River Systems and Crossings

[Lyllianna]

We could have the option to make shallow fords. Use the survey option but have each level require 5/6 times the dirt/stones as you would need for dry land. The survey option would only have deep water added to prevent elimination of shallow water. It would be a good use for extra dirt left over from terraforming. It should also be easier to program and work out the bugs than creating an entirely new type of structure and deciding on its materials. There could even be a limit as to how wide a body of water has to be to allow creation of a ford and to how many tiles wide the ford itself could be (say 12/15 for the river and 4/6 for the ford). This would help to prevent elimination of deep water.

[shadyg0d]

Is it possible to just have bridges without hitboxes? Just teleport to the other side or something?

[Burinn]

But if I try to ford the river all I might lose all of my grandfather clocks in my wagon and I'll never make it to Oregon!

[shubla]

Is it possible to just have bridges without hitboxes? Just teleport to the other side or something?

trails

[Lyllianna]

Look bridges are NOT the answer.

1. This is supposedly set in the dark ages. There just wasn't the tech available to make large bridges. The impressive cathedrals with all those flying buttresses are impressive but it is not a structure type that allows for the passage of large objects - LIKE BOATS.

2. Fords are easy to build and were actually used in this time period as a means of crossing small and medium rivers that were too deep for carts and wagons. Any body of water that was too large to create a ford across was crossed using boats and rafts which are already in the game.

3. From a programming standpoint it will be easier (if only marginally) to modify the existing terraforming/survey function to allow the creation of fords than it will be to create -FROM SCRATCH - and debug the programming necessary for the building of boat passable bridges.

4. Since ford are simply natural or created shallow areas used for crossing bodies of water; they will allow the passage of all boat types already in the game because the program already allows boats to travel over shallow water.

[ricky]

Look bridges are NOT the answer.

4. Since ford are simply natural or created shallow areas used for crossing bodies of water; they will allow the passage of all boat types already in the game because the program already allows boats to travel over shallow water.

yeah, I agree. being able to terraform deep water into shallow water seems to be the best answer. have it require a stupid amount of stone/dirt so it isnt abused. I cant really think of many consequences of this method besides maybe losing 20-30 tiles of deep water for fishing.

[shadyg0d]

Is it possible to just have bridges without hitboxes? Just teleport to the other side or something?

trails

Yes. I just mean for the sake of having bridges. Mainly something you could put a gate in front of or lock with permissions.

[GenghisKhan44]

Look bridges are NOT the answer.

1. This is supposedly set in the dark ages. There just wasn't the tech available to make large bridges. The impressive cathedrals with all those flying buttresses are impressive but it is not a structure type that allows for the passage of large objects - LIKE BOATS.

I don't even know where to begin.

Actually, yes, I do. https://www.google.com/#q=roman+bridges This illustrates a number of errors in your assessment of history.

Secondly, this game is not set properly in any time period. Or, if it is (I believe it is iron age Scandinavia?) it is only very loosely. Case in point: mammoths. Another: metal meat grinders.

Thirdly, "Dark Ages" is not a precise historical term. It is a polemical term. Polemic is not an evil thing, but I don't think you intended to attack the Middle Ages with your comment.
The proper term for the era of the cathedrals is the "High Middle Ages". The proper term for the era after the fall of the Roman Empire (before the great cathedrals were built) is the "Early Middle Ages".

[GenghisKhan44]

That said, the rest of your post is solid, and I agree that the solution is to just allow carts and wagons cross shallows, and allow water to be terraformed into shallows.

Up to a point.

My point being that I would like a knarr someday. If someone terraforms an entire lake into shallows, it will be somewhat harder to protect it, methinks.

But if I try to ford the river all I might lose all of my grandfather clocks in my wagon and I'll never make it to Oregon!

You made me chuckle for once.

[Lyllianna]

We could have the option to make shallow fords. Use the survey option but have each level require 5/6 times the dirt/stones as you would need for dry land. The survey option would only have deep water added to prevent elimination of shallow water. It would be a good use for extra dirt left over from terraforming. It should also be easier to program and work out the bugs than creating an entirely new type of structure and deciding on its materials. There could even be a limit as to how wide a body of water has to be to allow creation of a ford and to how many tiles wide the ford itself could be (say 12/15 for the river and 4/6 for the ford). This would help to prevent elimination of deep water.

Regardless of the era (or lack thereof) in this game; if you were to read through my original thoughts on this I did suggest limitations of where and how big said fords could be. Even though I am a dedicated hermit (deal with too many idiots daily IRL) I had already considered the hazards of too much creating of fords. Maybe a further limitation would be to limit the number of fords to one per mini-map natural or created. I'm not sure how the programming could be accomplished but it is something to consider.