Do we actually know where the caravan will show up? I mean... if they show up on the other side of the canyon, are we screwed?
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Do we actually know where the caravan will show up? I mean... if they show up on the other side of the canyon, are we screwed?
I think... not sure... that they will only appear on an edge that has access to our Depot. We might want to start construction on a temporary Bridge anyway, once other immediate needs are met. That will allow us to breach that Aquifer on the opposite bank, which will give us more places to search for ores. We could REALLY use some ores.
IIRC it was possible to catch water creatures in cages than we could maybe create a huge aquarium made of glass and put them there
maybe even tame them if possible 
Temp bridge sounds good, I guess if stone is precious we could use wood.
I've checked the Wiki, and it's perfectly possible for the caravan to appear on the wrong edge. It sounds like a Bridge is going to be needed.
EDIT: Construction has begun on a temporary Bridge linking the northern and southern banks.
EDIT: Construction has begun on a temporary Bridge linking the northern and southern banks.
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So it's all set then: dropped obsidian base, glass or cast obsidian pillar, glass bridges to sides, underground carp traps. And don't forget my elephant traps, or I'll let you all drink water.
Couldn't we just dig under the river rather than building a bridge and then punching down through the aquifer? Edit: to get at the ore that is, a bidge is still needed for the caravans I guess.
In terms of trade goods it seems to me that getting a glass industry set up would be a good idea. No doubt there will be lots of pumps to be used in some project or another, and glass is pretty good for that so a skilled glassmaker would be a good thing to have. Cloth/clothing would also be an option for renewable products.
It seems to me that the glass portion of our fortress (and clearly there should be some glass) should be clear or even crystal glass, which would probably limit the amount used somewhat.
In terms of trade goods it seems to me that getting a glass industry set up would be a good idea. No doubt there will be lots of pumps to be used in some project or another, and glass is pretty good for that so a skilled glassmaker would be a good thing to have. Cloth/clothing would also be an option for renewable products.
It seems to me that the glass portion of our fortress (and clearly there should be some glass) should be clear or even crystal glass, which would probably limit the amount used somewhat.
Sounds good... according to the Wiki, Carp are about as valuable as Gila Monsters or Spider Monkeys... which, admittedly, is not particularly valuable. About 1/10th the value of an Elephant. Still, Carp-bone crafts might be worth something, and it's always good to vary our diet.
We have hit an Aquifer on our own side of the river, about seven levels down from the lip of the canyon. Luckily, we were digging horizontally at the time (instead of upward) so we had enough warning to cancel the dig before we actually breached the Aquifer. It only covers part of the level... perhaps just a small part... but:
NOTE to future Foremen:
DO NOT extend the living / dining quarters in a north-east direction. That section contains an Aquifer, and we'll all drown if it is breached.
You do NOT want to dig into an aquifer from below. remember that an aquifer is an infinite source of water, and water flows down.
OTOH some aquifers aren't continuous, and it is sometimes possible to dig through the "holes" they have. I have done it once or twice, usually close to the edges of the map. Never from below though.
Why did I not see that earlier? Dwarf me please I prefer to be a Smith if possible.
I prefer to be a Smith if possible.
Yes... we SEE only one Aquifer level in the opposite cliff, but that only means that there is one Aquifer level that extends as far as the cliff face. There could be others, on different levels, that stop short of reaching the cliff face. Whenever possible, you want to dig DOWN, not up. There is no warning at all when you approach an Aquifer level from below. You just die. And so does anyone on a level below you.
On the other hand... if we can avoid killing ourselves, an Aquifer is an insanely useful thing to have. It supplies a source of fresh water (absolutely required for wounded dwarves) free of infection (which you can get by treating wounded dwarves with impure water) which is indoors and protected by our fortress. It is a source of almost limitless mechanical power, for running Magma or Water pump-stacks, Corridors of Spiky Death, food processing machinery, etc. It allows us to set up fluid-logic computers (flip-flops, latches, timers, switching circuitry, etc), to control automated defenses (such as Magma Fountains or the aforementioned Corridor of Spiky Death).
Setting false modesty aside, I have become something of an expert at designing and constructing insanely complicated machinery out of basic in-game components such as Gears, Axles, Pipe Sections, Pumps, Floodgates, Drawbridges and so forth. My Orbital Defense System was very well received on the main Dwarf Fortress forum, and in previous games my Pressurized-Magma Fountain (which shot flaming Magma over 100 feet into the air, to rain down on the beardless heads of our enemies) was rivaled only by my infamous Corridor of Spiky Death.
That's why I usually choose a Mechanic character to play.
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Why did I not see that earlier? Dwarf me please
Both of you have been added to the list.
Is there an updated GUI or is it still old school with just letter and such? Was thinking about getting this but that user interface makes me cringe.
You can use custom tilesets (sprites), there are several very good ones... but yes, the GUI is still character-based, with added sprites.
The graphics packs replace the letters with little symbols, like this:
You still need to learn to read the screen... that's a 3x3 up/down staircase in the center of the picture (the Xs), with me in a room above left (red clothes = Mechanic) working at a Mechanic's workshop making Mechanisms, and a Farmer (brown clothes) tending some crops to the right. Below are some stockpiles (Wood, Food, etc) and some other workshops (Carpenter's, Mason's, our Still, the Kitchen, etc).
It is now summer... three or four more months until the first Dwarven Caravan arrives. Our temporary bridge to the southern plateau is about 1/3rd complete. We have finished constructing a Trade Depot.
Really am thinking about playing it tonight after work. This game would be so amazing with an updated GUI. Seems absolutely filled with content. After reading the forums and wiki it seems most likely that my first fortress will involve a lot of "fun"
I would suggest either the Lazy Noob Pack or the Ironhand Pack. Either one is easier to grasp than the original ASCII tile-set.
@RepBentley: did you check out my Orbital Defense System?
(I suppose I shouldn't link directly to another forum)
Go to the Bay12 forum, and use their search engine to search for the key-words "Orbital Defense Magma". My thread should be about #8 on the list: Field-Testing the Orbital Defense System Mark-2. It Works.
EDIT: My report of the ensuing carnage included the phrase "... and I only pulled TWO of the seven Magma-drop levers!", and someone PM'd me a one-word comment: "Why?"
(I suppose I shouldn't link directly to another forum)
Go to the Bay12 forum, and use their search engine to search for the key-words "Orbital Defense Magma". My thread should be about #8 on the list: Field-Testing the Orbital Defense System Mark-2. It Works.
EDIT: My report of the ensuing carnage included the phrase "... and I only pulled TWO of the seven Magma-drop levers!", and someone PM'd me a one-word comment: "Why?"
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