Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Unit88]

I'm kind of new to Dwarf Fortress (by kind of new I mean I've played a couple of times before but never got anywhere mostly because of my horrible tendency to get bored of any game really quick) so I want to ask the people for some tips. I've seen some beginners guide type of stuff, but that's not what I'm looking for. I know how to control the game (mostly) so I want to know what to watch out for, what are things that could help me, what do you think is a good way to progress, useful things to know, so stuff like that.

[chokepoint]

So, did you get your "friend" from the other thread you made interested in playing DF? 

I want to show my friend how awesome Dwarf Fortress is, so he becomes interested in it enough so that he'll learn how to play, but I don't know how. I tried finding a fan-made trailer or something but nothing came up.

[napancux]

In my opinion, once you know the basic stuff the most important thing is to have some plan before embark. I.e. choosing some theme for your fort or setting some goal or designing a megaproject. Otherwise it gets boring quite fast, unless you do something FUN on purpose.

[Admiral Obvious]

Three ways to play.

1. Safe, and mostly boring. Such as building an elaborate network of 2k cage traps, and stone fall traps.
2. Stupid, and very very fun. Don't do any of the above, and let the game handle itself.
3. Number 1, as much as you can, while trying to make something that would be the envy of all of us on the forums. Perhaps digging, then selling out/Giving away every single block on the map?

[Unit88]

So, did you get your "friend" from the other thread you made interested in playing DF? 

Sadly, no If you check the other thread there are a bit more details, if you're interested.

In my opinion, once you know the basic stuff the most important thing is to have some plan before embark. I.e. choosing some theme for your fort or setting some goal or designing a megaproject. Otherwise it gets boring quite fast, unless you do something FUN on purpose.

Well, my only plan is to actually get a fortress up and running, my previous attempts all ended with me barely having anything. This time I actually noticed that I have gold and iron ore available to me and I'm currently setting up a smeltery and a jewelry soon. My two main annoyances currently is that apperently I didn't choose a site with a river somehow, and that in front of the entrance there are several vermin remains, and noone does anything about it even though I have a refuse/corpse stockpile and I put a garbage dump on top of it too and told them to dump those remains.

[Eldin00]

In the standing orders menu, make sure dwarves are set to gather refuse from outside, and not ignore vermin remains. (usually I leave them ignoring vermin remains, but since you were specifically wanting vermin remains cleaned up...)

[Salmeuk]

Look around for a good embark someone has already generated. I think that one of the biggest challenges in the new version is finding an embark that has all the features, like sieges and iron and flux and water flow.

I would mod out aquifers unless you like particularly convoluted challenges.

[Unit88]

Look around for a good embark someone has already generated. I think that one of the biggest challenges in the new version is finding an embark that has all the features, like sieges and iron and flux and water flow.

I would mod out aquifers unless you like particularly convoluted challenges.

Well, I've already embarked some time ago so I don't want to start over again. And I did take out aquifers, because I was fed up with it after the second world that I generated also didn't have a single suitable site without one.

[smithist]

Starting over is one of the few constants in DF, it's inevitable. Once you have your bearings, getting a fort "up and running" becomes pretty easy so you really have to start making your own fun. It sounds like you still have some milestones to cross, try getting your steel industry going and then maybe construct your first tower, or something.

Figure out what exactly is most appealing about the game to you and then go crazy with it.

Some people like megaprojects, constructions, difficult embark sites, or other artificial constraints. Personally, I have the most fun designing fortresses. My current fort, for example, has three separate mountain peaks linked by enclosed sky bridges, an incredibly lavish memorial hall that leads to my king's mountain top throne room, and underway is a giant magma filled statue that I'm carving out of earth (rather than building). 

There's so much to do in this game and my projects are honestly peanuts compared to what some are able to pull off. Keep playing and you;ll find your niche!

[e]the wiki has a great list of common projects. It's a good place to pick something from, or just to browse for ideas: megaprojects

[Immortal-D]

There are several utilities which I personally consider invaluable time-savers.  First and foremost amongst them is 'Quick Fort'.  It allows you to design, furnish, and designate a large set of rooms in one go.  Takes a lot of the tedium out of the initial setup.  As for tips; DF is the quintessential 'make your own entertainment' game.  You have all of the tools, but you need to set your own goals; super efficient minecart transport for both Dwarves & industry, drain the Cavern lake above ground to create an artificial surface lake, military consists entirely of leather-clad elite wrestlers, etc.

[Albedo]

If it's your first real effort (previous efforts being "trials runs"), I'd suggest ignoring a lot of the bells and whistles (if the "theme" of your fort doesn't involve them) - no eggs, no dyes, no above-ground crops, etc.

Start with 6 1x3 underground farm plots (4-5 varied to handle the diff growing seasons of the 4 dwarf alcohol plants, and another for quarry bushes), and a Farmer 5.

Start with a dedicated Miner 5*.  If your project is massive, or the environment dangerous, you might want 2, or you can just task someone else to mine, to get underground asap.
(if you want, you can also give him a "later" skill, like Siege Engineer 5 or something similar.)

Whatever your "project" is, once you get ~Level 12~ or so you'll see Masterworks start to drop with some regularity - so start w/ that/those skill(s) at 5.

Get underground asap, and get a drawbridge built for security. Turtle up at first!

For an above-ground area, you can dig a "moat", a simple channel around your fort. Also, remember that trees will NOT grow if you've dug 1 level under that ground, so go deep or don't expect trees.

A serpentine Trade Depot route and a more "direct" (but trapped) route for uninvited guests. Lots of variations on this theme possible, from simple to extravagant.

Plan in 3 dimensions - up/down a stair is just 1 more step. Little 3-D pods of related workshops with stores above/below them is a great way to go.


If you want a place to start, plan a grand, multi-level dining room with...
o Mandatory above-ground-only access (to help prevent Cave Adaptation - but make the walk-way safe! So possibly a raised, open-air skyway, maybe with a statue garden along the way?
o A waterfall misting down at the entrance. This will take some screwpumps to drop the water, and more at the bottom to make sure the super-delivered water doesn't flood everything.
o only the best chairs and tables, with statues lining the walls.

From there... the center of the earth is the limit!

GL!

[Zuglarkun]

Well, could you clarify if you are having trouble...

1) Finding features that interest you and enhance your gaming experience? i.e. finding FUN
2) Coping with the steep learning curve? i.e. coping with !!FUN!!
3) Maintaining interest in the game? i.e. sustaining FUN

Cause to me, it sounds like you've got the basics down. But despite that you are having problems progressing beyond that and finding something truly FUN for you to do beyond the ho-hum survive in a harsh world daily stuff, and because of that you are getting bored because surviving and maintaining a fort without certain goals is tedious, not FUN.

Can't get to the root(s) of the problem if you don't further clarify. But I'll try to give some pointers anyway.


What are things that could help me

- Use the wiki often as a reference point.
- Don't be afraid to ask for advice on the forum. (Yup you got that covered.)
- Read the Hall of Legends http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=89305.0 to keep your general interest on DF up and to find quirky goals and ideas to replicate on your own forts.
- Use the World Generation Cookbook Thread http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=140180.0 to request the features you want on an embark without the hassle of learning how to World Gen and sorting through all the sites. Also, good to see and compare what kind of sites other players like to embark on.
- Use the Dwarf Fortress Map Archive http://mkv25.net/dfma/ to browse through what other players do with their own forts.


What do you think is a good way to progress

- Secure Food and Booze/Water
- Never too early to have a built in way to seal yourself off from outside threats. So you can say NO to bullshit you aren't capable of handling while you focus on building yourself up to a position where you are capable of handling them. In short, don't be afraid to turtle.
- Never too early to have a basic military setup up and running.
- Unless your map has everything you need, securing a route for the seasonal trade caravans will make sure you don't run out of resources. (food, booze, raw materials) Also good for emergencies when you do forget to maintain your basic resources.
- More miners never hurt. The faster you dig, the less time you spend waiting around for stuff to be dug out.


Useful things to know (Useful tech and things you may or may not know)

- Miasma does not travel around diagonal bends

KEY:
Dug out tile: [ ]
Miasma source: M
Miasma: ~

[M][~][~]
             [ ]
   [ ][ ][ ]

[M][~][~][~]
              [~]
   [ ][ ][~][~]

- If you dig up to the map edge, smooth that map edge tile and then carve a fortification onto that tile, water and magma that flows to it will drain off the map.
- Once you find the caverns, cave moss will start growing wherever there is soil or mud(muddied rock tiles) and less than 3-4 depth of water(not that sure about specifics). This can cause trees to grow in places you don't want them to. Simply construct or pave over the tile with a rock floor. Floors will not be muddied by water and this will prevent tree and cave moss growth.
- Dragonfire will deconstruct bridges that are not raised, even if the bridge and its components are made out of magma-safe stone, as Dragonfire is hotter than magma. BUT, bridges and their components that are made out of METAL do not deconstruct under Dragonfire.
- Magma + Water = Obsidian, which has high value and is magma-proof

Hope this helps.

[Unit88]

Well, could you clarify if you are having trouble...

1) Finding features that interest you and enhance your gaming experience? i.e. finding FUN
2) Coping with the steep learning curve? i.e. coping with !!FUN!!
3) Maintaining interest in the game? i.e. sustaining FUN

Cause to me, it sounds like you've got the basics down. But despite that you are having problems progressing beyond that and finding something truly FUN for you to do beyond the ho-hum survive in a harsh world daily stuff, and because of that you are getting bored because surviving and maintaining a fort without certain goals is tedious, not FUN.

Can't get to the root(s) of the problem if you don't further clarify. But I'll try to give some pointers anyway.


What are things that could help me

- Use the wiki often as a reference point.
- Don't be afraid to ask for advice on the forum. (Yup you got that covered.)
- Read the Hall of Legends http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=89305.0 to keep your general interest on DF up and to find quirky goals and ideas to replicate on your own forts.
- Use the World Generation Cookbook Thread http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=140180.0 to request the features you want on an embark without the hassle of learning how to World Gen and sorting through all the sites. Also, good to see and compare what kind of sites other players like to embark on.
- Use the Dwarf Fortress Map Archive http://mkv25.net/dfma/ to browse through what other players do with their own forts.


What do you think is a good way to progress

- Secure Food and Booze/Water
- Never too early to have a built in way to seal yourself off from outside threats. So you can say NO to bullshit you aren't capable of handling while you focus on building yourself up to a position where you are capable of handling them. In short, don't be afraid to turtle.
- Never too early to have a basic military setup up and running.
- Unless your map has everything you need, securing a route for the seasonal trade caravans will make sure you don't run out of resources. (food, booze, raw materials) Also good for emergencies when you do forget to maintain your basic resources.
- More miners never hurt. The faster you dig, the less time you spend waiting around for stuff to be dug out.


Useful things to know (Useful tech and things you may or may not know)

- Miasma does not travel around diagonal bends

KEY:
Dug out tile: [ ]
Miasma source: M
Miasma: ~

[M][~][~]
             [ ]
   [ ][ ][ ]

[M][~][~][~]
              [~]
   [ ][ ][~][~]

- If you dig up to the map edge, smooth that map edge tile and then carve a fortification onto that tile, water and magma that flows to it will drain off the map.
- Once you find the caverns, cave moss will start growing wherever there is soil or mud(muddied rock tiles) and less than 3-4 depth of water(not that sure about specifics). This can cause trees to grow in places you don't want them to. Simply construct or pave over the tile with a rock floor. Floors will not be muddied by water and this will prevent tree and cave moss growth.
- Dragonfire will deconstruct bridges that are not raised, even if the bridge and its components are made out of magma-safe stone, as Dragonfire is hotter than magma. BUT, bridges and their components that are made out of METAL do not deconstruct under Dragonfire.
- Magma + Water = Obsidian, which has high value and is magma-proof

Hope this helps.

Wow, thanks for all that, you put some effort into it I shouldn't have mentioned that I have a tendency to get bored of games, because now everyone thinks that's the problem, even though it is not. I simply get bored of any game really quickly and I'm trying to find a way to fight that (but that's on the Minecraft forum not here) Here the problem was that I set up everything so slow because I barely know the basics, that when I reached the point where I got bored I still barely had anything. I'm looking for similar tips to the miasma one, and I remember something about dumping from some time ago when I last played DF. Also, I just noticed, that I completely forgot about things like booze and food so I need to get working on that, but I'm not sure what would be the best way, because I'm pretty sure my two 3X3 farms are not enough or something.

[Space Wizard]

Look around for a good embark someone has already generated. I think that one of the biggest challenges in the new version is finding an embark that has all the features, like sieges and iron and flux and water flow.

I would mod out aquifers unless you like particularly convoluted challenges.

Minimum river starts 800
resource occurrence 100
minimum number of civilizations 80

With parameters like that it would be more challenging to find spots that don't have iron, flux, rivers and aggressive neighbors.

Also, learning how to get through an aquifer is extremely simple and increases the amount of good sites that are available to you drastically, as well as aquifers being handy for various water related projects and traps. If you don't like pumps, building a plug takes a few minutes and requires almost no effort or skill, you just drop a bunch of earth onto the aquifer and you suddenly have passage through. Aquifers are present in most of the good sites, and are really simple to handle without cheating, I don't really understand where all of the anti-aquifer hype comes from. I agree they are bad news for a first-time player, but the physics involved in making a plug or using pumps are pretty important early on in learning dorvey stuff.

As for tips:

-Don't rush your goals and take your time, digging quickly into caverns, putting resources and dwarves into large projects early on and jumping too fast into things like metal production end a lot of fortresses.
-Don't waste your time on having huge stocks of food and drink. A dwarf eats about 8 meals and drinks about 20 servings of alcohol a year, keep your stocks not too much larger than this and spend time and labor on different projects.
-Prepare carefully. Assigning your dwarves a few skills and coming with a very specified set of items can make or break your fortress plan.

Some random strategies for preparing carefully:

-Always bring a few pieces of raw green glass or any other "Fey mood" materials that can be difficult to acquire early on, for me it's always glass and cloth, as these aren't things I produce until late game. This way dwarves that go into a fey mood have the materials they need to create an artifact without you scrambling a glass furnace together, or worse, being on a map that has no sand.
-Dogs are magnificent livestock. Embarking with 20-30 dogs is a good thing to try out. They are very simple to train into war dogs, and this trains an animal trainer at the same time, and eventually can be butchered(puppy rotation) for a lot of meat, bones which are good for bolts and crafts, skulls which are good for crafts, and leather producing hides. Having 20-30 war dogs for a bit at the beginning can save your fortress once or twice as well.
-Don't leave with more food than you need. Butchering the animals that pulled in your wagon is going to provide your dwarves with enough food for the first year, only take maybe 7-14 pieces at the beginning(or specifically 11 if you don't have a problem exploiting mechanics for an extra barrel).
-Smelting coal? bring a single piece of coke to skip the burning a piece of wood step.
-Smelting coal for awhile before acquiring magma? Bring 1-200 pieces of bituminous coal at embark. It's nice having a good solid extra 1500 pieces of coke when forging metal in the beginning.
-Forge your tools. An anvil, a piece of coke, 10 pieces of coal, 5 pieces of cassiterite and 5 pieces of malachite cost 200 points at embark and creates 40 bronze tools/crafts. Two copper picks and an axe cost 156 points(assuming you don't exploit and use a training axe).
 

[Zuglarkun]

Wow, thanks for all that, you put some effort into it I shouldn't have mentioned that I have a tendency to get bored of games, because now everyone thinks that's the problem, even though it is not. I simply get bored of any game really quickly and I'm trying to find a way to fight that (but that's on the Minecraft forum not here) Here the problem was that I set up everything so slow because I barely know the basics, that when I reached the point where I got bored I still barely had anything. I'm looking for similar tips to the miasma one, and I remember something about dumping from some time ago when I last played DF. Also, I just noticed, that I completely forgot about things like booze and food so I need to get working on that, but I'm not sure what would be the best way, because I'm pretty sure my two 3X3 farms are not enough or something.

Meh, if its about dumping, its probably the quantum stockpile thing. If you run DFHack or Lazynewbpack which has DFHack, you can use "autodump" comrmand to dump everything into one tile with one command. Saves alot of time. I don't use refuse stockpile for sentient corpses, i.e. elves, animal men, goblins. Don't want to fiddle with the settings while having dwarves rush into battle to stockpile corpses.

Either that, or its the dwarven atom smasher, which is really just a trash compactor. Just build a raising bridge over the garbage dump, and then you can smash all those useless skeletons into oblivion when you lower the bridge. Make sure to put a door at the entryway so you can lock it up when you want to smash to prevent anyone important getting smashed into oblivion with the garbage. Really good now that dwarves get terrified of sentient corpses, so you want to keep them out of sight or destroy them at the earliest opportunity.

As for the farms, I think most of the forumers here gave pretty good advice on that already. Personally I can get by on 3x3 with trade caravan backup pretty easily on 40 dwarves. Though I usually check the stocks menu often to make sure I don't run out. If you concentrate on digging and other stuff then you might want to adjust it much bigger to give you more room to work with. Later on I expand to a 10x10 and that pretty much sets me for 100+ dwarves easily. In the latest version, plant gatherers got more useful with the addition of fruit picking and gathering, which can easily set you up with brewing supplies. So you might one of your farmers to have some skill in that for emergencies if you embark in an area with greenery. In any case, I would not fret over much on booze as long as you remember to check your stocks every once in awhile to make sure you are not running low, then you should be fine.

Food is another matter, but if you embark with a pair of breeding fowl (any kind, though its said turkeys are the best value) or pick them up from the caravan, and let them produce offspring for a year at least with a nest box and setting egg collection off on your food stockpile, you should be set on food. Besides migrants often bring animals with them. I'm usually swimming in masterwork roasts by the end of the second year as I buy out all the food from the caravans to cook and sell it back to them for more food. Considered an exploit by some forumers due to high prices masterwork roasts fetch, but I can't be bothered with crafting trinkets to sell in the first few years.

I think you're already on the right path, just go at your own pace and use the forums to guide you on your way. If you get burned out, do something else or play something else. There is always a whole lot more to discover and try to accomplish when you return. Dwarf Fortress has amazing depth of gameplay and rewards you if you do the research or spend the time experimenting to make the most of it. I'm always surprised at what some others can come up with, like the taming of sea serpents and stuff like that. Good luck and have fun!