Dwarf Fortress

So I've been lost in the Matrix for the last few days.  I'm like a god Neo - trying ot build and protect my dwarf kingdom in a sea of deadly ascii.

Historically I think I've been a graphics whore.  Not to the point where Graphics > Gameplay but certainly to the point where I thought it was a very important thing in modern gaming.  In the last year or so I think I've changed that stance and really game play / mechanics / story are 90% of what is important to me.  I think once I immersed my self in FTL earlier in the year I realized that I can be totally engrossed in a game despite AAA graphics.  I'm kind of back in that place where I was when I first started playing video games on ICON's and Apple IIe computers.  I can get lost in the text and the adventure and my mind is can fill in the gaps - and it is rewarding to do so.   It's a lot like reading versus watching a movie.  I typically dislike movies - given the choice I'd rather read a book.  I don't need you to show me every detail - I like my mind and creativity to be involved in the experience.  I actually crave that.

Anywho - on to Dwarf Fortress.  Obviously it's an ASCII game.  There is no "end game" per say so I guess it's rogue like in that you are just trying to survive and make the most of it.  There are a couple of game modes in DF but the most popular and the one the game was really designed around is Dwarf Fortress mode and that is the only one I have played so far.   The world is dynamically generated (think Minecraft - Notch was very inspired by DF).  So everytime you play the world is different.  There is a history also generated everytime you start a new game.  The default is that 250 years of history are created - this includes wars, relationships, heroes, gods, etc.  all this will play into how your world plays out.  It's very interesting and to be honest - I haven't been around in game long enough to encounter much of the history or relationships with others in the game to know much about it.

After the dynamic map is created you get to choose a location to start your little civilization.  You can search for a spot on the map that meets certain criteria (temperature, wild life, minerals, water etc.) or you can just poke around the map and look for something that looks like a good spot to start.  I try and find a spot that has clay, soil, some metal ore, and flux, with a normal temperature some woodland and wildlife but nothin too crazy.  I think that is a typical best starting type area but I think as you become more experienced a player you can search for starting areas that are a little different :)

Once you arrive at your starting position you get to show up with 7 dwarves and some supplies.  You can pick a "pre-made" dwarf / supplies load out or you can choose to pick what you are bringing and what skils your dwarves have.  I usually do the later as I like to pick it all.

You basically get "points" which you can use to add skill points to dwarves and to purchase supplies.  Typically I've been setting up dwarves with the following.

Dwarf 1 -  mining level 10; building designer level 10

Dwarf 2 - mining level 10

Dwarf 3 - wood cutter level 10; herbalist level 10

Dwarf 4 - carpenter level 10

Dwarf 5 - mason level 10

Dwarf 6 - grower level 10; brewer level 10

Dwarf 7 - wound dresser level 6; diagnostician level 6; surgeon level 6; bone doctor level 6; suturer level 6; appraiser level 8; leader level 7

The level of proficincy only affects how well / fast they can do the job.  Overtime they can can proficincey just through doing.  But starting off with some dwarves that have skills helps to get things up and running a little smoother and a little faster.  Level 10 in a skill means they are "proficient" in that skill.   Skills go up as they do that task more.  Skills that aren't used can become "rusty" or even "very rusty" and you can lose skill points in that skill overtime.  The following is a list of the skill levels.

• Dabbling
• Novice
• Adequate
• Competent
• Skilled
• Proficient
• Talented
• Adept
• Expert
• Professional
• Accomplished
• Great
• Master
• High Master
• Grand Master
• Legendary

In addition to the skils I bring lots of booze (dwarfs need and love booze - they tolerate water - but love booze), food, seeds, livestock, cats to hunt vermin, wardogs for defence as when you start out you don't have weapons / military etc. so they are your only real defence., pick-axes, an anvil etc.

Now I'm ready to embark.  My boys set out and we are ready to put in some serious work to setup a beginning fortress.  Once we arrive at camp with our wagon full of supplies I like to start the miners right away.  I plan out an entrance and begin setting up some corridors and rooms.  I like to have a "trap" entrance.  Goblins will take the shortest path possible - so given the choice of a winding hallway or a straight hallway they will take a straight hallway so I setup a safe winding hallway with a straight hallway section that has traps in it.  

I setup a room that is 5x5 in size close to the entrance - this will be the trading depot for when caravans come to trade goods with my gang.

I setup a couple of small rooms (~10) that will be workshop rooms (carpentar, mason, mechanic, crafters etc.).

I setup some storage rooms which are biggera and are used to hold stuff (food, crafts that I build, furniture I make etc.)  I like these rooms to be close and accessible to the trading depot so I can move my goods over to the trading depot quickly when needed.

I setup sleeping quarters, a kitchen and dining room in the same room as the sleeping quarters (initially) because if a vampire comes in and attacks one of your dwarves you need someone to have seen it so you can track the bastard down.....so I like to keep people around to keep an eye on each other.

I setup a food storage area.

I start setting up an underground farm and get a well to feed water into my fortress (so they dont' have to go outside to get water and food - your fortress should be able to sustain life wihtout really leaving - leaving becomes dangerous).

I'll talk more about my DF and maybe make a video.  Oh I use a tileset which does "enhance" the graphics somewhat (really it just makes it easier for me to what's what because my Neo vision is quite there yet lol).  I use Ironhand which gives you a look more like this.