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Dwarf Fortress 0.31.25: probably got flying cars powered by plump helmets and beards
DisruptedCapitalist
I swear!Registered User regular
I swear!Registered User regular
Welcome to Dwarf Fortress!!
(or Histories of Gruesome Combat Mechanics and Ubiquitous Alcohol Dependency)
April 19, 2011: Dwarf Fortress gains sentience.
Welcome to the mountainhomes of the dwarves! Starting out with a hardy band of seven pioneers, you will be beset on all sides by the threat of starvation, exposure, rampant idiocy, inexperience, tantrums, monkey attacks, hostile goblins, kleptomaniacal kobolds, accidental drownings, those goddamn hippy elves, being set on fire, upper class nobles that will make lives hell for your peasantry, and the mortal enemies of the dwarves: elephants carp goblin lashers.
v 0.31.XX FAQ
Since the last thread started the game has gone from 0.31.03 to 0.31.18. A lot has changed during that time, mostly for the better.
Q: So what's Dwarf Fortress?
It's a rather bizarre little huge roguelike/ fantasy world generator / colony management sim hybrid. With lots of dead dwarves guaranteed.
You start out with a tiny band of 7 dwarves, a wagon, mules and a pair of cats that multiply without any restraint and flood your fortress with kittens.
With a little luck (and if those goddamn monkeys don't steal all your food off the wagon again), your fortress will make it past the first winter. Or more likely it will collapse and you'll start up a new fortress, avoiding the mistakes of the first.
...before it all ends in a tide of blood and dwarf parts!
And then you start AGAIN! 8->
Q: So what does it look like?
Q: This game is overwhelming! Where do I start?
A: An old-fashioned text tutorial is available here: Your First Fortress (our own BahamutZERO wrote that! Originally. It's been thoroughly edited and made more awesome since then.)
Q: AAAAA LETTERS EVERYWHERE OH GOD HOW DO I DO STUFF?!
A: A few keys will come up a lot. Pressing these keys will bring up a yellow X cursor which you control using the arrow keys. PROTIP: use the keypad to move the cursor around- it's more comfortable.
Q - Assigns orders at workshops and structures, or used to create rooms from a placed structure, like tables, beds, archery targets, etc, or to destroy them.
R - Battle Reports! The fun (and biting) really happens here.
T - Mainly useful for examining the contents of a building or structure, to see how cluttered a workshop is or what it's built out of.
V - Examines an individual dwarf, where you can look at their stats, gear, thoughts and alter their job list.
K - If you'd like to see if that U is an attacking Unicorn or a friendly hUman trader, this is the key you want. It basically lets you examine the contents of a tile. Pressing enter examines objects in greater detail, if any is available.
D - Designates an area for tasks. Hit enter to start dragging out a rectangle, enter to stop. Or hold down the mouse button and draw it in. Everything in this area will now be designated for whatever task you had selected, from Digging out rock, cutting down trees, or picking plants, or whatever else it might have been. Use this to dig out your dwarf-hole.
Z - Brings up your fortress report and tells you how depressingly low you are on food.
U - displays a list of all units on the map, along with current job. Useful for finding idlers and wild animals
< and > - Change the levevel displayed by one (up and down, respectively). Since you'll be using these a lot, it might be wise to remap the keys (I use / and * on the keypad). To do this, press ESC and use the "Key Bindings" option ("move/view cursor up (Z)" and "down (Z)" )
Q: The UI requires so many keystrokes, can't I use a mouse??
The latest version supports the mouse, however it's still somewhat hard to use effectively since it's limited to "drawing" selections.
Alternatively the latest version also allows you to make macros for all your common keystrokes. See the wiki for a howto guide.
Q: Do graphic packages work? UPDATED 3/8
A: Some do. The most popular, May Green's, currently uses 0.31.21 (March 8, 2011). Note that Mayday's version has a completely unique configuration from the plain vanilla version of DF, most notably some changes to the key bindings. See his website for more info.
It makes the game look like this:
Other graphics packages: Phoebus' Graphics Set
You also may want to take a gander at Stonesense, a third party isometric visualizer. Keep in mind that it's a companion to, not a replacement of, the normal Dwarf Fortress interface.
What rhymes with Stonesense?
A: SoundSense.
Q: What's different since 0.28.xx?
A: A lot. That's the full list - beware spoilers. You may want to try playing the game before reading the list. Here's a fun update from December 13: "Your dwarves can shear sheep and other woolly beasts now. There are sixteen new domestic animals. Eggs, vegetable oil and clay upcoming." Yay!
Q: What happens if I do this?
Just try it first! It's no fun if we tell you that you would have doomed all your dwarves to a horrible agonizing death beforehand. No fun at all!
Besides, it just means you get to do it better next time.
Q: I have a talented biter in my military and he is currently leading a biting demonstration. What the hell does that entail?
A: The military is a bitch to set up in the latest version, but Furlion has come to the rescue and prepared a military tutorial for us peasants.
Q: I'm water. What should I do?!?
A: Big flow chart: (hurr hurr)
Q: By Armok, this is amazing. How can I give back to the legendary Toady One?
A: DONATE TO BAY 12 GAMES NOW
Q: Are there stories to be told?
A: This is what is so great about Dwarf Fortress. Every fort or adventure has a tale to tell. No matter how bad you are, there is always SOMETHING interesting that happens. Here's a short list of notable forts that have been immortalized in art:
Now get out there and establish a new outpost for the glory of the Mountainhomes!
STRIKE THE EARTH!
Important Note: Dwarf currency is to be called dimdums dwarfbucks dimdums, no exceptions.
(This introduction was edited by jaunty, jdarksun, SynthOr, Bahamut0, J3p, Xtarath, and Mayday. Thanks to InfestedGnome for the idea behind the latest military question)
(or Histories of Gruesome Combat Mechanics and Ubiquitous Alcohol Dependency)
April 19, 2011: Dwarf Fortress gains sentience.
Welcome to the mountainhomes of the dwarves! Starting out with a hardy band of seven pioneers, you will be beset on all sides by the threat of starvation, exposure, rampant idiocy, inexperience, tantrums, monkey attacks, hostile goblins, kleptomaniacal kobolds, accidental drownings, those goddamn hippy elves, being set on fire, upper class nobles that will make lives hell for your peasantry, and the mortal enemies of the dwarves: elephants carp goblin lashers.
v 0.31.XX FAQ
Since the last thread started the game has gone from 0.31.03 to 0.31.18. A lot has changed during that time, mostly for the better.
Q: So what's Dwarf Fortress?
It's a rather bizarre little huge roguelike/ fantasy world generator / colony management sim hybrid. With lots of dead dwarves guaranteed.
You start out with a tiny band of 7 dwarves, a wagon, mules and a pair of cats that multiply without any restraint and flood your fortress with kittens.
With a little luck (and if those goddamn monkeys don't steal all your food off the wagon again), your fortress will make it past the first winter. Or more likely it will collapse and you'll start up a new fortress, avoiding the mistakes of the first.
...before it all ends in a tide of blood and dwarf parts!
And then you start AGAIN! 8->
Q: So what does it look like?
New York Times wrote:Though it may seem ungainly at first, the game’s interface — rendered in what are known as extended ASCII characters — has a sparse elegance. As seasons change, trees, represented by various symbols, shift from green to yellow. Goblins’ eyes appear as red quotation marks; if you shoot out an eye with an arrow, the symbol becomes an apostrophe. On a message board, one fan likened the ASCII experience in Dwarf Fortress to the immersive pleasures of reading a book: “You can let your imagination fill in the gaps.”
Q: This game is overwhelming! Where do I start?
A: An old-fashioned text tutorial is available here: Your First Fortress (our own BahamutZERO wrote that! Originally. It's been thoroughly edited and made more awesome since then.)
Q: AAAAA LETTERS EVERYWHERE OH GOD HOW DO I DO STUFF?!
A: A few keys will come up a lot. Pressing these keys will bring up a yellow X cursor which you control using the arrow keys. PROTIP: use the keypad to move the cursor around- it's more comfortable.
Q - Assigns orders at workshops and structures, or used to create rooms from a placed structure, like tables, beds, archery targets, etc, or to destroy them.
R - Battle Reports! The fun (and biting) really happens here.
T - Mainly useful for examining the contents of a building or structure, to see how cluttered a workshop is or what it's built out of.
V - Examines an individual dwarf, where you can look at their stats, gear, thoughts and alter their job list.
K - If you'd like to see if that U is an attacking Unicorn or a friendly hUman trader, this is the key you want. It basically lets you examine the contents of a tile. Pressing enter examines objects in greater detail, if any is available.
D - Designates an area for tasks. Hit enter to start dragging out a rectangle, enter to stop. Or hold down the mouse button and draw it in. Everything in this area will now be designated for whatever task you had selected, from Digging out rock, cutting down trees, or picking plants, or whatever else it might have been. Use this to dig out your dwarf-hole.
Z - Brings up your fortress report and tells you how depressingly low you are on food.
U - displays a list of all units on the map, along with current job. Useful for finding idlers and wild animals
< and > - Change the levevel displayed by one (up and down, respectively). Since you'll be using these a lot, it might be wise to remap the keys (I use / and * on the keypad). To do this, press ESC and use the "Key Bindings" option ("move/view cursor up (Z)" and "down (Z)" )
Q: The UI requires so many keystrokes, can't I use a mouse??
The latest version supports the mouse, however it's still somewhat hard to use effectively since it's limited to "drawing" selections.
Alternatively the latest version also allows you to make macros for all your common keystrokes. See the wiki for a howto guide.
Q: Do graphic packages work? UPDATED 3/8
A: Some do. The most popular, May Green's, currently uses 0.31.21 (March 8, 2011). Note that Mayday's version has a completely unique configuration from the plain vanilla version of DF, most notably some changes to the key bindings. See his website for more info.
It makes the game look like this:
Other graphics packages: Phoebus' Graphics Set
You also may want to take a gander at Stonesense, a third party isometric visualizer. Keep in mind that it's a companion to, not a replacement of, the normal Dwarf Fortress interface.
What rhymes with Stonesense?
A: SoundSense.
I'm loving the shit out of it right now. Not only are the sounds awesome, they're incredibly useful for providing feedback on things you might otherwise miss. Really can't recommend it enough. Go download it. Go.Are you downloading it yet?
Q: What's different since 0.28.xx?
A: A lot. That's the full list - beware spoilers. You may want to try playing the game before reading the list. Here's a fun update from December 13: "Your dwarves can shear sheep and other woolly beasts now. There are sixteen new domestic animals. Eggs, vegetable oil and clay upcoming." Yay!
Q: What happens if I do this?
Just try it first! It's no fun if we tell you that you would have doomed all your dwarves to a horrible agonizing death beforehand. No fun at all!
Besides, it just means you get to do it better next time.
Q: I have a talented biter in my military and he is currently leading a biting demonstration. What the hell does that entail?
A: The military is a bitch to set up in the latest version, but Furlion has come to the rescue and prepared a military tutorial for us peasants.
Q: I'm water. What should I do?!?
A: Big flow chart: (hurr hurr)
Q: By Armok, this is amazing. How can I give back to the legendary Toady One?
A: DONATE TO BAY 12 GAMES NOW
Q: Are there stories to be told?
A: This is what is so great about Dwarf Fortress. Every fort or adventure has a tale to tell. No matter how bad you are, there is always SOMETHING interesting that happens. Here's a short list of notable forts that have been immortalized in art:
- MATUL REMRIT "1052: Interlude" (Video)
- The illustrated battle report: Bronzemurder vs. Oggez Rashas by Tim Denee. (Comic)
- Tim's exciting tale of Oilfurnace! (Comic)
- Saga of Boatmurdered (Epic Ballad). You will never see Elephants in the same way ever again.
- The Brilliance of Dwarf Fortress from the New York Times July, 21 2011.
Now get out there and establish a new outpost for the glory of the Mountainhomes!
STRIKE THE EARTH!
Important Note: Dwarf currency is to be called dimdums dwarfbucks dimdums, no exceptions.
(This introduction was edited by jaunty, jdarksun, SynthOr, Bahamut0, J3p, Xtarath, and Mayday. Thanks to InfestedGnome for the idea behind the latest military question)
"Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
DisruptedCapitalist on
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Posts
Also Dwarf currency is known as Dimdums, for all you new dorfs.
AKA [PA]Ilovepandas
Oops, I accidentally cut that part out of the OP... it's back in again, thanks.
I am a freaking nerd.
The link is broken there.
If I was at home I would get a screen shot, but at last count I had some 151 pieces of Elephant Tallow, and over 1800(!!) Elephant Fat. I have 4 kitchens going and I just can't get caught up! I had to tell all my Hunters to stop hunting! And let me tell you, telling a Legendary Hunter/Archer/Marksdwarf he isn't allowed to hunt anymore is a bit nerve racking!
I'm sad that I can't seem to turn off Auto-Kitchening without disabling Auto-Tanning and Auto-Butchery at the same time. I just can't get my meals made ^_^;
...
FAT!!
Maybe I should look into Stonesense.
Thank you. Fixed.
Let's see what's changed.
I was getting to grips with learning everything all over again. Had a good little industry set up, was just starting to get migration waves. Farming didn't seem to be working properly so I was out searching for caves. Found one.
Everybody in my fortress got eaten by a single Cave Crocodile.
ffffffffffff
Been there, done that. Got the blood stained t-shirt that still had a dorf arm in it.
Were you wetting the ground for farming? That's a requirement again in the current version.
It's all mudded up and everything. Light dusting of mud. Admittedly I only used a single square of 7/7 water to wet (It was the closest I had!) but only one of the things was being planted on consistantly.
I tried my hardest....
Then my cave collapsed and killed the entire expedition force...
Fuck this game...
That means you're doing it right.
http://vimeo.com/18068444
if you don't like vimeo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESNRQFEzirA
enjoy!
Or Dwarfbucks.
Needs more cats...
Other than that .. great work !
That is awesome! I'm putting it in the OP!
I love how the farming dwarf looks like something out of a Communist Propaganda poster.
I haven't played since June though. Last I played, archery didn't really work at all, melee squads were extremely tricky to get to train anything, and doctors rarely did anything (aside from pretending to suture a wound for months). Also some forgotten beasts were impossible to kill. I take it there have been improvements in these areas? Have there been any major changes/bugs since then?
Also dealing with nobles is a major pain in the ass.
3DSFF: 5026-4429-6577
Soon I will be sending Dwarven expeditions to elaborate and hasty deaths.
MWO: Adamski
I've been playing since probably late 2006 and I still can't figure it out, so I'd say no. I'm sure it's not that hard, but I just start reading the wiki and suddenly my eyes lose focus and I start drooling on myself.