Bay 12 Games Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Author Topic: Mining "Orders"  (Read 882 times)

Elvenshae

  • Bay Watcher
    • View Profile
Mining "Orders"
« on: December 12, 2007, 12:48:00 pm »

One of the micromanaging tasks that gets to me while playing DF is the necessity to micromanage which miners are currently hacking their way through each piece of stone.

For instance, I've got a pair of legendary miners, and I want only them to extract gemstones and high-value ore (my only galena vein, for instance).  On the other hand, I don't mind if my soldiers-in-training (dabbling miners all) take their time cutting yet another block of dwarven apartments out of conglomerate.

What I'd like to see is an order, similar to that which you can set on various workshops.  On a workshop, you can require that only dwarves with a skill rating between a given minimum and maximum be allowed to work there, so you can easily make it so that only Legendary [X]smiths work at the Metalsmith's Forge where you're ordering up your fortress's armor.

I envision it as an order screen similar to the stockpile / stone screen, where you can set a minimum skill required and a maximum skill allowed to mine for either all stones of a particular type (Gem, Ore, Economic, Other) or for each individual type (I've got enough magnetite to last a thousand years, but I'm short on malachite).

Then, I wouldn't need to babysit my gem and rare ore veins and clusters, repeatedly designating and undesignating each square until the right mix of miners shows up.

Logged
Patryn of Elvenshae

Armok

  • Bay Watcher
  • God of Blood
    • View Profile
Re: Mining "Orders"
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2007, 04:52:00 pm »

Seconded.
Logged
So says Armok, God of blood.
Sszsszssoo...
Sszsszssaaayysss...
III...

Sean Mirrsen

  • Bay Watcher
  • Bearer of the Psionic Flame
    • View Profile
Re: Mining "Orders"
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2007, 05:04:00 pm »

I envisioned that in a broader way. "v" to select a dwarf, then "d" to open *his* designation menu. A dwarf-specific designation menu wouldn't have certain options (though having an item forbidden for a specific dwarf could be nice), but at least mining(all kinds of), woodcutting, engraving, and plant gathering should be there.

Thusly, you can assign a specific dwarf to a specific task. Thus solving not only the "legendary vs noob" tasking separation, but also allowing for safer channel digging - until dwarves can claim work areas for themselves, this would be the only way to stop channel mining accidents. Also, ensuring that work IS tasked for execution, but does not at the same time attract every relevant dwarf. Gathering outdoor plants, for example, without getting all your farmers doing it.

Afterthought after rereading: why don't legendary woodcutters produce more wood?

[ December 12, 2007: Message edited by: Sean Mirrsen ]

Logged
Multiworld Madness Archive:
Game One, Discontinued at World 3.
Game Two, Discontinued at World 1.

"Europe has to grow out of the mindset that Europe's problems are the world's problems, but the world's problems are not Europe's problems."
- Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, India

Eagle of Fire

  • Bay Watcher
  • Friendly Fire
    • View Profile
Re: Mining "Orders"
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2007, 05:37:00 pm »

Thirded. I actually already suggested something similar in the past too.
Logged
I am on a hot streak... literally.

Kagus

  • Bay Watcher
  • Olive oil. Don't you?
    • View Profile
Re: Mining "Orders"
« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2007, 08:06:00 pm »

Got my vote.  I've had enough of telling my damn miners to mine out ALL the gold, not just that one nugget.

Draco18s

  • Bay Watcher
    • View Profile
Re: Mining "Orders"
« Reply #5 on: December 13, 2007, 02:47:00 am »

Fourthed (Fifthed?)
Logged