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[tigger89]

I built a nice little training outpost for my adventurer that included a fillable water pond.  It was constructed like this, so that I had 3 squares of swimming space:
ground level:

Code: [Select]

OOOOO
O   --
OXOOO
level 1:

Code: [Select]

OOOOO
+   O
OOOOO
level 2:

Code: [Select]

+++++
+++++
+++++
O = wall
X = floodgate
+ = floor
- = pump, pumping from right to left

I got it filled up with the screw pump, and headed upstairs with my novice swimmer to take a swim in 3 tiles of depth 7 water.  I figured this would be just like swimming in the 7-depth river, but with less fish.  I swam around for a while(but not long enough to become a swimmer), then I became hungry.  Then, I started to drown.  Of course, I couldn't get out once I started drowning.  I'm going to add a ramp in my next design, but I need to figure out what caused the drowning in the first place so that I can fix it in my next design.  Was it the hunger?  I definitely didn't swim under any floor tiles, and the entire thing is only one tile deep.  Do novice swimmers randomly start to drown for no reason?

[valcon]

Pretty sure that if you have less than 500 base points in swimming skill, being in 7/7 is considered drowning. 

You definitely need to add ramps, that's the only way I've found to train an adventurer, little pool with ramps leading out. 

Of course, once he learns to swim he can climb out.  Never really understood that but, eh, it works. 

[tigger89]

I wasn't drowning immediately when I entered the water.  I was in there for a while.  The only reason I say that I was still a novice was that I couldn't climb out when I started drowning.
Also, I always just put 5 points into swimming to give myself a novice swimmer, then go find a 7-depth pool somewhere to train it the rest of the way up.  I've never had a problem with drowning before.

[Kyselina]

A question many people ask...

[Neoskel]

When you get hungry/thirsty/tired it slows you down and impedes your abilities. So it must have lowered your effective swimming skill into dangerous levels.

Definitely go for the ramp.

[MathijsBuster]

I found out in dwarf mode that creatures with novice swimming sometimes manage to stay swimming for periods of time before starting to drown.

Occasionally they'll manage to stay swimming for long enough again to take another breath and recover, but this is not always the case.

I'm not sure what exactly influences this, or wether this is actually completely random.

Definately go for ramps or start an adventurer with at least normal swimming skill before you venture in whatever kind of 7/7 water.

[tigger89]

Ok, if hunger does impede my abilities that would make sense.  I think they started at the same time, or the hunger was a few turns before the drowning.
I'll be sure to put a ramp in my next design.

Thanks!

[Jetman123]

Novice swimmers, if they "panic", which can be at almost anything (I think even getting hungry xD) will start to drown. Drowning is way too harsh right now, as Toady's admitted, so expect it to be changed eventually.

[MathijsBuster]

I actually don't think drowning is too harsh...
I just think natural lakes and rivers should automatically have slopes.

Who has heard of a sudden meter-deep gap filled with water?
That's not a lake! A lake has slopes slowly leading back to dry ground! It's a matter of erosion. Same for the sides of rivers.

Only artificial or stone lakes/rivers ought to have these sudden deep gaps with water. In muddy ground they should have slopes in my opinion. o.o

[Untelligent]

Most lakes in this game do have sloped sides. You might be thinking of the little pools, though. Yeah, they should probably be sloped too.

[Pilsu]

7/7 is deep enough to fully surmerge a standing human. Slopes or not, you WILL die if you panic at such a depth and can't swim properly yet. It's easy to drown in water that doesn't even reach your chest if you slip and fall over

It makes perfect sense. The game lacking those shallow practice waters is where the problem lies