After following vanilla DF on/off for a bit, finally having the stones to dig deep into Military/Steel/100% Self-sustainability/Pumpstacks/Megaconstructions etc. tried out an evil ice fort, and then learned about Masterwork. Decided to test out Masterwork with some Fun in a harsh flat sand desert with a few extra invader races turned on >:-)
Walled off topside/bloodymess/deathpit entrance:
Bottome of deathpit. Currently adding more spikes as we speak. Above center 3 bridges retract while the two on either side raise so that the pit can be flooded for amusing mass drowning of any spikepit survivors. Drainage system in place for recovering loot.
First experiments with tree farming and military garrison. can see my animal pens as well. Breached cavern 1 and 3 looking for minerals and the consequential wildlife spreading has taken me a little by surprise. Was weird to see floor tiles growing on sand haha. Oh and yea you can see the mass grave forming there too, sand deserts with extra invaders is causing its fair share of casualties:
Workshop space, didn't quite size rooms appropriately for the Masterwork buildings, though this is just a temporary space as I get my industries set up. Stockpile arrangement is a mess too, gonnna expand north and add guild halls/libraries/magic stuff soon while I more properly organize stuff:
Magma feed system for series of workshops around the edges of industry space that use magma as fuel. had to make 45 high magma pumpstack which was a total bitch, took years in game. Thank god for tears of Armok in this mod I have no clue where I would've found water for power/wells in this biome otherwise:
Further plans include exploring the various new mechanics and getting used to the new professions while pumping out huge stacks of clear glass. I figured by choosing a perfectly flat desert and pumping up magma I would have an infinite supply of blocks for a giant glass palace megaconstruct. Still have to make some scarecrows and extend out walkways perhaps from the edges of my topside wall to provide clearer paths for merchants and migrants, which up until this point have been getting slaughtered occasionally by the hostile environment before they can even reach the fort. Also looking to go explore cavern level 2 a little as I see there's lots of crystal/glass stuff going on there. Trying to make a very shiny rich glass palace here haha, thinking of pumping water up into the crystal palace when I'm done to make a kindof hanging gardens inspired desert palace thing. Extra races have been providing a nice Fun challenge too, white tigermen seem to come knocking on my door every other season. Recent frost giant raids have left me with some bifrost bars which I'm looking forward to crafting into armor/weapons, gotta love the new loot rewards in this mod