Dwarf Fortress

[Laivasse]

So I'm playing some Dwarf Fortress here. Although I'm probably not the greatest person to start a discussion on it, since I only have the roughest understanding of how to play, I thought I'd start a topic to see if anybody else plays or is interested in this game.

For anybody unfamiliar, think Minecraft in a 2D interface (but the game world is still very much 3D) with 100x the complexity. It's been around in an evolving form since 2006 and it's the archetypal game that everybody namedrops when talking about complexity or ridiculous difficulty curves in games. When you build up some momentum, though, it's incredibly addictive.

Essentially it's a kind of plate-spinning city management game and sandbox, where you control a band of dwarves and attempt to keep them alive in a hilariously perilous world, by guiding them in building a nice cosy fortress. The level of complexity is really absurd... just a few examples of what you can do include blacksmithing, beekeeping, embroidery, soap-making, encrusting horse skulls with jewels and underground irrigation via a variety of pumps. Meanwhile you have to shield your dwarves from dangers such as badgers, goblins, elephants, dragons, vampirism, PTSD and eachother (when they go violently insane). There is also a high level of geological realism (rock and ore properties, aquifers, etc.).

Some annotated screenies (not mine) to give an impression:

The biggest obstacle to getting into Dwarf Fortress is the impenetrable retro interface. A significant time investment and considerable patience are required. This is actually my third attempt to get to grips with this game. The first time actually went pretty well and I quickly mastered concepts like traps and sluice gates, but I gave up due to time constraints. When I tried again I had forgotten everything and gave up, daunted, this time during world creation. This third attempt is falling somewhere between those two experiences, although even if I manage to get no further than this I can say quite confidently that I love this game. Definitely one of the most flexible, immersive and rewarding sandbox experiences around.

It's free and is best downloaded as part of the Lazy Newb Pack package, which comes with some graphics tilesets to make it easier on the eyes as well as the essential Dwarf Therapist utility (for keeping track of your individual dwarves). Further reading is essential; you can dive straight in but I recommend doing so while using any one the DF wiki, DF Quickstart Guide, this Giantbomb thread, or whatever Youtube guides you can find, as an accompaniment. There's also a recently published book which attempts to be a complete companion for rookies.

EDIT: an hilarious example of the type of story which can dynamically emerge from the game.

[the_eristic]

[Laivasse]

But don't be too quick to dismiss DF. It's not necessarily any more neckbeardy than, say, Footie Man, it's just that as football fans we already come supplied with all the extra knowledge necessary for that game. There's plenty of humour in DF also - it's more about having your well designed plans come to pieces rather than srs bsns.

Now if only I can work up the will to play it some more and risk a headache and bleeding eyes. The interface is a killer.

[Risso]

Has that fortress been deliberately designed to look like a bloke with his wanger out?

[the_eristic]

There's plenty of humour in DF also

Sounds like you're well on your way to "lmao 2 cat" land. Dangerous territory, man.