v0.31:Stonegears/Metalworking

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Uses for metalworking, glassmaking and ceramics

• If you have the INVADERS [../Options|option]‡ set to YES then you'll definitely need to make Template:L armor and weapons. A Template:L with equipment made entirely from Template:L, Template:L and Template:L isn't going to be very effective.
• Some nobles‡ will make Template:Ls and production Template:Ls for metal, Template:L and Template:L items.
• Making Template:Ls out Template:L, Template:L or Template:L is a good way to make high-value Template:L which can be installed into Template:Ls to raise their quality or be put into communal areas so admiring them can give happy Template:Ls.
• Template:Ls made from gold can be used to buy a lot of stuff from the Template:Ls.
• If your fortress is at a site with no trees on the surface, like a Template:L or Template:L, you can make Template:Ls out of metal in order to conserve your supplies of wood.
• If you have any Template:L or Template:L floors on your site you can collect an endless amount of the materials for making glass and ceramics.

Normal forges and furnaces vs magma powered ones

Template:Ls and Template:Ls need power in order to operate. Normal ones are powered by consuming Template:L, either Template:L made from Template:L or coke refined from Template:L or Template:L. The Template:L version are powered by being placed one Template:L above magma and need no fuel. Magma is usually obtained from the ubiquitous Template:L, but is sometimes acquired from a Template:L instead.

Advantages of magma power

The advantage of magma power all stem from the fact that you can use it endlessly without using up any fuel:

• You can train your Template:L and Template:L by having them make weapons and armor out of Template:L and Template:L, so they'll have more Template:L when they later use Template:L or Template:L.
• If you have any sand on your site you can churn out endless amounts of raw glass to train your Template:L and Template:L.
• If you have any sand or clay on your site you can churn out endless amounts of glass and ceramic goods to trade to the caravans. Glass and ceramic are three times more valuable than ordinary rock and 50% more valuable than Template:L. (Of course, a skilled stonecrafter is going to make more valuable stone goods than an unskilled glassmaker or potter).
• You can Template:L all of the iron weapons and armor left behind by Template:L Template:Ls without using up all your fuel.

Disadvantages of magma power

The big disadvantage of magma power is that the magma usually comes from the magma sea, which is usually 60 or more z-levels below the surface, meaning that not only do you have to dig down quite a ways, but if the main part of your fortress is up near the surface there's a long round trip of anyone involved.

Mitigating the problem of magma power

There are multiple ways of dealing with the problem of the long round trips:

• Make a second living area down near the magma sea, including Template:Ls, and manually assign the bedrooms to anyone working down there. This way the only dwarves making long round trips will be the Template:L.
• Choose a fortress site which has a Template:L, so you can put your magma works near the surface.
• Move some magma up closer to the surface (taking advantage of the fact that magma in Dwarf Fortress never cools, thus acting as an infinite source of energy):
  • You can move magma up by using Template:Ls made from Template:L materials.
  • You can take advantage of the game's simplistic simulation of liquid displacement via a Template:L, which will teleport magma up many z-levels.
• Build your fortress down near the magma sea. You can use the water from the lowest Template:L to Template:L rock for Template:L, leaving only few dwarfs up near the surface to cut down trees for wood.