Dwarf Fortress

[Still Not George]

This game comes up occasionally on here, and as Neil has declared that games should have their own threads I figured it was time to start one for DF.

For those who don't know Dwarf Fortress, it's an astonishingly popular simulation game using crude roguelike graphics (or, more often, simple sprite tiles) to present an astonishing level of detail. Your little dwarfs can not only fight, dig, and build practically anything you like, they also farm, fish, hunt, cook, make all sorts of items from stone, wood, bone, metal and glass. Even crazier, the game supports a complete fluid dynamics system (which allows "realistic" water and lava flows), temperature modelling (so things in hot climates get hot, ice melts near lava, and so on), geological modelling (including dozens upon dozens of kinds of rock - after all, this is a game about dwarves underground), a complete history section and modelled cultures, and countless other details.

What does it look like? Well, it looks like this:



The black 3x3 areas are workshops, while the red things are hematite ore stockpiled ready for use, and the blue area is possibly a reservoir of some kind. You can see the little guys going about their business in the main corridor.

You can download the game from here: http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/ or you can find a link to a version with the Mayday graphics set already installed at http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/DF2010:Tileset . The aforementioned magmawiki is also the best place to go to find information on the game, including numerous useful tutorials for those new to DF.

BUT

Just plugging this awesome game is not the entire purpose of this thread. I would like to start a community game of Dwarf Fortress.

What is a "community game", you ask?
The concept is simple enough. I get a DF game going based upon starting suggestions from you guys (What sort of area shall we settle in? What stuff should we take? and so on). Then I name individual Dwarves after people on here. You tell me what kind of Dwarf you'd like and I do my best to accomodate you within the game. Also, any suggestions people make for the fortress - big building projects, silly ideas, anything - I'd try to achieve within the game.

I'll post regular updates, with screenshots, showing what's happening to everyone's Dwarves and how well things are going. You guys just keep the suggestions coming.

Sound good to people?

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

It looks like what what happen if Dungeon Keeper was built from an ethos of substance over style.

[Still Not George]

Made entirely by one guy, I should point out.

Here's an example of what I mean by a community Fortress, although I should warn you the thread is 200 pages long:
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=19279.0
Nist Akath - Captain Ironblood and his 6 friends versus skeletal Elk, giants, and unending goblin sieges, in the frozen glacial North.

[jutl]

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNERD!!

...I'll have a male one called jutl please - a ginger if possible.

[Jack Shaftoe]

Put me down for a gentle herbalist 'Djac Shaftoe' please. I tried to play this myself, but it was too haaaaaaaaaard.

[Jack Shaftoe]

... also, have a look at this amazing illustrated report: http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=510839

[Still Not George]

...I'll have a male one called jutl please - a ginger if possible.

Might be difficult - my last couple of fortresses haven't had any gingers - but I shall try.

Put me down for a gentle herbalist 'Djac Shaftoe' please.

Will do. I usually take a herbalist anyway, especially if I'm not anywhere silly like a desert.

[dredd]

I'll have a dwarf named dredd..

..and a giant mosaic of Richard Whiteley. It's the very least we can do.

[Still Not George]

Will do, dredd. Not so sure about the mosaic being of Richard Whiteley, though, surely he'll be rather difficult to render in microcline?

Anyway, world created. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the world of Zoza Xestsu:



(click to see full-size)

Any suggestions as to where to embark?


edit: Gah, spot the guy who's far too used to using TGAs all the time...

[Zero Gravitas]

We should make sure we start on granite, with an aquifer if possible.

I do keep meaning to really try with a game of DF, but I always give up after a few minutes, any tips other than growing an imagination?.

[Still Not George]

We should make sure we start on granite, with an aquifer if possible.

An aquifer? Really?  Gonna need to be pretty far south then (so it freezes in winter), otherwise we'll never be able to dig through it.

I do keep meaning to really try with a game of DF, but I always give up after a few minutes, any tips other than growing an imagination?.

Depends on what the actual problem you're running into is. Any clues?

[TIAL]

You can download the game from here: http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/ or you can find a link to a version with the Mayday graphics set already installed at http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/DF2010:Tileset . The aforementioned magmawiki is also the best place to go to find information on the game, including numerous useful tutorials for those new to DF.

Slightly confused - which version should I download as an absolute beginner who knows nothing about this? Does the Mayday graphics make things look better?

[Still Not George]

Slightly confused - which version should I download as an absolute beginner who knows nothing about this? Does the Mayday graphics make things look better?

Yes. By default, Dwarf Fortress uses ASCII characters to represent things. So it looks like this:



... which is obviously a bit confusing, especially for those who've never played Roguelikes before. However, the game does allow you to add tilesets to it which make it look more like the screenshot I put in the first post. The process for doing so is a little arcane, but that lovely Mr Mike Mayday has posted up a version of DF 2010 v.3 (the latest) with his tileset already installed at the link I gave you.

So that's probably the best option for a new player. Be warned, though, it's legendarily difficult to get into.

[Still Not George]

ZG - lots of aquifers everywhere, and the whole damn map seems to be built on Granite. Weirdly a lot of the deserts seem to have aquifers too.

[hpmons]

I keep meaning to get back to playing this, it is quite awesome.

[Still Not George]

Ain't it?

Hmm. Bit of a problem here. I've started up the beginning of Fortress Mode so I could have a look at the features, but now it won't let me go back. And I have a horrible feeling that if I just kill the process, the save will be unusable. Erk. Might have to just go ahead and pick somewhere...

[Still Not George]

Right, got one. Forest and mountain, Cold climate, Wilderness. (Decided against Sinister or Haunted in the end.)

I've taken a random grouping, cos it's been a long long while since I didn't carefully plan 'em out. As a result, there's no Herbalist. Instead I've got the following:

"Djac Shaftoe" Vabaknilas ("Orbflickered"), Doctor (also general woodcrafter/herbalist, hence picking him for you Jack)
"dredd" Serkivish, Miner
"jutl" Moziravuz, Jeweller

Doren Lyrishlum, Fisherdwarf
Iden Rulushlikat, Fish Cleaner (also butcher, tanner, etc)
Zefon Eraltobul, Woodworker
Monom Sodelnish, expedition leader

Screenshots later.

[Jack Shaftoe]

Hurrah, cheers!

[Still Not George]

Chronicles of Melbiluntl, "Tomeblunt", 1st Granite 1051

With the arrival of spring we have finally reached our goal - the source of the stream we have followed all winter. The area is as plentiful as we hoped. Seams of magnetite, native copper and even semiprecious gems lie exposed on the hillsides to the north, while the south consists of a long peaty, sandy slope covered in trees. So far we have seen little or no opposition, and indeed there seems to be little even in the way of wild animals here. Given our lack of weapons this is perhaps a good thing.

We have halted the caravan next to a large sandstone cliff while we decide where to move next. I have added a drawing to help demonstrate the general area:



I think on consideration we will move most of our operations over the river, to be closer to the useful minerals. I will order dredd to get to work on hollowing out a simple cavern to store our food supplies before the damp spring air brings mould, and then we can chip out some of these gemstones so when the first caravan arrives we have something worthwhile to trade. By the abundance of gems here, I suspect jutl is going to be busy for a while.

- Monom Sodelnish, Expedition Leader

[Still Not George]

Chronicles of Tomeblunt, 5th Slate, 1051

Our Fisherdwarf has returned with news that the stream is devoid of fish this close to its source, which is not entirely surprising, if a little disappointing. As a result I have re-assigned Djac Shaftoe to herbalism duties, which he has grudgingly accepted. I shall also add our Fisherdwarf to this, as he has little else of use to contribute. I could use another miner, but we do not have another pick - yet.

This state of affairs may not last, however, as this hillside appears to be absolutely filled with copper ore. Dredd tells me that he can barely break a rock without brown dust flying everywhere. I've ordered the nearest stand of trees cut down do we can get going on beds and also get some smithing up and running to use up some of this copper.

However, there is one major cloud over our operations here. After digging a few feet down, dredd and his helper discovered that their shaft rapidly filled with water. It appears that we may be sited right on top of an aquifer. Getting past it to the treasures beneath is going to be a big, big problem.

[dredd]

^Good stuff, I fully endorse the gemcrafting plan. Forging new pickaxes should be a priority, the more miners we have, the better.

Slightly confused - which version should I download as an absolute beginner who knows nothing about this?

You've got 3 versions to choose from:

df_31_03 is the latest version, it's playable but somewhat buggy. Play this if you want to investigate the new underground caverns, build dwarven hospitals, and tinker with the new military system.
http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/df_31_03.zip

If you want the most stable version, you can try "40d" from september 2008. This was the result of a years worth of bug fixes after the addition of the z -axis.
http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/df_28_181_40d.zip

The version I started with was "23a" from Jan 2007 - which happened to be the last 2-dimensional version of the game. Useful as an introduction to the game, if, like me, you find the 3-d version a bit bewildering.
http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/df_23_130_23a.zip

Also check out the DF wiki.

[Still Not George]

Chronicles of Tomeblunt, 21 Haematite, 1051

Summer arrives, and my little outdoor industrial zone has begun working.



You can see the makeshift food pile and dormitory near the entrance. I've begun digging a work area further up in the hill, too, although that task has only really begun.  I have also begun considering interesting projects to undertake. So far I have access to grey, yellow, and red rock - enough to potentially begin the rendition of The Sacred Twice Nightly One, who died upon the clock for our sins. I have also been considering building a huge stone penis.

Only one other thing of note has occurred. A scout has spotted a small troop of snailmen crawling slowly across the hillside:




They do not seem to be threatening, however. I wonder what they taste like?

[Still Not George]

Chronicles of Tomeblunt, 2nd Malachite, 1051

Some migrants just showed up. Well, by "some" I mean 2. More hands make lighter work, although one of them says she's an "Animal Caretaker". Doesn't seem like a job for a Dwarf to me.

[Still Not George]

Chronicles of Tomeblunt, 1st Limestone, 1051

Eureka! While open-clearing an area with a view to attempting to freeze-clear the aquifer, we have discovered a patch of solid, impermeable stone that does not permit the water to pass! With careful digging, the underground is now open to exploration. In addition, the plentiful underground water should prove very useful.

[Still Not George]

27th Timber, 1051

4 more new recruits showed up out of the blue. One is a Miner, which is a great help, but the others are a Furnace Operator, a Peasant, and, rather hilariously, a Fish Dissector. What manner of dissection he was expecting to perform upon the nonexistent fish here I have no idea.

The new shaft indicates that the aquifer fills numerous levels beneath us. Finding a way underneath it is proving problematic. Extra hands to the picks will surely help. I had begun to worry about how I would feed all 13 of us when the caravan arrived right on schedule:



We exchanged several bins filled with gems for what I can only describe as a metric fuckload of cave fish, including something called "cave lobster". I dread to think what that might look like.

I have also ordered that some of our vast stone pile be turned into blocks in view of beginning the building of the giant stone penis. My theory is that it should keep the goblins away; after all, if you saw a gigantic stone cock on the horizon, would you attack?

[hpmons]

I downloaded the new version of DF, which someone said had loads of changes - what are they? I think cows are milkable, and presumably the squads are completely new (I never paid much attention to military, I never got far enough to be too worried). What else?

One of the migrants I got yesterday was a High Master wood burner.  AND NOTHING ELSE. Another had spent his wohle life doing nothing but cleaning fish.

[MojoJojo]

There's a burrows systems, where you can assign an area as a particular burrow, and then tell dwarves to stay in that area.

And there is another ridiculously complicated hospital system. With splints, bandages, crutches, stitching and surgery.

Um, that's all I can remember from the changelogs.

I'm still waiting for a Mac version.

[dredd]

I downloaded the new version of DF, which someone said had loads of changes - what are they? I think cows are milkable, and presumably the squads are completely new (I never paid much attention to military, I never got far enough to be too worried). What else?

The depths. An additional chunk of z-levels were added to the game, containing "Hidden Fun Stuff" to explore (see bronzemurder for an example).
Dwarven stats (strength, agility, toughness) are harder to improve. Before, dwarven stats would rise whenever they gained enough skill, be it in mining, fishing or conversational skills. Now, stats barely seem to change at all (however starting stats can now be much higher).
All new Dwarven intellectual stats - seemingly based on this.
The military. Previously you could toggle dwarves as military, which would allow you to give them direct movement orders, as well as (somewhat imprecisely) alter their equipment. The new system allows precise editing of equipment (which must be filtered through a new bureaucrat, the arsenal dwarf) along with a complex system of schedules and alerts, which in theory allows you to fine tune your soldiers' behaviour.

Lots of other stuff, here's the full list: http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/DF2010:Release_information

One of the migrants I got yesterday was a High Master wood burner.  AND NOTHING ELSE. Another had spent his wohle life doing nothing but cleaning fish.

Since the migrants are so well trained, I spend fewer points on skills at embark. More room for booze (and pickaxes).

[Still Not George]

MojoJojo, hpmons - do you guys want a community dwarf? I have a whole bunch of migrants ready for renaming.

[El Unicornio, mang]

do you guys want a community dwarf?

It was worth me coming in this thread just for that line