Bay 12 Games Forum

It was news to me. First;

Casting magma-proof mechanical devices that are already connected in obsidian does not hinder their operation. The rest of the nethercap axle, the obsidian gear assembly and the entire green glass screwpump in the example are encased in cast obsidian and still operating. The cast-in gear assembly is still switchable. Usefulness debatable. Possibly secure pumping form dangerous sources but I didn't check if it offered protection from building destroyers.

Same works for bridges.

I tried to make a raising drawbridge that would operate as a portal through cast obsidian (cuz that's what looks like happens when it's animated) but dwarves couldn't path over the bridge/wall tiles. Next I wanted to make improved pillbox shutters with a raising drawbridge and cast, smoothed and fortifications-ified wall sharing the same tile.

While it compactly and remotely controlled ranged engagement of the enemy it was worse then fortifications at keeping the invaders (and also the goose) actually out.
So not totally successful as originally planned but it seems that this gives us the ability to make tiles that are switchable between impassable and passable to only invaders and pets. Whether you use cast walls or fortifications determines whether your dwarves can see through it when it is open but has no effect on the passage of invaders or pets it seems. Squads cannot be ordered over the fortifications/ bridge and no jobs will be taken past it.

Shutters still would work on a raised level but the way to abuse this would be messing with pathfinding. I can seriously see using these in various ways in my next entrance. You could allow invaders in without the possibility of any dwarf pathing outside for any reason. You could build a winding path around 10x10 atom-smasher bridges built into solid 10x10 cast walls and run them on repeat without fear of loosing a dwarf (screw the pets) while invaders path right down the center through the bridges. I can see how it might make dealing with migrants arriving in difficult biomes easier as well.

Though of course this is only tested on 31.25, and I didn't bother with doors, hatches or invincible operational obsidian-cast nethercap windmills and such. Don't know what effect on traders or liaisons - probably bad. Further !!SCIENCE!! I leave to the board as I've got a lot on the go already.

Chapter I; Assasination


To whomever might discover this:

With the security of Stormrack impenetrable, I Kogsak Lustrouscraft the Failed Purge,  trained in various addition weapon and survival skills do hereby accept the quest of tracking and hunting down the night man Momuz Tunneledfaint the Crypt of Skulls, the beast who had kidnapped the Queen of The Dreamy Ship, Nomal Whiplenses, bringing the total collapse of our dwarven sister-civilization. Finding and killing him at all cost and redeeming her if possible.

Day 1;

Locked my room and secretly left the fortress while out on patrol.
Discovered an unmarked river past the eastern border.
Too dark to travel at night, slept in a hollow.

Day 2;

Continued due east. More rivers, none of which are on the merchant's map. I plan on taking the old trader's path over the mountains into what was The Dreamy Ship's territory. The trail head should be near the Trade Guild's cave 'Grossechoes' in the foothills.

Just saw an alligator rip apart an unaware duck. I Am now checking rivers before getting in.
Found another hollow to spend the night in.

Night;

I'm not sure what woke me but it's still early. I went out to use the tree when something caught my eye behind me. When I looked back I was already surrounded by strange shadowy figures screaming insults at me. The first was nearly on me when I smashed my shield into it. Before it could respond I crushed what passed for it's face in and it fell silent and limp.

These things are fast! I fired a bolt at the nearest while backpedaling off the rise. The shot lodged in the bones of it's left hand but the thing showed no pain. I found out I was at least quicker then any of them.
With a bit of distance I took out my axe and stood my ground both of us getting a good look as this new adversary drew close in the dawn's morning light.

OOC; The short history of The Dreamy Ship is recounted in the first post of the tale of Kogsak's home fort Stormrack.

After 62 years the Severe Tools have completed "The Black Cauldron." It occupies the top of the obsidian cap cast over the volcano, The Furnace of Robustness, that houses the Magma Hammer that protects Stormrack.

It is a featureless column 43 Urists in diameter and 44 z-levels tall. The bottom 3 z-levels that house the Magma Hammer are of cast obsidian. The Black Cauldron itself is a full 41 (nearly) identical z-levels of unsupported obsidian floodgate rings:

Overseer is acting up for me, won't show floors or walls right. This shot is of partial completion from back when it just didn't show floodgates:

Even without floor or wall tiles being rendered properly the 41x41 Urist column of free-standing magma on command still gets the idea across:

Lava wave-front propagation at half-height, 4x3 embark:

Stonesense series:

Might be en elf siege soon. I have their princess' corpse.

It has proven tedious to search for previous threads on this as you might imagine.

So far I have found that if you build a construction on a magma flow tile removing it will turn it to a more common tile (furrowed silty clay loam in my embark) same as for other floor material changes when constructions removed. Obsidian can be cast on the new tile directly over the SMR. Constructed up-stairs or floors on magma flow tiles will also support casting of course.

Naked Dwarves are not injured by standing on magma flow tiles.

Magma flow tiles randomly flash yellow for unknown reasons (Phoebus tileset).

Next to determine is whether a changed magma flow tile will still eat cast cave-ins that fall on it. I suspect not.

Long-term project goal is a HFS fully-pathable insta-kill corridor.

Lowest level of the apparatus; shut down to clear some obsidian from two pump's outputs (two water control dwarves went to sleep simultaneously) and to allow the water reservoir to refill.

Access construction after test-run.

So many job cancellations.

Progress so far.

Casualties have been low. So far.

Any other magma flow tile !!SCIENCE!! experiment suggestions? (31.25)

The Oracular Universes

Local map of The Continents of Assembling

History: Part 1: Nazomzuglar, "The Dreamy Ship"

   The Dreamy Ship, led by King Zuglar Exitsabre founded the mountain homes of Osonul, "Certainmirrors" and Dustiktosid, "Boararmors" in the first year of Dwarves 1.

   In year 2 the King's loyal general Ablel Hamepartnered was struck down when his head was ripped by the roc Dafo Greaterrun the Brave Leavea who then preceded to devour him unchallenged. In the disorganization of the following months the night man Momuz Tunneledfaint the Crypt of Skulls became an enemy of The Dreamy Ship by trying to assassinate the Dwarven King Zuglar Exitsabre. While defeated, the latter escaped unscathed. However, the chaos and the loss of less note-worthy life led to delays and supplies were getting low.

   The scout, Zuglar Cryptdents, was promoted to general in year 3. Under the pretext of the treatment of animals he started Kekimalnis, "The splattered War" with two successful attacks in the spring and autumn against the dark stranglers of the Comtemptible Forks, The enemy was met on the fields of Sebshos Logem, "The Mire of Paint." Success came with a price.

   In the midwinter of 3 Zulgar made a journey to the depths of the world and tamed voracious cave crawlers before returning to Boararmors. The following spring Zuglar led his army in siege against the dark straggler forest retreat of Saxorosum, "Copperfrightful" from the back of a voracious cave crawler mount. Copperfrightful was crushed without resistance. After pillaging Copperfrightful Zulgar's forces moved through Slokstul, "Sicknessfail" that autumn taking light losses and pillaging it as well.

   While militarily a success Zuglar Cryptdents' campaign failed in it's true goal of pillaging enough food to support The Dreamy Ship and he returned to Boararmors and starved to death in the famine during the early autumn of 4 just before the trade caravan got there.

   In 5 Atir Dabbleink was named the new general of The Dreamy Ship and led 6 other dwarves in a desperate pillaging raid against Copperfrightful and Sicknessfail. Although they only lost one dwarf they still returned months later with no food. During the early autumn famine of 5, Atir starved to death in Boararmors while King Zuglar Exitsabre starved in the capitol, Certainmirrors, mere moments before the trade cavarvan was spotted in the distance. The Splattered War and The Dreamy Ship as a military force died with them.

   In 6 Nomal Whiplenses became the Queen of The Dreamy Ship. Famine was rampant. She took Uzol Actfurnace as a husband and promoted him to general but he starved to death in the early autumn of 6. In the mid-spring of 7 following the departure of the trade caravan, the night man Momuz Tunneledfaint the Crypt of Skulls returned to a crumbling Certainmirrors and abducted the Queen Nomal Whiplenses. He imprisoned her in Ostarvesh Kornikol, "Burydust the Cavernous Skulls" and by the end of spring had changed Nomal Whiplenses from a dwarf into a spouse of the night man. Her son, born of Uzol Actfurnace [reference required], was corrupted as well and born as the night man Ozran the Ash of Tombs. The couple harassed the dark stragglers that had returned to Copperfrightful for 30 years, then passed the responsibility on to Ozran. Starving and distraught the rest of The Dreamy Ship had died or wandered off with many oaths of vengeance sworn against Momuz Tunneledfaint the Crypt of Skulls.