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[Neonivek]

Well that and certain civilisations had amazing technology in the 1400s.

Since as we know the Mayans had access to Space Age Technology.

[PermanentInk]

And the created gasses from an entire city wouldn't produce enough pressure to justify the construction required to compress them.

Justify construction?  That doesn't sound very dwarfy.

[Neonivek]

Yes lets go beyond the Dwarf Jokes.

The Dwarves are very industrious.

[Footkerchief]

You could sell the salt to traders from inland countries.  Salt was *expensive* in premodern times. 
Or you could build walls out of it.  Actually, why doesn't  DF allready have salt?  It's a minable mineral. 

DF does have rock salt and you can mine it.

[Grendus]

I would fully support desalinization of salt water. I think a magma still would be hilarious, dwarves brewing true firewater, and being able to produce barrels of water (which could then be poured into a cistern to make a well, used for washing by sissy nobles, given to wounded, etc). What would be the advantage of this? One fuel (or none with magma) would result in 25 drink at the cost of 0 food with 0 cost to the worthless haulers, and is a task that any dwarf can do regardless of brewing skill.

I like it.

[Granite26]

I would fully support desalinization of salt water. I think a magma still would be hilarious, dwarves brewing true firewater, and being able to produce barrels of water (which could then be poured into a cistern to make a well, used for washing by sissy nobles, given to wounded, etc). What would be the advantage of this? One fuel (or none with magma) would result in 25 drink at the cost of 0 food with 0 cost to the worthless haulers, and is a task that any dwarf can do regardless of brewing skill.

I like it.

That's not a realistic output though

[Atarlost]

You could sell the salt to traders from inland countries.  Salt was *expensive* in premodern times. 
Or you could build walls out of it.  Actually, why doesn't  DF allready have salt?  It's a minable mineral. 

Salt was expensive because boiling water to get it wasn't economically viable

Transport is also an issue.  Anyone not on the coast can't boil water to get salt.  They have to buy it from either someplace it can be mined or somewhere on the coast. 

[Grendus]

I would fully support desalinization of salt water. I think a magma still would be hilarious, dwarves brewing true firewater, and being able to produce barrels of water (which could then be poured into a cistern to make a well, used for washing by sissy nobles, given to wounded, etc). What would be the advantage of this? One fuel (or none with magma) would result in 25 drink at the cost of 0 food with 0 cost to the worthless haulers, and is a task that any dwarf can do regardless of brewing skill.

I like it.

That's not a realistic output though

Eh, true enough on the fuel, though I expect most players won't want to use fuel condenser for anything but saving the life of an injured champion (which is being fixed next version, so it's a moot point). I suppose the actual input and output would have to be discussed though.

[Atarlost]

You should be able to get enough for one dwarf per condenser with solar in warm or hot and maybe temperate biomes.  You'd need clear glass though. 

[IndonesiaWarMinister]

I think people manages to boil seawater with farm-like structure in the tropics.

Yeah, they farm salt. Lulz ensued. (But it's of poor quality, doesn't have Iodin)

[Granite26]

I think people manages to boil seawater with farm-like structure in the tropics.

Yeah, they farm salt. Lulz ensued. (But it's of poor quality, doesn't have Iodin)

Salt farms are definitely doable... Venetians had some neat ones if I recall correctly.  DF version of let 1/7 layer of water into a huge flat plain, evaporate, collect salt, repeat. (Ok, so maybe there were two or three let water in/evaporate steps per collect, but principle applies.)

Even today it's hard and expensive to get vaporators working in the Middle East to provide potable water.  Sure, a dwarf could work all day to get his water for that day (using day losely).

Using it for Champions relies on the brewing not using water bug

[Grendus]

I think people manages to boil seawater with farm-like structure in the tropics.

Yeah, they farm salt. Lulz ensued. (But it's of poor quality, doesn't have Iodin)

Salt farming isn't uncommon. Chile (sp?) farms salt in one of their deserts for it's high lithium content by running water over lithium-infused sand and evaporating the water. The lithium salts dissolve in the water, then settle in high concentration in the dry lakebeds. This isn't common, since mining out rock salt gives more yield for your effort, but it isn't unheard of and was fairly common in early days.

To my knowledge the brewing not using water "bug" is either intended or a placeholder. It wouldn't be that hard for Toady to set the game to require a bucket of water to produce alcohol, but he didn't. That said, I wouldn't disagree with requiring water to produce booze, most modern civs can't survive without a nearby source of water unless they pay a premium to have it imported (which would require technology not available in the DF age to do on a large scale).

[Aquillion]

You could sell the salt to traders from inland countries.  Salt was *expensive* in premodern times. 
Or you could build walls out of it.  Actually, why doesn't  DF allready have salt?  It's a minable mineral. 

Salt was expensive because boiling water to get it wasn't economically viable

However, that's because early humans couldn't channel magma, which dwarves can.  Obsidian farming wasn't economically viable for humans, either, but it would be for dwarves.

[Neonivek]

Well it isn't economically viable for Dwarves either once Magma starts to become more like magma.

Though I'd think the system to use Magma to heat water may be too complex given how hot, toxic, dense, and unstable Magma is.

[Grendus]

Well it isn't economically viable for Dwarves either once Magma starts to become more like magma.

Though I'd think the system to use Magma to heat water may be too complex given how hot, toxic, dense, and unstable Magma is.

I fully expect Toady to explain how dwarves deal with how hot, toxic, dense, and unstable magma is when he develops the magic arc. Since only dwarves can work it, much like how only elves can make wooden gear, I've always presumed it's part of their 'low magic'.

Though to be fair, geothermal energy is doable. It just requires technology that is too far advanced for the mideval world the game is set in, and slightly more selective conditions. Combine technology and magic, and you end up with something that's a little more realistic.