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[WoobMonkey]

You're getting into very advanced play there.  One of the biggest and most difficult things for new players to grasp in dwarf fortress is what are the options that are hiding underneath the menus. Sure, I *think* I know what channel does, but I wouldn't think to go mining under 'designation', I'd be looking for 'dig'.

By the time you get to the level of play you're talking about, DF is the kind of game that I more see as "I don't want you to show me, I want to go DO it!... but that's a nice tip, thanks.  I'll try that."

True.  I guess the main reason my suggestions move more toward intermediate/advanced play tips, is that everyone and his sister has done a basic tutorial.  Heck, I'm having trouble thinking of any lps, even those that aren't set up as tutorials, that don't go into mind-numbing detail over the basics.  Not that there isn't room for improvement; it's just that there are nearly completely unexplored niches for tutorializing (is that a word?  It is, now! XD).  It's rare, for example, to see anyone doing a vid where they don't spend 20 minutes hmmming and haw-ing over pre-embark point spending; or laboriously going over very basic worldgen, without touching on any of the advanced creation options; or clumsily spending the entire second episode on the 'k' menu.

For example: learning to look at your start locale is pretty basic gaming stuff; doesn't matter if it's DF, SimCity, or even bloody Cookie Clicker: the first step is to look at the screen and plan what you're going to do before doing it.  What's rare is an lper taking that as a given, and getting to more dorf-specific things.  Yet, so few bother to do so.

To hell with that.  I expect anyone who would follow my videos not to merely install LNP but to use the community tools.  I have abstolutely no damned reason to argue with any bad interface more than I have to.  If someone would write one up for military and scheduling I'd use that too.  I don't like roguelike menu systems, DF is the only game I will even accept it from.  I want a UI.  I work in IT and I know they're a pain in the ass to build well.  I don't care, when someone does it for me I'll happily use that.

[flamebait]The problem being that DT isn't really much of an improvement, UI-wise [/flamebait].  It's good for a quick overview of specific preferences a dwarf may have, but when it comes to jobs, it really doesn't dig any deeper, or work any more efficiently/effectively, than just hitting 'u,' grabbing a dwarf, and setting everything from hir 'v' screen.  Also, it seems (no hard data, purely anecdotal) to me that DT leads to a specific, generic playstyle; the lps I've watched (every single one I can find on YTube! Life =/= a thing I have) that use it end up pretty much all looking the same after a few episodes - a job spreadsheet, with little to no actual knowledge of what each dorf is all about.  It ends up being about as informative as watching a bookkeeper entering data into Excel.

But hey, it's certainly not for me to dictate what you think is important or useful!

No matter how you go about it, more DF content on YT is a good thing, bar none.  Even (especially?) if it all goes haywire in a hurry...  Now there's an idea for a tutorial - 'How to bring a fort back from the brink of self-destruction, by DFWanderingKid!'  XD

[WanderingKid]

True.  I guess the main reason my suggestions move more toward intermediate/advanced play tips, is that everyone and his sister has done a basic tutorial.  Heck, I'm having trouble thinking of any lps, even those that aren't set up as tutorials, that don't go into mind-numbing detail over the basics.  Not that there isn't room for improvement; it's just that there are nearly completely unexplored niches for tutorializing (is that a word?  It is, now! XD).  It's rare, for example, to see anyone doing a vid where they don't spend 20 minutes hmmming and haw-ing over pre-embark point spending; or laboriously going over very basic worldgen, without touching on any of the advanced creation options; or clumsily spending the entire second episode on the 'k' menu.

Fair enough. I'm hoping to avoid that actually.  What you're concerned about is exactly what I'm hoping to avoid with this.  I actually expect some of these tutorial videos to be no longer than a minute, maybe two.

You don't have to watch me browse the results of the 'find' menu, for example, you just need to know what the options mean for when you search your world.

It's good for a quick overview of specific preferences a dwarf may have, but when it comes to jobs, it really doesn't dig any deeper, or work any more efficiently/effectively, than just hitting 'u,' grabbing a dwarf, and setting everything from hir 'v' screen.  Also, it seems (no hard data, purely anecdotal) to me that DT leads to a specific, generic playstyle; the lps I've watched (every single one I can find on YTube! Life =/= a thing I have) that use it end up pretty much all looking the same after a few episodes - a job spreadsheet, with little to no actual knowledge of what each dorf is all about.  It ends up being about as informative as watching a bookkeeper entering data into Excel.

It depends on how you use it... which may mean a tutorial in itself.  I find it VERY handy to be able to find squad members quickly, see how many bonecarvers I have assigned at a moment's notice, how many 'generic' dwarves I have and if I'm running low on 'Farming Grunts'.

You're right, it's a spreadsheet, but there's a LOT of useful information in said spreadsheet once you're starting to manage large numbers, particularly if you keep yourself organized from the beginning. Also I find it much easier to sort new migrants via the military skills screens.

No matter how you go about it, more DF content on YT is a good thing, bar none.  Even (especially?) if it all goes haywire in a hurry...  Now there's an idea for a tutorial - 'How to bring a fort back from the brink of self-destruction, by DFWanderingKid!'  XD

I'm... actually pretty bad at that.  I get frustrated too easily at times.

[WoobMonkey]

You don't have to watch me browse the results of the 'find' menu, for example, you just need to know what the options mean for when you search your world.

It certainly would have been nice, and saved me many, many hours, if any other tutorial series' had looked at more than 'aquifer, flux, and metals' when using the <f>ind options on embark.  Heck, I wasn't aware that there was ANY reason whatsoever to allow an aquifer, until I first watched Andrakon's SPC series.  Now, I search FOR aquifers, instead of avoiding them.

When I was a total noob, it never occurred to me that temperature, elevation, or even hitting <Tab> and the <F1, F2. . . > keys were an important part of choosing an embark.  This is definitely a place where you can easily improve on what's already existent on YT.  The number of vicarious facepalms I go through, watching 'tutorial' videos, these days....

It depends on how you use it... which may mean a tutorial in itself.

True; the same can be said for the in-game UI as well.  The difference being that there are already plenty of tutorials that use DT; there aren't, however, (m)any that don't.  A tutorial on the in-game controls would probably be more useful to Mac and Linux players, as well - AFAIK, DT is iffy at best on non-windows platforms.

Machinery, as well, is rarely touched on in tutorial videos (beyond 'here's how to hook up an atomsmasher bridge' that is).  A great niche that needs filling is the application of machinery to non-defense tasks.  How does one, really, set up a proper pumpstack?  The most recent video I've seen on that was from DF2010, and poorly-made at that (as far as production, not content).  How exactly does an impulse ramp work, and what's the advantage?  You are, after all, a proven expert on that particular topic. 

--------------------

Basically, with the caveat that I personally will support whatever DF content is spread around (even the downright awful vids I've seen!), I humbly suggest you play to your strengths: there are already plenty of basic tutorials; there are few (if any) that cover the sorts of topics you've expounded on in these very fora.  Remembering the the past year or so of play, it wasn't until I started watching non-tutorial videos that I personally even realized just how deep the rabbit hole goes; seeing a successful minecart shotgun does a lot more to motivate a player like me to learn the basics than yet another 'here's how to build a farm plot' video.

But, once again, you know your subs and your interests better than I ever will.

[EvilBob22]

Minecart QSPs are easy enough to setup in any 3x3 area.  A 3x2 'grab' stockpile with 3 wheelbarrows, a 2 square track, and a QSP stockpile.

Let me teach YOU a couple things   You can create a 1 square track either by only building one square (from the b - C - T menu) or by designating a carved track "into a wall"

Code: [Select]

####
..=#
...#
Do d - T, and then designate starting from the "=" square and going to the right (or up).  You will get a 1 square track carved out.  (Or you could designate two squares and d - x the one you don't want.)

Even better, I recently discovered you can create a track stop with no track at all.  It works great for a QSP, but is useless for anything else.

[WanderingKid]

Minecart QSPs are easy enough to setup in any 3x3 area.  A 3x2 'grab' stockpile with 3 wheelbarrows, a 2 square track, and a QSP stockpile.

Let me teach YOU a couple things

Okiedoke!

[/quote]You can create a 1 square track either by only building one square (from the b - C - T menu) or by designating a carved track "into a wall"
[/quote]
Hm.  So, do you overlay the hauling stops on the same point then?

[hermes]

Ptw, would love to see this happen.  DF has long been in need of this kind of thing.

[Bastus]

Perhaps a short explanation on nobles?
Their uses, how to satisfy them, perhaps even how to get rid of them if they ask for too much.

[Iamblichos]

I would love this as well.  I watched your Single Pick Challenge and was amazed at how you built the waterfall and minecart magma delivery system; I had no idea how to go about such things.  I've only been playing for a month or so, but the basics are (relatively) easy with the existing materials available - I agree with most of the others that what is really needed is moderate/advanced level training on engineering projects and !!SCIENCE!!.

[smjjames]

I would love this as well.  I watched your Single Pick Challenge and was amazed at how you built the waterfall and minecart magma delivery system; I had no idea how to go about such things.  I've only been playing for a month or so, but the basics are (relatively) easy with the existing materials available - I agree with most of the others that what is really needed is moderate/advanced level training on engineering projects and !!SCIENCE!!.

Greed, all the basic stuff is pretty well covered (and when still confused, ask for help), it's the more advanced stuff that is needed.

[Ruhn]

I wouldn't mind seeing short specific tutorials on a per-topic basis.  Maybe even per technique for things like exploration mining and aquifer piercing.

I looked on the wiki and the tutorial page has some links to video channels.  However, it would be much easier if related videos were linked right there in the topic you are already reading about.

[WaldschratMX]

1)   Getting Started
     Embark Terrain Selection
     Embark Equipment and Skills
     Arrival - First move overview

What about world creation and/or later on advanced world creation?

[Meph]

How about mods? 

[WanderingKid]

Perhaps a short explanation on nobles?
Their uses, how to satisfy them, perhaps even how to get rid of them if they ask for too much.

Fair idea, I can see some confusion there.

I agree with most of the others that what is really needed is moderate/advanced level training on engineering projects and !!SCIENCE!!.

I would love this as well.  I watched your Single Pick Challenge and was amazed at how you built the waterfall and minecart magma delivery system; I had no idea how to go about such things.  I've only been playing for a month or so, but the basics are (relatively) easy with the existing materials available - I agree with most of the others that what is really needed is moderate/advanced level training on engineering projects and !!SCIENCE!!.

Greed, all the basic stuff is pretty well covered (and when still confused, ask for help), it's the more advanced stuff that is needed.

Alright you guys are convincing me, but with caveat.  *I* want a place I can point at and assume that either you know the basics or can go get them.  The wiki is a an excellent resource when you already know what you're looking for.  I need SMR to build on.

I wouldn't mind seeing short specific tutorials on a per-topic basis.  Maybe even per technique for things like exploration mining and aquifer piercing.

That's possible, depending on length.

I looked on the wiki and the tutorial page has some links to video channels.  However, it would be much easier if related videos were linked right there in the topic you are already reading about.

Agreed, and one of the things that triggered my desire to do something like this.

What about world creation and/or later on advanced world creation?

That's part of getting started.  Let's be brutal... 1/1000 people care about all the lore and this and that and... meh.  You don't care about lore until you see why and where it's important.  Here's what the settings do, here's a good starting point, Go!

How about mods? 

You're on your own there.  I play Vanilla + LNP.  There's enough bugs in Vanilla without trying to fight my way through a modpack too.

[EvilBob22]

Minecart QSPs are easy enough to setup in any 3x3 area.  A 3x2 'grab' stockpile with 3 wheelbarrows, a 2 square track, and a QSP stockpile.

Let me teach YOU a couple things

Okiedoke!

You can create a 1 square track either by only building one square (from the b - C - T menu) or by designating a carved track "into a wall"
[/quote]
Hm.  So, do you overlay the hauling stops on the same point then?
[/quote]You only make one hauling stop and set it to always dump.  Dwarves try to fill it from the source pile(s), but the cart immediately empties to the QSP.

[WanderingKid]

Just getting back from Thanksgiving vacation.  Neat trick, that.  Don't even need a push vehicle job to keep the QSP flowing.  I'll have to try that out, thanks.