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[Lagslayer]

So I was wondering, what exactly do I change in the RAWS to get what I want?

1. Smaller caverns, but would still like all 3 layers, as well as the carnival
2. A shallower world overall, but still retaining the previously mentioned cavern layers
3. I would also like to keep temperature, weather, etc. turned on, because they are part of the experience
4. Anything else I might be overlooking without turning any features off

I have never done anything to the RAWS before, so please format your answers assuming I know nothing about it. Thanks in advance

[agatharchides]

You can alter the number of caverns and distance between them if you generate a world with the advanced world gen parameters or whatever it was called in the starting menu. You should be able to get a shallower world with that.

 I personally had the same experience and I get decent results with two caverns, a 3x3 or smaller embark and temperature on only when it matters i.e. when something is in magma. Two caverns will have everything in them three do. That and a lower population limit if you haven't tried already, I usually stick with 100 or so. YMMV on all of this of course.

EDIT: I think you can adjust cavern size there too but I never did so I might be wrong

[Girlinhat]

Try making a smaller world.  A pocket region with fewer civilizations will run much faster than a humongous world with tons of civs.  Also try to curtail your use of magma and stone.  Magma causes rapid temperature changes when pumped conventionally, and that kills FPS, and many stone items (or any type, but stone is most common) will shred FPS as well.  Atom smashing and useless trading is your friend.

[darkrider2]

I just got a ghost in the first year of my fortress. It easily cut my FPS down to one third of what it was before, I'd also like some advice.

[Girlinhat]

Ah yes, ghosts...  Keep graves handy, or memorial slabs.  Slabs are made in the mason shop and engraved in the craftsdwarf shop, but only function when they're built to the ground.

[shmelse]

Is there a reason that you really want 3 caverns? I'm not saying you have to, but just saying that maybe you should examine your reasoning for insisting on 3. What are you getting out of 3 caverns that you won't get out of one? You'll still get wildlife, underground plants, water, FBs, underground civs...

Basically, I just am wondering what your reasoning is for 3 layers that is so compelling that it's worth the loss in FPS.

I think the intensifying mod includes lowering the number of body parts (toes, fingers, etc) in an attempt to increase FPS. I don't know how successful it is, but you might take a look at the modified raws that come with that mod and see how they do it. I think it also mentions several other ways to increase FPS that you might consider.

And finally, are you using a dwarf dip and dfhack's cleanmap to keep a zillion types of blood from building up on every dwarf's shoes? And are you atom smashing your extra stones or destroying them in some way? These might be ways to improve FPS in existing forts, before you get into modding the raws.

[Girlinhat]

Just a note: Vermin and cats.  You may be able to remove both of them entirely and enjoy the game more.

[NW_Kohaku]

I'm not sure why you'd want to keep all three caverns.  Honestly, I'd kind of rather have just two or even just one cavern - you don't "lose" anything, the second or the only cavern, if you have only two or just one respectively, will have everything that could spawn in a cavern, so you aren't "missing" anything for taking the caverns out.  Having less caverns means less random critters, things growing, GCS, etc.  Unless you really do want to have multiple "fronts" of open caverns, then sticking to just one is the best way to keep your FPS high.

Generally, more tiles in the game mean less FPS.  Having an overall shallower world is better, although having less things you won't ever really touch in the caverns is even better.

You can also look into some of the pathfinding efficiency plans for your fortress - using efficient construction methods, proper z-level changes, setting your normal traffic zone weight to "1" instead of "2", atom-smashing any items you aren't going to be generally using, and other tricks are good, as well.

Also, you can just try doing what I do when the lag gets bad - use the forums while the game runs in the background.  Who cares if you only get 3 FPS, just leave it running for an hour while you type on the forums, and check in every now and then.

[Lagslayer]

If I can get all the different underground plants with only 1 cavern layer, I think I'll do that. Didn't realize that is how it worked. Also, how do I make each cavern smaller? like fewer z-levels in height. Under advanced perameters, I can see how to make fewer z-levels between different caverns, but now how to make the caverns smaller.

And while we are at it, what's that mod where your dwarves will automatically mine out a vein of metal, coal, etc on their own? And where would I get it?

[Girlinhat]

You can't mod cavern size, not right now anyways.

DFHack has the vein mining thing.  It works by reading all the stone nearby, locating same-type, and adding the dig designation, so you'll be able to see the entire vein as colored by a dig designation, if that bothers you.  Toady has claimed to include in-built vein digging, but it's not here yet!

[Lagslayer]

Alrighty. Thanks again for all the great responses.

[agatharchides]

My understanding is that you need 2 caverns for all the kinds of underground tree, though the effective difference is pretty low.

[Lagslayer]

the mining hack froze the game. Is it normal for it to take so long?

[Girlinhat]

Not normally, no.  I didn't use it much, only on a few clumps of megnetite.  Try using DFUnstuck, conveniently included for just such an occasion!

[PopeRichardCorey]

Also, you can just try doing what I do when the lag gets bad - use the forums while the game runs in the background.  Who cares if you only get 3 FPS, just leave it running for an hour while you type on the forums, and check in every now and then.

Before I graduated, I did homework while I played.  Now I read or clean.