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[Grey Goo]

Heya!

To put it simple I need some designing help with my megaproject. I am planning do underwater fortress, lots of glass and metal domes. However while how to do it is quite clear, lots of cave-ins and plummeting most of landscape down design itself isn't not clear. Well, not exact design. I am however pretty sure about, aside from ruining idyllic obsidian sand beach these things:

1. Domes have eight walls, corners are in 45 degree angles. This wastes some space, but domes are domes. All walls are glass except for metal frames. From straight walls there are entrances to other domes through glass and metal tunnels.

2. At entrances there is bridge working as floodgate and in tunnels grates front of them. If somehow water enters into tunnels grates works as emergy buffers. Also if something is in tunnel it is washed towards dome, before automatic protection closes floodgate.

3. Automatic flood protection system. While grates works as buffers, they also have pressure plates down. These are linked system which sends close command to floodgate bridge. System should be resetable from command centre. Perhaps not useful function because floods may can be impossible to fix, but cool.

4. Waterfalls to create mist, artificial channel for power generation, underwater greenhouses, drowning chamber for whales and screw pumps. Lots of screw pumps. Probably pump tower to get rid of extra water.

5. Oh, also hospital, mental ward, daycare, arena and so many drowning chambers.

Now to design problems. Mainly it is how to place stuff into domes. Like workshops and rooms. Also I am not sure which material is most aesthetic there. For domes it is glass and copper. Why copper? Because it feels most aquatic metal for me. Anyway, main problem is already probably noted. I am just simple not sure how to put things in domes and make it look good. Also there is another problem too...

...

How to make lots of fun stuff only using water. Sure some uses magma or spikes, but theme with this project must be aquatic, and horrible. Also if everything goes bloodlessly and no less horrible it is just bonus. Because my fun really begin after those domes are doned and land is crashed into sea. Probably with most of dwarves, maybe even with elven caravan. Its going be... beautiful...

[itg]

Unfortunately, the domes will all collapse if you try to drop them into the ocean. Constructed walls all turn back into blocks. Assuming your ocean doesn't freeze, this project is going to be harder than you probably thought.

If you're serious about doing this, you'll have to drain the ocean. It won't be a simple project, and you'll probably have to use a combination of techniques, including pumping water out, digging drains in the ocean floor, and casting obsidian walls to block off inflow.

As for horrible things to do, how about a tamed shark execution chamber? Granted, it's not exactly bloodless...

[AutomataKittay]

Unfortunately, the domes will all collapse if you try to drop them into the ocean. Constructed walls all turn back into blocks. Assuming your ocean doesn't freeze, this project is going to be harder than you probably thought.

If you're serious about doing this, you'll have to drain the ocean. It won't be a simple project, and you'll probably have to use a combination of techniques, including pumping water out, digging drains in the ocean floor, and casting obsidian walls to block off inflow.

As for horrible things to do, how about a tamed shark execution chamber? Granted, it's not exactly bloodless...

Could dig a pit next to the ocean deep enough to built the city lower than ocean and blow a barrier to it out and flood it into a bay or lagoon!

As for OP, if you're not sure how to lay things out, I'd recommend experimenting since everyone have different taste and thinks different things looks good. Well, preferrably before flooding your city! Also if you uses windows to outside, build a way to seal the room off so you don't drowns the whole city. Or at least fortification blocking tantrummer from getting to it, I don't think there're underwater building destroyers.

[TheDarkStar]

It would probably work to cast it out of obsidian, then drop it in.

[itg]

That would work, but only if he cast solid hemispheres and hollowed them out after dropping them. Falling natural structures don't stick together when you drop them.

[Grey Goo]

Don't worry, I have already tested longtime that constructed structures don't like falling. However I can still make most of map fall down before starting domes. After this it is time to crush beaches and release water. But why cave-ins? Because it is nice to have few natural ponds in domes.

As for designing, I think i'll go for anything which is blue or green. I am still bad with layouts however...

But shark execution chamber? Gives me cruel idea about daycare. Okay, i'll shall put aquarium with sharks into daycare. No, I am not feeding kids to those sharks. Just theirs parents while they themself shall watch.

[Spacespinner]

This reminds me of that project to make a dwarven submarine to explore the bottom of the magma ocean.

[itg]

I've got a couple suggestions for your layout:

1) Try to find some sci-fi art for inspiration. I bet with a little googling you could find some nice designs for underwater cities. Look at moon bases and Mars colonies, too.

2) Try to make it look organic. Build domes of different sizes in irregular (but not too random) patterns.

3) You could try a honeycomb layout. I've done standard forts that way and it always looks pretty nice, and I'm using it for the bedrooms in my sub-magma fort (check the link in my signature for pictures).

[Grey Goo]

Domes are easy, but stuff inside them is different. How place everything in them nicely? In other words, interior design is lacking and it is now really good time for it, because... I just dropped 40% of my landmass down for ready be domed. By cave-in, carefully. Zero deaths and I got active haulers looking for gems. Very much dust, minutes of loading... So... Crushing...