Bay 12 Games Forum

I'll chime in on the sentiment that the game is actually not overly complicated - it just has an interface that needs a complete overhaul. In addition, the interface lacks tools to do things directly which are nonetheless required to do. Many indirect steps are needed in something like changing a dwarf's armor, where such things could be simplified to a couple key/mouse strokes.

Adding in a little more direct control of some dwarf actions could eliminate a great deal of the interface entirely.

Even with the new version, there really isn't a dizzying array of options so much as it's not so clear HOW to implement ideas. To me, a "complicated" (far far TOO complicated) game is something like Hearts of Iron, with 200-page manuals in 6-point font and 50-page patch release notes.

When the interface is standardized and simplified the learning curve of DF will drop dramatically, imo. Learning how the menus work and where everything was hidden in various menus took me a couple of weeks of hardcore playing and wiki-browsing, and I've been gaming since games that look like DF ran on TRS-80's with cassette drives.    :p

[ October 29, 2007: Message edited by: Joker ]

[ October 29, 2007: Message edited by: Joker ]