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[Walliard]

Regarding pits: well, a channel I can dig.  But how about a fifty-foot deep pit?  The only way I can figure is this:

1) at z-1, dig a channel of appropriate size.
2) dig an access stairwell downward one level.
3) dig out a passage on z-2 equal in size to the channel above it.
4) dig a new channel in the passage on z-2, same size.
5) dig an access stairwell downward one level.
6) go to 3).
7) continue till you've come to the bottom.
8 ) wall off the access stairwells.

Would that work, do you think? 

It's the right idea, but dwarven stupidity would lead to a high chance of something going wrong. A better way would be to carve ramps ('d'-'r') at the level below the surface, then remove them ('d'-'z'). Repeat on every other level until the pit is as deep as you want. It works for any size pit and has no danger of cave-ins or trapped dwarves.

[Random832]

Regarding goblins:
So, if I build a long, winding, single lane, trap-filled entrance, they'll snake around in it to try to get into my fortress.  Yes?

If it's the only way in.

I build an entry outside of the drawbridge on one side, and another entry on the inside of the bridge.  When a draw up my bridge, opponents will be channeled into the winding labyrinth of death, and leave my poor dwarves to their abiding interests?

Yeah. Make sure to stop dwarves from going outside (and make sure your winding labyrinth is outside or that they will have to go through outside tiles to get to it). Also make sure your dwarves are kept busy inside - idle dwarves can wander outside against a stay inside order.

Regarding moats: 

Anyway, it seems clear that water works differently in this version of DF than in earlier versions, and I was wondering how one might go about making a water channel underground without drowning all of one's dwarves.  You see, I'm becoming rather fond of the little buggers.

There's several ways you can go go. You can keep water entirely in closed tunnels separated from everything else and use that to supply either manually measured double floodgate lock systems or a pressure-plate controlled single floodgate system. (the latter can be quite dangerous if you're not careful). Or you can use pumps as a sort of "reset valve"; the water coming out of a pump won't rise above the level of the output. You can also, if you're very careful about drainage capacity and power supply, let it drain to a lower level which is pumped back up to the river.

Any water system should at least have a master shutoff floodgate - a good drainage system from the lowest point water can reach is a plus as well, but it's possible to build that after disaster strikes, if you manage to survive the flood itself.

And, yeah, stones will obscure water from being visible.

6) Now I have a mound of abandoned clothing, armor and weapons, sitting at the entrance to my fortress, left by dead goblins.

Unforbid them.

[Random832]

Doors can also help in containing floods; a closed door does not pass water.

[Random832]

I got a couple:

1) Is there a reason that my dwarfs keep dumping water right on the floor in my booze stockpile? They don't even store it in barrels or anything, just walk in and splash it in a corner. Also, why is water stored on any stockpile to begin with?

You've accidentally designated it as a pond. (I'm not familiar with the controls and can't check right now; someone else can explain how to remove it)

2) What decides on who has kids, and when? There are only 11 kids in my fortress, 8 of which were birthed by my mayor. Maybe its related to her position and the fact that I ignore all of her demands for rooms and mandates. It seems her reproduction abilities are limited only by her ability to carry 2 babies at a time.

Free time probably has a part in it - nobles have lots of free time.

[Srenaeb]

hurt dwarves also kind of blink in a dwarf--> symbol --> dwarf--> symbol way
is that maybe it?
unhappy dwarves will alternate-blink with a down symbol

legendary blinking appears to be constant dwarf symbol "flashing" different shade. kinda green and makes them look like they're going to be ill.

=P then again I use a tileset so my comment above may be completely meaningless.

[Rysith]

ByDurinsBeard:

Regarding pits: well, a channel I can dig.  But how about a fifty-foot deep pit?  The only way I can figure is this:

1) at z-1, dig a channel of appropriate size.
2) dig an access stairwell downward one level.
3) dig out a passage on z-2 equal in size to the channel above it.
4) dig a new channel in the passage on z-2, same size.
5) dig an access stairwell downward one level.
6) go to 3).
7) continue till you've come to the bottom.
8 ) wall off the access stairwells.

Would that work, do you think? 

I use ramps (since you can clear them out behind you as your drop) and trap two good (high master or so) miners in there immediately after they have drunk. I can normally delve 6 or so z-levels (5x10) before they start complaining about being thirsty, and then I have them dig their way back to the rest of the fortress. I suggest dropping your main stairway down as far as you want your pit to go before you start the delve, so that they don't have to carve stairs upwards when they are done.

I normally put my barracks on that level so that when things fall down my military can swarm them while they are lying on the ground with broken legs (and spines, and arms, and...).

Or just fill the entire bottom of the pit with spikes and have your favorite dwarf laugh manically as he pulls the level over and over again.

The top of my entrance tends to look like

Code: [Select]

INSIDE
##XXX##
.=====#
#=====#
#=====#
#=====#
#=====#
#=====#
#=====#
#=====#
#=====#
#=====#
##...##
OUTSIDE

Key:
. = Floor
# = Wall
X = floodgate
= = Bridge

with floodgates to close off the main entrance and divert invaders through the passage on the upper left, which can lead to a maze of twisty little passages and painful death. The wider area and single tile corridor make them all rush onto the drawbridge and bunch up around the entrance to the maze, which makes it easier to catch lots of them per drawbridge cycle. Of course, if they've got trolls or other building destroyers, you'll want to trigger the bridge early to prevent them from breaking through the floodgates, but a few military dwarves should be able to take down unconscious trolls with broken legs pretty easily. Or, again, the spikes.

I suggest building another retractable bridge at z-1, so that you can close off the pit and prevent archers standing at the entrance from firing down at your military in the pit. It also makes a good spot for fortifications on the inside for your archers to shoot enemies at the edge or bottom of the pit.

[Time Kitten]

If your dwarves are a long way from booze, they could be blinking blue for thirsty, I think, and brown for hungry.  For pits I just floor off my single access stair.  Easy enough to deconstruct if something I like gets stuck in there.

[Mr. Svinlesha]

Time for an embarrassing admission. 

The blinking dwarves are legendary.  I just didn't realize you could scroll down the list of their professions, so I couldn't find the profession they were legendary in.

Sorry.

 

[numerobis]

Time for an embarrassing admission. 

The blinking dwarves are legendary.  I just didn't realize you could scroll down the list of their professions, so I couldn't find the profession they were legendary in.

Ah, yes.  That's a minor nuisance, that the set of professions isn't sorted by skill, but by time of acquisition.

By the way, there's another reason for a dwarf to be blinking.  It involves dragons, fire imps, demons, or magma.  I'm sure you'll figure out what I'm talking about soon enough.

[Neonivek]

Give your wrestlers shields, this stops them from oiling up, throwing themselves into a big hairy pile of quivering muscle and taking each other's clothes off

Attempt at Homoeroticism aside there is a form of wrestling where there is significant amount of strategy devoted to actually slipping your hands and other parts between the opponents clothing and their skin (and I think they are greased up too)

[Ademisk]

I got a couple:

1) Is there a reason that my dwarfs keep dumping water right on the floor in my booze stockpile? They don't even store it in barrels or anything, just walk in and splash it in a corner. Also, why is water stored on any stockpile to begin with?

You've accidentally designated it as a pond. (I'm not familiar with the controls and can't check right now; someone else can explain how to remove it)

I'm pretty sure I haven't because this has been happening in all my fortresses so far (only 2, but still). Also, don't you need to designate a pit/pond from a higher z-level. When I tried designating a pit in just a room on the same level, nothing happened, so I don't think it would even be possible for it to be a pond

[i2amroy]

I got a couple:

1) Is there a reason that my dwarfs keep dumping water right on the floor in my booze stockpile? They don't even store it in barrels or anything, just walk in and splash it in a corner. Also, why is water stored on any stockpile to begin with?

You've accidentally designated it as a pond. (I'm not familiar with the controls and can't check right now; someone else can explain how to remove it)

I'm pretty sure I haven't because this has been happening in all my fortresses so far (only 2, but still). Also, don't you need to designate a pit/pond from a higher z-level. When I tried designating a pit in just a room on the same level, nothing happened, so I don't think it would even be possible for it to be a pond

I had this problem to and I was definitely not designating an area as a pond. My main guess is that a dwarf is taking a bucket that has some water in it that is left over after they have given an injured person something to drink. The dwarf then says, "Oh, this is a drink, it goes in the drink stockpile," but water won't go in barrels, so they just go and dump it into a stack of [8] water in the corner.

[Time Kitten]

I got a couple:

1) Is there a reason that my dwarfs keep dumping water right on the floor in my booze stockpile? They don't even store it in barrels or anything, just walk in and splash it in a corner. Also, why is water stored on any stockpile to begin with?

You've accidentally designated it as a pond. (I'm not familiar with the controls and can't check right now; someone else can explain how to remove it)

I'm pretty sure I haven't because this has been happening in all my fortresses so far (only 2, but still). Also, don't you need to designate a pit/pond from a higher z-level. When I tried designating a pit in just a room on the same level, nothing happened, so I don't think it would even be possible for it to be a pond

I had this problem to and I was definitely not designating an area as a pond. My main guess is that a dwarf is taking a bucket that has some water in it that is left over after they have given an injured person something to drink. The dwarf then says, "Oh, this is a drink, it goes in the drink stockpile," but water won't go in barrels, so they just go and dump it into a stack of [8] water in the corner.

[Mr. Svinlesha]

Rysith:

Or just fill the entire bottom of the pit with spikes and have your favorite dwarf laugh manically as he pulls the level over and over again.

I quite like this spike idea.

Do order some dwarf to "make large X spike" and then place them at the bottom of the pit?

[Random832]

I had this problem to and I was definitely not designating an area as a pond. My main guess is that a dwarf is taking a bucket that has some water in it that is left over after they have given an injured person something to drink. The dwarf then says, "Oh, this is a drink, it goes in the drink stockpile," but water won't go in barrels, so they just go and dump it into a stack of [8] water in the corner.

I'd thought he meant they were putting it there, like, as water (i.e. getting it muddy / getting level 1 water on it, not it being like a stack of water as if it's a drink

What tile does "water as a drink" use, anyway?