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[Lalasa]

I have never had a problem reading the ASCII but I do have a problem reading the graphical sets.  It's not that the graphics sets are badly made, they are very beautiful.  I just can't tell what anything is when tilesets are used.  Not only that but the text usually looks off.

It's just a personal opinion and all, but I have an easier time playing with the simpler ASCII.

Right, because distinguishing humans from unicorns makes it harder to tell what stuff is.

Excuse me?  Although I have yet to see either humans or unicorns in a DF game, being new to the series and all, I could learn to distinguish them as easily as anything else in ASCII were I to ever encounter and get to to know their symbols.  The sudden shift in pretty much everything when I switched to different tilesets pretty much required me to learn what everything meant again and I didn't even like the alternate looks.  If you like tilesets that's fine.

[kero42]

While I understand why many people prefer the original ascii, I personally find the Phoebus graphic pack to my liking. Mainly because I'm relatively new to the game, and because the ascii graphics hurt my already rather poor eyes. The Phoebus pack lets me play without having to strain my eyes as much, so it's mainly to save me from headaches. If anything, it lets me focus on trying to learn how to play the game easier than if i had to keep loo(k)ing at each new thing on my screen. Though I agree, the text looks weird sometimes.

Just my two cents on the matter.

[sjm9876]

I personally prefer ASCII, although possibly as I learned in ASCII before even becoming aware of tilesets. Now tilesets just confuse me, and i know the ASCII instinctively.

[Wirevix]

I definitely prefer just ASCII for that portion of the game.

However, what a lot of people seem to confuse is tilesets, and creature graphics.  You can have unique creature graphics while still using the default (or a more square-ized for symmetry) ASCII, so, say, the person who found it hard to tell between a unicorn and a human would not need to use a tileset just to distinguish the two.

Most tilesets do include a set of default creature images to go along with them, but you can use just one or the other without having both.

I often like to use a sort of "expanded ASCII" creature graphics pack, so that instead of a giant lion being an L, it is "GLi" to distinguish it from a giant leopard which is "GLe" or a lion which is "Li."  So it's still ASCII-esque, and the tileset is still regular old curses, but the creatures have a little more immediate visual distinction between similar ones.

[DS]

However, what a lot of people seem to confuse is tilesets, and creature graphics.  You can have unique creature graphics while still using the default (or a more square-ized for symmetry) ASCII, so, say, the person who found it hard to tell between a unicorn and a human would not need to use a tileset just to distinguish the two.

It is an important distinction. I overlooked it myself, although I have zero experience with either tilesets or creature graphics, so that's predictable, I think.

I learned on the original tileset that comes with the game, and my few attempts to work with tilesets have been met with frustration. As noted earlier, learning an entirely new set of graphics can be difficult.

Aesthetically, though, I definitely prefer the minimal look of the original tileset. It is clean.

[Swonnrr]

Swonnrr, go to Dwarf Fort 34.11\data\init and open the init file
Then go to Dwarf Fort 34.11\data\art
 Dwarf Fort 34.11\data\art and to see if curses_square_16x16 is there
From init:
"This is the size and font for windowed mode.  Changing to the 800x600 font might make you happier.
If set below 256x256 it specifies the grid size instead, with a minimum of 80x25.

[WINDOWEDX:1280]
[WINDOWEDY:400]
[FONT:curses_square_16x16.png] <CHANGE NAME

You may disable window resizing if you wish.
[RESIZABLE:YES]

Full screen info.  The 0s below mean that the game will choose a resolution for you, but you can set it yourself as well.

[FULLSCREENX:1280]
[FULLSCREENY:400]
[FULLFONT:curses_square_16x16.png] <CHANGE NAME "

You can also use one of these sets, right click and save as to DF art folder and put the name the spots (and change resolution when needed.)

http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/Tileset_repository

Sooo much thanks for this.

[gazoko]

I started with ASCII and find texture packs, despite beautiful, too hectic for me to bother with.
I can glance at an ASCII screen and everything is just what it is, rather than a picture I have to further observe.

Plus as this thread is titled, ASCII can be god damn beautiful, I use the Unknown curses 12x12 with Markvii Walls and the Vherid 'Wasteland' colour set and it's a real treat for the eyes.

I can understand peoples wishes to use textures though, I find myself a little more comfortable with geoducks's textures when playing nethack for example, rather than just straight up ASCII.

[enolate]

I have never had a problem reading the ASCII but I do have a problem reading the graphical sets.  It's not that the graphics sets are badly made, they are very beautiful.  I just can't tell what anything is when tilesets are used.  Not only that but the text usually looks off.

It's just a personal opinion and all, but I have an easier time playing with the simpler ASCII.

Right, because distinguishing humans from unicorns makes it harder to tell what stuff is.

Excuse me?  Although I have yet to see either humans or unicorns in a DF game, being new to the series and all, I could learn to distinguish them as easily as anything else in ASCII were I to ever encounter and get to to know their symbols.  The sudden shift in pretty much everything when I switched to different tilesets pretty much required me to learn what everything meant again and I didn't even like the alternate looks.  If you like tilesets that's fine.

They are both the letter U.

[JoshBrickstien]

I have never had a problem reading the ASCII but I do have a problem reading the graphical sets.  It's not that the graphics sets are badly made, they are very beautiful.  I just can't tell what anything is when tilesets are used.  Not only that but the text usually looks off.

It's just a personal opinion and all, but I have an easier time playing with the simpler ASCII.

Right, because distinguishing humans from unicorns makes it harder to tell what stuff is.

Excuse me?  Although I have yet to see either humans or unicorns in a DF game, being new to the series and all, I could learn to distinguish them as easily as anything else in ASCII were I to ever encounter and get to to know their symbols.  The sudden shift in pretty much everything when I switched to different tilesets pretty much required me to learn what everything meant again and I didn't even like the alternate looks.  If you like tilesets that's fine.

They are both the letter U.

Actually, Unicorns are U, and humans are Ü

[Drazinononda]

I have never had a problem reading the ASCII but I do have a problem reading the graphical sets.  It's not that the graphics sets are badly made, they are very beautiful.  I just can't tell what anything is when tilesets are used.  Not only that but the text usually looks off.

It's just a personal opinion and all, but I have an easier time playing with the simpler ASCII.

Right, because distinguishing humans from unicorns makes it harder to tell what stuff is.

Excuse me?  Although I have yet to see either humans or unicorns in a DF game, being new to the series and all, I could learn to distinguish them as easily as anything else in ASCII were I to ever encounter and get to to know their symbols.  The sudden shift in pretty much everything when I switched to different tilesets pretty much required me to learn what everything meant again and I didn't even like the alternate looks.  If you like tilesets that's fine.

They are both the letter U.

Actually, Unicorns are U, and humans are Ü

I thought only soldiers were Ü and civilians were U.

[MrCat]

I personally prefer ASCII, although possibly as I learned in ASCII before even becoming aware of tilesets. Now tilesets just confuse me, and i know the ASCII instinctively.

Same here, I started DF in adventure mode, learned the ASCII, screwed around killing megabeasts for a while, then eventually figured out fortress mode. I tried a couple tilesets, and while I can comprehend them fairly easily I still prefer the ASCII.

[Rvlion]

While the game is in alpha nobody should care if it is in ascii or not... Modders create the graphic packs for those that like it.

Should Toady One eventually get dollar signs in his eyes and wants to go commercial with DF a graphic pack as well as some massive FPS upping changes will have to be made.

[Sutremaine]

Only human stoneworkers can be mistaken for unicorns.

[Trollhammaren]

A tileset is like Chinese characters. Most everything has its distinct tile, and sure that makes sense, but it's learning it that is the problem. Especially when it's crammed into a small space.

With ascii there's fewer tiles to learn, and they're simpler, hence more clarity. Also, more reusing characters and ambiguity.

(someone please make a set with the real simplified Chinese chars)

[enolate]

I have never had a problem reading the ASCII but I do have a problem reading the graphical sets.  It's not that the graphics sets are badly made, they are very beautiful.  I just can't tell what anything is when tilesets are used.  Not only that but the text usually looks off.

It's just a personal opinion and all, but I have an easier time playing with the simpler ASCII.

Right, because distinguishing humans from unicorns makes it harder to tell what stuff is.

Excuse me?  Although I have yet to see either humans or unicorns in a DF game, being new to the series and all, I could learn to distinguish them as easily as anything else in ASCII were I to ever encounter and get to to know their symbols.  The sudden shift in pretty much everything when I switched to different tilesets pretty much required me to learn what everything meant again and I didn't even like the alternate looks.  If you like tilesets that's fine.

They are both the letter U.

Actually, Unicorns are U, and humans are Ü

Not on my screen.