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[Tiruin]

Hmm, average lifetimes of fortresses I've made. About ~10 years before innovation strikes me and leading me to create a new one. They are all above-ground, leading to more fun. Usually 1 hour or so, quick fixing everything as the FPS is really high here.

Currently aiming at a megaproject, and not forgetting the importance of doors.

My best was over 30 years, never died, I just left it alone before it did.

Some fortresses can be made entirely automatic, besides military and such

Mind you, those kind of fortresses are boring as all hell.

This is actually part of the reason behind "Losing is fun." motto.  Innovation.

[Angel Of Death]

About a week

[Ancre]

Usually they don't last long, and I have yet to lose a fortress to something else than boredom/wanting to start again. I always end up re-doing worlds and embarks just to try and get the perfect fortress design. I think I haven't had a fortress that lasted longer than two or three years ...

This is something I want to change though. My current fortress is an utter mess, but I intend to keep it alive until it dies of natural causes.

[Funk]

i top out about 10 years.
have you ever seen a 200+ fort? FlareChannel

[Aspgren]

i top out about 10 years.
have you ever seen a 200+ fort? FlareChannel

I remember that fort.
 Man ... the story about Catten and the eagle is so extraordinary. I consider it to be an official part of dwarven mythology.

[peskyninja]

Till it crashes or starts running lower than 60 FPS.

[Indricotherium]

In game? Tooltrumpets is in its 23rd year.

RL? Months. Months and months. But, you know, married and kids. Not a whole lot of game time.

OTOH, my 4 year old twins can read the ASCII to a certain extent. They recognise water and rooms and grass and wood stockpiles. They recognise dwarfs though they keep thinking the mechanics are dead (because they're red) even though they're still moving. They know when dwarfs are sleeping. They recognise fires. They know that U's that flash with H's and C's are bad and need to get hit with rocks from the catapults. A child's education is very important, you know. We're getting there.

[Telgin]

I've only made 3 forts in total, but it looks to me that 10 years or so would be the right number before I got bored with them.  My first fort was just to learn the game.  Spent about 4 game years in it, and quit it before anything bad happened.  My second fort was 12 years old I think, and dying from FPS death.  I tried to end it with spoilers, but they didn't go for me and I just ended up quitting that one too.

On my third fort, which is near the end of year 5 with only 2 casualties so far.  This fort is doing extremely well.  I may play it for a very long time here and there, just to see where the story goes.  If my current overseer ever dies, that's probably where I'll call it, unless the FPS drops to nil before then.

[DirtPoacher]

Well, if we're talking serious forts here, then usually around 7 years. 


It was a sad abandon of that fort. 
 

My memory of that place is still... emotional.  I had even thought of writing a story of events in my fortress, and had carefully catologued births and deaths and the names of nobles over the years.  Took lots of screenshots too.  It's strange to get attached to a group of pixels, but really this is the only game I know of where, if you look close enough, you really can get attached that way.   

You Know you're right, I feel that too many games now are concentrated on visuals instead of gameplay and innovation. Sure Skyrim is great, but its not like reading a book and everyone gets to imagine it differently. In skyrim if you slay a dragon you really don't have to think about it because you can see it happening. But putting text into thoughts feels like it gets you so much closer into the game. Having it your own way in your own imagination. My first fortress I had I named my dwarf's after people I knew and such. When the game came to an end by Dehydration and insanity and one of the dwarf's trying to kill everyone else and everything he could (Puppies, chickens, etc.) It really makes you think. Just being able to imagine it instead of someone giving you something to look at. If all games could have the mechanics and inguiniuity of Dwarf Fortress think of what they could accomplish!

[Tharwen]

Usually a few weeks, or even months if I'm not playing often. I usually come back to them after several weeks and have no clue what's going on.

[PotatoOverdose]

2-3 weeks, 16 year fort, was my fourth fort overall. Never died, in the end I just couldn't play at 15 fps anymore.

[rex mortis]

Most of them get abandoned before summer, many before I unpause for the first time. However, the few I choose to play might last up to 2 or 3 years. By that point, micromanaging dwarves' labour settings is too much of a chore. It used to be better before attribute and skill rust.

Also, losing too many of my pet dwarves, usually the original seven, is grounds for abandon. They are the ones I have greatest emotional attachment to. The vast hordes of migrants rarely interest me.