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[Borgin]

I've heard the two terms used a lot when doing larger construction projects, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to actually construct them. Supports are easy enough I guess, but usually when I deconstruct them, something collapses. Scaffolding, on the other hand, is totally beyond me.

Basically, I'm trying to create a 4x4 "tower" to toss goblins down (into the middle, which goes all the way to the lowest z-level), but I'm not entirely sure how to create the scaffolding around the outside to accomplish this.

Help?

[forsaken1111]

I've heard the two terms used a lot when doing larger construction projects, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to actually construct them. Supports are easy enough I guess, but usually when I deconstruct them, something collapses. Scaffolding, on the other hand, is totally beyond me.

Basically, I'm trying to create a 4x4 "tower" to toss goblins down (into the middle, which goes all the way to the lowest z-level), but I'm not entirely sure how to create the scaffolding around the outside to accomplish this.

Help?

Generally 'scaffolding' is used to refer to building a bunch of up/down stairs along the outside or inside to let your dwarves get at each level to build.

[Grumman]

Is the cross-section of the tower something like this?

Code: [Select]

OOOOOO
O....O
O.  .O
O.  .O
OX...O
OOOOOO
If so, you should be able to build it without scaffolding, except for a single ramp from the top floor so you can build the roof.

[sneakey pete]

This is scaffolding, before

Code: [Select]

XXXXX
X   X
X   X
X   X
XXXXX
During

Code: [Select]

XXXXX
X+++X
X+ +X
X+++X
XXXXX
and after

Code: [Select]


XXXXX
XWWWX
XW WX
XWWWX
XXXXX
of a 3*3 tower. remove the stairs from the top down afterwards.

Its worth noting that DF is odd in that, for example, a single stairway constructed up can support anything in any direction for any distance.

[Borgin]

It's a two-tile-wide square tower with nothing on the inside, I want to keep it a straight drop.

So for scaffolding, I just create ramps... on top of each other? Or...? I'm a bit confused, I guess.

[sneakey pete]

stairs. An up stair at the bottom, an up/down stair in between, and a down stair at the top to cap it all off.

[AlienChickenPie]

Is the cross-section of the tower something like this?

Code: [Select]

OOOOOO
O....O
O.  .O
O.  .O
OX...O
OOOOOO
If so, you should be able to build it without scaffolding, except for a single ramp from the top floor so you can build the roof.

The problem with this method is that you have to micro-manage all construction to make sure all the wall pieces are in place. If you can spare the extra rock (and you almost always can), it's better to designate the building and the scaffolding all at once and dismantle the scaffolding floor by floor when you're done.

[Keldor]

Also, when it comes to scaffolding, bridges are your friend.  A single bridge can service up to ten tiles worth of wall, and they can be dismantled all at once, rather than tile by tile.

[Magua]

Yes, bridges are your scaffolding friends.  If I'm building a tower without floors, it generally goes like this:

Code: [Select]


Stairs first:
X          X
           
           
           
           
X          X

Then bridges:
X==========X
|          |
|          |
|          |
|          |
X==========X

Then walls:
X==========X
|OOOOOOOOOO|
|O        O|
|O        O|
|OOOOOOOOOO|
X==========X

The other advantage of bridges is that you'll never stranded dwarves when deconstructing the scaffolding.  Hell, since the walls aren't providing support to the stairs, you could rig up a support, remove all the bottom stairs, and collapse the scaffolding all in one go.

[Pilsu]

To take down the scaffolds, simply build a row of tiles above them and collapse it. They take down everything on their way down. Sometimes more than you'd want them to but eh, I'm lazy

[Borgin]

Thanks for your help, guys. I didn't know stairs could stack with nothing... "supporting" them, I suppose.

Who knows. I guess I'm just a bit thick in the head.

Thanks. Time to make pretty waterfalls!

[forsaken1111]

Thanks for your help, guys. I didn't know stairs could stack with nothing... "supporting" them, I suppose.

Who knows. I guess I'm just a bit thick in the head.

Thanks. Time to make pretty waterfalls!

Stairs themselves offer support, and allow you to build off of them.

[Doppel]

Also, when it comes to scaffolding, bridges are your friend.  A single bridge can service up to ten tiles worth of wall, and they can be dismantled all at once, rather than tile by tile.

Plus, nothing will fall down as it does with removing floors. (and you need less materials, although you do need an architect)

[Brdn666]

It funny to see how many different ways people make scaffolding. Some people use stairs and some use ramps and some use bridges. Whatever works for you is the best system.