Retrieve and butcher horse skeleton from refuse pile

dwarf-fortress

So I had a horse die of starvation while I was still learning about the game. I couldn't figure out how to to butcher it, but did manage to get it to an outdoor refuse pile before it stunk up the place. Now there is a skeleton there, and I can't figure out how to retrieve it so that I can turn it into bone.

How do I turn a skeleton that is in an outdoor refuse pile into usable bone?

Best Answer

One of Dwarf Fortress' many quirks is that creatures who died of starvation are completely un-butcherable. It's a known bug.

Apparently, the only way Dwarves are satisfied eating 'Tame' animals, is if they've killed the animal with their own two hands via a butcher's shop (read: murder) either by manually toggling the animal for slaughter with v or via the animals subsection of the stocks screen (z).

Related Solutions

Run both Windows and Linux Dwarf Fortress from the same directory

Yes. As far as I can see, and have tested, there should be no problem running both versions from the same (merged) folder. Here is the output of

diff -ur ./df_linux ./df_windows

Only in ./df_windows: compress_bitmaps.bat
Only in ./df_linux/data/art: Thumbs.db
Only in ./df_linux: df
Only in ./df_windows: Dwarf Fortress.exe
Only in ./df_windows: fmod.dll
Only in ./df_windows: fmodex.dll
Only in ./df_linux: g_src
Only in ./df_windows: jpeg.dll
Only in ./df_windows: libpng12-0.dll
Only in ./df_linux: libs
Only in ./df_windows: libtiff-3.dll
Only in ./df_windows: Microsoft.VC80.CRT.MANIFEST
Only in ./df_windows: Microsoft.VC90.CRT.MANIFEST
Only in ./df_windows: msvcm80.dll
Only in ./df_windows: msvcm90.dll
Only in ./df_windows: msvcp80.dll
Only in ./df_windows: msvcp90.dll
Only in ./df_windows: msvcr80.dll
Only in ./df_windows: msvcr90.dll
Only in ./df_windows: msvcrt.dll
Only in ./df_windows: optipng.exe
Only in ./df_windows: optipng license.txt
Only in ./df_linux/raw/graphics/example: Thumbs.db
Only in ./df_linux: README.linux
Only in ./df_windows: SDL.dll
Only in ./df_windows: SDL_image.dll
Only in ./df_windows: zlib1.dll

all other files are identical

(Toady left some Thumbs.db from Windows in the linux version, bad Toady!)

As you can see, the only noticable differences are the libs for the Linux version and DLL files for the Windows version, and that each version has it's own executable, which is key for mutual co-existence (;))

You can even use a modded Windows version of DF and add the required Linux files to it to be able to play it on Linux.

The fastest/cheapest/most efficient way of killing immigrants

Make a holding area with a floor of upright spear traps all linked to a single lever inside.
Have a drawbridge to raise up and close off the entrance to the kill room. Link the drawbridge lever somewhere inside the fort proper.
Make a "meeting area" zone inside the kill room. Since the rest of your fort is cut off, your own dwarves can't path to it, and when migrants come they'll go there automatically.
When a new wave comes, shut them in and put the "Pull the Lever" task on repeat.
Make some tea and watch the drama unfold.
The lucky lever-pulling survivor can be used to clean up the mess, maybe putting all the dropped stuff into a cart for delivery into the fortress later while getting rid of the... um... "biological by-products", if you will.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Run both Windows and Linux Dwarf Fortress from the same directory

The fastest/cheapest/most efficient way of killing immigrants

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