8 ms·

For anyone who is thinking about giving it a spin for the first time, do yourself a favor and don't get this .01 version. Either wait for a few patches or downl

by epaga 11y ago

For anyone who is thinking about giving it a spin for the first time, do yourself a favor and don't get this .01 version. Either wait for a few patches or download the far more stable and mature 0.40.24 (http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/older_versions.html http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/older_versions.html) Dwarf Fortress is basically a perpetual beta with lots of major bugs as it is, but especially brand new major versions like this one usually have multiple game-breaking bugs, including crashes, corrupted saves, etc. It would be a shame if people willing to give it a try would give it up due to the poor quality of the initial release of a new major version. Dwarf Fortress is a truly unique game and really worth putting in the effort to learn simply due to the stories it generates as you play. Here's an example of a story that happened to me. https://www.reddit.com/r/dwarffortress/comments/1mb0cw/the_sad_story_of_môsom/ https://www.reddit.com/r/dwarffortress/comments/1mb0cw/the_s... Note this story is in no way embellished by me. Everything described there was actually simulated within the game.

AdmiralAsshat 11y ago
Not as engaging as the story of Boatmurdered, but amusing nonetheless.
- traspler 11y ago
  If you like DF stories, check out Bravemule's Matul Remrit or Bronzemurder.
  - SixSigma 11y ago
    Roomcarnage is the ongoing state of the art http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=139393.0 http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=139393.0
    - saulrh 11y ago
      > Before the end of the first month, a weight is lifted off my shoulders. The dwarves will still gain unhappy thoughts when caught in the freakish weather, but compared to some of the procedurally generated horrors I've dealt with in the past, elf blood blizzards look like a fluffy wambler infestation. > Besides, an active volcano comprised entirely of ice and coated in crimson snowdrifts of frozen gore? Fucking metal. I love this game. I love Dwarf Fortress.
metalliqaz 11y ago
This comment, while interesting and helpful, would be enough to keep me away from DF forever. Game-breaking bugs? Ain't nobody got time for that. I already know about DF so I know I'm not interested in games like that, but man, I'm glad I never tried to pick it up.
- empath75 11y ago
  It's one of those games where bugs just add to the charm, if you like that sort of game. It's an ant farm that you're only sort of partially in control of even when it's running perfectly.
- brianwawok 11y ago
  I mean it's free and written by 2 people, you can only expect so much.
  - wagglycocks 11y ago
    It's actually written entirely by one person; Zach is just an idea man.
    - unoti 11y ago
      > It's actually written entirely by one person; Zach is just an idea man. At some point when you've mastered basic code writing, ideas become the hardest part. This is especially true in game design, but also true even in solving business problems.
      - deleted 11y ago
        [deleted]
- snerbles 11y ago
  There are enough players and fans that "got time for that", testing releases for stability so you don't have to. A pity you've chosen to miss out, as the depth of simulation in DF truly is astounding.
MasterScrat 11y ago
The game looks pretty light on graphics... can't I try it out somewhere online from my browser? edit: some quick googling led me to this: https://www.rollapp.com/app/dwarffortress https://www.rollapp.com/app/dwarffortress Looks like you can't save but at least I can get a quick idea of how it feels like
- Bognar 11y ago
  It's light on graphics, but not on processing power. There's an immense amount of calculation and simulation going on.
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
  - bduerst 11y ago
    Each cycle calculates ridiculously detailed things like the temperature of the rear left femur of a water buffalo passing through.
    - shostack 11y ago
      Is that an exaggerated example or an actual thing that happens?
      - mercer 11y ago
        They simulate the dwarves' individual teeth.. (not sure about water buffalo femurs though, but I wouldn't be surprised)
      - db48x 11y ago
        No, it's not exaggerated. It doesn't actually go so far as to call it a femur, but it does indeed keep track of the temperature of the left rear upper leg bone, as far as it is distinct from the temperature of the left rear upper leg's muscle, fat, skin or hair layers. After all, if the water buffalo were to stray into the path of a dragon's fiery breath, or a stream of molten lava, then it's vital that it be able to tell you whether the hair has burnt, the fat has melted, etc. You can turn off temperature in the config file if it takes too much cpu time though, in which case everything just has an assumed temperature, with no heat flowing around to change it.
stepvhen 11y ago
I remember the overpopulation of Mothmen. It was terror.
cellover 11y ago
This is the kind of story that makes me think that when all human life will have disappeared from Earth, an alien civilization would be able to find artifacts of the world we live in by digging into still-running instances of Dwarf Fortress. Amazing.
incepted 11y ago
> It would be a shame if people willing to give it a try would give it up due to the poor quality of the initial release of a new major version. I appreciate the intent but when, in the same message, you say: > Dwarf Fortress is basically a perpetual beta with lots of major bugs as it is, but especially brand new major versions like this one usually have multiple game-breaking bugs, including crashes, corrupted saves, etc. you are actively dissuading everyone from ever trying the game.
- saulrh 11y ago
  I think what he meant is that the game is usually at beta quality - which is to say, it has funky bugs sometimes but it's rare that it corrupts your saves or lights your computer on fire - so this "beta" release is actually closer to another piece of software's alpha level of quality. I'd call this release an alpha. Either pick up the previous release, which is solidly in stable-beta territory and is only not an RC because DF's features list is approximately as long as the equator, or wait a bit until this alpha reaches beta status again.
- CaptSpify 11y ago
  Is there a beta vs alpha scheme for the versions that would designate a good "starters" release?
  - cobrophy 11y ago
    Go with the previous version before this release, 40.24 While getting a handle of the basics of the game you really won't miss out on any of the new features in the latest version. They're at a somewhat more advanced level and you'll be spending your time trying to figure out the menus and how to not die of starvation and thirst, and less concerned with what instrument bards should play.
jimrandomh 11y ago
Against my better judgment I downloaded this and started it up. World-gen seems to be crashing more than half the time (but not every time). Then it crashes most of the time in the "Updating World" phase when you try to start a game, before the embark site selection screen. When I did get it to embark, it crashed in the first minute. So, yeah - wait for patches.
- bduerst 11y ago
  What the game actually crashing or was world gen just restarting with a different seed? World gen works with different parameters and will scrap worlds that are generated with in compatible conditions (e.g. There aren't enough evil biomes to support the minimum number of goblin fortresses).
  - jimrandomh 11y ago
    I mean actually crashing.
clock_tower 11y ago
You might even want to go a little further back from 0.40.24 to start out. The game has grown and evolved over time, and some of the recent features raise the price of entry. (These days, for example, you need soap production and a hospital up and running before the beginning of your second year...)
- the_french 11y ago
  I've never had to produce soap even during extended sieges. The only instance it would have helped in was with a FB that had poisonous blood (and killed half my fortress). I always felt that the medical aspects were a bit too easy.
  - dccoolgai 11y ago
    And too bugged - last I checked, hospital zones still take unlimited amounts of cloth - even stealing it from visiting caravans.
sdegutis 11y ago
This story is the most I've ever heard about DF. I'm suddenly incredibly curious about what this game is all about. Thanks for sharing.
ohitsdom 11y ago
Amazing story. Did you not know she was pregnant when you decided to sacrifice her? Did she have the baby still born? I've never played the game but almost want to now.
- kibwen 11y ago
  By "The dwarf was a mother carrying a child" I believe the OP means that the dwarf was carrying a baby in her arms. Maternal dwarves are rather infamous for carrying their infant children into harrowing situations, e.g. when conscripted into a militia and sent out to slay dragons (though they're just as apt to give birth right there on the battlefield).
  - epaga 11y ago
    This is correct. She was carrying a baby with her - a fact I couldn't immediately see because it was only one dwarf icon walking around. If I had checked her details, I would have seen it. When the high pressure water hit, the baby was basically blasted out of her arms and bashed against the wall... :-(
sbov 11y ago
My #1 recommendation is to play along with a youtube "let's play". Otherwise you get lost pretty fast.

by epaga 11y ago

AdmiralAsshat 11y ago

Not as engaging as the story of Boatmurdered, but amusing nonetheless.

traspler 11y ago
If you like DF stories, check out Bravemule's Matul Remrit or Bronzemurder.
- SixSigma 11y ago
  Roomcarnage is the ongoing state of the art http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=139393.0 http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=139393.0
  - saulrh 11y ago
    > Before the end of the first month, a weight is lifted off my shoulders. The dwarves will still gain unhappy thoughts when caught in the freakish weather, but compared to some of the procedurally generated horrors I've dealt with in the past, elf blood blizzards look like a fluffy wambler infestation. > Besides, an active volcano comprised entirely of ice and coated in crimson snowdrifts of frozen gore? Fucking metal. I love this game. I love Dwarf Fortress.

metalliqaz 11y ago

This comment, while interesting and helpful, would be enough to keep me away from DF forever. Game-breaking bugs? Ain't nobody got time for that. I already know about DF so I know I'm not interested in games like that, but man, I'm glad I never tried to pick it up.

empath75 11y ago
It's one of those games where bugs just add to the charm, if you like that sort of game. It's an ant farm that you're only sort of partially in control of even when it's running perfectly.
brianwawok 11y ago
I mean it's free and written by 2 people, you can only expect so much.
- wagglycocks 11y ago
  It's actually written entirely by one person; Zach is just an idea man.
  - unoti 11y ago
    > It's actually written entirely by one person; Zach is just an idea man. At some point when you've mastered basic code writing, ideas become the hardest part. This is especially true in game design, but also true even in solving business problems.
    - deleted 11y ago
      [deleted]
snerbles 11y ago
There are enough players and fans that "got time for that", testing releases for stability so you don't have to. A pity you've chosen to miss out, as the depth of simulation in DF truly is astounding.

MasterScrat 11y ago

The game looks pretty light on graphics... can't I try it out somewhere online from my browser? edit: some quick googling led me to this: https://www.rollapp.com/app/dwarffortress https://www.rollapp.com/app/dwarffortress Looks like you can't save but at least I can get a quick idea of how it feels like

Bognar 11y ago
It's light on graphics, but not on processing power. There's an immense amount of calculation and simulation going on.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
- bduerst 11y ago
  Each cycle calculates ridiculously detailed things like the temperature of the rear left femur of a water buffalo passing through.
  - shostack 11y ago
    Is that an exaggerated example or an actual thing that happens?
    - mercer 11y ago
      They simulate the dwarves' individual teeth.. (not sure about water buffalo femurs though, but I wouldn't be surprised)
    - db48x 11y ago
      No, it's not exaggerated. It doesn't actually go so far as to call it a femur, but it does indeed keep track of the temperature of the left rear upper leg bone, as far as it is distinct from the temperature of the left rear upper leg's muscle, fat, skin or hair layers. After all, if the water buffalo were to stray into the path of a dragon's fiery breath, or a stream of molten lava, then it's vital that it be able to tell you whether the hair has burnt, the fat has melted, etc. You can turn off temperature in the config file if it takes too much cpu time though, in which case everything just has an assumed temperature, with no heat flowing around to change it.

stepvhen 11y ago

I remember the overpopulation of Mothmen. It was terror.

cellover 11y ago

This is the kind of story that makes me think that when all human life will have disappeared from Earth, an alien civilization would be able to find artifacts of the world we live in by digging into still-running instances of Dwarf Fortress. Amazing.

incepted 11y ago

> It would be a shame if people willing to give it a try would give it up due to the poor quality of the initial release of a new major version. I appreciate the intent but when, in the same message, you say: > Dwarf Fortress is basically a perpetual beta with lots of major bugs as it is, but especially brand new major versions like this one usually have multiple game-breaking bugs, including crashes, corrupted saves, etc. you are actively dissuading everyone from ever trying the game.

saulrh 11y ago
I think what he meant is that the game is usually at beta quality - which is to say, it has funky bugs sometimes but it's rare that it corrupts your saves or lights your computer on fire - so this "beta" release is actually closer to another piece of software's alpha level of quality. I'd call this release an alpha. Either pick up the previous release, which is solidly in stable-beta territory and is only not an RC because DF's features list is approximately as long as the equator, or wait a bit until this alpha reaches beta status again.
CaptSpify 11y ago
Is there a beta vs alpha scheme for the versions that would designate a good "starters" release?
- cobrophy 11y ago
  Go with the previous version before this release, 40.24 While getting a handle of the basics of the game you really won't miss out on any of the new features in the latest version. They're at a somewhat more advanced level and you'll be spending your time trying to figure out the menus and how to not die of starvation and thirst, and less concerned with what instrument bards should play.

jimrandomh 11y ago

Against my better judgment I downloaded this and started it up. World-gen seems to be crashing more than half the time (but not every time). Then it crashes most of the time in the "Updating World" phase when you try to start a game, before the embark site selection screen. When I did get it to embark, it crashed in the first minute. So, yeah - wait for patches.

bduerst 11y ago
What the game actually crashing or was world gen just restarting with a different seed? World gen works with different parameters and will scrap worlds that are generated with in compatible conditions (e.g. There aren't enough evil biomes to support the minimum number of goblin fortresses).
- jimrandomh 11y ago
  I mean actually crashing.

clock_tower 11y ago

You might even want to go a little further back from 0.40.24 to start out. The game has grown and evolved over time, and some of the recent features raise the price of entry. (These days, for example, you need soap production and a hospital up and running before the beginning of your second year...)

the_french 11y ago
I've never had to produce soap even during extended sieges. The only instance it would have helped in was with a FB that had poisonous blood (and killed half my fortress). I always felt that the medical aspects were a bit too easy.
- dccoolgai 11y ago
  And too bugged - last I checked, hospital zones still take unlimited amounts of cloth - even stealing it from visiting caravans.

sdegutis 11y ago

This story is the most I've ever heard about DF. I'm suddenly incredibly curious about what this game is all about. Thanks for sharing.

ohitsdom 11y ago

Amazing story. Did you not know she was pregnant when you decided to sacrifice her? Did she have the baby still born? I've never played the game but almost want to now.

kibwen 11y ago
By "The dwarf was a mother carrying a child" I believe the OP means that the dwarf was carrying a baby in her arms. Maternal dwarves are rather infamous for carrying their infant children into harrowing situations, e.g. when conscripted into a militia and sent out to slay dragons (though they're just as apt to give birth right there on the battlefield).
- epaga 11y ago
  This is correct. She was carrying a baby with her - a fact I couldn't immediately see because it was only one dwarf icon walking around. If I had checked her details, I would have seen it. When the high pressure water hit, the baby was basically blasted out of her arms and bashed against the wall... :-(

sbov 11y ago

My #1 recommendation is to play along with a youtube "let's play". Otherwise you get lost pretty fast.