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[toradrow777]

I'm dedicating this thread to the discussion of construction projects (normal, mega, or otherwise) in our fortresses.

One idea I've been playing with is the construction of a dining hall/meeting hall/aquarium.  This will only work if there's a river, stream, lake, sea, or ocean in the map, or you can pump the water up from a cavern lake or aquifer.  Basically, buy or make a ton of glass (preferably all of the same color), carve out a large room with multiple levels, make a smaller room made of glass (make sure your workers are inside the room before finishing the room), find a way to get the water from the source to the room (pumps and/or floodgates may be necessary), and boom!  A dining hall/meeting hall that's beautiful and can quite possibly be extremely calming for your Dwarves.  If you don't like the idea of aquatic life being anywhere near your Dwarves then feel free to place grates in the tunnel connecting the aquarium to the water source, you'll still have a beautiful room.  This same tactic may work with magma as well if you can find a transparent magma-proof material.

[MrSparky]

transparent magma-proof material.

Glass is magma-proof.

[joeclark77]

I have an idea for a secret dwarf base behind a waterfall.
The main gate (when open) would look like this from the front:

Code: [Select]

~ = falling water
# = rock wall or whatever
_ = drawbridge

  ~~~ 
  ~~~ 
 ~===~
 ~===~
#=~ ~=#
  ~~~ 

The basic idea is two parallel drawbridges: one diverts the water to the sides, and the one below it is walkable by dwarves.  When closed, the water falls normally and the closed drawbridge prevents entry.  The "#_" and "_#" on the lower level divert the diverted water back to its normal course, if you care.

Now that I think about it, water is going to splash off the upper drawbridge not only to the sides but also outward from the cliff face, and splash on the lower bridge.  I think my plan needs re-architecting.  You may need some permanently visible channels to divert the water on the level above the main entrance, and that ruins the whole aesthetic.  Better off just damming the river at the top of the falls.

OK, well, on to the next part of my brilliant plan.  The approach to the entrance would be a sky bridge (of constructed floors, not actually what the game calls a bridge).  Instead of leading directly to the entrance, most of its length would be orthogonal to the entry way, thus allowing it to be swept by siege engines firing from a distant cliff face.  Top view:

Code: [Select]

##########################
#       ~===~            #
#        +++             #
#        +++             #
++++++++++++             #
++++++++++++             <-ballista
++++++++++++             #
#


[Orange Wizard]

How about this...

Code: [Select]

Level 1:
GGGGG
G###G
G###G
G###G
G###G
--X--
where # is a floor, - is a wall, G is a floorgrate, and X is a floodgate to a volcano
Level 0 (or anything below 0)
VVVVV
V###V
V###V
V###V
V###V
-----
where V is a drain, # is floor, and - is wall.
This could be built to any size, really, but after a while a better system of spreading magma over the Level 1 floor might be needed. Pressurised magma, anyone?

Basically, the magma is poured over the floor and rains down to produce a kind of patio that is aesthetically awesome and has the added chance of incinerating any nobles who dine in there. Windows or glass walls could be placed around the edges if you want to keep the inhabitants alive.

Bonus points if it overlooks your dining hall.

[joeclark77]

I like it.  The magma mist would be a nice effect.

[vanatteveldt]

I'm going to build an outdoor fortress/tower around a vulcano with engraved outer walls and farms/pastures on the roofs (which of course implies "sculpting" the outdoor fortress from bedrock rather than constructing it). The rooms and dining hall look out at the caldera on which the forges and smelters are built on constructed floors. A part of the caldera is left open as a garbage dump / execution ground, either the middle or a pond in front of the dining area. The top level of the tower has outward raising drawbridges to send goblins back to where they came from.

[joeclark77]

Assuming you have a magma pipe with at least one layer of stone/soil on top of it, will it even grow plants there?  Or does it count as an inhospitable biome?  Also... if the ground is stony, does irrigation work?  I've never irrigated outdoor tiles.

[vanatteveldt]

There is some soil around as well, but even the rock has grass growing on top; the vulcano is in a forested biome. BTW the idea is to leave the pipe open to the air as a chimney for my magmaworks, and build the fortress around the pipe...

I will try irrigating any non-soil roofs that won't grow grass and post back the result :-)