Rather than starting a new topic, I'll just continue this one ...
So, as it turns out it appears that there's some kind of code in the new version which mandates a pick be a particular quality before it can be used to mine particular stone. I started out a new group on an abandoned site, but this time replaced my copper picks with iron picks, and had no trouble hacking my way through ... spirolite? ... walls.
However, I'm still running into two problems:
1) When starting out, anywhere from one to half of my party immediately dies from cold. In the last game I started, one dwarf (a miner, of course) was instead injured, passed out, and eventually died of thirst (no one could bring him water because you can't start with buckets). Two cats unfortunately met their fate at the same time. So, I restarted in another area (with three biomes, all Temperate) where three dwarves - Miner, Farmer, and Mason - kicked the bucket immediately. Honestly, this really starting to annoy me.
2) Despite the fact, given the advice in the Wiki, that my starting areas are all universally Heavily Wooded or Woodlands with lots of "other vegetation," I have yet to encounter a tree in the newest version. Am I doing something wrong?
3) Furthermore, in a previous run through (which lasted about an hour), I designated an outdoors pond as a drinking area (making sure to include the space around the water in addition to the water itself). Three dwarves died from thirst before I restarted.
[EDIT: 4) Apparently, I can't count very well, either.]
Really, what am I doing wrong in the newest version of this to have such a *freakin'* hard time of things?
[ November 01, 2007: Message edited by: Elvenshae ]