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[Itnetlolor]

I don't know the last time a thread about traps has been made, but why not? We have those who are pretty good with the newer version of DF, and those who still play 40d. Share your experiences in the world of trap making and innovating.

Basically, this thread is to show what kinds of crazy conTRAPtions or at least ideas anyone has made or come up with.


I figure since I have my own ideas for my new fortress (40d revisit), I'll see what I can at least share.

Simple description (until I build a sample):
A death-cube with multiple paths (or more like a 3-tiered death-stack), depending on what I want to happen to my invaders.

Simply put, it begins with a fork in the road which is decided by a series of levers which control floodgates/drawbridges, and ends with the same 1 exit which leads to the barracks (with it's own airlock which can switch to a drop-bridge pressure plated trap which is JUST too long a distance to make it to the front door (2 10-tile long drop-bridges controlled by a single pressure plate, also linked to a manual control lever); resulting in going through the gallery again, if they survived it the first time (which also allows for me to select a different path for them to take.

Now for the fun part, the trap system itself:
Upper- Boiler/Windmill-powered spike strip (visible from above). 1212 setup. (1=trap-A 2=Trap-B)
Middle- Standard-ish Indiana-Urist style trap gallery which intensifies closer to the entrance it goes.
   -(Cages, stones, whips, corkscrews, saw blades, etc.; We tenderize before we slice and dice.)
Lower- Spare security animal pit (war dog breeding program and etc.) as well as a one-on-one against a champion. Primarily to deal with sneaky Kobolds.

In order to clean up the whole mess and narrow the pathfiinding, the walls will be made of 1-tile thick drawbridges that serve as retractable walls. And in case they get destroyed, invaders will still have to go through the course or deal with the course below it.

Of course, cleanup will have to require shutting off the spike strip first, which surprisingly, I may have a trick or 2 up my sleeve regarding the automatic trigger system. Think of it as a boiler that can be shut off when needed. Thanks to Bloodfist for giving me the idea. Think of my boiler concept, but with a hatch installed to store the 7/7 water that gets pumped through. It ought to keep the boiler airtight, but still serve as a pressure plate repeater system.

Spoiler: Boiler-repeater ideas (click to show/hide)

EDIT:
Tested placing a hatch on top of a slot in a boiler, it works. I think I have the perfect repeater switch now. Now all I need is a drop-pot design (maybe I'll just stick with a hollow 3x3 with a hatch to drop with) for the outdoor boilers so they can serve as a primer/start switch. I can dis-assemble it after the boiler is kick-started. The boiler is inspired by someone else's repeater/boiler design modification of mine, with a slight adjustment of my own. I think I'll make mine out of something instead of copper, thanks to the loads of chalk on site (See: New WaveHandle).

Designs will come up soon enough. I just had to test a concept. Thanks Bloodfist for your participation in my experiment.

EDIT EDIT EDIT:
Considering how the boiler-repeater is setup, and how pressure switches can trigger the pumps, why not install the hatch in the top spot? No need for a drop-pot. It would double as a trigger as well, considering pressure-switching activates per-pump. EX: Z=0 triggers Z-1 pump, Z=1 triggers Z-2 Pump. IF(Hatch=OPEN, Fall; Hatch=CLOSED, Continue process until STOPPED), IF(ON-HATCH=7/7, it works).

Simple, no?

Spoiler: Boiler Design (Can be oriented in any direction as you see fit) (click to show/hide)

Z-4 (TOP)
++++++
++++O+   - O = Pit/Pond (optional hatch/drawbridge included)
++++++   - + = Floor Tile
Z-3
╔════╗
║ %%#║   - # = Hatch covering top-bottom shaft (triggered from outside source)
╚════╝   -Pump Direction /-> (Right % acts as a wall) (Activated by Z-2 Pressure Switch)
Z-2
╔════╗
║^%% ║   - ^ = Pressure switch activates above pump as well as spikes "2"; ditto below.
╚════╝   -Pump Direction <-\ (Left % acts as a wall) (Activated by Z-1 Pressure Switch)
Z-1 (BOTTOM)
   ╔═╗
   ║^║   -Floor Tile that holds the water as well. Pressure switch included, but with spikes "1".
   ╚═╝

Note: The hatch should act as a trigger that catches any remaining water that triggers the pressure switches as they are pumped through. Reload if necessary.

With the hatch in play, it provides room for modification to the trigger devices just in case. Pretty efficient and effective repeater design huh?

EDIT EDIT:
My Design Idea: (Top and Mid tiers' interior walls are retracted drawbridges which turn into floors for cleanup)

Spoiler: Top Tier (1-2 spikestrip) (click to show/hide)

        ╔═══════════╗
Exit -->║1╦121╦121╦1║  <-- Entrance
        ║2║2╦2║2╦2║2║
        ║1║1║1║1║1║1║
        ║2║2║2║2║2║2║
        ║1║1║1║1║1║1║
        ║2║2║2║2║2║2║
        ║1║1║1║1║1║1║
        ║2║2║2║2║2║2║
        ║1╩1║1╩1║1╩1║
        ║212╩212╩212║
        ╚═══════════╝

Spoiler: Middle Tier (Indy-Urist Ver 2.0) (click to show/hide)

        ╔═══════════╗
        ║ B ╦ B ╦ B ║
        ║I╦O║K╦W║S╦C║   -C= Cage Trap
        ║I║O║K║W║S║C║   -S= Stone-Fall
        ║I║O║K║W║S║C║   -W= Whip Trap
        ║I║O║K║W║S║C║   -K= Corkscrew Trap
        ║I║O║K║W║S║C║   -O= Circular Saw Trap
        ║I║O║K║W║S║C║   -I= Sword Trap
        ║I║O║K║W║S║C║   -B= Crossbow Trap
        ║I║O╩K║W╩S║C║
Exit -->║ ╩ B ╩ B ╩C║  <-- Entrance
        ╚═══════════╝

Spoiler: Bottom Tier (Animal House) (click to show/hide)

        ╔╠═════════╣╗  <--------- Only retractable part as to not crush animals, but still gain easy-access. Plus, a view of outside, or dirt wall.
Exit -->║ O   O   O ║  <-- Entrance
        ║§║§O§║§O§║§║
        ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║
        ║§║§║§║§║§║§║
        ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║
        ║§║§║§║§║§║§║
        ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║
        ║§║§║§║§║§║§║
        ║ O ║ O ║ O ║
        ║§ §O§ §O§ §║   -§=Animal Chains
        ╚═══════════╝

Note:
I noticed the bottom tier is an Achilles's heel provided a building destroyer invades.
But then again, I wouldn't allow it to path through there, now would I?

Regarding my prisoners, I'll see what I can arrange to have the most fun with them. Why not a prison airlock system? Cage traps are setup nearby, actual releasable cages are at a one-way track to go into the fork in the road, grab a seat and watch.

EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT:
I guess I should mention that this design I am currently using is mostly for 40d, where cage traps are still effective, and other old ideas can still work as they are designed. I haven't put in enough game time into the newer version yet to come up with any ideas relevant to it.

[Huggz]

I am currently building up a stockpile of exotic animals, I plan to have a 10x2x5 pit dug that I can drop invaders down where they will be torn apart. Currently I have a crocodile, a hippo, and a chimpanzee... If it wasn'tt my official policy to kill every group of elven traders that visits I would have more, but hey...

[Corbald]

I'm working on a concept for an automated, resettable, auto-cleaning obsidian cave-in trap. Failing that, a steam cooker trap would be interesting, and fairly easy, if I understand the mechanics correctly.

[Huggz]

Wait.. Steam has gone back to being deadly?

[Indricotherium]

Wait.. Steam has gone back to being deadly?

I just had an extended slugfest with an undying steam beast and none of the hundreds of gouts of steam that erupted from it seemed to harm the dwarfs, humans or war animals engaged.

[Daetrin]

My next fort I am planning to have four entrances, each with a sepentine path ending in an open room.  These will be sealed by drawbridges capping ramps, and bridge/moat for the outside. Each will be floodable with either water or magma. Two will have trade depots in the open space (in case one is "occupied"), but either way that space is for my military to fight invaders when needed.  I will have traps, but any that are going in the entries before the depot will have to be magma safe.

This is as much to kill things as it is a way to prevent having to deal with all the crap goblins leave.  Even for ambushes I can simply periodically flood the area and melt any remaining iron/steel.  Also I can trap large portions of a siege prior to slaughtering them to prevent that damn war leader from runnng away...

[alfie275]

Wait.. Steam has gone back to being deadly?

I just had an extended slugfest with an undying steam beast and none of the hundreds of gouts of steam that erupted from it seemed to harm the dwarfs, humans or war animals engaged.

Couldn't you theoretically have a layer of magma, then a layer of steam above that will be heated really hot then released when the hatches covering the grates above are opened?

Do metal floors transfer heat better?

[Hyndis]

Wait.. Steam has gone back to being deadly?

I just had an extended slugfest with an undying steam beast and none of the hundreds of gouts of steam that erupted from it seemed to harm the dwarfs, humans or war animals engaged.

Couldn't you theoretically have a layer of magma, then a layer of steam above that will be heated really hot then released when the hatches covering the grates above are opened?

Do metal floors transfer heat better?

Melting wet dwarves was fixed in one of the previous releases. Water no longer causes nearby magma to melt dwarves.

[alfie275]

I was wondering wether metal floor tiles will get really hot and hurt creature on it.

[Greiger]

Fraid not, magma heat transfer is fairly basic.  Tiles with magma in it are something like 300○F  Magma adjacent are only 110○F  (Numbers are estimates from memory, a quick look around in stonesense with debug mode on will give you the actual temperatures.)

[Hyndis]

Fraid not, magma heat transfer is fairly basic.  Tiles with magma in it are something like 300○F  Magma adjacent are only 110○F  (Numbers are estimates from memory, a quick look around in stonesense with debug mode on will give you the actual temperatures.)

You could reduce the burning temperature of flesh so that it will burn if near magma.

This of course would have the side effects of causing all of your blacksmiths and smelter workers to combust...

[Rowanas]

I've been thinking...

Will stones dropped onto a bridge instantly deconstruct the bridge?

I was wondering because I thought of digging into hell, putting retractable bridges across (as the only way into my fort), and only extending them for sieges and caravans. Caravans would get through fine, but with the pull of a second lever, the two opposite tubes, one containing pressurised water, the other magma, would be unleashed by means of a floodgate, where they would mix briefly before plummeting many z-levels down onto the bridges, killing anything on it. When the carnage is over, the bridges are retracted and the obsidian just falls away into the endless pit, hopefully killing any demons that were waiting to come up.

But this all requires that stones won't smash bridges.

[Brandon816]

About Your spike-strip idea, some of those squares won't be walked on, specifically the corners of the inside bends. Try something more like this:

Spoiler: Modified Top Tier (1-2 spikestrip) (click to show/hide)

        ╔╦╦╦═╦╦╦═╦╦╦╗
Exit -->+╚╬╝2╚╬╝2╚╬╝+  <-- Entrance
        ║1║1║1║1║1║1║
        ║2║2║2║2║2║2║
        ║1║1║1║1║1║1║
        ║2║2║2║2║2║2║
        ║1║1║1║1║1║1║
        ║2║2║2║2║2║2║
        ║1║1║1║1║1║1║
        ║2║2║2║2║2║2║
        ╠╗1╔╬╗1╔╬╗1╔╣
        ╚╩═╩╩╩═╩╩╩═╩╝

[/quote]

[Itnetlolor]

About Your spike-strip idea, some of those squares won't be walked on, specifically the corners of the inside bends. Try something more like this:

Spoiler: Modified Top Tier (1-2 spikestrip) (click to show/hide)

        ╔╦╦╦═╦╦╦═╦╦╦╗
Exit -->+╚╬╝2╚╬╝2╚╬╝+  <-- Entrance
        ║1║1║1║1║1║1║
        ║2║2║2║2║2║2║
        ║1║1║1║1║1║1║
        ║2║2║2║2║2║2║
        ║1║1║1║1║1║1║
        ║2║2║2║2║2║2║
        ║1║1║1║1║1║1║
        ║2║2║2║2║2║2║
        ╠╗1╔╬╗1╔╬╗1╔╣
        ╚╩═╩╩╩═╩╩╩═╩╝

Well, the thing about the spike strip is that I expect entire sieges to be plungng through them, and some of them do walk the corners. BTW, I don't expect them to make it completely across anyhow. Just as well, I need those extra spaces to work service on them to prevent jamming or whatever, so those walls are actually drawbridges that become walls. LEVER=OFF, Floor; LEVER=ON, Wall. The last thing I need is for my dwarves to clog the pipes when cleaning them of goblinite and gobs of goblin; especially if another siege is on it's way. Same applies to the mechanical trappings of the floor below it, and there's a single retractable wall for the bottom floor where the animal house is.

I think I thought this through. And further proof of it is also regarding the location I placed it, and an especially mean little trick up my sleeve which I wanted to do for a different fort, but never had the opportunity.

Check out my progress so far. I have my trick setup first, especially considering the service retractable walls as well as the spike strip will be a bit of a headache in the future. BTW, I have to install these traps manually overtime, so I'm going to need a floor or 2 ready as I set this up. But as you would see/read in the details in the map and POI. I will manipulate the path of the invaders enough that they'll think twice about attacking again. BTW, there are the switches to the individual gauntlets, a security door, and soon, a security lockdown for all 3 on the recieving end so I can buy myself time to lockdown the main door.

Return to Wavehandle -- Year 1 over

[Hyndis]

To assist with cleanup while also making spike traps more lethal just put retractable bridges between the rows of spikes.

Put the entire thing over just a 1 Z level pit. Not a death pit, but shallow. With the bridges extended the entire thing is just one solid walkway, which means cleaning up is a breeze. No traffic jams on a 10 tile wide area.

If a siege comes pull the lever to withdraw the bridges. This turns it into a 1 tile wide maze snaking bath and forth over the shallow pit, so the goblins are forced to slowly walk across those spike traps.

Any dwarves still cleaning up if you pull the bridge lever will fall down only 1 Z level, and will not be harmed by this.

This has the side effect of making your entrance suitable for wagons if the bridges are extended. During trading season or for cleanup you can leave the bridges out, but if there's a siege pull the bridges, narrowing the path to the back and forth spike maze.