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[Kalphoenix]

I did some of the offered tutorials, so I think I have most of the "basics" down, but picking a site is a HUGE problem for me.

I'm having issues getting a decent map, I'm kind of a newb, so creating an irrigation system is a huge difficulty for me.  Is there a way to tell before I embark on a site if there is inside soil if I dig into the hill mountain?  Am I better off NOT building into a mountain?

As a newbie (The last time I tried to play was early last summer), are there things I will find an absolute MUST have to start?  Also, I noticed my rooms don't collapse anymore from digging a big room, did this change?

[Snall]

Water is a good indication that u'll have some type of loam or soil somewhere.  Trees are nice to have in abundance...*shrug*

http://dwarf.lendemaindeveille.com/index.php/Main_Page

[Katsuun]

On the embark screen, you should be able to tell if the area has soil on the listed stone layers. And I don't think mountains EVER have soil, you'll need another biome somewhere that has soil.

There are no must-haves. You can make a fort from literally nothing, as long as you can last long enough to import things. And yes, rooms can be as alrge as you want without collapse.

[Taritus]

Well, if you've played since the 2d version, yes that has changed.  If not, you're silly as rooms have never collapsed that were bigger than 7x7 in the 3d version.  Things collapse now if they're not connected to other bits of land.  As long as something, somewhere, is holding up a bit of land it will stay up, no matter how big it is.

Just look for soil types in your biome.  If you see things like loam or sand you can plant on those.

[Kalphoenix]

D'oh!  Thanks.  You'd think "loam" would be self-explanatory for me, but apparently not.  Thanks all!

And yeah, when I used to play and make rooms, if they were bigger than 7x7 they would collapse.  Now they don't seem to collapse at all.  I'm really digging the Z-axis thing.

[LegoLord]

Well, if you've played since the 2d version, yes that has changed.  If not, you're silly as rooms have never collapsed that were bigger than 7x7 in the 3d version.  Things collapse now if they're not connected to other bits of land.  As long as something, somewhere, is holding up a bit of land it will stay up, no matter how big it is.

Hey, hey, calm down.  He may have read Boatmurdered.  That confuses a lot of new players.

Boatmurdered was a story of the 2D version, so a lot has changed.  Don't worry about elephants (as long as you have no hunters), but carp should be avoided.  If you see giant eagles, abandon.  You shouldn't mess with the latter until you are more familiar with the game, unless you want a spectacular loss at the beginning of a fort.

[Snall]

Yeah I was leaving pillars in my large rooms to keep them stable..doh.

[zchris13]

I was leaving pillars in my rooms for aesthetic purposes.

[sweitx]

I like pillars in my rooms too to make it more pleasing looking (once have a sewage system where the lowest level is just one massive room with pillar in 7x7 spacing).

Back on topic, if you see one of the formation in embark in brown or yellow, those means there are soil layers present.
However, if you REALLY need to embark in a mountainous region without soil.  You can irrigate the desired land using the following step.

1. Build a few buckets.
2. Find a place where you need a farm.
3. Channel out the ceiling of said farm (if you need underground farm, make sure the floor above is still indoor).
4. Set the channels as a pond, and set them to be filled with water (make sure you designate a couple of zones separately so they all generate their own tasks).
5. After your dwarf bring the water, you will have an irrigated farm.

NOTE:  The above will not be efficient if Toady decides to re-implement the requirement that farm be re-irrigated once in a while.

[LegacyCWAL]

Well, if you've played since the 2d version, yes that has changed.  If not, you're silly as rooms have never collapsed that were bigger than 7x7 in the 3d version.  Things collapse now if they're not connected to other bits of land.  As long as something, somewhere, is holding up a bit of land it will stay up, no matter how big it is.

Hey, hey, calm down.  He may have read Boatmurdered.  That confuses a lot of new players.

Boatmurdered was a story of the 2D version, so a lot has changed.  Don't worry about elephants (as long as you have no hunters), but carp should be avoided.  If you see giant eagles, abandon.  You shouldn't mess with the latter until you are more familiar with the game, unless you want a spectacular loss at the beginning of a fort.

I've never had problems with giant eagles.  As long as you stay away from the area they generally hang out in, they don't seem to bother you.

Skeletal giant eagles, on the other hand, are (from what I've heard) a bloodbath waiting to happen.