Official DWARF FORTRESS Thread!

[TBSN]

I don't know how many people here play Dwarf Fortress, but it has quite a following and is one of the more interesting things happening in PC Gaming nowadays.

http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/

http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/Main_Page

Any more info to add? If anyone actually plays this, then speak up! Otherwise let this thread fade into oblivion.

 

[Scouzer]

linking fail

 

[DaveSimmons]

FYI, there was a big thread on this over at ArsTechnica forums in G.E.S.C, you might head over there and search for it.

 

[Dumac]

DF is one of the best games I've played.

It is so complex, open, and deep that it is really aweing. Once you get into the game, its hard to stop playing.

The only bad part is that its difficult to get into DF, due to the high difficulty curve. It is in desperate need of a tutorial, but that will probably have to wait until more finalized versions.

 

[Sclamoz]

I'm addicted, though my forts always get screwed up by bugs or my FPS tanks when I get above 100 or so dwarves.

 

[Bulldog13]

DF is one of the best games I've played.

It is so complex, open, and deep that it is really aweing. Once you get into the game, its hard to stop playing.

The only bad part is that its difficult to get into DF, due to the high difficulty curve. It is in desperate need of a tutorial, but that will probably have to wait until more finalized versions.

Video tutorial up here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXae1zfKR6I . Part 1 of 25.

 

[Gothgar]

4chan some more

 

[Born2bwire]

Video tutorial up here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXae1zfKR6I . Part 1 of 25.

Yeah... this doesn't sound like an improvement.

I've been meaning to give this a try but the I don't think I have the attention span or memory anymore to deal with another ASCII game since ZZT (Yeah, I know there are probably graphic tilesets).

 

[Wardawg1001]

I dabbled with it a few months back and found it pretty amusing, but since I got a new hard drive I've had little desire to re-install it. Worth checking out for anyone who hasn't yet.

 

[Disconnect]

For anyone just getting into this, try the Lazy Newb pack.

It has the game with a tileset included, along with some useful utilities.

 

[HydroSqueegee]

alternately; PA forums have a long lovely history with DF. http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=117872

Something Aweful has had good times with the game too.

The learning curve is more of a cliff, but its pretty easy once you get the hang of things.

 

[TBSN]

I would recommend 51ppycup's youtube tutorials http://www.youtube.com/user/51ppycup#p/c/C1944506E041FE6E. There are a ton of them, but once you get your fort started you don't need to follow them that closely.

The learning curve is a bit of a cliff, but I soon realized that once you get a hang of it, you can play while still knowing very little about the complexities of the game. Once you get to that stage, it's all about exploring the game and all the strange little anomalies that come with it.

 

[lord_emperor]

I found this game very intriguing, the conversation on their forum fascinated me so I gave it a whirl.

I couldn't even get some food out of a barrel so my dwarfs starved.

 

[Skott]

I been playing 3D games too long now to even like the look of a game like this. Reminds me of the very early console games that are now archaic and obsolete. Not my type of game.

 

[HydroSqueegee]

I been playing 3D games too long now to even like the look of a game like this. Reminds me of the very early console games that are now archaic and obsolete. Not my type of game.

that kind of talk will get you lynched round these parts boy

 

[TBSN]

Once you come to realize the concept of 'fun' in Dwarf Fortress, it actually becomes fun starting over. I accidentally dug to hell and the infinite demons overwhelmed my fortress, leaving a path of blood and destruction. They killed the population of 75 in a few minutes, leaving only one Dwarven child to starve...

 

[Dumac]

I been playing 3D games too long now to even like the look of a game like this. Reminds me of the very early console games that are now archaic and obsolete. Not my type of game.

This game has the deepest mechanics of any game I've ever played.

The actual game isn't very consolish or archaic.

If you can get past the cover and looks of the game, then you'll have a blast. Alas, if you are a graphics whore, then you won't have much fun.

 

[lord_emperor]

For anyone just getting into this, try the Lazy Newb pack.

It has the game with a tileset included, along with some useful utilities.

Still can't get it to work.

Who packages a "newb" pack without instructions?

 

[Liet]

Once you come to realize the concept of 'fun' in Dwarf Fortress, it actually becomes fun starting over. I accidentally dug to hell and the infinite demons overwhelmed my fortress, leaving a path of blood and destruction. They killed the population of 75 in a few minutes, leaving only one Dwarven child to starve...

Dude, that totally sounds like the beginning of a something kickass.

And Lo, the great Wolfmother found and raised the dwarf child, and nourished him with her teat as he were begat from her, and he learned their ways and flourished.

The he became the great THRAXICON THE BRUTAL, and did slay many demons with his beard.

 

[acheron]

I downloaded this several months ago but never got a chance to try it out. I always liked Nethack and similar games, so I figured DF should be pretty cool once I figure it out. ASCII forever!

 

[Disconnect]

Still can't get it to work.

Who packages a "newb" pack without instructions?

Try 51ppycup's tutorial, mentioned earlier. He uses the Lazy Newb Pack and goes through all the basics. I got started by playing while watching the videos.

 

[Martimus]

If this game is as completely awesome as Nethack is, I will have to try it.

 

[Elcs]

It sounds like you all need to play Ancient Domains of Mystery http://www.adom.de

ASCII games are awesome. Roguelikes and Nethack

 

[TBSN]

Dude, that totally sounds like the beginning of a something kickass.

And Lo, the great Wolfmother found and raised the dwarf child, and nourished him with her teat as he were begat from her, and he learned their ways and flourished.

The he became the great THRAXICON THE BRUTAL, and did slay many demons with his beard.

HAHA Yeah, I think I might go back and try to reclaim the fortress. I've never done that before, so I don't know if the gateway to hell is still open, which would be very bad.

That's the thing about the game, it somehow manages to create a story that is interesting and unique, that you feel very connected to. This seems to sum it up well (short comic, "smells like dwarf fortress")
http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=510839

I didn't have any trouble with the Lazy Newb Pack. You don't even install the game, it just runs straight out of the folder. I find that it's much easier with the graphics pack. I'm just not hard-core enough for the full-on ASCII graphics.

 

[Chiropteran]

Fun game, although it sure has a terrible UI. I don't mean the ASCII graphics, I've played MUDs and I don't care about the lack of graphics, but I hate the inconsistencies about how you navigate a menu or map or whatever. Sometimes you use the numberpad, sometimes -+ (whoever thought it was a good idea to require a shift key combination to navigate basic menus should be shot), and sometimes other keys. For the most part the mouse can't be used, but it can be used for a few things? WTF? Either offer full mouse support or don't support it at all.

But despite all my complaints, I have found myself addicted to the game for the past couple of days. I've constantly restarted as I discover things I did wrong in my previous fortress. Right now I am trying to master the best way to create mud for farms, the tutorial gave a method using a pool of water, but I am not sure what to do if I don't have such a convenient pool near my fortress.