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Slaves to Armok II: Dwarf Fortress


PeanutButterDimond

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Losing is Fun

dwarfsx0.jpg

Index for this post:

1.What is Dwarf Fortress?

2.Dwarf Fortress Mode

3.Adventure Mode

4.Legends Mode

5.Easiest way to get in to Dwarf Fortress. Lazy Newb Pack, the Wiki and video tutorials

6.The Lazy Newb Pack

7.The Dwarf Fortress Wiki

8.Video Tutorials

9.Why Should You try Dwarf Fortress?

10.Notable Stories and Experiences That Happened in The Game(None of them were scripted)

What is Dwarf fortress?

Slaves to Armok II: Dwarf Fortress, or more commonly known as
Dwarf Fortress
is a free
independent
game that is currently in
development
. It aims to be nothing less than a fantasy world simulator and while it's still in development, it has two games worth of content and a
lot
to it. Not bad for a game just being made by one guy and his brother.

The game's setting is in a fantasy world but it's different every time you start a new world. There's a randomly generated world that simulates the rise and fall of civilizations, historical figures and their lives, monsters, wars, marriages, children, deaths, births and so on. The game also realistically places minerals, rocks and trees where they would go in relation to each other in real life. Yes this game is
that
detailed.

There are three main modes to this game. let's start with the most prominent.

Dwarf Fortress Mode

Dwarf_Fortress_Ascii.png

The game in it's default ASCII art. Don't worry, you can change the graphics to sprites with the Lazy Newb Pack(More info down below)

In Dwarf Fortress mode, you select a point in the world with minerals and geography that you think will benefit you best and then prepare your dwarves. You will start out with seven dwarves and you can give them skills. The you must click "Tab" and pick out what they will bring. Fish, Ale, Wine, Sheep, Dogs, Cats, Rat Meat and so on. You can choose a pre-made set of dwarves and equipment if you choose.

Now you can embark and the gameplay starts. This mode is from an overhead like perspective. In it, like on the map, everything is represented in ASCII art(Unless you use of the graphic packs which make them sprites. This is helpful). In this mode you must collect resources(Cut down trees, harvest rocks .etc) and dig a fortress. This may sound simple but it is complex and you
will
need a tutorial bit more on that later.

The game has multiple levels but not the kind you think. levels as in "up and down". You can dig down and climb mountains if their are any in the area. The game also takes liquid depth in to account. Levels are the most important thing in this game. You need them. use them.

While you build your fortress, you must keep your dwarves happy. it's like The Sims if all your sims were manic depressive alcoholics and you could only give them tasks. Each dwarf has a distinct personality and description if you press "k", hover over them, press enter and enter "Thoughts and preferences".

You will also come across caravans which will try to trade with you and sieges which you must defend against. These make the game even harder but so much fun. Remember, losing is fun.

All the living things in the game take realistic damage
down to skin layers
which is all beautifully detailed if you look at an injured dwarves. You will need a doctor.Unlike in the next mode, you can not control combat directly.

Your dwarves can do many things. They can make armor, train their combat skills, be doctors and help the injured dwarves, make an artifact that might reference a past event in the world(Yes, it really does take the history of the world in to account ingame), marry, have children or become depressed and go homicidal which is how many forts have ended.

Adventure Mode

tkfQ7.png

Adventure Mode with one of the graphic mods.

In this mode you play as a single character of any race and travel throughout your created world, taking quests, slaying monsters and so on. You can talk to NPCs, become a hero, become hated and so on. Just make sure to have shelter at night or the bogeymen
will
kill you.

Like in Dwarf Fortress, the game is represented with an overhead view with multiple levels like a cube. Unlike Dwarf Fortress, you can travel the whole entire world. You will probably come across references to the randomly generated history of the world, like in Dwarf Fortress mode. You can recruit people and that may be wise if you're going up something really tough like a bronze Colossus which nigh invulnerable(Though you can take off it's head by throwing a Fluffy Wambler at it).

The combat is actually controllable unlike in dwarf fortress. You will be given options via text on what to do and you can aim for practically anything
with
anything. Got your arms ripped off and want to bite your opponents head? Go ahead. You can also pick up objects in the environment to fight with and even use objects in your inventory.

The game will tell you what's going on in the fight via text and like in Dwarf Fortress, it is
incredibly detailed
. It takes in to account, toes, fingers, ear, individual skin layers and your eyelids.

You can also retire, make anither adventurer and meet your old one.

You're character will also appear in Legends Mode.

Legends Mode

elephant0.jpg

Legends Mode has no gameplay. It's just a mode that details the whole history of the randomly generated world. Yes, the whole history. there are many sub categories. There are categories for historical figures, artifacts, civilizations, buildings and wars. They all have randomly generated names, reasons for their starts and results.

The historical figures have their birth, number of kills, accomplishments, spouse, children and death(If they're not still alive) recorded. Their killer will also be recorded if they were killed.

Wars have their start/end(if it's not still ongoing) date recorded, name, reason for the war, and results(If it's not ongoing).

Buildings are, well, buildings.

Artifacts have their maker and what happened to them recorded.

Easiest way to get in to Dwarf Fortress. Lazy Newb Pack, the Wiki and video tutorials

Dwarf Fortress has the learning curve of a brick wall that has an anvil always above you held by a tiny rotted piece of wood. But once you get the hang of the game, it is
very
fun and there is a lot of creative things to be done.

So bear with me as I suggest a few things to get you started with Dwarf Fortress.

The Lazy Newb Pack

The Lazy Newb Pack makes it incredibly easy to import or export graphics and change options in the game. All you have to do is download it. it comes with the latest version of Dwarf Fortress so just download and run it to play the game.

Of course, this game is very difficult so...

The Dwarf Fortress Wiki

This wiki explains all the items and controls in the game. Just search through it when you get stuck. it's pretty detailed so it should be helpful. But if you do not like reading...

Video Tutorials

This is one of the many Dwarf Fortress tutorials by Capt'nDuck. This one is for the latest version of the game. It goes in to the controls and what to do. It is extremely helpful.

Why Should you try Dwarf Fortress?

-It is generates incredibly complex world with lots of details like the lives and deaths of historical figures, wars, buildings, and artifacts.

-The game cam tell incredible stories on it's own, whether in your game or in Legends mode.(Examples down below)

-The grass, trees, minerals and rocks are all realistically placed like in real life.

-Assign dwarven doctors, nobles, mayors, masons, crafters, carpenters, farmers and cooks.

-Build a dwarven fortress any way you want with dining rooms, kitchens, stockpiles, bedrooms, death traps, farms and more.

-All the characters have distinct randomly generated personalities.

-You have to hold off sieges and monsters while keeping your dwarves happy and building/maintaining a successful fortress.

-You can customize the skills and professions of your original seven dwarves.

-Be a jerk and cause absolute chaos. Note: Chaos best made with lots of magma and a machine that shoots magma.

-The combat system takes incredible details like fingers, toes, eyelids, individual skin layers and ears in to account.

-The combat system in Adventure Mode allows you to fight with pretty much any object and hit pretty much anywhere. You can even bite your enemies.

-You can go up against Bogeymen, Bronze Colossus, dragons, trolls, goblins, men, elves, dwarves and randomly generated forgotten beats who are randomly generated in appearance and effects.

-Dig so deep, you reach hell and fight against and unlimited number of demons.

-Colonize Hell. Yes, this
is
possible and
has
been done.

-Learn about the rich and deep history or your world in Legends Mode.

Notable Stories and Experiences That Happened in The Game(None of them were scripted)

#1. Cacame Awemeinade the Elven King of Dawrves.(Also given the name ingame, "The Immortal onslaught")

Link:

Summary: An elf randomly appears in Dwarf Fortress mode. he is soon made king after single handedly killing a dragon with only a competent hammer skill and not even getting touched by said dragon. Legends mode shows that he had his wife half eaten by an elf.

Video:

Drawings:
435px-Cacame_Fault_elfking.jpg

800px-Cacame_history.jpg

Wiki Entry:

#2. The Hamlet of Tyranny

Link:

Summary: Fortress Unleashes hell. They win but all die. one, alone, draws a wall painting that symbolizes the whole experience.
Edited by PeanutButterDerp
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Back when I played Godville (an iPhone game), I kept trying to make my hero form a guild called "The Writer's Guild", but he kept joining "Slaves to Armok".

But more on topic, I've never played this game, but I'm somewhat familiar with it thanks to Boatmurdered. It probably would have gone alright if they hadn't tried to capture those elephants.

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  • 5 years later...

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