Multi-level Minehole

[Akme]

Ok, we got awesome looking mine beams not long ago, but minehole still look like some temporary structure, which was built by some sprucecap at best, not by player with decent tools and materials. So, how about add high tier version of minehole, which will require much more resources, but have next advantages:
- Multi-level structure - when initial construction was finished player should equip pickaxe to dig minehole itself in same way which used to dig cellar in houses. After this game will automaticaly create next section of minehole below, right under initial construction. This section can be digged in same way to reach next undeground level and so on, until 5th underground level.
- When at least 2 sections of minehole are excavated, player will be able select on which level he want to go by rmb and choice from pop-up menu. It let completely skip that annoying unnecessary loadings each time when player descend to lowest levels or ascend from them.
- Cargo elevator - high tier minehole will include cargo section (with capacity of wagon for example) which will be available on each level of minehole at same time (by rmb and choose open from pop-up menu). This make irritating process of wheelbarrow with ore/wooden logs/other bulky cargo delivery to surface/required underground level much easer and less time consuming.

[Granger]

Multi-level would be nice, as would be an elevator upgrade that is able to move minecarts - and could be further upgraded to an animal powered automation form (with the drawback of massively increasing fodder consumption of the 'motors').

I would add that 'digging deeper' needs an additional material cost (that is preferably raising with each additional level) or early L5 rush would be too easy. Possibly the stamina drain of digging should be scaled according to the hardness of the level dug into (making it an easy task in case you hit a cavern).

[Akme]

Yes, i thought about animal powered elevator too - or windmill powered version if animal powered is too troublesome to code.
Btw cargo elevator may be implemented not as something like wagon capacity attachment to minehole, but like something with raft load/unload mechanic - it give player ability to move wagons and carts between underground level due this minehole which is impossible rn. But i think it will be too troublesome to code too, and i will be happy even with simple cargo elevator.
About "digging deeper" - i thought it will be naturally restricted by hardness of levels below - if character str/q of pickaxe is not high enough to mine them, then digging minehole further below is impossible for him until he raise str higher or get better pickaxe. Another impotant aspect - if for some reasons it's impossible to place minehole section site below (cause of water, buildings, mine supports or someone claim), then this minehole cannot be excavated further until something that interfere will be removed. In other words - if u hit cave then u are lucky and may build another section almost without digging, but if u hit water - ur minehole that cost u so much will stuck in current state forever. When player build high tier minehole without scouting levels below of it firstly, it will be pretty much likely outcome cause size of high tier minehole should be much larger than usual minehole to successfully display its elevator, engine for it and overall awesomeness of this building)).
About early rush on L5 - i supposed that high resource cost of initial building (like tons of hardened leather, ropes, bone clay and huge amount of steel for example) and factor above will make choice to using this minehole for early L5 rush a very ineffective deicision.

[jorb]

Kind of suggested here and here. Not against it.