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[Legendary Emu]

Hiyanoodles.

I started a new world, looked around, and noticed there were a couple of places where the tips of two different continents were close enough to fit into one map tile.

I was wondering if it's possible to embark in such a place, and then build a really big bridge to connect the continents and then there is trade between those continents.

I'm going to SCIENCE! this and post my results as Soon™ as possible.

[Pencil_Art]

Yes. Is completely possible, and been attempted in an embark of 16x2 map tiles in this thread:
[spoiler]http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=93958.1260[spoiler]
Sadly, I think it's dead now.

[Baffler]

You actually don't even need to build any bridge or tunnels. Just having a site that crosses the isthmus is enough to motivate traders and armies to cross, at least in the abstract. Looking too close will drown the caravans ruin the illusion. That was true in 34.11 at least, now that groups have actual positions and are tracked it might not work anymore. You'd get lots of traffic, at least!

[Astrid]

You actually don't even need to build any bridge or tunnels. Just having a site that crosses the isthmus is enough to motivate traders and armies to cross, at least in the abstract.

While this is true, doing that is 0 Dwarfen und Cheaty like a Goblin claiming that he has created a mug.
If its done it needs to be done properly. Meaning proper bridge And tunnel needs to be built.

[hegchog]

I remember reading that civilisations and traders don't follow player built constructions but that might of been fixed.

[Niddhoger]

Bridges and constructions don't count as "landmasses," so I doubt that actually does the trick (for merchant/army pathing).  Building the bridge is probably unnecessary (but extremely dorf) and only the "site" status always travel across.  You can still very much cross the bridge with an adventurer though. 

[superbob]

What if the bridge was cast obsidian? Would that alter the map in a way DF understands at a more abstract level?

[Aslandus]

Bonus fun if you build traps along the bridge so anyone who crosses has to do backflips and dives to escape being hit with giant axe blades...

[Vattic]

What if the bridge was cast obsidian? Would that alter the map in a way DF understands at a more abstract level?

I suspect not, but it would be simple to test along any coast now that magma is always available.

[omega_dwarf]

Bridges and constructions don't count as "landmasses," so I doubt that actually does the trick (for merchant/army pathing).  Building the bridge is probably unnecessary (but extremely dorf) and only the "site" status always travel across.  You can still very much cross the bridge with an adventurer though.

Aaaaand you could take your companions with you, I imagine. That would be interesting: a bunch of dwarves doing something the rest of their civilization either thinks is impossible or hasn't even thought about doing.

[Insert_Gnome_Here]

You should build a bridge then set up a high speed minecart system to take you from one end to the other. (Setting up a global railway system would be a cool megamegaproject.)

[Niddhoger]

What if the bridge was cast obsidian? Would that alter the map in a way DF understands at a more abstract level?

Actually no.  Cast obsidian won't change the "biome" of the area.  To embark you need a single regional tile of non-ocean and non-mountain "biome" present. Neither constructions nor cast obsidian will count.  Furthermore, no player built roads or tunnels will ever be recongized as such on the world map.  They might count as valid tiles to path through if done correctly, but they won't show up on the region map (or generate an event like when an NPC creates them). 

You could still use DFhack to embark on constructed/cast obsidian bridges.  However, I'm still not sure how you would cross the region boundary.  As yet... I have no idea how to build a bridge that spans more than 2 map tiles of water.  You can build a bridge starting from one coast to the map edge on one side.  Then build another from the coast to map edge on the other while casting obsidian against the edge of hte map both times.  However... if there is a third region tile consisting of nothing but water between them and you use DFhack to embark there your dorf's would still drown.  There is no way I know of to "overlap" region tiles while embarking. 

[Thisfox]

Setting up a global railway system would be a cool megamegaproject.

Yes. Yes it would.
First time I've ever had a wish to work on a megaproject.

[wierd]

.....

I am imagining Urist McAdventurer, stepping into the "Transit Pod", and getting shot off in the direct-driven continuous stream of rollers and local branch logic plates covering the planet, at break-neck speed.

Theoretically, it would actually work, if all of the sections of the network were "locally simulative" in nature.  (EG, at no point in time while the cart is being moved, is the logic controlling where the cart is going or how it is being powered ever "off screen"-- )

It would be a very complex megaproject. It would run headfirst into the Halting Problem though.

[Aslandus]

.....

I am imagining Urist McAdventurer, stepping into the "Transit Pod", and getting shot off in the direct-driven continuous stream of rollers and local branch logic plates covering the planet, at break-neck speed.

Theoretically, it would actually work, if all of the sections of the network were "locally simulative" in nature.  (EG, at no point in time while the cart is being moved, is the logic controlling where the cart is going or how it is being powered ever "off screen"-- )

It would be a very complex megaproject. It would run headfirst into the Halting Problem though.

"Quick Urist, hop in my minecart!"
*hop*
"ADVENTURE!!!!"