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[Rayc]

So, I was trying to build an atomizer.  I placed a 1x1 linked bridge at the bottom of a pit and dumped 100 stones into the pit, and pulled the lever.  Stones went flying everywhere!   While I failed at creating an atomizer, I had created a “stone fountain”.

Then the mechanisms in my brain started to turn- could this be repeated with water?  Or magma?  Sadly, no (Unless you turned the water into ice first).  However, if you could get the stones to fly up and land on another 1x1 bridge, and then use that bridge to launch the stones up to another, etc… and link the entire system up to a repeater, you could create an automated rock-pump:

XXO_
XOBX
XBXX

B = 1x1 bridge
O = open space
X = wall
_ = ending space

The problem now is directing the stones/ gems/ cats in cages/ golbinite.  There is a ~1/9 chance that a stone will launch onto the 2nd bridge.  The 2nd bridge has a 1/9 chance of hitting the third, but also has a 1/9 chance of hitting the 1st.  I’ve looked into floodgates, but if a rock gets into an open floodgate square, it will not close.  Hatch covers will still open and close, but the rocks just fall back to the starting bridge.  Right now I’m trying to see if another bridge in the open space will help:

XXO_
XBBX
XBXX

My rough calculations have it stopping ½ of the back-scatter, leading to a semi-directional object pump.  Though the notes on how an open bridge turns into a wall might cause some problems with this.


(Load)                  (Close Floodgate)    (Primary launch)

XXO_                   XXO_                     XXO_
XOBX                   XOBX                     XOBX
OBXX                   XBXX                     XLXX
XXXX                   XXXX                     XXXX

(lower             (launch                 (open backscatter
backscatter       second                 bridge, repeat from step 2)
bridge)              bridge)

XXO_             XXO_                      XXO*     
XBBX             XBLX                       XOBX
XBXX             XBXX                      XBXX
XXXX             XXXX                      XXXX

On a side note, these things are very hard to wireup, and some of the dwarfs got stuck in the zeroth bridgeapult when active.  Sadly, they did not get thrown like the rocks.  We will need some cats for the testing of this aspect. 

[lanceleoghauni]

Now find a way to use the rocky hailstorm as a defensive measure and obtain goblinite!

[Cotes]

Now find a way to use the rocky hailstorm as a defensive measure and obtain goblinite!

Would that work? I've only tried weaponizing elephants in the arena mode with no success, but do inanimate objects like stones actually cause damage if one happens to land on someone?

If so. Frag mines.

[JinF]

There is a reason stonefall traps exist. I would wager that this would have a smiliar effect, or at least something like a catapult hit.

[Cotes]

There is a reason stonefall traps exist. I would wager that this would have a smiliar effect, or at least something like a catapult hit.

I always thought they used some more artificial measure to cause damage, judging mostly from the IFF-equipped catapult bug.

[breadbocks]

[derail]I wonder if a catapult using raw adamantine as ammo changes the damage....

[JinF]

I didn't mean it uses the same mechanic as catapults but a similar idea. For one thing I know falling objects hurt. I have a a 15 zlvl high tower I use for prisoner executions, but I decided to use it differently one time. I put a bunch of rocks up top and the prisoners down at the bottom. Dumped the rocks off the side. The ones that hit caused massive squishiness. I would guess the rockapult would have a similar effect, depending on how high it can shower rocks from.

[Rayc]

I was initially intending to see of the goblins could be chucked up the pipes and thrown off a tower, but now you've got me interested in seeing if the rock fountain will actually hurt my dwarfs/other things.  Will report back.

[numerobis]

The ones that hit caused massive squishiness

If this can be replicated, then this is new physics for 2010.

[Rayc]

Just dumped 40 rocks onto a wardog.  Not a scratch. (Though the rocks came from next to the dog instead of above, maybe that is the key).

[lanceleoghauni]

I've noticed collisions are problematic. any combat logs to see if the dog dodged? I'm not sure this even works, but that's all the more reason to try it.

[thijser]

Perhaps you can try to adjust it to accept dwarfs somehow. an other system to bring the dwarfs back down is a single shaft that ends with a kitty and a pet forbidden door (1 square) that way the dwarf in question will fall on another creature and recieve no damage at all...

[Sphalerite]

Falling objects did no damage in 40d.  I'm fairly certain that this has not changed in DF2010, but I haven't done much experimenting with that yet.

In my last 40d fortress I build a conveyor belt of retracting bridges to carry goblin corpses and gear from the deathtrap area to a safe collection zone inside my fortress.  This was built entire with retracting bridges because unlike raising bridges retracting bridges will not destroy items that are in the wrong place when the bridge activates.  The mechanism was very slow and caused a lot of FPS loss from all the flying objects, but it did work.

[GaxkangtheUnbound]

I have a drowning trap that drains into an aquifer.
The grate I placed keeps the corpses and goblinite in the bottom chamber, but drains all water.

[Quatch]

there was a good thread about a year ago on the spread of rocks (or other things) thrown via bridges, in terms of both how high, how far, and how likely.

They did multiple repetitions with 100s of stones.

I can't find it with a few searches, but it is out there Nice diagrams too.