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[Jim Groovester]

Building a giant reservoir in my experience didn't really help very much, because while the reservoir was filling, my FPS was zero, and if I'm trying to minimize the amount of real time it takes to fill things up this doesn't work out very well for me.

However, I have a cave river source on my map, and it's pretty much impossible for any area I'm trying to fill lose water to evaporation. You may need the intermediate step of a giant reservoir if your river output is really low, which it probably is.

As for the number of pumps, at your water source, you'll want as many pumps as it takes to catch all water. In this case, it will be four, if you cut the river horizontally. For moving water around, you will want and only need one pump for each level, and you'll want a one tile thick pathway for wherever you're directing water.

Pumps are what really destroys FPS. The side to side flowing motion of water is still a drain, but it's not as bad. The more pumps you can eliminate from a design the better. I'd almost recommend just damming the river and diverting it into your giant reservoir, if it won't evaporate as it spreads out.

[Argonnek]

When looking at the map, I noticed that there is a gap between the small offshoot domes and the walls of the pit. If you were to fill that gap temporarily while filling up, you could avoid many of the evaporation problems you've been having since there's less area for the water to spread out to.

[quip]

Pumps are what really destroys FPS.

On pumps, I think I heard somewhere that dropping blocks into fluids could be used to displace them... Of course I belive the method was being used to replace pump stacks for lifting magma from the magma sea to the upper levels of a fortress and thus might be a bit harder to implement on a river. And it would also need the blocks to be replaced (and demolished if blocking the river) after every drop...

Of course, all my ideas are most likely ridiculously wrong, to be honest I've spent more time killing bandits in adventure mode than I have dealing with a developed fortress...

[Obsidian]

Whoo, finally got up to date on this absolutely exceptional community fort! I love the seemingly thousands of cultural references (including you infusing some good old Lovecraft titles into aryn's recent descent into madness.) Also, although I'm a bit late to say it, I'm glad to see you've moved to where you want to be and are self-publishing your novel. Great stuff.

So, uh... Any way I could get in the line for dwarves in the next fort, if you're still doing that? I'd like to be a stoner doctor or medical chief that smokes way too much rat weed before operating, named "Koshmot".

In the meanwhile, hooly shit are the tensions building. I love all the splinter factions that are forming; the finale should be amazing.
No pressure or anything

[Heavy Flak]

All sorts of stuff, from everyone!

I'm considering making myself a big reservoir of water to dump out at consistent intervals.  I don't mind the FPS drain, especially since adding a bunch more case fans and overclocking a little bit - I'm just trying to think of the best way to handle the entire process.  I understand what you all are saying about the water, but with 9 pumps sending out 9 streams of 7/7 water, shouldn't it fill up a little bit faster? 

Whoo, finally got up to date on this absolutely exceptional community fort! I love the seemingly thousands of cultural references...

So, uh... Any way I could get in the line for dwarves in the next fort, if you're still doing that? I'd like to be a stoner doctor or medical chief that smokes way too much rat weed before operating, named "Koshmot".
No pressure or anything

I appreciate your praise, incredibly so!  If you want in on the next fort (and really, this should go for everyone here), you'd be better off PMing me your request.  Not because I'm going to ignore you, but with so many pages of discussion and prose, I might overlook something and I don't want to do that.  Sdp0et typed up a nice comprehensive list, like, a year ago, but I'm sure I'm missing some now, and that might be the easiest way to get the ball rolling.   

[Vactor]

next fort.

 
!

[Jim Groovester]

I understand what you all are saying about the water, but with 9 pumps sending out 9 streams of 7/7 water, shouldn't it fill up a little bit faster? 

You can't fill anything any faster than the rate water flows into your map. That's the hard cap. Once you're pumping 100% from whatever water source you have, that's the best you can do. Adding more pumps won't make it fill faster.

[ricemastah]

next fort.

!

Wait WHAT??

I understand what you all are saying about the water, but with 9 pumps sending out 9 streams of 7/7 water, shouldn't it fill up a little bit faster? 

You can't fill anything any faster than the rate water flows into your map. That's the hard cap. Once you're pumping 100% from whatever water source you have, that's the best you can do. Adding more pumps won't make it fill faster.

Also, jim is really good at getting to these things before me.

[Heavy Flak]

next fort.

!

Wait WHAT??

Oh, yeah, about that...  I've put myself in a Info Void for a long time concerning the new DF releases.  Every now and again Xofrevlis or Stravitch will tell me about new stuff, but for the most part I'm ignorant to everything.  That's actually the way I go through life, but this time it's by design.  I have an... idea for a new story.  It'll get kicked off after this wraps up, and this will wrap up depending on the whims of the Random Number Gods, so, some time between this weekend and never.

I understand what you all are saying about the water, but with 9 pumps sending out 9 streams of 7/7 water, shouldn't it fill up a little bit faster? 

You can't fill anything any faster than the rate water flows into your map. That's the hard cap. Once you're pumping 100% from whatever water source you have, that's the best you can do. Adding more pumps won't make it fill faster.

Okay, I'm starting to get it, but one more question: I thought pumps didn't actually suck up water at the same rate it was generated.  As in, while it may take away some water from the source, it will always generate 7/7 water in front of it.  Effectively, you can create more water than the source you're drawing from if you have a mind to capture or redirect it. 

[ricemastah]

You create more water by removing it from a source like a river, but the river has a max number of squares that it has that will generate water. I'm pretty sure only the squares that are on the end of the map generate water. Finally, I'm pretty sure pumps suck water up FASTER then it is generated by the river squares.
So given enough pumps you can temporarily dry rivers drawing out more then it can produce. It will of course eventually refill or reach some point of equilibrium, but you can dry rivers.

[Jim Groovester]

Okay, I'm starting to get it, but one more question: I thought pumps didn't actually suck up water at the same rate it was generated.  As in, while it may take away some water from the source, it will always generate 7/7 water in front of it.  Effectively, you can create more water than the source you're drawing from if you have a mind to capture or redirect it.

It may have been that way in 33c maybe, but it's not in 40d. My pumps output the same amount of water they suck up.

[Heavy Flak]

So given enough pumps you can temporarily dry rivers drawing out more then it can produce. It will of course eventually refill or reach some point of equilibrium, but you can dry rivers.

You inadvertently gave me an idea.  A wonderful idea.  I'm 100% sure it's not going to work like I think it will, and I'm going to have to savescum, so let's just go ahead and make a backup copy...

[Mephansteras]

So given enough pumps you can temporarily dry rivers drawing out more then it can produce. It will of course eventually refill or reach some point of equilibrium, but you can dry rivers.

You inadvertently gave me an idea.  A wonderful idea.  I'm 100% sure it's not going to work like I think it will, and I'm going to have to savescum, so let's just go ahead and make a backup copy...

Well, now I'm quite curious to see what you're planning!

[Heavy Flak]

The Events of the 24^th of Granite, 1076

Deerowl held her pose as regal as she could, despite the deplorable filth.  A film of rock dust, and... and what looked like ashes lined the cramped corridors.  The rank smell of stale sweat and nearly-evaporated booze radiated from the waves of bodies that bustled past her.  Her pert nose crinkled, and she thought briefly of wrenching the perfumed kerchief from the inside of her bodice, to press it up under her nose and run from this cesspit. 

But she could see the shabbily-dressed outline of Aryn stalking down the hall, and despite herself, she smiled. 

When he arrived, his clothes clean and mended, his patchy beard combed straight, he broke into a smile in turn.  He reached out and clasped both her hands in his warmly, and smiled up at the Elven Emissary. 

"I'm so glad you've arrived, my dear, because your merchants are still...
"Master Estetar, it's my pleasure, and I need to speak with you concerning our merchants..."

And after a pause, and a wide-eyed stare at one another, they laughed.  Deerowl forgot all about the horrible little hovel in which they live, and Aryn, who for months has been suffering withdrawals and mood swings, laughed until tears were digging trenches in the rock dust caked on his cheeks.

***

"Whaddya' make of it all?" Maggarg asked, his voice surly and insolent.  Merkil didn't bother to worry; it's only when the gruffness was dropped and you could hear the terror behind Maggarg's words, that anyone really needed to bother.  The quartet sat at their designated spots on the ramparts, watching the courtyard for any suspicious activities.  Across from them, peaking up from the ruins of the Sky Cells, was the horned helmet and wild eyes of Wilber.  Adol gave a little shudder, seeing their insane hanger-on.

"There's no way to shake him, is there?" Adol asked, to no one in particular.  Likot barked a laugh, though she never looked up from her custom bolt-slinger, polishing the wood with her one good black-gloved hand.

Merkil shook his head.  He chewed relentlessly on the end of one fat-rolled smoke stick, occasionally brushing his quickly-silvering hair back into place as the wind rustled it up.

"Those elves have been milling about in the trading depot for months now... they're nearly out of roots and strings and... what do they eat?"
"Bugs, sir.  And babies when they can catch them.  And their own filth.  They brew it into tea," Maggarg helpfully added.

"Just shut up; they've been here for almost two full seasons, what's their game?"
"They're scared to leave," Adol quickly added, before Maggarg could open his mouth again.  "because half of them were killed by the camels in the wastes.  And then a few more were killed when the camels got inside.  I don't think they CAN leave, sir.  They're in battle-shock."

The silence that fell on them was heavy, almost palpable.  Merkil stroked his beard in thought, watching the way the elves moved; listless, their bodies seeming to be hollow shells roaming from sitting spot to standing spot.  The poor squeaky bastards...

"Ya' know, the longer those reedy thieves stay in the depot, the longer it'll be before any other merchants will wanna' come and risk a trade."
"What are you suggesting, Maggarg?"
"Nothing!  I'm just tellin' ya' a stone-cold fact.  If they don't bolt out, or that skinny steel-eyed bitch wot' came in doesn't run 'em out, we'll be effectively cut off from any outside supplies..."

Merkil growled, the sound coming from deep in his throat.  This isn't how it was supposed to work.  They were professionals - no women, no children, and the elves were, if anything, all women.  But still... "Just... keep your eye on Aryn and his lady-friend.  They HAVE to leave.  If the remains of the Mountainhomes don't show up with more booze... if we're running low on meat... oh, it'll be horrendous...."

[Heavy Flak]

It's been explained to me by horrified coworkers that descriptions such as, "going tits up" and "deader then the chicks in my crawl space" aren't appropriate euphemisms to use.  Whatever.  They're such squares.

But the point still stands.  My desktop has died.  Stravitch exhausted nearly every troubleshooting option with me as I whined over text message.  All the data's there but the motherboard has fried since it won't even POST.  I've got a rush order coming in soon, but it might not be until the middle of next week, and, well, just wanted to give everyone a heads up.

The data's the most important thing, and as long as that's safe and sound I'll suffer a little less.  But after watching my workstation at the office fry on the same day... I'm getting a bit paranoid about my ability to kill technology.