However, if you consider the staggering size of that, imagine the MASSIVE amount of stone that could result. We are going to need a far more efficient method of dealing with excess stone if we are going to do much more than a small borehole and a few long tunnels down that deep.
This brings up another question:
When will there be more efficient ways of dealing with excess stone? I know we have ways to get rid of it, but it has to be hauled first and hauling stone one by one is extremely inefficient when we are talking about tens of thousands of rock. A few thousand is doable if you have patience or you use [SPEED:0], but with tens of thousands, it takes quite a while even with [SPEED:0]
So, when will we be getting a portable (or otherwise mobile) mining laser to vaporize said rock? (making a joke, obviously)
Actually, I think rock hauling is about right as it is; its everything-else-hauling that needs, appropriately enough, an overhaul.
I figure (and correct me if i'm wrong) a "rock" as depicted in-game represents one tile worth of stone. That's a LOT of stone. Several tons worth. A single dwarf can carry all that stone in one go, but that's ok because realistically a day would take more than about 30 seconds and they'd just make a lot of trips. Still, rock hauling IS a big task, and I wouldn't object if it became a full-time job for half a dozen dwarves in a mature fortress... although it'd be nice if they got some kind of strength gain for all that heavy lifting.
What bothers me is that a rock representing several tons of stone takes up as much space in a dwarf's hands as an axe, or a crossbow bolt, or a coin. If his hands are "full", he can't carry anything else, but I think most of us are capable of carrying more than two objects with us most of the time. Do you have a set of keys and a phone on you? Oh crap, i'm overburdened, I'll have to drop my wallet! Methinks dwaves need to discover the awesome power of pockets. Or perhaps using bags attached to belts would be a more old-timey solution.
I agree with you in principle though; hauling
does need an overhaul at some point, but I think moving chunks of mountin around
should be a little labor-intensive.