Dwarf Fortress

[Distind]

Been seeing some things on the game again and figured I'd start rattling off the random bits I picked up that got me surviving until the population bombs incurred when I inevitably find gold and craft a bunch of shit and initiate the rage spiral.

The closest you'll get to an instruction book:
http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/Main_Page

Just about anything can be looked up here, and yes the interface IS that psychotic. Play for long enough and it kinda gets etched into your brain.

Now, the guide I actually found useful to just start out:
http://afteractionreporter.com/2009/02/09/the-complete-and-utter-newby-tutorial-for-dwarf-fortress-part-1-wtf/
Because yeah, WTF.

Or if you like Captain Duck and have time to kill:
http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/40d:Video_tutorials

The key thing to remember. Your dwarves are fucking stupid.  Not kinda dumb, but kill themselves to better the world stupid. And that's before they go nuts. I'd suggest reading over this to see just how it can go:
http://lparchive.org/Dwarf-Fortress-Boatmurdered/

That said, repeating losing is fun is annoying. Losing horribly due to your own lack of foresight, now THAT is fun. Losing because you don't know how the fuck to build a farm. That's annoying.

[Saturn500]

The closest you'll get to an instruction book:
http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/Main_Page

Actually, the game has an in-depth "how-to-play" section.

[Art Vandelay]

I've finally managed to get my first fort up and running and my current situation is as follows.

I seem to have the bare basics more or less sorted. I've got the fort itself dug out, I've got a farm churning out plump helmets, cave wheat and sweet pods. The living quarters are almost done, just waiting for the coffers to complete. I've got an office for my manager dwarf and big fuckoff dining hall complete with kitchen and still. I made sure to build a refuse pile outside and the essential workshops are up and running (carpentry, masonry, mechanics and crafting), my carpenter is churning out bins and barrels. Short term priority for now is preparing for the trade caravans to start arriving (I.E. Trade depot on the surface and a few bins full of various stone crafted goods) and some fortifications around the entrance to the fort (basic wall and a drawbridge dealie). So far, the only glaring problem is that my hunter doesn't have a crossbow of any sort, and as such is about as useful as a really useless thing. That ought to be fixed fairly soon.

If anyone has a critique of my build so far, do let me know.

[Witchyjoshy]

For the record, I was saying "losing is fun" as a joke :V

Namely because if you have to repeat the mantra, it isn't fun.

To be honest, my first experience with Dwarf Fortress is "How do I Dwarf Fortress!?" and it was not fun.

I sometimes forget people don't always get my weird brand of humor

[Distind]

There's fun losing and annoying losing, don't let me piss on too many parades, just didn't want to let someone get frustrated before they get to the fun losing.

Oh, and I blame Art for me getting back into the game. Now, I just need a volcano and some flux stone...

[starseeker]

I've finally managed to get my first fort up and running and my current situation is as follows.

I seem to have the bare basics more or less sorted. I've got the fort itself dug out, I've got a farm churning out plump helmets, cave wheat and sweet pods. The living quarters are almost done, just waiting for the coffers to complete. I've got an office for my manager dwarf and big fuckoff dining hall complete with kitchen and still. I made sure to build a refuse pile outside and the essential workshops are up and running (carpentry, masonry, mechanics and crafting), my carpenter is churning out bins and barrels. Short term priority for now is preparing for the trade caravans to start arriving (I.E. Trade depot on the surface and a few bins full of various stone crafted goods) and some fortifications around the entrance to the fort (basic wall and a drawbridge dealie). So far, the only glaring problem is that my hunter doesn't have a crossbow of any sort, and as such is about as useful as a really useless thing. That out to be fixed fairly soon.

If anyone has a critique of my build so far, do let me know.

Get some traps, mix of cage and whatever sharp object trap takes your fancy. Ensure you have a fresh unfreezable and siege-proof water supply and a basic hospital. Otherwise you're good.

[Art Vandelay]

I've finally managed to get my first fort up and running and my current situation is as follows.

I seem to have the bare basics more or less sorted. I've got the fort itself dug out, I've got a farm churning out plump helmets, cave wheat and sweet pods. The living quarters are almost done, just waiting for the coffers to complete. I've got an office for my manager dwarf and big fuckoff dining hall complete with kitchen and still. I made sure to build a refuse pile outside and the essential workshops are up and running (carpentry, masonry, mechanics and crafting), my carpenter is churning out bins and barrels. Short term priority for now is preparing for the trade caravans to start arriving (I.E. Trade depot on the surface and a few bins full of various stone crafted goods) and some fortifications around the entrance to the fort (basic wall and a drawbridge dealie). So far, the only glaring problem is that my hunter doesn't have a crossbow of any sort, and as such is about as useful as a really useless thing. That out to be fixed fairly soon.

If anyone has a critique of my build so far, do let me know.

Get some traps, mix of cage and whatever sharp object trap takes your fancy. Ensure you have a fresh unfreezable and siege-proof water supply and a basic hospital. Otherwise you're good.

Would alcohol be an acceptable substitute for water?

[Distind]

Only issue in not having water is injured dwarves won't drink booze. So if you don't want the injured to die eventually, you need some access to water.

Personally I just fortify the fuck out of the front of my base and any cave entrances. Unless I get real lucky with river placement.

[Art Vandelay]

So far I've got a wall planned out and a drawbridge in place. It's just a matter of getting it built. On the upside, I do have a small pond within the wall, though unfortunately it's a little stagnant. With any luck, I'll find some water underground and get a well or two built.

Only problem now is that booze is starting to run a little low. Hopefully the couple of ducks I bought and their eggs will free up my remaining plump helmets for brewing.

Oh snap, I just struck marble and granite. It's a shame I've already built my walls out of some sort of generic stone, but I survive long enough to upgrade things, a marble keep and granite fortifications will be epic.

[starseeker]

So far I've got a wall planned out and a drawbridge in place. It's just a matter of getting it built. On the upside, I do have a small pond within the wall, though unfortunately it's a little stagnant. With any luck, I'll find some water underground and get a well or two built.

Wells make stagnant water fresh by dwarven tech. As long as that doesn't freeze in winter you're good.

[Art Vandelay]

So far I've got a wall planned out and a drawbridge in place. It's just a matter of getting it built. On the upside, I do have a small pond within the wall, though unfortunately it's a little stagnant. With any luck, I'll find some water underground and get a well or two built.

Wells make stagnant water fresh by dwarven tech. As long as that doesn't freeze in winter you're good.

Aren't you thinking of pumps? According to the wiki, well water is always as shitty as its source.

[starseeker]

So far I've got a wall planned out and a drawbridge in place. It's just a matter of getting it built. On the upside, I do have a small pond within the wall, though unfortunately it's a little stagnant. With any luck, I'll find some water underground and get a well or two built.

Wells make stagnant water fresh by dwarven tech. As long as that doesn't freeze in winter you're good.

Aren't you thinking of pumps? According to the wiki, well water is always as shitty as its source.

Might be thinking of salt, the dorfs will whine less if it's a well over stagnant water than just straight stagnant water.

[Distind]

That's a first.

I just had a Dwarf kick his own ass by getting into a fight with a rock.

[Art Vandelay]

Man, hunters are assholes. Bringing down even a small animal typically involves several bolts to the limbs, sometimes even severing it entirely (however the fuck that's supposed to work) if not breaking a few bones and tendons. Then maybe shredding a lung or perhaps some nerves around the spine before finally landing a clean head shot.

I know their aim isn't particularly good in the early game, but really now. That's just uncalled for.

[Saturn500]

That's a first.

I just had a Dwarf kick his own ass by getting into a fight with a rock.

Reminds me of these:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycwIgcEGz40" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycwIgcEGz40</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR5AS8-rukc" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR5AS8-rukc</a>