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[Korthal Burgatul]

I'm new to DF and looking forward to playing, but I haven't quite managed to get to embarkation yet due to two features I don't understand or possibly a bug.

Issue 1
When I am trying to assign skills to my group of explorers I am able to assign all ten for each dwarf for three of them (it doesn't seem to matter which three), but can only assign one or two more points across the other four. If I reduce the skills for the ones I've assigned, I can share out a few more points, but even then it's not 1 to 1.

This leaves me with something like:

dwarf 1     10
dwarf 2     10
dwarf 3     10
dwarf 4     8
dwarf 5     0
dwarf 6     0
dwarf 7     0

What am I missing? Does this have to do with the dwarves personalities somehow?
I am using the latest download (34.11) for Linux as of yesterday (2012-07-02)

Issue 2
I also noticed the finder wasn't able to find a site with flux for two worlds in a row. I finally gave up on flux and settled for my third world, but that seems to be a known issue from reading some other posts and bug reports. Anyone have a work around?

Thanks for any help.

[greycat]

You ran out of points.  Try decreasing, or not bringing, some of your equipment on the other tab.

In particular, I take 1 axe instead of 2, and I decrease food/booze (preferring to gather plants when I get there), and I don't bring any wooden items like crutches, splints, buckets, wheelbarrows -- I make those.  I bring leather instead of quivers, and make the quivers.  I sometimes bring a rope, though, because it takes a while for me to get a textile industry up.

Dropping all that stuff frees up a LOT of points, for animals and skills.  With leftover points, I bring metal ores.

[GhostDwemer]

You don't have enough embark points left to assign the full ten points to each dwarf. Get rid of some items. The finder only finds flux close to the surface, there is usually a lot more flux, in the form of deep marble, than the finder lists. Use DFhack's "prospect all" from the finder to see an estimate of what a site actually contains prior to embarking. If you were looking for other criteria besides just flux, it is entirely possible that your previous worlds had flux, just not in combination with whatever else you wanted. For example, are you looking for high volcanism areas? There will never be flux besides marble in high volcanism areas, flux (besides marble) is sedimentary rock, and high volcanism areas have only igneous (volcanic) rock.

Heh, ninja'd

[Conan]

The way the point system works is that the number at the right indicates the cost of points it takes to increase that skill level by one. Your point counter is at the bottom right, and covers both skills and items.

Its also not always necessary to fill up all the skills as some just end up deteriorating anyways. Skills that you do want, though, include medical skills, metal/armor/weaponsmithing, and military skills, since those take a while to build up, or are difficult to train.

Another easy way to free up points is to not bring any large animals. They tend to breed slowly and aren't worth the money.

If you're looking for an easy way to get meat bring a few hens and a rooster, then craft some stone nest boxes while you're there. Lock them in a room and wait for them to grow up for slaughter.

[greycat]

The choice of animals depends a lot on what kind of embark you're doing, and how you plan to build.  Grazers won't do so well on a tundra embark.  But pigs and dogs and cats (non-grazers) might be worth their weight in steel.

If you want wool, sheep are nice, but they will need a pasture with grass or moss.

[Sutremaine]

Flux can sometimes not show up in the site finder even if you really do have it on-site. In that case, not only does it not show up, but the search function for it doesn't work. It goes through the motions, but nothing else happens. You can use DFHack to examine the composition of the site, though the numbers won't be 100% accurate until after embark.

I bring leather instead of quivers, and make the quivers.

I bring turkeys instead of leather. You can squeeze even more food out of them by letting them lay a clutch of eggs before slaughtering them.

The OP could also set up a 'basics' embark profile with just the things they'd be taking with them to all sites. This works best if you play with low mineral scarcity, which means more chance of any one particular material being available.

[orius]

You ran out of points.  Try decreasing, or not bringing, some of your equipment on the other tab.

In particular, I take 1 axe instead of 2, and I decrease food/booze (preferring to gather plants when I get there), and I don't bring any wooden items like crutches, splints, buckets, wheelbarrows -- I make those.  I bring leather instead of quivers, and make the quivers.  I sometimes bring a rope, though, because it takes a while for me to get a textile industry up.

Dropping all that stuff frees up a LOT of points, for animals and skills.  With leftover points, I bring metal ores.

Another thing to dump are the dimple cup spawn.  They're of little use when you first embark, dimple cups can only be used to make dye and cannot be eaten or brewed.  Also dump the plump helmets, they cost 4 points each, while a piece of common domestic meat costs 2, so you can replace each plump helmet with a piece of meat and have some points left over.  Swap out the pig tail fiber cloth, thread, and bags for wool too, the wool is cheaper and will also give you more points.

This is my general all-purpose embark profile:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Code: [Select]

[PROFILE]
[TITLE:STARTING DORFS]
[SKILL:1:MINING:5]
[SKILL:2:MINING:5]
[SKILL:3:MASONRY:5]
[SKILL:3:MECHANICS:3]
[SKILL:3:DESIGNBUILDING:2]
[SKILL:4:WOODCUTTING:5]
[SKILL:4:CARPENTRY:5]
[SKILL:5:PLANT:5]
[SKILL:5:HERBALISM:5]
[SKILL:6:CUTGEM:2]
[SKILL:6:ENCRUSTGEM:2]
[SKILL:6:STONECRAFT:4]
[SKILL:6:BONECARVE:2]
[SKILL:7:DRESS_WOUNDS:1]
[SKILL:7:DIAGNOSE:1]
[SKILL:7:SURGERY:1]
[SKILL:7:SET_BONE:1]
[SKILL:7:SUTURE:1]
[SKILL:7:JUDGING_INTENT:1]
[SKILL:7:APPRAISAL:1]
[SKILL:7:ORGANIZATION:1]
[SKILL:7:RECORD_KEEPING:1]
[SKILL:7:CONSOLE:1]
[ITEM:2:WEAPON:ITEM_WEAPON_PICK:INORGANIC:COPPER]
[ITEM:1:WEAPON:ITEM_WEAPON_AXE_BATTLE:INORGANIC:COPPER]
[ITEM:1:ANVIL:NONE:INORGANIC:IRON]
[ITEM:20:DRINK:NONE:PLANT_MAT:MUSHROOM_HELMET_PLUMP:DRINK]
[ITEM:20:DRINK:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_TAIL_PIG:DRINK]
[ITEM:20:DRINK:NONE:PLANT_MAT:POD_SWEET:DRINK]
[ITEM:20:DRINK:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_WHEAT_CAVE:DRINK]
[ITEM:10:SEEDS:NONE:PLANT_MAT:MUSHROOM_HELMET_PLUMP:SEED]
[ITEM:5:SEEDS:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_TAIL_PIG:SEED]
[ITEM:5:SEEDS:NONE:PLANT_MAT:GRASS_WHEAT_CAVE:SEED]
[ITEM:5:SEEDS:NONE:PLANT_MAT:POD_SWEET:SEED]
[ITEM:5:SEEDS:NONE:PLANT_MAT:BUSH_QUARRY:SEED]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:YAK:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:COW:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:SHEEP:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:GOAT:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:PIG:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:HORSE:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:LLAMA:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:ALPACA:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:BIRD_DUCK:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:DOG:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:CAT:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:MULE:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:DONKEY:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:BIRD_CHICKEN:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:WATER_BUFFALO:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:REINDEER:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:BIRD_GOOSE:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:BIRD_TURKEY:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:CAMEL_2_HUMP:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:1:MEAT:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:BIRD_GUINEAFOWL:MUSCLE]
[ITEM:5:CLOTH:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:SPIDER_CAVE:SILK]
[ITEM:5:CLOTH:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:SHEEP:HAIR]
[ITEM:5:THREAD:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:SPIDER_CAVE:SILK]
[ITEM:5:THREAD:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:SHEEP:HAIR]
[ITEM:2:CHAIN:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:SPIDER_CAVE:SILK]
[ITEM:1:BOX:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:SPIDER_CAVE:SILK]
[ITEM:1:BOX:NONE:CREATURE_MAT:SHEEP:HAIR]
[ITEM:1:POWDER_MISC:NONE:INORGANIC:SAND_TAN]
[PET:1:DOG:FEMALE:TRAINED_WAR]
[PET:1:DOG:MALE:TRAINED_WAR]
[PET:1:CAT:FEMALE:STANDARD]
[PET:1:CAT:MALE:STANDARD]
[PET:1:PIG:FEMALE:STANDARD]
[PET:1:PIG:MALE:STANDARD]
[PET:3:BIRD_GOOSE:FEMALE:STANDARD]
[PET:1:BIRD_GOOSE:MALE:STANDARD]
[PET:3:BIRD_TURKEY:FEMALE:STANDARD]
[PET:1:BIRD_TURKEY:MALE:STANDARD]



[dakenho]

you should notice points in the bottom right corner of how many points you have left
reduce what you are bringing normally if you get rid of the quivers, splints,buckets you can have enough (and they are usually easily make able any who),  use tab and the minus key

[Triaxx2]

Rabbit's seem to do quite well if you have enough of them, but they seem somewhat reluctant to breed very often.

I prefer to bring Plump Helmet Spawn instead of Plump Helmets most of the time, unless I'm in a desert.

[Korthal Burgatul]

Great advice folks, thanks!

I had already cleared all of my items and started out with the recommendations from "Getting Started With Dwarf Fortress," but I probably went overboard with meat. I'll check that out when I get home. Great to know it's not a bug, just my own ignorance.

On the flux thing, that's about what I thought must be going on. I figure I'll just hope for flux where all of the other conditions are right. I want to try playing through a few times without any additional tools or tilesets, but I'll be checking out DFHack later when I get more ambitious.

Awesome community, great response. Thanks again.

[MenacesWithSpikes]

On finding flux:  Try setting mineral scarcity to "frequent" instead of "everywhere."  I'm not sure if this is still the case, but flux used to be invisible on the site finder if you chose "everywhere."

Some things I do when embarking:

Don't bring rope.  Bring 2 sheep, shear them as soon as it's practical (I build a farmer's workshop early on), spin thread, then craft 2 ropes.

I don't bother bringing any cloth or bags.  (There is some risk of getting screwed on a strange mood this way.)
I do bring a few pieces of leather if I have spare points.  I'll craft the leather into bags or whatever after embarking.

I bring one axe, not 2.

I bring 1 of a female of each type of bird, stick them into a stone enclosure, and craft 6 nest boxes for them.  I don't bother trying to breed birds until year 2 (I buy the males from caravans); I'm busy doing other things.  This is an easy way to get lots of eggs, though.

I bring breeding pairs of sheep, pigs, and goats.

I have my carpenter make some buckets as soon as it's practical.  The grower milks everything and makes cheese when he/she has time.

I don't bring a wheelbarrow.  My carpenter makes those.

All of my dwarves have all their available skill points allocated.

I play on non-evil, not too deadly biomes (no freezing glaciers).

[Garath]

On finding flux:  Try setting mineral scarcity to "frequent" instead of "everywhere."  I'm not sure if this is still the case, but flux used to be invisible on the site finder if you chose "everywhere."

Site finder simply doesn't work right at the moment, so I sincerely doubt it will make a difference.

[Snaake]

On finding flux:  Try setting mineral scarcity to "frequent" instead of "everywhere."  I'm not sure if this is still the case, but flux used to be invisible on the site finder if you chose "everywhere."

Some things I do when embarking:

Don't bring rope.  Bring 2 sheep, shear them as soon as it's practical (I build a farmer's workshop early on), spin thread, then craft 2 ropes.

I don't bother bringing any cloth or bags.  (There is some risk of getting screwed on a strange mood this way.)
I do bring a few pieces of leather if I have spare points.  I'll craft the leather into bags or whatever after embarking.

I bring one axe, not 2.

I bring 1 of a female of each type of bird, stick them into a stone enclosure, and craft 6 nest boxes for them.  I don't bother trying to breed birds until year 2 (I buy the males from caravans); I'm busy doing other things.  This is an easy way to get lots of eggs, though.

I bring breeding pairs of sheep, pigs, and goats.

I have my carpenter make some buckets as soon as it's practical.  The grower milks everything and makes cheese when he/she has time.

I don't bring a wheelbarrow.  My carpenter makes those.

All of my dwarves have all their available skill points allocated.

I play on non-evil, not too deadly biomes (no freezing glaciers).

I don't think strange moods will be a problem, since you can't get one early enough that you wouldn't have time to buy missing stuff from the 1st dwarven caravan (you don't even have to have the mats before he gets the mood, just before he goes crazy).

I don't bring axes or picks anymore, and I definitely don't bother having any dwarves with points in miner (it skills up quickly). Instead, a few pieces of wood for initial wooden stuff and to make 1 charcoal (optional, since the wagon gives 3). Also bituminous coal and bronze ores. I generally bring a bit of cloth for a rope, but sheep work too (but are way more expensive). My amount of animals varies depending on embark type and how much I can be bothered with them, although 1 male cat, at least a pair of dogs, and probably a pair of pigs (milkable non-grazers) are pretty standard. Sheep, llamas and alpacas are next-best (milkable&shearable, low pasture requirements). Birds are always nice, but if you're just looking for eggs initially, you can skip the males, someone will probably bring one as a pet, or a caravan will have one, anyway.

[MenacesWithSpikes]

All this time, and I totally missed the fact that pigs are non-grazers!  Sheesh!

Was this the case when they were first introduced, many versions ago?

[Garath]

All this time, and I totally missed the fact that pigs are non-grazers!  Sheesh!

Was this the case when they were first introduced, many versions ago?

no clue but at least since 31.25