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Ocean
v50.14 · v0.47.05 This article is about the current version of DF.Note that some content may still need to be updated. |
An ocean is an immense volume of saltwater. They are often bordered by sandy beaches where driftwood can be found. Marshes and swamps also tend to form around oceanic coastlines, especially near rivers. The land surrounding oceans also tends to have a high water table, resulting in aquifers close to the surface.
It is not possible to found a fort solely in an oceanic biome; some land is needed.
There are three varieties of oceans, based on temperature, which affects the sea life found there: Arctic, Temperate and Tropical. Oceans in a freezing climate (usually Arctic oceans) will freeze, just like rivers and pools, acting like a glacier.
Ocean Waves
Waves will periodically wash over the coast. The tiles will not get wet. However, if a wave washes over a staircase, the floors below it will be slowly flooded. This may be a good way to irrigate tiles. The waves move over all natural tiles, and seem to move independently of constructed tiles like walls and floors. Be mindful not to carve away natural walls and allow tide to enter your fort, and cause excess slowdown. Sea walls can be built to block waves and protect beach areas, but need to be completely closed off to be effective. Waves also have a tendency to move items left on the beach, so it is inadvisable to place stockpiles too close to the shore -- also beware that this effect means that dwarves can be knocked unconscious if hit by driftwood washed in from waves.
Since ocean waves do not actually move the water in the tiles below them, they do not create flow. Thus, waves cannot power a water wheel, making tidal energy generation much more difficult.
Ocean floor geology
The ocean floor will be made up of entire layers, or combinations of the following:
- a Sedimentary layer of conglomerate, limestone, sandstone, or shale
- a Soil layer of calcareous ooze, pelagic clay, or siliceous ooze
- Sand of any variety, often in small patches alongside the sedimentary or soil layers
Most of these layers also support aquifers, which are usually saltwater like the surrounding ocean, making the extraction of these materials rather difficult in fortress mode. Limestone is a notable exception, making it ideal for excavation from below since it is also a flux material.
Resources
Almost all tiles next to oceans have aquifers, which require fairly complicated schemes to sidestep. In addition oceans are salt water resources, requiring desalination with a screw pump into a cistern to use for drinking. On the other hand you have an inexhaustible source of water for fishing, drowning chambers, and so forth, as well as a spawning point for some very big and very meat-profitable creatures: whales, orcas, and the like.
Fauna
Oceans are an excellent source of food for a new fortress, usually having tons of fish, and containing shell-bearing creatures like oysters and mussels. But sometimes when you embark on a coast you might have messages of 'there is nothing to catch in blah blah blah'. If this happens you will never be able to fish in the ocean in that area so it is suggested you embark on a different area or create a new map so you can fish.
In evil oceans sea monsters can be found. Likewise, in good oceans merpersons can be observed.
Arctic Ocean
Note that, in an Arctic Ocean with a completely freezing climate, none of the Vermin or the underwater Creatures will be present. This pretty much leaves walruses, the three varieties of penguins, and the three types of seals since they are able to move about on land.
Creatures
- Blue shark
- Bluefin tuna
- Cod
- Conger eel
- Elephant seal
- Emperor penguin
- Frill shark
- Halibut
- Harp seal
- Leopard seal
- Little penguin
- Penguin
- Sea lamprey
- Sea serpent
- Sturgeon
- Walrus
- Whale
Vermin
Temperate Ocean
Creatures
- Angelshark
- Basking shark
- Blue shark
- Bluefin tuna
- Bluefish
- Cod
- Common skate
- Conger eel
- Frill shark
- Great white shark
- Halibut
- Hammerhead shark
- Longfin mako shark
- Marlin
- Nurse shark
- Ocean sunfish
- Opah
- Sea serpent
- Sea lamprey
- Shortfin mako shark
- Spiny dogfish
- Spotted wobbegong
- Sturgeon
- Swordfish
- Whale
Vermin
- Anchovy
- Bat ray
- Brook lamprey
- Flounder
- Hagfish
- Hake
- Herring
- Mackerel
- Mussel
- Oyster
- Salmon
- Sea nettle jellyfish
- Seahorse
- Shad
- Sole
- Spotted ratfish
- Steelhead trout
- Thornback ray
Tropical Ocean
Creatures
- Angelshark
- Blacktip reef shark
- Blue shark
- Bluefin tuna
- Bluefish
- Bull shark
- Coelacanth
- Common skate
- Frill shark
- Great barracuda
- Great white shark
- Giant grouper
- Hammerhead shark
- Longfin mako shark
- Manta ray
- Marlin
- Milkfish
- Ocean sunfish
- Opah
- Sea lamprey
- Sea serpent
- Shortfin mako shark
- Spiny dogfish
- Spotted wobbegong
- Stingray
- Swordfish
- Tiger shark
- Whale
- Whale shark
- Whitetip reef shark
Vermin
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