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[Makrond]

I found this register-and-post worthy, for some strange reason.

Having finally managed to find a volcano on the map (that wasn't in a terrifying mountain range), and starting out with some dwarves and equipment that I was happy with, I figured I would try out a magma-based fortress.

An interesting note: apparently dwarves adhere to Darwinian laws. One of my miners (the lesser-experienced one, thankfully), when told to deconstruct a floor so that it would collapse, stood on the floor as it collapsed into the cave. Miraculously, apart from the unconsciousness caused by dust, he was unharmed. He next ended up in my magma tunnel a few moments before I opened it up to the volcano. I forbid the area, and fortunately (for him) he left in time.

Finally, he decided to do some 'spring cleaning'. In the magma pool. Right as the magma was filling it up. (I have no idea as to why he was there - there was, as far as I could tell - nothing to clean, but the job list definitely said Clean.) As if that wasn't stupid enough, well, I'll let you look for yourselves:
   
(Sorry for the stuff on it - was testing out my tablet).

I've seen some surprisingly similar cases of Darwinian theory (a subject which, ironically enough, I've just started studying in Biology) working in other fortresses. You can post your own here if you want, or just laugh at the pretty picture. Or you could argue that Darwinian theory is actually 'natural selection', to which I say, isn't a dwarf dying of his own stupidity an example of natural selection?
EDIT: Formatting.

[ June 13, 2008: Message edited by: Makrond ]

[Jetman123]

For those who don't know (just in case this succumbs to controversy), Darwinism is incredibly simple when you think about it, and is not at all evolution. (Not neccessarily, just related)

Simple fact is - the smarter or stronger you are, the more likely you are to survive, whereas the guy who's weaker and dumber is probably going to die eventually. Simple probability.

Evolution is a related concept that introduces genomes into the equation, but it is not natural selection. Natural selection is short term, evolution is long long long term.

Natural selection:

Person A is stronger, tougher, and smarter than Person B. Person A has a higher probability of surviving. Person B has a lower probability of surviving.

Evolution:

Person A is stronger, tougher, and smarter (compared to it's environment) than Person B. Person A has a higher probability of surviving. Person B has a lower probablity of surviving. If Person B dies, he will not breed and give birth to weak, sickly, and dumb offspring. If Person A lives, he _will_ be able to breed and give birth to strong, tough, and smart offspring. Person A's offspring then gain an advantage over everyone else, so they start reproducing even better than everyone else. Soon the whole species is stronger, tougher, and smarter than it ever was.

That's just the simplistic version, of course.

And yes, I am a firm beleiver that natural selection takes place _everywhere_.  

[FlyingScissorKick]

My dwarves are all stupid and kept running out into the middle of sieges no matter what I would order them to do. So I made a nice bedroom for a single dwarf with a lever inside attached to a bridge. He has everything he needs. Doesn't have to leave at all (and can't. Door is locked).

So when a seige comes, I make him /R lever and it's flying dwarves time.

[Jusal]

Darwinism? Bah! This is Dwarvinism!

[Benny]

duh dum doosh!

I honestly thought thats what it said when I clicked this anyhow

[Kagus]

If you're wondering what he was cleaning, here's the really good part...  He was trying to "clean" the puddle of molten goo left behind when a rock melts.

Dwarves are fussy when it comes to incredibly hot and dangerous items.  It simply doesn't do to have such things cluttering up the place.

[Joseph Miles]

quote:Originally posted by Jetman123:
<STRONG>...whereas the guy who's weaker and dumber is probably going to die eventually....

</STRONG>

Well, EVERYONE dies EVENTUALLY.

[Makrond]

Heh... it wasn't until  Jetman mentioned it that I realised the potential danger of posting something about Darwinism on an internet forum...

Another dwarf tried to run into the flooding magma-pool, despite the fact that it was a restricted area... they must be really desperate to clean off those little spots of molten rock. He fell asleep just a few tiles before the stairs.

Why are there stairs there? A miner fell in during a planned and deliberate cave-in, though he wasn't meant to be standing on the bit that was actually caveing in (I'm pretty sure it's the same miner, by the way). I forgot to remove them, and decided to leave them in just in case the unfortunate cleaner woke up and left in time. He didn't.

Anyway, I realised a little bit too late that floodgates made of obsidian melt. Of course, with all the molten obsidian floating around in the magma, I should have realised this...

Fortunately, walls don't.

EDIT:  

quote:Originally posted by Jusal:
<STRONG>Darwinism? Bah! This is Dwarvinism!</STRONG>

Sigged for truth.

[ June 13, 2008: Message edited by: Makrond ]

[ June 13, 2008: Message edited by: Makrond ]

[Joseph Miles]

Just put a wall around the stairs. No more problems.

[Makrond]

Better yet, flooding the entire room with magma seems to have solved the problem.

[Puzzlemaker]

My fish evolved.

The fish in our pond where golden, and a few had black spots.  Now add Blue Herons, Cats, and other such things, for two years.  Now, ALLLL the fish are pitch black and almost impossible to see.

It was very interesting to say the least.

[Name Lips]

Restricted areas will do absolutely nothing to prevent dwarves from entering an area, if they see something inside the area they want to do. All a restricted area does is convince dwarves to take the long way around, if there is something on the OTHER side that they want to do. If their goal/task is in the zone, though, they charge right on in without hesitation.

[Makrond]

quote:Originally posted by Name Lips:
<STRONG>Restricted areas will do absolutely nothing to prevent dwarves from entering an area, if they see something inside the area they want to do. All a restricted area does is convince dwarves to take the long way around, if there is something on the OTHER side that they want to do. If their goal/task is in the zone, though, they charge right on in without hesitation.</STRONG>

Yeah, I know that now... I just figured that if the area had a high movement cost, they would avoid performing tasks in there as well. Sadly not.

[Jetman123]

Yeah, talking about darwinisim often attracts people who (often through no fault of their own) think natural selection neccessarily equals evolution, and start controversy as a result. I just wanted to try to head that off, and notify the uninformed that this is _not_ an evolution topic. ^.^

[Areyar]

intriguing.
How does the solitary confined dwarf fare?
doesn't go mad?
Do you feed and water it through a dump-hole in the ceiling with a food stockpile underneath?
(can't have a well, it willprobably jump down it)

A workcamp fortress is an interesting idea, with all of the craftsdwarves etc. locked into small isolated cubicles, serviced by haulers.
...maybe add another of the oposite sexe for hauling and breeding.  

on topic again:
Will there be any inherited traits / learned behavioral patterns for dwarves in the far future to evolve?
(Kinda like the Creatures(TM) series, but simplified and less cutesy wonky)
Darwinism or dwarvinism without anything to select by is meaningless...

oh...dwarves trained to wrestle, are lazy and less likely to malancholy will have higher chances of survival. So these might survive longer.