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[Thorjelly]

Building large buildings in DF is unfortunately tedius. You need to do some construction designations, unpause, wait for them to finish, do more designations, unpause, etc., and you need to do it in the right order or else your dwarves will will get stuck or be unable to access a corner. Completely fixing this problem would probably be quite involved, but perhaps there is something that could be easy to do and would help a lot.

Right now, dwarves can access fruit in trees several Z levels above the dwarf using stepladders. Also right now, if you build a stair, a dwarf can place a construction directly above it without needing to be on the z-level of that construction. How about let dwarves use stepladders to be able to reach constructions above them if they cannot otherwise path to it?

Optionally, you could potentially then allow players to define constructions without existing support nearby; it just won't be a job any dwarf will take until support is built adjacent to it. Of course, when you build a construction it must path to find what resources are available to be used -- this could just start on the nearest ground below said construction. This could let you define more constructions in one go, reducing the tedium of making large constructions. I say "optionally" because even if designations operate exactly how they do now it would still be very useful.

I only make this suggestion because I figure it would not be hard to implement, since the functionality appears to be already in the game. And I think that it would make for a very significant improvement. If I am wrong and it would be difficult to implement, I understand.

[FantasticDorf]

It does sound tedious to micro manage a large stockpile of wooden step ladders constantly being moved and replaced as objects, but the idea is a good one in theory because stairs have much the same effect, dwarves can already dig ceilings by just channelling the tile beneath it, so they definitely can reach.

[Dorsidwarf]

Maybe you could have a standing (o)rder for “constructors carry stepladders” so you can mass issue them for a building project then make them put it back when they’re done

[Thorjelly]

I'm not sure how much micromanagement would be needed. Dwarves already automatically fetch them for fruit gathering. I guess you would want to make a stockpile of them near a construction site of you want to be efficient. Maybe if the dwarf finishes the construction job, it'd simply use it and moves it a block or two if it queues another construction job.

If you want to go full dwarf, you could perhaps make a specific 'constructor' role which equips stepladders like tree choppers equip axes or miners equip pickaxes. Then might see dwarves swinging stepladders around as a weapon. That'd be fun. But probably completely unnecessary.

[Thorjelly]

I'm not sure how much micromanagement would be needed. Dwarves already automatically fetch them for fruit gathering. I guess you would want to make a stockpile of them near a construction site of you want to be efficient. Maybe if the dwarf finishes the construction job, it'd simply use it and moves it a block or two if it queues another construction job.

If you want to go full dwarf, you could perhaps make a specific 'constructor' role which equips stepladders like tree choppers equip axes or miners equip pickaxes. Then might see dwarves swinging stepladders around as a weapon. That'd be fun. But probably completely unnecessary.

EDIT: Oops, I hit quote instead of edit. Derp.

[Encrtia]

I would appreciate such an addition as well.