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[Jude]

Name should explain it all. I want to dig a 5 or 6 z-level grand dining hall, with maybe some balconies up towards the top and such things, massive supporting pillars that go all the way up, and so on. Now, is it best to start at the top level and then channel downwards? Or start at the bottom and somehow dig up? If that, how would I do it? Build ramps and stuff upward and then work from there?

[Freddybear]

I think you'll find that it's much easier to dig from the top down. But you'll have to watch your diggers carefully because they can easily dig themselves (or each other) into corners. (I think Toady fixed the thing where they could dig the floor out from under other dorfs).

[grelphy]

Dwarves will no longer undermine other dwarves, which improves safety except that dwarves which trap themselves on a single tile will not channel under themselves and will remain stuck until rescued by somebody else (usually after a lot of annoyance and micromanagement).

In any case, the correct way to dig a multi-z-level room is from the top down using ramps.

[Yanlin]

This begs the question of WHY.

[technophile]

dwarves which trap themselves on a single tile will not channel under themselves and will remain stuck until rescued by somebody else

They will, but you have to redesignate the square for channeling after they're stuck on it.

[Rhenaya]

i dig channels in L forms from top to down, and every 2 rows i go one z level down too

i start out with the top level and dig it out, then channel from L shapes, (the "dig entrance" is on the opposit corner)

Code: [Select]

top level
wwwwwwwww
w.......w
w.......w
wxxxxx..w
woooox..w
woooox..w
woooox..w
ooooox..w
wwwwwwwww

one below
wwwwwwwww
wxxxxxxxw
wooooooxw
wowwwwoxw
wowwwwoxw
wowwwwoxw
oowwwwoxw
wwwwwwwww

. already channeld
x marked for channel
o floor
w undigged wall (gets floor with channel in above level)

and so on downwards


[Tormy]

This begs the question of WHY.

MORIA! 

[Mechanoid]

You also have to watch out for the diagonal channel designations.

Dwarves will very happilly dig out the north and east tiles, leaving the north east (or whatever combination of compass directions it may be) corner tile to collapse downwards and send object-moving dust everywhere.

TBH, the best way that i recall that you can use to dig out a large space is to use up/down staircases, and then gradually remove the staircases one level at a time, until you reach the ground floor.

[Lalandrathon]

Mass ramps is also a good tactic, though you will have to do your smoothing/engraving on the sides and pillars as you dig out each layer.

[Janoveck]

Personally, my favourite method for this is to designate the top layer of the room as a dig, clear that out, then drop a level and match the designation with a ramp, that way your Dorfs cant get issolated on little islands - they can just walk down the ramp - and theres no chance of a cave-in from undermining unless you attempt to dig out multiple levels at once. The only disadvantage is that you have to redesignate all the remanining up rams for removal with D-Z after the level is mined out.

If you only want an access point on the group floor, I'd guess stairs are the best option just tunnel it straight up and remove it with D-Z as you clear the ramps. Though thats a problem Ive not reallthought about as  Im a huge fan of having catwalks that go over deeper rooms which means I can enter from the top and bust out at the bottom when I reach there..

Edit : Snap, beaten to the punch. Though its a good point about smoothing when you start the project, thats been something to hold up alot of my larger projects.

[motorbitch]

This begs the question of WHY.

to have dinig rooms without roof to prevent cave adaption.
you can not build chairs or tables outside, and you can not make a room larger than 1 tile out of a table that is outside.
you can, however, build the room and remove the roof after.
i usualy have my first dining room with crap chairs and tables. and  as the roof is gone, i cant just replace them.
so i dig out the level bejond the dining room, put in the masterwork gold furniture, and remove the roof, that has been the ground of my first dining room before..
so, i usualy have  a 2 z level dining room after that.
i know, i culd just build floors above and remove them, but im usualy to lazy to do so.

[grelphy]

Actually, you could build floors above and leave them. "Inside Above-Ground" tiles will prevent cave adaption and still allow furniture placement and room designations.

I like my dining rooms deep, and only make them multi-z-level for the epicness factor.

[Paul]

From my experience 'inside' still causes cave adaptation nowadays. I once built my entire living quarters and dining room out of stone, so it was all inside and above ground, but later when I sent people out for wood, they vomitted all over the place.

I usually build an open air dining room to prevent cave adaptation, or I just say screw it and keep everyone indoors.

[motorbitch]

"Inside Above-Ground" tiles will prevent cave adaption

no, it wont, not even if the roof is made of clear glass. it needs to be open air.

[Deathworks]

Hi!

As was stated by everyone before, you really should go from top to bottom. If you make any mistake causing a cave-in, this way you will a) have the dwarf fall only one level deep b) reduce the risk of having the cave-in slam through the ground floor of the room causing damage to the rest of the fortress c) reduce the risk of a dwarf being right under that cave-in when it happens.

My personal method is to first have access tunnels to the room on every level.

Then, I dig out the top level of the room.

Then I channel out that top level of the room. (This needs micromanagement, though, but unlike the ramp approach, your dwarves need only one step in the process.

Then I channel out the next level of the room (repeat).

Well, good luck!

Deathworks

P.S.: I just noticed that Rhenaya basically describes a very similar approach.