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[CorruptUser]

For those that aren't engineers (I'm not one), an Archimedes' Screw is an old method of pumping water up from below.  It is made up of a tube and a spiral that turns and drains out the water, or oil or anything else that's not structurally solid.

Technically speaking, the screwpumps in DF are Archimedes' Screws (probably).  What I suggest is a new type of pump to replace the pumpstack, mainly for simplicity.  The pump would be 1 square, and would bring liquids from below into the pump itself.  The top pump would be below a screwpump, to bring the liquids out of the pipe below and to the desired direction, and the power requirements would be 10 per pipe section.  A dwarf pump operator would need to work harder for taller pumps; I'm thinking a limit of 1 z level per skill level of the operator, maybe less.  Each Archimedes' Screw would require 1 giant corkscrew, 1 giant pipe section, and 1 block; possibly 1 mechanism as punishment for trying to cut corners of something.


Some more minor stuff I'd like; power requirements less for better designed buildings made with higher quality components.  Not necessary, but it's nice to see that your architect actually has SOME use in your fortress.  Like, 1/2 power for masterfully designed pumps made with masterfully crafted mechanisms and pipes, and your windmills/watermills could produce somewhat more power for being masterfully designed.

The ability to toggle "magma safe only" when placing things you expect to come into contact with magma.  So, when selecting what to include in your screwpipe, it would only list the stone blocks that are magma safe.  Maybe it would require a manager with some architectural background (e.g., Adequate Building Designer) to enable it.

Dwarven music halls.  Basically a garden of sorts.  A new room built from large instruments like dwarven pipe organs or harpsichords (pianos didn't exist until the 19th century so those aren't allowed).  Dwarves with the musicality personality may hang out there when on break and play some instruments and get happy thoughts for "was able to express self musically", and dwarves in the vicinity can get thoughts for "heard a stirring ballad".

[10ebbor10]

1. While it seems good on one side, it's less realistic (Archimedes screws only work diagonall) and seems a bit to simple/ gamey. Especially the straight forward manpower limit. It should either go slower or not move at all.
2.This one seems fun. Though 1/2 power use seems a bit much, pumps use not enough power as it is now.
3.No objections.
4.Completly unrelated and suggested before. Often.

Please keep your suggestions related to a single topic (Though you don't have to go too narrow and spam 5-8 one line suggestions). Having multiple unrelated suggestions in one topic causes confusion and makes searching harder.

[CorruptUser]

Yeah, a single dwarf can flood things pretty fast, though you need a few pumps to smooth an aquifer.  Pumps should cost more, but that could offset the lower requirements for well-built stuff.  Not sure if 1/2 power is too much a reduction or too litte; a well-lubricated machine works better than a poor one, and a well-built screwpump will leak less and won't have to re-pump the same water.

[Sadrice]

To make pumpstacks easier, I like reverse overshot waterwheels.  Invented by the romans, actually used by them in pumpstacks to lift water out of flooded mines:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

They could be 3 Zs high, accepting water at the bottom and pumping out the side of the top.  They could have a much lower flow rate than normal pumps, but be easier to make into super tall stacks.

[10ebbor10]

Yeah, a single dwarf can flood things pretty fast, though you need a few pumps to smooth an aquifer.  Pumps should cost more, but that could offset the lower requirements for well-built stuff.  Not sure if 1/2 power is too much a reduction or too litte; a well-lubricated machine works better than a poor one, and a well-built screwpump will leak less and won't have to re-pump the same water.

I would actually say that a masterwork pump would pump at the current rate (current power use). Low quality pump could go up to double that. (This still leaves a water reactor possible, but harder to do).