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Author Topic: Starting on Soil or Rock Layers  (Read 1054 times)

Rex_Nex

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Starting on Soil or Rock Layers
« on: May 04, 2010, 04:10:46 am »

Which do you prefer?

I personally prefer soil over rock as my first fortress layer. While it may not turn out any rocks, getting those "must have" rooms up (Mostly the stockpiles) is fast. But it does mean my first fortress layer is unengravable and I have to delay masonry a bit...
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labouts

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Re: Starting on Soil or Rock Layers
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2010, 05:21:44 am »

I use soil to make temporary fortresses for immediately needed rooms. After I'm well situated, I remake those rooms in rock elsewhere on the map and abandon my temporary fort.
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ungulateman

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Re: Starting on Soil or Rock Layers
« Reply #2 on: May 04, 2010, 06:15:54 am »

I always embark on areas with three or four soil layers.

A man's gotta store stuff somewhere.
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moki

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Re: Starting on Soil or Rock Layers
« Reply #3 on: May 04, 2010, 06:48:56 am »

It doesn't matter much in v31, but I still prefer soil out of habit. Also, soil is nice to train the miners very fast, so the real digging down in the caves doesn't take too long. Going right down into the caves with the starting 7 is the only way to go for me. It's much more Fun.

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TheDarkJay

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Re: Starting on Soil or Rock Layers
« Reply #4 on: May 04, 2010, 06:51:22 am »

Soil layers are for workshops, temporary housing and the barracks.

After all, you can keep all your stone in one place without making more stone to expand the storage areas.
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Lemunde

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Re: Starting on Soil or Rock Layers
« Reply #5 on: May 04, 2010, 07:50:22 am »

Soil?  I never use the stuff.  Except maybe for sand gathering.  Straight down into the rock for me.
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Sowelu

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Re: Starting on Soil or Rock Layers
« Reply #6 on: May 04, 2010, 08:04:02 am »

If I'm diving for the caverns and walling off cavern critters--rock all the way, just a corner for sand.

If I'm treating the caverns as a major obstacle to be overcome--half mountain (rock all the way), half woods with 2-3 soil layers.  I don't USE the underground soil for anything...in fact it honestly annoys me...but I usually end up having it, and you need some for your aboveground trees.
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Zaranthan

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Re: Starting on Soil or Rock Layers
« Reply #7 on: May 06, 2010, 10:03:20 am »

Love love LOVE my soil. Trees for my first few beds, space for my stockpiles, and training for my miners. Of course, all that's temporary, so I usually try to keep the flatland restricted to one corner of the map. The rest of the space is all glorious mountains.
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roguester

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Re: Starting on Soil or Rock Layers
« Reply #8 on: May 06, 2010, 10:20:20 am »

I play with a house rule that I never dig unsupported rooms in soil. If it's more than 1 tile wide it needs something holding the roof up--supports or pillars, or a bridge on top if it's just under the surface. If it's more than one tile deep it needs walls of wood or stone holding the sides up
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Hyndis

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Re: Starting on Soil or Rock Layers
« Reply #9 on: May 06, 2010, 10:45:18 am »

With 31.03 it doesn't matter. All of the interesting stuff is below ground anyways.

I do prefer embarking on flat areas though just so that I can see the entire surface on the same Z level. I usually build an above ground tower or fortress where some guards are stationed, but the bulk of my fortress is deep below ground.
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Krath

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Re: Starting on Soil or Rock Layers
« Reply #10 on: May 06, 2010, 12:25:54 pm »

I'll dig into a rock layer and branch off into any nearby soil layers when I feel like starting my farms. My latest fort is carved out of pure obsidian, with a path to the north where there's white sand for farming.

Note this is 40d.
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