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[Chilton]

And yes, i know, i could build the Fort in Progressive Squares, or Stairways leading to Corridors leading to Stairs.
Im trying to think of something more than that.
Obviously, this is all plans for the next Version, and I lack the enthusiasm to actually test stuff.
Im toying with a Triangular Stairway Design, where the Stairways are organised in a Triangular manner, in which the Triangles have streets within then, and get 2 squares smaller every level.

But im just after ideas.

[Rose]

Separate surface buildings with individual staircases.

multi-helix surrounding your fort.

[Chilton]

Separate surface buildings with individual staircases.

multi-helix surrounding your fort.

And now Youve given Me a great idea. Surface Meeting Areas, with Surface Corridors joining them. A Surface Gatehouse with a Drawbridge.
You use a Surface Building to get to a Vertical District, with a Subterranean Antechamber at the Top, Middle, and very Bottom, thus allowing Sub-Districts.
Cheers!

[Kruor]

A spiral ramp, except every half-turn there is a bridge over the central shaft instead of the next ramp segment. This is essentially a central shaft (derp) but atleast its different. Actually depending on the scale it could be made to be quite elaborate. Obviously the smallest size would have to be 3x3 but a giant one 7x7 or bigger could be made to be very aesthetically pleasing.

[Chilton]

A spiral ramp, except every half-turn there is a bridge over the central shaft instead of the next ramp segment. This is essentially a central shaft (derp) but atleast its different. Actually depending on the scale it could be made to be quite elaborate. Obviously the smallest size would have to be 3x3 but a giant one 7x7 or bigger could be made to be very aesthetically pleasing.

Oh... wow.

Eh... Idea.

Massive Central Shaft with a different district every 10 levels.
With crisscrossing bridges interconnecting them.
And instead of a Roof, theres a big square of Bridges, which serve as Base Defense. If an Enemy triggers a Pressure Pad right next to the front door, the Bridge Retracts, and all my Enemies fall down the Central Shaft, either onto the Bridges or to the bottom, whatever that ends up being. Right, thats what Ill be doing. Thanks!

[Mitchewawa]

I once got bored and used ramps for spiral staircases. They make pathing take longer and aren't easily locked down or trapped. Still, it was used for an above ground circular tower reaching up to 30z, whose only purpose was holding all the bones and bodies of the slain Fortress Defence hordes.

[schismatise]

The sad fact is that a central staircase is the most efficient design - anything else would be the equivilent of building a big long road and suddenly deciding you wanted to make it go up a ramp (z-level) and then back down another one, 100 times, just for something different.

What if we go in the other direction, and simply add MORE central staircases?! Maybe 2, ~20 tiles apart, each with their own little rooms built off it, and connected with a central hallway. Or maybe 3, in a triangle, each with a triangular room built around it, then further divided into 3 more triangles in a fractal pattern, meeting in a center triangular hall. Or what about an array of say 9 central staircases, each piercing a giant column of rooms, with large interconnecting highway rooms at the top and bottom of the columns, almost like an underground city of skyscrapers?!

[Karakzon]

Well, you could always carve out yourself a custom cavern layer. You dig down to a water source, pump it up to a good 10 levels of stones, dig out a river, its flood parts, pools -drainable- and flood, then reflood with magma when the water has all evaporated to get sandy floor, breach a cavern layer -bottom one would be best- to cause spore growth. Then design your fortress around and involving this underground dwarf-made cavern layer only varying a few z levels. Make it sprawl. When the magmas dried in the river bed, eather flood with water again for underground fishing or floor with magma for the fun of it. Unless you made 2 pump exits so you can bring it all up.

Youll then also be able to mass produce glass traps to turn your fotress into a verrry hostile place to outsiders.

[Wannazzaki]

Build a down/up when required at any free/appropriate spot per layer. Once the stocpiles are arranged and traffic routes are determined i may construct artificial stairs and downward stairs to slice transit. this usually leaves 3-4 up/downs per level for various things...it isn't neat but its efficient in a bizzarre R'lyeh kind of way

[Loud Whispers]

A spiral ramp, except every half-turn there is a bridge over the central shaft instead of the next ramp segment. This is essentially a central shaft (derp) but atleast its different. Actually depending on the scale it could be made to be quite elaborate. Obviously the smallest size would have to be 3x3 but a giant one 7x7 or bigger could be made to be very aesthetically pleasing.

Spiral rampway is awesome. Use it in all of my quarries.

[Bobble]

I've pondered how to get a more Moria-like dwarf fortress design.  The only thing I could come up with was the, I'll call it "pathway" aspect of Moria -- you're trying to get from one side of the mountain to the other PLUS live in the thing, not just dig a hole for yourself in the side of a mountain.   Secondly, you could restrict yourself to following the veins of minerals.  Build your rooms off the existing, windy vein pathways and connecting tunnels. 

Anyone done something like this?