- v50 information can now be added to pages in the main namespace. v0.47 information can still be found in the DF2014 namespace. See here for more details on the new versioning policy.
- Use this page to report any issues related to the migration.
40d:Revealed tile
| This article is about an older version of DF. |
- If looking for Rick's "Reveal" utility, see Utilities.
A revealed tile, in fortress mode, is any tile that has a description when looked at.
All tiles on the surface of the map ("above ground") start out revealed, as do all tiles above the surface (these are usually "open space"). All tiles below the surface ("subterranean") must be revealed by digging into them. All tiles adjacent to a revealed tile will also be revealed: you can see what the rock walls adjacent to a mined-out tile are made of, for instance, and you can see the outermost tile of each z-level of a mountain. You can also see the tile immediately below where a downward (or up/down) stairway has been placed -- this is because building (or digging) the stairway removes the floor between the levels. (Upward stairways do not reveal the level above, because they do not remove the floor/ceiling above the stairs.)
Underground features, such as chasms, underground rivers, and magma pipes usually start out hidden. However, if they breach the surface of the world (this is believed to happen due to erosion during world generation), they will start out fully revealed, even if not all their tiles are "above ground". Any underground features that are initially hidden will be fully revealed, top to bottom, once they are discovered by mining.
The number of tiles revealed by mining play a part in how many strange moods your fortress may experience. Unrevealed tiles are also said to complicate (and therefore slow down) the game's pathfinding algorithms somewhat.[Verify]
To reveal tiles without mining, you can use Rick's reveal tool, or Gibbed's tweak program (which includes reveal as a module). These tools are made by third parties and are not a regular part of the game; it is up to you to decide whether their use enhances or diminishes its fun.