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[Void Rocket]

The reason I ask this is because in fact I love the visual style just the way it is, and have been a (somewhat) long-time advocate of playing the game without mods, supplementary tilesets, and so on.

In the FAQ all that dwells on the subject is the remark "There are more pressing things to do right now", which is reassuring, but not indicative of anything more than the fact that graphics do not hold any high priority for the time being.

In short, is the way Dwarf Fortress looks now, the way it is going to look when the game is finally "complete"?

Edit: Note: Basically, I'm hoping that it continues to look the way it always has.

[RPharazon]

There will be better support for tilesets and graphics sets. Along with some UI rehauling, it's all part of the Presentation Arc.

Won't happen until right before or after the first release (When the version number ticks from 0.xxxxxxxx to 1.xxxxxxxx)

It's just that Toady needs to add everything else first. No sense in sanding a half-completed woodcraft, is there? You just double (or triple) your work.

[Exponent]

Assuming that the game remains purely top-down 2D (which is likely), I am sure that you will always be able to use a graphics set that makes it look like it does currently if you wish.  Someone might need to make such a graphics set, but I'm confident that it will be done if/when the game doesn't natively support the type of ASCII rendering that is used currently.

This applies to the main view, at least.  Menus, status screens, and so forth on the other hand could go in numerous directions, depending on what Toady desires and is willing to do.  Are you primarily concerned with the main view, or are the menus important to you as well?  If the latter, then I'd suggest that while you might end up getting to keep what you like, don't be surprised if it changes and you lose something you like.  If the former, though, then I suspect you have nothing to worry about.

[Void Rocket]

Regarding the menu I am ambivalent, as that is simply plain text and not graphics. I don't really care what direction that goes in, as long as all of the primary features are retained. It's the ASCII style I'm concerned about, since I've noticed it to be unpopular within a portion of the DF player crowd, and I'm worried Toady might be compelled to revamp the whole visual system to appease those people.

[Davion]

Regarding the menu I am ambivalent, as that is simply plain text and not graphics. I don't really care what direction that goes in, as long as all of the primary features are retained. It's the ASCII style I'm concerned about, since I've noticed it to be unpopular within a portion of the DF player crowd, and I'm worried Toady might be compelled to revamp the whole visual system to appease those people.

Toady has mentioned that he'll eventually get around to supporting full tilesets, but that doesn't really mean you have to use them. I am sure he will leave it open to personal preference.

In any event, lets try to keep the whole "us vs. them" mentality out of the thread when it comes to people that like ASCII and those that like graphics, this thread could explode into something horrible otherwise.

[Void Rocket]

I wasn't sneaking in a negative comment there, I was simply referring to them. I have nothing against people who prefer true graphics.

[Davion]

I wasn't sneaking in a negative comment there, I was simply referring to them. I have nothing against people who prefer true graphics.

I know, but it only takes one person to read it, misunderstand, and say something snarky. Then this thread rockets to 20 pages of flaming about presentation.

[Draco18s]

In any event, lets try to keep the whole "us vs. them" mentality out of the thread when it comes to people that like ASCII and those that like graphics, this thread could explode into something horrible otherwise.

RAWR I HATE ASCIII!  BURN IN THE DEMON PITS FOR BEING AN ASCIII LOVER!

;P

[Gnomechomsky]

Final release?  Perish the thought!

[Frobozz]

I think the general idea of how it will end up is to give everything an appearance tag in the raws so you can specify a custom picture for everything. Whether or not it will ship with ASCII is another question. It'd be even better if DF came with a non-ASCII tileset so we wouldn't have to keep pointing people towards them.

[Deathworks]

Hi!

If you are only concerned with the graphic look, as was pointed out before, a graphic tileset looking like ASCII would probably be a possibility if the graphic possibilities were enhanced.

The only thing that could really mess things up would be going from keyboard to mouse interface as that would have serious impact on gameplay and probably screen design.

Deathworks

[Tormy]

The reason I ask this is because in fact I love the visual style just the way it is, and have been a (somewhat) long-time advocate of playing the game without mods, supplementary tilesets, and so on.

In the FAQ all that dwells on the subject is the remark "There are more pressing things to do right now", which is reassuring, but not indicative of anything more than the fact that graphics do not hold any high priority for the time being.

In short, is the way Dwarf Fortress looks now, the way it is going to look when the game is finally "complete"?

Edit: Note: Basically, I'm hoping that it continues to look the way it always has.

It will be possible for modders to create graphics for everything in the game, hopefully pretty soon. I guess the game itself remain ASCII however, Toady surely wont make an official graphical tileset for it, he is not a gfx artist. 

[Frobozz]

It will be possible for modders to create graphics for everything in the game, hopefully pretty soon. I guess the game itself remain ASCII however, Toady surely wont make an official graphical tileset for it, he is not a gfx artist. 

Yeah he has what I like to call "programmer graphics" talent.

[penguinofhonor]

Even if the final product has an isometric view incredibly detailed animated sprites as the default, I'm sure there will be an [ASCII:YES/NO] option somewhere.

Hell, I'm hoping that there will eventually be an "Options" button on the title screen. That would be a fun thing, but the init file is currently read only when the game is started, so that wouldn't work just yet. Also, this paragraph is off-topic.

[Jay]

I'm fairly certain this has been asked several times before, and to each he's responded as such: (or very similar, I can't remember exactly)
"ASCII will stay the default, however tileset capabilities will be expanded."
Something like that, anyway.
(Toady feel free to blink in with what you've really said anytime and prove me right/wrong..)