Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[tme321]

I'm new here, I did a quick search but couldn't find anything related to this.  Sorry if it's already been discussed.  But anyway, I'm running the newest version, 40d, and I was wondering if this was a bug or an intended feature of the game.

I am on a map that has plenty of flux (dolomite if it matters) and iron (hematite).  Early on I had no problem making tons of steel stuff through charcoal fuel.  I found a magma pipe and now have lots of magma forges and smelters.  However, my magma smelters still require 1 unit of fuel (charcoal in this case) to make pig iron, and 1 to make steel.  What I mean is, if I have no coal in my fortress and I go to the smelters I do not have the option to make pig iron or steel.  If I create some charcoal from wood at a wood furnace I then have the option to make pig iron and steel.

Is this working as intended?  I figured that magma would solve all my fuel needs, but as it stands now I still need fuel of some kind to keep a steel economy going.  I thought magma was supposed to replace other forms of fuel.  Keep in mind that I am positive my magma smelters and forges are correctly placed, because I can make non-steel materials for no fuel cost to my hears desire as long as I have the components.

Any idea what is going on?  Am I doing something wrong?  Did I just miss how this is supposed to work?  Thanks for any help.

[Ziusudra]

As intended. The fuel provides the carbon needed for steel while flux allows the iron and carbon to mix.

[Quietust]

In other words, making pig iron and steel uses coal as an ingredient, not as fuel. Back in the old 2D version, making steel at a non-magma forge actually required 2 units of coal (one as ingredient, one as fuel), though the 3D version seems to allow a single unit of coal to serve both purposes.

[eerr]

Steel is expensive, no?