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Author Topic: Escaping the Caverns  (Read 1750 times)

Methadone

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Escaping the Caverns
« on: March 25, 2014, 03:55:50 pm »

Hey, so I have a character I'm particularly fond of who ventured into the caverns (the world is very young which means little to no quests available beyond dungeon clearing). I was hoping to head deep to engage something nasty, but having found no easy way down to the next level, I'm now trying to get back out. I was wondering if anyone had any tips for how to find your way back to the surface (beyond trial and error, which is my current plan). I'd hate to abandon the greatest hero the world (being 5 years old) has ever seen underground.
Thoughts?
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brokegamer

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Re: Escaping the Caverns
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2014, 05:48:13 pm »

If you make your way under a town you can quick travel and appear on the surface (according to the wiki), otherwise it's a case of retrace your steps to the surface. I've only been to the caverns a couple of times, both via Kobold cave and both dying via GCS insta-web-death.
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Duuvian

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Re: Escaping the Caverns
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2014, 12:19:54 am »

I've never found my way out once deep enough in a cavern.
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Sarrak

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Re: Escaping the Caverns
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2014, 01:04:52 am »

There is a handful of options.

First of all, getting back from a first level of caverns is a piece of cake. Just painfully track to closest cave (using minimap and directions). If you're down below, you only need to get back... And on that point all positive in-game options are limited to already mentioned bugged fast-travel/retiring under villages/towns/elf retreats/... and endless hopeless search. Backtracking, even you have great memory and prefer linear routes, is near impossible.

Second, slighly (?) cheaty, but with DFHack it is possible to eventually re-emerge.
1) Using 'reveal' and searching really long. I tried this with a bunch of companions and half tunnels leading upwards were dead-end or submerged. So, it's safe to assume you'll almost never find a tunnel back at all without cheating.
2) Interesting use of DF bugs, DFHack and companions. Sleep underground - and they will emerge on surface. Then, 'reveal' - 'bodyswap-permanent' into aboveground companion - sleep again. Now your hero is aboveground too. Bodyswap again.
3) Third version of DFHack has advfort, with digging and everything. Build your own stairway from hell.

Thirdly, you can add (temporary) some tags to you race. Like [FLIER]. Downward/upward chasms occur much, much frequently then tunnels.
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nanomage

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Re: Escaping the Caverns
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2014, 12:41:10 pm »

Just use some patience. You get a announcement when your character discovers any special dungeon feature, which includes passages and pits. I have completed several journeys down to the hell and back with no more cheating than slapping a FLIER tag on myself to climb down/up a deep pit.
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Methadone

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Re: Escaping the Caverns
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2014, 04:29:05 pm »

Thanks everyone, will give these a shot.
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Broken

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Re: Escaping the Caverns
« Reply #6 on: March 26, 2014, 05:41:54 pm »

The easiest way is travel to a town, retire, nd un-retire. You will reappear in the surface.
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