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[Crustypeanut]

It uses the vibrations in the ground to find hollow sections within the earth.  Its similar to what Graboid's use in Tremors.  I know theres a real-world version of it too, but it escapes me atm.

Anyways, this is pretty damn awesome! I'm gonna start using this from now on.

[Mistercheif]

Since this can be used to see empty space underground, could it not be used to detect where the holes in spoiler spires are?

[Sphalerite]

Since this can be used to see empty space underground, could it not be used to detect where the holes in spoiler spires are?

Nope.  It actually only detects places where you can put farms.  It can't detect open space, water, unmuddied rock floor, or glowing pits.

[TheeBaconman]

Sonar is a different technology. It uses Sound to see, not Radio waves. (cant remember the full acronym right now, dagnabbit)

It's used underwater because radio waves are dissipated within large volumes of water.

SOund Navigation And Ranging

RAdio Detection And Ranging

EDIT: I suppose by the topic title, we could call it DWAGPER? Or DWAGPAR?

[FrisianDude]

Cant you just have fun, instead of wrecking others? Its just a thing we have here, and we do not really care what is built in whatever way.

I just can't stand memes. At all. Not to mention that I always thought it somewhat undwarfy to condemn other Dwarfs as being un-Dwarf only for a different manner of thinking. I know it's not serious, really, but it curtails innovation. Dropping goblins seventeen z-levels down into a pit and then using the splatter to make bolts and a totem is plenty Dwarfy. Magma would ruin productivity in a case like that. :U I like the pullthelever.gif though because that can actually be used appropriately. Feeling a pressing need to use magma in everything just strikes me as somewhat unhinged (which, admittedly, is Dwarfy, but still. Too much of a good thing might not be good.)

Fixate not on magma, for the stuff is useless without skilled hands to exploit it. You people and your impossible "dwarven" standards only limit the ways you can play the game. Sky-fortress made of wood? Can't see that as "elven."

Rant aside, this is a great discovery for those who don't want to go all DFReveal on their map. Well done, good sir.

Yous I like.

[CaptainArchmage]

I checked and you can do this with paved roads too. That will also include stony ground where there is no mud.

I know the adamantine spires tend to have a hollow region with a single tile of open space and the remaining tiles of floor. This is what the Road-Dar would detect. I need confirmation and won't have it unless I dig down there, but I have noticed these areas of three L-shaped tiles that should be the floors in the hollow parts of the spire.

EDIT: The hollow parts of the spires may have none, one, two, or three tiles of floor which show up. Also fixed the statement about confirming the discovery.

EDIT2: The farm plot will say "Needs soil or mud" instead of "blocked" if its placed over stone, but won't show the exact shape of the floored region.

EDIT3: Dirt roads work similarly to farm plots, so they will say "Needs soil" if they are placed over ground that isn't soil, but will not reveal the shape of the ground.

[CaptainArchmage]

I did more experimentation and zones also help you determine what is down there.

If the zone is entirely over open space or in solid ground, all the numbers will appear as "0". A tile is counted as hospital space, meeting zone space, pasture space, garbage dump space, or if it is ground. A tile is counted as a pit or pond if it is open space next to a floor tile. A tile is counted as Sand tile if it is a sand-bearing soil floor tile or wall tile next to a floor tile, and similarly as a Clay tile if it is a clay-bearing soil floor tile or a wall tile next to a floor tile. A tile is counted as a water source if it has drinkable water beneath it and a floor tile next to it. A tile is counted as fishing space if it has fish-containing water beneath it and a floor tile next to it.

It is possible to tell whether a tile is open space and whether it has water beneath it as long as it has a floor tile next to it.

Used in conjunction with the Road-dar, this will tell you roughly where the shores of underground water sources are, and where open space lies next to a floor tile.

An adamantine spire hollow section may give you 1-3 spaces of pit and pond and 1-3 spaces of meeting room, with a total number of squares between the two of not more than 4.

The zoning method may help to detect underground water sources.

[Sphalerite]

Confirmed, paved roads can detect the interior of hollow spires, at least when the hollow part has at least one solid floor element in it (due to the hollow part being in a different location on the next Z-level down).  This is a fantastic discovery.

[Patroclus]

I checked and you can do this with paved roads too. That will also include stony ground where there is no mud.

I know the adamantine spires tend to have a hollow region with a single tile of open space and the remaining tiles of floor. This is what the Road-Dar would detect. I need confirmation and won't have it unless I dig down there, but I have noticed these areas of three L-shaped tiles that should be the floors in the hollow parts of the spire.

EDIT: The hollow parts of the spires may have none, one, two, or three tiles of floor which show up. Also fixed the statement about confirming the discovery.

EDIT2: The farm plot will say "Needs soil or mud" instead of "blocked" if its placed over stone, but won't show the exact shape of the floored region.

EDIT3: Dirt roads work similarly to farm plots, so they will say "Needs soil" if they are placed over ground that isn't soil, but will not reveal the shape of the ground.

EXCELLENT call on the use of paved roads.  I was able to find the floor of the circus (at -16 in my current fort) and see exactly how high up in the spires the hollow space went.

Plus, road-dar is a much better name.

[CaptainArchmage]

Confirmed, paved roads can detect the interior of hollow spires, at least when the hollow part has at least one solid floor element in it (due to the hollow part being in a different location on the next Z-level down).  This is a fantastic discovery.

EXCELLENT call on the use of paved roads.  I was able to find the floor of the circus (at -16 in my current fort) and see exactly how high up in the spires the hollow space went.

Plus, road-dar is a much better name.

Thanks for the confirmations!

Fun trick: If you create a 10x10 rectangle of road, you can effectively sweep the entire map holding down shift+an arrow key without missing anything. Once you find out where the floors are, you can use the zones to locate important features. Note that you can also designate a large area zone and scroll up and down through z-levels, and the amount of space available for each zone will help you find the cavern floors and features.

[ThatAussieGuy]

Your little discovery helped me find that my current candy spire is just two levels deep.  Now i can properly prepare for the Clown Car without savescumming.  Thanks, DRoDAR!  (Dwarven Road Detection And Ranging)

[elf-fondling human]

I think I'd prefer the name "Dwarven Dowsing", myself.

[monk12]

This is pretty awesome. I heartily endorse this event or product.

[Ultimuh]

I think I'd prefer the name "Dwarven Dowsing", myself.

That name sounds appropriate.

[Imakuni]

This is pretty awesome. I heartily endorse this event or product.

I thought Dwarven Dowsing was when they used shaped sticks to find hidden underground alcohol?