40d:Activity zone

Activity zones are areas in which dwarves are instructed to perform specific tasks. They are useful at forcing dwarves to perform actions where they are desirable, and can be placed in any unoccupied tile, including over the chasm or over a river. They are placed similarly to stockpiles, by selecting a rectangular area using Enter from within the i:Zones menu. Unlike stockpiles, they are only visible while in the i:Zones menu. Once an activity zone is created, tasks can be assigned to it by hovering over it with the cursor while in the i:Zones menu.

When hovering over the activity zone, you may tap a to enable or disable the zone. Dwarves will not specifically avoid the zone if they wanted to go there anyway, but no further jobs related to that zone will be created.

Water Source

Shortcut w

Water source zones are areas in which dwarves will look for water to fill buckets or to drink. If there is no water source zone, dwarves may attempt to get water a great distance away from the fortress.

To place a water source, trace a zone which surrounds a pool of water. Each ground tile within the zone that is adjacent to the water is considered a water source tile. Thus, if you want to place a single-tile zone to be used as a water source, place the zone onto a ground tile adjacent to the water, not onto the open space above the water.

Fishing

Shortcut f

Fishing zones are areas in which dwarves will attempt to fish.

To place a fishing zone, trace a zone which surrounds a pool, brook, stream, river, or lake. Fishing may also be done at artifically-created ponds. As with a water source, each ground tile that is adjacent to the natural water source is considered a fishing zone: drawing a single tile of fishing zone on top of the water will accomplish nothing.

Garbage Dump

Shortcut g

Garbage dump zones are areas in which dwarves will throw refuse designated by using k then d. If a garbage zone is designated beside a cliff or hole (both natural or dwarf made) garbage will be thrown off/in the z-space. Things that are dumped are automatically marked as forbidden. If you wish to use dumped items you need to reclaim them. Press k to view the item and f to toggle forbid status.

You may also use the reclaim designation to reclaim simultaneously all of the items dumped by using d then c and tracing the designation over top of the objects.

Pit/Pond

Shortcut p

Pit zones are areas that dwarves can be instructed to fill with specific creatures. Pond zones are areas that dwarves can be told to fill with water, using buckets.

After defining the zone, hover over the zone then use P to open a menu which allows you to choose whether it is a pit or pond. You may also specify animals you would like to throw into the pit or pond by selecting them with + and - and hitting Enter; a + symbol denotes those animals which have been selected.

Sand Collection

Shortcut s

Sand collection zones are areas in which dwarves will search for sand when ordered to gather it. Sand is used for glassmaking.

Meeting Area

Shortcut m

Meeting area zones are areas in which dwarves will congregate, similar to meeting hall rooms in the previous version.