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Author Topic: Sea Fortress, fishing for advice  (Read 1953 times)

Inquisitor Saturn

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Sea Fortress, fishing for advice
« on: August 20, 2009, 06:36:00 pm »

So I'm gonna start a fortress whose main portion will be sitting in a shallow portion of an evil sea. What I want to know is, what method should I use to lay the foundation? As far as I know, I have three options: Pump Ring, Magma Pour, or Lignite Box.

Pump Ring
Pros: Safest method. Materials only involve wood and stone.
Cons: Need LOTS of wood. FPS-raping.

Magma Pour
Pros: Obsidian island. Delivery of magma lays framework for later magma workshops. Done this before with good success.
Cons: Takes lots of construction. Very time-consuming. Semi-dangerous.

Lignite Box
Pros: ???
Cons: Never done this before.

Before I can make a decision, I need to know what the lignite-box draining method entails. I know it involves putting lignite in an iron box and then lighting that on fire, but how much would I need to clear a sizable foundation, is it a major FPS hog, can I safely move a box filled with burning lignite, etc.
The part of the ocean I'll be working with is only one z-level deep.

So what shall I do?
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Rowanas

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Re: Sea Fortress, fishing for advice
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2009, 06:54:00 pm »

As always, the answer is magma. You have experience, it lays good foundations, it gives you obsidian, and in the meantime your dwarves can hunker down and make temporary shelter.
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I agree with Urist. Steampunk is like Darth Vader winning Holland's Next Top Model. It would be awesome but not something I'd like in this game.
Unfortunately dying involves the amputation of the entire body from the dwarf.

Phantom

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Re: Sea Fortress, fishing for advice
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2009, 06:54:10 pm »

Lignite box for blowing up the ocean, island, good except for zombies or skeletals, pump ring fine.
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Quietust

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Re: Sea Fortress, fishing for advice
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2009, 09:20:26 pm »

From what others have posted, dropping a burning lignite bin into the ocean supposedly behaves the same as draining the ocean into an aquifer - intense lag (think "1 frame per minute") as all pressurized water instantly gets sucked in (within a hundred steps or so, every Z-level of the ocean above the hole will be 7/7 with air above it), followed by 20-30fps as the remaining water flows around normally and the side of the map desperately tries to refill the ocean.
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P.S. If you don't get this note, let me know and I'll write you another.
It's amazing how dwarves can make a stack of bones completely waterproof and magmaproof.
It's amazing how they can make an entire floodgate out of the bones of 2 cats.

Inquisitor Saturn

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Re: Sea Fortress, fishing for advice
« Reply #4 on: August 21, 2009, 10:19:07 am »

Decided to go with the tried-and-true magma method. You can see a film of the pouring of the thing here. The pumps are made of wood and basalt! It seems that using magma-proof materials is wholly unnecessary in this regard. The floodgate is still made from iron with bauxite mechanisms, however. And before you ask, this game is unmodified.
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Rowanas

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Re: Sea Fortress, fishing for advice
« Reply #5 on: August 21, 2009, 11:56:52 am »

Cool. Now you've got to get over there.
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I agree with Urist. Steampunk is like Darth Vader winning Holland's Next Top Model. It would be awesome but not something I'd like in this game.
Unfortunately dying involves the amputation of the entire body from the dwarf.

Inquisitor Saturn

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Re: Sea Fortress, fishing for advice
« Reply #6 on: August 21, 2009, 10:22:09 pm »

Bad news, everyone. Something went wrong mid-pouring(not sure what, but the newly-dug entrance hall was filled with magma. I discovered this the moment after the yearly backup save, so I have to go back a year to before I even started pouring! Curses!
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IronBeer

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Re: Sea Fortress, fishing for advice
« Reply #7 on: August 21, 2009, 10:56:36 pm »

Mentioned this before in another underwater fort thread- if you're gonna use windows, be careful. I've heard that some sharks can destroy them.
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Hyndis

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Re: Sea Fortress, fishing for advice
« Reply #8 on: August 22, 2009, 03:10:41 am »

Bad news, everyone. Something went wrong mid-pouring(not sure what, but the newly-dug entrance hall was filled with magma. I discovered this the moment after the yearly backup save, so I have to go back a year to before I even started pouring! Curses!

Isn't it amazing how often magma is accidentially diverted into your meeting hall?  :D
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DeathOfRats

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Re: Sea Fortress, fishing for advice
« Reply #9 on: August 22, 2009, 07:11:15 am »

Bad news, everyone. Something went wrong mid-pouring(not sure what, but the newly-dug entrance hall was filled with magma. I discovered this the moment after the yearly backup save, so I have to go back a year to before I even started pouring! Curses!

Isn't it amazing how often magma is accidentially diverted into your meeting hall?  :D

Erm... yeah, accidentally, hehe *discreetly pushes missing mechanism under bed with a foot*  ;)
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EagleV

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Re: Sea Fortress, fishing for advice
« Reply #10 on: August 22, 2009, 07:42:52 am »

The pumps are made of wood and basalt! It seems that using magma-proof materials is wholly unnecessary in this regard.

Something went wrong mid-pouring(not sure what, but the newly-dug entrance hall was filled with magma.

Wooden pumps will quickly wear, possibly because the magma heats the surrounding tiles. I suggest stone/metal or glass pumps.
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Quote from: Robert Donoghue and Fred Hicks
There are three things you must learn if you wish to defeat me, my young pupil. First, you must look within yourself and find your core of strength. Second, your mind and body must be in perfect unison. Third...
*WHACK*
Third, stop listening when you should be fighting.

Inquisitor Saturn

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Re: Sea Fortress, fishing for advice
« Reply #11 on: August 22, 2009, 12:26:53 pm »

Pumps wear down? Really? I had no idea.
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Demonic Spoon

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Re: Sea Fortress, fishing for advice
« Reply #12 on: August 22, 2009, 12:28:37 pm »

No, wooden pumps wear down if they pump magma.
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Inquisitor Saturn

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Re: Sea Fortress, fishing for advice
« Reply #13 on: August 22, 2009, 12:36:35 pm »

That's very strange. Why wood in particular, and why over time instead of immediately?
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EagleV

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Re: Sea Fortress, fishing for advice
« Reply #14 on: August 22, 2009, 01:07:14 pm »

Because they don't burn immediately from the magma, but get too warm eventually. Obviously, stone won't burn even if it gets very warm.
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Quote from: Robert Donoghue and Fred Hicks
There are three things you must learn if you wish to defeat me, my young pupil. First, you must look within yourself and find your core of strength. Second, your mind and body must be in perfect unison. Third...
*WHACK*
Third, stop listening when you should be fighting.
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