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[tilly]

The concept is really simple. I almost don't even want to suggest it because it probably has been talked about alot but, i cant find anything about it so...

Half-walls.. Walls you can see over directly but will still hold 3/7 water without overflowing. unlike fortifications which will expel it mercilessly.
If anyone knows anything ingame already that acts like this, please let me know asap.

[Trif]

You could use a wall of glass windows.

[tilly]

You could use a wall of glass windows.

Okay that's what I was thinking. above ground waterfall fountains are harder then underground ones lol

[teloft]

I would like to use these half-walls for keeping my sheep and cows in, this way I would still be able to shoot arrows over the wall at intruders, while the intruder will need to climb over the wall making them an easer target.

[612DwarfAvenue]

I would like to use these half-walls for keeping my sheep and cows in, this way I would still be able to shoot arrows over the wall at intruders, while the intruder will need to climb over the wall making them an easer target.

Well, fortifications mostly fufill this.

[tilly]

I would like to use these half-walls for keeping my sheep and cows in, this way I would still be able to shoot arrows over the wall at intruders, while the intruder will need to climb over the wall making them an easer target.

Yeah, Fortifications mostly fulfill this. I was thinking low walls to be something more of an aqueduct designation or for special decorative constructions such as a fountain. These walls could even function as a type of "seat" if you know what im saying. I can realistically see them on the main walls of your halls for additional seating for parties and such.

[Manveru Taurënér]

One of the biggest differences would be as stated in the OP to allow building walls that can hold in half a tile of water. This would help tremendously in constructing for example swimming areas, controlling fluid flow and probably a lot more I can't think of atm. Preferably it could even be expanded to allow constructing a wall in all the increments from 1-7 levels of tile height. That'd allow for crawling spaces for instance, which could be fun in adventure mode. The hard part would be to make it all visible in an intuitive manner. If it could be done though it'd add a lot of interesting gameplay options.

[tilly]

One of the biggest differences would be as stated in the OP to allow building walls that can hold in half a tile of water. This would help tremendously in constructing for example swimming areas, controlling fluid flow and probably a lot more I can't think of atm. Preferably it could even be expanded to allow constructing a wall in all the increments from 1-7 levels of tile height. That'd allow for crawling spaces for instance, which could be fun in adventure mode. The hard part would be to make it all visible in an intuitive manner. If it could be done though it'd add a lot of interesting gameplay options.

Would a graphical tile of a wall with a hole in the middle suffice? maybe add some cracks for finesse?  This will allow them to be spotable
but indecipherable  untill looked at with the "l" command? and perhaps when looking at walls a more intuitive look interface would look something like the sound option in the ESC menu.

(Example)

+--------+       _
+--------+        |
+--------+        |
+--------+        |}-------- WALL
+--------+        |
+--------+        |
+--------+      --

-----------------------------------------------------------

(example 2)

+--------+       _
+--------+        |
+--------+        |
+--------+        |}-------- WALL MISSING THE VERY BOTTOM PORTION
+--------+        |
+--------+        |
********       --


In light of this system it would theoretically be possible to make cracks and other possible randomness inside every wall. However i can see memory being a fundamental issue.
This system of course also makes the assumption that you could designate what part of the walls your want to leave out. Maybe a bit ambitious of an idea but, you see the point in it whether you need to go from 1/7-7/7 or any randomness you choose.

[shadowclasper]

I think that what might be better is a carving deisgnation for walls, along with the long needed 'engrave wall' command.

Carving 'low wall's for a wall that holds 4/7ths water. Also acts as inferior fortifications.

Carving 'drainage' for a wall, and then you choose which level of drainage. (1/7, 2/7, 3/7, etc.) which would knock a hole in the wall at the appropriate height.

[tilly]

I think that what might be better is a carving deisgnation for walls, along with the long needed 'engrave wall' command.

Carving 'low wall's for a wall that holds 4/7ths water. Also acts as inferior fortifications.

Carving 'drainage' for a wall, and then you choose which level of drainage. (1/7, 2/7, 3/7, etc.) which would knock a hole in the wall at the appropriate height.

A very interesting perspective. That would certainly make it a counter intuitive option then a flat out "low wall designation.
However, I have one argument when you say "what might be better is a carving deisgnation for walls"
Is that you have to build the wall first at a 7/7 height and then carve out your designation;  it could simply be an advanced option in the wall designation using a check system similar to my above examples. Yes? no? why?

It would most certainly make a lot of interesting things possible. It could even go 3D  on a gid system where you can literally carve out a section for a torch holder or other design options for walls. This of course would probably make my suggestion about architecture (here: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=135705.0) more efficient the handling of building structures and saving past designs for easier use. Maybe im getting ahead of myself. However, DF has certainly opened up my mind to ASCII style gaming and I might start on my own ambitious programming exploits. I have many ideas.

[Aseaheru]

I like the idea.

[tilly]

I like the idea.

I'm glad you like the idea. I do too. It could potentially help in a lot of areas. I was even thinking building destroyers would also have to work slightly harder to break walls in this manor due to size restrictions thus being present in the 7/7 height formula.

[Urist Mc Dwarf]

I approve of everything in this thread. We should also find natural low walls

[shadowclasper]

I was thinking that you build a full wall, then carve it down. If oly for simplicity's sake. Building low walls would work too. After all, you can do that with Fortifications.

You can either build them directly, or you can build a full wall, then carve fortifications into it.

So walls and low walls should both be able to be engraved (if they have been built from blocks rather than rocks), but drainage, for simplicty's sake, should be only carvable, not directly constructable. (unless drainage was limited to 'top drainage' in the 7/7 slot, bottom drainage in the 1/7 slot, and middle drainage in the 4/7 slot)

[tilly]

I was thinking that you build a full wall, then carve it down. If oly for simplicity's sake. Building low walls would work too. After all, you can do that with Fortifications.

You can either build them directly, or you can build a full wall, then carve fortifications into it.

So walls and low walls should both be able to be engraved (if they have been built from blocks rather than rocks), but drainage, for simplicty's sake, should be only carvable, not directly constructable. (unless drainage was limited to 'top drainage' in the 7/7 slot, bottom drainage in the 1/7 slot, and middle drainage in the 4/7 slot)

Like I said, it's rather counter intuitive to build a full wall first  then carve it out. Not to say they both cannot be options. 

As for drainage, I would prefer that drainage not be limited at all. for example I could use the drainage from the bottom to keep my fort from flooding and killing all my dwarves while it drains 1/7 tile out the top.