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Dwarf Fortressier
Written by Kieron Gillen on October 29, 2007 at 11:57 pm.
Dwarf Fortress v0.27.169.32a out. Proof, if proof be needed, there’s room for more than one game with the word “Fortress” in its title in RPS’ heart. And there should be in yours too. Go gets!
Related Stories:
- Dwarf Fortress For Minors: Newbie Tutorials
- Losing Is Fun, Learning is Better: DF UltraTutorials
- Dwarf Fortress Visualisationer
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Mr Wonderstuff says:
Hehe..same here…I cannot have a conversation with a friend of mine without her going on that I should try it. Personally I cant see the appeal…how about a nice graphical update?…hehe…”noooo, that’s the point!” I hear the great unwashed scream in unison.
October 30th, 2007 at 1:15 am
Janek says:
The new version is TERRIFYING. I mean even compared to before.
Hold me.
October 30th, 2007 at 1:30 am
Kast says:
Eh gads, this game is obtuse! I’ve got a some dwarves and a cart and that’s as far as I can get. I don’t know where to begin. How can anyone think being THIS inaccessable is a good thing?
Is there some sort of useful tutorial out there that can teach the basics? Please, I really want to love this game. Right now that feels more than a little masochistic.
October 30th, 2007 at 2:12 am
mikefictiti0us says:
It’s definitely not a game that you can pick up within an hour or two, and the new version is far more complex than the last.
When I first started playing a few months ago, I was tempted to stop simply because of the ascii graphics and obscure gameplay, but I stuck with it. I’m glad I did — building and perfecting a perfect fortress is incredibly rewarding.
For all the new players, make sure you visit the dwarf fortress wiki (http://dwarf.lendemaindeveille.com). Read the Quickstart and Surviving Winter guides.
October 30th, 2007 at 2:35 am
Kieron Gillen says:
Except that the wiki appears to have been wiped. Deliberate? Dunno. Maybe new version is different enough they’d want to go from scratch on it.
Of course, it does mean that the moment when more people would want to dabble in it they’re doing it without a big centralised piece of information. Hmm.
KG
October 30th, 2007 at 2:37 am
Kieron Gillen says:
Actually, there’s the archive here…
http://archive.dwarffortresswiki.net/index.php/Main_Page
Which I swear wasn’t there when I looked a few minutes ago, but it may be sleep deprivation screwin’ with me.
KG
October 30th, 2007 at 2:39 am
mikefictiti0us says:
Well it seems like some joker has erased all of the wiki articles. Until its fixed, use the archive — http://archive.dwarffortresswiki.net/
You might want to check out the graphical tilesets if you don’t like the ASCII set. They are in the “Modding” -> “Object Tilesets” + “List of user tilesets” section of the wiki.
October 30th, 2007 at 2:40 am
mikefictiti0us says:
Ahh you beat me too it :D
Alriiight, I’m off to play!
October 30th, 2007 at 2:43 am
Andrew Doull says:
Is this an official ‘Rock Paper Shotgun’ will promote freeware PC games? Or just the ones that you guys like ;)
October 30th, 2007 at 3:14 am
Kieron Gillen says:
Rules in our secret constitution: If a game features ascii dismemberment, we will always write about it.
KG
October 30th, 2007 at 3:15 am
Andrew Doull says:
http://unangband.blogspot.com sadly does not feature as graphic dismemberments as Dwarf Fortress, but does feature walls/floors etc getting spattered with monster blood and slime. It also features death by mushroom addiction, if that helps any.
Of course, its only one of many Angband variants out there, but it’s my variant, which is why I thought I’d ask for some free publicity… but then you’re probably not intending to be Fresh Meat here.
October 30th, 2007 at 6:02 am
Powerhaus says:
Tried to get into this a few releases ago but it’s so damn complex. They need a friendly tutorial
October 30th, 2007 at 6:46 am
Feet says:
I had a lot of fun with an older version this time last year. It does take a lot of persistence to get your head around the menus and interfaces, and I wouldn’t play the game without one of the graphical tile sets someone linked to above. They make it a lot easier to see what’s going on in your fortress. Definately going to give this one a try.
October 30th, 2007 at 9:27 am
bob_arctor says:
(hello Feet!)
The old wiki was removed as most of it is irrelevant, all the water flows, the old expectations of what to find in the mountain, etc are all gone.
When you start a game you get linked to the new wiki.
I can promise that this game is the best thing ever if you use the wiki and persist at it.
I’m still disapointed I don’t get a mention for telling KG about the new DF. ¬_¬
October 30th, 2007 at 11:24 am
Kieron Gillen says:
I knew about the new Dwarf Fortress Bob! :)
(I’ll mention you in the next Rebel post though)
KG
October 30th, 2007 at 11:37 am
roBurky says:
I think I may have made a mistake.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54947936@N00/1803058785/
Also, from what I hear about the new water flowing rules, I’ve no idea how to go about making a simple farm anymore. Which is really what anyone needs to know in order to get anywhere in this game.
October 30th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
roBurky says:
Hold on, that’s not water, that’s ice.
I’m in more trouble than I thought.
October 30th, 2007 at 2:03 pm
bob_arctor says:
Ok I’ve found if you set up a floodgate system into a deep hole you can let through a bit of water, not too much, to dampen it, and it spreads out so your dwarfs can go through it.
October 30th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
J. Prevost says:
Another way to do farming in the new DF is to just look for a location with some loam or other soil that’s good for growing crops. Just remember that dwarven crops are not especially fond of sunlight.
October 30th, 2007 at 3:48 pm
Kieron Gillen says:
Andrew Doull: I keep on meaning to play yours actually, since I noticed you’d linked to us. I will, honest.
KG
October 30th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
Pod says:
I’m refusing to download the new one until I have gotten my recent workload finished. I fear that if I download and play it, I’ll never stop. NEVER. (That is if my PC will even cope with it now it has a million more features).
Bob: I’m dissapointed I didn’t get a mention for telling KG about this in an email the other day…. then again, I bet he already knew ;)
For those that have never played this: Do. It’s the best thing since sliced silicon.
October 30th, 2007 at 9:00 pm
Jon says:
Ok, having never played the previous DF I am now about to tumble down a rabbit hole it seems…. Wish me luck.
October 30th, 2007 at 9:22 pm
Jon says:
My eyes! The goggles, they do nothing!
Getting over the first hurdle of making the game understand my laptop’s lack of a numpad I’m not looking at some brightly coloured ASCII characters running around… Maybe I’ll leave it till the morning, maybe it wont burn into my retina then.
October 30th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
Svenska says:
Once I figured out where + and – were, (the Fn key+?or:) I really started to get some action.
My question now is, I’m pretty sure that I’ve burrowed into a mountain, so how do I start making rooms and stuff? Like…doors and chair?
October 30th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
Svenska says:
make that chairs.
October 30th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
Janek says:
The Wiki probably covers it better (certainly the old one did, see the archive link somewhere above), but to say build a door is roughly:
1. Build a workshop (”b”, “w”) for the wanted material (carpenter for a wood door, etc).
2. When that’s built, use “q” and highlight it, then tell it to construct a door. Can’t remember the key offhand.
3. When that’s done, it’ll be dumped in the furniture stockpile. Press “b”, then “d” for door, select the built door, and then place it where you want it. A dwarf will come along and haul it into position.
4. Profit! What little you can get from having a door, anyway.
It’s pretty involved for a simple task, but it does get more intuitive. As I say, the archived Wiki is a good place to pick up the basic mechanics, which are mostly unchanged.
October 30th, 2007 at 10:21 pm
Svenska says:
I hope the making of the workshop isn’t that hard.
October 30th, 2007 at 10:29 pm
Janek says:
Nah the workshop itself you just select and plonk down, pretty much.
October 30th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
Feet says:
Dwarf Fortress is not very laptop friendly purely due to the lack of a numpad. It’s just an arse having to switch functions all the time.
October 30th, 2007 at 11:06 pm
Pod says:
You can rebind the keys.
Don’t ask me how. But it’s on the wiki/in the readme. … I think
October 31st, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Dr Snofeld says:
Perhaps it’s just me, but this new version seems MUCH easier to get to grips with, especially at the start. Probably because it’s no longer necessary to mess around with floodgates and stuff to get a field going.
My starting location has bitumous coal and platinum visible in the cliff face.
…AWESOME!!!
November 7th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
sawo says:
What does the word Fortressier mean? I don’t think such word exist.
July 21st, 2008 at 12:58 pm
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Oh okay okay. I’m gonna try this tomorrow. I’ve been told to play it a few times, but never gotten round to it. A new version seems like enough reason.
October 30th, 2007 at 12:37 am