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[Endek]

Hi,

Is there a way to design above-ground constructions in-game without using raw material and without creating jobs in the same manner that you can use (d)esignate->(m)ine to plan out your excavations before mining starts.

I had a look around the forums and wiki and couldn't see anyone else who had used this idea and thought I might share it with you, and to see if there are any better ways of doing it that I'm missing.

The way I design my above-ground constructions is:
When starting out I change the custom stockpile setting to be completely empty.
I then paint custom stockpiles wherever I want walls to go, replacing them with actual walls as time and resource allows. Changing this stockpile "blueprint" allows me to fix mistakes without the (frankly excessive) time it takes to destroy constructions. Unfortunately it only works for areas with floor or ground.

Thoughts?
Ed

[Rose]

I use notes myself.

unfortunateley, you can't see them out ofthe note screen.

[Albedo]

graph paper ftw. 

[Grumman]

Could you use restricted traffic areas to map out the walls? Unlike stockpiles, they are not limited to areas with a floor.

[Endek]

Hmm, good idea, unfortunately traffic areas don't seem to work as I'd hoped on higher Z-levels, as it will only let you set restrictions if there are constructions within that embark tile on that Z-level.

Certainly works for Z0 though, and once I get my initial walls up I can use it on the next Z-level.

Ed

[grendel]

I use Inkscape with a grid to design my forts. you also might try MS paint fully zoomed in and draw your plans dot for dot,

if you are feeling more sophisticated, try Blender or Sketch up to make 3D models, it takes more time though.

ink scape, bender and sketch up can be downloaded for free, and can be found with a Google search.

[meanjeans]

Thanks for this suggestion grendel... I'd been looking for something like inkscape for a while. Now I just need to learn how to use it.

I use Inkscape with a grid to design my forts. you also might try MS paint fully zoomed in and draw your plans dot for dot,

if you are feeling more sophisticated, try Blender or Sketch up to make 3D models, it takes more time though.

ink scape, bender and sketch up can be downloaded for free, and can be found with a Google search.

[Rowanas]

Everyone else does so much planning than me...

I build a wall to encompass everything. Then I build another wall. then I build a bridge so that people can get to my new walled area. Rinse, repeat. Eventually I end up expanding into every possible area, with only one opening to the outside, safe from sieges and everything except flyers.

[meanjeans]

Everyone else does so much planning than me...

I build a wall to encompass everything. Then I build another wall. then I build a bridge so that people can get to my new walled area. Rinse, repeat. Eventually I end up expanding into every possible area, with only one opening to the outside, safe from sieges and everything except flyers.

Well I haven't actually done any planning yet... just thought about wanting to do planning if I had the right utility...

[Itnetlolor]

I used LEGO™ Digital Designer to pre-fab my airship design.

Although you can't easily piece apart floor-by-floor, it's still useful if you know what you're doing.

I use a 2x2 scale ratio, and as for keeping things to scale and fitting them inside, I also use 2 regular bricks and a flat brick to equal 1 Z.

Examples:

Spoiler: Bottom Deck (Docking) (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: 2nd Deck (Trade Depot) (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: 3rd Deck (Primary Deck) (click to show/hide)

So far, I find this program most user-friendly as well as versatile when planning complex machines/buildings in-game. All built to scale with, amazingly, no foul-ups.

[LordZorintrhox]

I stick to an 'invisible grid' pattern.  Basically, after much trial and error, I arrived at an imaginary grid of 7x7 squares in a grid separated by 1 tile dividing walls.  This is grouped in 3x3 sets of the 7x7 squares surrounded by a 7 wide corridor.  So something like:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

#########################################
###   #############################   ###
##     ###########################     ##
#   X                               X   #
#  X X                             X X  #
#   X                               X   #
##     ###########################     ##
###   #############################   ###
###   #############################   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   #############################   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   #############################   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   ###       #       #       ###   ###
###   #############################   ###
###   #############################   ###
##     ###########################     ##
#   X                               X   #
#  X X                             X X  #
#   X                               X   #
##     ###########################     ##
###   #############################   ###
#########################################

Everything is designed on this block, with each block's corner towers and hallways overlapping.  As long as my rooms fit into a multiple of a 7x7 square, everything will always fit together nicely.  The standardized hallways and towers of stairs at the corners ensure dwarves have access everywhere.  The modularity means I can designate a large section of the fortress's overall design, but keep sections cut off until they are needed with little more that a 1x3 strip.  It is also just about the right size for your first year's fortress, provided you dig larger hallways and use them for storage before you get to fancy them up.  I've trial-and-errored my way to a 'toolkit' of room floor plans that are easy to remember how to build because of the regular geometry.  There are 7x23 halls, 2x2 quarters complex (48 dwarves in one block ), a one block palace, 7x7 stair tower, one-block warehouse, one block rotunda, 2 block grand hall, and the catacombs.  Military installations are simply less-ornate versions of these.

Also, since every stair tower is a known distance from the next, as long as you know where the stairs are, you can layout constructions above ground that line up easily with the tunnels below. 

Plus it looks pretty great with an angled wall tileset.

[meanjeans]

Zorin, I like your design a lot... might copy it next time...

[Duke 2.0]

 I just use Paint.net. Basically MSPaint with a few extra features like layers and such.

[meanjeans]

Hey Grendel,

Do you just use the 'Create rectangles or squares'? That seems a bit clunky to me. Is there anyway to just draw in individual squares? What about inserting other symbols, to represent, say, a staircase, or stockpiles or text lined up with the grid to indicate what a stockpile is for? How do you do all that stuff?

Thanks,

mj

I use Inkscape with a grid to design my forts. you also might try MS paint fully zoomed in and draw your plans dot for dot,

if you are feeling more sophisticated, try Blender or Sketch up to make 3D models, it takes more time though.

ink scape, bender and sketch up can be downloaded for free, and can be found with a Google search.

[Therosfire]

If you are looking to plan your fortresses out ahead of time may I suggest looking at Quickfort? Can plan the whole thing out using spreadsheets then have it auto build, dig, and designate.

http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=35931.0