Need Dwarf Fortress Help

[aaron_the_cow]

This is my first Dwarf Fortress game and I need help buiding a keep/fort type thing.
so I built the walls were i want it to be, but now I don't know how to build the up stairway/upward ramp. I've gone to designations and tryed setting a zone, but it dosn't work.

Thanks in advance

[Illiterate Scribe]

OK, assuming this is above ground ...

If you're trying to 'build' (as opposed to 'carve out') stairs, then they need to be in an otherwise unoccupied square - your dorfs will then pick up some rock, bring it there, and build it, as they would with a wall:

b (build) -> C (construction) -> then u (upward stair) or d (downward stair) or x (up/down stairs)

If you've already built something there, like the walls, then you'll need to deconstruct them:

d (designate) -> n (remove constructions)

before you can build.

[aaron_the_cow]

Ahhhh

Thank you, I thought it was a designaton, not a biulding

[Illiterate Scribe]

It's a designation if you're carving it into stone, i.e. if it's subterranean, but it's a building if it's above ground, in the same way as a real house would be.

Glad to inculcate new members into the ways of the cult of Toady be of service.

[TheSummoner]

I asked this in another Dwarf Fortress thread, but never got an answer, so here goes...

1) I've read you can settle on a goblin fortress and try to take over the place with your starting group of 7, but every time I've tried this the goblins are friendly. What am I doing wrong?

2) Can you elaborate on the way the temperature works, particularly the way water freezes/thaws on temperate and cold maps. I've tried settling on cold maps for the added challenge of water that is frozen for part of the year, but the most that ever froze was small patches... not even enough froze for me to dam off the river.

[Artanis]

I asked this in another Dwarf Fortress thread, but never got an answer, so here goes...

1) I've read you can settle on a goblin fortress and try to take over the place with your starting group of 7, but every time I've tried this the goblins are friendly. What am I doing wrong?

2) Can you elaborate on the way the temperature works, particularly the way water freezes/thaws on temperate and cold maps. I've tried settling on cold maps for the added challenge of water that is frozen for part of the year, but the most that ever froze was small patches... not even enough froze for me to dam off the river.
1) I believe it's something screwy with the current version. They're supposed to come butcher you, but instead...well, yeah.

2) Each spot on the map (usually) has multiple biomes. Check to make sure that all of these biomes are the temperature you want.

[Rockphed]

Firstly, at the moment invading goblin forts is buggy. However, rumor has it that if your civilization is at war with the goblin civilization, then it will work. On the other hand, if you can find the goblin fort with the demon, then you have a really awesome defender for free.

As to temperature, I do not know why you can't find anything frozen.

[TheSummoner]

Yeah... as awesomely powerful as the demons are, having one takes away from the challenge I was looking for when I went to the goblin fortress in the first place =/

I know about the biomes, and I'm fairly certain all of the biomes in my region were cold, though I might've made a mistake...