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[Batgirl1]

This is just a tiny detail, but when looking at things on the map, it would be nice if there was a distinction between Salt Water and Fresh Water.  I embarked on a site with a brook and an ocean view, and while I expected the ocean to be salty, I didn't realize that my brook and therefore all my wells were salty until one of my Dwarfs died of dehydration next to a bucket of "water laced with salt".  Yet when I examine the water sources, it only reports as "Water (7/7)".  A clearer label would be nice, if it's not too much trouble.

EDITED TO EXPAND.

Rather than waste a thread, I figure why not modify it to cover any suggestions/whining we may have about water in general? (For Sea Life and Undersea Ruins, etc., see This Thread Here.) It's more tidy this way, isn't it?  Here's what we got so far:


1. Label Salt Water
We seem pretty agreed that saltwater and freshwater should be in some way distinguishable from each other.

2. Sloping Pool/Stream Edges
That conversation is happening in this thread over here, but it seemed relevant enough to warrant a mention.

3. Better Contaminant Handling
According to the wiki, you can have a gigantic cistern of desalinated water, and once it touches a tile of natural stone or dirt, the entire supply becomes unusable saltwater.  This is implausible as well as inconvenient, and probably warrants some discussion.

4. Water Barrels
The ability to store water in barrels.  Handy for transport and getting through droughts.

5. Special Tile Interactions
Ramps that only fill half-way up because of their shape. Gutters that drain, and special floors / rain barrels that collect water.

Does anyone else have anything to add or expound upon?

-This Post Subject To Frequent Edits.

[bluephoenix]

Just wondering, the brook wasn't going into the ocean was it?

[IT 000]

With all due respect you should have seen a warning on embark that it had salt water.

[Mickey Blue]

I think s/he's saying that they knew the ocean would be salty (hence the warning) but didn't realize that all other water in the zone was salt-water as well (which I thought was labeled but its been a while since I went to a salt-water biome).  Admittadly that is fairly counter-intuitive, I mean in the real world rivers flowing into oceans and lakes in the vacinity of (but not connected to) oceans are not normally salt water.

Perhaps altering the warning to say something like "Warning, all the water in this embark will be salt water.. etc.. etc.. etc"?

I learned by trial and error as this person has but really it doesn't make logical sense and it would be good if the game were a bit clearer on it.

[Batgirl1]

I think s/he's saying that they knew the ocean would be salty (hence the warning) but didn't realize that all other water in the zone was salt-water as well (which I thought was labeled but its been a while since I went to a salt-water biome).  Admittadly that is fairly counter-intuitive, I mean in the real world rivers flowing into oceans and lakes in the vacinity of (but not connected to) oceans are not normally salt water.

Exactly.  And what's more, the brook isn't even connected to the ocean at all; it starts inland and flows up and out of the map. 

I don't mind finding out after I've embarked that, yes, *ALL* of the water is indeed salt-water; but I would like it if, when getting the lay of the land, I could see that the brook was Salt Water (7/7) or some such.  It would just be so much more convenient.

[Wimopy]

Totally agreed. I personally haven't played with a brook in a salt water biome, but water shouldn't become salty just because its near or flows into the sea...
Anyway, Fresh Water, Salt Water, needs to be known... even if only AFTER a dwarf tasted/looked at it.

[Footkerchief]

I suggested this a while ago.

[Batgirl1]

I suggested this a while ago.

In that case, I'm expanding this thread so that it isn't just wasting space.  Sound good?

[antymattar]

I suggested this a while ago.

In that case, I'm expanding this thread so that it isn't just wasting space.  Sound good?

Yes it does but there already was a water diversity thread. From personal experience, the good ideas are all tiny.... usually.

[C27]

Here's an idea - let us barrel up water to store it for the icy winter!

[antymattar]

Here's an idea - let us barrel up water to store it for the icy winter!

I already suggested that along with giant barrels that store booze and water of the same kind. Sorry. 

[Batgirl1]

Here's an idea - let us barrel up water to store it for the icy winter!

I already suggested that along with giant barrels that store booze and water of the same kind. Sorry. 

Anty, got a link?  I tried doing a search but came up empty.  I'm curious as to how it would work, though -- wouldn't the water barrels freeze in winter?  (On the plus side, you'd at least be able to haul water to the opposite side of the map, keeping it on hand for hospitals etc.)

[C27]

If you store them underground, they shouldn't freeze.

[Neowulf]

Here's a couple to add to the list: Tiles with special water interactions.
Grooved/channeled tiles: Walkable floors with small water channels dug/carved into it. Water flow calculations count the tile as having 1 less water depth in it than it actually has (min 0 still) when compared to normal tiles. Checks between two grooved tiles or grooved tile and open space are counted as normal. Dwarves still count the full amount of water for pathing.

Ramps count as half filled: Ramps should count as 3/7 water already for water flow calculations. So a ramp will never fill beyond 4/7 water and will stay dry till the adjacent tiles reach atleast 4/7. Would probably have to add an extra check to swimming/drowning so the empty 3/7 space isn't counted as air if the tile above the ramp has water in it.

Edit: Oh, forgot also.
Collector tiles: Specially constructed floors that act like murky pool tiles when it rains, creating water.

Evaporation/freezing protection: Tiles counted as inside should atleast partially protect water from evaporation/freezing. Maybe count the biome as one step closer to warm

[Waparius]

Edit: Oh, forgot also.
Collector tiles: Specially constructed floors that act like murky pool tiles when it rains, creating water.

Rain barrels and gutters? They have been suggested before but that general idea needs more love.