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[Ancalagon_TB]

Hello

I have a fairly stable fort going. I've pop-capped it at 100 (I only have a laptop at the moment, it's running around 20 fps, I am not sure it could handle 200 dwarves!).  And well... for a while things got a bit boring.  The goblin civilization has collapsed, so I've never been sieged.  I have iron, chalk, gold, tons of food and drink etc.  The main challenge was keeping my dwarves clothed and I think that's under control now.

I realized that a bit of trouble can provide some entertainment.  A group of giant capybara showed up.  I sent a small squad of crossbowmen after them but it only made it mad and they tore a woodworker limb to limb - I then unleashed the full force of my military and tore *them* apart.  So that was fun...

... and then a while a legendary beast - a flier *with webs* showed up, and  killed about 5 of my military before they themselves were able to put it down.  Now at least a dozen dwarves are unhappy, and a militia member almost threw a tantrum... I'm not 100% sure the fort will stabilize or not (playing 40.13).   Part of the reason the forgotten beast showed up and was able to do damage is because I didn't wall the edges of the cavern, in part because doing so would have made things too safe and too boring. 

(oh, and the report of the fight with the beast vanished, so I'm not even sure how it went down! )

So there seems to be a "tension" in dwarf fortress - if you play too safe, nothing bad ever happens and it can get dull.  If you don't, when things go bad it's potentially fort ending.

Am I the only one who noticed this?

[Aslandus]

Alas, you are not the first. It's basically the meaning of the tagline "losing is fun."

Now for the not so blunt version: the fun is not in merely building a base, but building the biggest, most ridiculous base and watching it fall in a glorious event, often of your own design. You may have years before your first invaders arrive... or they may arrive at the end of the first season...

I think I'm saying this wrong... Basically: Welcome to Dwarf Fortress

[Loud Whispers]

So there seems to be a "tension" in dwarf fortress - if you play too safe, nothing bad ever happens and it can get dull.  If you don't, when things go bad it's potentially fort ending.

For me it's all about making THINGS happen, not necessarily allowing bad things to happen. I am rather pleased when a project is completed, a sacrifice is made and a ritual is completed for example. Though I must admit there is also some great joy I derive from trying to neurotically remove all possible threats to my Fortress without just outright sealing off the Fort from the rest of the world. Even if you have the most secure Fort with the most formidable military and an supply system that will last you forever, you are still only one step away from a failure, catastrophe and adversity.