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[Victuz]

So I've got a fort up and running and decided to (for the first time since I started playing) play around with some more elaborate traps. (Sorry screenshots were made AFTER the test shot)
I've had a few small projects that "sorta" work and are not worth mentioning. And than while looking through the wiki I noticed some info about the Pressure Washers. I got intrigued and decided to build one myself, in a strategically viable position. And look! Even some migrants test subjects arrived!

The construction itself took some time due to the fact that I always sucked at ordering outside construction of big tower-like structures but eventually I was done. I ordered around 30 "test subjects" (3 of them died during construction and one was currently in a secretive mood) to stand in front of the gate and await further instructions.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

After pulling the lever the water did push my dwarves away. It was in fact so strong it pushed most of them beyond the water filled ditch you can see below (only about 9 of them fell in). Those who went beyond it survived without as much as a scratch. Those who went into it... well

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

So it has some effect and reloading is quite fast (takes about 2 minutes to fill it up). BUT It's not nearly as much as I expected. I hoped for broken limbs and dwarves getting knocked unconcious by the fierce power of sudden water attack, getting killed by drowning is not nearly as impressive.
The tower itself is merely 5 z levels tall so maybe that's the reason why it's not as effective as I'd hope for.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Any suggestions on improving the initial design? flooding it with magma seems to be the obvious choice however:
A) I don't have a source of magma yet :/
B) My FPS is at 20 as it is with 130some dwarves. Spreading magma around would probably not help much.

Bonus:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Gigantic Cougars. Cause they're awesome.

I love savage biomes.

Edit: Dang it imageshack why did you cut the z-layer counter you evil thing you!


Edit2: Guess what! More migrants test subjects arrived! All hail !SCIENCE!. It's time to activate the weapon again for additional testing.

Spoiler: Setup (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: PULL! (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Sucess (click to show/hide)

This time all 14 test subjects fell in the water. Despite all of them being completely unharmed (apart from the "drowning" part) I consider the test a reasonable sucess. While working out this problem I got an idea.
Since I live in an area where outside water seasonally freezes I will actually cut away the ice in the area below the "weapon" and fill it with upward spikes. This should increase the lethality substantially.
Do you agree my scientific colleagues?

[Sphalerite]

I don't think that being pushed by water itself has ever actually caused damage.  If you want to actually cause damage with this, make the water push them into a 20 Z-level pit dug into the caverns.

[Victuz]

Actually nevermind the spike idea.
I have to reload the tower right now.

[noodle0117]

Even with all the water pressure in the world, without traps, spikes, or a decent height fall at the end, it wont do much other than just slosh around eveything

[Victuz]

Oh well while not being as effective as I'd hope it to be it's working.

I'll make proper modifications and get back to you about how it went

[Mitchewawa]

One of the ways dwarven 'physics' work is that for every tile they fall through water, fall damage doesn't take into account. That means if you fall 1z, then 10z through water, you will take 1z of damage. In pressure machines you have to not over do the water, or else enemies caught in water mid-air will miss out on some of the damage. What I would do is release a small amount of water; enough to push but not enough to negate some fall damage. And use a longer drop.

[Alastar]

Pressure is a little strange. There is no impact and no momentum, the teleporting effect that's usually referred to as pressure doesn't even push things.
Pressure washers' just use pressure to move a lot of water, the pushing is one in an unpressurised state.

[Girlinhat]

Pressure is bad for water traps.  The proper method is to use a pressure negator, like a diagonal checkerboard section of walls, and then let water flow through that.  Each time water changes its depth, it pushes.  You will actually get considerably harder pushing and longer firing times when the water is depressurized.