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[4powerd]

I remember when I first played Dwarf Fortress, I had read about it on TvTropes and found a pretty good guide that eased me into while still leaving a lot for me to discover, I played and had fun, but I rigorously stuck to the early fortress stragethy the guide had suggested, this caused my early games to slowly turn into a monotonous drivel that was....hard to play. Eventully I just stopped playing. Now, after about a year, I'm back and with me is a newfound creativity and sense of ambition, I think the break was needed as I look back at my early attempts to play and laugh. I remember I used to make my meeting place a temple for convenience, it worked yes, but at what cost?! So, I'm still an new player really, but I can say with 100% sincerity that taking break from this game to shake off any complacently is a very good idea.

[Crabs]

I would argue a majority of the fanbase are playing DF on and off. Sure some might actually play it all the time but most probably play until they get bored, wait for the next update or until something inspires them again.

I personally have been doing this since 2012 now and I get my DF rush once or twice a year probably. And I admit that I always play the very same fortress layout and I have yet to get bored of this !
Maybe some day I will try a difficult embark and/or a megaproject but I've been having fun for 7 years now the way I do it so I probably won't bother.

[daggaz]

this caused my early games to slowly turn into a monotonous drivel that was....hard to play.

Welcome to Dwarf Fortress. 

[Astrid]

And that's why you dont stick to guides. think out of the box, there's a lot of fun to be had with... lets say a ballista with a metal tipped head accidentally  facing... the trade depot or the meeting hall.
Or a classic, flood the surface with magma. Use a magma pool in the center of the meeting hall to keep everyone warm. Now make it a Inn, serve plently of beer and see how long it takes till the first one slips.

Yes i am in that kind of mood today. *Shrugs*

[lanceleoghauni]

I've lately been super into pottery IRL, so I've been inspired to try and make a ceramics heavy fort! This was made more difficult by getting master rock craftsdwarves two immigration waves in a row...

well at least I'll have plenty of money to keep things rolling until I get the pottery business up and running? It's sort of interesting having trees suddenly matter a lot because I don't have magma kilns yet.

[Spriggans]

Most players play on and off I believe, at least I do.

I mind my own business, and when I have a stupid idea I feel like experimenting with, I dedicate a world to that.
After my thirst for this idea is quenched, I stop playing and mind my own business again.


And the cycle continues...

Stupid ideas will vary on your mood :
- I grinded a uber dwarf, who was legendary in every skills
- Mod a little and embark into hell and try to escape
- Make a stone-less fortress
- Pierce aquifers, or make an ocean project fortress
- Play as a Kobold fort
- I once created an Armok temple fort, with dwarves put into cages, and regular sacrifices in my meeting/execution hall
- When Trump talked about a Mexico wall, I decided to build a two castes fortress separated by a big wall... One side was way wealthier than the other

[Pvt. Pirate]

the experimenting is the FUN.

i tried so many things already.
so many entryway designs, so many layouts for the main fort, so many different attempts on how to handle the caverns....
i even tried recreating reallife and fantasy castles and forts and even if i created a new world wanting to create a fort inspired by roman city design, i ended up doing a "carve into the mountainside" fort or the opposite.
it's all about experimenting and experiencing.

[snow dwarf]

It's totally the same experience for me. I come back to df every few months once my brain gets very into something. DF is the only game that provides so much to explore. Currently had an idea for a glass fortress.

[betamax]

Last weekend I got back into the game for the first time in over two years, at least. Been playing on and off since 2008. It's good to be back!

[BigUglyWorm]

I think this sorta "boom-and-bust" playstyle is pretty normal for DF.  It's difficult as hell, hard to play, and you have to manufacture your own fun.  It takes a not-insignificant amount of effort just to play it, let alone do something really impressive, but at the same time it scratches an itch no other game can reach.  Taking breaks from it gives you time to process your own shortcomings, develop fresh ambitions, and get excited for whatever stupid dwarf trick you're gonna try next.

[delphonso]

I find myself returning after playing other games and vice versa. For example, I played Rimworld for a bit and got tired of trying to find a balance between boring story tellers and game ending RNG. DF is a game I know better so shifted back to it. But lately, fond memories are taking me to FTL, which fulfils some visual desire DF doesn't.

It feels like a pretty natural flow between games, sort of like the  flow between forts. I tend to do peaceful forts followed by hellish embarks next to necro towers.

[pamelrabo]

I believe I'm getting old(er) and DF is my confort game by now.

I return to it at least once every trimonth. Right now I know the game quite well but still I find so much pleasure in it, I think I'll retire and will be still playing it.

(ĦAnd maybe it'll be finished by then!)