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[Anticheese]

So the other day I had an idea based off the story of Tragedy Mule - Dig a 1x1x3 pit (1 square, 3 deep) from ground level to the second level underground.

It would look like this:

code:

xxx  x#xxxxxx
x#x  x######x
xxx  x#L^^^^^

The first one is your normal birds eye view and the second one is side on. x is a normal bit of rock, # is the pit, L is a floodgate and ^ is the cavern roof. I'll get to that later.

Anyhow, is it possible to dig out a hole in the ground without turning it into a ramp or whatnot? I want to dig a shaft, not a ramp.

Thanks in advance.

--

The idea behind the shaft is that after it is dug, it will be designated as a "pond", the lower level will fill with water first and then the reservoir on the second level will be filled with water. After thats done the room can be flooded without the need for the underground river/lake.

This could also be useful for channeling lava into a network one level above your "main" level"

[Toady One]

You can use the "channel" option to dig a shaft one deep.  The trick then is getting a dwarf to dig more than that.  Unless they accidentally fall in, they won't jump into a hole just to dig a pit for you.  You can currently make a shaft like this (side view):

code:

... ... <- floor
### ### <- hole where channel was dug out
### ### <- hole in ceiling where channel was dug out from below
###<... <- temporary stairway or ramp used to dig the channel from below

You can continue that pattern using periodic access tunnels to alternate between above and below.  There would have to be some kind of additional construction to help dwarves dig longer shafts that don't have access tunnels, even if it's just a rope hanging down or something.  Or the dwarves could learn how to climb and possibly be given equipment for that, though that's more of a pathing nightmare.

[ October 04, 2007: Message edited by: Toady One ]

[Anticheese]

Thanks for that, Toady. Good to know that its all possible.

I remember reading somewhere that a channel acts like a tile one level down, so is that how it works? The main concern that I have is that the moment I tell my dwarves to start pouring the water in, it will hit the channel..But then again if I dig out the tile underneath the channel then it would probably become a pit..Which leads to the question: "Would digging underneath channels destroy them? And if so would it be a good idea to have a new designation 'Danger' which is automatically applied to tiles where it would be unsafe to dig into (I.E into a known magma flow or underneath a channel)?"

I reckon it would be a good idea..

--

Also, about what you said with regards to the vertical-moving construct?

Here's my take on it.

--

New Building: Shaft Harness (Name subject to change)

Requires: One unit of building material (I.E Block, Log, Metal Bar, Etc), one Mechanism and one unit of rope/chain for every 2 levels you want to have accessible.

Mockup:

code:

......R\........
#######|.######
#######|.######
#######@.######
###############

So you have the building (R) on the edge of the pit with the dwarf attatched to the rope harness.

How it works:

After building your harness, you can use the designation "Mine Shaft" and a miner will automatically jump into the harness and start digging down. After you get down to the first level of depth the harness will act moreorless like an elevator for the dwarf that is doing the digging (I.E he can move up and down to where he is needed and even get out of it for a bit to dig a corridor).

Heck, you could even make it so you can stick a mason in there while he makes his carving "Ulofrisp - The Steel Tips of Pointing. This is a well designed images of spikes and Goblins. The Goblins are impaled on the spikes"

Anyhow, could you please think about this one?

[Turgid Bolk]

Toady has said elsewhere that a channel is just a dug-out tile, now. Or maybe more accurately a dug-out top half of a tile.

Also, I think some kind of scaffolding, or taller staircase, would help you dig taller/deeper shafts

[THLawrence]

Why not have something like this:

code:

 
...................
########S #########
########S #########
########S #########
########S #########
###################
 

Where:
# = rock
 = Empty Space
S = Stairs

Remove the stairs when done

This removes the hassle of Toady creating buildings on the Z-axis or the game trying change the building each time you dig out a section.

[JT]

Honestly, I think the ideal solution to this problem is just to allow dwarves to climb into a hole to dig out a shaft, proviso they can also try to climb back out again, possibly with a climbing kit or rope.

I imagine we'll definitely start wanting things like that for spelunking Adventure Mode in the near future, assuming that 3D caves start getting more interesting.  You know they are.

[ October 04, 2007: Message edited by: JT ]

[Pitchblack]

I have a great idea but i dont know how to show it, but it involves a ramp that getss biger for each level.

Ie-1 tile down 1 square, 2 tiles down 2 sqaures (to acount for the angle of the ramp).

When done using the ramp (you have stiars made(you have pit ready) evac the dwarfs and use the ramps feature, rewalling. Once ordered to be rewalled a Mason comes along with blocks for each level and fits them in until the ramp is gone moving from bottom to top.))