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[iMuzzaa]

So I've been basically playing DF for the adventure mode, but I want to get back into fortress mode, but I was terrible at it before and will probably be terrible again. Does anyone have any good advice or links to tutorials, tips, etc for me?

[Coolnesstod]

All i have to say is that tutorials assist with getting used to the game, but the way you play it, makes every fort diffrent. Really, all you need is the wiki to help you. Me personally, i watched Plumphelmetpunks videos and i was ready to go, buttons remembered and everything. Just take your time and remember, Pausing is your best friend. And so is magma.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

(Link to channel:http://www.youtube.com/user/PlumpHelmetPunk?blend=1&ob=0)

[SRD]

It might be easier for you to start on 40d for pure basicness.

[Pranz]

Yeah, whenever you want to do anything but don't know how, check up on the wiki. A few forts (4, 5) and you probably know how to do anything. Don't embark in places with aquafier in the beginning. You can alter the world gen to have more metals to start off easy.

[Loud Whispers]

You're terrible at DF? Then you're probably do better than us

Still,
This helps.

APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE FOREHEAD.

[iMuzzaa]

All i have to say is that tutorials assist with getting used to the game, but the way you play it, makes every fort diffrent. Really, all you need is the wiki to help you. Me personally, i watched Plumphelmetpunks videos and i was ready to go, buttons remembered and everything. Just take your time and remember, Pausing is your best friend. And so is magma.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

(Link to channel:http://www.youtube.com/user/PlumpHelmetPunk?blend=1&ob=0)

Thanks for that, is it the genesis adventures series?

[Coolnesstod]

All i have to say is that tutorials assist with getting used to the game, but the way you play it, makes every fort diffrent. Really, all you need is the wiki to help you. Me personally, i watched Plumphelmetpunks videos and i was ready to go, buttons remembered and everything. Just take your time and remember, Pausing is your best friend. And so is magma.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

(Link to channel:http://www.youtube.com/user/PlumpHelmetPunk?blend=1&ob=0)

Thanks for that, is it the genesis adventures series?

Yeah, that and the fallout mode one also helped get me to last longer on my own. So watch either, they both help. 

[Veetor]

Here, this tutorial is what made me able to play DF:

http://afteractionreporter.com/2009/02/09/the-complete-and-utter-newby-tutorial-for-dwarf-fortress-part-1-wtf/

[Malt_Hitman]

Captnduck's Dwarf Fortress Video Tutorial 2010 is how I got into playing Dwarf Fortress and I only started playing in the winter of 2010/spring 2011.

You can find it on his YouTube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/user/captnduck?feature=watch#p/c/262151AD89F4C076/0/KGBTNPbUvFM

It's a tad out of date as it was created using Dwarf Fortress version 31.03 but the basics are still there and aside from a few things, like the site finder being changed, it should be able to teach you a lot about getting a basic fortress up and running.

[Kofthefens]

Here, this tutorial is what made me able to play DF:

http://afteractionreporter.com/2009/02/09/the-complete-and-utter-newby-tutorial-for-dwarf-fortress-part-1-wtf/

This.

[iMuzzaa]

OK, I've had a look at the tutorials and videos you guys recommended, and I'm getting a lot of the stuff now, thanks.

I have a quick question though, I have appointed a bookkeeper and an office for him, but he's not updating the stocks, it's just the usual "100?" thing. Also, I made a bedroom for him adjoining the office, but there's a dwarf sleeping in it that is dying from thirst and has a smashed open toe. Any advice on what to do with him...?

[Agent_86]

OK, I've had a look at the tutorials and videos you guys recommended, and I'm getting a lot of the stuff now, thanks.

I have a quick question though, I have appointed a bookkeeper and an office for him, but he's not updating the stocks, it's just the usual "100?" thing. Also, I made a bedroom for him adjoining the office, but there's a dwarf sleeping in it that is dying from thirst and has a smashed open toe. Any advice on what to do with him...?

For the former question, you have to go to the nobles screen and change the bookkeeper's settings to always keep absolutely accurate stocks of everything.

For the latter question, do you have a hospital?  If not, you need one.

[krenshala]

I've found that, at the least, you need to do the following:

• Get your starting dwarves a secure location.  This is usually underground, but could also be a small wooden walled area on the surface, depending on what you are trying to do.
• Get a small garden set up (e.g., two to four 1x2 or 1x3 farm plots) so you can grow at least plump helmets.  You won't need more than this until your population grows, depending on your success at other forms of food production. With highly skilled harvesters/farmers you may not ever need more than this.
• Get a hospital set up.  This can double as a dorm in the beginning since dwarves will use the beds anyway.  I start with two chests/coffers and eight beds, typically.
• Get the minimum required workshops set up (e.g., mason for blocks/furniture, carpenter for training weapons/furniture, craftshop for large pots*/non-metal bolts/crafts, mechanic shop for mechanism, still for booze, fishery for clean fish fillets, kitchen for meals, butcher/tanner/leatherworker for food/leather goods, wood furnace/smelter/forge for metalwork, woodfurnace/smelter/kiln for clay/porcelain (if you have kaolinite)) so you can make the stuff you want.
• By the second migrant wave, get a trade depot if you are planning to trade with (or steal from) caravans.
• By the second migrant wave, draft at least four dwarves for your militia and start them training with at least wooden training weapons and a shield.  You want single weapon types per squad to get the best training effects.  I personally take the useless dwarves regardless of stats, even though this means at least some of them will die when fighting eventually happens.  I get them armed long before I get them armored, as my starting militia are usually nothing more than haulers/harvesters anyway.  Three to six months of constant sparring, and four dwarves with training weapons will reach at least adequate skill, if not better.

At this point you should be mostly self sufficient.  Specifics will, of course, vary based on your play style, local terrain/animals, and what you have in mind.   Most, if not all, of the tutorials will probably have better information than this.