Just spent the last four hours finding the perfect embark site (a cliff with a waterfall and sedimentary layers) and laying the skeleton of my new fort concept. Carefully laid plans involving maximum z-level dwarf action, with routes between all areas, and best of all, an interconnected system of waterfalls which fed thru the whole thing. The first underground layer looked like a circuit board, where I fed in the river water individually to each waterfall (Im new, and was afraid of wierdness if I tried to just split flows). Thru it all, I managed to build up the basics of dwarf society, cramming people into unfinished areas which would soon be expansive, mist filled halls for revelling and admiring the engravings of vanquished mega-beasts.
Anyhow, after much ado, I was finally ready to dig the channels. Mechanisms in place? Check. Floodgates working properly? Check. Drainage system ready and sealed? Check. Ok. Dig those ditches, guys. Two squares of channel per waterfall. No problem. Ok.. no... wai....WHY DID YOU JUMP INTO THE CHANNELS YOU FORKING BEARDED IDIOTS!!!! QUICK!! ACK! RUN BACK OUT!! What do you mean, the CURRENT is TOO STRONG!?! ok.. ok.. dont panic.. Dig your way out. What do you mean, you cant dig in waist deep water?? Shit! Ok.. fuck, now you are drowning? Ok, sorry -oops I mean, "We are going to try something. We are going to get you out. DO NOT PANIC!"
(hushed voice) "Pull the lever."
You sure boss? Ok.
Flood gates open. Dwarves fall eleven z levels into a pile of broken obsidian. (seriously, of all rubble, it had to be volcanic glass). Kinda wishing I had installed individual switches to each gate, some water *might* have broken their fall, but hey hind-sight is 20-20, right? Miraculously, one guy actually lived. Id put him on traction (he has a broken everything), but we dont have any. Hoping "Doc" can fix him up with the two pieces of cloth and the two thread I brought on embark. Havent had much time to set up a hospital, what with all the digging going on... We are already getting to work on his burial slab, tho, in the interests of saving time in the future.
But man, those waterfalls are impressive! =) Every single level, fall after fall, misty rooms... The new immigrants love it already. Hey, any of you guys good with a pick?
(seriously tho, its lame to have to build a wall then suspend it for something as dumb as not having the AI path into a newly dug ditch with no exits. WTF.)