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[Immacolata]

Argh. I fell in the Dwarf Fortress trap yet again. I got out of it last November and have been board lurking, then with 31.25 I couldn't stand it any longer and got the Lazy Newb Pack. But an old jaded gamer cannot resist the lure

DF trained me well, I no longer feel alienated by its interface, and I am pretty sure most of it is because I got used to DF, not because someone hit Toady One in the head with the GUI Hammer. In Soviet Dwarf Fortress, the Interface Streamlines YOU!

And I still get these wonderful images conjured up by my imagination, perhaps because this game is so simple in its expression. Playing DF is like reading a good book, nay, it is like WRITING a good book. That experience is still with me as my lil' 70-odd dwarf fortress is chugging along.

Loving the bug fixes that I noticed like the hospital. I really like the live stock option and the new oil option. I kinda felt a bit sad turning my lovely cows into bars of soap in 31.16, but now it seems I can make veggie soap.

I am also daring to break new territory in terms of gameplay this time with the production economy and caverns exploration.

Now for the last week every night I have been excited to go home and play more Dwarf Fortress after work, kind of like when I was 12 years old and totally hooked on Elite. Not a lot of games that gives you that feeling these days

[Aeon Blue]

I know exactly what you mean. I don't buy commercial games anymore because I've learned that they just sit around unplayed. A lot of times it feels like I grew up but video games didn't. Somehow, Dwarf Fortress is different.

[Urist is dead tome]

Its good to see these threads talking about how great Dwarf Fortress is and how great it will be.

[Gatleos]

Its good to see these threads talking about how great Dwarf Fortress is and how great it will be.

Yeah, we've got a severe lack of people who like Dwarf Fortress around here.

...

I'm sorry, I have no idea where that came from.

[Urist is dead tome]

Its good to see these threads talking about how great Dwarf Fortress is and how great it will be.

Yeah, we've got a severe lack of people who like Dwarf Fortress around here.

...

I'm sorry, I have no idea where that came from.

How many of them make threads talking about how much they love it and only that?

[DrKillPatient]

I too have lost interest in every game but DF recently. I'm waiting for Portal 2 and vaguely spectating Minecraft's update progress, but that's about it. Ah, the wonders of free indie games.

[Noble Digger]

You guys did a great job explaining why I'm back to DF again even after my "can't handle the endless solitude" post back when I picked up Minecraft with some RL friends.

I'd still really love to have some sort of real-time multi-governor fortress thing, but:

"In Soviet Dwarf Fortress, the Interface Streamlines YOU!"

Because of this game I have such fast hands and the ability to solve spatial and engineering problems that I'd have immediately gotten flustered over if I even *attempted* before I ever played DF. This is a big part of what I love about DF: it expects a lot out of the player. Most other games, produced by big-budget dev houses, not only want to but HAVE TO appeal to the lowest common denominator in order to sell enough boxes for the game not to be a loss. They may accomplish this goal but produce no lasting loyalty if their games aren't engaging and enjoyable on a fundamental level and challenging enough to give you room to grow, with enough degrees of freedom in combat, gameplay, and exploration to offer not only a long and enjoyable playthrough, but incentive to play again, even if months later. At best you'll get a good single player blast-through lasting 3-8 hours with zero replay value that you'll add to your dust stockpile, aka DVD shelf.

Not gonna crap on any specific games in this thread, instead, I want to reiterate how consistently interesting and fun it is to do "the same stuff again" in DF each time I do it. It's on a totally different map, with different dwarves, maybe different mods and tileset, different goals and more experience behind me, new features to blend into the pandimensional multiverse of DF. I just started seeing my dwarven wine showing up in clay pots, and that's such a little thing but man, how great is DF when it gives you that feeling times twumptyeleventhousand?

[hermes]

I know exactly what you mean. I don't buy commercial games anymore because I've learned that they just sit around unplayed. A lot of times it feels like I grew up but video games didn't. Somehow, Dwarf Fortress is different.

Nicely put.  I've also gone for the lazy newb pack recently, it really is well done.  Also, like the OP, think I'm gonna try the new stuff out now.... harvest moon won't have anything on my honey and camel farm.   

[GotIt_00]

Nothing like honey-glazed camel hams. I try to stay away from DF too, and it's always bringing me back. Like others said, solving problems effectively is very satisfying when it requires real thought and effort.

Many complaints are levied about UI, military, etc. I like the fact that the menus are part of the game. It's like I'm reading a half-destroyed codex, trying to elaborate what should occur in the world.

Just good stuff, really. You might go away, but you always come back 

[Krelos]

I too have lost interest in every game but DF recently. I'm waiting for Portal 2 and vaguely spectating Minecraft's update progress, but that's about it. Ah, the wonders of free indie games.

This, only, not recently - for the last 4 years.

[Vhorthex]

Ah yes, Dwarf Fortress totally pulled me in once again.

"Just when I thought I was out... They pull me back in!"



As for the comments on how modern games are perhaps, disapointing. It's plain to see why. The Video Game industry is just that, an industry now. It's not how creative you can be, but rather (I like Noble Digger said) how many boxes they can sell. Not only will they appeal to the lowest denominator in order to achive a greater audience, they also need to please investors and publishers with actual proven chance of success. (quite hard to market an innovative idea, if you need to showcase that the "type of game" you are making will have sales.)

The CEO of EA said it best in A New York Times article on EA (August 8, 2005),

• "CEO Probst said sequels appeal to Wall Street investors because they have a steady following among consumers."

Also in that same article;

• "Electronic Arts plans to release 26 new games [in 2005], all but one of them a sequel, including the 16th version of NHL Hockey, the 11th of the racing game Need for Speed and the 13th of the PGA Tour golf game."

So yeah, funny how capitalism was supposed to stimulate creativity and innovation. Seems to me it's turning every creative industry into, just that an industry. If any of you were fan of ultima series, or any games made by Origin. There is an interesting article on how being bought by EA, simply killed Origin.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_14/87-The-Conquest-of-Origin

IN ANY CASE... Mega-uber-Kaimen-Rider high five to Toady One and ThreeToe for braving the odds and making this monumental indie game, that overshadows all the AAA titles that mainstream publishers are re-vomiting from the year before. These men are true artists! I'm a big fan of games in the DOS era, and this is like a time warp for me!

[Immacolata]

Ah, yes, Ultima, my first passionate gaming affair. I was so engulfed in Ultima IV it started to affect my school grades. And Ultima V - oh my. Anyways, it is that kind of old-school gaming sensation that Dwarf Fortress gives me. I guess it is something that Toady One also likes it to, otherwise he would have gone EA and made cartloads of money.

Oh, btw. This isn't free indie gaming. I DID donate 20$ last year to Toady One, and I intend to donate 30$ again this year, making the donation the equivalent of the 50$ that a AAA title costs. DF is as good at least.

[Urist is dead tome]

DF is as good at least.

And will be so much better.

[monk12]

I recently just climbed back out of DF after another 2 month binge. This time, I'm trying to stave off a relapse by learning to play Nethack. At least until the next release.

[UnrealJake]

I see ducks and think of Dwarf Fortress, it's that bad.