Just bear with me on this one
right now when we choose an embark we get a set size, and that's all we have to play in for the whole game. However with the soon to come updates we will be frequently moving off map to attack goblins, lead caravans, or maybe just visit your hill dwarves. Thinking on all this i had an idea, why limit the map?
The Idea:
-Short version
You move the map, the rest of the map is abstracted!
-The embark
From now on the embark should be much more specific, just one tile. Then your map would be a three by three tile space around it, which you can move later.
-Moving the map
press "M" to open map view, a one tile selector which you move to where you want the map. then you would be displayed a 3 x 3 area around it. this would allow for some overlap, to make walls and structures seamless.
-Why?
Because this would allow for larger fortresses, or even bigger world-changing megaprogects! You could even find a narrow land bridge between two continents and make a "Game of Thrones" style wall with patrols going out along the wall. Or you could build your own rivers!
How it affects
-hunting
hunters go off screen and the RNG decides what prey they find, how much ammo they use, if their mauled or killed, and even if they run into a goblin ambush! ...or move the map and watch for them yourself.
-Patrols
Pretty much the same as hunting, it finds the time it takes for your patrol to walk its rout, checks for nearby goblins, and decides if there is a run in.
-Caravans
Again, its pretty much the same.
-The fortress
The fortress would slow to a standstill if you left to long, but the computer should probably be able to find things like your average food produced or consumed, work orders that get finished, Caravans arriving and departing,(though you would need to be present to trade) And goblin attacks, which would probably give you the option to move the map for the battle via a message box
"Some of your dwarves are under attack by [Civ name]! -a move to site -b let them deal with it"
Endnote
needless to say this is still a really rough idea and i haven't filledout to many details or anything for lack of time, but thats what the community is for right? ...or mabey im just lazy. Either way its out now!