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[The Merchant Of Menace]

Not really, I've always seen DF stairs as being like spiral staircases. Rather than 12 sets, or whatever distance corresponds to a z level

[G-Flex]

Ramps are pretty messed up too, when you think about it. They're omnidirectional (a ramp can go up to the left and right at the same time, and change on demand — neat!), they don't particularly exist at the top level, and so forth.

I just think of DF stairs as being spiral staircases, or something similar.

[The Merchant Of Menace]

There's a touch of Hogwarts in the DF ramps then?

[Footkerchief]

Not really, I've always seen DF stairs as being like spiral staircases. Rather than 12 sets, or whatever distance corresponds to a z level

Sure but spiral staircases are much more interesting when they actually go in a spiral.  For instance, if you stack DF stairs 10 high, you can still shoot a projectile from top to bottom because there aren't any floors to stop it.

Ramps are pretty messed up too, when you think about it. They're omnidirectional (a ramp can go up to the left and right at the same time, and change on demand — neat!), they don't particularly exist at the top level, and so forth.

Stairs have the equivalent weirdness of letting you move between them in any direction.  Imagine what a 3x3x10 stack of spiral stairs would look like.

[The Merchant Of Menace]

I'd imagine it'd be one massive staircase, rathee than ninety individual ones.

[Askot Bokbondeler]

i think of df stairs as ladders... large enough for cows and camels to climb

[G-Flex]

Sure but spiral staircases are much more interesting when they actually go in a spiral.  For instance, if you stack DF stairs 10 high, you can still shoot a projectile from top to bottom because there aren't any floors to stop it.

To be fair, plenty of spiral staircases still have a line of sight from top to bottom, although not completely unobstructed.

Stairs have the equivalent weirdness of letting you move between them in any direction.  Imagine what a 3x3x10 stack of spiral stairs would look like.

I like to think of a large block of stairs as just one very large staircase. Of course, it's still a little weird that you can move between any of their tiles.

[monk12]

I would also suggest that many ramps are actually single direction staircases, such as you would find in front of your local library, or perhaps in a government building. Of course, I suggest this because I do not want to deprive my dwarves of stairs entirely, given my dislike for the aforementioned Antigravity Tubes.

[Cruxador]

Why do the towers use ramps instead of stairs?
(And speaking of it, all the other adventurer mode buildings.)

Probably because DF ramps are much more stairlike than DF stairs, which are more akin to antigravity tubes or something.

I'm now imagining my dwarves shooting around my fortress in pneumatic tubes. The image is not unpleasant; it seems efficient.

Not really, I've always seen DF stairs as being like spiral staircases. Rather than 12 sets, or whatever distance corresponds to a z level

Sure but spiral staircases are much more interesting when they actually go in a spiral.  For instance, if you stack DF stairs 10 high, you can still shoot a projectile from top to bottom because there aren't any floors to stop it.

You can do that in a normal spiral staircase, by leaning over one of the sides. It's possible for people to take cover, sure, but a shot is still pretty feasible.

Ramps are pretty messed up too, when you think about it. They're omnidirectional (a ramp can go up to the left and right at the same time, and change on demand — neat!), they don't particularly exist at the top level, and so forth.

Stairs have the equivalent weirdness of letting you move between them in any direction.  Imagine what a 3x3x10 stack of spiral stairs would look like.

Designing that would be an interesting feat of engineering for a human. For a dwarf, it is presumably something that is dealt with in the earlier classes at architecture school.

I would also suggest that many ramps are actually single direction staircases, such as you would find in front of your local library, or perhaps in a government building. Of course, I suggest this because I do not want to deprive my dwarves of stairs entirely, given my dislike for the aforementioned Antigravity Tubes.

So you'd rather that parts of your fortress be ADA non-compliant for no reason?

[Mechanoid]

All ramps are also 45 degrees. Pushing a seige engine (let alone a tower) up that would be... terribly difficult.

[Askot Bokbondeler]

that's why siege engines are static

[Cruxador]

All ramps are also 45 degrees. Pushing a seige engine (let alone a tower) up that would be... terribly difficult.

I think this is where the line is between complaining that an abstraction is inadequate and complaining that it is an abstraction.

that's why siege engines are static

1. I highly doubt that that is the reason.
2. They are not intended to remain immobile.

[Askot Bokbondeler]

eh, twas just a little joke

[magmaholic]

can we have dungeons under castles?secret escape routes:D?Or crypts?Royal furneal chambers,of some sort?So the Urist McDeadKingDwarf can slaughter the ones that interrupt his eternal sleep?

[tfaal]

can we have dungeons under castles?secret escape routes:D?Or crypts?Royal furneal chambers,of some sort?So the Urist McDeadKingDwarf can slaughter the ones that interrupt his eternal sleep?

All of the above are planned, but there is no definite timetable in place.