Waterfall - Revision history

Silverwing235: /* Generating natural waterfalls */

2025-11-30T20:01:24Z

Generating natural waterfalls

GeloMor: /* Generating natural waterfalls */

2025-11-30T11:24:25Z

Generating natural waterfalls

Paraximia: /* Generating natural waterfalls */

2025-11-27T23:43:49Z

Generating natural waterfalls

Paraximia: /* Creating natural waterfalls */

2025-11-27T23:28:25Z

Creating natural waterfalls

Quietust at 14:12, 30 October 2025

2025-10-30T14:12:18Z

Silverwing235: /* Creating natural waterfalls */

2025-10-29T16:08:20Z

Creating natural waterfalls

Silverwing235: /* Design example */

2025-10-29T16:06:44Z

Design example

168.229.254.65: added missing a at start

2025-10-29T15:55:36Z

added missing a at start

Zippy at 21:06, 17 August 2025

2025-08-17T21:06:44Z

Zippy: Added two images.

2025-08-17T21:06:24Z

Added two images.

@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 *Choose your world's dimensions.
 *Adjust the elevation mesh, the mesh size is generally proportional to the world size.
-*Increase the elevation mesh range of 20-40.
+*Increase the elevation mesh range of 20-40 or 60-80.
 *Increase minimum river start locations if you want. Make it 600 or 800.
 *Adjust the drainage mesh if you want major rivers with waterfalls (something like 100:100:100:100:1) works well

@@ Line 42: / Line 42: @@
 When it comes to creating breathtaking waterfalls, [[advanced world generation]] is really handy. All you need to do is make a difference in elevation.
 Here are some tips:
-Choose your world's dimensions
+*Choose your world's dimensions.
-Adjust the elevation mesh, the mesh size is generally proportional to the world size
+*Adjust the elevation mesh, the mesh size is generally proportional to the world size.
-Increase the elevation mesh range of 20-40.
+*Increase the elevation mesh range of 20-40.
-Increase the elevation mesh range of 60-80
+*Increase the elevation mesh range of 60-80.
-Increase minimum river start locations if you want. Make it 600 or 800.
+*Increase minimum river start locations if you want. Make it 600 or 800.
-Adjust the drainage mesh if you want major rivers with waterfalls (something like 100:100:100:100:1) works well
+*Adjust the drainage mesh if you want major rivers with waterfalls (something like 100:100:100:100:1) works well
 Follow rivers from their head to mouth, turn on the elevation map periodically, and where the river crosses a major elevation (usually where it meets another river) you'll see those 20, 37, 50 or even more levels tall waterfalls.

@@ Line 39: / Line 39: @@
 <center>[[File:WaterfallLocation_4.png]]</center>
-==Creating natural waterfalls==
+==Generating natural waterfalls==
 When it comes to creating breathtaking waterfalls, [[advanced world generation]] is really handy. All you need to do is make a difference in elevation.
 Here are some tips:

@@ Line 40: / Line 40: @@
 ==Creating natural waterfalls==
-When it comes to creating breathtaking waterfalls, the [[world painter]] is really handy.
+When it comes to creating breathtaking waterfalls, [[advanced world generation]] is really handy. All you need to do is make a difference in elevation.
 Here are some tips:
-* Choose your dimensions.
+Choose your world's dimensions
-* Make the bottom level of waterfalls by painting elevation of 101 all over the map.
+Adjust the elevation mesh, the mesh size is generally proportional to the world size
-* Make the top level of waterfalls by painting elevation of 299 on the left (depends on where the rivers flow to) half of the map.
+Increase the elevation mesh range of 20-40.
-* Make some mountains for dwarves, grasslands for humans, and forests for elves. See [[Biome]] for rain and drainage values.
+Increase the elevation mesh range of 60-80
-* Increase minimum river start locations if you want. Make it 600 or 800.
+Increase minimum river start locations if you want. Make it 600 or 800.
-* Disable extreme cliffs erosion and map rejections.
+Adjust the drainage mesh if you want major rivers with waterfalls (something like 100:100:100:100:1) works well
-And that's it. Follow rivers from the middle of your map to the left side and you'll see those 20, 37, 50 or even more levels tall waterfalls.
+Follow rivers from their head to mouth, turn on the elevation map periodically, and where the river crosses a major elevation (usually where it meets another river) you'll see those 20, 37, 50 or even more levels tall waterfalls.
 ==Building an artificial waterfall==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Quality|Exceptional}}
 {{av}}
-[[File:waterfall_anim.gif|thumb|right|Three z-levels of a waterfall.]]A '''waterfall''' is any natural or engineered feature where water falls through open space for one or more z-levels. Natural waterfalls occur on [[river]]s traveling over [[cliff]]s or other hilly terrain. Engineered waterfalls can be constructed from any reliable water source, though reservoirs, rivers, and [[aquifer]]s are most common.
+[[File:waterfall_anim.gif|thumb|right|Three z-levels of a waterfall.]]
 ===Benefits of waterfalls===

@@ Line 70: / Line 70: @@
 Three [[z-level]]s are necessary to do this. On the bottom is the [[reservoir]] of water. The middle layer is the [[screw pump]] and the "[[meeting hall]]" where dwarves will gather to enjoy the mist. On top is a narrow corridor that connects the pump chamber to the hole through the ceiling of the meeting hall. Under this hole is a [[grate]] that connects  to the reservoir and prevents dwarves from falling in and drowning.
-The pump pulls water out the reservoir and pushes it up above the meeting hall. The water falls down through the grate, back into the reservoir.
+The pump pulls water out of the reservoir and pushes it up above the meeting hall. The water falls down through the grate, back into the reservoir.
-A more complicated Dwarven waterfall can be seen [http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-193-artificalwaterfall here] at DFMA in movie form. A mistake to note: Water is hitting the side of the bridges, which splashes the water around and can knock dwarves in.
+A more complicated dwarven waterfall can be seen [http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-193-artificalwaterfall here] at DFMA in movie form. A mistake to note: Water is hitting the side of the bridges, which splashes the water around and can knock dwarves in.
 [[File:Fast_mountain_river_makes_a_hazy_waterfall.jpg|thumb|400px|center|Where mist is birthed and recycled.]]
 {{Translation| dwarven = arel-umid | elvish = alu-enothó | goblin = esp-osku | human = thomo-pop}}
 {{World}}

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{migrated article}}
+{{Quality|Exceptional}}
 {{av}}
-{{Quality|Unrated}}
+[[File:waterfall_anim.gif|thumb|right|Three z-levels of waterfall.]]'''waterfall''' is any natural or engineered feature where water falls through open space for one or more z-levels. Natural waterfalls occur on [[river]]s traveling over [[cliff]]s or other hilly terrain. Engineered waterfalls can be constructed from any reliable water source, though reservoirs, rivers, and [[aquifer]]s are most common.
 ===Benefits of waterfalls===
 * Waterfalls generate [[mist]], which gives dwarves happy [[thought]]s.
 * Waterfalls will clean [[contaminant]]s from your dwarves, which may [[syndrome|save the fortress from a plague someday]].
 * Natural waterfalls can provide a ready source of fish for your fortress. Construct [[grate|floor grates]] under the falls to catch falling creatures and fish will literally ''arrive at your doorstep'', already dead and ready to prepare. The downside is that there may be some blood splatters upon arrival. (Constructing the floor grates may require you to repeatedly un-[[suspend]] construction, as the dwarves will repeatedly complain about the site being submerged.)
 ===Drawbacks of waterfalls===
 * Waterfalls will impact your [[Frames per second|framerate]]. You can mitigate this somewhat (at the cost of micromanagement or complexity) by only operating your waterfall occasionally (which is much easier with engineered waterfalls).
 * Waterfalls can also have [[fun|interesting]] [[flood|effects]] on [[pressure|water pressure]]. Depending on what you are [[trap design|trying to do]], this may actually count as a benefit.
 * [[Freezing]] waterfalls are deadly to any dwarves unfortunate enough to end up in a block of ice. They also tend to deconstruct nearby constructions when freezing.
 * In some cases, the water at the top of an ''artificial'' waterfall can have low depth, causing dwarves to attempt to cross it, falling to the bottom of the waterfall.
@@ Line 73: / Line 66: @@
 === Design example===
+[[File:Simple_waterfall.jpg|thumb|200px|right|A simple artificial waterfall, water position before starting pump]]
 Three [[z-level]]s are necessary to do this. On the bottom is the [[reservoir]] of water. The middle layer is the [[screw pump]] and the "[[meeting hall]]" where dwarves will gather to enjoy the mist. On top is a narrow corridor that connects the pump chamber to the hole through the ceiling of the meeting hall. Under this hole is a [[grate]] that connects  to the reservoir and prevents dwarves from falling in and drowning.
@@ Line 81: / Line 73: @@
 A more complicated Dwarven waterfall can be seen [http://mkv25.net/dfma/movie-193-artificalwaterfall here] at DFMA in movie form. A mistake to note: Water is hitting the side of the bridges, which splashes the water around and can knock dwarves in.
+[[File:Fast_mountain_river_makes_a_hazy_waterfall.jpg|thumb|400px|center|Where mist is birthed and recycled.]]
 {{Translation| dwarven = arel-umid | elvish = alu-enothó | goblin = esp-osku | human = thomo-pop}}
 {{World}}