STRIKE THE EARTH!
I recently was gifted Dwarf Fortress by one of my longtime friends, and I've sunk a handful (or two) of hours into it and thought I'd maybe talk about my first impressions of the Steam release here.
First though, for those of you not aware of Dwarf Fortress... Dwarf Fortress is a complex and challenging simulation game that is widely regarded as one of the most intricate and detailed video games ever created. Developed by Tarn and Zach Adams, the game was first released in 2006, and has since become a cult classic with a devoted following.
At its core, Dwarf Fortress is a game about managing a colony of dwarves as they attempt to build and maintain an underground fortress. The game is played from a top-down perspective, with the player controlling the dwarves as they dig tunnels, construct buildings, and mine for resources. The ultimate goal of the game is to create a thriving, self-sustaining community that can withstand any challenges that come its way.
What sets Dwarf Fortress apart from other games is its incredible depth and complexity. The game's simulation engine is incredibly detailed, modelling everything from the geology of the game world to the weather patterns, and the behaviour of each individual dwarf. This means that the player must take into account a vast array of factors when managing their colony, including food and water supplies, temperature, disease, and even the emotional states of the dwarves themselves.
One of the game's most famous features is its procedural generation system, which creates a new, unique game world for each playthrough. The game generates a detailed history for each world, complete with historical events, kingdoms, wars, and even individual heroes and villains. This means that no two games are ever the same, and players can explore and discover new aspects of the game with each playthrough.
Despite its complexity, Dwarf Fortress has gained a large and devoted following over the years. Its community of players is known for creating incredible mods, custom graphics packs, and even stories and artwork inspired by the game. While the game's ASCII graphics can be daunting at first, many players find that they add to the game's charm and unique aesthetic.
In recent years, the game has also inspired a wave of similar simulation games, such as Rimworld and Oxygen Not Included, which seek to emulate Dwarf Fortress's depth and complexity in more accessible and user-friendly ways.
Overall, Dwarf Fortress is a game that rewards patience, strategy, and creativity. With its detailed simulation engine and unique procedural generation system, it offers an endlessly engaging and challenging gameplay experience that has captivated players for over a decade.
And, now that captivating game has a Steam release, and proper sprites and GUIs! I have been fringely aware of Dwarf Fortress for over a decade but always thought that it was just way too unfriendly to dive into. The ASCII art didn't vibe with me, and by the time I found it... it felt like I'd have to spend a month reading Wikis just to understand how to actually enjoy the game.
Thankfully, with the Steam release and the gift from my friend, I've now given it an honest shot and... I LOVE IT. It's seriously so much fun to play!
That said, I have died a LOT and had my kingdoms get crushed by my mistakes. Figuring out food and drink was my first chance to experience the lessons of failure. It doesn't take much to keep dwarves fed and hydrated but it's not immediately obvious on the first play how to SUSTAIN that.
Second, sooner or later your dwarves are going to get Moods. This is basically possession by some strange spirit and requires that they take over a workshop and create an artifact that needs particular materials.
If you do manage to satisfy the materials you get rewarded with an incredibly valuable item.
If you don't... The chosen crafter goes insane and tries to kill their fellow dwarves, which always ends in the rest of the dwarves killing them.
There's also annual/semi random trades that pop up. Usually these are dwarven trade groups, but now and then we get folks like elves!
Sadly these elves decided to insult me and not trade... But it was a fun event none the less.
I'll be streaming this in the next few days, so I'll make sure to drop a post here so folks who are interested can jump in.
I also have an archive of my first stream below.
Until next time friends, Happy Gaming!
Join the Worldbuilding Community!