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[muffinsofjoy]

As I strike the earth in the month of Granite for possibly the umpteenth time, satisfaction sets in....

What is it about this experience that draws me in?

I enjoy the creativity that Dwarf Fortress permits.  Whether it's a giant feathered wasp breathing acid at my goats or a Urist going mad because they couldn't create that one masterpiece they needed to.  It's a fantasy world for me to explore to my hearts content without (many) restriction(s).  The world doesn't worship me unless I've earned it and I'm never the most powerful entity alive.  The entire atmosphere bleeds creativity into its user like a sharpie to wet tissue.

"I was caught in the rain" a phrase I've learned to dread.  I mean come on Urist, it's just rain.  But the psychological dwelling upon the weather, friendships, enemies, and all manner of events gives each Urist personality in a way that almost feels life-like.  It adds a level of depth that I have yet to find elsewhere.

What about the community, does it matter to me?

I've been active on Minecraft, Starbound, Terraria, more MUD's than I'll admit and the community either drove my passion or created walls against my enjoyment.  Community is everything - it is the life blood of any project.  The community around Dwarf Fortress is varied but generally I've met friendly people with great passion for the experience that is Dwarf Fortress.  In my university life as a communications specialist and journalist I learned a lot about community and how it impacts our perceived self.  We create significant others within our community in the form of people we look towards for ideals.  The fact that the community is so welcoming and share such a unique experience allows for us to form healthy reflected appraisals for people forming their self image while participating in the Dwarf Fortress experience. On the journalist side of things I am never ceased to be amazed how high quality the content that comes out of Reddit and Bay12 is and that doesn't even touch on people like Kruggsmash.

Did you know community is a primal requirement? Human beings CAN'T live without it.  We need community whether it is at school, work, strangers passing by as we stare out our windows, a dog/cat/animal/insect/entity or even simply people who share a similar hobby or Dwarf Fortress addiction.  Community lets you feel a sense of belonging when it's a health community; however, a bad community can dry up any experience regardless of how addictive or catered to your needs it is.  Yet here we are, a thriving community in a niche discourse group of our own.

The Dwarf Fortress community on Reddit has given me many great reading experiences and ideas.  The people I've had a chance to chat with are always a pleasure to hear from.  Better yet, the moderation within the community is power-trip free and uses their time to encourage and interact with the community.

The people creating Dwarf Fortress probably mean something?

Tarn and Zach Adams are two people I've never met and likely never will.  I am a Canadian, a father, and a busy man building fortresses in my free time and I live nowhere near them.  Yet somehow I feel a close near-friendship with these two people because of their active and constant work on the game.  It drives my desire to contribute in any way I can and to feel purpose in doing so.

What about the future of Dwarf Forterss?

With the experience coming to Steam soon there will be an influx of new users of all types - and we need to welcome them warmly.  There will be a huge increase in newbie questions and a stronger need than ever for our patience.  We have an opportunity to welcome so many potentially long term people into our community but we can also drive them away if we're not accepting.  With them will come trolls and all manner of them at that, but we can't let that deter our community spirits.  Dwarf Fortress gives me a chance to explore a world of my own in a way that invokes imagination and every person who delves into it deserves that same experience.  The way we interact with these new users will determine a LOT about their experience and potential to continue learning the game.

Significantly few games can provide for its users immersive detail while also remaining abstract enough to let you decide on a lot of visuals.  People like Kruggsmash are living examples of the vast possibilities for creativity in the game.  With every new user we receive, we have the potential for more creativity within the community and more contributions towards the DF experience.  If I could ask the community to do any one thing in particular - I would ask it to continue warmly welcoming all newcomers far into the future.  It is one of the things that sets us so much apart and one of the things we need to continue to demonstrate.

TL;DR why does Dwarf Fortress matter to me?

Because the community involved in the experience is unlike any other available online, because the creators are active members within their community, and because no other experience allows for such unique opportunity for creativity.

Thanks for taking the time to read about why Dwarf Fortress matters to me,

Strike the earth!

[Superdorf]

A grand ramble indeed! You've summed up things oft felt but rarely spoken hereabouts, and I thank you for it.

Fun to stumble on a fellow MUDder. Which MUDs have you favored in past, if I might ask?

[muffinsofjoy]

Thank you as well for being a part of the community!

I've played a lot of Aardwolf as and Materia Magica as far as mainstream MUD's go but in terms of general MUD's I basically delved into everything I could find for at least a minute!  What about yourself, which MUD's did you find yourself playing?

[adseaghtrnjty]

Pretty much the same. If the creator doesn't interact with their audience, it makes me think of them negatively from the get go. Same with the community. If there is no community, it's likely the creator will not bother any more. I also like games with a lot of freedom as well. Finally, this game reaches for the stars. It strives to create worlds like no other. It allows players to get really intimate with the world and do things the computers can do. I want to be able to conquer lands, wage wars, steal stuff, expand, and give my world purpose. If I couldn't wage wars, why bother with sieges? They can do it, but I can't? Are they better than me? No, I'm smarter than them. More knowledgeable. I hate games that restrict players like that. Dwarf Fortress does none of that.

If I cannot set my own goals and create my own stories, especially conquering and acting like a real civilization, then the game would be useless to me. This game has not disappointed me, and it continues to impress me in its scope.

[muffinsofjoy]

Perfectly put adseaghtrnjty!

It never stops amazing me how many ways people play.  I love stories of people playing peacefully as an adventurer in their world as well as stories of conquest and domination.  One time I just went around lieing to every civilization I could trying to stir the pot and another time I was a brown recluse man with eight shields going around decimating entire cities. Yet another time - I was a human living in a field crafting items for a living. 

It's astounding.