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[WagglyCocks]

Any idea on the feasibility and legality of an iPhone port of Dwarf Fortress?

The ability to play Dwarf Fortress on it is now a necessary feature for my future computer purchases. Obviously this thought is prompted by the iPad, although that particular device might not have the neccessary horsepower for DF.

Thoughts?

[Idiom]

Any idea on the feasibility and legality of an iPhone port of Dwarf Fortress?

Answer 1:

[does] not have the neccessary horsepower for DF.

Answer 2:
The game is still an alpha, bring developed by one guy. You know how much dev time that could take to port? And keep the port updated as the game still develops? Porting usually happens AFTER a game is finished for a reason.
Answer 3:
Use the iPhone/iPad as a remote terminal for input and receiving output. There was some minor development already done with a remote client for DF. It's possible, but again, it would need constant updates and tweaks as DF develops. I don't think anyone is working on this at the moment, but it would require a dedicated programmer to maintain and develop.

[WagglyCocks]

That's a great point. All I really need on the thing is a VNC client!

[Idiom]

That's a great point. All I really need on the thing is a VNC client!

Talk to Darius or shadow_slicer if you can get a hold of them. Haven't heard anything from Darius, sounds like shadow_slicer's was the most recent.

Or just get a programmer you know that owns an iPhone hooked on DF and repeatedly prod him about developing a VNC client for this.

[KaelGotDwarves]

I remember there were a few guys on IRC working on porting adv. mode to a PSP way back, but I don't know what became of that project.

[Idiom]

I don't know what became of that project.

Seems to be what becomes of most of these things. Undedicated developers I think.

We could start putting some donations in a pot towards a bounty for a VNC client.

[nenjin]

I can see myself getting even less done with DF on a mobile device. I'm glad I got through college before I found this game, that's for sure.

[G-Flex]

No mobile device has the kind of power necessary to come close to running DF in a playable manner. Not Adventure Mode, and certainly not Fortress Mode. That's basically the end of it.

[Sir Finkus]

No mobile device has the kind of power necessary to come close to running DF in a playable manner. Not Adventure Mode, and certainly not Fortress Mode. That's basically the end of it.

Hopefully in 5-10 years though, but it really isn't the kind of game you can just sit down and play for 5 minutes.  Every time I've tried to do that, it has ended up being 4am suddenly.

[G-Flex]

Yeah, but that's assuming DF itself doesn't change.

DF in its current state could be much more well-optimized, that's for sure, but if cellphones start being powerful enough to run it in 10 years, then desktop computers and laptops will likely be powerful enough that Toady could afford to implement some processing-heavy stuff, like, hypothetically, calculating line-of-sight for all creatures, or extremely complicated pathfinding/decision-making for dwarves.

[devoid]

It's not iPhone, but its the same idea:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8If3-hz7_M

[G-Flex]

That's not actually a port, though: The Android device is just a client. DF itself is being run on a computer somewhere else.

[Idiom]

That's not actually a port, though: The Android device is just a client. DF itself is being run on a computer somewhere else.

Good enough anyway. It's the only way it will happen, unless mobile processors become x86 and 1.2+ Ghz within the next five years or more.

[Jay]

Remote connections only.  It can display, not iterate.  No mobile device's, short of a laptop or netbook, processor comes remotely close to being powerful enough to actually run DF.

And because it's bound to come up anyway: In terms of applicable specifications, the iPad is a 1024x768 resolution iPod Touch.  It does use a 1 GHz processor, but do you really think that much is going to be open for devs?  No chance in HELL.  As far as we're concerned, enlarged iPod.
Not to mention the App Store.  Good luck getting DF through their "quality control".

[happydog23]

I forget who posted it, and I haven't tried....

But theres a post somewhere with a "terminal network redirect" or some kind so that you could run a server on a computer with your DF game and then connect with a client from remote to play your game. 

Our best bet would be to get an iPhone/iPad app for that....

Failing that, VNC.  There are VNC apps already I believe.