8 ms·

Not sure why Dwarf Fortress is on the front page, but I will always upvote. If you're intimidated by ASCII visuals, consider wishlisting the graphics release,

by brown 4y ago

Not sure why Dwarf Fortress is on the front page, but I will always upvote. If you're intimidated by ASCII visuals, consider wishlisting the graphics release, scheduled for Dec 6, 2022: https://store.steampowered.com/app/975370/Dwarf_Fortress/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/975370/Dwarf_Fortress/

RektBoy 4y ago
ASCII is not a problem, since there is ton of graphics packs. But controls, controls are ridiculous. I can't just enjoy it. And I play very hard games, indie games, Ultima Online which you need to script own things to play properly. But DF is another beast.
- jessfyi 4y ago
  The version being released on steam also includes extensive UX/UI updates, OP just left that out.
- ilyt 4y ago
  The graphics version also did MASSIVE pass on every control. Like, instead of going "select bed, make bedroom, repeat 40 times", you can just make rooms, put beds, doors, etc, then just select whole area and it will make a bedroom out of each of those rooms. camera controls are normal WASD now, most of the things can be done with mouse, there are tabs on panels and hyperlinks in legend browser and thousand other little things. It will be coming eventually to free ASCII version too
kennu 4y ago
Nice to see there is a release date now! Wishlisted quite a while ago already, when no date was set.
agiacalone 4y ago
Love the ASCII version, but totally buying to support the devs.
- mjamesaustin 4y ago
  Just a heads up, if you purchase on itch.io rather than Steam, the devs receive a larger share of the revenue. (Though obviously it's not integrated into Steam, if you prefer that.) https://kitfoxgames.itch.io/dwarf-fortress https://kitfoxgames.itch.io/dwarf-fortress
  - Daunk 4y ago
    Noted. I will buy it on both itch.io and Steam then.
    - munk-a 4y ago
      Considering I've given them a few bucks a month for a decade and a bit now which doesn't even come close to the value I've gotten that is a great idea.
- deelowe 4y ago
  As soon as I learned why Tarn needed to put out a paid release on Steam, I committed to purchasing even if I never play it.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  - MikeTheGreat 4y ago
    You can't just leave a comment like that and walk away from it. :) Why did Tarn need to put out a paid release? (I think I know / I kinda remember, but hey - there's no better place to tell us why we should be helping a fellow geek)
    - deelowe 4y ago
      https://gamerant.com/dwarf-fortress-interview-new-age-health-problems-inspiration/ https://gamerant.com/dwarf-fortress-interview-new-age-health...
jrm4 4y ago
Whoooaaa. So, this has been a game that's always fascinated me, though when trying to play myself I nope out within minutes. On one hand, graphics might get me there -- and yet, even to me, it feels kinda wrong :)
rococode 4y ago
As a Rimworld lover who couldn't quite get past the ASCII in Dwarf Fortress, I'm super excited for the upcoming release! Rimworld has been a blast and I've heard the two games have many similarities (with Rimworld maybe being a slightly more approachable game that's a bit shallower).
- tstrimple 4y ago
  I love ribworld as well! It's my most played game by far at this point. The mod ecosystem is simply outstanding. That being said, it doesn't even attempt to be the simulation engine that Dwarf Fortress does. It feels like DF is a simulation engine first, with emergent game play almost as a side effect. As much as I like DF, that simulation first development process can be felt during almost every interaction in the game. It's not so bad once you've committed everything to muscle memory, but the learning curve is no joke. https://i.stack.imgur.com/iECXl.jpg https://i.stack.imgur.com/iECXl.jpg
  - krisroadruck 4y ago
    if you like these games you might also like Oxygen Not Included. It's side-on view instead of top down, but is another excellent little ant farm to sink a couple thousand hours into. Sort of a Rimworld meets Factorio type vibe.
    - ericbarrett 4y ago
      > is another excellent little ant farm I call ONI my "dollhouse." It's such a sleeper compared to similar games. The art and sound effects really elevate it. Klei has such a unique art style and it's really shown off. Also has a much more interesting "survival" curve than most; you'll be presented with many many hours of challenges trying to get a sustainable base, without cheap tricks like ever-escalating interruptions based on quantitative progress (looking at you, Rimworld.)
  - bombcar 4y ago
    The new version is going to fix some of that; the normalization of menus, etc, will go a long way to "making it feel more game-like".
PeterisP 4y ago
The Lazy Newb Pack (and other third-party options) has been an easy way to get cute graphics for Dwarf Fortress for many, many years now.
- signalToNose 4y ago
  But the UI has all joy and ease of Emacs
  - bombcar 4y ago
    But it has the power and learning curve of Emacs, too!
  - tptacek 4y ago
    The ease is like 80% of the joy.
  - ilyt 4y ago
    The commenter above did mention the new UI is coming this december. Long story short it got upgraded from Emacs to IntelliJ IDEA.
andremedeiros 4y ago
Thank you for reminding me, I've been meaning to wishlist this for a while. Excited they finally have a release date set!
schlauerfox 4y ago
The technical complexity got me through a really tough time where I could hide in the world, ascii only on a pavilion convertible laptop. Good times, impenetrable gameplay.
- ilyt 4y ago
  The Steam version OP mentioned fixes that
  - lelandfe 4y ago
    I am not holding my breath that the complexity is fixable - although I will certainly settle for “not impossibly Byzantine” when it comes to controls
    - ilyt 4y ago
      Kitfox (the publisher) did a video with dev and someone new to DF [1] playing it for first time, while it might not be "pick up and go" yet it looked massively more approachable. There is even rudimentary tutorial to set up the basics and a bunch of guides. Also most of the DF complexity comes organically during gameplay and not all at once - if all you do is set up food source and some bedrooms you already buy yourself a lot of time to fuck around. The discoverability of systems should also be much better - [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLN8cOcTjdo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLN8cOcTjdo
      - lelandfe 4y ago
        Hadn't seen this – thanks for the link. My excitement for this release has risen from excited to very excited :)
PhasmaFelis 4y ago
Is the UI getting an overhaul as well? I could probably deal with the ASCII, but I'm picky about UI design, and what I've heard about the interface sounds like it would make me have a tantrum and smash my menacing rhyolite cave sock.
- tptacek 4y ago
  Careful what you wish for. Some of the Dwarf Fortress endorphins are a product of the horrible user interface; asking for a more intuitive interface (at times) is like asking for an easier Soulsborne boss. Ask enough times and you have Horizon Forbidden West instead of Bloodborne.
  - PhasmaFelis 4y ago
    Enh... In an action-y game, there's a strong argument that mastering difficult controls can be half the fun. In a menu-based management game, I want the controls to be as streamlined and intuitive as possible, always. It should be my knowledge and planning ability being tested, not my muscle memory. Or to put it another way, if I'm pretending to manage a fortress, losing because I was too focused on expansion and didn't stock enough food and ammunition to survive a siege can be fun. Losing because I was fully prepared but forgot how to tell my minions to raise the drawbridge and man the walls is just frustrating.
- bombcar 4y ago
  The old UI is like a well-worn sock for me, fits perfectly and I know where the holes are. But yes, the new version has an entirely redone UI to greatly organize and simplify things. The updates here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/975370 https://steamcommunity.com/app/975370 go into more details - there's even a tutorial!
- jibe 4y ago
  They’ve revamped the UI. Here is a dev blog post with an early screenshot from 2021. https://steamcommunity.com/games/975370/announcements/detail/4816004515020626336 https://steamcommunity.com/games/975370/announcements/detail...
sdenton4 4y ago
Does the framerate still decline steadily to zero as you expand your fortress?
etempleton 4y ago
I am excited for the graphics release as I have always been fascinated by Dwarf Fortress, but do not think I have the patience to learn how to parse the ASCII visuals.
ncr100 4y ago
The fun of game software (truly): http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/mantisbt/view.php?id=8410 http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/mantisbt/view.php?id=8410 Bug title: "0008410: Crash due to zero-size weasel" <3

by brown 4y ago

RektBoy 4y ago

ASCII is not a problem, since there is ton of graphics packs. But controls, controls are ridiculous. I can't just enjoy it. And I play very hard games, indie games, Ultima Online which you need to script own things to play properly. But DF is another beast.

jessfyi 4y ago
The version being released on steam also includes extensive UX/UI updates, OP just left that out.
ilyt 4y ago
The graphics version also did MASSIVE pass on every control. Like, instead of going "select bed, make bedroom, repeat 40 times", you can just make rooms, put beds, doors, etc, then just select whole area and it will make a bedroom out of each of those rooms. camera controls are normal WASD now, most of the things can be done with mouse, there are tabs on panels and hyperlinks in legend browser and thousand other little things. It will be coming eventually to free ASCII version too

kennu 4y ago

Nice to see there is a release date now! Wishlisted quite a while ago already, when no date was set.

agiacalone 4y ago

Love the ASCII version, but totally buying to support the devs.

mjamesaustin 4y ago
Just a heads up, if you purchase on itch.io rather than Steam, the devs receive a larger share of the revenue. (Though obviously it's not integrated into Steam, if you prefer that.) https://kitfoxgames.itch.io/dwarf-fortress https://kitfoxgames.itch.io/dwarf-fortress
- Daunk 4y ago
  Noted. I will buy it on both itch.io and Steam then.
  - munk-a 4y ago
    Considering I've given them a few bucks a month for a decade and a bit now which doesn't even come close to the value I've gotten that is a great idea.
deelowe 4y ago
As soon as I learned why Tarn needed to put out a paid release on Steam, I committed to purchasing even if I never play it.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- MikeTheGreat 4y ago
  You can't just leave a comment like that and walk away from it. :) Why did Tarn need to put out a paid release? (I think I know / I kinda remember, but hey - there's no better place to tell us why we should be helping a fellow geek)
  - deelowe 4y ago
    https://gamerant.com/dwarf-fortress-interview-new-age-health-problems-inspiration/ https://gamerant.com/dwarf-fortress-interview-new-age-health...

jrm4 4y ago

Whoooaaa. So, this has been a game that's always fascinated me, though when trying to play myself I nope out within minutes. On one hand, graphics might get me there -- and yet, even to me, it feels kinda wrong :)

rococode 4y ago

As a Rimworld lover who couldn't quite get past the ASCII in Dwarf Fortress, I'm super excited for the upcoming release! Rimworld has been a blast and I've heard the two games have many similarities (with Rimworld maybe being a slightly more approachable game that's a bit shallower).

tstrimple 4y ago
I love ribworld as well! It's my most played game by far at this point. The mod ecosystem is simply outstanding. That being said, it doesn't even attempt to be the simulation engine that Dwarf Fortress does. It feels like DF is a simulation engine first, with emergent game play almost as a side effect. As much as I like DF, that simulation first development process can be felt during almost every interaction in the game. It's not so bad once you've committed everything to muscle memory, but the learning curve is no joke. https://i.stack.imgur.com/iECXl.jpg https://i.stack.imgur.com/iECXl.jpg
- krisroadruck 4y ago
  if you like these games you might also like Oxygen Not Included. It's side-on view instead of top down, but is another excellent little ant farm to sink a couple thousand hours into. Sort of a Rimworld meets Factorio type vibe.
  - ericbarrett 4y ago
    > is another excellent little ant farm I call ONI my "dollhouse." It's such a sleeper compared to similar games. The art and sound effects really elevate it. Klei has such a unique art style and it's really shown off. Also has a much more interesting "survival" curve than most; you'll be presented with many many hours of challenges trying to get a sustainable base, without cheap tricks like ever-escalating interruptions based on quantitative progress (looking at you, Rimworld.)
- bombcar 4y ago
  The new version is going to fix some of that; the normalization of menus, etc, will go a long way to "making it feel more game-like".

PeterisP 4y ago

The Lazy Newb Pack (and other third-party options) has been an easy way to get cute graphics for Dwarf Fortress for many, many years now.

signalToNose 4y ago
But the UI has all joy and ease of Emacs
- bombcar 4y ago
  But it has the power and learning curve of Emacs, too!
- tptacek 4y ago
  The ease is like 80% of the joy.
- ilyt 4y ago
  The commenter above did mention the new UI is coming this december. Long story short it got upgraded from Emacs to IntelliJ IDEA.

andremedeiros 4y ago

Thank you for reminding me, I've been meaning to wishlist this for a while. Excited they finally have a release date set!

schlauerfox 4y ago

The technical complexity got me through a really tough time where I could hide in the world, ascii only on a pavilion convertible laptop. Good times, impenetrable gameplay.

ilyt 4y ago
The Steam version OP mentioned fixes that
- lelandfe 4y ago
  I am not holding my breath that the complexity is fixable - although I will certainly settle for “not impossibly Byzantine” when it comes to controls
  - ilyt 4y ago
    Kitfox (the publisher) did a video with dev and someone new to DF [1] playing it for first time, while it might not be "pick up and go" yet it looked massively more approachable. There is even rudimentary tutorial to set up the basics and a bunch of guides. Also most of the DF complexity comes organically during gameplay and not all at once - if all you do is set up food source and some bedrooms you already buy yourself a lot of time to fuck around. The discoverability of systems should also be much better - [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLN8cOcTjdo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLN8cOcTjdo
    - lelandfe 4y ago
      Hadn't seen this – thanks for the link. My excitement for this release has risen from excited to very excited :)

PhasmaFelis 4y ago

Is the UI getting an overhaul as well? I could probably deal with the ASCII, but I'm picky about UI design, and what I've heard about the interface sounds like it would make me have a tantrum and smash my menacing rhyolite cave sock.

tptacek 4y ago
Careful what you wish for. Some of the Dwarf Fortress endorphins are a product of the horrible user interface; asking for a more intuitive interface (at times) is like asking for an easier Soulsborne boss. Ask enough times and you have Horizon Forbidden West instead of Bloodborne.
- PhasmaFelis 4y ago
  Enh... In an action-y game, there's a strong argument that mastering difficult controls can be half the fun. In a menu-based management game, I want the controls to be as streamlined and intuitive as possible, always. It should be my knowledge and planning ability being tested, not my muscle memory. Or to put it another way, if I'm pretending to manage a fortress, losing because I was too focused on expansion and didn't stock enough food and ammunition to survive a siege can be fun. Losing because I was fully prepared but forgot how to tell my minions to raise the drawbridge and man the walls is just frustrating.
bombcar 4y ago
The old UI is like a well-worn sock for me, fits perfectly and I know where the holes are. But yes, the new version has an entirely redone UI to greatly organize and simplify things. The updates here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/975370 https://steamcommunity.com/app/975370 go into more details - there's even a tutorial!
jibe 4y ago
They’ve revamped the UI. Here is a dev blog post with an early screenshot from 2021. https://steamcommunity.com/games/975370/announcements/detail/4816004515020626336 https://steamcommunity.com/games/975370/announcements/detail...

sdenton4 4y ago

Does the framerate still decline steadily to zero as you expand your fortress?

etempleton 4y ago

I am excited for the graphics release as I have always been fascinated by Dwarf Fortress, but do not think I have the patience to learn how to parse the ASCII visuals.

ncr100 4y ago

The fun of game software (truly): http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/mantisbt/view.php?id=8410 http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/mantisbt/view.php?id=8410 Bug title: "0008410: Crash due to zero-size weasel" <3