Print

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

The new channeling is covered in awesome sauce, the old channeling smelled real bad.

113 (19.3%)

The old channeling was the best, we don't need two ways to make ramps it is just silly.

245 (41.8%)

Old channeling was the best, new channeling is also the best.  Can't we all just get along?

132 (22.5%)

You people need to get on with your lives, it's not a big deal either way.

96 (16.4%)

Total Members Voted: 583

[Grocer]

What do people really think about the change to the channeling designation.  This is the bug report thread, but it isn't an actual bug so discussion should probably happen in the suggestions thread.

EDIT:  Some clarification because my options are too obtuse.

Option one is in favor of the new system and opposes restoration of the old system.

Option two is in favor of the old system and removal of the new system.

Option three is for keeping the new system, but also reinstating the old system.

Option four is for indicating that people who care about this are overreacting.


Why there are no other options:

There have been a dozen different suggestions for fixing this.  Most boil down to one of the 4 listed, in some variation.  Some are not listed because they don't actually resolve people's issues.  For example (and this is just an example, do not take this as a personal slight) there is no option for making ramps removable from above because it does not address the pathfinding problem with ramping into dangerous flows (embark on freezing biome > breach aquifer > lose dwarves and picks).

In interests of full disclosure the vote totals at the time I posted this clarification were as follows:
1: 22 (21.6%)
2: 48 (47.1%)
3: 18 (17.6%)
4: 14 (13.7%)

[Deathworks]

Hi!

Actually, I had a difficult time choosing between option 3 and 4. But I picked 3 in the end because I like the "let's all get along" part.

Deathworks

[AncientEnemy]

there is no 'new' channeling, it was just taken away. the new version split 'dig up ramp' in two (dig up ramp and dig up ramp from above, three if you count 'remove floor without wall below it'), and deleted channeling entirely. I am not fond of features being removed (even if you duplicate an existing feature and rename it :p), and I don't agree with rationalization that it was a 'balance' issue to prevent people from 'quickly channeling a moat to block attackers'. removing the feature doesn't prevent this, just makes doing so slightly slower. so all the change does is put a small dent in an incredibly minor issue, at the cost of omitting a feature.

[Grocer]

there is no 'new' channeling, it was just taken away.

Mostly, yes, but I wanted to call it something short and obvious cause my poll options are already too verbose.  Verbose like a fox!

/quibble

[CaptApollo12]

I am liking the results.    I really like old channeling. Keep in mind old channeling should at least beat the other option my 2 or 3 times because most people who are going to this thread are people for the old channeling. - If that makes sense.

I think a large amount of people feel strongly for the old channeling.

[katroclopse]

Hm:
     I prefer this new channeling.  I very nearly voted for the fourth* choice just to encourage an end to this silly scuffle.  Now, I'm not sure I would say it's covered in awesome sauce; but, I feel that this version more accurately portrays the act of channeling. 
     Perhaps a new function could be brought in: "dig vertical pit with rope" but that would seem to be a rather bulky thing to have added to the designations menu. 
     As for breaching, I think its odd to expect a dwarf to be able to mine/"clean" out an area and then teleport out of their hole before a wall of magma reduces them to less than ash--especially since that would mean removing all barrier to the magma down to the floor before exiting, rather than just removing a foot or two to allow spillover--.
     One major thing I attribute this new form of channeling is the death of two of my miners; apparently it is a very poor idea to select multiple z-levels to be channeled out at once, especially if the layer under the designated z-levels is already mined out. >_<

*: This number was changed to four due to the redefinition of the voting terms, though the primary choice remains the same.

[Lemunde]

I love the new channeling system.  Before I would have to designate channels one row at a time and that got tedious.  Now I can channel out a whole area with impunity and simply remove the ramps I don't want.

[barconis]

I like the new scheme. Partly because it's an easy way to cut ramps, partly because it seems more 'realistic', but mostly because you have to think a little more about the job. I channelled a moat in the new style from a river and over a cliff; dwarves would still path across it even though fairly often they got swept to thier deaths. Yeah, it's more of a pain to build a real moat, but there's chances for fun.

[Riloki]

I want an option in the init to toggle :/

Or just the ability to remove ramps from above -.-

[Pickled Tink]

I'm sick of losing semi-expendable dwarves, and not-so-expendable picks to magma, ice, water, and carp.

If the change was for what it has been said it was for, then it not only failed to achieve it's goal, but it introduced a very large number of situations where you will lose a dwarf.

It is also displeasing to the eye.

Also, I personally never used channels for a defense. I always left the door wide open for the goblins and diverted them into a lovely tunnel that would trap them until they got a bath. No dirty goblins in my forts.

[Particleman]

I'd like to have the old channeling back.

[Deathworks]

Hi!

I am liking the results.  :)  I really like old channeling. Keep in mind old channeling should at least beat the other option my 2 or 3 times because most people who are going to this thread are people for the old channeling. - If that makes sense.

I think a large amount of people feel strongly for the old channeling.

I agree that this topic is likely to draw forth mostly those in favor of the old channelling, followed by those who are violently against the old channelling, with those indifferent probably also being indifferent towards the poll itself.

This being said, I still think the poll serves a useful function - especially if you compare its participation to other suggestion polls here on the forums. Even if you get 100% pro the old channelling, if the total votes are just 5% of the total votes the average suggestion poll gets, most people don't really care or don't want the old channelling back after all - or they would have voted as they voted for any other suggestion.

Some people are quite loud about their opinions, but I think it is more interesting how many people have those views rather than how loud those people are. So, I am looking forward to the numerical results.

Deathworks

[JohnLukeG]

This change added nothing new (you simply had to designate upward ramps from the Z-level below in the old version to achieve the new channeling effect), and it forces you to leave underwater/magma ramps everywhere.  I hate it. 

If Toady did this to prevent making moats, all he's done is added an extra step to the process, at the expense of a valuable tool. 

[LordDemon]

I don't really mind, bu I'd love for it to be possible to remove the ramps without going to the pit. This way you could easier make the old style channels. If I want a prisoner pit, it is going to be one where thhy can't climb back up from. And possibly one that can be filled with water/magma, depending on what I want at the time, but thatis just dwarwen engineering.

[Safe-Keeper]

I personally love it -- in part because ramps are removed as you expand the holes you dig. Couple it with the option to remove ramps from above, or implement ladders so that they can climb out safely after removing them from the inside, and we have ourselves a great system.