☼ Dwarf Fortress || Your gateway to magma-fueled !!FUN!! ☼

[Cappytaino]

After watching the entire Vinesauce series on this game, I really want to get into it. Though, where should I start? It seems like learning piano with how complex it is. Also, I'm not entirely sure my computer can run it. My specs are as follows:

Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU  Q8300  @2.50 GHz  2.50 GHz
Installed Memory (RAM): 6.00 GB
System Type: 64-bit Operating System

you can run it for sure, just make sure not to make your embark area too big or your cpu will die (If you don't know what that means, just don't mess around with the region size when you start a new game)

I'd say start out with capnduck's 2015 tutorial series if you haven't already. It's great for nailing down the basics of the game.

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[Mega-Bear]

After watching the entire Vinesauce series on this game, I really want to get into it. Though, where should I start? It seems like learning piano with how complex it is. Also, I'm not entirely sure my computer can run it.

I learned how to play just by starting a game and reading the wiki til I got things more and more right.

[Juncoph]

After watching the entire Vinesauce series on this game, I really want to get into it. Though, where should I start? It seems like learning piano with how complex it is. Also, I'm not entirely sure my computer can run it. My specs are as follows:

Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU  Q8300  @2.50 GHz  2.50 GHz
Installed Memory (RAM): 6.00 GB
System Type: 64-bit Operating System

much like how i've become a master at the piano, i took to dwarf fortress by smashing my face on the keys until my head bled

works pretty well for learning, i find

[Conan]

also this game can run on like your grandma's toaster. it just will run slower, though if you decrease your embark zone (total map size) then it will run faster.

reality is you probably dont need anything above 100 fps lest your dwarves do something stupid and you can't stop them. you'll probably have the game paused a lot anyways too since you need to to do any sort of micromanagement/management.

be prepared for a ton of reading, esp of menu dialogs.

[Zack]

While it might not have the modding community of say, a Bethesda game, it is immensely fun modded, too.

Consider trying out the Masterwork DF modpack if you're looking for more out of the game, adds so much too it and it's compatible with a relatively modern version. Not exactly as stable, however.

There's also tilesets if ASCII really just burns your retinas.

I could talk about DF for a long long time, I have way too many stories to share so I'll just stick to the generic "it's a good game"

[Cappytaino]

While it might not have the modding community of say, a Bethesda game, it is immensely fun modded, too.

Consider trying out the Masterwork DF modpack if you're looking for more out of the game, adds so much too it and it's compatible with a relatively modern version. Not exactly as stable, however.

There's also tilesets if ASCII really just burns your retinas.

I could talk about DF for a long long time, I have way too many stories to share so I'll just stick to the generic "it's a good game"

I've heard masterwork is great, but some of the features seem odd, to say the least.

For example, it's cool that they have other playable races, but who tf wants to play as a kobold? No metal, no mining, etc.

The orcs and succubi seem cool, but I just can't wrap my head around some of the other features of the mod.

[Conan]

I've heard masterwork is great, but some of the features seem odd, to say the least.

For example, it's cool that they have other playable races, but who tf wants to play as a kobold? No metal, no mining, etc.

The orcs and succubi seem cool, but I just can't wrap my head around some of the other features of the mod.

well i mean its all in the name of !!FUN!! so some people just enjoy straight up challenge.

i honestly prefer unmodded, though i'll get management tools like Dwarf Manager and Dwarf Therapist since manual vanilla management is a massive pain.

[HellHound]

I am a baby who plays with invasions off. How can I remove this crutch and deal with invasions like a real dorf? The military system seems confusing and prone to incredible levels of micromanaging.

[Darryl McKoy]

I am a baby who plays with invasions off. How can I remove this crutch and deal with invasions like a real dorf? The military system seems confusing and prone to incredible levels of micromanaging.

I usually don't even maintain a military. My fortresses are always underground, and I make a long straight entry path with a bunch of draw bridges. Under the draw bridges, I dig a giant pit that goes for 40+ levels. When enemies invade, I wait until they're all on the bridges and then lift them up, causing them all to fall to their deaths. Sometimes I keep some sort of beast at the bottom to pick off any survivors. EZ

[Bloody Mary]

I usually don't even maintain a military. My fortresses are always underground, and I make a long straight entry path with a bunch of draw bridges. Under the draw bridges, I dig a giant pit that goes for 40+ levels. When enemies invade, I wait until they're all on the bridges and then lift them up, causing them all to fall to their deaths. Sometimes I keep some sort of beast at the bottom to pick off any survivors. EZ

This is a cool strategy and one I use a lot. A variant I also enjoy doing is rigging up a long hallway of drawbridges placed heightwise, then linking a pressure plate to all of them. Put the pressure plate in the main thoroughfare of your fortress (or next to a tethered animal or something) and the hallway will turn into a massive grinder that obliterates most enemies instantly. They'll path towards the interior of your fortress too, so they'll all rush to their deaths. Just make sure to carefully gate off access to the hall from your dwarves.

Aside from that, the traditional traps can work pretty well (few things can survive 10 weapons hitting them at once) and guard animals can put in solid work. Invasions are some of the most enjoyable parts of the game, so I really recommend enabling them. There are systems in place to ensure you don't get invaded too soon as well; the risk of one suddenly appearing and crushing your poor baby fortress is a slim one.

The one thing I don't recommend to counteract invasions is a military. They can work, but it's a lot of tedious management that's easy to screw up. That and certain special encounters can permanently ruin your military. It's just a lot of work overall.

[Zack]

Back when masterwork was for DF version 34.11, my favorite pasttime for my longest running fortress was designing my security in a way in that I didn't really need a militia (I had one for DEFCON 1 scenarios but I never really had to use it) and instead opted to outfit the entirety of the bridge leading to my fortress with at least 10 balrogs.

Yes, balrogs.

Ginormous forestfires and melted goblins abound.

I can't make any more balrog-infested superfortresses anymore though in the modern versions so in that regard I am a tad saddened, no more hilariously OP megabeasts to infinity.

I've heard masterwork is great, but some of the features seem odd, to say the least.

For example, it's cool that they have other playable races, but who tf wants to play as a kobold? No metal, no mining, etc.

The orcs and succubi seem cool, but I just can't wrap my head around some of the other features of the mod.

That's why I'm glad almost every single feature is toggleable. Technically, you could rig it to just play vanilla DF by turning everything off but then why even have it to begin with.

I do agree that it makes the game even more complicated than it already is but I'd say it's worth it in the end.

[Darryl McKoy]

Bad time for an elven caravan to arrive..

[Juncoph]

no, it's the perfect time

[Conan]

The one thing I don't recommend to counteract invasions is a military. They can work, but it's a lot of tedious management that's easy to screw up. That and certain special encounters can permanently ruin your military. It's just a lot of work overall.

but its so much more !!FUN!! watching your dwarves tear up enemies! or getting torn up themselves!

i only wish there was a better management program to handle militia controls n stuff, like dwarf therapist mixed with stonesense
i always spent a lot of time putting my dwarves through training only to see them forget up hard cause i screw up the orders, or not get enough training cause i forget to assign certain things.

Bad time for an elven caravan to arrive..

do they even notice? i thought they'd only care if you tried to sell them trees, though i vaguely recall ambassador requests to cut less wood. didnt seem to be a thing based on your logging amounts tho

[Cappytaino]

They will sometimes request for you to stop cutting down as many trees, but I think it has more to do with how many wooden goods you make and less to do with random wood sitting on the ground. Elves also don't give a damn about their OWN wooden goods, so if you buy a wooden cage from an elf caravan and sell it back, they don't care at all. If you sell them a wooden cage you've made, they start getting super brown town about it/