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[Aquillion]

Currently, it's impossible to fast-travel over mountains, even though they can be traversed on foot.  This is to preserve the quest of climbing it on foot and reaching its peak.

But there's two problems:  First, there's no real incentive for climbing a mountain (does it increase fame when you report it, at least?)  And second, it's a pain in general to travel through mountain areas in the on-foot view, just because it takes so long for the player -- it's boring!  Boring shouldn't be a game mechanic.

So as a solution to both, how about letting players fast-travel over a mountain once anyone has reached its peak (and, effectively, 'mapped' it?)  This would be a world-wide achievement, which would let any later adventurers in that world fast-travel over the mountain, too.  That sort of worldwide reward seems like it would play well in Dwarf Fortress, since it would reward players for playing many adventurers in the same world.

[Itsdavyjones]

I think what your trying to get at is that if an adventurer finds a pass through the mountains, then others will learn of the pass you found, then they can fast travel through that pass.

[Neonivek]

A bit artificial. Personally I think fast travel should be allowed over any surface so long as you possess a method of traveling over it with reasonable success (and an interuption if something unexpected happens). Whether you get to the top or not.

Though not fast travel to the top.

[Starver]

As someone who rarely Fast Travels anyway, I'd just appreciate the ability to enter a (T)ravel-like screen with the same interesting map information even if I'm not in a position to travel in that location (am close to a river, on mountains, within the bounds of a site), because all I was going to do was to have a look at the major surrounds[1] and then ">" straight back to my current locale...

However, I think that (with a few technically limited Travel-restrictions aside) there should maybe be a skill/attribute-based allowance for Travel where no Travel has previously gone before...  (Swimming for rivers and open water; who-knows-what for mountains, although previously walking a route might indeed be a good qualification for that...)


[1] In better map-type detail than the always-available (Q)uest map.

[squishynoob]

What if we have some sort of "road" (mountain path?) on which you can fast travel, that is made whenever someone scouts them?

At least in world gen, but eventually in normal gameplay as well

[GreatWyrmGold]

What if we have some sort of "road" (mountain path?) on which you can fast travel, that is made whenever someone scouts them?
At least in world gen, but eventually in normal gameplay as well

I like this idea. Mountain passes, dwarven roads (unless they're underground), stuff like that.

[Loud Whispers]

But there's two problems:  First, there's no real incentive for climbing a mountain (does it increase fame when you report it, at least?)  And second, it's a pain in general to travel through mountain areas in the on-foot view, just because it takes so long for the player -- it's boring!  Boring shouldn't be a game mechanic.

First; the point is climbing mountains isn't a particularly fun or easy thing to do. They are mountains. Large and obstructive. It's what they do. Even the bogeymen don't like them.
Players should have to choose whether or not crossing the mountain is worth the risk of exposure or starvation against the risk of ambush travelling elsewhere, as mountains especially on their peak very rarely have food or water.

However it doesn't really make sense where things like Dwarven roads are concerned, travelling those should be easier by virtue of being a road.

I quite like the idea of acquiring fame in the mountains, though unless you map it out, an instant world achievement seems a bit un-DF like. Maybe if you do map it out, and future adventurers know how to read it, then I could see it working.

[NW_Kohaku]

First; the point is climbing mountains isn't a particularly fun or easy thing to do. They are mountains. Large and obstructive. It's what they do. Even the bogeymen don't like them.

Actually, they aren't, and that's kind of the whole problem.

There is basically no difference between a mountain peak and plains when you travel it in local resolution.  Actually, no, traveling a mountain is faster because I don't keep bumping into trees.  There's nothing on a mountain, nothing slows you down, and there's no challenge to it at all except possibly managing to die of thirst because you aren't exploiting puddles properly.  There aren't even dangerous animals or monsters or anything if it isn't an evil mountain. 

In fact, while we're on the topic of interrupting fast travel, what I'd honestly like to see is being able to fast travel across rivers once I'm a legendary swimmer and all my followers are trained in swimming.  There's no point in pretending it's actually an obstacle anymore.

Until and unless there are real, serious obstacles on those mountain passes that make traversing it an actual challenge, there's no point in pretending this is something that is an actual impediment to travel. (Which would basically have to start with making mountains full of cliffs that require climbing instead of slopes where dwarves/adventurers can have a leisurely stroll up  a fifty-some-odd degree rain-slick bare stone slope with absolutely no danger of losing traction... especially when they have wagons.)  You can mow over a mountain from any angle like it's a gently sloping hill - before this impassible barrier stuff makes sense, you need to make the terrain actually feel like you're crossing the Alps, and need to pick a route carefully even if you're a legendary climber/jumper.

[Loud Whispers]

That is actually true, right now the only issue that really requires thinking is finding nutrition. Also though there are an abundance of giant eagles in savage mountains, so that really is a variable thing regarding dangerous beasts.

Hopefully with the advent of adventure climbing - mountain climbing could be just that.

[GreatWyrmGold]

I think the reason you can't fast-travel over mountains is that they're supposed to be barriers to all but the foolhardy and brave. Obviously, this isn't implemented ATM; I eagerly await improved mountains.

[NW_Kohaku]

I think the reason you can't fast-travel over mountains is that they're supposed to be barriers to all but the foolhardy and brave. Obviously, this isn't implemented ATM; I eagerly await improved mountains.

And there's sort of a double-standard at play, there. 

Consider that forests have no speed penalty to overland travel right now because Toady isn't going to add that in until he adds in movement penalties for underbrush.  (Even though there is the need to go around trees, especially if you have a wagon, which can considerably slow down local travel.)

Mountains, by contrast, stop all overland travel, have no "mountain passes", and serve as functional walls separating the land... except they're less impeded when you actually travel across them than forests.

... So why does one have their penalties to overland travel not in play until after their local travel penalties that justify them are implemented, while the other one does?

[Vattic]

... So why does one have their penalties to overland travel not in play until after their local travel penalties that justify them are implemented, while the other one does?

My guess is that it's just how it is without any reasonable explanation. The game has kind of grown organically and is fairly haphazard in places. Then again I remember reading that Toady had to remove cliffs a fair few versions ago because of wagon problems so maybe mountains were more difficult on foot once?

[Di]

In fact, while we're on the topic of interrupting fast travel, what I'd honestly like to see is being able to fast travel across rivers once I'm a legendary swimmer and all my followers are trained in swimming.  There's no point in pretending it's actually an obstacle anymore.

Well, strictly speaking, they're never an obstacle even for non-swimmer unless they're major ones.

I believe that natural terrain types shouldn't outright block the travel (except for oceans). The travel screen should give clear indication of how slow you'll be moving through the given landscape and more difficult ones like mountains and swamps should slow adventurer down considerably.

And I'd like to echo Starver about that the (T)ravel screen should be always accessible, even though if current landscape blocks any actual movement on it.