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[Naraceaus]

This is my first topic thingy I've ever done so if i make any mistakes just tell me. The question is, how do miners decide which square they will dig out next

[pixl97]

From what I've seen and heard, it's the upper left most tile that is reachable. I've also noticed they start on the lowest Z level reachable too. After they start, they tend to pick a tile that is designated to mine right beside them.

[Naraceaus]

ok thanks

[Loyal]

For the most part, pixl is correct. However, mining algorithms are weird. I suggest against designating more than one large block for mining at a time, because your dwarves can and WILL leave the job half-done and switch to another area, if there's multiple areas for them to dig out.

[qoonpooka]

For the most part, pixl is correct. However, mining algorithms are weird. I suggest against designating more than one large block for mining at a time, because your dwarves can and WILL leave the job half-done and switch to another area, if there's multiple areas for them to dig out.

Another advantage to small batching it is that you can stop low-skill miners from hollowing out valuable veins that you may have discovered one end of. You want your best miners working on those to get the best recovery rate on gems and whatnot.  You may not get a reveal notice if it's a long vein and you've already found one end so small-batch mining lets you keep an eye on projects as they progress.

[Naraceaus]

i never realised that higher mining skill returned more minerals, thanks

[gtmattz]

i never realised that higher mining skill returned more minerals, thanks

Well, it is more a case of higher mining skill having less failures than more of a return.  Once a miner reaches the point where every tile he digs results in a rock, there is no more gain in stone produced, just an increase in speed of mining...

[canon]

you could always change alerts to pause/recenter on discovering a new mineral. won't stop the miner from channeling/stairwaying a precious stone/metal, but will work if you don't want to pay too much attention to mining

[thijser]

Well there is also something that the most recently given order is done first. But there are multiple things that decide which one is done first (closest first-top left first-last order given).

[qoonpooka]

you could always change alerts to pause/recenter on discovering a new mineral. won't stop the miner from channeling/stairwaying a precious stone/metal, but will work if you don't want to pay too much attention to mining

I don't think this will work if it's a vein that's already been flagged as 'discovered.' 

[Shrugging Khan]

My suggestion is to designate with abandon, but to then disconnect all but one designated area from the walkable perimeter so as to force your dwarfves to dig out one piece at a time. Advantage: You can designate things in advance while controlling what your miners mine out first. Disadvantage: you have to 'unlock' the various sections one after another.

[qoonpooka]

My suggestion is to designate with abandon, but to then disconnect all but one designated area from the walkable perimeter so as to force your dwarfves to dig out one piece at a time. Advantage: You can designate things in advance while controlling what your miners mine out first. Disadvantage: you have to 'unlock' the various sections one after another.

This is useful for urban planning purposes anyway.

[twilightdusk]

Also note that if a dwarf finishes digging a block, and there's another block designated for mining connected to it (diagonals count), he will select one of those to mine next, seemingly at random. It's only once the miner digs out a section not connected to anything that they will decide to leave that section for a shiny new one you designated to the northwest