stacked cloth
| cloth... thread
|-
| [[Cloth]] (silk)
| silk cloth
| stacked cloth
| cloth... thread
|}

====Known quirk====
On maps with magma, dwarfs* who intend to create an artifact at a [[forge]] or [[glass furnace]] may only be willing to use a standard (non-magma) version, or only a magma version, and will find the other completely unacceptable. If they are just standing around, then they won't use the type you have, and you will have to build the other type for them (though no [[fuel]] will be required if using a standard, non-magma version).
:''(* This would include most all [[armorsmith]]s, [[blacksmith]]s, [[metalsmith]]s, [[weaponsmith]]s, and [[glassmaker]]s, and any whose mood is dictated by the relevant skills.)''

== The mechanics of moods ==

=== Frequency===
When a fortress is started, an internal counter is set to 1000. Around 11 or 12 times per day, this counter is decremented by 1, running down to zero in about 3 months. When the counter would ordinarily be decremented when it has already reached zero, there is a 1 in 500 chance that a strange mood will strike. This means that, once all conditions are met and the clock is ticking, while there is approximately a 2.4% chance of a strange mood per day, or ''very approximately'' a 50% chance of a strange mood per month, there is no guarantee when a mood will strike - might be sooner, might be (almost) never.

=== Conditions ===
In order for a dwarf to be struck with a strange mood, three conditions must be met:
:* There is no currently active strange mood,
:* The maximum number of artifacts is not met,
:* There are at least 20 eligible dwarves ''(see below)''.

If all three of these conditions are true, the game may trigger a strange mood according to the frequency.

==== Maximum number of artifacts ====
The maximum number of artifacts in any one fortress is limited by the lower of:
* The number of items created divided by 200. It is unknown whether mined-out rock counts as an "item created", or whether bolts and units of drink are counted individually.
* The number of revealed [[subterranean]] tiles divided by 2308 (this is an area equivalent to a 48x48 square). Using [[Exploratory mining|exploratory methods]] is a great way to increase your artifact limit.

==== Eligibility ====
The deciding factor for eligibility is a dwarf's actual [[profession]]. ''(Note that "[[Skill#Custom profession labels|custom professions]]" have no effect on this!)'' Thus, dwarves may enter strange moods regardless of what skills they have or don't have, so long as they are of an acceptable profession. Dwarves who have already created an artifact are not eligible to create another, and since every mood ends in either an artifact or death, every dwarf may enter at most one mood. Dwarves who have obtained one or more legendary skills without creating artifacts may enter strange moods.

Appointed [[nobles]] may enter moods as per their default profession, but [[Noble#Immigrant Nobles|immigrant nobles]] are '''not''' eligible for moods. That includes:
:Advisor, Baron/ess, Baron/ess Consort, Count/ess, Countess Consort, Duke/Duchess, Duke/Duchess Consort, Dungeon Master, Hammerer, King/Queen, King/Queen Consort, Philosopher, and Tax Collector.

Further, dwarfs with a [[Soldier#Soldier professions|military profession]] other than "Recruit" can '''not''' enter moods. Incidental military skills make no difference - eligibility (and weighting) depends purely on the actual ''[[profession]]'', as listed at the time. Military professions include:
:Axedwarf, Axe Lord, Champion, Crossbowdwarf, Elite Crossbowdwarf, Hammerdwarf, Hammer Lord, Macedwarf, Mace Lord, Marksdwarf, Elite Marksdwarf, Speardwarf, Spearmaster, Swordsdwarf, Swordmaster, Wrestler, and Elite Wrestler.

Babies may '''not''' enter moods.

Any other profession is eligible to enter a mood, but not all have the same ''chance'' to enter a mood...

:''('''Note''' - Specifically, and to avoid previous misunderstandings, [[Strand extractor]], [[Clerk]], [[Administrator]], [[Trader]], [[Architect]], [[Alchemist]], [[Soldier#Recruits|Recruit]] and [[Child]] '''are''' moodable professions.)''

=== Chance ===
When determining who will have a strange mood, each eligible dwarf is put into a weighted lottery. The odds are assigned a higher or lower weight based on the dwarf's [[profession]]. The default weight is 6, but some professions are more likely to enter a strange mood than others. (This is like most dwarfs getting 6 tickets to the lottery, and others getting more.)

{| class="wikitable" cellspacing="0" border="2" cellpadding="5"
|-
! Weighting
! Professions

|-
| 21 ||Armorer, Blacksmith, Bone Carver, Clothier, Craftsdwarf, Jeweler, Gem Cutter, Gem Setter, Glassmaker, Leatherworker, Metalcrafter, Metalsmith, Stonecrafter, Weaponsmith, Weaver, Woodcrafter
|-
| 11 ||Bowyer, Carpenter, Stoneworker, Mason, Woodworker
|-
| 6 ||All other eligible professions

|}

:'''''Example:''' What this means is: if you had 21 dwarves, made up of 20 eligible farmers, furnace operators, woodcutters & etc (with 6 chances each), plus one Armorer (with 21 chances), that one Armorer would have a 21 in 141 chance (20 dwarves x 6 chances each = 120, + 21 chances more = 141 total) of the mood striking them. That's about 1 in 7, while the other 20 have a 6 in 141 chance each, or about 1 in 24. The odds are still against the armorer, but much better than for any other single dwarf.''

Note that not every profession is from a moodable skill. An Alchemist, Architect, Furnace Operator or Strand Extractor can be taken by a mood, but that will not make those skills legendary, nor will they create an artifact bar of soap, building, bar of metal or wafer of adamantine.

:NOTE: ''If your game was saved shortly before one of you dwarves acquired a mood, reloading that game will most likely cause the chances to be completely re-figured, resulting in a different mood at a different time for a different dwarf with different materials. This is true for most all random events and results in Dwarf Fortress.''

=== Skills and workshops ===

{| class="wikitable" cellpadding="4" style="border:1px solid black;border-collapse:collapse;text-align:left;float:right;margin:0 0 20px 30px;"
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#eee;border-bottom:1px solid black;text-align:center;" | Artifact Skill Rewards
|-
! Highest skill
! Workshop used
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Armorsmith]]
| [[Magma forge]] or [[Metalsmith's forge]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Bonecarver]]
| [[Craftsdwarf's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Bowyer]]
| [[Bowyer's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Carpenter]]
| [[Carpenter's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Clothier]]
| [[Clothier's shop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Engraver]]
| [[Craftsdwarf's workshop]] or [[Mason's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Gem cutter]]
| [[Jeweler's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Gem setter]]
| [[Jeweler's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Glassmaker]]
| [[Glass furnace]] or [[Magma glass furnace]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Leatherworker]]
| [[Leatherworks]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Mason]]
| [[Mason's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Mechanic]]
| [[Mechanic's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Metal crafter]]
| [[Magma forge]] or [[Metalsmith's forge]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Metalsmith]]
| [[Magma forge]] or [[Metalsmith's forge]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Miner]]
| [[Craftsdwarf's workshop]] or [[Mason's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Stone crafter]]
| [[Craftsdwarf's workshop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Tanner]]
| [[Tanner's shop]] or [[Leather works]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Weaponsmith]]
| [[Magma forge]] or [[Metalsmith's forge]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Weaver]]
| [[Clothier's shop]]
|- style="border-top:1px solid #aaa;vertical-align:top;"
| [[Wood crafter]]
| [[Craftsdwarf's workshop]]
|}

A dwarf will claim a workshop according to their highest applicable skill, and upon completion of the artifact, gain 20,000 [[experience]] in that skill (excepting [[Mood#Possessed|possessed]] dwarves). This will give the dwarf a legendary-level [[skill]] (specifically, "legendary+1" or higher, depending on the dwarf's initial skill level) and a number of [[attribute]] gains. The table to the right describes all applicable skills and their potential workshop requirements - there are only 20 skills that determine the workshop and that can be affected by a mood (sometimes referred to as '''moodable''' skills.) If a dwarf does not possess at least one of the mooodable skills listed to the right, they will take over a [[craftsdwarf's workshop]] and gain one of [[bonecarver]], [[stone crafter]], or [[wood crafter]] skills, producing an artifact [[craft]].

If a dwarf has the same experience points in two skills (as opposed to same experience title), the first listed for that dwarf will be the one affected by the mood (the exact experience can only be made visible with 3rd party [[utilities]]).

When multiple workshops are listed, the dwarf may require one or the other, so ensure that ''both'' are available, if possible. If you have one, and the dwarf is not interested, then build the other, right away. (i.e. If you have only [[magma forge]]s, you may have to build a standard [[forge]] for the moody dwarf).

Below is a list of all ''non''-moodable skills; if all of a dwarfs skills are found on this list and none from the table to the right, then they have no moodable skills and will construct their artifact at a [[Craftsdwarf's workshop]], producing an appropriate craft as described above:

{|
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| style="padding-right:30px;" |
* [[Ambusher]]
* [[Animal caretaker]]
* [[Animal dissector]]
* [[Animal trainer]]
* [[Appraiser]]
* [[Building designer|Architect]]
* [[Brewer]]
* [[Butcher]]
* [[Cheese maker]]
* [[Cook]]
* [[Dyer]]
* [[Fish cleaner]]
* [[Fish dissector]]
* [[Fisherdwarf]]
* [[Furnace operator]]
* [[Grower]]
* [[Herbalist]]
|
* [[Lye maker]]
* [[Milker]]
* [[Miller]]
* [[Potash maker]]
* [[Pump operator]]
* [[Record keeper]]
* [[Siege engineer]]
* [[Siege operator]]
* [[Soaper]]
* [[Strand extractor]]
* [[Thresher]]
* [[Trapper]]
* [[Wood cutter]]
* [[Wood burner]]
* All [[military]] skills
* All [[social skill]]s
|}

This fact can be utilized to maximize the possibility of getting a dwarf with the specific legendary skill you want: since ''non''-moodable skills are ignored, when ever possible make sure that each dwarf's highest ''moodable'' skill is one of those you want*. Have all your peasants, [[farmer]]s, non-professional military and other dwarves without any moodable skills do a tiny bit of work in the skill(s) you most want; if a "[[dabbling]]" skill is the highest moodable skill they have, that is the skill that will be used.

:''(* [[Armorsmith]], [[Weaponsmith]], [[Metal crafter|Metal Crafter]] and [[Metalsmith]] are possibly the most-desired legendary skills, but much depends on your fortress, your current mix of skills, and your play style.)''

:''(Note that [[Tanner]] is a moodable skill, the only [[Farmer]] category skill that is moodable.)''

== Artifacts created ==
The type of artifact created will depend on the dwarf's highest skill. Masons will always create some kind of stone object, usually furniture; bone Carvers, a bone or shell object; carpenters, a wood object, etc. Miners and engravers will usually turn out a stone craft or piece of furniture; metalworkers, metal crafts, weapons, or armor (depending on the type of metalworker); weavers, an article of clothing; tanners, a leather armor or object. If a dwarf has no moodable skills, they will take over a [[craftdwarf's workshop]] and create a bone, stone or wood craft of some type. The precise type of craft created is usually somewhat random but if a dwarf has a personality preference for a particular thing, such as gauntlets or floodgates or crowns, and that thing is an available choice given the dwarf's profession, he will generally create an object of that type.

The first object grabbed by the dwarf will be the "primary" substance; all other materials will be used to decorate the artifact. If a dwarf grabs a piece of [[chalk]] and makes a statue, for instance, it will be a "chalk statue", but an artifact can potentially be composed of bone, cloth, gems, leather, metal, shell, stone, and wood all at once. In some cases, a moody dwarf will produce an item which normally cannot be made from that material, leading to such odd constructions as an [[obsidian]] [[bed]], [[ruby]] [[floodgate]], or turtle [[shell]] [[cage]].

Once created, most [[artifact]]s will be available for use just like a normal item of its type. Artifact furniture is useful for high value [[noble]] rooms. [[Weapon]]s and [[armor]] will only be used by heroes and champions. Artifact weapons in [[Trap#Weapon Trap|weapon traps]] can also boost a room's value considerably, as in the case of artifact trap components.

== Failure ==
If you can't provide the desired workshop and all the required component materials within a couple of months, the dwarf will go [[insane]], which cancels the mood and the artifact. As if that's not bad enough, any dwarf who goes insane will soon die, one way or another.

A dwarf who is [[melancholy]] or [[stark raving mad]] is harmless to others (until they die and start a [[tantrum]] spiral), but a [[berserk]] dwarf will attack other dwarfs and possibly pull levers at random. You may want to station a squad nearby or assign a few war dogs to the dwarf on the chance that they will lash out. If you build your workshops inside enclosed rooms with doors you can also lock the moody dwarf in the room until he or she starves. In extreme cases, building a wall around an open workshop is the best precaution.

Most events that would ordinarily interrupt a dwarf will not deter a moody dwarf - for example, while passing out from pain will cancel most tasks, a moody dwarf will continue working as soon as he wakes up. Giving birth while in a strange mood does not interrupt the dwarf either; the new mother will ignore the baby until her mood is resolved and it will happily wander off in the meantime.

Severe distractions such as hostile creatures, however, can interrupt a strange mood, resulting in immediate insanity; similar results will happen if the workshop suddenly becomes unavailable, whether from being destroyed (by a cave-in or a dwarf throwing a tantrum) or from losing power (in the case of magma workshops). Note that the insanity can happen even when the dwarf is not deadlocked on an item; there have been observed instances where a dwarf goes insane while in the process of carrying a required item back to the commandeered workshop.

----

'''See also'''
:*[[Insanity]]
:*[[Legendary artifact|Artifact]]
:*[[Profession]]
:*[[Legendary|Legendary Skill]]

40d:The Non-Dwarf's Guide to Rock

2009-10-07T22:56:00Z

Torasin: Removed "Demantoid - Unknown" from the guide - Demantoid is a gem!

Wondering what that new kind of rock your dwarves just struck is good for? Possibly nothing, but when you're just getting started it can be tough to tell the trash from the treasure. The following table summarizes the types of stone and ore found in Dwarf Fortress (note that it does not include gems).

The ''Uses'' column lists any special uses or properties of this particular stone type; if no uses are listed, you can always use the stone for general construction and crafting. Note that many "low value" materials are still ''very'' useful in a Dwarf Fortress. "Colors" are useful for color coding or creative aesthetic uses.

For more detailed and expanded information, see the [[Stone]], [[Ore]], [[Metal]], [[Alloy]], [[Vein|Veins & Clusters]], and [[Smelting]] pages, or the article on any particular stone, metal or ore.

==Table of Rocks==

''(Some materials are worth an additional comment; these are numbered, with notes below table.)''

{| border = 1 cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5"
| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Name'''
| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Type'''
| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Uses'''
|-
| [[Raw adamantine|Adamantine, raw]]||THE highest value "ore"1||becomes [[Adamantine]]1, by far the most valuable substance
|-
| [[Alabaster]]||stone||
|-
| [[Native Aluminum|Aluminum, native]]||a high-value [[ore]]||smelt into [[Aluminum]], a highest-value [[metal]]
|-
| [[Alunite]]||stone||
|-
| [[Andesite]]||[[layer]] stone||
|-
| [[Anhydrite]]||stone||
|-
| [[Basalt]]||[[layer]] stone||
|-
| [[Bauxite]]||stone||the only [[magma-safe]] [[stone]]2; only source of some high-value gems, dark red color 
|-
| [[Bismuthinite]]||rare/obscure ore||ingredient of [[Bismuth Bronze]]
|-
| [[Bituminous coal]]||stone||smelt into [[Fuel]], flammable
|-
| [[Borax]]||stone||
|-
| [[Brimstone]]||stone|| '''yellow color''' 
|-
| [[Calcite]]||stone||[[Flux]], mid-value stone
|-
| [[Cassiterite]]||uncommon ore||smelt into [[Tin]], a low-value metal; ingredient of [[Bronze]]s
|-
| [[Chalk]]||[[layer]] stone||[[Flux]], mid-value stone
|-
| [[Chert]]||[[layer]] stone||
|-
| [[Chromite]]||stone||
|-
| [[Cinnabar]]||stone|| red color 
|-
| [[Claystone]]||layer stone||
|-
| [[Cobaltite]]||stone|| blue color 
|-
| [[Conglomerate]]||[[layer]] stone||
|-
| [[Native Copper|Copper, native]]||common low-value ore||smelt into [[Copper]], a low-value metal
|-
| [[Cryolite]]||stone||
|-
| [[Diorite]]||[[layer]] stone||
|-
| [[Dolomite]]||[[layer]] stone||[[Flux]], mid-value stone
|-
| [[Felsite]]||[[layer]] stone||
|-
| [[Flint]]||[[layer]] stone||
|-
| [[Gabbro]]||[[layer]] stone||only source of some [[ore]]s & [[gem]]s
|-
| [[Galena]]||ore||smelt into [[Lead]], a low-value metal, w/ a 50% chance3 for [[Silver]]
|-
| [[Garnierite]]||uncommon ore||smelt into [[Nickel]], a low-value metal, [[magma-safe]]
|-
| [[Gneiss]]||[[layer]] stone||
|-
| [[Gold nuggets]]||ore||smelt into [[Gold]], a high-value [[metal]]
|-
| [[Granite]]||[[layer]] stone||only source of some ores; relatively rich in content
|-
| [[Graphite]]||stone||flammable
|-
| [[Gypsum]]||stone|| '''yellow color''' 
|-
| [[Hematite]]||ore||smelt into [[Iron]], a mid-value metal; ingredient for [[Steel]]
|-
| [[Horn silver]]||ore||smelt into [[Silver]], a mid-value metal
|-
| [[Hornblende]]||stone||
|-
| [[Ilmenite]]||stone||
|-
| [[Ice]]4||stone/water4|| light blue color 
|-
| [[Jet]]||stone||
|-
| [[Kaolinite]]||stone|| dark red color 
|-
| [[Kimberlite]]||stone||only source of [[Diamond]]s, dark blue color 
|-
| [[Lignite]]||stone||smelt into [[Fuel]], flammable
|-
| [[Limestone]]||[[layer]] stone||[[Flux]], mid-value stone
|-
| [[Limonite]]||high-value ore||smelt into [[Iron]], a mid-value metal; ingredient for [[Steel]]
|-
| [[Magnetite]]||high-value ore||smelt into [[Iron]], a mid-value metal; ingredient for [[Steel]]
|-
| [[Malachite]]||low-value ore||smelt into [[Copper]], a low-value metal
|-
| [[Marble]]||[[layer]] stone||[[Flux]], mid-value stone
|-
| [[Marcasite]]||stone||
|-
| [[Mica]]||stone||
|-
| [[Microcline]]||stone|| cyan color 
|-
| [[Mudstone]]||[[layer]] stone||
|-
| [[Obsidian]]||[[layer]] stone||create stone [[short sword]]s, highest value stone signifies nearby [[magma]] if not a layer
|-
| [[Olivine]]||stone|| may contain [[Platinum]], green color
|-
| [[Orpiment]]||stone|| '''yellow color''' 
|-
| [[Orthoclase]]||stone|| '''yellow color''' 
|-
| [[Periclase]]||stone||
|-
| [[Petrified wood]]||stone|| red color 
|-
| [[Phyllite]]||[[layer]] stone||
|-
| [[Pitchblende]]||stone|| purple color 
|-
| [[Platinum nuggets]]||highest-value ore||smelt into [[Platinum]], a highest-value [[metal]]
|-
| [[Puddingstone]]||stone|| brown color 
|-
| [[Pyrolusite]]||stone||
|-
| [[Quartzite]]||[[layer]] stone||
|-
| [[Realgar]]||stone|| red color 
|-
| [[Rhyolite]]||[[layer]] stone||
|-
| [[Rock salt]]||[[layer]] stone||
|-
| [[Rutile]]||stone|| purple color 
|-
| [[Saltpeter]]||stone||''' yellow color''' 
|-
| [[Sandstone]]||[[layer]] stone||
|-
| [[Satinspar]]||stone||
|-
| [[Schist]]||[[layer]] stone|| brown color 
|-
| [[Selenite]]||stone||
|-
| [[Serpentine]]||stone|| green color 
|-
| [[Shale]]||[[layer]] stone||
|-
| [[Siltstone]]||[[layer]] stone||
|-
| [[Silver nuggets]]||ore||smelt into [[Silver]], a mid-value metal
|-
| [[Slate]]||[[layer]] stone||
|-
| [[Sphalerite]]||uncommon ore||smelt into [[Zinc]], a low-value metal; ingredient for [[Brass]]
|-
| [[Stibnite]]||stone||
|-
| [[Sylvite]]||stone|| '''yellow color''' 
|-
| [[Talc]]||stone||
|-
| [[Tetrahedrite]]||low-value ore||smelt into [[Copper]], a low-value metal, w/ a 20% additional chance3 of [[Silver]]; smelt into [[Billon]]
|}

:Note - ''The yellow color above has been ''slightly'' modified darker than in the game for readability in this format.
:Compare
::'''this yellow'''
::'''the game yellow'''.''

==Value of rocks & metals==
You won't find the terms "low-value" or "highest-value" used in the game, but they're handy here for rough comparison. "[[Value]]s" are all relative to each other, on a common scale. The "material value" number multiplies any final product that is created with that material by that number. An average generic statue (base value 25) is worth much more than an average generic throne (base value 10), but a throne carved from raw [[gold nuggets]] (10 x 30 = 300) will be worth far more than a common-stone statue (25 x 1 = 25). ''(Note - "[[quality]]" also factors in to total value of a final product, as do some other considerations, but those are outside the scope of this intro article).'' Bottom line - when in doubt, go for the more valuable stuff.

Common '''stones''' ''(the vast majority)'' have a value multiplier of x1, mid-value ''(all [[flux]] stones)'' are x2, and high-value ''([[obsidian]] only)'' is x3. This affects things like stone tables and doors, statues or stonecrafts - anything made from stone. Metal [[ore]]s have varying values, from 2-40, and can either be treated as stone or smelted into bars of metal.

''(To be complete and for comparison, all wood has a value of x1, equal to common stone.)''

For '''metals''', low-value ''(like copper or nickel)'' is x2. Mid-value ''(silver or iron)'' is around x10, high-value ''(gold, steel)'' is x30, and highest-value ''(platinum, aluminum)'' is x40. Note that the raw mined ore and the smelted pure metal often have different value multipliers, but not always. [[Alloy]]s like brass or bronze are often more valuable than the sum of their pure metal ingredients, and have a true spectrum of values between 3-23. ''(Alloy values are not listed in this article.)'' Metal can be crafted into weapons, armour or tools, decorations, furniture or even buildings.

'''Notes:'''
:1. '''Adamantine''' is not exactly like other metals, although it works almost the same. It has a value multiplier of x300 (yes, three ''hundred''). It is also quantums better than steel for all combat purposes, and steel is clearly the best material otherwise available. See [[adamantine]] for a full discussion of this unusual and ultimate material.

:2. '''Bauxite''': Magma will melt most stone, and while there are some magma-safe metals, [[mechanism]]s can only be made from stone (or processed adamantine), not metal. Bauxite (or adamantine) is the only stone that will not melt in magma (see [[magma-safe]]), and so is uniquely suited for that purpose.

:3. '''% chance''' for additional metals - when Galena and Tetrahedrite are smelted, they produce (respectively) 1 lead or 1 copper bar, 100% of the time. They occasionally produce a second, ''additional'' bar of the second metal, with the % chance as listed above.

:4. '''Ice''' has some ''very'' unusual properties in Dwarf Fortress, and can be disastrous if misused. See article on [[ice]] for a more complete discussion.

==How to find a rock==
Basically, you look under other rocks. The trick is to have a good guess ''which'' other rocks to look under to find the one type that you're looking for.

In the main article for every rock (many generic/low-value ones share another table on the [[stone]] page), there is information about where these stones can be found. Usually that's in a type of [[layer]], or sometimes within another specific or general type of [[stone]]. Sometimes the rock is a [[layer]] stone. If it's found in [[sedimentary]], [[igneous intrusive]], [[igneous extrusive]], [[metamorphic]] or [[soil]], those are broad classifications that cover many different types of layer stone. A layer stone means it creates the dominant layer of that entire area, as defined by the "area block" (see next). By figuring out where the type of rock/ore you are looking for is found, you can dig in areas that have a better chance of having it.

===Area Blocks===
Okay, this is the "advanced basic" part of the lesson - then we're done.

When you first start a new game, and you're looking at the embark map, there is the World map on the right, the Region map in the middle, and the Local map on the left. The icons on the local map relate 1:1 to what are called "area blocks" on the game map, the map where your dwarves will move around. Each area block is 48x48 tiles square. The game is smart enough to make the borders a little fuzzy, but each area block defines the plant and animal life, the temperature and rainfall, and the layers of stones that can be found in that 48x48 area. These are clumped together in like types - using the F1, F2, F3 & etc. keys you can view them all.

If you pay attention to the pre-embark map (and make notes?), you can see what layers lie below each area block, in order as they go deeper. This will help you find stone/ore you might be looking for. You can also see where any [[underground pool]] or [[underground river]] or [[magma]] might be hiding - but that's another article.

See also:
:* [[Exploratory mining]]

[[Category:Guides]][[Category:Stone|*]]

40d Talk:Pig iron

2009-02-17T23:57:42Z

Torasin: /* Mandate bug? */

[REAGENT:1:BAR:NO_SUBTYPE:COAL:NO_MATGLOSS]
Are you sure [[charcoal]] from wood counts as a coal bar? I remember reading this wasn't the case. [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 11:00, 18 December 2007 (EST)
:I can approve that charcoal from wood logs is a valid material for steel production from heavy personal experience. It is good that we do not have strict WP:OR here.--[[User:Another|Another]] 11:13, 18 December 2007 (EST)

== Mandate bug? ==

My [[Tax collector]] has just given a [[mandate]] to make two pig iron items. If you can't make anything from pig iron, is this a bug? If not, how do I satisfy this mandate?! --[[User:Actreal|Actreal]] 06:15, 23 June 2008 (EDT)
:try building a bridge, or making steel bars-note that failure in a mandate only causes an unhappy thought. This is easily countered by upgrading his rooms with something he needs/likes.
::Making steel bars does satisfy this mandate. Constructions (bridges, floors) do not. --[[User:Sev|Sev]] 23:56, 7 November 2008 (EST)
:::I have a mayor who has mandated the construction of a pig iron item. Tried making a steel bar, no success. Made another, still no change in mandate. --[[User:Liqum|Liqum]] 12:07, 30 January 2009 (EST)
::::I just got a mandate for 3 pig iron items. I had none at the time so I told a furnace to smelt {R}. Before I could build anything the mandate was completed. I am certain that smelting the bars is what filled the mandate.--[[User:Cultiststeve|cultiststeve]] 16:39, 17 February 2009 (EST)
:::::That's right, cultiststeve. You can fill mandates by creating bars OF a particular metal. The same effect applies to Bismuth. --[[User:Torasin|Torasin]] 18:57, 17 February 2009 (EST)

40d Talk:Challenges

2009-01-25T18:25:05Z

Torasin: /* The Great Wall of [Kingdom] */

==Colorful==
This is an idea I got by reading trough all the challenges, what if you make it a goal to have the fortress in the colour of the rainbow. (Example, 80x80 tile fortress, first 10 tiles are red, second 10 tiles are brown-orange, the third 10 are yellow and go on) --[[User:G1real|G1real]] 08:43, 27 June 2008 (EDT)

==Sparta==
"You shouldn't create chainmail or plate armour."
 why? --Savok
:because spartans don't wear chest armor. you should definately watch 300, it's like Dwarf Fortress on crack! --AlexFili
::from what I've read, 300 isn't an accurate depiction of Spartan life. However, this challenge build is based on 300 --Savok
:::Alright, fair point, 300 was based from a graphic novel, but many similarities between Spartans in 300 and in real history are present. --[[User:AlexFili|AlexFili]] 10:39, 9 June 2008 (EDT)
::::"However, this challenge build is based on 300" No it isn't. At least, it wasn't intended to be. I guess I shouldn't have referred to pop culture when I added it. --juckto
:::::The hell with it. Split off spartans from 300. [[User:Juckto|Juckto]] 16:55, 14 June 2008 (EDT)
::::::Not only did Spartans use chest armour (although in the form of bronze muscel cuirasses), but it was illegal and finable to fight without your armour. Theres one story of a Prince praying in Temple when some enemies attacked, he ran out naked and killed them, the Oligarchs awarded and praised him with one hand and then fined him with the other. Further specific Spartan attributes, the largely did not wear sandals except during war (don't want your feet to be soft and flabby, gotta make them rock-proof), Sparta itself didn't rely on walls (although they did use them [notably at the battle of the Hot Gates to keep the Persians from landing south of the gates] and the city did eventually make some). Theres also the complicated issue of their government, not sure how to replicate that, dual monarchy with the Kings having no real governmental powers and an oligarchy ruling at home. Maybe having a Legendary warrior lead each of two squads and having every position (Book Keeper, Mayor, Captain of the Guard even maybe) filled by a useless fat rich guy in a nice shiny house. I should also point out alot of their generals and kings were known for a love of gold and that 50% of the population being in the military is not very accurate, actual Spartan soldiers were vastly outnumbered by the Helots. --[[User:Lowlandlord|Lowlandlord]] 01:37, 31 July 2008 (EDT)
==No mining==
Now that you construct walls and fortifications out of wood, I wonder if anyone is going to take on a 'no mining' challenge? You're going to need a ''lot'' of wood! --[[User:Mechturk|Mechturk]] 17:00, 6 November 2007 (EST)

:Some people already are :p --[[User:Turgid Bolk|Turgid Bolk]] 17:44, 6 November 2007 (EST)

::I'm running a game with Elves as the playable civilization, a challenge on its own--The Forest Retreat of Inalamina is well into its ninth year, with a population of 220, and this is without mining ''or'' cutting down any trees. It's defended entirely by spearmen, swordsmen, and wrestlers, and the nobles/admins and wounded elves live happily in tree forts and lean-tos! Worth adding, maybe? I'd even consider writing an article for it... --[[User:Navian|Navian]] 10:23, 6 November 2008 (EST)

::: I am completely enthralled. I'd love to see it written up. Screenshots, the whole thing. --[[User:RomeoFalling|RomeoFalling]] 10:37, 6 November 2008 (EST)

::Oh, you mean for the game I'm running itself? I'd love to, but I can't seem to find what the rules for that are and I don't want to step on any toes by randomly creating a page. --[[User:Navian|Navian]] 10:48, 6 November 2008 (EST)

::: Either for the game itself, or a general essay sorta thing on the challenges and solutions for that kind of gameplay. As for the [[rules]], I don't know what you're talking about exactly. A wiki is a kind of anarchistic democracy. If you think it's worth putting up, you are free to put it up. If someone wants to take it down, they're free to do that too. – [[template:unsigned|unsigned]] comment by [[User:RomeoFalling|RomeoFalling]]

:::Put the writeup on your userpage, and if it can be broadened into something else, we'll move it into the mainspace.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 23:09, 6 November 2008 (EST)

==Assassination==
I tried "Assassination" the other day and found that it was incredibly easy with a group of axedwarves. Not only did I kill the hardest-to-get-at goblin, I killed every last other goblin too. In the end, there were only 2 dogs and 2 dwarves dead (the last one fell, sadly, to the last goblin left, who was hiding in the tunnels.--[[User:Smoking Gnu|Smoking Gnu]] 22:51, 15 December 2007 (EST)

:Now do it with 7 untrained dwarves with no armor. --[[User:TheUbie|TheUbie]] 19:30, 29 December 2007 (EST)

::Mwa ha ha ha!--[[User:Jackrabbit|Jackrabbit]] 18:38, 11 December 2008 (EST)

== Humanlike? ==
It should be noted that the 'human-like fortress' as described is historically inaccurate. In particular, its either misrepresenting or confusing various details. One major point is that a _castle_ never incorporated a town. There are walled towns and there are castles, but these are entirely different things. A couple of historical periods/styles would lead to the following different suggestions:

(A) Larger (stone) medieval castles sometimes had industry in the bailey. This was often pressed up against the outer wall to save on space and wall building. It was usually militarily useful industry (ie, metalsmithing of various types). Cooking and possibly brewing might also happen, and cooking at least would have been handled in the keep itself. Industries including jewelry, carpentry (on a permanent basis), and other non-military production would have been outside the castle, quite possibly in a town nearby.

(B) More isolated smaller castles would have done necessary production in the bailey on a temporary basis (ie, erecting a carpentry work area when needed and disassembling it afterwards), with a few permanent industries (notably blacksmithing).

(C) 'Dark Ages' castles would be made of wood, and weren't large enough to accomodate much industry. Instead they would have imported everything. The early castle was a defensible home for the lord and his family, and would only house them and a few military retainers.

It should be noted that the lack of focus on industry in a castle meant diverse tasks might share the same workspace and in fact be handled by the same person. The purpose of a castle is military, not production, and castle's only produced goods for internal demand that either could not be imported, would be inconvenient to import, or were critical to the military purpose (and couldn't afford access to those goods being lost during a siege).

(D) A walled town would have no keep. Nobles would not live there. Basically, towns would build a wall around their perimeter for defense. More important towns often grew to encompass nearby castles, and often outgrew their walls - which might either lead to substantial portions beyond the walls or accruing walls occasionally to encompass new growth. Despite a castle potentially being encompassed by a town, the castle and town were administratively separate - towns receiving independent charters from the crown - and the town was never subject to the lord of the castle (who may well control the surrounding countryside).

Given the nature of Dwarf Fortress, treating it as a town rather than a castle is probably preferable unless you really want to emphasize military skills, which could be interesting. You could, of course, create a castle and a town, keeping them as virtually separate entities, with military dwarves and nobles living in the castle and other dwarves living in the town.

--[[User:Squirrelloid|Squirrelloid]] 18:11, 30 April 2008 (EDT)

:When did we start trying to make DF fit real-world history?
:His idea seems perfectly fine when compared to in-game human towns/cities, as they have a keep and whatnot as part of the city. Only difference is adding a wall around it all. --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 18:25, 30 April 2008 (EDT)

== Insane Renegade (just a thought) ==

Well I was thinking something along these lines,

They all think that your crazy, so you and some others ran. You shouldn't trust them... They want you dead. Except for the (random profession/job) they think like you. KILL THEM KILL ALL THAT OPPOSE YOU!!,

Description:
Xenophobia, Do not trade with others, Kill all immigrants except ones of a certain job/profession. If you want to go as a truly insane person, ban all statues and engravings of Dwarven faces (the statues, THE ROCKS! THEY ALL WANT ME DEAD!!!!) Be prepared for a long life of hatred and sieges.

P.S. if anyone edits this and puts it on the main thing please give me partial credit... Thank you and goodnight! – [[template:unsigned|unsigned]] comment by [[User:LrZeph|LrZeph]]

:How is this different from [[Challenges#Outcast|Outcast]], aside from the RP? --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 16:41, 22 June 2008 (EDT)

::Oh dear, i missed that one. never mind – [[template:unsigned|unsigned]] comment by [[User:LrZeph|LrZeph]]

== Dystopian society ==

Anyone thought of making a fortress based off one of those dystopian futures found in scifi novels like 1984, We, Brave New World, and Fahrenheit 451? The way I imagine it, it would be similar to the Equaland challenge, with variations based on the dystopian principle of your choice. For example, if you want to encourage uniformity across your population, enable all labor for every dwarf and persecute anyone who skills up too quickly at a given skill. A strict caste system might also be implementable, a la Brave New World. Another idea would be to kill off or at least "re-educate" any dwarf that falls below ecstatic for an extended period of time. Tons of ideas at {{wiki|Dystopia}}. Thoughts? --[[User:Mikaka|Mikaka]] 04:56, 24 June 2008 (EDT)

:That sounds like a good challenge. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 08:24, 24 June 2008 (EDT)

== Underwater Building ==

I've decided to take on the underwater building challenge, and have started Migrurmestthos, The Ocean-Citadel. But ah... I can't for the live of me figure out how I'm going to get glass blocks to the bottom of the ocean. Any ideas? --[[User:Anfini|Anfini]] 20:36, 19 July 2008 (EDT) 
''P.S.: I've altered the creature tokens and set my Dwarves to Aquatic.''

:I recommend either
:#Don't build it in the ocean.
:#Use pumping to pump a large area of the top level of the ocean out. Do the same with a slightly smaller area one level down. Repeat as desired.
:#Pump the ocean out, build, then let it flow back in. This is like the above, but with the whole visible ocean. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 22:45, 20 July 2008 (EDT)

:::Oookay, okay. I have single-handedly diverted the courses of raging rapids to give my children something to drink, harnessed the power of lava, and built towers of glass. However, I cannot help but approach the idea of pumping out '''the entire ocean''' with a bit of skepticism. Is this ''really'' possible? --[[User:Anfini|Anfini]] 22:53, 21 July 2008 (EDT)

::::Aye, it is. Aside from waves, the "entire" ocean is really, due to map limitations, just a large, fast-refilling lake. If you build a ring of pumps properly, you should be able to clear the water from a section, which can be as large as your fortress map. --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 02:34, 23 July 2008 (EDT)

::::: I've personally been using 'canals' in my fortress for quite a while, and what I do is simply allocate nobles' rooms along the side of the canal, and before flooding the waterway, I dig into it and build glass windows and blocks so the nobles can watch the fish swim by. I doubt it actually raises the room value by any more than the glass windows' base value, but I like the effect. This isn't really an "underwater city" per se, but it's born of the same concept. --[[User:Eddie|Eddie]] 07:45, 26 July 2008 (EDT)

:Check out [[User:Squirrelloid/Under the Sea]], then note that I haven't quite tested any of the possible methods yet. I'm about ready to turn on the magma tap and see if I can create an obsidian stalagmite with successive bursts of magma followed by channelling - that may provide a way to build stairs down through and assemble a mass pump appartus - yes, this is going to be a lot of work. Its took 6 years of game time to get to the point where I was ready and able to do a trial run - admittedly, it wasn't the only thing I was focused on. --[[User:Squirrelloid|Squirrelloid]] 12:28, 19 November 2008 (EST)

== Dwarf Factory ==

--[[User:Bilkinson|Bilkinson]] 18:12, 28 August 2008 (EDT)
Looking to develop this callenge concept:

Your fortress is a highly specialized industrial complex. Select one item, or very narrow category of items. (ie Flour, Scepters, Shoes, Silk Bags, Crossbow Bolts) This is your factory's product. You must produce as much of it as possible, and it may only be used for export to any any and all caravans which visit your factory. Set up shift schedules, assign massive teams of dwarves (or even all of them!) to your core product, and generally devote your fort to maximizing output.

Variants: 
Assembly line - Each Dwarf is assigned a single stage of the production cycle, this is their only labour. Workshops should be grouped togeather by type, ordered based on the production cycle and grouped with relevant stockpiles. 
Communal - Every Dwarf has every relevant labour enabled, in addition to whatever else they do for the fort. 
High Management - For each Task in your production, appoint a department head. As the number of workers in each department grows, start appointing shift managers. As your factory expands in size, appoint reigonal coordinators and quality control bureaus. Cap this off with a board of directors and a CEO. None of these dwarves do anything but fill noble slots and build social skills. 
Prison/Work Camp - Noble dwarves do not contribute to labour. Max the fortress/royal Guard at all times and draft 20% of the population into the army. The remaining dwarves are prisoners who must produce output. Build walls, rig traps, and make an example of anyone who fails to meet their quota. 
People's Glorious Five-Year Plan - As above, but arrive with no skilled workers, rig all facilities with self destructs and kill switches, and only arm one in ten of your soldiers. 

Bonus: Only produce things vital to the survival of your workers, or directly involved in making your product. Anything else must be imported. 
Further Bonus: Produce only your final product, all raw materials must be imported. spend the surplus on anything else you may need.

How's it sound?

== Luxurious Tomb ==

Build an extravagant mausoleum for your entire dwarf community. Make it multi-leveled, make it a pyramid, make it out of glass if you want - but it must serve no other purpose than to be a dying place, and must not be accessed for any purpose other than to build it. Add a few decorations here and there, statues, tables, and a whole lot of coffins to house everyone.

Once it's complete, turn your fortress into a ghost town. Remove the designation of all your stockpiles. Forbid all the workshops and forbid access to the different areas of the fort as they get deserted to limit dwarf movement. Lure everyone into the tomb, seal the entrance from the inside and watch everyone die inside their new mausoleum. The tomb should be designed such that the initial entry point cannot easily be guessed (i.e.: The entrance should be sealed using a wall or some other solid structure - not via a door you just mark forbidden.

BONUS: make access to the tomb difficult or impossible, either by causing a cave-in in the tunnel that leads towards it, or by flooding the surrounding area in water or magma.

BONUS #2: Build the tomb over a chasm. Find a way to drop the whole tomb-building into it once everyone's inside.

:Suggestion: DON'T build it over a chasm; build it over a very large pit (deep enough to be called a 'chasm' by some) and make a set of ramps that lead down to the bottom. 1x2 setup; that is:
^^
^^
^^
^^
^^
^^
..
That is, up ramps, turn on normal flooring, then continue back up in the opposite direction. So a dwarf would travel in this path:
VV
VV
VV
VV
VV
VV
>^
:They'd come down the left ramp, turn left twice, and go down via the right ramp. Then they'd take two more lefts, and go down the left ramp, etc..
:Just a neat little suggestion that's way too complicated, but'd look nice...also, {{k|V}} is a ramp; {{k|^}} is not.
:I can't wait to try this out, then watch the temple I build go down, down, down, and '''SMASH'''--then use the ramps alongside it to view (and plunder, of course--it IS a tomb in adventure mode) it.
:Oh, and just a Z-level view:
| /
| /
| /
|/
|\
| \
| \
| \
:Or:
| /
| /
| /
|/___
| /
| /
| /
|/___
:Etc.. ~ [[User:Midna|Midna]] 23:45, 25 October 2008 (EDT)

== Agoraphobia ==

Your dwarves are absolutely terrified of the great outdoors, ([[carp|and]] [[Elephant|with]] [[Giant eagle|good]] [[undead|reason]] and want nothing more than to be nestled tightly in the "[[Giant Cave Spider|relative]] [[Pit|saftey]]" of the underground. Upon arrival, immediately burrow into the ground and haul all your supplies out of the sun's glare, and then never set foot on the surface again. Also, to help reduce anxiety, have no single chamber larger than 5x5, and let no hall stretch farther than 5 tiles between doors.--[[User:Bilkinson|Bilkinson]] 11:42, 15 September 2008 (EDT)

== <insert material> Fort....wait, what? ==

Ok, now I can understand a glass fort...and I can understand making it all outside, but how does one build it under water? Can someone please tell me how to do this so I can try to create my own Dwarven SeaLab? [[User:Alkyon|Alkyon]] 05:58, 17 October 2008 (EDT)
:I believe its either done via pump rings (enough screw pumps can hollow out sections of the ocean long enough to build something to hold the water back), or in a cold enough seasonal environment, only doing construction during the winter. [[User:HeWhoIsPale|HeWhoIsPale]] 08:44, 17 October 2008 (EDT)
:: The third option would be building the fort, and then making a lake around it. --[[User:Bilkinson|Bilkinson]] 08:51, 17 October 2008 (EDT)
::The real trick with building enough screw pumps is in water deeper than 1 z-level you need to find a way to build down - you cannot hang down staircases off sides like you can up staircases. I'm attempting to pump magma to form an obsidian sheen - tunnel down through it and channel a hole, pump more magma, and so on. I'll let people know how it works... --[[User:Squirrelloid|Squirrelloid]] 12:41, 19 November 2008 (EST)
:::So I've heard. Have you tried just carving a staircase along the underwater cliff on your game? I hope to see, or at least hear, the results of your work. As for me, I'm trying this challenge the other way around: Turn a hilly desert map into a massive glass aquarium, with my dwarves living the good life inside. --[[User:Alkyon|Alkyon]] 13:41, 19 November 2008 (EST)
:::::Well, my goal was to build a free-standing structure in 15 z-levels of water, so yes, if there is a convenient cliff it works, but that limits you to cliffs which start 1 z-level below water. As all my really deep water areas aren't even close to being accessible in that way, its not even an option. --[[User:Squirrelloid|Squirrelloid]] 19:34, 19 November 2008 (EST)

::::To me, the solution that comes to mind is to place a weapon rack on a narrow causeway and get recruits to wrestle until one punts another into the abyss. The lucky winner gets to build the up staircase. Getting materials below is easy, you can just build something and deconstruct it, among other more elaborate means. --[[User:Navian|Navian]] 17:41, 19 November 2008 (EST)

:::::That only works if its only 2 z-levels down, because otherwise the dwarf falls into deeper water and drowns... and as 2 z-levels is boring... --[[User:Squirrelloid|Squirrelloid]] 19:34, 19 November 2008 (EST)

==Genesis==
Kill all but two of your starting dwarves off (one male and one female). Seal them in your fortress (no trading). Repopulate the earth. Measure of success is based on number of children before the fortress dies. Thoughts?
--[[User:Squirrelloid|Squirrelloid]] 05:12, 22 November 2008 (EST)

:How reliably can you get them to mate?--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 16:57, 22 November 2008 (EST)

:: Tried this out - 3 years in and not even lovers yet. Ick. So, here's the problem: you really want two dwarves who won't start as friends with many other people (although each other is ok), and who can handle stress and aren't quick to anger. Because of course your first hurdle is going to be surviving the unhappiness generated by killing off everyone else. (You may just want to build some coffins early just in case). Unfortunately, the embark screen view mode won't let you see who they're friends with before embarking, so if you want to assign just two of them skills you're making guesses based solely on their personality traits as two which dwarves will be compatible and likely to survive the initial culling. After that you then need to reduce your job queue to almost nothing and basically lock them in the same room together so they spend their time talking - because you've already chosen otherwise self-reliant and anti-social dwarves.

::Some evidence on the Relationships talk page suggests giving some social skills to your dwarves may increase the rate at which they progress to friends/lovers.

::My first attempt was a Carpenter 5/Cook 5 and a Mason 5/Grower 5... I might have to revise that to Mason 5/Grower 3/Something social 2 and Carpenter 4/Cook 4/something social 2 - but carpenter and mason are going to be important for generating happy thoughts.

::Apparently setting the .init file to a max of 2 dwarves doesn't stop immigrants from coming - which is annoying because I really don't want to keep killing them off, and they keep stealing my moods. (Yes, i put a stone stockpile outside so the immigrants can build their own deathtrap over the lava vent). I do recommend playing on an island so you only have to deal with not going outside for the dwarf caravan each year. And the liaison will happily join your migrants on the death trap if you make it a meeting area.

::--[[User:Squirrelloid|Squirrelloid]] 10:18, 23 November 2008 (EST)

:::It's all a matter of compatibility. Dwarves actually don't start out friends, they just make them almost instantly at the start (and can make grudges here, too. I had one who had a very low sense of adventure while everyone else had high, and five of the seven had grudges with her.) To become lovers and get married requires a very, very high compatibility--whatever that means. It seems that some dwarves never upgrade from lovers to married, either, perhaps due to being not compatible enough, but being faced with a lack of programming to handle breakups. (I'll leave that one to the playwrights.) Getting this challenge to work is probably more than half the challenge! --[[User:Navian|Navian]] 11:29, 23 November 2008 (EST)

:::Do social skills make dwarves more likely to make friends, or does being friendly make dwarves more likely to gain social skills? Instead of focusing on social skills, you might need to pick dwarves with a lot of friendly traits (or even compatible traits, like Navian suggests). You can check their personalities before setting out -- if you don't see compatible traits, scrap it and start building another party.

:::For happiness, build several native gold (i.e., masonry) statues and put them in their bedrooms -- that will dwarf (ahem) the bonus you will get from the bed itself being high-quality. You can potentially skip carpentry altogether.

:::For them to actually form a relationship, you might need to give them idle time, during which they will socialize.

:::To keep other dwarves away, you could try putting a moat around the entire perimeter of the map (better still, a magma moat). This worked with the 2D version, but with finite quantities of fluid in the 3D version, it might not work anymore. But if you do want to try, put a wall as close to the edge of the map as it allows you, and flood everything outside it. Have the sacrificial five (and all immigrants) work on that.

:::Supposedly you won't get moods at all in a fortress with less than 20 dwarves. You also won't get moods if you haven't produced enough goods or revealed enough tiles through mining (see [[strange mood]]).--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 12:30, 23 November 2008 (EST)

==Noblesse requis==

Build your fortress to please the sick, twisted, evil nobles needs. Build a execution chamber for your rowdy dwarves and build a torture chamber for your dungeon master, using your imagination! Use this to punish pathetic dwarves who dare rebel. Build palaces for your nobles and pamper them in every way. Pour most of your resources into a beautiful place for nobles to live whilst letting your dwarves sleep in tiny, pathetic rooms. The only exception is your mayor, who rises from the rank of the disgusting peons. He must live in squalor as well, preferably next to noble rooms to so the nobles can taunt him. score yourself according to how happy your nobles are, and your worth. Evil. And fun! can I add this to the main page? --[[User:Jackrabbit|Jackrabbit]] 03:04, 11 December 2008 (EST)

:Sure – it's a wiki, after all. You can edit the pages yourself!
:Also, is that really what [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noblesse_oblige Noblesse/noblis oblige] means? --[[User:Savok|Savok]] 10:55, 11 December 2008 (EST)
::Nope, just sounds good. I was hoping nobody would look it up. Maybe I'll change the name. Also, I'm new to wikis in general so I don't really know how everything works, desipte making this profile about a year ago. Thanks!--[[User:Jackrabbit|Jackrabbit]] 18:26, 11 December 2008 (EST)
:::Okay, changed it to Noble demand. Thanks!--[[User:Jackrabbit|Jackrabbit]] 18:30, 11 December 2008 (EST)

== Magma/Lava Waterfall ==

Would creating a sustainable magmafall, or one that can be triggered as part of a defense system, be considered a challenge? Or is it more of a Stupid Dwarf Trick? I'm just curious because one has to take into account building the thing, making sure it won't set your dwarves on fire, and where to put the excess magma/lava since you can't really just pump it back into the magma pipe without some sort of massive and elaborate pump system. (Oh wow, I feel stupid. I created a new subject and forgot to sign it for at least two days.) --[[User:Alkyon|Alkyon]] 20:26, 10 January 2009 (EST)

:I'm inclined to declare it a SDT, due to the overly dangerous side effects. But then... I'd also call half the challenges SDTs too. I think that if the side effects are more dangerous than the intended effect, it's no longer a challenge, but something some random (insane) dwarf felt needed to be done. To put it in perspective, there's few cases where a 20-dwarf squad can't handle an entire siege, with or without fortifications and traps. Give them those, and they can handle all the siegers rushing and arriving at the same time. Even if you never have any mistakes during the construction of the magma-defenses (and that's a rare thing) then you could easily lose more than 20 in the first siege alone from dwarves trying to gather dropped goods. It's also almost useless against any other defenses (thieves & ambushes) since you'll have little, if any forewarning that you need to clear the area and throw the switch.
:On the other side of the fence, if you're particularly interested in making this, you should do the little things, like making a near-exact count of how much lava you'll need to let flow, to both keep all tiles where it will settle to less than 2/7 (since then it would never evaporate, the best cleaning method) and how to direct the flow so that it covers the path, but doesn't flow to other areas you didn't intend. --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 15:38, 11 January 2009 (EST)

::Well, it doesn't have to be part of a defense system, one could just have massive magma waterfalls lining their entrance. Though I have to say from experience that the hardest part is drainage. Creating a massive magma cistern is one thing, it just takes some pumps and construction, but getting the stuff to not backup on the way to the disposal chasm and therefore not flood your fortress is a bit more complex than it first seems.--[[User:Alkyon|Alkyon]] 11:13, 12 January 2009 (EST)

:::Which is why it's great building your fort into the the ledge a few levels over a Magma Pipe ;) --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 21:01, 12 January 2009 (EST)

::::Hmm, that would be one way to do it, too bad I can't search for maps with that specific of a terrain set. Anyways, there has to be a way to spill off at least some of the magma as the magma pipes fill slowly but constantly from the bottom. Also, I learned from my failed experiment that Coke roads + magma spillover = road of fire. Unusable except for turning your fortress into Mordor, which is awesome in it's own way. --[[User:Alkyon|Alkyon]] 21:29, 12 January 2009 (EST)

:::::LOL, yes, I saw that and was thinking something along the lines of Mordor myself ;) As for spill over, the magma tends to flow off to the side off the top of the magma pipe where I'm at, resulting in a net loss to evaporation, so I just turn it off for a season once or twice a year. As for finding a magma pipe that's exposed *and* sunken, to provide atleast one level of inaccessible floor around the pipe, I'd look in the mountains, where you've got many many levels of elevation. Or atleast, that's what my map looks like (50+ levels) with the majority of the map being mountain tiles, and one corner (of a 2x4 map) being desert. It had two * listed in the height map, '''''but no chasm''''', so that could help to find one. --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 23:35, 14 January 2009 (EST)

:Or, how about a dual water/magma waterfall, meeting on the road leading in? Encase your enemies in carbonite, err, obsidian. [[User:Random|Random]] 20:31, 15 January 2009 (EST)

== "Real time" challenge talk ==

1) As mentioned in the challenge, opening any menu pauses the game

2) "You have struck Alunite!" Anyone else get this message and a pause every 5 minutes?

If you were to keep the game running while you slept -- and trust me, I have -- all it takes is one minor inconvenience of the legion the game contains to pause it. I set the game to keep running before I went to bed one night, and between doing that and going to brush my teeth, it paused. I resumed, lay down in bed, and not a minute later, I opened my eyes to see the game had paused ''again.'' Too much stuff causes the game to pause to really execute this without constant babying.

Overall, I don't see this challenge as being feasible. Not bad in theory, but impossible in practice. --[[User:Eddie|Eddie]] 06:15, 16 January 2009 (EST)

:Yes, thats true. That challenge would require either a new version where pausing-for-announcements can be disabled or a helper program to automatically acknowledge them and unpause the game. [[User:Random|Random]] 20:54, 16 January 2009 (EST)

== Hermit Challenge ==

Does anyone have any tips for not having any damn migrants? The carps can't eat everyone.
: Well, you can just kill them all. Atom smasher, lava, water, goblin siege, choose your way to kill them. Even random ballista bolt could do the trick! Bonus point for the creative part !? :D [[User:Karl|Karl]] 19:45, 21 January 2009 (EST)
::Well, if the problem gets too extreme, you can adjust your maximum population to 1 in the ini files, and see if that works...--[[User:Quil|Quil]] 20:43, 21 January 2009 (EST)
::: It doesn't work. The POPULATION_CAP seems bugged something awful. [[User:AbuDhabi|AbuDhabi]] 02:36, 23 January 2009 (EST)

== The Great Wall of [Kingdom] ==

Here's an interesting challenge:

Your kingdom needs a great impenetrable defense to protect against your goblin enemies. You have been assigned to build a giant wall!

The wall must stretch from one side to the opposite, have a height of 5 z-axis, be four tiles wide complete with gate(s), towers, fortifications, ballistas and catapults. You must also position a crossbowdwarf at every ten tiles.

* BONUS: Build it right next to a goblin lair.
* BONUS: Build it all using only wood.
* BONUS++: Build it all using only soap!

[[User:Myroc|Myroc]] 15:16, 22 January 2009 (EST)

:This wouldn't work due to the fact that you can't build walls (among other things) too close to the edge. At best, it would have to start six tiles in on both sides. However, you could implement an existing hill/mountain to "assist" with the completion of the wall.
:[[User:Nocash|Nocash]] 18:30, 24 January 2009 (EST)

::Ah, good point. I kinda forgot about that. [[User:Myroc|Myroc]] 05:50, 25 January 2009 (EST)

:::You could use raised bridges at the ends, they can be built right up to the edges. --[[User:Torasin|Torasin]] 13:25, 25 January 2009 (EST)

40d Talk:Melt item

2009-01-21T04:48:48Z

Torasin: /* Can't find melt object? */

How material efficient is melting things down? [[User:Risim|Risim]] 23:54, 25 January 2008 (EST)
:It's not lossless, that's for sure. I could be quite wrong, but something makes me want to say it's around 3:1, based on bars required to create the items. I think overages are lost, but that's just a casual observation. It's really the only way to get certain metals in larger quantities though, assuming importing the bars or ore alone aren't good enough for your means. (Most commonly run into when trying to get certain metals from the mountainhomes before you're ready to bring in humans) --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 06:32, 26 January 2008 (EST)
:: Does smelting need coal?--[[User:Koltom|Koltom]] 23:53, 29 February 2008 (EST)
:::It needs fuel. So coal or magma. --[[User:Ikkonoishi|Ikkonoishi]] 00:25, 1 March 2008 (EST)

:Well, i got a bar of steel from melting a steel piccolo and a steel toy axe(2 items), however the piccolo was of "*" quality, not sure if the quality affects melting or not, so mentioning it just to be on the safe side.

Does designating an item to melt make it forbidden? (for equipping) – [[template:unsigned|unsigned]] comment by [[User:Sphexx|Sphexx]]
:Please sign your edits with <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>. Also, no, it doesn't. --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMario]] 22:43, 11 April 2008 (EDT)

==Melting items and mandates==

I had a noble who had a mandate for two bronze goods. I melted down some bronze things and made a bronze bar from it. But that didn't seem to satisfy the mandate; he still wanted 2 bronze goods. Making bronze bars normally satisfies the mandates though. Can anyone else verify that making bars by melting things wont satisfy a mandate? --[[User:Bouchart|Bouchart]] 23:27, 23 April 2008 (EDT)
:You'll get no verify from me as I've never melted anything down. However, I will suggest making goblets when you have a metal mandate. --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMario]] 00:00, 24 April 2008 (EDT)

==Merge with [[smelting]]?===

would be senseful, or? --[[User:Catpaw|Catpaw]] 05:32, 24 September 2008 (EDT)

==Can't find melt object?==

<s>I've got an armor stockpile full of narrow and large iron armor pieces, all marked for melting. Every time I try to Melt a Metal Object though, I get "Kib Duradtirist cancels Melt a Metal Object: Needs melt-designated item." The stockpile is inside and accessible (he's been pulling pieces from it already, and has already melted about a dozen), and I've tried unselecting and reselected the melt-able objects through the stock screen, clicking on them individually, and choosing them en masse; all to no avail. Anyone have any insight or suggestions?</s> I didn't realize that 'dwarves stay indoors' meant 'dwarves stay underground.' --[[User:Torasin|Torasin]] 23:34, 20 January 2009 (EST)

40d Talk:Melt item

2009-01-21T04:34:52Z

Torasin:

How material efficient is melting things down? [[User:Risim|Risim]] 23:54, 25 January 2008 (EST)
:It's not lossless, that's for sure. I could be quite wrong, but something makes me want to say it's around 3:1, based on bars required to create the items. I think overages are lost, but that's just a casual observation. It's really the only way to get certain metals in larger quantities though, assuming importing the bars or ore alone aren't good enough for your means. (Most commonly run into when trying to get certain metals from the mountainhomes before you're ready to bring in humans) --[[User:N9103|Edward]] 06:32, 26 January 2008 (EST)
:: Does smelting need coal?--[[User:Koltom|Koltom]] 23:53, 29 February 2008 (EST)
:::It needs fuel. So coal or magma. --[[User:Ikkonoishi|Ikkonoishi]] 00:25, 1 March 2008 (EST)

:Well, i got a bar of steel from melting a steel piccolo and a steel toy axe(2 items), however the piccolo was of "*" quality, not sure if the quality affects melting or not, so mentioning it just to be on the safe side.

Does designating an item to melt make it forbidden? (for equipping) – [[template:unsigned|unsigned]] comment by [[User:Sphexx|Sphexx]]
:Please sign your edits with <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>. Also, no, it doesn't. --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMario]] 22:43, 11 April 2008 (EDT)

==Melting items and mandates==

I had a noble who had a mandate for two bronze goods. I melted down some bronze things and made a bronze bar from it. But that didn't seem to satisfy the mandate; he still wanted 2 bronze goods. Making bronze bars normally satisfies the mandates though. Can anyone else verify that making bars by melting things wont satisfy a mandate? --[[User:Bouchart|Bouchart]] 23:27, 23 April 2008 (EDT)
:You'll get no verify from me as I've never melted anything down. However, I will suggest making goblets when you have a metal mandate. --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMario]] 00:00, 24 April 2008 (EDT)

==Merge with [[smelting]]?===

would be senseful, or? --[[User:Catpaw|Catpaw]] 05:32, 24 September 2008 (EDT)

==Can't find melt object?==

I've got an armor stockpile full of narrow and large iron armor pieces, all marked for melting. Every time I try to Melt a Metal Object though, I get "Kib Duradtirist cancels Melt a Metal Object: Needs melt-designated item." The stockpile is inside and accessible (he's been pulling pieces from it already, and has already melted about a dozen), and I've tried unselecting and reselected the melt-able objects through the stock screen, clicking on them individually, and choosing them en masse; all to no avail. Anyone have any insight or suggestions? --[[User:Torasin|Torasin]] 23:34, 20 January 2009 (EST)

Main Page/Quote

2009-01-21T01:59:28Z

Torasin: typo: cateogory = category

{{Choose|c={{#if: {{{1|}}}|{{rand|57}}|{{#expr: ({{rand2|10}}+47)}} }}
|I can't put my finger on it. Something about this [[Fire|‼]]Cat tallow roast[[Fire|‼]] tastes funny.
|Toady withdraws from society. Toady has begun a [[Strange_mood|mysterious]] construction!
|Let us never forget the last words of Inod the Stoker, [http://archive.dwarffortresswiki.net/index.php/Fortress_Paintrag#1056 "Aaah! Gorillas!"]
|[[Children|Newborn]] Zuglar Baldnessgranite prefers to consume Gorilla. A sure sign of his unparalleled strength!
|[http://www.somethingawful.com/d/video-game-article/duke-nukem-image.php In an unrelated article] - I had no idea elephants could bounce that high!
|[[Toady]] looses a roaring laughter, [[Fey|fell]] and terrible! Toady has butchered a spammer!
|The critical question is this''':''' do elf bones yield more crossbow bolts than the average number of bolts necessary to kill an elf?
|"Dwarf Fortress" ... "Like chess, only with short people that can catch on [[fire]] like [[clothing|rags]] soaked in tar, and lots of [[booze]]." ... "Like chess."
|Dwarf Fortress has taught me that all the world's problems would be substantially reduced had our parent civilizations never minted more than four stacks of [[coins]].
|Booze does all the work in forts. Dwarves are just booze exoskeletons.
|My unconscious and bleeding [[mayor]] just mandated the construction of some goods.
|I can just imagine a wagon throwing a tantrum and tossing all its contents at people.
|Döbesh Udosdeb has been ecstatic lately. He was forced to eat a friend to survive. He enjoyed a truly decadent meal.
|Iron [[screw pump]] exercise equipment. Pump iron and get superdwarvenly strong!
|The violence, aggression, pain, madness, sadness of the ASCII characters never ceases to amaze me...
|Wait, you're MAKING animals? —''Torak'' At this moment, yes, I am smelting cows. —''Spiders Everywhere''
|"Didn't you read the manual? He he he he... the manual... ..." --[[Toady One]]
|(Compared to real-world years) Dwarven years are shorter. --Sowelu Very fitting to dwarves, I must add. --Sean Mirrsen
|[[Magma]] is not a [[water]] source. Dwarves can't drink it or supply it to their wounded. --[[User:AlienChickenPie|AlienChickenPie]]
|"<nowiki>[B]</nowiki>oats are the enemy of tiles. And tiles are the enemy of boats." --[[Toady One]]
|"I went through and fixed a few places where forbidden/on fire weren't being respected for next time. Burning milkable creatures were still a problem for example." --[[Toady One]]
|"You have been processed! Go forth, now, and edit!" --[[User:Savok|Savok]]
|"What happened in 1048?" "Jreengus occurred."
|Making rock instruments isn't nearly as awesome as it sounds --Shandrunn
|The cyclops I was quested to kill had a thousand year history of badassery, and all of that without the leg it lost in the Year 3 (a dwarf bit it off... I should probably deal with that). --[[Toady One]]
|[FIREIMMUNE] makes them think that [[magma]] is safe but doesn't actually make them fireproof. This can lead to some rather interesting results.
|Endok Cerolneth has begun a mysterious construction!
Endok Cerolneth, Planter has given birth to a girl.
|"Incendia sunt socia vestra, armaque vestra, fortesque Montis Domi." "Magma is your ally, your weapon, the strength of the Mountain-Home." --Eita
|"Stopped people from giving quests to kill themselves." --[[Toady One]]
|"...And I simply doubt we have a need for 7 fishery workers. On top of that, a second soap maker. The hell IS soap?!" --Zero
|"This is a terrible pun. All craftsdwarfship is of the poorest quality." - [http://tinyurl.com/6yruly Soup_alex]
|"The default mental state of a dwarf is madness. Sanity is a temporary condition - a PRIVILEGE you have to EARN!" --[[User:Fedor|Fedor]]
|"Why get normal cats? I buy lolcats in the embark screen. Much more fun to engrave about them." --Yanlin
|"Dwarf Fortress taught me it was okay to make a suit out of my neighbour's skin, as long as I gave it a name."
|"Got rid of world gen crash during succession after death of prolific long-standing position holders with inbred descendants" --[[Toady One]]
|"There was a typo in the siegers' campfire code. When the fires went out, so did the game." --[[Toady One]]
|"Hey, what does that flashing red and orange text mean? What? Why is there smoke everywhere? Oh god, are those BABIES on fire?" --[[User:StrawberryBunny|StrawberryBunny]]
|"It's never 'just a game' when you're losing." --George Carlin (if he played Dwarf Fortress)
|Not that building a bridge out of soap makes much sense to begin with anyway.
|Note that while you cannot milk larger animals yourself, civilizations can still milk animals "off screen" for your benefit.
|Tosid Idenarzes likes tentacle demons for their corrupt intentions. "There! Now we've covered all of the seven deadly sins."
|"Litast Idenudesh, baby, is throwing a tantrum! Inod Litastrilem, Mayor, has lost consciousness. Inod Litastrilem, Mayor, has bled to death."
|"Known bug #780: Town guard becomes a criminal after getting an adventurer's stolen weapon stuck in his body."
|"Udib Toblumaid, Axedwarf, cancels sparring in Barracks: too insane." [[User:Ben jamm1n|Ben jamm1n]]
|Kosoth Cilobonol, Bone Carver cancels Drink: Unconscious.
|Sizir the Snail of Bait is a deity of The Fresh Towers. Sizir most often takes the form of a female dwarf and is associated with jealousy.
|Sibrek Tanbim likes Limestone, Tin, Smoky Quartz, the color crimson, bolts, scepters, anvils, and rock blocks for their lack of quality levels.
|Most vermin teleport, so nothing actually contains them. -[[User:Fuzzy|Fuzzy]]
|There are 5 articles in category Lore: Armok, Cave Adaptation, Elephant, Philosopher, and Vomit.
|Fixed Bug #888: There was an alligator drunk
|Fixed Bug #563: Mayor ordered himself beaten for failing to make crystal glass
|If cow cheese is made from cow's milk, what is dwarven cheese made of?
|What constitutes "sunday best" for dwarves? Is that when they actually wipe some of the blood and vomit off their clothes? --Kuli
|Bugs are opportunities to cause unprecedented amounts of destruction. --Zorgn
|"You know, Urist, You've got a mind like an +Ash Trap+."--[[User:Destor|Destor]]
|Worst animal rights defense: "I had to [http://www.mkv25.net/dfma/movie-355-bodypartexplosion kill off most of my animals] because my FPS was suffering." --steb
|Nothing a magma bath won't fix. Magma: nature's fix it all --Luke_Prowler
}}<noinclude>[[Category:Humor and stories]]</noinclude>

40d:Wolf

2009-01-20T18:22:25Z

Torasin: typo

{{CreatureInfo|name=Wolf|symbol=w|color={{COLOR:7:0:0}}|bones=5|chunks=5|meat=5|fat=1|skulls=1|skin=Yes|biome=
* Tundra
* Taiga [[forest]]
* Any [[temperate]] forest
* Temperate shrubland
}}

'''Wolves''' are predators and live in many [[regions]]. They have more chance to appear in [[winter]] than in other seasons. Wolves are social [[animals]] that live in groups. One on one, an armed [[dwarf]] will likely win with minor injuries, but if a pack gangs up, the hapless dwarf is in deadly trouble. A lone [[hunter]] will have trouble with wolves; they can spend all of their [[bolt|ammunition]] on a pack of wolves and then be eaten by the survivors after trying to bludgeon them to death with their crossbow. If there are packs of wolves on the map, it may be advisable to team up hunters with trained [[dog]]s, or send out military patrols to deal with them instead. Strength in numbers, after all.

In [[Adventure mode]], wolves are common ambushers in random [[encounters]] that will occur across the world map. Even a pack of them should be easily dispatched by an inexperienced adventurer, provided he is suitably equipped.

{{Game_Data|[CREATURE:WOLF]
[NAME:wolf:wolves:wolf]
[TILE:'w'][COLOR:7:0:0]
[MODVALUE:2]
[LARGE_ROAMING][FREQUENCY:5]
[POPULATION_NUMBER:10:20]
[CLUSTER_NUMBER:3:7]
[LARGE_PREDATOR][MEANDERER]
[PETVALUE:50]
[GRASSTRAMPLE:0][NATURAL][PET]
[BONECARN]
[PREFSTRING:cunning]
[BODY:QUADRUPED:TAIL:2EYES:2EARS:NOSE:2LUNGS:HEART:GUTS:ORGANS:THROAT:NECK:SPINE:BRAIN:MOUTH]
[BODYGLOSS:PAW]
[SIZE:5]
[MAXAGE:10:20]
[ATTACK:MAIN:BYTYPE:MOUTH:bite:bites:1:6:GORE][ATTACKFLAG_CANLATCH]
[CHILD:1][CHILDNAME:wolf pup:wolf pups]
[FAT:1]
[DIURNAL]
[BIOME_TUNDRA]
[BIOME_FOREST_TAIGA]
[BIOME_ANY_TEMPERATE_FOREST]
[BIOME_SHRUBLAND_TEMPERATE]
[STANDARD_FLESH]
[HOMEOTHERM:10070]
[LAYERING:200]
[SWIMS_INNATE][SWIM_SPEED:2500]
}}
{{Creatures}}
[[Category:Animals]]

User talk:Torasin

2009-01-20T03:47:38Z

Torasin: New page: '''Magma-efficient Forge''' ;Uses : 18x18 area : 36 squares of magma (plus intake) Can power up to 24 smelters, forges, furnaces, etc. <pre> . = floor _ = channel + = floor built over ...

'''Magma-efficient Forge'''

;Uses
: 18x18 area
: 36 squares of magma (plus intake)

Can power up to 24 smelters, forges, furnaces, etc.

<pre>
. = floor
_ = channel
+ = floor built over channel

..................
..................
......._._._......
.....__._._._.....
....+........+....
..._.........._...
.._..........._...
..._..........._..
.._..........._...
..._..........._..
.._..........._...
..._..........._..
..._.........._...
....+........+....
....._._._.__.....
......_._._.......
..................
..................
</pre>

40d:Flood

2009-01-20T03:27:44Z

Torasin: small spelling error, lose=loose

Flooding generally refers to water getting loose and spreading out over an area, usually in an unregulated fashion. While this can be useful in creating plots of muddy ground for [[farming]], deliberately setting any amount of water loose in an area is risky at best, and at worst, will result in lots of [[fun#Flooding_accidents|fun]].

As in real life, water will seek to spread out given open space. In Dwarf Fortress, this means that water will spread until all tiles achieve a depth of 1/7, or it fills the space it is enclosed in. Water at a depth of 1/7 will eventually evaporate, leaving behind a muddy floor. Because of this, it would be nearly impossible to ruin a fortress with water from finite sources such as a [[murky pool|murky pool]]. Note, however, that [[river]]s, [[brook]]s, and [[ocean]]s are considered to have offscreen water sources; their supply has been observed to be infinite. Tapping into one of these without some means of regulating the flow is almost certain to result in [[fun#Flooding_accidents|fun]].

Water movement is a major source of lag in the game.

40d Talk:Starting location

2009-01-17T22:28:32Z

Torasin: /* "Invaluable" vs. "Unnecessary" */

Trees do not only grow on the lowest Z-Level. I have trees growing on multiple Z-Levels. --[[User:Tracker|Tracker]] 02:46, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

Hmm. Maybe only up to a certain height? My first map--while initially pretty decent (sand, water, trees, rock, variety of minerals) had trees only in the most lower left hand corner (one screen's worth), which also happened to be the lowest surface level I had. But you are right, my current fort (nice entrance, there was a pocket by a river tributary that I turned into my entrance gateway, but no sand) has trees on two levels, the lowest surface, and the second lowest. Still, it's something to be aware of.
--[[User:Draco18s|Draco18s]] 03:26, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

Absolutely - that's why I changed it to say "lower" instead of lowest. --[[User:Tracker|Tracker]] 03:35, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

So I noticed. :)
--[[User:Draco18s|Draco18s]] 03:26, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

== Towns ==

Any benefit of building in towns? Other than mining under the elves and dropping them into pits? --[[User:Ikkonoishi|Ikkonoishi]] 19:35, 3 November 2007 (EDT)
:Yes there is. Humans are more than happy to share their stuff with you, and won't be at all upset if you rob them blind it seems. --[[User:Ikkonoishi|Ikkonoishi]] 22:11, 3 November 2007 (EDT)
::Think this'll ever get changed? Seems kind of unrealistic to me...--[[User:Tarsier|Tarsier]] 19:56, 5 November 2007 (EST)

== Mountain tiles guarantee certain features. ==

As per my addition, for each mountain square in the 2nd zoom view, you're guaranteed pits, a chasm, and an underground river. I have confirmed this myself using the reveal tool, and Today has confirmed at least part of it: http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=001176 - [[User:Kjoery|Kjoery]] 16:49, 6 November 2007 (EST)

:Confirmed this too.--[[User:Richards|Richards]] 03:20, 21 April 2008 (EDT)

== Towns Revert ==

Any reason why that edit was unacceptable to you Savok? I'm not going to revert, but I would like an explanation. --[[User:Ikkonoishi|Ikkonoishi]] 12:06, 12 November 2007 (EST)

== Errors in PNG? ==

Contrary to the text in the attached PNG, I've had fortresses with pockets of sand sufficient for glassworking even when sand doesn't show up in the embark screen. [[User:Kidinnu|Kidinnu]] 09:25, 28 November 2007 (EST)

Yes, all maps I've ever had have had at least a few squares of sand. Is it guaranteed? --[[User:Penguinofhonor|Penguinofhonor]] 22:18, 30 November 2007 (EST)
:I have never seen any pockets of sand. --[[User:Strangething|Strangething]] 16:27, 11 July 2008 (EDT)

Another error is that magma and volcanoes now appear on the map [[User:MikeWulf|MikeWulf]] 23:41, 6 March 2008 (EST)
:Note that underground magma is hidden. Only lava on the surface is shown on the map --[[User:Strangething|Strangething]] 16:27, 11 July 2008 (EDT)

== Layers ==

The paragraph about layers is not explicit enough for newbies. For instance, 'igneous intrusive' never shows up on the embark screen. What I would like to see is something like
* red sand - useful for glass making
* gabbro - in this layer you may find chalk, a flux
* felsite - in this layer you may find copper ore
etc. (Caveat: the data I gave as example is most likely false and/or incomplete).

This way, by comparing the embark screen to this page, the reader would immediately find out what (s)he may find in the site.
--[[User:Aykavil|Aykavil]] 09:51, 10 July 2008 (EDT)

:I added a link to [[stone layers]]. There's a lot more in-depth info there. --[[User:Strangething|Strangething]] 16:32, 11 July 2008 (EDT)

== Fun starting locations ==

A starting location that looks pretty good from the readouts can turn out to be as boring as hell once you arrive at it. Are there any tips for finding ''interesting'' locations? --[[User:Theory|Theory]] 16:46, 10 August 2008 (EDT)

: Define "interesting"? Anything with a [[chasm]] or in a [[terrifying]] biome could be 'interesting', I'm sure! Personally I often like completely flat land, so I can make the area interesting with my own constructions! That said, I'm considering next building a settlement on the side/s of a steep canyon or river valley! --[[User:Raumkraut|Raumkraut]] 17:51, 10 August 2008 (EDT)

== Magma ==

Regarding finding Magma, this page reads: "look for darker igneous rocks like basalt, obsidian, gabbro" -- is this accurate? Basalt and obsidian are igneous extrusive, while gabbro is igneous intrusive. Only the igneous extrusive page calls out that magma is commonly found there. --[[User:Sev|Sev]] 20:41, 13 September 2008 (EDT)

== Mode:Civilisation==
I just noticed, when starting a new fort and choosing which dwarf civ I was from, a symbol I hadn't seen before. Normally dwarve homelands are just blue omegas, this time I saw an omega and also 2 blue {{Tile|î|#ff0|#000}}s. Anyone else seen this/know if this has any significance? --[[User:Juckto|Juckto]] 05:25, 20 November 2008 (EST)

:I've had this happen to human civs and one dwarf civ- it means they somehow acquired forest sites during worldgen. [[User:Random832|Random832]] 08:42, 20 November 2008 (EST)

::The flipside of humans conquering forest retreats and building towns on them is that you can end up with elves living with them who wear metal armour. I had an 'elven diplomat' show up to discuss human diplomacy, and many 'human' merchants and guards were also elves. That could get scary in the event of a siege! --[[User:Navian|Navian]] 09:41, 20 November 2008 (EST)

:::Not five minutes ago I had a goblin ambush that was mostly made up of Elves. They all had goblin-esque second names, so presumably they were kidnap-ees, although it seems that you can have large families of elves/humans/whatever who are all descended from kidnapped children and now happily evil.--[[User:Quil|Quil]] 14:32, 20 November 2008 (EST)

== Elevation changes and inaccessibility ==

I have my doubts about this being true. I'm on a huge mountain map and the wagons have traveled over its peak without a care, since they can go up ramps without a problem. I believe trees and boulders are what causes problems, not elevation.--[[User:Maximus|Maximus]] 17:25, 10 December 2008 (EST)

:Hmm, ok. I've just cured some accessibility problems on a fairly mountainous map myself, and it seems the problems were right outside my fortress. There's an elevation change only 3-4 squares below (i.e. to the south of) my entrance ramp, and when I used the "upward ramp" designation on the area, my Dwarves dug away at the 3x5 area I'd marked, and -hey presto- the next caravan could suddenly get the big wagons into my trade depot (the smaller ones could get there fine anyway). I admit I was felling trees in the area as well, for timber, but I'd been doing this for the past two game years and it didn't seem to make any difference to accessibility. Ah well, maybe some more testing is required! [[User:Saiph|Saiph]] 21:01, 10 December 2008 (EST)

== "Invaluable" vs. "Unnecessary" ==

Okay, rather than a revert war, could we have opinions on which form of the sentence (if either) is a problem?

I for one certainly did not misunderstand the original form as trying to say that magma was worthless, and I would be likely to interpret the current form as trying to say that magma is unnecessary.

If enough other people do/did see the original form as being misleading (i.e. were misled by it), then I will withdraw my objections, but I do very much think that the original form is both the more correct and the less subject to misinterpretation. It would be possible to rephrase further to avoid the "misinterpretable" part (e.g. change "it" to either "that" or "doing so"), but I think the end result would not be as good as the original form before this change was made. --[[User:The Wanderer|The Wanderer]] 16:03, 17 January 2009 (EST)

:"invaluable" according to [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/invaluable Merriam-Webster]: "valuable beyond estimation, priceless <providing invaluable assistance>" I say you're wrong. --[[User:GreyMario|GreyMaria]] 16:15, 17 January 2009 (EST)

::Yes, I know it means that. That's exactly my point; magma is invaluable, not unnecessary.
::The original form said that magma is invaluable, meaning "valuable beyond estimation" exactly as you say. The currenf form says that magma is unnecessary. The people who edited it into the current form apparently didn't mean it to say that, but that's what it says; the antecedent for the "it" in that part of the sentence is the magma, not the burning of charcoal.
::I could go into considerably more detail if you want, analyzing possible alternate forms of the sentence and alternate interpretations of those forms, but I hope it wouldn't be necessary... --[[User:The Wanderer|The Wanderer]] 17:01, 17 January 2009 (EST)

:::My interpretation was that the convenience of magma made wood-burning for charcoal unnecessary. Unnecessary is being applied to the main subject of the sentence (charcoal). Talking about wood-burning under magma though is a bit confusing. "Magma is invaluable for fueling your smithies, making it unnecessary to burn wood for charcoal fuel." A bit wordier but a bit clearer? And this way we get to use both "invaluable" AND "unnecessary"! --[[User:Torasin|Torasin]] 17:28, 17 January 2009 (EST)

40d Talk:Furniture

2008-12-24T23:52:57Z

Torasin: /* Who Makes Animal Traps? */

We should delete this and merge it into the category Furniture(can't link it here or the wiki thinks I'm placing this page into the category). --[[User:Valdemar|Valdemar]] 10:42, 4 November 2007 (EST)
:*What you want is <nowiki>[[:Category:Furniture]]</nowiki>. Like this: [[:Category:Furniture]]. -- [[User:Juckto|Juckto]] 19:50, 14 December 2007 (EST)

shouldn't beds be included as well? --[[User:Kingzilla|Kingzilla]] 11:05, 14 December 2007 (EST)

== But how do I make it? ==

This article tells me what furniture types there are....

but I still don't know how to get my [[dwarves]] to make a [[bed]] or a [[door]].
[[User:GarrieIrons|GarrieIrons]] 03:02, 2 January 2008 (EST)
:Beds and doors can both be created at carpenter workshops. Stone doors can be made from mason workshop. After making them, they will either sit around in the workshop unused or be put in storage - you place them in he desired position with the option in the Build menu. --[[User:Jackard|Jackard]] 05:48, 2 January 2008 (EST)
:Have you tried all the [[workshops]]--[[User:Nog|Nog]] 03:13, 2 January 2008 (EST)
:Thank you [[User:AlexChurchill]]. --[[User:Strangething|Strangething]] 16:20, 16 July 2008 (EDT)

== Barrel ==

Empty barrels are stored in furniture piles, which is why I think they were on this list. --[[User:Mitchy|Mitchy]] 11:44, 11 February 2008 (EST)

:right,have seen one now on a funiture pile --[[User:Koltom|Koltom]] 12:50, 11 February 2008 (EST)

== Confusing Tables ==

The tables at the end of this article are confusing. I think the one on the left is a list of things that are placed in a furniture stockpile. If so, there's two errors: chains are finished goods, and cages go in animal stockpiles.

The table to the right seems to be items that are placed like furniture, but come from different stockpiles. The references to blocks and the screw trap seem to indicate anything that is needed for wells, pumps and the like. That could be a very long list, if you include weapon traps. Common stone should be on the list, and an alchemist's shop needs clear glass vials.

--[[User:Strangething|Strangething]] 02:33, 7 July 2008 (EDT)
::When wanting to make chains in a forge, you build them under the furniture menu. On a like note, how many bars are required to make each piece of furniture? [[User:Chrispy|Chrispy]] 21:39, 11 July 2008 (EDT)

:::<strike>3 [[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 18:40, 12 July 2008 (EDT)</strike>
:::"All metal furniture requires 3 bars to forge except for chains, animal traps, buckets and blocks. "
:::[[User:VengefulDonut|VengefulDonut]] 18:43, 12 July 2008 (EDT)

:::I'm thinking about splitting up the table, and adding a section at the end about things that are kinda like furniture, but not quite. Chains, cages, animal traps and such. Or furniture items that don't seem like furniture, like bags. --[[User:Strangething|Strangething]] 16:28, 16 July 2008 (EDT)

== Who Makes Animal Traps? ==
My Countess has mandated some animal traps. (She always mandates such theoretically easy things, its a joy. My Tax Collector on the other hand is a bastard, as is proper.) I set them up in the manager and they got ignored. Then I went and put jobs in shops, to no avail; all my blacksmiths and metalcrafters say 'no job' when I want iron ones made(but leap into action when my tax collector wants black bronze toys!) and all my carpenters and woodcrafters say 'no job' when I want wood ones made. I don't have any particular profiles on any of these shops. Is there any particular reason nobody wants to make any animal traps? --[[User:Corona688|Corona688]] 17:55, 24 December 2008 (EST)
:Follow-up -- I've enabled woodcrafting and carpentry on all my trappers and disabled all their other jobs, they say 'no job'. --[[User:Corona688|Corona688]] 18:05, 24 December 2008 (EST)
::Trappers make animal traps. Re-enable the trapping job and make sure they're not out hunting for rhino-lizards. --[[User:Torasin|Torasin]] 18:52, 24 December 2008 (EST)