If you haven’t already, I highly recommend reading the first post, especially the Tips/Hints and Workshops and Industries Guide. The technologies developed from salvage will aid greatly in the in both the early survival and later prosperity of your Stables.
Drago: Tahujdt’s explanation is spot on. In short, there are materials used solely for allowing custom tools and toys to be sorted in stockpiles as this image describes:
The custom items are used for ingame buildings (e.g. power talismans are required for the power generator and prismatic workshops) and reactions (e.g. miniguns are used to upgrade security turrets to minigun turrets or for minigun battle saddles to equip your ponies). Certain reactions produce upgrade potions, which take effect after being drunk by a thirsty pony (To upgrade either the drinker or a nearby pastured creature) and are described in the Workshops and Industries Guide.
Treason: Glad you enjoy it!
While the mod has come a long way since the first release, it’s only encompassed half the features from the novel, so it’s only going to get better.
> Still have not figured out what skill, if any, the salvage yard and supply depot use.
If no skill is listed (Either at the top or next to the reaction), the reaction has no skill and any idling pony will perform it. This avoids giving the products quality levels, which skyrocket your Stable’s value, making enemies invade sooner and trading much easier. If it starts pulling ponies intended for other jobs, you can directly assign a worker so only he will perform it.
> My current stable is built on a haunted glacier and I noticed that above ground wildlife doesn’t pop up.
Freezing locations don’t have much wildlife at the present. Fortunately, the subterranean caverns are quite full of nasties waiting for your dig teams.
> This map absolutely delights in spawning necrotic clouds of radiation right in the middle of the map above my entrance.
Evil regions aren’t called the deathlands for nothing.
SHADOWdump: Thanks!
What I love best about DF is the extreme flexibility it affords to modders…greater than any other game I’m aware of, allowing the recreation of such exceptional settings as post-apocalyptic Equestria.
Replica: I can hardly take credit for adapting an excellent story. Even the mod as it is today wouldn't have been possible without the support of you and others, so you all have my thanks and appreciation.
I’ve entered another busy period in life, unfortunately, so the next major release will be delayed.
In the meantime, I'm always open to suggestions for new features and balancing improvements.