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[weirdbeard]

I used to play back when this game was 2D (No Z-Axis) and whilst I -was- a total noob, I did figure out how to channel, before my motherboard blew up and I didn't redownload DF for a great length of time.

Now, I'm experimenting with the flows of magma and water, to try and get a magma forge running under the new system, without completely blitzing my fort. I figured that, like in the 2D version, if I channeled water from the source, the channel would fill safely, and not overflow. But I can't even get the channel dug! When I designate an area to be channeled, the miners won't go anywhere near it, sometimes flashing as a question mark when they have approached it (if they dug next to, as I got them to do whilst trying to fix this). I've tried building stairs to the above and below z-levels nearby, and mining from the above z-level  to be above the channel, nothing's working. I've read every page in the wiki related to levels, mining, magma, water and fluids, and so I have signed up here to ask one simple question.

How the FUCK does channeling work!?

[Lyrax]

Channeling destroys the floor of the current tile AND the wall of the tile directly below it.  Much of the time, you'll want to dig out your tunnels with regular mining, and then channel the very last one.  Or even just dig them all out.  Channeling large areas at a time is difficult, to say the least.

[weirdbeard]

Ugh, I'm confused... let me try to puzzle this out - what I'd want to do, if I wanted to make a magma forge would be the following (if I'm right...)

Dig down to the z-level below the one I wish to create the forge at.

Create a magma-proof door before the stairs/ramp I have used to access the lower level.

Channel the last tile in the flow (from above?)

Construct forge/smelter over the 'open space' beneath which the magma lies?

[Samyotix]

This explanation should be helpful: http://www.dwarffortresswiki.net/index.php/Mining#Digging_in_3D

[weirdbeard]

"I've read every page in the wiki related to levels, mining, magma, water and fluids"

[BahamutZERO]

Channels are just regular tunnels with the roof removed now. They're not a special type of tile like they used to be. Because of this, water in them can overflow if the source is higher up than the channel's top, although supposedly magma won't overflow if the opening to the magma source is no higher than the channel.

EDIT 2: nevermind previous edit, I think I just made that up.

Are you getting any announcements about why the miners are refusing to go near the designation?
Is there another channel in the way preventing them from reaching the tiles? You can't walk over empty channels anymore, since they are actual pits.
Are you mining from the floor that will have the magma forge on it? They mine channels from the level that has its floor removed, not from the same level as the floor of the channel.

[ May 17, 2008: Message edited by: BahamutZERO ]

[ May 17, 2008: Message edited by: BahamutZERO ]

[weirdbeard]

I'm just... really confused. I think I need to see this graphically to understand it.

[Doppel]

sideview

+++++++
++_XXXX
++X++++

+ = unmined tile
X = mined tile
_ = channel

As you can see we first mined four tiles from right to left and the fifth tile we channeled, the channel also mines the tile below it (so in actuallity you mined two tiles at ones with the channel).

A bit confusing but you can thus channel a wall and the flour beneath that wall or when in the open you can just channel the floor (thus without the wall). I hope this helps.

[ May 18, 2008: Message edited by: Doppel ]

[ May 18, 2008: Message edited by: Doppel ]

[weirdbeard]

Right, I think I understand how the actual process of channeling works then. I'm going to put 'operation divert water from the river' into action, and if it doesn't flood the fort, then I have understood water in the new version.  :p