dwarf fortress dwarf fortress officially called slaves god blood chapter dwarf fortress construction management simulation indie video game created development alpha version released received attention member project surviving solely donations primary game mode set generated fantasy world player indirectly controls group attempts construct successful wealthy underground fortress critics praised complex gameplay mixed reactions difficulty game influenced selected games featured history video gaming game text based graphics open ended main objectives played player generate worlds continents oceans histories documenting main game mode consists selecting suitable site generated world establishing successful colony fortress threats like invasions generating wealth taking care dwarf modeled individual personality likes specific skills second main game mode turn based open ended player starts world free explore complete quests visit old abandoned fortresses combat system detailed combat logs describing organs getting pierced fat getting bruised limbs getting severed prior dwarf fortress working project called slaves god blood role playing game adams decided shift original dwarf fortress difficult maintain adams calls life work said version ready years continue work game cult following active online community way win fortress matter successful usually destroyed prompts unofficial community motto losing fun gameplay overview game modes dwarf fortress primary game modes place worlds created player elements randomly generated construction management simulation colony objectives player free decide managing colony making interact environment making open ended style game way win ends entire colony defeated possible threats player decides abandon fortress visuals text based code page characters colors graphics fully letters numbers symbols represented different colored smiling faces cat dog white brown giant spider grey turn based open ended player starts legends mode players view maps histories civilization figure lived died generated world noticeable achievement player game modes recorded legends testing arena present players simulate battles selected units conditions world generation step generating playable world game played world time player adjust certain parameters governing size mineral occurrences length history map shows symbols representing roads hills towns cities changes generation progresses displacement generates world process involves generated basic elements like elevation rainfall mineral distribution drainage temperature overall natural look example high rainfall low drainage area swamp areas categorized alignment specific type plant animal populations phase erosion drainage tries simulate rivers created tracing paths mountains eroded end usually ocean form lakes field defines oceans plains names generated rivers names depend area good evil variable alignment english originally game languages humans main races generated world minutes world populated history develops game years selected history races religions spread wars occur population deaths increasing stops designated years value point world saved use game mode player choose retire fortress gets defeated world persist available games fortress mode basics fortress mode selected player given option choose embark location world player consider environment elevations soil types mineral concentrations pose significant challenges development survival fortress colony supplies domestic animals skills available mental physical attributes randomly generated game describes detail dwarf physical appearance like hair facial features mental abilities individual preferences desires randomly generated dwarf relationships deities worship viewed player expedition team seven livestock supplies direct control order construct operate fortress player designate specific tasks performed assigned work depends relative skill increase task categories stone working farming related crafts making combat related skills categorized gem related clay related industries activities place workshops need constructed example alcohol metal industry important role produces weapons armor military trap components defense high value furniture decorations functional mechanics player initially view surface level fortress site layer axis level viewed player changes entire underground level seen entire section terrain mountain surface level section visible remaining surface landscape digging player designate level starting surface carved final designated level ending staircase making dug room geology dwarf fortress fairly accurate rocks like dug layer usually consists sand clay plain soil underground farming deeper levels layers rock minerals appear layers clusters right depth gems like appear rare clusters water simulated like falling sand space contain seven levels tile having level water lowest tile seven system temperature heat fires spread burn furniture basic seasons game year spring summer autumn winter mineral mined like normal stone raw ore produce corresponding metal bars different metal bars higher quality materials steel production stones pig iron bars regular iron coal specific metal items melted respective bars steel bronze regular iron best suitable metals use bronze requires bars tin copper metal found deep extremely light strong making excellent sharp weapons armor raw extracted strands woven cloth fortress management growth underground farming crops like helmet mushrooms mushroom wine fortress migrants come larger numbers colony home civilization need accommodation trading neighboring including home civilization visit fortress yearly basis useful getting supplies available player fortress area role manager broker assigned dwarf early game maintains records item present fort manager auto assigns jobs broker deals trading production crafts material useful trading come humans depending embark region history absent hostile need provided food drink form alcohol dwarf negative thoughts drinking plain water drinking type alcohol making necessary grow different crops producing different drinks things like having separate bedroom upset dwarf friends marry females birth upset sustaining injuries having poor clothing losing pets friends relatives interacting seeing corpses frustrated dwarf break furniture attack continuous stress cause throw eventually insane going attacking comrades rage depressed jumping cliff simply going stark mad randomly death quality life improved giving luxurious personal decorated dining room medical care providing variety drinks cooked meals chain reaction single dwarf causes entire fortress population start throwing begin dwarf throws attacks kills friends drastically affects happiness fortress expands develops new noble positions available regular happy simple rooms provided appointed elected noble positions need luxurious accommodation nobles demands getting negative thoughts fulfilled justice system present punish criminals example kill dwarf destroy furniture occasionally vampire dwarf fake background history arrive wave start killing feeding citizens noticed inspired stressed occasionally strange mood workshop searching required materials begin construction artifact find materials dwarf wait workshop demanding till available game weeks work results legendary artifact item crafted usually worth beginning fortress total wealth artifacts added world records exact description viewed entire period strange mood dwarf eat drink sleep eventually insane prolonged reason threats defense dwelling deeper game year usually consist thieves trying infiltrate fortress thieves try steal try kidnap children raise future soldiers near fortress hostile source frequent attacks wildlife usually harmless depending fortress location fierce elephants bears giant spiders wolves threat populated fortresses neighboring enemy civilization thriving fortress attract certain mega like dragons randomly generated creatures called forgotten unique creatures physical qualities abilities making potential powerful attack mainly evil player tower near site harder kill defeated body parts separate units fight military squads assigned barracks train uniform armor weapon chosen squads directly commanded attack enemies ranged attacks range targets constructed training walls carved fortifications ranged units attacks train war animals like dogs players use traps engineering addition training army traps constructing mechanisms metal wood construct large weapons like spikes blades complex operated pressure plate triggering trap components available combat system dwarf fortress detailed combat displayed viewing log describes weapon striking specific character body internal organs combatants fall ground lose body parts dwarf individually detailed limbs bone fat muscle skin fat bruised breaking bones vice versa injuries permanent medical system hospital set containing disabled traction benches cloth casts thread digging deeper usually finding fuel source removes player dependence coal wood reason dig deeper searching specific raw materials gems pools bigger seas found digging warm rock near seas raw strata found shaped like columns pass entire sea columns hollow broken revealing entire shaft leading deeper underworld hell underworld creatures countless bring entire fortresses ruin adventure mode adventure mode played generated world unlike fortress mode turn based mode character creation similar role playing games players choose gender spend points specific combat physical skills depends player chooses peasant hero player character starts random town depending race interact non player characters quests usually outlaw speak surrounding areas offer follow help player players choose explore generated world quick travel mode player find area previously slain character visit old abandoned fortresses seek treasures previously artifacts instead character retired depending player achievements life events documented legends mode historical figures history early development early works text based adventure game called written basic language influenced brothers fantasy project high school adams taught programming language developed later important influence adams explained interest fantasy games grown surrounded sort thing generic sci generic fantasy heritage years later entering graduate school mathematics adams began working project called slaves god blood named deity originally named variable arm counted limbs player attached new project dimensional later graphics fantasy role playing game player encountered fought took time work small projects inspire turn based loosely inspired game called involved player digging underneath buildings searching fighting monsters carrying radioactive surface application growing extra limbs gaining abilities adams dissatisfied having single game began turn based adams said game thought maybe instead real time combat problem digging minerals mountain threats inside making little workshops thought high score list work like records plays high score lists expansive logs try think ways play idea time idea let come fortress lose find journals generates release adams began working dwarf fortress october estimating project months suspended development soon order finish previous work explained began like arcade game dig dug adams brothers started bay games company launching website releasing games online adams announced website switching main project struggled continue working added features harder maintain adams explained dwarf simulation game kept adventure mode surprise feature revealed release time fan base consisted dozen people came announcement button request fan similarly system added later months brought cover site hosting cost dubbed game slaves god blood dwarf fortress adams explained sequel continued work code said kicks adams decided focus game development time year math post doctorate quit year decided use savings university offered stay year adams agreed commented morning gave notice like actually work adams expected job order support use savings game released development continued till august alpha version version released donations reached following months average increased gradually financially stable decided solely rely donations development present adams use graphics development hampered cited ease development features like fluid simulation copyright issues art possibilities reasons text based graphics want graphical story generation originated present extent write different chapters events like mix try implement story writing managed role game development graduated ancient history books like writings kings influenced game adams influenced games like hack randomly generated levels detailed mechanics body wound system inspired role playing game adams cited series inspiration generated worlds prefers modeling individual elements entire systems better outcomes control world generation simulate rain shadows occur areas mountain distinct personalities unit took neo test admitted knowing little feature eating unexpected game released written having size designed adams composed game inspired music axis introduced release felt limitations single plane increasing feature making constructions like walls added time earlier version players dig underground having level considered significantly easier maintain limited playable area adams commented major change difficult implement considering details like fluid mechanics cave ins traps abilities detailed cities tombs added addition reliance donations adams says content feels people like work pay release donations kept increasing remaining stable having sudden increase new version update got following major update long gap expenses low maintained happy long game self sustaining charge adams refused job offer unspecified major game developer deal license company adams felt long term donations receive adams said prefers working gaming industry average income month adams said barely black month little red month risk willing couldn way spent money advertising happy reviewers like game journalist gamer games windows wrote game bay games set account help fund june event called held washington celebrate year anniversary game organised video game developer fan attended adams brothers updates july latest update version completing fourteen years development despite alpha version adams says able maintain focus shifting attention different aspects game given numerous varied features regular game development aim perfect work release considers continues exploring learning adding new features wired noted funny bug gamer saying makes entertaining feed adams favorite bugs farmer dwarf planting bed involves broken arms unable use hammer delivering biting victims tearing limbs keeping mouth years adams considers dwarf fortress life work stated expect version released years continue update adams calls game open ended story generator game code base adams stated plans release open source domain citing risk going financial trouble acknowledged role community supporting development endorsed party tools interface code explained consider releasing source maintain anymore seeing different game developers taking says mind modifications long risk adams describes version having adventure mode regular role playing game changing plots ordering subordinates perform tasks fortress mode closer relationship outside generated world war trade diplomacy world bigger game features like magic better interface according burden additional need said version sitting fresh world like sitting read fantasy author haven read extras video game provides including ability write sequels modern game technologies graphics fan requests adams said implement showing task easy reception game received attention mainly gameplay text based graphics complexity poor interface difficulty reviewers describing playing game start steep learning curve meaning difficult learning process compared games like dungeon keeper games like game influence gaming industry non commercial nature man self sustaining project adams independence capability follow ideas highlighted said indie gaming success stories big dwarf fortress wired magazine following updates described wildly ambitious work progress brutal dungeon crawling detail oriented creativity city building depth complexity praised new_york_times stated simulation games offer players bag building blocks bag deep blocks small dwarf fortress gamer commented dwarf fortress reluctance energy results astonishing hidden complexity open ended nature gameplay rock paper shotgun concluded generated world combined character simulated minute detail results hilarious occasionally tragic surprising said outsider looking game years development wide scope features potential play styles fair getting tasks video game industry provide lack graphics poor interface controls seen reasons game difficulty reviewers noted having role gameplay argument text based graphics forces players use imagination making engaging wrote game look real hooked feels vast alive micro manager dream game distinction labor creative thrill said interface tough job getting want like teaching beetle cook highlighted difficulty performing basic actions felt experimenting ended compared trying build skyscraper rocks pointed lack game said players learn games open ended intuitive mechanics dwarf fortress autonomy hours gameplay community dwarf fortress attracted significant cult following web communities game came awful forums game difficulty fortresses eventually forms defeat encourage experimentation led unofficial slogan losing fun adams said originally manual players grip issue game official called dwarf fortress talk brothers answer questions players send drawings short stories donors requests feature highest donors website donations adams said fans given computers directly helped game development community member ported mac free volunteers handle bug tracking system players members community written creative interpretations game events fans diaries short videos comics audio depicting stories involved success defeat testing game sharing supporting donations suggestions help newcomers share stories information forums maintain dedicated fan organized meet ups adams commented fans donated played game reading stories saga called fans passed single fortress played game saved sending portrayed detail start destructive end spread gaming sites boosted game popularity game community adams said reason able step time developer lucky able run ideas try new things players sending forum posts detailing stories events happened game adams said things set people write narratives game adams admitted feats community surprised adams stated impressive thing seen game player managed create complete bit powered youtube series written series called complete utter dwarf fortress party utilities game like dwarf helps player managing skills called help library render game view utility developed players load game works able view playing illustrated guide game called dwarf fortress learn play complex video game released technology publisher reilly media written containing pages foreword adams updated game development legacy game influenced reviewers considered user friendly version dwarf fortress adams says developers citing game drew players games inspired game largely failed replicate visual style depth game appear world july game won poll conducted community beautiful game games nominated fans posting videos images text list compiled community contained legend wind far cry developers faster light commented use text based graphics reason dwarf fortress include breadth mechanics unseen games complex mechanics expressed simple visual forms games cited main influences game march new_york_city exhibited dwarf fortress games selected depict history video gaming new updates available instantly downloads archives secure curator exhibition said amazed combination beautiful aesthetics mind complexity game game designer commended dwarf fortress having uniquely long staying power according replaced advanced game genre partly pioneer console games replaced faster wrote simply thing dwarf fortress definition reasons according free long development period design ending predicted game popular final release legacy historic value pointed people like game present condition continue playing long keeps developing especially new additions features compared board game monopoly card game magic gathering finally said game time inspire rise ultra small indies similar financial
Dwarf Fortress