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[Yagrum Bagarn]

Edit: This has evolved into a discussion on game balance concerning how difficult it is to obtain a metal versus how useful the metal is.


I've been thinking about the process of steel production.  Let's review, shall we?

1. obtain ore
2. obtain fuel
3. create iron
4. (see 1-3)
5. obtain flux
6. create pig iron
7. (repeat steps 2 and 5)
9. create steel

Total material used: 2 iron ore, 4 fuel, 2 flux.

We go through all of this to make a metal that we can request in mass from the trade caravans.  Some players are even skipping it to work with HFS.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

adamantine and slade

I don't know if a steel industry is worth it.  It's hard.  While I think I can say that DF players don't mind difficulty (losing is fun, after all), shouldn't there be some greater payoff for making such a difficult to obtain metal?  We hardly need another super-metal, though, so why not simplify the process instead?

Now, imagine if it only took three smelter reactions: two to produce two bars of iron, one¹ to turn those bars into steel.  You can't make anything out of pig iron anyway.  The total cost in flux and fuel could remain the same, or the fuel cost could be reduced to thee.  I think that might be more in line with steel's place in the current release.

I don't think I'm suggesting a big change, just a small one to streamline production.  The difference would come in the form of less running back and forth to the bar stockpile to deposit/grab pig iron.  If this gets support here, I'll take it to the suggestions forum.

If I've missed something, or if you disagree with me, don't hesitate to relieve me of ignorance.

¹I realize you can simply mod in a smelter reaction to do this.  The point of officially changing it is to comply with the rules of challenges that require you to use vanilla DF. [/i]

[ISGC]

if you want to talk about changing the game itself, this should probably be in "suggestions"

[Mister Lingo]

I do agree with you in part, I think it would be better if were streamlined. Like maybe when you select "make steel bars" your dwarfs would carry out the whole process instead of going through coal, magnetite, iron, pig iron etc.
The complexity is good (and somewhat realistic) but you're right, it drags on.
Oh, and nice morrowind reference in your sig 

[Yagrum Bagarn]

ISGC, I figured I'd ask the people on this subforum first, since it's us that it'd affect most, being a change to Fortress mode.

If you all really think I should take it direction to Suggestions, I will.

Mister Lingo, you're basically saying "yes, but streamline it even more."

[ISGC]

BTW I love your name
best dwarf ever.  by default

[Mister Lingo]

Do you think that would mess up the game? Less time, same process.
Oops, I read that wrong. Yep I agree. Definitly wouldn't want to change the core of the game though.

[Phmcw]

Just add a "make steel" reaction at the smelter that use two Iron bar and one flux. Problem solved, you can do that by modding easily.
I might do it actually.

[Yagrum Bagarn]

Just add a "make steel" reaction at the smelter...

Like I said, the point of changing it is to comply with "vanilla DF only" rules in challenges and the like.

[Retro]

I've been playing almost a year and I've yet to try and make my own steel, nor have I bothered with pig iron. If I want steel I request it or melt what my enemies bring - and if they're using purely iron equipment, that's probably good enough for my massive over-trained dwarves. So I guess for me I've never seen the process as worth it, in which case I agree with the OP.

[Urist Imiknorris]

My solution: Chalk. I have two smelters running at full power. One is repeating "Make Coke form Lignite" and "Make Coke from Bituminous Coal."

The other one's tasklist:

Smelt Magnetite Ore /R
Smelt Magnetite Ore /R
Make Pig Iron Bars /R
Make Steel Bars /R

And none of my stockpiles accept iron or pig iron bars.

[Qloos]

I've made steel, if you have all the materials available it ain't too much trouble.

[!!Zombie Carp!!]

My solution: Chalk. I have two smelters running at full power. One is repeating "Make Coke form Lignite" and "Make Coke from Bituminous Coal."

The other one's tasklist:

Smelt Magnetite Ore /R
Smelt Magnetite Ore /R
Make Pig Iron Bars /R
Make Steel Bars /R

And none of my stockpiles accept iron or pig iron bars.

And then a dwarf goes on break and the entire thing... well, breaks. 
I need to try that though. Maybe use work orders for less micromanagement...

*wanders off mumbling*

[Urist Imiknorris]

My solution: Chalk. I have two smelters running at full power. One is repeating "Make Coke form Lignite" and "Make Coke from Bituminous Coal."

The other one's tasklist:

Smelt Magnetite Ore /R
Smelt Magnetite Ore /R
Make Pig Iron Bars /R
Make Steel Bars /R

And none of my stockpiles accept iron or pig iron bars.

And then a dwarf goes on break and the entire thing... well, breaks. 
I need to try that though. Maybe use work orders for less micromanagement...

*wanders off mumbling*

Having five furnace operators to three furnaces helps this a lot.

[Yagrum Bagarn]

I'm not saying that making steel isn't doable.  It's just more difficult than the payout justifies it being. Thus, some streamlining for steel production would more evenly balance the metals in the game.

That seems to me the simplest, easiest, most sensible option. 

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I suppose you could also make it more difficult to processes adamantine and slade, but adding that to the other hazards might be a bit silly.  Stand extraction already takes a long time anyway, unless you get a high master strand extractor in an immigration wave.  (I got one in my first DF2010 fortress.)

[Arrkhal]

It'll probably be more worth it in more realistic future versions.  Clownite is probably way too common at present.  And I've poked around in the raws, and wrought iron has the same material properties as stainless steel.  Once iron is as strong as, you know, iron, and clownite is as rare and precious as it should be, steel will be the king of metals.