Bay 12 Games Forum

DF doesn't make sense to some people. Often they read a particularly awesome anecdote that stretches the reality of the game in order for the narrative to make sense. If they manage to stick through the learning period they find that Dwarf Fortress is not nearly as feature complete as the anecdote belied. DF isn't an absolute recreation of the character- filled material world that we all experience in our day-to-day lives. Things aren't complete, and some things will never be perfect representations. This could bother some people, who might get the impression that this forum is filled with idealistic story-writers who make up half the cool things that go on in the game. Which is pretty far from the truth, since the things we make up all have an inspiration from the game itself. Our dwarves don't make artifacts because it's how the game was coded, but because they've gone crazy and turned inward due to some fey spirit. They don't seek out a stray sock during a goblin siege because of their A.I.'s lack of awareness, but because of their character's penchant for daydreaming. The dwarves don't dive from a waterfall and drown in the stream below because of buggy pathfinding, but because they tripped.


It's not wrong to enjoy DF as a game that you play, but it's much more rewarding to weave your creative thoughts into the decisions you make. I'm certain that when people can't bring themselves to do this they miss out on what makes the game so damn consuming, then end up complaining that DF is "just a bad game." They can't get past the ASCII because they don't get that a character symbol is all you need if you're actively imagining the gamestate. They can't get past the interface because they don't get that it's totally worth the frustration. df remains unique, even considering things like URR, in the way it throws together game playing and narrative building.

That wall was the last thing I ordered, and I took a few extra days into spring to ensure it's almost completion. Spring had snuck up on me, and there's nothing more dangerous than an exposed cavern opening that no one knows about.

I assume you saw the marble quarry around that part of the fortress too. Marble is good for statues and tables. Or secret underground lairs.

Also, I think getting the minecart track up and running would be awesome but dangerous - it would primarily help to move glass blocks up to the surface now that the furnaces are located belowground. Hardly a priority, but certainly a project should you find yourself unoccupied.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that literally every single piece of clothing in the fortress is rotting. A few more months and you might just be leading the largest colony of nudists this side of the continent. What was the name of that other outpost, the one full of nude elves. . . ?


 Ah, right, "Danglerod the Glistening Freedom." How could I forget the time their trade liason arrived, completely naked and riding a donkey. He didn't even have a saddle.


We musn't let ourselves lose civility, despite our dying civilization. I propose thongs and capes for everyone!

These days are so short, if the save mechanism is an issue just play like a responsible adult and only start a day when you have a guaranteed fifteen minutes to spare. Not to say it's not expected these days to save on the fly, but understanding it's a one-man indie-ish project should qualm your frustration a little.

I like the game but it's hardly revolutionary. A lot of cute ideas presented well, but the systems lack the depth that draws you back for a second playthrough. Too many perfect answers for what to grow, what to catch or what to give. Now that sounds cynical, but for the sort of player who can spreadsheet out the ratios these sorts of "objectively better crops" can take you out of the game. It just seems old fashioned in a lot of places that deserved a fresh concept.

It gives me fuzzy feelings to light the fireplace, however, so it's really not all that bad. . .

Mad Sal the Mason, Sanctume the Macedwarf, Lord Ryukan the High Judge, and Gwolfski the Manager all sit around a gabbro dining table. The ghost of Onciblu watches through a crack in the wall. The dwarves are discussing military reform.

"I remember Erib, the expert crossdwarf. He migrated sometime before I took the role of overseer. I mean, I know it wasn't the best use of his skills to give him a mace and some copper chain, but what else was I supposed to do? All of you should try spending more time in The Big Room. If you spent a little more time working with the dwarves, rather than lording over them, you might understand the specific difficulties in producing bolts . . ."

More assertions from the others.

"If we could forge silver maces, why not bolts?!"
"You're one to talk. All you've done for the past year is make stone cabinets, only leaving that damned workshop to eat."
"He really is crazy. . . "
"What a waste of Erib's prowess."

Sal continued. "Alright then, let me spell it out for you. It's not like I maliciously assigned him that role, it was part of a larger draft that included any dwarf who claimed even the smallest amount of military proficiency. I drafted speardwaves too you know."

"What about the bolts?"

At this point Mad Sal excused himself from the room, and returned in some time with Erib himself.

"Alright, Erib, tell them what you just told me."

"Uh, um, excuse my presence your lorships. . ." Erib mumbled.

"Get on with it!"

". . .In order to properly.equip and train a squad of marksdwarves, at least if you want to do it competently, you need a steady supply of training bolts. You also need a large stock of broadheads, quivers for everyone, a room to train in, a place to shoot from when the elves come, and they should have armor and a seperate barracks for morale, and. . ."

Sal cuts him off. "You see? It isn't a simple matter of making some bolts and carving some wormy-wooded crossbows. Erib is an expert and needs proper logistical support in order to perform. I can't give him poor treatment and expect his cooperation."

Erib speaks up. "Uh, sir, if your referring to my time spent with the macedwarves I'll tell you I surely appreciated it. When a gobbo gets to close, you sometimes need to thwack him before he guts you. The principles I learned with a mace are the same I know from my time spent defending the mountainhome, with a crossbow."

Sal sits back down, after dismissing Erib. "Everyone satisfied? Good. Let's get back to a real topic.""

Quote from: Salmeuk on March 02, 2016, 12:49:12 am

Hey Sactume, you got the correct save right? I could have sworn that all the swordsdwarfs were legendary when I was finished with my year. Also the tavern had been named "The Chamber of Sun" unless you changed it back (which is fine but I'm slightly confused and worried now).

I doubled checked the file I uploaded. Maybe I'm missing something.

Also you should dwarf someone as Imic II since he died so damn fast.

Oops, It's MY BAD, I restored the older save.  I'll re-do.

And then, things were different. . .

Sanctume mumbles the words, "swearing... this... protect... enemies, defend... booze..., pointless... vanity... Armok!"  Then he stares at a scepter in distaste, shrugs and proceeds to scratch the back of his neck with it.

". . . menaces with spikes of durian wood. . ."