Dwarf Fortress Succession Fort—Angnomal, "Redstaff"

[Anaris]

I agree.  Might want to wait a day or so for things to stabilize before we start, though

So, does anyone have any other changes they want to make to the basic rules?

[Indirik]

I doubt that there's anything really important that we're missing. Just go for it. Get us a good save, so we can start picking a site.

Also, I'd hate to bog down the start too much in haggling over initial inventory load outs, and stuff like that. I always just pick the quick embark and go.

[Anaris]

I doubt that there's anything really important that we're missing. Just go for it. Get us a good save, so we can start picking a site.

Also, I'd hate to bog down the start too much in haggling over initial inventory load outs, and stuff like that. I always just pick the quick embark and go.

Gladly, once Ironhand and DFHack have support for the latest version.

And by that I mean, once I don't wake up in the morning to find another bugfix release waiting for me

It's fantastic that Toady's fixing all these old bugs, but it does mean we should wait for things to stabilize before plunging ahead.

[Foundation]

Oh yeah, as Rob mentioned, we never really talked about what to pick for initial skills and inventory.  So... here goes a small list:

Preferably someone with proficient Mechanic, preferably someone who will act as chief doc with mainly medical skills (can be used to mine at the beginning).

Take a few logs and such rather than the splinters, and take raw material rather than the random stuff that the default has (2 rope would be nice for a restraint or two though), although materials should be more of a concern for Tim, since it depends on whether he likes more raw materials or already made stuff.

[Alpha]

Oh yeah, as Rob mentioned, we never really talked about what to pick for initial skills and inventory.  So... here goes a small list:

Preferably someone with proficient Mechanic, preferably someone who will act as chief doc with mainly medical skills (can be used to mine at the beginning).

Take a few logs and such rather than the splinters, and take raw material rather than the random stuff that the default has (2 rope would be nice for a restraint or two though), although materials should be more of a concern for Tim, since it depends on whether he likes more raw materials or already made stuff.

I'm not set on any particular initial picks. I'll trust in anything that is chosen, but I'd still be interested in knowing what is picked finally.

[Indirik]

Preferably someone with proficient Mechanic, preferably someone who will act as chief doc with mainly medical skills (can be used to mine at the beginning).

A Mechanicook?

Although, I'd have to say that Mechanic and medical really are not that important to start. Mechanic is easily trained through Mechanisms, which are simple to make from raw stone. Medical isn't really needed until you start getting invasions, before which you'll have a few waves of immigrants. (And the first invasion or two should be dealt with by the traps.) Probably best to just take your chances on getting the required talents through immigration, than to waste them on the starting lineup. Spend the initial points on stuff that will keep you alive, like mining, planting, harvesting, carpentry, etc.

...although materials should be more of a concern for Tim, since it depends on whether he likes more raw materials or already made stuff.

I'd agree on that. Let him pick whatever he wants. Although, I'd have to say that we should spend the points on at least one iron anvil.

[Indirik]

And by that I mean, once I don't wake up in the morning to find another bugfix release waiting for me

OK, it's been 27 hours since the last bug fix release. Let's get going! 

[Anaris]

I have generated a world, with the following modifications to the Large Island template:

• Greater X and Y variances in temperature, rainfall, and savagery (for more interesting potential biome combinations)
• Dramatically increased volcanism and occurrence of volcanoes (weighted mesh 2x2, ranges at 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, min volcanoes 50)
• Cavern openness 75-100, cavern passage density 0-10, for more open caverns
• 20 z-levels above ground, 10 for each other set level (above layers 1-5 and at bottom)
• Caves are visible

The world is called Nitharacamade, "The Future Realms", and can be downloaded from here for those interested in poking around on their own.

The full map of it can be seen here.

I am now looking for suitable embark sites, and will report when I have found one with:

• Magma, ideally a volcano
• Good ores, that we don't have to dig down past the cavern layers to find
• Flux
• A river, and no aquifer

[Anaris]

I have found a site, and checked it out.

The western part of it is a tree-covered plain, with a stream in the far southwest corner. The cliffs thrust sharply up out of the plain just east of the middle of the embark area, with the highest peak nearly 40 z-levels above the ground. The lava tube's top is 25 levels above the ground.  Our parent civilization, Dalzatlokum, "The Matched Spears," is just a little ways north of us, and they are a mighty dwarven empire.

Everything is frozen now, but it should thaw within the month. 

Here is the embark set I picked (this is one part I'm not that great at, so please excuse the haphazardness of it):

Code: [Select]

Zeneg Tangathkilrud: Proficient Miner, Adequate Building Designer, Novice Potter
Zulban Ducimonol, expedition leader: Proficient Miner, Adequate Appraiser, Novice Negotiator, Adequate Judge of Intent
Kivish Bufutsibrek: Novice Wood Cutter, Competent Carpenter, Novice Wood Crafter, Novice Stone Crafter, Novice Bone Carver
Ducim Nishabod: Competent Marksdwarf, Competent Dodger, Competent Ambusher, Novice Swimmer
Vabok Rullokum: Novice Mason, Adequate Fish Dissector, Competent Fish Cleaner, Competent Fisherdwarf
Adil Inalnish: Novice Wood Cutter, Competent Brewer, Competent Grower, Competent Herbalist
Bembul Saramathel: Adequate Butcher, Adequate Tanner, Novice Wood Crafter, Novice Stone Crafter, Adequate Leatherworker, Adequate Record Keeper

2 copper picks
2 copper battle axes
1 iron anvil
20 dwarven rum
20 dwarven ale
20 dwarven wine
8 plump helmet spawn
3 pig tail seeds
5 sweet pod seeds
5 rock nuts
5 dimple cup spawn
15 prepared deer heart
15 cave lobster
15 plump helmets
3 pig tail thread
2 pig tail cloth
3 pig tail cloth bags
2 pig tail cloth ropes
1 turkey leather quiver
1 chestnut bucket
1 copper crossbow
15 copper bolts
1 female war dog
1 male dog
1 female cat
1 male cat

The name of the fort is Angnomal, "Redstaff."

The name of the group is Kon Nokzam, "The Master of Battles."

Initial images of the embark area:

Full size (Warning: 3456x3456 pixels, very large!):
Z-level -1, showing the locations of the river and pools
Z-level 0, showing the location of the wagon, the volcano, and the mountains

80% Smaller (691x691 pixels):
Z-level -1, showing the locations of the river and pools
Z-level 0, showing the location of the wagon, the volcano, and the mountains

Please make any comments, suggestions, criticisms, or complaints now. 

Once they are out of the way, I'd like to do at least some collective planning of what the fort should look like.

[Foundation]

Spend the initial points on stuff that will keep you alive, like mining, planting, harvesting, carpentry, etc.

In a similar way, mining and carpentry can be trained as well just by doing it.   The point is you don't really want to have a dwarf sitting in a mechanic's workshop making your first 20 or so mechanisms for traps or drawbridges.  But, as with any embark setting, it is not necessary, but it does make life easier.

Mining, however, is easily trained superbly with some soil.  The others (grower, carpenter, mason) are pretty much mandatory and should already have someone proficient in it, unless you really want to make life hard for yourself.   Mechanics is one of the more optional skills, and having a doc is good since you *might* not get a fully competent doc that's better than an embarked doc albeit he'll be rusty.  Thus, these two are the ones that I'd recommend out of the optional skill sets.  I assume Tim agrees that there are certain skills that are almost necessary for a smooth first year.

[Indirik]

In a similar way, mining and carpentry can be trained as well just by doing it.   The point is you don't really want to have a dwarf sitting in a mechanic's workshop making your first 20 or so mechanisms for traps or drawbridges.  But, as with any embark setting, it is not necessary, but it does make life easier.

Yes, but mining, carpentry, planting, gathering, etc. will keep you alive. No one ever died in the first year because they didn't have a competent mechanic. You can die if you can't plant/harvest, or get a good enough start on a decent defensive setup because you can't mine.

Mining, however, is easily trained superbly with some soil.  The others (grower, carpenter, mason) are pretty much mandatory and should already have someone proficient in it, unless you really want to make life hard for yourself.   Mechanics is one of the more optional skills, and having a doc is good since you *might* not get a fully competent doc that's better than an embarked doc albeit he'll be rusty.  Thus, these two are the ones that I'd recommend out of the optional skill sets.  I assume Tim agrees that there are certain skills that are almost necessary for a smooth first year.

I've never found hospitals to be all that useful. Maybe because up until now they were bugged so bad they were worse than useless.

Anyway, I don't think it particularly matters either way. Unless you're in some really nasty embark spot, you should have plenty of time to train your guys up to an acceptable level in most skills.

Edit:Fixed quoting problem

[Indirik]

Once they are out of the way, I'd like to do at least some collective planning of what the fort should look like.

Looks good to me.

But what kind of collective planning are you thinking of doing? I don't want too much, um..., "OOC planning", for lack of a better term.

[Anaris]

Looks good to me.

But what kind of collective planning are you thinking of doing? I don't want too much, um..., "OOC planning", for lack of a better term.

Mostly just some ideas about how to set up the fortress.

Personally, I've never actually planned much of anything about my forts in the past; they've just sort of grown as I became able to do new things, and therefore needed places to put said things.

For this one, I'd say we should dig back into the mountain pretty much straight north from where we are, carving out an initial dorm room, a farm out of the loamy part, and probably some stockpiles a level down; there should be loam under the plains that we can use as easy stockpilage. We've got an anvil, and we've got magma, so we should start making some magma channels under the level we want the main workshops to be on.  Not sure where that should be, precisely.

If you'd all rather I just sort of set things up wherever seems reasonable, I'll be happy to do so; I just thought I'd see if anyone had any better ideas

Oh! One other thing:

Which dwarf does each person want to bear their name?

[Indirik]

Which dwarf does each person want to bear their name?

I can't decide... Do I want to be the one that lives to the end, or the one that dies while having !!Fun!!?

Well, anyone that works outside is sure to be a quick casualty. So, I guess I'll claim: "Zeneg Tangathkilrud: Proficient Miner, Adequate Building Designer, Novice Potter" as my avatar.

[Foundation]

I'll take "Adil Inalnish: Novice Wood Cutter, Competent Brewer, Competent Grower, Competent Herbalist".  He (or she?!?!?!) should remain useful throughout.

By the way, don't worry about embarks.  Though I'm one of those people who like to take exactly 21 of each wine (to get an extra barrel) and 1 of each kind of meat (again, more barrels), I don't think embarks are that important.  The structure/traffic control/workshop and stockpile locations are much more important.

I haven't worked with magma much, so any set up there'd be appreciated.  For the rest, I normally set up a huge stockpile of everything on the initial level or a few down, but it's up to you.  With workshops, I like to have 5x5 work areas where the outer layer is a stockpile of raw materials for the workshop, again, just personal preference.  In general, I like to set up 3 wide corridors from the start to make sure traffic is never that much of a problem.