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[Argelle]

 

Playing 34.11, I discovered the nice advantages of blocks versus heavy stones. Here's the catch:

Blocks of flux cannot be used for making pig iron or steel, nor can blocks of ore be smelted into metal.

So it looks like I have to play with stockpiles, links and the lot. Not sure how to organize it, thought.
Dwarfcity pop. 20, mason's workshop above ground and underground, stones everywhere.
How do you manage this?

Above ground stock pile with non economic stones only, and a workshop to produce blocks on repeat?
Underground workshop for the rest?

Drawback is that deep down stones will be hauled waaayy up to be transform into lighter blocks.
Not sure either that if non-economic stones close to the surface are all transformed, precious ore instead would be pick up.

There's no way to order directly "make blocks only with common stones", isn't it?

[i2amroy]

If you go the the z-stones menu you should be able to turn off or on use for any flux stones there, meaning they won't be used for blocks (though it will also disable them from being used in buildings and other "common stone" tasks until you re-enable the setting.

[weenog]

Make a stone stockpile that only accepts common stones.  When you're making rock blocks, set that stockpile to give to the mason's workshop.  If any stockpile is specifically giving to a workshop, the shop can ONLY take from stockpiles that specifically give to it.

Probably not a bad idea to also make a stone stockpile that only accepts magma-safe stones so you can get mechanisms, floodgates and whatnot that will survive that kind of punishment when you want 'em.

[Argelle]

Thanks for helping in my very first step in stockpiles gestion (I was quite confused reading all reports of head scratching that I never used). I'll give it a go.

For the stone menu, I thought about it, but :



I let it as it is by default, and assumed that the limonite would not be used for something else than smelting into iron. It it correct? Red means restricted, not green? Seems I have to dig into "stone menu" in the wiki ;-)

Thanks for your swift replies !!


EDIT: Special Edition !! Newb Player Con By Elves Merchants !
I notice the () surrounding the limonite: not Dwarf made
I may have bought blocks to these sneaky elfs instead of ore..
Next time I guess I may turn my sword ten times into the merchand belly before posting quickly.
(joke apart, I did anyway learn something on stockpile, your ink pixels not wasted)

[Garath]

elves don't bring stones or blocks afaik, you sure it didn't come from the humans or dwarfs?

[GreatWyrmGold]

Thanks for helping in my very first step in stockpiles gestion (I was quite confused reading all reports of head scratching that I never used). I'll give it a go.

For the stone menu, I thought about it, but :


...
EDIT: Special Edition !! Newb Player Con By Elves Merchants !
I notice the () surrounding the limonite: not Dwarf made
...

You probably embarked with it or bought it from a human/dwarven caravan.

[Quietust]

Humans don't trade stones/blocks either - you got that from the Dwarven caravan.

[wuphonsreach]

Make a stone stockpile that only accepts common stones.  When you're making rock blocks, set that stockpile to give to the mason's workshop.  If any stockpile is specifically giving to a workshop, the shop can ONLY take from stockpiles that specifically give to it.

Yes, the new give/take logic for stockpiles is wonderful for making sure that stuff only gets made out of the materials that you want it made out of (mechanisms, furniture, crafts).  It works far better then the old "take input from the nearest source" where you had to surround your workshops with stockpiles of the appropriate type and move all other input types away via a mass dump.

The downside is that you need to setup a stockpile for each workshop, make it big enough to deal with busy haulers and put up with workshops that stop working if the stockpile empties out.

[GreatWyrmGold]

...You CAN remove stockpile/workshop links, you know.

[Argelle]

...
EDIT: Special Edition !! Newb Player Con By Elves Merchants !
...

You probably embarked with it or bought it from a human/dwarven caravan.

Yep, maybe, but then the News Title would not be as catchy, ain't it ? 



Anyway, it seems that this new system forces us to have a good think of what's going on for workshops. As I said, I was chicky at first to try it, in case I have to post here because I forgot that a particular workshop needs material AND buckets, and miss the second. But, hey, it's already done, I ashame myself with a futile question 

To finish clearing the subject, the Z- stones menu is working as I understand, yes? A stone highlighted in red with a description to the right for is use, IS restricted to this use only ?

Posted by: GreatWyrmGold
« on: Today at 08:37:05 am » Insert Quote
...You CAN remove stockpile/workshop links, you know.

In case of making blocks, it is quite a positive effect: stockpile empty means the mason is free to do something else. And it impeach him of going all the way done the fortress looking for stones.

[Garath]

took a little searching, but I found a link in the "interface" page on the wiki with the info

Stone Status Screen

This screen lists all economic stones found within the game. These are stones that have a value and purpose. As an example, chalk can be used in the process of creating steel.
 
This screen can be critically useful to you, depending on where you choose to found your Fortress. This is because, by default, economic stones can only be used for their given purpose(s) unless they are mentioned as the layer stone on the regions screen. Which means that if you happen to have access to only economic stones, your masons will be unable to use it for building buildings or furniture or the like. If you attempt to do so, your mason will cancel the job, with the message that he "requires non-economic rock".
 
By going into the stone status section, you can allow your dwarves to use economic stone for any purpose. Simply scroll through the list to the particular stone you have an abundance of, and press Enter to toggle its availability for menial tasks. This will change the stone's color from red to green.
 
This screen also provides a full list of each stone type's economic uses. By pressing → or 6, you can move the highlighted selector over to this list. Pressing Enter when highlighting a recipe, e.g. "Make pig iron bars" when looking at Iron, will let you see all the ingredients to the recipe.