Difference between revisions of "v0.31:Lever"

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Related Articles	Design strategies • Bedroom design • Cave-in • Computing • Furniture industry

Latest revision as of 14:32, 26 September 2024

xTATTEREDx · +FINE+ · *SUPERIOR* · ≡EXCEPTIONAL≡ · ☼MASTERWORK☼

v50.14 · v0.47 · v0.34 · v0.31.25 · v0.28 · v0.23

This article is about an older version of DF.

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A lever is a building constructed from one mechanism on an empty tile. Once in place, it can be linked to one or more devices such as doors, bridges or supports, permitting you to control these other devices remotely. Order the lever to be pulled through its q menu. A free dwarf will get assigned the job of pulling the lever. This dwarf might be a long way away, and the delay in pulling the lever can result in fun. Levers also make good furniture choices when constructed with high-quality mechanisms.

Pressure plates are like levers, but are triggered by creatures or fluids directly rather than by giving an order to a dwarf. If levers are too much fun, a pressure plate may be a better choice. There is more information on trap design here.

Activation of the devices[edit]

When a lever is pulled, the connected device(s) activates. What happens during activation depends on the linked device:

Doors, hatches, floodgates, and grates open and close.
Supports collapse, potentially causing a cave-in (pulling the lever again won't re-assemble the support, cave-in or not).
Bridges raise and lower, or retract and extend, depending on the type of bridge.
Gear assemblies toggle between engaged and disengaged (disengaged assemblies can't support other machinery).
Restraints release the creature assigned to them (leaving the restraint attached to the creature, only recoverable by dumping the restraint or killing the creature).
Cages are deconstructed, releasing their occupants (needless to say, this is irreversible!)
Spikes raise and lower.
Bars retract and extend.

Different objects take different amounts of time to respond to activation; generally this is only a brief pause but it can be enough for a charging goblin to cover more than a few tiles.

Linking[edit]

One mechanism is required to construct a lever, and then two more are required to link the lever with a device. The link is made by selecting the lever with q, choosing the type of object you want to link the lever to, and then using - and + to choose the particular object. The list is chronological by order of construction, most recently designated last, and the map will recenter on each object as you scroll through the list.

Then you can choose what specific mechanisms you want to use to connect the device to the lever. The quality of a mechanism affects the accuracy of traps, but not the speed of activation. The first mechanism you choose is for the device end, the second for the lever end. This is important when working with magma.

A lever can be linked to any number of objects, and each object can have any number of levers controlling it.

There is no way to de-link an object without disassembling either object or lever ^[Verify]. When using a lever for a single-use purpose (cages or supports), the mechanism in the lever will remain in the lever, but the object and its mechanism will deconstruct. In this manner, a single lever might accumulate many mechanisms. Deconstructing the lever will free all these mechanisms and allow to reuse them - keep your permanent and one-time linkages to separate levers.

On/Off vs Open/Close[edit]

Levers normally have an "on" and an "off" state, seen as whether the small tag at the top of the lever is to the left ("off" state) or the right ("on" state). Upon being pulled, the state of the lever changes, and everything they're connected to updates to the corresponding state of that lever, and does not just change states ("toggle"). This becomes important if you have several levers attached to the same device, or one trigger attached to several systems.

Example: 2 levers (both in "off" position) are connected to a drawbridge. After pulling the first lever, the bridge will lift. Pulling the second lever tells the bridge to "open", which it already has done - no visible effect. When it is pulled a second time it will let the bridge down. This in turn requires the first lever (still in "open/lift" position) to be pulled twice to trigger a change (lift again), and so on.

"On" and "off" state is fixed and dependent on the lever, not the object that lever is linked to:

"dash to the right" ( ó ) is on
"dash to the left" ( ò ) is off

Note, however, that gear assemblies are the sole exception to this: Instead of On/Off triggers, they indeed do toggle.

Several devices, such as floodgates and bridges, have a delayed response to all incoming signals, and will not respond to subsequent signals until the first has taken effect. For instance, if you pull a lever attached to a floodgate on then off in rapid succession, the floodgate will only respond to the first signal, independent of the position the lever rests in eventually.

In the unusual case that a device receives both an on and an off trigger in the exact same tick, the device will change states-- an open device will close, and a closed device will open.

On/Off states[edit]

Objects that can be controlled by levers include:

Multiple Uses[edit]

A "step" is not a step that a dwarf makes, and not based on FPS. It's one "step" that the game advances. When paused (via spacebar ), you can manually advance the game "1 step" by hitting the period ( . ) key.

Bridge – Activates 100 steps after being triggered
- On: Turns the bridge into either a raised drawbridge, or a retracted bridge, depending on which option was chosen when the the bridge was constructed.
- Off: Returns the bridge to normal.

Door – Activates instantly. Note that once you connect a door, it is either completely open or sealed shut. There is no "closed, but can be opened by a dwarf" state anymore.
- On: Opens the door.
- Off: Closes the door.

Floodgate – Activates 100 steps after being triggered.
- On: Opens the floodgate.
- Off: Closes the floodgate.

Floor hatch – Activates instantly. Note that, like doors, once you connect a hatch, it is either completely open or sealed shut.
- On: Opens the hatch.
- Off: Closes the hatch.

Grate – Activates 100 steps after being triggered. When it is open, it just disappears. Liquids go through it just the same, but it will no longer function as a floor/wall (depending on its orientation).
- On: Opens the grate.
- Off: Closes the grate.

Bars – Activates 100 steps after being triggered. When it is open, it just disappears. Liquids go through it just the same, but it will no longer function as a floor/wall (depending on its orientation).
- On: Opens the bars.
- Off: Closes the bars.

Upright Spear/Spikes – Activates 40 steps after being triggered.
- On: Retracts spears/spikes.
- Off: Extends spears/spikes.

Gear assembly – Activates instantly. When it is disengaged, no power goes through it and anything that is being kept up by its presence (like a windmill right on top of it) falls down.
- On: Toggles gear state.
- Off: Toggles gear state.

One-Shot[edit]

These items, when activated, deconstruct, and/or cannot be triggered again until re-linked.

Cage – Deconstructs the cage and releases all of its contents. The cage and its attached mechanism will be left on the floor nearby; you recover the mechanism used on the cage but you do not recover the mechanism used in the lever until you deconstruct the lever itself.
Restraint – Deconstructs the chain/rope and releases whatever creature it held. The restraint's mechanism will be left on the floor nearby, and the restraint itself will remain attached to the creature's neck; again, you recover the mechanism used on the restraint but you do not recover the mechanism used in the lever until deconstructing the lever itself.
Support – Deconstructs the support, ideally without a dwarf next to it. Most commonly used to cause controlled cave-ins. The support's building material and its attached mechanism can both be recovered (unless they happen to get destroyed in said cave-in).

Labeling[edit]

There is no built-in indication of what a lever does, and pulling them to see what will happen can be immensely fun. Using the note function is the most foolproof way of labeling levers; color-coding of levers can give some indication too.

However, it is possible to ascertain whether or not a building has been linked to a lever by finding the building under R "View Rooms/Buildings" and then selecting t "Zoom to building items". A device that is actuated by a lever not only lists the components of the building but will also include a mechanism item. Viewing the lever itself this way will display one mechanism for each building the lever is linked to (plus one mechanism from the construction of the lever itself).

There is way to ascertain which lever is linked to what, but it becomes very hard when you have many linkable items. Find the lever, use "q" and then select "add new task". Try for every linkable thing in your fortress, to link the lever to it. If an object isn't available for linking, that's because it is already linked. Though this method isn't very usable to find the single linked item in all of them, it is useful when you forgot whether the left or the right lever was linked to the support.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''This is old information from the 40d version of Dwarf Fortress, however, when trying to view old wiki articles in the transition period, manually editing the URL for "40d:" can be quite tiring, and so is temporarily occupying this space.'''
+{{quality|Exceptional|07:05, 18 August 2010 (UTC)}}{{av}}
-{{av}}
-A '''lever''' is a [[mechanism]] that has been constructed on a floor tile. Once in place, it can be linked to one or more other devices such as [[door]]s, [[bridge]]s or [[support]]s, permitting you to control these other devices by ordering the lever pulled through its {{k|q}} menu.
-Levers do not block movement.  Levers are counted as furniture for [[created wealth]] of a fortress.
+A '''lever''' is a building constructed from one [[mechanism]] on an empty tile. Once in place, it can be linked to one or more devices such as [[door]]s, [[bridge]]s or [[support]]s, permitting you to control these other devices remotely. Order the lever to be pulled through its {{k|q}} menu. A free dwarf will get assigned the job of pulling the lever. This dwarf might be a long way away, and the delay in pulling the lever can result in [[fun]]. Levers also make good furniture choices when constructed with high-quality mechanisms.
-A lever can be [[Workshop#Profiles|limited]] to who can pull it, similar to a workshop, in the {{k|q}} {{k|P}}rofile for that lever.  (This can be handy for a variety of special purposes.)
+[[Pressure plate]]s are like levers, but are triggered by creatures or fluids directly rather than by giving an order to a dwarf. If levers are too much [[fun]], a pressure plate may be a better choice. There is more information on trap design [[trap design|here]].
-[[Pressure plate]]s are like levers, but are activated automatically by [[creatures]] stepping on them, or by fluids reaching a certain (player-selected) depth.
+==Activation of the devices==
+When a lever is pulled, the connected device(s) activates. What happens during activation depends on the linked device:
-Either a '''lever''' or a [[pressure plate]], once linked to one or more devices ([[door]]s, [[trap]]s, or whatever), can act as a '''trigger''', an activation mechanism for that secondary system.  The two are activated differently, but the connected system is activated just the same.  One system can have more than one trigger linked to it, and one trigger can be linked to more than one system.
+* [[Door]]s, [[hatch]]es, [[floodgate]]s, and [[grate]]s open and close.
+* [[Support]]s collapse, potentially causing a cave-in (pulling the lever again won't re-assemble the support, cave-in or not).
+* [[Bridge]]s raise and lower, or retract and extend, depending on the type of bridge.
+* [[Gear assembly|Gear assemblies]] ''toggle'' between engaged and disengaged (disengaged assemblies can't support other machinery).
+* [[Restraint]]s release the creature assigned to them (leaving the restraint attached to the creature, only recoverable by [[dump]]ing the restraint or killing the creature).
+* [[Cage]]s are deconstructed, releasing their occupants (needless to say, this is irreversible!)
+* [[Spike]]s raise and lower.
+* [[Bars]] retract and extend.
-''For an basic overview of how the different machine parts work and work together, see [[machinery]].''
+Different objects take different amounts of time to respond to activation; generally this is only a brief pause but it can be enough for a charging [[goblin]] to cover more than a few tiles.
-==Placing a lever==
-If you have a spare mechanism, you can designate the new lever job via the  "{{k|b}}uild {{k|T}}rap {{k|l}}ever" keys, and can use {{k|x}} to choose which specific mechanism to use.  Mechanism [[quality]] has no known effect on the performance of the lever.  Low-quality mechanisms work fine, but since they are counted as furniture, high quality mechanisms give more [[created wealth]].
 ==Linking==
+One [[mechanism]] is required to construct a lever, and then two more are required to '''link''' the lever with a device. The link is made by selecting the lever with {{k|q}}, choosing the type of object you want to link the lever to, and then using {{k|-}} and {{k|+}} to choose the particular object. The list is chronological by order of construction, most recently designated last, and the map will recenter on each object as you scroll through the list.
-Once a mechanism has been placed as a lever, it then requires a pair of [[mechanisms]] to link that lever to any object, regardless of distance or size, and [[quality]] of the mechanism makes no reported difference.  This is done by giving the lever the appropriate job order via {{k|q}}(similar to any workshop), selecting what sort of object you want the lever linked to*, and then using the {{k|-}} and {{k|+}} keys to scroll through the available examples of those and selecting the one you want.  The list is chronological, with the last object finished listed last, and the map will re-center on the exact object as you scroll.
+Then you can choose what specific mechanisms you want to use to connect the device to the lever. The quality of a mechanism affects the accuracy of traps, but not the speed of activation. The first mechanism you choose is for the device end, the second for the lever end. This is important when working with [[magma]].
-:''(* [[bridge]], [[cage]], [[chain]], [[door]], [[floodgate]], [[hatch]], [[wall grate]], [[floor grate]], [[vertical bars]], [[floor bars]], [[support]], [[spike]], or [[gear assembly]].)
-By default you can choose the specific mechanisms you wish to use, from a list of all you have created (and are not forbidden or isolated by [[path]]) - your first selection will be attached to the item/barrier in question (the door, floodgate, cage, whatever), and the second selection will be linked at the lever end (the order is important when dealing with [[magma]]).
-A lever can be connected to any number of objects at the same time, but, as each linking is a [[job]] designated at that lever, only one linking job will be tasked at any one time - after that job is finished, the next will begin.  (That is, if you want one lever connected to 101 different doors, hatches, cages, bridges and supports, you can do that, but those jobs will not occur ''simultaneously''.)  Up to 10 linking jobs can be queued up at any one time on one lever, the same as with jobs at any workshop.
-Once a link is completed (not queued), the target will no longer appear in the lever's target list. However, if you queue the same linkage twice then both tasks will be performed. This has no effect other than to use up more mechanisms.
-Once linked, a trigger can only be de-linked by deconstructing the trigger itself or the target. By doing so you will recover the linking mechanism used on that side. To get both back you will need to deconstruct both the trigger and the target.  Deconstructing a linked object has no effect on other objects linked to the same lever; deconstructing a lever unlinks all objects linked to it.  If you wish to relink an object to the same lever, you must use two new mechanisms - you cannot "re-use" the mechanism still in the lever without deconstructing that, too, and starting over entirely.
-==Activating levers==
-A lever is activated (or "pulled") through its {{k|q}} menu with via the "{{k|a}}dd new task {{k|P}}ull" keys, which establishes a new [[job]] that then needs to be filled.  An idle dwarf will then come to pull the lever - no labor need be designated for this task, so ''any'' dwarf might volunteer, and from ''anywhere'' on the map that has a [[path]] to that lever at the time, though in most cases the nearest dwarf will be chosen.
-[[Tantrum]]ing dwarves have also been reported to pull levers at random, leading to all kinds of [[fun]].
-Note that once the actual ''lever'' is pulled, any attached objects may take more time to respond - see below.
-====Specific Response Levers====
-Some lever systems are intentionally designed to be pulled only by specific dwarves. By limiting which dwarf/dwarves can respond to an order to "{{k|P}}ull Lever" (via that lever's [[workshop profile]]), you can control who responds, which specific dwarf pulls that lever.  This means you can largely control who will be standing "right there" when that lever activates... whatever.
-This can be used for...
+A lever can be linked to any number of objects, and each object can have any number of levers controlling it.
-:* Limiting general lever pulling to [[hauler]]s and other relatively useless dwarves.
+There is no way to de-link an object without disassembling either object or lever {{verify}}. When using a lever for a single-use purpose (cages or supports), the mechanism in the lever will remain in the lever, but the object and its mechanism will deconstruct. In this manner, a single lever might accumulate many mechanisms. Deconstructing the lever will free all these mechanisms and allow to reuse them - keep your permanent and one-time linkages to separate levers.
-:* Retiring unwanted [[nobles]] or other dwarves - see [[unfortunate accident]].
-:* Locking a dwarf behind a door - for instance, [[Bauxite#Bauxite Management|locking a mason or mechanic in with bauxite]] to force them, and only them, to work with it.
-:* Sealing an otherwise relatively useless dwarf in a lever [[control room]].
-:* Choosing a sacrificial dwarf for a suicide lever pulling mission.
 ==On/Off vs Open/Close==
@@ Line 61: / Line 41: @@
 Several devices, such as [[floodgate]]s and [[bridge]]s, have a delayed response to all incoming signals, and will not respond to subsequent signals until the first has taken effect.  For instance, if you pull a lever attached to a floodgate on then off in rapid succession, the floodgate will only respond to the first signal, independent of the position the lever rests in eventually.
+In the unusual case that a device receives both an on and an off trigger in the exact same tick, the device will change states-- an open device will close, and a closed device will open.
 ==On/Off states==
@@ Line 67: / Line 49: @@
 ===== Multiple Uses =====
-A "step" is not a step that a dwarf makes, and not based on [[FPS]].  It's one "step" that the game advances.  When paused (via {{k|spacebar}} ), you can manually advance the game "1 step" by hitting the period ( {{k|.}} ) key.
+A "step" is not a step that a dwarf makes, and not based on [[Frames per second|FPS]].  It's one "step" that the game advances.  When paused (via {{k|spacebar}} ), you can manually advance the game "1 step" by hitting the period ( {{k|.}} ) key.
 * [[Bridge]] – Activates 100 steps after being triggered
@@ Line 85: / Line 67: @@
 ** '''Off:''' Closes the hatch.
-* [[Grate]] – Activates 100 steps after being triggered. When it is open, it just disappears. Liquids go through it just the same, but it cannot be walked on anymore. Anybody on it will fall.
+* [[Grate]] – Activates 100 steps after being triggered. When it is open, it just disappears. Liquids go through it just the same, but it will no longer function as a floor/wall (depending on its orientation).
 ** '''On:''' Opens the grate.
 ** '''Off:''' Closes the grate.
-* [[Bars]] – Activates 100 steps after being triggered. When it is open, it just disappears. Liquids go through it just the same, but it cannot be walked on anymore. Anybody on it will fall.
+* [[Bars]] – Activates 100 steps after being triggered. When it is open, it just disappears. Liquids go through it just the same, but it will no longer function as a floor/wall (depending on its orientation).
 ** '''On:''' Opens the bars.
 ** '''Off:''' Closes the bars.
@@ Line 97: / Line 79: @@
 ** '''Off:''' Extends spears/spikes.
-* [[Gear assembly]] – When it is disengaged, no power goes through it and anything that is being kept up by its presence (like a [[windmill]] right on top of it) falls down.
+* [[Gear assembly]] – Activates instantly. When it is disengaged, no power goes through it and anything that is being kept up by its presence (like a [[windmill]] right on top of it) falls down.
 ** '''On:''' Toggles gear state.
 ** '''Off:''' Toggles gear state.
@@ Line 108: / Line 90: @@
 * [[Restraint]] &ndash; Deconstructs the [[Restraint|chain/rope]] and releases whatever creature it held. The restraint's mechanism will be left on the floor nearby, and the restraint itself will remain attached to the creature's neck; again, you recover the [[mechanism]] used on the restraint but you do not recover the mechanism used in the lever until deconstructing the lever itself.
 * [[Support]] &ndash; Deconstructs the support, ideally without a dwarf next to it. Most commonly used to cause controlled [[cave-in]]s. The support's building material and its attached mechanism can both be recovered (unless they happen to get destroyed in said cave-in).
-==Control Room==
-Some players prefer to create a "control room" and lock a dwarf in when they expect to need quick response to their levers, to avoid long delays.  A control room is an area where important levers are located.  It often has doors/hatches on all entrances, so a dwarf (or more than one) can be locked inside to guarantee that one nearby dwarf will be idle who can pull a lever at a moment's notice, rather than wait for the first idle dwarf to respond, who might be far across the map. This can be critical with some of the more complex [[Trap design|trap designs]].  For longer sieges, a small personal stockpile of booze and food is critical, or an "airlock" that can be (re)stocked for prolonged situations.
-Some control rooms have all doors linked to a single lever, which is the first one pulled - this seals in the first volunteer to respond, although {{k|A}}ctivating a specific recruit and stationing them and then manually locking them in the control room is sometimes faster.  Double doors, one set manual, and one set linked, allow for manual sealing of the room in either manner.  (It's advised to have a backup lever somewhere to open the linked doors in case of accidents.)
-Advanced players do not trust doors alone to protect their control room, as some fortress invaders are [[building destroyer]]s, and can deconstruct any door or drawbridge they come across.
-Because control rooms often contain levers linked to most every important system in the fortress, it's critical to guard it against troublemakers like [[gremlin]]s and [[tantrum]]ing dwarves.  Having wardogs or other attack animals chained at all entrances is a good start, and military stationed nearby is popular as well.
-Because of the crowded nature of a control room, it's particularly important to [[label]] your levers, and/or organize them for positive identification as to function.  Returning to a game after a week and not remembering which "red" lever releases the magma or shuts the main gate is too much [[fun]] for some players.
 ==Labeling==
-There is no way to determine what levers operate what objects except by pulling them and seeing what happens.<sup>*</sup>  Because of this, it can be critical to, somehow, keep track of what lever does what and where (''especially'' in a control room!).  [[Note|Label]]ing each individual lever is (possibly) the most foolproof.  Some players (additionally) use architecture or color coding to help label their levers, either placing them near the objects they activate, or in small bays organized in groups (even within a control room), and/or making the mechanism (and linked objects) out of a [[The Non-Dwarf's Guide to Rock|particular colored]] stone, or likewise coloring the nearby wall or floor, or even constructing a letter or symbol in a floor mosaic - whatever works, so long as it ''does'' work.
+There is no built-in indication of what a lever does, and pulling them to see what will happen can be immensely [[fun]]. Using the [[note]] function is the most foolproof way of labeling levers; color-coding of levers can give some indication too.
-:<sup>(*): Not exactly true. You can attempt to link the lever to a new object. Anything already linked to that lever will not show up in the list, as an existing link cannot be duplicated. So you could, in theory, look through the entire list; any item which doesn't appear in that list is linked. However, this process of elimination becomes a very daunting prospect with, say, doors.</sup>
-==Locked vs. shut via link==
-Note that while a [[thief]] can bypass a "locked" [[door]] or [[hatch]], any barrier linked to a mechanism and in the "closed" position is impassable to any creature.  However, some creatures have the [[building destroyer]] tag, and can deconstruct the barrier entirely if they can reach it.
-== Computing ==
-Elaborate combinations of levers (or pressure plates) and other objects can be used to create mechanical systems that can perform various forms of [[computing]].
+However, it is possible to ascertain whether or not a building has been linked to a lever by finding the building under {{k|R}} "View Rooms/Buildings" and then selecting {{k|t}} "Zoom to building items".  A device that is actuated by a lever not only lists the components of the building but will also include a mechanism item.  Viewing the lever itself this way will display one mechanism for each building the lever is linked to (plus one mechanism from the construction of the lever itself).
+There is way to ascertain which lever is linked to what, but it becomes very hard when you have many linkable items. Find the lever, use "q" and then select "add new task". Try for every linkable thing in your fortress, to link the lever to it. If an object isn't available for linking, that's because it is already linked. Though this method isn't very usable to find the single linked item in all of them, it is useful when you forgot whether the left or the right lever was linked to the support.
-{{Buildings}}
+{{buildings}}
-[[Category:Buildings]][[Category:Physics]]