Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Mimodo]

Hey guys, I'm new to these forums, and also to dwarf fortress.

I'm a current minecraft player who heard the game mentioned, and decided to give it a shot. I figured if I could incorporate some things I learned from minecraft I could go for more interesting things. Anyway...

I started playing essentially following some tutorials almost word for word, and I have a handle on the game basics; farming, mining (what else would a dwarf from minecraft do?), designations, and trading (first attempt I ended up donating all my trade goods to the a**holes). However, moving ahead with the game, I'm having trouble with a few aspects, and pointers would be nice

The first is the wood burners (turn wood to charcoal). I knew I needed metal crafts, so quickly built the required burners etc (wood burner and a smelter I believe... Can't remember cause I'm on my phone now). However, it turns out that none of my dwarves want to do this task. Yes, I do have pretty much every metalsmithing task enabled (everything under crafts, and the smithing etc... Again, can't remember exactly... It's pretty much everything that looks even remotely related to the smelting), and he is instead sitting on his lazy but doing nothing but going for the occasional drink. I do have the wood supplies too. Anything I'm missing?

Problem number two: edge of map. I have pretty much extended in one direction, and have hit the edge of the map... That wasnt too much of a problem for me really. I decided to make a butchery and fishery on my first level underground (go me, I started on a plains without a cliff), and since last time I attempted butchery I ended up with miasma, even though I had a refuse pile (why the hell they weren't using it I don't know), I decided to make an open top pit. Yes, I managed to do that successfully in one of the tutorials I read about goblins with bows shooting from above if you do things like this, so I figured a wall would solve my problem. But no, because walls can't be built close to the edge, so half of this open pit is free for the world to molest. How can I secure this pit and save me from being shot at?

Now, my final problem... For now: the military. I assigned a squad... Now what? I've fiddled around, but can't seem to get them to train in the barracks. I got no clue with this stuff, as the tutorials were old ones (still gave me the basics)

If you've read through all my crap, I applaud your diligence, ad would greatly appreciate any help available

[Girlinhat]

1: Enable "wood burning" under "Farming Related".  Therapist should help you find this easily.

2: Place floors over the pit, it doesn't need constant sunlight.  One instance of sun and it's tainted by the daystar forever.  Since you're probably too close to the edge, build a bridge instead.

3: Fiddle with the schedules, wiki, and more youtube.  The answers are floating there somewhere...  I might be motivated towards making a military tutorial, if I can get motivated to it.

[NecroRebel]

Wood is burned to charcoal at a wood furnace, not a smelter, and is done using the Wood Burning labor, which is under the Farming directory. The stuff done with actual ores is at the smelter by a Furnace Operator.

Miasma is only caused by things rotting below ground. Once something has been opened to the sky, it remains above ground forevermore, even if it's sealed off again in the future. You can build floors right next to the map edge. Floor over the top of your butcher shop pit and it'll be safe.

To get soldiers to train, they have to be on an alert that has training on the schedule. The wiki's page on scheduling should be helpful for you.

[Mimodo]

Wood burning is enabled (I just didn't mention it because I forgot the name. I'm not on dwarf fortress right now, so I can't remember specifics. But it is on.

And with the pit, you're saying miasma won't occur anymore for it, now that it's seen sunlight once? If so, I'll cover it up

I guess it's off to YouTube for me... As always

[Mimodo]

I didn't explain that point about not burning wood. I do have the correct wood burning labour, and the wood furnace. I have a smelter as well, but it is currently useless since I can't get charcoal. It's just the dwarf with the skills refuses to work under the wood burning. I know I have the right furnace because I queued up charcoal to be made

[Girlinhat]

Is the dwarf on break or hauling or something?  Dwarves are naturally fickle and prone to distractions.  If he's sitting around with "No Job" then there's an issue.  Check to make sure the furnace isn't forbidden, and that the logs aren't forbidden.

[Mimodo]

I'll check the forbidden when I get home. Is there a chance that he needs to have hauling enabled? To haul the wood to the furnace, and the charcoal away? I do know that I disabled hauling on all dwarves but my peasants (poor bastards get to do nothing but pull stuff around the place

[Flying Dice]

Are there any other circumstances? (Is the wood burner mooded? Is he on break? Is he a dirty bastard vampire? Is he doing something else?) You can try toggling the labor on and off a few times. A screenshot or two might help determine what is wrong, as well. Also, I'd recommend getting Dwarf Therapist very, very strongly.

2. An additional benefit of this 'feature' is that you can set up a statue garden with the confines of your fortress to prevent your dwarves from developing cave adaption.

3. It's... complex. I'll start by assuming that you've already figured out how to assign a militia commander and put dwarves into a squad.

I'll try to break it down simply:

1. Ensure that you have the equipment you're assigning to your dwarves. This includes every piece of armor and weapon (according to whatever type and material specifications you selected), as well as a backpack and a flask or a waterskin. If you're using marksdwarves, they will also need quivers and ammuntion, which are a whole 'nother can of worms. Anyhow, assign the desired combination of equipment with: (m) > [select squad] > (e). You can also create uniform templates and assign them to a squad as a whole. Keep in mind that your dwarves will not collect their equipment until the squad is called up or assigned a training schedule. Of course, for this, you'll need to have made or bought weapons and armor; if you don't have something, the dwarves can't equip it.

2. Assign a schedule. From the core military menu, it is (s). Everything is labelled; from here, you can select the squad you want to schedule for, and create, copy, paste and delete orders for each month. The wiki can help you substantially on this.

3. Make sure you have a barracks. This is a room created from using the (q) selector on a bed, armor rack, or weapon rack. With beds, you will need to assign the room as a bedroom, and then toggle the selector to make it a barracks. From the barracks menu, you can assign squads to do various things in it: train, sleep, store their equipment when it isn't needed.

4. (m) > (a) [set your squad to active duty/training] (Not your CIV, though.)

That is just the bare-bones of it. Once you have a squad actively training, you can order them to move to a location, patrol, or attack a creature or sentient from the (s) menu.

[Mimodo]

Ok, thanks for that... I'll try a few things when I get home then update and see what the problem was. And let you know if I get the hang of this military business...

"it's... Complex". Isn't the whole game complex? :p

[Vehudur]

Ok, thanks for that... I'll try a few things when I get home then update and see what the problem was. And let you know if I get the hang of this military business...

"it's... Complex". Isn't the whole game complex? :p

Not like the military screen it isn't.

[Mimodo]

With the dwarf therapist, I may as well give it a shot. But I believe I have a relative understanding of labours (considering my short time playing). I have set groups which I give a custom name (using the 'u' command). So I have miners that have mining enabled, and very little else. I have farmers who can only farm and gather plants. I have cooks (guess what they do - cooking and brewing). I have craftsmen (all crafts, woodworking and stone working... From memory also stone smoothing and detailing). I have smiths (everything to do with smelting and metals), and then I have peasants for all my hauling needs. Occasionally a particular dwarf has an extra skill when needed. OH, and I also have a bookkeeper etc... I know how to go through the skills they have (and if obscure I ignore them).

[Darchitect]

I found this guy's military video incredibly helpful when I was first starting out. Check it out.
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=88207.0

And welcome to a wonderful, wonderful game. I love it almost as much as minecraft (and in some ways, more). Be aware, though. There are some bugs. Here's my thread with a list of how to fix some of them.
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=100886.0

And, girlinhat, if you see this, PLEASE WRITE A MILITARY TUTORIAL!
 Or at least edit the wiki pages into something more useful.

[rtg593]

I found this guy's military video incredibly helpful when I was first starting out. Check it out.
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=88207.0

And welcome to a wonderful, wonderful game. I love it almost as much as minecraft (and in some ways, more). Be aware, though, though. There are some bugs. Here's my thread with a list of how to fix some of them.
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=100886.0

And, girlinhat, if you see this, PLEASE WRITE A MILITARY TUTORIAL!
 Or at least edit the wiki pages into something more useful.

^^^ I'm a newb, and I approve this message.

[Garath]

if you have assigned a barracks through a cabinet, weapon rack or armor stand, you still have to assign the barracks as a training place for a squad. Then you have to activate the squad. The easiest way in my opinion is to go (s)quads, select the squad you want and press (t) to change their schedule setting. However, also go to the schedule screen.

If you look at the schedule, it will say the months and the activities for that month. It will probably say training. Then at the bottom it will give several options, but, most importantly, it says "minimum" 10, which basically means that usually noone will train unless everyone is there, which is usually never.

[rtg593]

if you have assigned a barracks through a cabinet, weapon rack or armor stand, you still have to assign the barracks as a training place for a squad. Then you have to activate the squad. The easiest way in my opinion is to go (s)quads, select the squad you want and press (t) to change their schedule setting. However, also go to the schedule screen.

If you look at the schedule, it will say the months and the activities for that month. It will probably say training. Then at the bottom it will give several options, but, most importantly, it says "minimum" 10, which basically means that usually noone will train unless everyone is there, which is usually never.

At which point you edit the order and use the minus key to reduce that to 1 less than the size of the squad, so 1 guy can sleep or whatnot and not disrupt training. Big squad you can do more than 1 less if you find too many are leaving.