Dwarf Fortress Succession Game II

[Lord Herman]

For general discussion about Dwarf Fortress, go here.

With the new version out, it's time to start another succession game. We could wait a bit for all the bugs to be sorted out and for us to learn how the new version works, but where's the Fun in that?

For those new to succession games: in a succession game, someone starts a game of Dwarf Fortress. After one in-game year, he passes the game on to the next person in line, and that person plays a year before passing it on to the next. Each player writes a log, written from the perspective of one of the dwarves and accompanied by screenshots of the game, that details what happened during the year.

Before we start, I suggest we decide what kind of embark location we want, and what skills and equipment we want to bring.

I think it's best not to have too many special rules, other than a ban on walling the fortress in. One other rule I'd propose is no save scumming - if you kill the fortress, your turn is over and the next player will have to try to reclaim it.


Fortress Rules
1. All levers are to be marked with a haiku vaguely describing their function.

List of Upcoming Turns
Everyone is welcome to join - just post in the thread that you'd like to be put on the list. New players get to go first (on a first-come, first-served basis), and after that the list is ordered by the time it's been since each player's last turn.


Rockphed
The Grue


List of Past Turns
{table]Turn|Player|Summary/Log
1|Lord Herman|The fortress is founded, and someone makes a statue of a donkey. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8206392&postcount=17)
2|Chaotic Bob|We find underground caves, and are attacked by a troll. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8223172&postcount=31)
3|TheLogman|The fortress is decimated by goblins and underground creatures, and only barely survives. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8288769&postcount=84)
4|Rollory|New dorfs arrive, and the Device is built. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8371804&postcount=131)
5|Crixon|
6|Stu42|
7|Desto Yersul|The fort's defences are upgraded, and more goblins. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8660824&postcount=204)
8|Potatocubed|Dead dorfs and kittens are found everywhere, and the beginnings of an army are formed. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8768733&postcount=230)
9|Rockphed|More dead dorfs are found, and the military and guard are reinforced. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8981745&postcount=256)
10|Lord Herman|The fort is beset by goblins and forgotten beasts, and a hero dies. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9090340&postcount=278)
11|Purple Woogies|The caverns are sealed, and the humans plot against us. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9693702&postcount=372)
12|Zar Peter|Work starts on a Banjo-shaped dormitory complex. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9791186&postcount=392)
13|Lord Herman|The army is wiped out three times, and The Device locks everyone inside the fort. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9827399&postcount=417)
14|Zar Peter|The invaders are defeated, and the defences are rebuilt. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9867348&postcount=442)[/table]

[Chaotic Bob]

I wanna plaaaaaay! So sign me up real quick.

I like magma and chasm sites. >.>
I /really/ like evil sites.

[Darth Mario]

Count me in. I haven't looked through the new version that much, yet, but that's going to be part of the fun, I'm sure. (For the standard DF value of "fun").

[Chaotic Bob]

Go play with the Arena mode. It's most of the fun of combat rolled together, especially since you can possess any of the creatures you spawn.

[TheLogman]

Oh you KNOW I'm in.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

I'm in.

/10char

[Lord Herman]

I like magma and chasm sites. >.>
I /really/ like evil sites.

Magma and chasm aren't site finder options anymore, but I'll make sure to find us a Terrifying site.

[druid91]

I'll join. I noticed that it starts you off with medical supplies in your embark gear.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

The only thing in the site finder is the old biome type stuff, flux, and water.

[Rollory]

Yeah, why not, count me in

[Lord Herman]

I've generated a world for our succession game. It's called The Universe of Forever.

[ZeroNumerous]

Magma and chasm aren't site finder options anymore, but I'll make sure to find us a Terrifying site.

Oh lame. Will it be too much work to find a magma site or will we just have to live without?

Failing magma, can we at least get a river for potential flooding shenanigans?

[Lord Herman]

Oh lame. Will it be too much work to find a magma site or will we just have to live without?

Failing magma, can we at least get a river for potential flooding shenanigans?

As I understand it, you can find magma on nearly every map now due to all the new underground stuff.


Edit: Turns out this was a dumb world with way too many aquifers. I'm generating a new one.

Edit: Okay, the new one is a 256x256 island called The Playground.

[Ilena]

before i read posts i just wana claim a spot!

Edit - OOOOOOOOh pretty pretty map, is that normal now for the game??? Or just generated by a program you have? Also as long as we have flux stone, and no aquafer im ok, well no aquafer im ok with. Flux stone dont matter to me. Also would love to have a water access, as for skills,

Farmer,
Miner
Miner
Wood Cutter
Medical professional
whatever is needed
whatever is needed

[druid91]

So did anyone else spot that thread on the bay12 forums talking about the underground and the new HFS? I saw it this morning before the website went bonkers. it was awesome they found an underground sea of magma and had to go through in an adamantine vein to get below it.

[Lord Herman]

Edit - OOOOOOOOh pretty pretty map, is that normal now for the game??? Or just generated by a program you have?

You can make these maps by going into legends mode, and pressing [d] to export a detailed map. It was in 40d too, but it seems to be a little known feature.


Edit: Had to toss out this world too, as it kept crashing the game when using the site finder. I'm now making a 129x129 world, also called The Playground.

Edit: Here's our new world:
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/kk431/LordHerman/Playground%20Succession%20Game/Playground.png

Another edit: I've chosen a rather unorthodox premise for our fort. Our seven dorfs are exiles. They've been cast out from the mountainhome because instead of worshipping a proper dwarfy god like Armok, they instead worship...

BANJO THE CLOWN, GOD OF PUPPETS

[Lord Herman]

In the year 1050, seven dwarves were exiled from the mountainhome for their unorthodox beliefs. Instead of worshipping Armok like a proper dwarf, these dwarves worshipped something far more sinister. They worshipped...

BANJO THE CLOWN, GOD OF PUPPETS


Here follows the journal of their leader, Ezdul Tomescouncils.

SPRING

1st Granite, 1051
After months of travel, we have arrived at the foot of the Wall of Charity. This is where we will make our new home. We have named it the Temple of Puppets, in honour of our puppety lord.

http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/kk431/LordHerman/Playground%20Succession%20Game/Puppets.png
5th Slate, 1051
Our miners, Ral and Led, tell me this area is rich in coal and gems. Banjo has truly blessed us, but this does pose a problem: how will we dig out a proper fortress if we keep digging holes in our walls to get at the gems?

SUMMER

16th Hematite, 1051
The miners have dug out a hall, and we are almost done moving all the supplies inside. We're now working on some proper beds to sleep on.

6th Malachite, 1051
A group of new dwarves arrived today. They too are worshippers of Banjo, driven from their homes by unbelievers and forced to live out here in the wilds. Our new arrivals are a pair of woodcutters, a smith, a glassmaker, two fisherdwarves, a tanner, a soap maker, and a mechanic.

AUTUMN

26th Limestone, 1051
Another two dwarves arrived. One of them is a blacksmith, and the other a fisherdwarf. We've built a fishery so we can actually eat the fish they catch. Meanwhile, the bedroom is nearly done, and work is progressing on a dining hall.

14th Timber, 1051
The dining room and the bedroom are done. The miners are now digging out a hospital while we finish the food storage. The mason, Shorast, made a statue of a donkey, which we placed in the bedroom.

WINTER

16th Opal, 1051
Work on the hospital and the food storage area is progressing slowly. We've piled all the coal we found on a big heap in the main hall, as it was cluttering the other rooms.

27th Obsidian, 1051
The hospital is almost finished, and we've chosen Rîsen Clutchblockades as our doctor, as he is handy with a hammer.



This is what the fortress looks like at the moment:
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/kk431/LordHerman/Playground%20Succession%20Game/Temple.png

[Studoku]

In, although ideally not starting doing my turn until May 15th (when my exams are over).

[Ilena]

Awesome, i assume the dormitory is where all the dwarves sleep at the moment? Do they actually still need/want individual rooms? Oh i cant wait for the first use of the hospital! :P

[Emlyn]

Definitely up for this. All the new underground features looks like lovely potentials for fun.

[Lord Herman]

Awesome, i assume the dormitory is where all the dwarves sleep at the moment? Do they actually still need/want individual rooms? Oh i cant wait for the first use of the hospital! :P

Yes, they sleep in the dormitory. We could make individual rooms for them eventually, but the dormitory will do for now.

[druid91]

Is the fort actually named the temple of banjo in game? if so that is awesome.:smallbiggrin:

[Lord Herman]

Sadly, the word Banjo isn't in the game, so I went with The Temple of Puppets.

Also, I've made a separate list of past turns with links to the logs.

[Chaotic Bob]

I'm finally back and downloading the save now.
I'll try to get an actual post up soonish. It's Easter here, so it may or may not be slow.

[AgentPaper]

Ok, why not. Put me in the list for succession. I just hope I'm not burned out on DF when it gets to me. :smalltongue:

[LurkerInPlayground]

5th Slate, 1051
Our miners, Ral and Led, tell me this area is rich in coal and gems. Banjo has truly blessed us, but this does pose a problem: how will we dig out a proper fortress if we keep digging holes in our walls to get at the gems?
That there is elf-talk. And we'll have no more of it.

A dwarf feels no qualms about living around random mine shafts. It's not about making an artificial home that is divorced from the reality of living amongst stone.

I suspect you have lived a deprived childhood, to not have played dwarves-and-goblins amongst a series of quaint labyrinthine passages.

Why, back in my last fortress, we put our dining room in the scooped-out remains of a giant magnetite deposit and smoothed everything out.

[druid91]

Yes, come to the elf side young dwarf. Actually my question is why has noone melted in deadly rain yet?

[LurkerInPlayground]

Personally, I would have put the food storage (and fields) along with dining accommodations, armory, well and the hospital in a separate wing of the fortress from the main area. Then make living quarters and dormitories only accessible by passing through that wing. If you have a control room, then this would also be the place to put it.

That way you can establish a "panic room" burrow near your food and your vulnerable bed-resters and seal it off by a drawbridge-and-pit arrangement.

The main military barracks should act as a kind of ante-chamber to this wing of the fortress for increased security.

[Rollory]

Personally, I would have put the food storage (and fields) along with dining accommodations, armory, well and the hospital in a separate wing of the fortress from the main area.

And, having excluded all that, what, pray tell, do you define as "the main area" of the fortress?

[LurkerInPlayground]

And, having excluded all that, what, pray tell, do you define as "the main area" of the fortress?
In this specific instance, the "main hall." It acts as an atrium that leads directly to the outside.

My suggestion would be to eventually move the hospital, dining room, dormitory, armory, farming and food storage to a deeper and more secure location within the fortress. This would make for an ideal centralized "panic room" burrow.

The area around the main hall can be converted into an industrial sector with a trade depot and a centralized warehouse for trade goods. Carpentry, siege and stonecrafting shops are ideal. Anything dealing with wood is best placed near your entrance, assuming you don't have access to underground sources of wood.

Butchery may also not be a bad idea since it will be easier to create open-air refuse piles near the entrance of the fortress. And that way you can keep them near to supply bones to the Craftdwarf workshops. If you fish outside, you can likewise put Fisheries here.

If you go with that layout, rather than putting the butcher by the farming sector, you can place a cattle pen nearby (veal farming).

I've noticed in the past Succession game that giant piles of furniture were placed near the trade depot, but I would strongly urge against that because furniture isn't very valuable for how much it weighs, making it rather awkward to trade. Blocks have much more utility and are easier to train masons on because they can be stored in bins.

[Chaotic Bob]

Oi, I don't remember one year being so long. And I haven't even reached Fall yet.
Here's a post to cover what's happened since then. It's been a mostly dull year, so most of it is miscellaneous stuff. I'll add fort logistics to the finishing post.

Also, I'm used to using Dwarf Therapist, so the massive migrant swarm I got confused the heck out of me. Mostly been adding jobs to random dwarfs on a need-to-use basis. If a working version comes out before I finish, you can expect a more properly organized dwarf-force.

Oh hey, the dwarves function. It's just messy.
This is why I hate migrants.


12th Granite, 1052

Our prior leader seems to have abruptly ceased performing his duties, so I have assumed command of the fortress.
My first order of business will be to remedy the disturbing lack of trade depot. Apparently Mr. Original-Leader thought we could do without. I disagree. We’ll trade rocks if we need to, but we will undoubtedly need supplies at some point.
I have also arranged for us to begin digging downward into the earth.
Future draftees into the military are also having a room prepared, across from the Trade Depot room.

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg55/DeBunnypics/TradeDepotAndBarracks.jpg

8th Slate, 1052

Rain rain rain rain. So much rain! Only get a day of sunshine a week, lately. It’s getting ridiculous. I’m surprised the river hasn’t swollen and flooded us out.
In other news, we have arranged for a new workshop area to be built. It will be crowded, but until we can afford individual space for everyone’s craft, they’ll have to get over it.
We have also had a few animal births, a dog and a horse, I was informed.

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg55/DeBunnypics/Workshops.jpg

24th Slate, 1052

Sooner or later we’ll have more of our brethren among us. I have arranged a new floor plan for personal bedrooms for every dwarf that arrives. According to our architect, it will be expandable.

2nd Felsite, 1052

Oh yay. More migrants. A lot more migrants. Good lord, we just got around a 50% population increase from just these folks. It’s unfortunate that they couldn’t wait for the rooming floor to be completed. They’ll have to find space in the dorm until then, but we don’t really have room. Poorly timed arrival!
They also brought a sizeable quantity of infant animals. Just what we need: more things to stink up the place.
This was a bad day.

15th Felsite, 1052

The architect is an idiot. Somewhere down the line, he chalked out a mistake in the designs for the rooming floor. According to him, this will make proper expansion of the area more difficult if we want to keep the patten.
I’m inclined to throw him into a lake and build rooms the old-fashioned way: in straight lines along a straight hallway.

5th Hematite, 1052,

Looks like Operation Dig Deep has finally produced some fruit. Our miners found an entire underground cave system, today. The ground is covered in mud, there’s odd trees everywhere, and even a couple animals. This looks like a slightly safer place for our farming operations than outside, so I’ll notify the farmers.

14th Hemaite, 1052

Even with the discovery of the underground realm, life is pretty boring here.
I’ve ordered our engravers to begin beautifying some of the rooms. Meanwhile, some of us will transport furniture to the new rooming floor, for the migrants.
By Banjo I hope something interesting happens soon.

17th Malachite, 1052

Lord Banjo seems to be ignoring my pleas for something eventful.
We haven’t even gotten a trade caravan or a single hostile animal. What have we done?
The only thing remotely interesting is that some of our engravers have made a masterpiece or two. Whoopty-doo.
Please Banjo, give us some elves, or even goblins!

18th Malachite, 1052

Lord Banjo was prompt with our request, this time. A troll appeared to harass our underworld farmer, so our military boys were allowed some action.
At present, I believe they are chasing it down the hall.

25th Malachite, 1052

It’s been a few days, since we dispatched our soldiers to remove the Troll.
After travelling down to the realm below, we found the squad commander unconscious on the ground, with blood everywhere and with multiple wounds.
In the distance, we can hear our brethren still struggling against the beast, but it sounds like they are fighting a losing battle.
I have dispatched a scout to pull them back. With luck, the Troll won’t follow us.
Clearly, this is Lord Banjo punishing us for our insolence.

2nd Galena, 1052

The Troll ambushed the fellow we sent to retrieve our fallen militia captain.
The rest of his squad has elected to pursue the beast to the bitter end now, even if it means death.

(The troll seems to be far more durable than entirely necessary. Keeps regenerating. But, due to lack of other interesting events, beyond trying to make some equipment, there’s nothing to do here but keep the military dorfs busy. Also destroyed the farm plot down there. Saddening.)


Will finish this tomorrow, most likely. It's late now and the day has been crappy. Whoo sleep.

[Lord Herman]

A new version of Dwarf Therapist (http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=39229.msg1136017#msg1136017) was just released.

[LurkerInPlayground]

A new version of Dwarf Therapist (http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php?topic=39229.msg1136017#msg1136017) was just released.
Oh yessss. I needed this.

[Chaotic Bob]

Got it before I went to school this morning. ^_^
Which is probably sad.

But anyway, I'll have the rest of my turn up by the end of the day, at the latest, but most likely in an hour or two.

[Chaotic Bob]

A double-post, how exciting.


14th Limestone, 1052

The Troll fought its way into the over-Fortress.
Then it promptly passed out just outside the dining hall’s doors. I was amused to see two of our dogs pounce on the creature and proceed to begin ripping off its limbs.
There, it bled out on the ground, dead at long last.

Many were wounded, but hopefully this will prepare our doctors for any true battles that crop up in the future.
The soldiers will probably be fine.

22nd Limestone, 1052

Our carpenter decided he never wanted to make buckets.
As a result, one of the wounded soldiers died of dehydration. I have added him to the list of possible “lake accident victims”, along with that architect.
These fools worry me.

23rd Sandstone, 1052

Ever since our dogs tore down that troll, things have been pretty quiet again, although I’m hesitant to ask for more. Lord Banjo will likely be less forgiving.
In the absence of further attention-demanding tasks, I have set our miners to mine out a floor in search of gems.
Our crafters and smiths are busily making equipment for our military.

Life is going calmly and relatively smoothly.

9th Timber, 1052

Our Doctor Risen seems to have acquired the fort’s first strange mood.
He claimed our metalsmith’s forge today, so we shall see what we get soon.

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg55/DeBunnypics/FirstStrangeMood.jpg

Another wounded soldier died of dehydration, today. The commander, no less! Apparently, despite the absence of both buckets, booze aplenty, and even a stream of water outside, no one is willing to give them drinks.
I think the fort resents our military.
I shall arrange for replacements.

13th Timber, 1052

Risen finished his mysterious construction and I can’t say that I was altogether pleased with the results.

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg55/DeBunnypics/FirstArtifact1.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg55/DeBunnypics/FirstArtifact2.jpg

Did he really have to cut off his medical duties to make an over-glorified, but otherwise normal barrel? He’s been added to the Possible Accident list.
In the meantime, I’ve assigned someone else to doctor-duty as well, since Risen will be doubling as our smith, now, as he seems to have somehow acquired adequacy at the task.

14th Timber, 1052

The first caravan in almost two years!
It’s almost too late now though. We have most of what we need. Perhaps they have obscure plants we can grow on our farms to off-put the bland taste of our current booze…

…and as I walked out to fetch myself some of that exact drink I saw one of our previously-wounded soldiers going out to do the same.
I was about to hail her when she abruptly turned pale and keeled over. It would appear that she acquired some nasty variety of infection, despite having been relatively well-taken-care-of. Most of the original military squad has died now.

19th Timber, 1052

A troglodyte snuck into the storeroom. The military has been dispatched. Presumably this foe will be less lethal than the troll, but I shall hope Banjo is not displeased with us.

14th Moonstone, 1052

The troglodyte was killed without severe problems, it seems.
Another one’s body was found near the dining room, but I’m not sure when that happened. No one complained about an additional troglodyte beyond the storeroom lurker, as far as I can tell. Perhaps the dogs found it quickly.

In other news, the trader didn’t have much of interest, beyond barrels full of blood, which was a bit peculiar, but I didn’t question it. I have requested bauxite and seeds from the liaison, among a few other random items.

6th Obsidian, 1052

The year is almost up, which seems to be coinciding perfectly with a rise in troglodyte attacks. Several more have broken into the storeroom lately, which keeps our military lads busy.
One of them had a child during the event, so congratulations are in order there. Curiously, the baby also appears to be insane.

In related news, our woodcutter also seems to be mildly insane, having gotten the idea to abruptly wander around in the Underworld by himself, before getting ambushed by two of them. He probably won’t survive before the military saves him.

Another troll has been reported in by the scouts, as well. With luck, it will stay away from the staircase into the fortress.

1st Granite, 1053

Well, the fort has at least made some progress. The troglodytes were a bit annoying, but at least they staved off some boredom.
I feel the need to step down, however. I'm really not cut out for this. Keep getting annoyed and plotting to kill my subordinates.


Here's what the dwarf caravan has requested of us:
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg55/DeBunnypics/DwarfTraderWants.jpg

And this is the population count for the fort:
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg55/DeBunnypics/Information.jpg
The military side is a bit off, since I have a squad of five or so. I have actual swords in development for them, but for now they're running around with wooden ones. Yay safe training. They have armor, though.

We now have one artifact, too, even though it's an entirely ordinary iron barrel, just with a name.

The fort isn't too drastically different from what it was, since I was using this time to familiarize myself with new stuffs. The workshop/stockpile room and the trade depot/barracks I showed in the other post are the big things. I also added in a dorm floor below the workshops, though for whatever reason that picture poofed. Just a simple arrangement of rooms.
There's also a grid-pattern of exploratory tunnels below that.

I'm getting some full-fort pictures uploaded, if people get interested in those. Might help describe it better, though they're going slow.

Uploading the save to the file depot.
http://dffd.wimbli.com/file.php?id=2000

There it is.

[Darth Mario]

I'll probably be able to get to work on my turn tomorrow evening, or Wednesday afternoon. Too much work tonight.

[Studoku]

I take it our hospital isn't working as well as it should be.:(

[Lord Herman]

I think it's best if you put your entire log in one post, so I can link to all of it at once from the OP.

I wonder how long it will take for our fort to be stable enough to start construction on a giant statue of Lord Banjo.

[Ilena]

If noone has started it by the time my turn comes around, i will start it meself!!!!

[Emlyn]

Yay! I'll get to clean up the mess created by building the giant staue.

[Ilena]

Im not going to leave a mess, what are yo utalkin about? :P

[Emlyn]

Every massive building project has something go wrong, its all part of the fun. Of course if it does go smoothly then I suppose I could mine for hell...

[druid91]

Not always sometimes the building project is clean up, and I will at least try to start our statue of banjo. that is if noone else does first though now that I have said this someone will.

[Chaotic Bob]

I would've put the whole log in one post, but I figured it'd be nice if people knew I was making progress.
But yeah...I don't think our hospital is working quite right. The doctor kept doing surgeries, according to the unit list, but very often he would cancel them because his patients decided they didn't want to rest anymore. Maybe we're missing something.

[druid91]

Maybe it only works if they are so injured they pass out? I propose we build a special "Processing" chamber where injured dwarves still capable of being awake are dumped and then spiked until they are suitable for surgery.:smallbiggrin:

[Lord Herman]

I would've put the whole log in one post, but I figured it'd be nice if people knew I was making progress.
But yeah...I don't think our hospital is working quite right. The doctor kept doing surgeries, according to the unit list, but very often he would cancel them because his patients decided they didn't want to rest anymore. Maybe we're missing something.

I heard there is a bug that causes patients that heal on their own before the doctor treats them to stay in the hospital forever.

[TheLogman]

Yes, this happens, and the Doctors waste a ton of time trying to work on them and nothing happens.

It does give the doctors decent EXP though.

Just imagine that those guys have donated their bodies...to SCIENCE!

[Darth Mario]

All right, I'm going to have to pass on my turn. I can't get DF2010 to run for more than 5 minutes without crashing my computer. Sorry, guys.

[Studoku]

I heard there is a bug that causes patients that heal on their own before the doctor treats them to stay in the hospital forever.
I perscribe magma.

Also, when I take my turn, does anyone mind me nicknaming my dwarf?

[Chaotic Bob]

Aw, I'm sorry to hear that Mario. It's good fun...

And I forgot about nicknaming dorfs, or we would totally have a miner named DeBunny right now.

[Destro_Yersul]

I want to sign up for this. I haven't played DF 2010 yet, so I'll be learning as I go. It'll be Fun!

[Lord Herman]

I'm all for nicknaming our dorfs. We could all name one dorf after ourselves. And then try not to deliberately kill each other's dorfs. Because that would be wrong.

[potatocubed]

Sign me up! I love a year or two of DF at a time.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

Deliberatly killing dwarves is wrong. Now of course unfortunate accidents do happen...

[druid91]

A dwarven nurse and an injured dwarf walk in
Nurse-"Yes, the doctor is through here Urist Mcpermanentinjury, just stay here in the waiting room. Now I'm going to lock the door, everthing is fine"
the nurse walks over to a lever and pulls it ....
Urist Mcpermanentinjury- "well thats a mighty fine bauxite chair and table set in this room I almost feel happy enough to get back to work....OH, SWEET ARMOK, THE BURNING!!!!!!!"

[TheLogman]

Alright, I'm downloading now.

It sounds like we're pretty much defenseless. I may have to adopt some sort of Scottish Warrior Persona and build defenses.

EDIT: Legit Scottish is hard to read and write. I'm just gonna go with the warrior persona.

EDIT TIMES 2 COMBO!: The game crashed and then I lost my progress, like halfway through the year.

I don't have any more time today, but I can work on it tomorrow.

[Studoku]

Ah, the old warrior persona. Not the old-warrior persona which is an entirely different thing.

Sorry to hear you lost your save. I hate it when that happens.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

Yeah I had that kind of crash happen too. Lost almost a full year of work. Oh well. Just reminds me to turn on auto-saving in the init file.

[TheLogman]

We're...not doing so hot right now. Goblins have taken a LOT. Are we still going with the no save scum rule? Because I think I MIGHT be able to barricade us in and save us with some traps, but we might be looking at a wipe right now. Weapons are totally overpowered in this version.

Wait...I'm seeing a turning point in the battle right now.

We might have a chance, but this isn't going to be pretty.

The biggest problem is that Dwarves in this version are total pansies. If they get anything worse than a yellow wound, they panic and run to the hospital, even in the middle of battle.

This gets them killed...a LOT.

Oh wow, nevermind, no turning point. We're gonna lose at least half the Fortress, if not more.

EDIT: Okay, I've managed to save SOME of the military and lock the doors. I'm laying traps now.

[druid91]

holy carp what happened?

[TheLogman]

5 Extremely well trained and equipped goblins met a significantly larger force of idiot dwarves that had next to no equipment and that turned tail and ran as soon as they got the smallest wound.

Also, does anyone know the stay inside command? I'm trapping them inside, but I'd rather make them do that themselves.

[Studoku]

At least some survived. If we can keep them from tantrum chaining, we might just make it.

[TheLogman]

I'm attempting to create a freshwater source, as we currently have none, and we can't go outside.

[druid91]

Could you use burrows to make them forget the doctor exists? and for the inside question make a burrow called inside and assign everyone to it?

[Lord Herman]

Also, does anyone know the stay inside command? I'm trapping them inside, but I'd rather make them do that themselves.

You use burrows for that now. Designate a burrow where you want your dorfs to stay in an emergency - this can be the underground part of your fort, or just one 'panic room'. Then go to the Alerts part of the military screen, scroll to the high alert status (if you don't have one, make one), and select your new burrow in the rightmost column. Now, if you set the civilian alert to high, all civilians will be restricted to that burrow.

Note that you don't need to assign any dorfs to this burrow - as soon as your fortress is set to high alert, all civilians will be restricted to the burrow.


Edit: I'm still for the no save scumming rule. I suggest we try to save this fortress as best we can, and if we should fail, create a new fortress.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

If we fail, we reclaim. Remember. Loosing is fun!

[TheLogman]

Blugh...ugh...*gasp*...

...we got 'em...

finally.

[druid91]

Haha Victory!! None may defeat the dwarves of the temple of puppets!


As a side note where did puppets come from? I checked the raws and it isn't there.

[Lord Herman]

Odd. I didn't modify my game in any way, so it should be in the standard word list.

[Studoku]

I am suprised puppets is in there.

How many dwarfs are left?

[TheLogman]

30 Dwarves, plus one crazy dude.

But the crazy dude will go where I station him when I put him in the military, so I guess he's some use.

But he won't fight anyone once he gets there.

So he's good Cannon Fodder or something.

[druid91]

Use him as bait. Have the goblins chase him into a specially prepared collapsible structure.

[TheLogman]

Yea, that's not going to happen. A second, larger attack of Goblins forced us into my panic shelter deep underground. We lost a LOT in the flee downstairs.

I think we're down to...24?

All non-military.

Oh, wow, this is bad. I think my next post is going to be a log that the next leader can find charred and nasty on the floor of our Fortress when they reclaim.

[druid91]

New plan, instead of the grand banjo statue we need a tuckers kobolds style entryway.

[TheLogman]

Oh wow, I managed to wall off a miner, a pick, and a mason.

By some water.

What shall I do? Dig ourselves back up to get killed, or try to make something for ourselves here until we die of Starvation?

EDIT: The two of them are in the second cavern. I blockaded the only way up while I was making a secret passage down there from the panic shelter (since the second cavern has a large underground lake, which means water).

We could dig down, or up, or make something cool of stone down here, or maybe go hunting for cave spider meat, I dunno.

Also, we do have 2 dogs down here. We could build a stone butcher's shop and kill them for food.

[potatocubed]

Hey, this is tense and exciting stuff!

Could you train the dogs as hunting dogs and go hunting for meat? You might be able to build a whole new fortress starting here.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

Did they change the way hunting vs war animals work? In the previous versions, hunting dogs could stealth if their master was trying to stealth. War dogs did double damage.

[druid91]

Well since they are near an underground lake, set up some farms for them, start a whole new fortress, and this is kinda strange isn't it? having goblins show up so fast I mean.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

I wonder if it is related to the old HFS adding a ton to wealth of the fortress and attracting goblins and migrants sooner.

[druid91]

Have we breached the HFS already? I never had any quick attacks because of un-mined HFS.:smallconfused:

[Rockphed]

Well since they are near an underground lake, set up some farms for them, start a whole new fortress, and this is kinda strange isn't it? having goblins show up so fast I mean.

It has been 3 years already. Normally goblins show up by the end of year 2.

[druid91]

What?! why did this never happen to me? I always prepare and prepare for an enemy that never comes before I get bored of waiting and do something FUN and kill off half my fortress.

[TheLogman]

The problem is that we don't have any seeds in this little Dwarven Rapture.

Is there any way to get seeds not from Plump Helmets, Trading, or bringing them with us?

EDIT: I found a bunch of Shrubs. We may have a chance!

EDIT2: Yeah, we did have a chance. Long story short, two Dwarves survived a massacre. Then most the goblins trapped themselves in the many cage traps that failed to STOP the goblins when they came the first time, but eventually got them. Through the building of a handful of workshops, the eating of the last 2 dogs, and the harvesting of some wild cave wheat, we managed to make some bread and survive.

Then about a month and a half later, some Traders came and killed the last two goblins.

This is what our units look like right now: http://i39.tinypic.com/j7dzm8.jpg

But both Frank and Mary are very experienced, and intelligent, and willing to work. And other than a few issues they've dealt with, everything is fine. I'm sure we'll get immigrants (or goblins) soon.

And if we do get goblins, look for the panic shelter we held out in for all that time, it's at Z -53. It has the supplies to build a small civilization. As long as you gather nearby shrubs and know how to tell the differences between each (Wheat is what you want, the bright while. Gather it in shrub form, Mill it, and cook it), you're okay as long as your dwarves drink water. Though with the setup there, you could probably build a still too, and make wheat-beer.

The Log comes soon.

[TheLogman]

Here's the Fortress File (http://www.mediafire.com/?yhw4y0oyo5w), my turn is done.

Here's the log:

1st Granite

RIGHT THEN! I hear you elven pansies need someone to take over your defenses. The first thing we need is some basic STATIC PROTECTIONS! I'm installing Walls and Fortifications at all Cavern level enclosures! Rotating Guards will be posted at all danger areas!

AND MORE THAN THAT YOU MAGGOTS! I'm building a retractable bridge on the front door!

7th Granite

Goblin Snatcher spotted at the southern entrance. Snatchers aren't a problem by themselves, but they are a sign of a much more dangerous problem. THE MILITARY WILL BE TRAINED!

13th Granite

Too many pets. I will allow the dogs to live, because they can be trained into killing machines, and the cats, because they are natural killing machines (and adorable to boot!), but the bulls, mules, and horses will be eaten. We don't have the space for all these tame animals.

18th Granite

Attacked by a Large Rat. Kill order executed.

22nd Granite

Cave Crocodile attacked, took a Mule and a Carpenter before I triggered the kill order. A miner wounded it.

8th Slate

A handful of underground creatures are dead, the Crocodile is wounded but alive still, and being chased through the Fortress. A wave of migrants brought fresh blood and talent as well as military aid. One of our chief metalsmithers siezed a workshop today, and starting muttering something about an "ultimate weapon or armor"

10th Slate

The Crocodile is dead. Traps are being constructed.

13th Slate

Wow...umm...just wow. Usually, when I see you maggots scurry to your workshops and demand valuable resources, your end product is worthless and makes me want to strangle each and every one of you.

But this...this is a thing of beauty. Iron Leggings of immense value with pictures of the Foundation of our Fortress. Simply worth it.

28th Slate

Defenses have been improved. A Giant Toad was stopped before it made it up from the cavern base floor.

10th Felsite

The Downstairs Defenses have been completed. Due to two tiers of traps, a lockable door, and the potential for a stationed militia group, the cavern base is nearly impenatrable. In addition, I have placed a farm plot of pig tails downstairs for farming. I have ordered some engravings done, and the moat system is nearly in place. The Silk Industry is off to a good start, with a Weaver or two gathering webs from downstairs.

17th Felsite.

Goblin Attack on the Front Door no significant defenses against them. Stationed both major militias outside.

23rd Felsite

Dead...all dead...

24th Felsite

The military was in shambles and we didn't know it. Those with any combat experience had no weapons and got cut up immediately, and those with no combat experience were the only ones with the sense to get weapons. This wasn't helped by the fact that a single hit from a goblin was enough to lob off the bottom half of even our best Champion, and the slightest hand gash was enough to send any soldier running.

I'm dealing with complete idiots here.

I've barricaded the Fortress in, we should be okay for a little while. I'm laying traps. We'll take these monsters or die trying.

25th Felsite

We've lost about 13, maybe more. I don't expect any more for a while.

I'm training War Dogs and I've converted a few civilians into mechanics to work on inner traps.

27th Felsite

More civilians died trying to get back inside. Also all of our dogs died in the initial onslaught, so there's nothing to train. We'll have to do this with traps.

We've been reduced to this...by a small group of goblins led by a guy who calls himself "The Lacy Promise".

Without fresh water, our wounded will die (not that the goblins left many standing to BE wounded). I've ordered a well be dug.

6th Hematite

We have traps to catch the goblins, and fresh indoor water. We may just make it through this.

7th Hematite

One of our farmers went totally crazy, attacked out dogs.

This was probably in response to the Level 2 Civilian Alert I announced today. The plan it to lure the goblins into some cage traps and keep the civilians inside.

9th Hematite

Lost another Civilian (A Trapper) to total insanity. In less depressing news, the goblins are moving

11th Hematite

We caught the leader and the second in command. The others will be soon to follow.

18th Hematite

Victory is ours, praise Banjo. One is dead, and four are captured, including the leader. The world is safe again.

21st Hematite

The Fortress feels empty. With so many dead and even more crazies, it's getting lonely.

1st Malachite

Our Legenday Miner went crazy. He's nearly impossible to stop, and it doesn't help that one of our military is bedridden, one is totally crazy, one is missing his bottom half and most his spleen, and the last one, the most stable of the four, is pulling double duty burying his old friends.

21st Malachite

The majority of our fortress has been trapped downstairs by a massive fight against that same Legendary Miner. Every single finger and toe in his body is snapped, and the majority of his arms and legs are broken, I really have no idea how he's still standing, let alone fighting.

27th Malachite

The Clothier created an aritfact Spider Silk Face Veil, and the Miner was finally killed.

19th Galena

Another Ambush. Better defenses should save us, but it'll be hard.

26th Galena

The Military failed, as did the mainline traps. I've ordered any remaining civilians to the panic shelter in the cavern. Hopefully we can catch them there.

1st Limestone

What a great way to start the Autumn. We've lost two more, and a second ambush has come.

Scratch that, we've lost 3 more.

Our only hope is to retreat to the secondary panic shelter and hope the Dwarven Caravan saves us.

4th Limestone

They found our hospital, 4 more dead.

6th Limestone.

The Traps failed.

They broke past our defenses.

They slaughtered our civilians.

There is no hope but to draft every citizen and pray.




(The Pages here are torn and wet, covered with the occasional blood splatters. Not that there seems to be much written on them.)

13th Limestone

Wow! A journal! I've never had a journal before. Looks like our leader used to keep logs here. Well, I guess since it's just me and Frank left, I should write something! Let's see, during the goblin invasion, Frank and I found ourselves trapped by a recently constructed wall in a lower cavern. I wish I could say I don't know what happened to the others, but I know all too well. It's just me and Frank now. The beginning wasn't easy, with nothing but my pick. But we've made due! We get water from the cavern's hidden lake, and we discovered some wild cave wheat. It took some time to set up, but we're okay now! We had to eat the dogs, and I feel bad about that, but we did what we had to do to survive. Frank even made me a nice chair! I'm mining out what I can here.

And what a perfect way to commemorate our first batch of Dwarven Bread but by writing this all down!

20th Limestone

Oh dear, Frank became upset today.

23rd Limestone

Frank is feeling better.

12th Timber

What's that?!

I hear something upstairs.

Merchants?!

22nd Timber

Frank got attacked by a Giant Olm going to meet the traders, but he made it to safety and the Traders rescued him.

24th Timber

I finally got a chance to look at the Fortress.

It...it hurts to write this down, but it has to be said, it has to be recorded.

Everyone but us is dead. Blood and body parts lay in the dust. Noone was spared.

The Merchants killed the remaining goblins, and over time, even the emergency traps killed or captured most the goblins. We are safe for now. If they attack again, Frank and I could probably retreat back to our old home. We should be safe there.

The Merchants refuse to take pity on us. We don't know what any of this is worth, but they won't hear it. Frank is going to attempt to trade with them.

25th Timber

I went down to the lower fields to plant the season's crops today. I found...so many bodies. Stacked on top of one another. WHY WOULD THEY DO THIS?! WHAT DO THEY WANT FROM US!?

5th Moonstone

I feel better now. Frank is still unhappy, but he's coming around. The Traders still won't have anything to do with us, but I suppose peace was the best import we could ask for. I've taken to just running about the fortress, improving things here and there. Crops need planted, beers need brewed, walls need drawn on.

8th Moonstone

We found a Stray Bull today. He must have escaped the goblins and lived on his own for a while. Though he's not a very good pet, it is nice to have someone else around the Fortress.

15th Moonstone

A flock of Elk Birds sneaked into our Fortress. Frank and I are safe, but the Merchants ignore our pleas for help.

18th Moonstone

With the Merchants gone, Frank and I are going to have to learn to live with these Elk Birds or kill them, because they are causing trouble right now.

26th Moonstone

We seem to have come to an agreement with the Elk Birds. We don't attack them, they don't chase us. In other news, Frank, in a completely suprising change of events, is actually happy for once!

3rd Opal

Oh wonderful. What a world we live in. The Elk Birds have moved to our front entrance, where they would have been killed had they not moved a month too late. In other news, the caged goblins won't shut up about how attached they are to their own pikes and shirts. I still have no idea what to do with all of them. I don't really want to kill them, and add to the bloodshed. Besides, there are other things to do, like bury our dead. Frank is working on some coffins.

15th Opal

The Elk Birds keep walking over the same weapon trap as they patrol our Fortress. It's funny to watch.

3rd Obsidian

Not much happening. It's getting nice around here. Frank and I are getting things done.

23rd Obsidian

Most the Elk Birds are dead or have migrated away. Frank and I have made some drawings on the walls we're quite proud of. We work on burying the dead and Fortress defense in our free time.

1st Granite

Spring has arrived. Maybe a new year will bring a new beginning for us.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

Epic journals. Can't wait to see how it all turns out.

[Rockphed]

So, who goes next? I would volunteer, except that I am really bad at writing down what I do. On the other hand, there is always the, oh so incredibly useful new announcement screen that even includes dates.

Eh, the worst is that I'll start taking my turn and realize that I can't possibly get it done. Sign me up whenever there is space.

[Lord Herman]

So, who goes next?

There's a list of upcoming players in the OP. ObadiahTheSlim is next on the list. If you want to play, let me know and I'll put you on the list.

Edit: I noticed you already asked that in your post, so I've added you to the list.

[brakisaurus]

Please add me to the queue of players! The age of enlightenment is upon us! BAUXITE WALLS FOR EVERYONE!

[Dragero]

Watching, but not playing :P

[ObadiahtheSlim]

Got the file. Give me a little while to get through it all. Still trying to figure out how to work the military on my own fort without the thing crashing on me. Gotta love buggy alpha releases :smallbiggrin:

[Studoku]

Please add me to the queue of players! The age of enlightenment is upon us! BAUXITE WALLS FOR EVERYONE!

Bauxite? Philestine.

No rock can compare with the awesome colour and legendarity or microcline.

[TheLogman]

Bauxite? Philestine.

No rock can compare with the awesome colour and legendarity or microcline.

This.

This is a fact.

Also why I demanded that the front door bridge be constructed of microcline.

[druid91]

I second the demand for a microcline front door bridge.

[brakisaurus]

I second the demand for a microcline front door bridge.

An entry hall of bauxite walls, paved with orthoclase, opening onto a microcline bridge.

Urist and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamfort

[TheLogman]

The walls are already done, mostly coal or a base stone. But they are engraved and they look nice.

And the Microcline bridges are assigned, but with one 2 Dwarves it's been hard to complete the second (The first was done pre-massacre).

A nicely colored paved road would be cool.

[brakisaurus]

The walls are already done, mostly coal or a base stone. But they are engraved and they look nice.

And the Microcline bridges are assigned, but with one 2 Dwarves it's been hard to complete the second (The first was done pre-massacre).

A nicely colored paved road would be cool.

Only problem with paved roads (as opposed to smoothed floors) is that you can't put traps on them :(

[ObadiahtheSlim]

We got the microcline bridges and we got some migrants :smallsmile:

First one is a doctor. I think I'll do this from his perspective. Only problem is, with a dead mayor/expidition leader, it is impossible to reassign nobles. So for now I think I'll call him Acting Chief Medical Dwarf.

[AgentPaper]

Since we seem to have a fair number of people wanting to play, perhaps we could follow the example of the Civ4 succession game and split up into two groups? Only rule being that you can't be on both lists at the same time. (Though, you could switch from one to the other after playing your turn, of course)

[Emlyn]

Not a bad idea considering we will have to survive 14 years to have everyone play.

[brakisaurus]

Not a bad idea considering we will have to survive 14 years to have everyone playwatch the last 10 players have FUN trying to reclaim the fortress.

Fixed that for you

[Emlyn]

Opps, my bad. Thanks for pointing that out. :smallwink:

[Rutskarn]

If you need someone to unintentionally bring this fortress to its knees, screaming, I am your witless assassin.

Also, when it breaks down, someone send me a screenshot so I can do an artist's rendition of the destruction.

[Lord Herman]

If the last succession fort is any indication, this is just an initial rush of players, and it'll slow down later. We could split the fortress now, but I think we'd just end up with two fortresses with too few players.

I do think it's a good idea to have a strict rule on how long every player's turn can take. Last time, the fortress died because someone took too long, lost interest, and never passed on the game.

So I suggest a limit of one week. If it's your turn and you don't think you'll have time that week, you can hold your turn until you do have time, letting others take their turn before you. If your week runs out before you finish the year, you'll have to pass on the turn, and the next person in line gets to play what was left of your year in addition to their own year.

Also, I think it's a good idea not to delete the save after passing it on, in case the next player gets hit by a bus.

[AgentPaper]

If the last succession fort is any indication, this is just an initial rush of players, and it'll slow down later. We could split the fortress now, but I think we'd just end up with two fortresses with too few players.

I do think it's a good idea to have a strict rule on how long every player's turn can take. Last time, the fortress died because someone took too long, lost interest, and never passed on the game.

So I suggest a limit of one week. If it's your turn and you don't think you'll have time that week, you can hold your turn until you do have time, letting others take their turn before you. If your week runs out before you finish the year, you'll have to pass on the turn, and the next person in line gets to play what was left of your year in addition to their own year.

Also, I think it's a good idea not to delete the save after passing it on, in case the next player gets hit by a bus.

And the main reason that you have less people later on is because they know they won't be able to play for months and so stop paying attention. Then, once the game finally gets around to them (if it even does) they don't even remember applying in the first place and either refuse or even worse say they'll do it and then forget again.

If you have less people in the queue, though, it's more likely that the ones who are there will keep up with the fortress and actually care about it once it gets to their turn. As such, I'd say it would be a good idea to put a limit on the number of people that can get queued up, like 4-5.

And hey, if worse comes to worst, you'll just end up with 2 succession forts that do well for a while and then die, instead of one.

[Rollory]

This discussion is all rather superfluous. If people want to play now now now, nothing stops them from starting their own succession game.

[Studoku]

I vote we declare war on the heretics who probably worship Giggles. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149130)

[ObadiahtheSlim]

You know what, take me off the list I'm not going to have time to do this. I'm sorry.

[Emlyn]

I vote we declare war on the heretics who probably worship Giggles. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149130)

:smalleek:

But, but, that's not nice! I mean my dwarves are probably all going to die to my mismanagement anyway...

[Rockphed]

So, in other words, you are saying that we aren't dwarfy enough! Off with his head! Ready the magma cannons! Incinerate his putrid flesh!

[druid91]

You know what, take me off the list I'm not going to have time to do this. I'm sorry.

So its my turn?

[Lord Herman]

Yes, it would appear so.

Obadiah, do you want to be taken off the list altogether, or should I hold your turn so you can take it when you do have time?

[druid91]

I have the save. I will try to get started tonight or tomorrow.

[druid91]

Unfortunately, my computer just doesn't want to load the save file, it freezes the computer. So I will have to pass, put me on the end of the list though, I will see if I can get it to work sometime but don't have time right now.

[Rollory]

Savefile downloaded and loaded up, I'm looking over the situation now.

edit: Holy crap.

[Antisthenes]

Yo, I want in. Put me on the list.

[TheLogman]

Savefile downloaded and loaded up, I'm looking over the situation now.

edit: Holy crap.

Yeah, sorry about that.

If previous players are any indication, it sounds like you have a migrant wave coming. We DO have decent defenses, and the 2 dwarves we have are of a decent level, are hard workers, and have a large amount of food and supplies.

In my defense, Goblins are really really strong in this version.

And at least I was able to keep those other two alive until we got rescued.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

Were you the one that opened the caverns as well and didn't do a proper resealing job? Those Elk bird started rampaging through the fort and injured some of my hastly formed militia. Combat being rather screwy didn't help either.

[Rollory]

Well, without meaning to start an argument, I strongly disagree about the "decent defenses" part. On just about every front.

I have in mind some small-scale doomsday devices to rectify that, however.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

Well, without meaning to start an argument, I strongly disagree about the "decent defenses" part. On just about every front.

I have in mind some small-scale doomsday devices to rectify that, however.

There is no such thing as decent defenses. There is only overkill and not dwarfy enough.

[Dragero]

Haha so true.

One of my doors had about 16 serated blade traps and 12 miltiary, the other had 4 sword traps, 3 military, and a row of cages.

Guese what one the goblins came in....

[TheLogman]

Were you the one that opened the caverns as well and didn't do a proper resealing job? Those Elk bird started rampaging through the fort and injured some of my hastly formed militia. Combat being rather screwy didn't help either.


Well, without meaning to start an argument, I strongly disagree about the "decent defenses" part. On just about every front.

I have in mind some small-scale doomsday devices to rectify that, however.

No, I didn't crack either of them open, they were open when I started. I attempted to seal/defend them, with about half my turn (The other half being trying with very little success to keep someone alive).

When I started, we had 2 caverns worth of completely open caverns, with nasty stuff pouring out 24/7, and a completely open front door.

I built the walls and traps, which although they aren't perfect (since I got invaded WHILE building them), were able to keep us fairly safe from the Cave Creatures and eventually killed the goblins.

Honestly, more than anything my turn was a "Oh man, we are really really poorly defended. I better fix that!" turn, that was interrupted about halfway through by "OH NO DEATH AND DAMNATION".

The traps were emergency-placed. I planned for them to defend the caverns, but I had to throw them down to stem the first two goblin invasions.

Also, the cavern defenses were dependent on a stationed military to take care of things during the cage-resets, and the weapons all went to the military, not enough time to build decent weapon traps.

[Rollory]

Yeah, I can see how it would work with a military. But seeing as how the military is all dead and lying in pieces in various corners, I am building excessively complicated mechanical devices instead.

Fittingly, we just got another artifact: a limonite mechanism. I know exactly what I'm going to use it for. The legendary mechanic is nice too.

It took me a while to sort everything out (and I had to mass-forbid all sorts of crap down in the caves to keep the first migrant wave from rushing down there and scattering all over the place and tangling with the elk birds, and for now they're sealed off entirely) but things are beginning to hum along nicely. I hope to leave a nicely autopiloting fort full of "what's THIS pressure plate do?" moments for my successor.

[Rockphed]

Please leave, at the very least, cryptic notes for future reference.

[Lord Herman]

Please leave, at the very least, cryptic notes for future reference.

New rule for the fortress: all levers and pressure plates must have a note with a haiku vaguely describing its function.

[ZeroNumerous]

New rule for the fortress: all levers and pressure plates must have a note with a haiku vaguely describing its function.

Down it comes
Fire flows from five feet
above your head

:smallamused:

[Rockphed]

New rule for the fortress: all levers and pressure plates must have a note with a haiku vaguely describing its function.

Great. Now my turn will be mostly take up with me writing Haiku for levers. I'm not sure what the levers will do yet, not having looked at the current state of the fortress, but they will do something!

Open the gate, fool!
The Goblins are coming in!
Explode them we will.

Or, if that is insufficiently creepy

Cell oh, sept, five, five*
release the death juice of doom
who is laughing now.

*Hey, I can get ten thousand levers with the exact same haiku. Sept is for seven. Now I know what I will do for the fortress. The magma plumbing will be hard, but I can do it. The real problem will be power. Is there wind on our map?

[Antisthenes]

By the time i get the save i predict:

A hall
Haiku covered walls
Dead dwarf

A.k.a: A new artform has been birthed, haiku directed carnage

[TheLogman]

Thanks to the total carnage caused by 3 invasions right in a row, PLUS the major invasions of cave creatures, I'm pretty sure any engravings for a LONG time are going to be Dwarves crying and bleeding to death.

[Ilena]

Hmmmm i wonder what its going to look like when i get a hold of it ... I hope we survive it :S

[Rollory]

Ok, turn's complete. I still need to write it up and sort out the screenshots, I'll do that sometime Sunday.

No sign of goblins, aside from the ones still sitting around in cages. The Device seems to work pretty much as I hoped (although I wasn't able to test it until literally the last week of my year), so the next invasion may be in for a surprise.

[Rollory]

Ok, here's the writeup:


Diary of Erith "Rollory" Shadalmelbil, Year of the Farting Dragon:

So after Cog slipped me that new elven powder and - well, I don't want to talk about that. To make a long story short, we've arrived at the fortress. What I was TOLD was a thriving industrio-clownist powerhouse. Instead ...

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/4162/0101bedrooms.th.jpg (http://img180.imageshack.us/i/0101bedrooms.jpg/)

We found exactly two dwarves, tripping on spiny sunwort, endlessly drawing pictures on the walls. Couldn't tell us any sort of a straight story. Doesn't matter, it seems clear enough:

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/3750/0101sidedoors.th.jpg (http://img341.imageshack.us/i/0101sidedoors.jpg/)

Poor security at the entrance, overwhelmed by sheer numbers ...

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/4379/0101mainhall.th.jpg (http://img248.imageshack.us/i/0101mainhall.jpg/)
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/9093/0101prodfloor.th.jpg (http://img180.imageshack.us/i/0101prodfloor.jpg/)

Corpses, body parts, and pools of blood lying everywhere ...

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/7540/0101cavefarm.th.jpg (http://img341.imageshack.us/i/0101cavefarm.jpg/)

And another disastrous battlefield deep below the surface. It appears this fortress was attacked from above and below, and the inhabitants were completely unprepared. Not surprising: it takes many months of solid training with good instructors, as well as high-quality equipment, to make a solid dwarven warrior - and it takes many such warriors to make a good army.

But it only takes GENIUS to make a mechanical killing machine!

Just looking at this place, my mind is buzzing with ideas and possibilities. Devices! DEVICES! I must get to work.

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/4953/0102gobspear.th.jpg (http://img248.imageshack.us/i/0102gobspear.jpg/)

Right, shut up. That won't help you when you get fed through an experimental grinding oscillator.

As a precaution, I ordered a set of hatches set up closing off the stairway down into the caverns. As a double precaution, I mechanically connected the hatches so that they can only be opened from our side. Just as well; shortly after that was completed:

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/9834/0116doortroll.th.jpg (http://img180.imageshack.us/i/0116doortroll.jpg/)

Based on the noises we hear, something is wandering around in the ruined settlement within the caves, smashing everything.

[This troll wandered around and destroyed EVERY SINGLE STRUCTURE previous overseers had built down there. Beds, workshops, statues, doors - it's ALL gone except for the walls and the (fallow) farm plots. It would have been up in the main fort doing the same if not for the hatches. Returning to the caverns will require much better security and control of territory.]

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/2827/0201trollelkbird.th.jpg (http://img256.imageshack.us/i/0201trollelkbird.jpg/)

Then we heard the hooting of the elk birds. A whole flock seemed quite intent on devouring some of the dead dwarves down there, and sniffing about at the hatches as if they'd like second helpings.

This insult calls for severe mechanical vengeance.

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/7572/0222cageempty.th.jpg (http://img408.imageshack.us/i/0222cageempty.jpg/)

There's other noises down there. Don't know what. Don't want to.

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/7873/0222gobbopike.th.jpg (http://img203.imageshack.us/i/0222gobbopike.jpg/)

Just wait. You'll get yours.

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/6821/0316mechanicmood.th.jpg (http://img689.imageshack.us/i/0316mechanicmood.jpg/)
http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/9190/0322mecharti.th.jpg (http://img706.imageshack.us/i/0322mecharti.jpg/)

My mind has been buzzing with ideas and plans for the Device. I have the miners working on preliminary excavations for it, but I couldn't focus on the parts until I came up with this: the centerpiece! The master lever! The symbol of mechanical DOOM! We've seen already that mere iron weapons are of little use against these enemies. What is required is the power of MACHINES! The clanking, grinding, systematic destruction of heartless mathematics! HAHAHAHA! How I love it so! And now, with Rersirkab complete, the centerpiece ready to be put into place, I see clearly, my hands work with masterful precision, everything I do is correct. I am a genius! THE DEVICE will make my genius clear for all the world to see!

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/2517/0701autumn.th.jpg (http://img689.imageshack.us/i/0701autumn.jpg/)

Autumn is here already. Half the year gone, and still no word as to further reinforcements from home. No sign of goblins either. In my spare time, when not adding to the Device, I've rigged up an irrigation system and a farm plot in a much more secure location than the others. Also a new well. The previous one is being repurposed for use with the Device. The new production warrens are coming along nicely too; rather than building stockpiles and hauling everything all over the place all the time, we figure we'll just build lots of workshops, leave the stuff in piles inside, and if one workshop gets too crowded, just start using another one. Until I figure out how to build a mechanical stockpile distributor device, anyway. Shouldn't be too hard. Maybe next year. Meanwhile, work on The Device continues.

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/4608/0710woodcuttermoody.th.jpg (http://img132.imageshack.us/i/0710woodcuttermoody.jpg/)

Zefon decided to make a wooden cup. Drinking straight out of the barrel is good enough for the rest of us, I don't know why mumble mumble grumble.

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/3933/0917caravan.th.jpg (http://img706.imageshack.us/i/0917caravan.jpg/)

The caravan is here! I admit some relief. We will at last be able to confer with the direct representative of -

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/5518/0917diploz.th.jpg (http://img256.imageshack.us/i/0917diploz.jpg/)

Oh. Um. Er, well. It all started when the liason asked who exactly was in charge. This led to sudden and bitter acrimony between a party of Reformed Banjoists and another of Orthodox, complicated by a dispute over right-handed versus left-handed puppeteering. When Kogan suggested that the true color of Banjo's hat was in fact lime green with ecru polka-dots, menacing with spikes of cave spider silk and rat bone, the meeting lost something of its orderliness, and the liason stormed out.

I am not sure what to do about it. Anyway, Zefon handled trading - we simply gathered up all the clothing from the previous inhabitants and presented it to the caravan, picking out some food and leather and cloth in return. We think we got a good deal, and Zefon keeps demanding to be allowed to do it again next year, but several of the other dwarves think playing trader is fun, so I don't know how we'll handle it.

[Due to the bug where nobles who die cause their positions to disappear, we are running a sort of anarchist/communist fort right now. Can't appoint a manager, can't appoint a broker. Nobody for the liasons to talk to. Also, I hadn't noticed this before, but there are no elves or humans in contact with us. Just us, the gobbies, and the cavethings. So no diplomacy is not a disaster.]

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/7730/1025cage.th.jpg (http://img22.imageshack.us/i/1025cage.jpg/)

More noises from below. If I had to guess, I'd say some of the goblins have gotten loose, and high-tailed it off into the darkness. They'll probably find their way home. Which means the gobbies will know there are still dwarves here. Which means we can expect further attacks. Which means THE DEVICE must be ready!

http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/6262/1105arti3.th.jpg (http://img83.imageshack.us/i/1105arti3.jpg/)

Fikod decided that what we really, really needed was a good bag.
Then left it lying in a corner.

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/9452/1116birth.th.jpg (http://img203.imageshack.us/i/1116birth.jpg/)
The newest addition to the fortress.

The Device is complete. A brief overview:

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/3421/device1.th.gif (http://img689.imageshack.us/i/device1.gif/)
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/2628/device2.th.gif (http://img689.imageshack.us/i/device2.gif/)
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/2023/device3.th.gif (http://img689.imageshack.us/i/device3.gif/)

Three windmills power three pump stacks, maintaining a steady water pressure into the holding tanks. Two other windmills keep the water switches active. Switches for resetting and modification of the water switches are set up in the immediate area; for more general purposes, a control room has been constructed. The artifact lever at the center allows manual opening of the flood hatches. Other levers allow manual closing and opening of floodgates in various locations, as well as drainage from the flooded hallway.

http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/4586/0101spring2.th.jpg (http://img638.imageshack.us/i/0101spring2.jpg/)

The entrance hall may be flooded manually, or automatically if the trap is armed and an intruder crosses the detector plates. The automatic process triggers 1) opening the flood hatches, 2) closing the floodgates within the hall, 3) raising the mudstone drawbridge. This last is a failsafe in case of hostile stragglers blocking the floodgates with their bodies.

Flooding is nearly instantaneous. Escape is inconceivable. Absolutely, totally and one hundred percent inconceivable. It is a foolproof system. Once flooded, the flood hatches may be re-closed to enable refilling of the tanks. Drainage takes approximately one week, although this may be sped up by allowing water to drain elsewhere than back into the brook. Filling the tanks when dry also took about a week, however as flooding the hall does not require all the water, refilling after a flood is likely to be quicker.

(Note: While testing the flood system, several goblin cages had been left strewn about the flood area. After drainage, neither the cages nor the goblins' bodies were found. It may be they were simply dashed to pieces in all the turbulence of the water.)

Various combinations of lever usage are possible. For example, closing the inner floodgates and the drain, leaving the outer floodgate open, and opening the flood hatch. A torrent of water will then flood outwards, likely drowning most of the valley. But this is as yet a purely theoretical possibility. Further refinements might be possible by construction of outdoor retaining walls in certain locations, as well as floors to block drainage back into the brook.

I've left various notes stuck to various things for people who wish to admire my genius, but for the less mechanically inclined: Pull the artifact lever. It floods the entrance hall. It won't flood the fortress (or at least not very much).

In any case, spring is here, and I've decided to take a bit of a break.



The savegame:
http://www.mediafire.com/?m5no2kcozky

Crixon, all yours.

[Ilena]

Ok, i SHOULD have time tonight when i get home ... i THINK, if not ill do so tomorrow, but ill get it done :P

Well, i managed to get half way through the year, got the fort up to 56 dwarves now, and nothing interesting has happened. Hopefully nothing interesting DOES happen :P

[Lord Herman]

The Device looks nifty. Can't wait to see it once my second turn comes along.

Speaking of which, people who have played their first turn can apply for a second. They'll be put at the end of the list, after everyone who hasn't had a turn yet.

[Rollory]

Sure, tack me on again.

Oh, and if it wasn't clear, all the talk about it being foolproof is there just to be funny as soon as some sort of drastic malfunction occurs. Which I am looking forward to. I did try to plan against the more obvious possibilities, but I'm sure something unexpected will happen.

[Ilena]

Well, The entire system confused the hell out of me, all i know is its got drains and from the sounds of it its completely self replicating so im leaving the entire system alone :P Im just focusing on buring our dead (done now) and getting the crypts done (done now :P) I also built a small wall blocking off a good bit of the side, not sure what i want to do with the enterance area yet though. I would love to get down there and resecure the underground but i dont think i should attempt that with no military at all :P

Also good show on the water trap. I LOVE it. :P

[TheLogman]

I'd like a second turn.

[Destro_Yersul]

Sure, tack me on again.

Oh, and if it wasn't clear, all the talk about it being foolproof is there just to be funny as soon as some sort of drastic malfunction occurs. Which I am looking forward to. I did try to plan against the more obvious possibilities, but I'm sure something unexpected will happen.

Not to worry. I have plans on my Dorf being a pretentious git who attempts to make 'improvements' on your design. Fun will be had. :smalltongue:

[Antisthenes]

How goes the fortress? And i'm still not getting the invention completely.

[Ilena]

The fortress goes, i managed to carve out the mountain and attach wheels to the bottom of the fort, we now have a mobile fortress :P but no ive not had much time to play, rl issues, but i hope to finish it today, bout halfway through summer as is so it wont be THAT long :P

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

The fortress goes, i managed to carve out the mountain and attach wheels to the bottom of the fort, we now have a mobile fortress :P but no ive not had much time to play, rl issues, but i hope to finish it today, bout halfway through summer as is so it wont be THAT long :P

The fortress better be tortoise shaped.

Ars Chelonian Mobile.

[Rollory]

Carve out a stone turtle in the very lowest z-levels, and carve out all the intervening levels to be in the shape of elephants standing on each other. Then, on the surface, channel out the words: "NEVERTHELESS, THE TURTLE MOVES"

Yes. This is a worthy project.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

Sounds like a good mega project for someone.

[Studoku]

My project will be to drop an anvil on a noble.

[Rollory]

Good luck finding one. They're all dead and the positions are gone.

[Rockphed]

Good luck finding one. They're all dead and the positions are gone.

In fact, it is unwise to kill nobles in the new version due to the difficulty in replacing them. If we manage to get more than 50 dwarves, they should elect a mayor, which will bring all the positions back, but until then we are kinda doomed.

[Ilena]

Got 56 at the moment, (havnt gotten around to horribly killing them :D) and i know i said this on monday but i SHOULD be able to finish today, and have the turn uploaded by tonight, so should be good to go for the next person, if not ill upload what i have done and you can continue it ok? One way or another ill have it uploaded.

[Ilena]

I know double post but forgive me, anyway im sorry i didnt get a chance to finish everything, life kinda happened and swallowed me, anyway heres the upload of what i have done ok?

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8XIC3ZF7

[Studoku]

Awesome.

I'll try and make a start on it tonight.

EDIT: I'm looking at it now. I'm not sure if I'll actually play tonight, but I'm going to look around.

[Destro_Yersul]

So, how convoluted is the fort right now?

[Studoku]

Not as much as I feared. As far as I can tell, the caverns have been sealed and I've found everything that I need. The large numbers of workshops are new to me though- I tend to use one of each.

Do we have an underground farm somewhere or are we just surviving on those strawberry fields btw?

[TheLogman]

We had just strawberries, and then I made some farms in the first cavern and walled them off and trapped them and stuff.

Not sure if those are still available or if they have been blocked off.

[Studoku]

I'll work on an irrigation system then. If that doesn't work, I'll flood the hallway and farm there.

[Destro_Yersul]

You might be able to work in an irrigation system as part of the hallway flooding mechanism. You'd just need to make sure you added a drain.

[Studoku]

Yep. Getting the water into the farm is the easy bit. The hard part is getting it out again.

[Rollory]

There already is an underground farm and irrigation system - south end of the fort, past the old tomb room, just east of the entrance. It's small but can be expanded. There's a well there too.

[Destro_Yersul]

How goes the fort?

[Studoku]

Sorry, I haven't been able to make a start on it.

I'm starting now.

[Bayar]

When some migrants arrive, would you please name one after me ? Make me a mechanic or a craftsdwarf :biggrin:

[Studoku]

This is fun.

Thanks to the leader dying, we have no arsenal swarf so it turns out the military have no equipment at all. That or we just don't have any weaponry.

I really hope the traps work.

EDIT: I love that trap. It admittedly sent a tide of bloody water into the entrance hall but it got rid of the goblins.

Where are the levers to drain the hallway?
EDIT: I've found them but either the system is completely jammed or I can't figure them out. I'd dig my own drain but there are goblins outside.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

It'll be fixed when the mayor is elected. Then we get to deal with mayor's who never truely leave office. When a new mayor is elected, the old one still makes mandates (although no punishment for failing iirc) and gets unhappy if he doesn't have a nice office, dining room, and bedroom.

[Rollory]

EDIT: I love that trap. It admittedly sent a tide of bloody water into the entrance hall but it got rid of the goblins.

You mean it worked? AWESOME

I mean, um, yeah, of course it did. I knew it would


Where are the levers to drain the hallway?
EDIT: I've found them but either the system is completely jammed or I can't figure them out. I'd dig my own drain but there are goblins outside.

There's one in the control rooom that opens a drain. It takes a while. You need to close the flood hatches first (flip the central artifact lever). You can also let water drain through the grates near the central hall down into the caves. You can also pull the lever in the dining room (I didn't put it there, it was there before I started on the control room) to open the drawbridge (so the gobbos can't get in) and then open all the floodgates to drain stuff.

[Studoku]

There are still a few goblins outside.

Is there a lever that lowers the innermost bridge?

[Rollory]

Ok, rough diagram, just to be clear:


------
|....X
|.----
|.|
|.|
|.|
|Y|
|1|
|2|
|3|


X and Y are sets of 3 floodgates apiece. Each set is controlled by a lever in the control room (northeast corner). 1 is a drawbridge over dry ground. 2 is a retracting microcline bridge over a water-filled channel. 3 is a retracting microcline bridge over water. The lever for 1 is next to the floodgate levers. The lever for 2 is in one of the dining rooms. I don't think any levers ever got set up for 3.

Does that help?

Worst comes to worst, just go around pulling all the levers and see what happens.

[Emlyn]

Worst comes to worst, just go around pulling all the levers and see what happens.

That can only result in happy thoughts and cake.

[Destro_Yersul]

So, do we have cake yet?

[Studoku]

It turned out to be a lie.

I'm sorry about holding up the game- real life got in the way. I'm going to finish the current year (crixon stopped halfway through the year) and upload it so other people can play.

[Rollory]

I'm starting to really see the point of the succession games that switch to the next player every 24 hours come hell or high water.

[Studoku]

I'm sorry.

I'm going to upload the file tonight whatever happens.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=0MQR4OIT

There you go. It's nearly the end of the current year. Good luck to whomever has to fix the entrance hall and enjoy the dining room.

I'll do a story update when I have time.

[Destro_Yersul]

I think that makes it Emlyn's turn.

[Emlyn]

Yes it does. I'll start (and hopefully finish) it tomorrow.

[Rollory]

I'm sorry.

I'm going to upload the file tonight whatever happens.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=0MQR4OIT

There you go.

You dumped your entire savegame folder in there. Anybody who tries just unzipping into their own location is going to overwrite their own region1-region5 with yours (or, more likely, corrupt the saves). Don't do that!

All you need is the Playground folder, that contains the savegame.

[Tolaria]

Is it too late to be added to the list of people to take a turn? I just recently started playing again and would like to be a part of the game.:smallsmile:

[Lord Herman]

Is it too late to be added to the list of people to take a turn? I just recently started playing again and would like to be a part of the game.:smallsmile:

I've added you to the list. :smallsmile:

[Tolaria]

Thanks, hopefully there is still a fort when my turn comes :-p Just as a forewarning, I can only play on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. So, if my turn comes up on any other day feel free to bump the next person into my slot. :smallbiggrin:

[Destro_Yersul]

I demand updates!

[linkhyrule5]

Kinda a late in the game, but the first post said new players could join any time, so... may I join? I promise not flood the fortress with obsidian? :p.

[Lord Herman]

Kinda a late in the game, but the first post said new players could join any time, so... may I join? I promise not flood the fortress with obsidian? :p.

I've added you to the list.

Extra bonus points if you actually do manage to flood it entirely with obsidian. That can't be easy.

[linkhyrule5]

Holy puppets... our deceased list goes one for, what, four screens?!

[Milskidasith]

I'll give it a shot, though the likelyhood of it ever reaching me is... minimal.

Then again, I haven't even *read* the fortress, so I have no clue how you guys have it set up. My forts tend to be... about 50% military, 40% farmers, and the rest people who produce stuff for the military, after a certain point, but that's 40d, so I'm not sure how I'd run a new game yet.

[Destro_Yersul]

Haven't heard anything from Emlyn. What's actually happening with this?

[Antisthenes]

We at least need a confirmation that it was downloaded or some kind of notice. I say we move to the next person.

[Emlyn]

Haven't heard anything from Emlyn. What's actually happening with this?

Umm, I was passed up several people ago. Didn't realize you were still waiting on me. I can take a turn if you want, me schedule is better now.

[Destro_Yersul]

Last we heard, it was your turn. I don't know why you thought you got passed over.

[Emlyn]

Last we heard, it was your turn. I don't know why you thought you got passed over.

Oh hell, I got that confused with the Civ IV one. I had my turn for it and this on almost the same day and I was far too busy to do it then. My apologizes. I will have the turn finished by tonight.

[Destro_Yersul]

it's now past tonight. Post, or we shall poke you with a *<-stick->*

[linkhyrule5]

Or a +<<+menacing steel stick+>>+, even :P.

[Emlyn]

Okay it wasn't yesterday but I'm actually doing it right now. No joke.

Edit: Or I would be but I can't download the file...

Edit2: Yay, I can't get it downloaded.

[Rockphed]

Yeah, that is one huge file. Somebody said it had too much stuff, so once I download it, I'll try to get it into a more manageable size.

Edit: And I cannot download the stupid file because it is larger than the amount Mega-Upload will let me download at once. :smallfurious:

[Rollory]

There's always the option of going back to Crixon's save (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8XIC3ZF7). The other one is only a few weeks past that ("early autumn", Crixon's is "late summer" IIRC).

[Studoku]

Really sorry about this. I was tired when I zipped it.

Trying to do a zip of just the playground folder now.

EDIT: Finally got a 27mb zip folder that should work.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HU5DS5H0

[ravin3]

Is it too late to post an application to join in this wonderful game?

I'm a bit of a newplayer, and none too good at complex constructions, but I've managed, somehow, to make it through at least three years with each fortress before I look at the big picture and realize that, save a massive invasion, I *think* I should be good.

[Lord Herman]

Is it too late to post an application to join in this wonderful game?

I'm a bit of a newplayer, and none too good at complex constructions, but I've managed, somehow, to make it through at least three years with each fortress before I look at the big picture and realize that, save a massive invasion, I *think* I should be good.

I've added you to the list. :smallsmile:

[ravin3]

Awesome! I'm gonna take some time to familiarize myself with the set-up you guys have going on here.

[AgentPaper]

Go ahead and take me off the list. All my interest in this has vanished in the 2 months it's taken to get to me, and has failed to re-spark. (Don't say I didn't tell you so) :smallwink:

[Destro_Yersul]

Well, that puts me after Emlyn, and I'm still interested. Therefore, Emlyn, I shall be forced to beat you with a trout if you do not download and play the game, STAT! :smalltongue:

[Rollory]

All contact with the fortress has been lost. Maybe it was demons. Maybe a tantrum spiral. Maybe they dumped the entire foodstock down a pit into the caverns by mistake and then starved to death. Nobody knows.

(srsly, what is this? three overseers in a row who've crapped out? it's not even that big or complicated a fortress)

[Rockphed]

It's been what, two weeks, since the last person posted a save. Now the save was incredibly annoying to download, but still, it has been a while. I figure we should give emylin a day more at the most, then Destro should take his turn.

[Tolaria]

It's been what, two weeks, since the last person posted a save. Now the save was incredibly annoying to download, but still, it has been a while. I figure we should give emylin a day more at the most, then Destro should take his turn. - Seconded. :smallsmile:

[Destro_Yersul]

I'll drink to that.

with +Dwarven Rum+

Will download the save and get to playing as soon as I can, assuming Emlyn doesn't post again.

[Rollory]

Incidentally, this should be continued (IF it continues) in the newest release, which should fix the problem with all the noble positions being gone. That will allow some sort of military to be re-established and equipped (assuming we're at the point of needing an arsenal dwarf).

Also, I think people need to start explicitly saying "I have the file and have started on it" or else there'll just be more indefinite limbo as random people say they'll play and then don't.

[Destro_Yersul]

I don't have the newest version yet, so I'll probably just be continuing on with the one I do have. I haven't downloaded the save yet. I'll get to it tomorrow, I promise.

[Rockphed]

Personally, if you have 0.31.03, you should be fine. Once a new build gets out on the main page, we should probably all upgrade to that, but until then, use whatever you feel comfortable with.

[Destro_Yersul]

I've got the save downloading now. I'll start working on it, and try to get the new save up ASAP.

[Destro_Yersul]

Journal time. Been a while since we've had one of these!

Somethingth of Autumn: I'll worry about dates when the new year rolls around. The last overseer left in an all-fired hurry for some reason or other, and I can't for the life of me figure the varmint's reasoning.

Or I couldn't, until I took a look around. Armok above, this place is a mess. We're low on booze, I can't find anything to make into booze, the entrance hall is flooded and there's goblins outside.

Well, first thing's first, let's take care of the booze. I was told we had some farms in the (flooded) hall, so I fiddled with the levers until I found the one that drains it. Might have accidentally dumped a bunch of water down our side of things, but that's what drains are for, right? At any rate, the farm has opened back up, and I've got someone making booze. Next order of business, taking care of those damned goblins.

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n199/ArtemistheHunter/Dwarf%20Fortress/TheDeathTunnelBegins.png

Winter Already: Someone said the goblins had stopped banging on the floodgates. I wonder if that bridge lever squished them, or something. No matter, they're dead now. I opened the fort up, and everyone immediately ran outside to welcome the caravan like a pack of morons. sure enough, there's goblins up in everyone's arses again, but at least now we've got the caravan's guards to deal with them. How do you like that, ya little green gits? I've ordered the wall around the outside of the fort finished, and another bridge constructed. We'll keep them out yet.

Also, someone got it in his head to build something crazy. He's piled a whole load of stuff into one of the craftshops. I wonder what damn-fool idea he's got...

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n199/ArtemistheHunter/Dwarf%20Fortress/ArtifactConstruction.png

He made an earring. And here I was, thinking we might have got something even remotely useful. How on earth he fit all those tiny dwarves onto this one earring, though, I will never know...

Still Winter: Finished the wall, raised the bridge. We're safe in here no, unless that giant eagle I saw across the river things Dwarf sounds tasty.

hmmmm...

I think I'm going to build a roof.

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n199/ArtemistheHunter/Dwarf%20Fortress/DepotBridge.png

Winter: There will be sweeping reforms around this place, I tell you. I'm building a two stage locking system for our new trade depot. I'm going to build retractable roofs for our outdoor farms, a trap-filled bypass system to slaughter any pesky goblins trying to get inside. I've got a new forge already cranking out serrated iron discs with our huge stockpile of metal. We have plenty of armour by now, so the second forge is also working on discs. Couldn't find the old well for the longest time. Built a new one closer to the main fort. I like it better than the old one anyways.

Late Winter: Why in the name of Armok's beard are pig tails and cave wheat the only thing we want to brew? No wonder we kept running low on booze. I told them they can use other things too. That'll fix THAT.

1st Granite, 1056: Spring now, and as promised, I'm keeping track of dates from here on out. The depot is done, the bridges are done, levers are ordered, and I'll be working on a proper drainage system for the Device next.

22nd Slate, 1056: Success! We had a group of migrants, and by standing on top of the wall and shouting I was able to get them all through the new lock without any threat to the fort itself. Included is a diagram of my genius.

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n199/ArtemistheHunter/Dwarf%20Fortress/Migrantlock.png

3rd Felsite, 1056: I have a cat now. A kitten. It keeps following me around, at least. I've named it Likot, and it is cuddly-wuddly adorable. Ahem. Moving on. The Entrance hall drain is being worked on. So far, so good. All the bridges are in place, and all that remains is to link them to a lever. The quartzite lever in the lever room, just so you know.

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n199/ArtemistheHunter/Dwarf%20Fortress/EntranceDrain.png

24th Felsite, 1056: Turns out a few of those migrants were still outside. I thought I had them all, until one ran by, screaming about goblins. Naturally, we kept the doors locked. Can't risk letting goblins into the fort. I've earmarked a few coffins for them in case the goblins go away.

22nd Hematite, 1056: More migrants. Let's see if the lock will work again when we know there are goblins outside.

23rd Hematite, 1056: It didn't. Potential design flaws will be fixed shortly.

2nd Malachite, 1056: This is bad. A number of goblins apparently decided that dwarves working on building roofs make for excellent target practice. Two are dead, including one named Frank, and more are wounded. We got a doctor in the last wave of migrants, but I'm not sure he knows what he's doing, and I don't think we have a hospital.

4th Malachite, 1056: That's a third dead. All masons, too. Why's it always the useful dwarves? There's a wounded woodcrafter up there too, but nobody seems inclined to go get him and I don't blame them, even if the goblins are out of arrows now.

5th Malachite, 1056: Apparently someone elected a mayor while I wasn't looking. He's dictated a few noble positions out to people which aren't me, as well as demanding a few things. Well, fine. I'll get to work on some rooms or something soon, if I can't find the ones we have.

14th Malachite, 1056: Rooms are ordered. I've also ordered that a few of the dwarves most prone to slacking take up masonry to replace those lost to goblin arrows.

11th Galena, 1056: Someone else went mad and started demanding things for an artifact or something. We don't have what he wants, so I locked him in.

20th Galena, 1056: The poor bastard on the roof finally bled to death. I'm going to let the goblins in and let the deadly entrance hall take care of them. See how they like being buried in water.

21st Galena, 1056: WHY DID NOBODY TELL ME THEY HAD ALL LEFT!?

12th Limestone, 1056: That Carpenter went berserk. I can hear him raging in his little cell. Nobody open the doors!

27th Limestone, 1056: No migrants. I wonder why? Could it be the death of the last wave to goblins?

15th Timber, 1056: That berserk carpenter stopped making noises behind his doors. I think he might be dead. Sent someone who isn't me to check. Also, we seem to have run out of prepared charcoal or whatever it is they power the smelters with. Quick check of their orders reveals that they were using the stuff at an unsustainable rate. I've put a stop to that. Now we'll have plenty! Some of my weapon traps are ready, too.

17th Timber, 1056: Goblins everywhere! Three ambushes in a row! This isn't fair, I tell you, where did they learn to be so sneaky!? I knew leaving the front gates open was a bad idea...

AHAHAHAHAHAHA

A caravan. There's a caravan here. Well come on in, don't mind the goblins! They'll only murder you. Or maybe you could take care of them for us? Please?

26th Timber: Some cats got into the holding tanks, somehow, and drowned when they began to refill. Someone else has already gone mad, though fortunately not berserk, and a whole bunch of people died with the goblins in the deluge from the Device. Thankfully, the caravan has arrived, and their guards killed off the goblins we didn't get to. I feel a lot safer with all those guards sitting in between us and goblin...

I traded them a few things from some of the dead in exchange for a few things we would have had trouble getting ourselves.

4th Obsidian: It's been some time since I last wrote. Things have settled down a bit. The fort is sealed off, and we have constructed a retaining wall to prevent people from shooting at the masons working on the roof. Once that is complete, we should have fewer issues. I'm happy to report that the new drain works well, and that many of the new traps are complete. I added some stonefall traps as well as the weapon ones in order to save some time.

Spring: I didn't get to do everything I wanted, but someone has already poked me and yelled that they're the one what's supposed to be doing things around here. I think I'll retire from leadership, and quietly use my genius to design excellent things.

[Rockphed]

In my fiddling with the save, I discovered that if you had drained the flooded hall out instead of in, you would probably have killed one of the bow gobs loitering about.

Otherwise, YAY! Let's get the alcohol flowing.

Also in my fiddling, I decided that the drains aren't nearly efficient enough. Though that might just be because my FPS was really super low.

[Lord Herman]

What year are we in now?

[Rollory]

Also in my fiddling, I decided that the drains aren't nearly efficient enough. Though that might just be because my FPS was really super low.

You're right. They were a last-minute addition set up in winter when I was nearly out of time and could probably be expanded.

[Ilena]

and those additions probably have saved our lives many times over :P

[Rockphed]

You're right. They were a last-minute addition set up in winter when I was nearly out of time and could probably be expanded.

No, the path from the hall to the caverns is plenty big enough. The problem is that it takes too long for water to move down the hall. I have an idea on how to make it faster that probably won't flood the whole fortress. Probably.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

Pumps and a bend to reset pressure?

[Rockphed]

Pumps and a bend to reset pressure?

No, a channel covered with grates going down the middle of the hall. Then the weird pressure rules will move the water out of the way really fast.

[Destro_Yersul]

I might just add that, but I'd use retracting bridges instead of grates. That way they can be turned off.


What year are we in now?

1055, soon to be 1056. By the actual end of my turn (someone quit before the year was up) it'll be 1057.

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n199/ArtemistheHunter/Dwarf%20Fortress/DepotBridge.png

This is the new bridge, as well as our completed wall and the lever that controls it. I stuck it in a room with a pile of coffins.

[Lord Herman]

So the fortress is finally more-or-less safe and in working order?

[Destro_Yersul]

Barring something huge and nasty coming along and knocking the bridges down, yeah. We're alright. I even have a system in place that will allow migrants and caravans to enter the fort without allowing the contents of the fort out.

[Destro_Yersul]

Know what annoys me? Dwarves have x-ray supervision, and are too stupid to realise when the goblin on the hill over there can't actually get them.

[Rockphed]

Know what annoys me? Dwarves have x-ray supervision, and are too stupid to realise when the goblin on the hill over there can't actually get them.

Wait, what? They shouldn't be having x-ray vision. On the other hand, you can see over walls...

[Destro_Yersul]

Yeah, not literally x-ray. But there were some goblins on a hill just outside, no way to get into the fort, no ranged weapons, and all the Dorfs were running around in a panic because they were just a little too close.

At any rate, my turn's done. Went a little over into spring by accident, because I had it running in the background. Hope nobody minds. I'll have it uploaded ASAP.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

Detail? Like what happened during your turn?

[Lord Herman]

Destro's journal (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8660824&postcount=204) is one page back.

[Destro_Yersul]

indeed. Anyways, here's the save for whoever is next in line.

The Save (http://rapidshare.com/files/398720634/Playground.zip.html)

[Lord Herman]

That'd be potatocubed. I've sent him a PM to let him know.

[Rockphed]

Just so everybody knows, I probably won't be able to take my turn unless I can start before Thursday. I'm running off to college, and will probably not have a computer for a couple weeks.

[potatocubed]

So the fortress is finally more-or-less safe and in working order?

That sounds like a challenge! :smalltongue:

Remind me again what version of DF we're using?

[Lord Herman]

The one on the DF front page, so that'd be v0.31.06.

[Destro_Yersul]

That sounds like a challenge! :smalltongue:

Remind me again what version of DF we're using?

Well, 'more or less' being the keyword here. Dorfs are stupid, and I still lost a whole bunch of them. On the plus side, we have deathtraps.

oh, and you may want to put a block over that one drain hole in the farming area. I was going to, but I never got to it. We've got a good drain system now, so it isn't necessary. You may also want to put a door on the large room with the kennels in it. THAT room does not have a drain, and it takes a long time to drain and endangers dwarves if you flood it.

[Destro_Yersul]

I didn't want to doublepost, but it's been a couple days. What's happening with this?

[Tolaria]

Agreed, any news?

[potatocubed]

I'm up to Autumn. The fort is big enough that it runs slow as hell, and I'm struggling to work out how to raise and train an army, since I've never done it before.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

If you got an arsenal dwarf it isn't hard. Just go through the tutorial on the wiki. All you need is steel weapons and armor. Your dwarves will be nigh unstoppable against anything killable in no time.

[potatocubed]

I don't think I succeeded at raising an army. I did manage to keep 'OMGoblins' casualties down to about 20, though. =/

The report is here. The file upload will be happening shortly.

7th Granite, 1057
As is traditional in these parts, a new year means a new ruler. I've been sent from the Mountainhomes to administrate this literal hole in the ground for a period of one solar year. Upon arrival I was quite impressed - in the finest traditions of my people it seems to be a labyrinthine, blood-soaked house of lunatics. Consider the following:

This dwarf was buried in a lavish, rubble-strewn tomb with his most valued possessions: six socks.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b194/potatocubed/dorf6-thetombofsocks.jpg
(Each of those '[' symbols is a sock. No kidding.)

This dwarf was in jail on three counts of 'disorderly conduct' while dead.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b194/potatocubed/dorf1.jpg

Never mind the room full of coffins with unmined gems and valuable minerals in the walls, or the bridge covered with dwarf stains outside. Not dwarf pieces, mind you. Dwarf stains.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b194/potatocubed/dorf2.jpg

After a few days it became apparent why all these valuable stones and gems had been left unmined: we had no picks. Or at least, if we did have any people were hiding them from me. Or they were buried somewhere under the sea of blood and dwarf parts just outside the entrance. I sure as hell wasn't going to go looking for them in that, so I ordered the metalsmith to make half a dozen. Nothing annoys me quite like undug passages.

20th Granite, 1057
Some migrants have arrived. After wading through a pool of blood about 50 feet across and liberally sprinkled with pieces of six different goblins - how do they identify those parts, anyway? They all look the same to me - and passing the field of windmills decorated by a single crossbow bolt and the mutilated corpse of a cat (I think it's a local art installation) they got to the front door.

And when I say 'they', I mean 'he'. One guy showed up, a tanner doubtless drawn by the godawful smell of faeces and death. Or maybe he just heard there was plenty of skin going spare and got the wrong idea. I suppose I can always use someone else to carry rocks about.

The day after, the mayor demanded 'something made of copper'. I threw our newest arrival in the spare forge and told him to make himself useful. Preferably a useful of copper.

25th Granite, 1057
Some more migrants have arrived. They took a leisurely stroll past a small army of goblins led by some heavily armed humans and died. Then some more goblins showed up and everyone who was outside the fortress also died.

18th Slate, 1057
Turns out I was wrong. Not everyone who was outside the fort was dead. The goblins found three fresh bodies from somewhere and staged crude puppet shows from the top of a nearby hill.

In response, one of the children organised a party.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b194/potatocubed/dorf4-wtfparty.jpg

21st Slate, 1057
Today I discovered that our water supply is full of dead kittens.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b194/potatocubed/dorf3-deadkittens.jpg

7th Felsite, 1057
I saw a lot of people working on the roof of the outdoor portion of the fortress where I had decided to stockpile all our bars and blocks. I wondered why they weren't getting anything done, and learned that it was because they were all dead.

5th Malachite, 1057
What this place needs is an army. I've never raised an army before, but I figure it can't be too hard, right? I mandated the production of weapons and armour, and set aside a nice large barracks for them to train in. Hopefully the raw gold all over the floor won't distract them.

25th Malachite, 1057
Lor Unpronouncablename has engraved a masterpiece! It's a moving scene of one captain of the guard - now dead, of course - being booted out of his previous job. Only a few days later, Lor did another one! Talented dwarf, that.

7th Limestone, 1057
The dwarf I had assigned to making armour for our new army has given up on that to "withdraw from society". In fact he's bricked himself into the forge he was using, so I can't even assign another dwarf to do his job. If he's not making some sort of goblin genocide scroll or apocalypse cannon, I'm going to be mightily displeased.

13th Limestone, 1057
Well, he was quick, at least. I find myself... underwhelmed by his offering.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b194/potatocubed/dorf7-Isholvel1.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b194/potatocubed/dorf8-Isholvel2.jpg

14th Sandstone, 1057
I've built an escape tunnel and sealed it with a floodgate, because I wasn't sure if a normal door would hold against the goblins. With any luck, any immigrants who happen to show up can be let in through this sneaky little back door before they become yet more grotesque playthings for the goblin children.

25th Sandstone, 1057
Today, I became aware of a surviving dwarf outside the fortress! I thought she was dead, but it turns out she was merely covered in the blood of a nearby dead dwarf. I commenced the digging of a tunnel to rescue her. Her and the rubies she was standing near.

24th Timber, 1057
A merchant caravan arrived! After some fiddling with levers I managed to let them in and sell them a truly ridiculous assortment of mudstone merchandise. Mudstone mini-forges, mudstone mugs, mudstone goddamn everything. Since the merchants lapped it up I can only assume they've run out of mudstone back in the Mountainhomes - or at least, they had. Now they've got enough to build an entire fort out of mudstone knicknacks.

In return I picked up several bits and pieces of armour - a ragtag outfit for our ragtag military - and a bewildering variety of food and drink, since I wasn't sure if we were making any of our own. All cooks to the kitchens! 'Cow bits pie' for everybody!

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b194/potatocubed/dorf9-cowsegments.jpg

13th Opal, 1057
The soap maker has been possessed. He's locked himself in a mason's workshop, where he will doubtless find stone harder to carve than soap. He keeps muttering 'bonunduthnur', which doesn't even make sense. This will almost certainly not end well.

21st Opal, 1057
The soap maker's great work is done. It's an armour stand. It's good that it's an armour stand, since that gives us an excuse to hide it under something else. Just... just look at it:

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b194/potatocubed/dorf10-bonunduthnur.jpg

1st Granite, 1058
Well, that's it. Some other dwarf takes over the operation of the fort now, and I think I will join the military - the goblins seem to have gone for now, but we're going to need every body who can swing an axe sooner or later.

If you're looking for the floodgate-entrance, which I made because I really wasn't sure if the goblins could knock down a regular door, find the XXX staircase in the north-east corner of the fort and follow it up two or three floors. The lever for the floodgate is right there, and that's where the last lot of immigrants showed up before being chopped to bits by goblins.

EDIT: Download link. (http://rapidshare.com/files/402131973/Playground.zip.html) Let me know if it doesn't work.

[Dragero]

EPIC POST HAS BEEN POSTED!

Smears of dwarf, dead kittens, A Guy Named FatherFortress (Wonder what he did?), the Temple of puppets, and some good-oldfashion Dwarfyness, This post has it all!

[Rockphed]

As I already mentioned, I cannot take my turn at this time. Whoever is next in line should take their turn first.

[Bayar]

So much win !

[Lord Herman]

I've PMed brakisaurus to let him know it's his turn.

[Dragero]

But wait....does anybody have any clue why there are dead cats in our water supply?

[factotum]

But wait....does anybody have any clue why there are dead cats in our water supply?

Maybe they got stuck inside when the cisterns were built and thus drowned when the pumps started?

[Lord Herman]

But wait....does anybody have any clue why there are dead cats in our water supply?

That's nothing. I found a dead cat in my quern once.

[Rollory]

Maybe they got stuck inside when the cisterns were built and thus drowned when the pumps started?

Nope, I was careful about that. What's likelier is that there were cats in the hallway when the trap triggered and they swam to the surface, which put them inside the holding tanks. Then after the hatches closed and the tanks refilled there was no way out.

[Destro_Yersul]

Nope, I was careful about that. What's likelier is that there were cats in the hallway when the trap triggered and they swam to the surface, which put them inside the holding tanks. Then after the hatches closed and the tanks refilled there was no way out.

This seems probable. They got in there after I had to trigger the trap while there were still Dorfs and things in that hallway. I noticed them after I had sealed the cisterns up again for refilling. Of course, by that time the hallway was open again and I didn't want to seal it up for the sake of a few soon-to-be-deceased cats.

[linkhyrule5]

This still alive?

[Lord Herman]

It's not dead. It's sleeping. Pining for the fjords.

Seeing as it's been a week since potatocubed's turn ended and brakisaurus hasn't posted here or responded to my PM (and, in fact, has been inactive since May), the turn goes to Rockphed. Or, if he's still busy, to druid91.

Edit: Rockphed has postponed his turn and druid91 cancelled it, so the game now goes to Antisthenes.

[Tolaria]

Seeing as we've had a bunch of people not respond, I thought I'd just let you guys all know, I'm still around and checking this once every day or so as my turn is coming up soon.

[Lord Herman]

Thank you, that's good to know. In fact, seeing as Antisthenes still hasn't responded, you can take your turn now. The download link is at the end of potatocubed's turn report.

[Tolaria]

I will download it tonight but probably won't get a chance to start until tomorrow. Please bear with me as I am still rather new to DF. I will consider it a good year if I don't get us all killed. :-)

[Destro_Yersul]

And if you do get us all killed, it'll still have been a Fun year.

I'm also still around. If this thing goes far enough to give anyone extra turns, I'll take a second.

[Lord Herman]

I've added you to the list, Destro.

Glad to see this game is moving again. :smallsmile:

[linkhyrule5]

Define "moving." :/

[Rockphed]

I think I can take my turn now. It won't be easy, but it should work. Well, at least a little. The hard part will be taking pictures.

[Lord Herman]

In the interest of keeping this game alive, I propose we give Tolaria another two days to finish his turn, and then pass it on to Rockphed.

[Rockphed]

And then I'll have a week to finish my turn? That should work, though I'm not sure when I'll find the time to do it. Probably on Wednesday.