2008 Woodie Awards
Dwarf Fortress offers innovative and free gameplay
Brandon Williams
Issue date: 4/17/08 Section: Web Exclusive
There's an old saying that says, "The best things in life are free". Usually that phrase doesn't apply to video games but Dwarf Fortress is one free thing video game enthusiasts should not pass up.
Dwarf Fortress is a freeware game created by Bay 12 Games available for PC or MAC at http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/. The file size is a miniscule 5.3 MB but don't be fooled: inside the small file is the power to create worlds as vast and complex as J.R.R. Tolkein's Middle-earth, the setting of "The Lord of the Rings". This is a fantasy geek's dream.
The first thing that should be said is the game uses ASCII graphics, meaning that letters and symbols represent different objects in the game. While it takes time to get used to all the symbols and trying to interpret what each of them means the complexity of the game makes the ASCII graphics a necessity.
Before a person can get to the actual game they must either download a ready-made world from the Bay 12 Games Web site or generate their own world. A world can take from five to ten minutes to generate. It's a long time to wait but understandable; vegetation, lakes, rivers and over 1000 years of history for the world are calculated on the spot.
The main draw of Dwarf Fortress, Fortress Mode, gives you command of a small band of dwarves trying to establish an outpost in the wilderness. At first glance the game is extremely intimidating: players have to establish a constant food supply, dig out an underground fortress, defend against hostile creatures and manage to survive under harsh weather conditions. The steep learning curve may scare away many would-be players but those who use the recommended tutorial at http://www.dwarffortresswiki.net/index.php/Your_first_fortress and have patience will find themselves absorbed into a unique experience that outshines many of the A-list titles on the shelves of retailers.
What is the goal of the game? Well, there really isn't one per se. Those who want to have a goal can make up their own challenges but the real attraction of this game is the unusual stories and circumstances that come from the game itself.
Dwarf Fortress is not for everybody due to the difficult learning curve and the ASCII graphics may scare many off, but for some this may be an addictive find.
Dwarf Fortress is a freeware game created by Bay 12 Games available for PC or MAC at http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/. The file size is a miniscule 5.3 MB but don't be fooled: inside the small file is the power to create worlds as vast and complex as J.R.R. Tolkein's Middle-earth, the setting of "The Lord of the Rings". This is a fantasy geek's dream.
The first thing that should be said is the game uses ASCII graphics, meaning that letters and symbols represent different objects in the game. While it takes time to get used to all the symbols and trying to interpret what each of them means the complexity of the game makes the ASCII graphics a necessity.
Before a person can get to the actual game they must either download a ready-made world from the Bay 12 Games Web site or generate their own world. A world can take from five to ten minutes to generate. It's a long time to wait but understandable; vegetation, lakes, rivers and over 1000 years of history for the world are calculated on the spot.
The main draw of Dwarf Fortress, Fortress Mode, gives you command of a small band of dwarves trying to establish an outpost in the wilderness. At first glance the game is extremely intimidating: players have to establish a constant food supply, dig out an underground fortress, defend against hostile creatures and manage to survive under harsh weather conditions. The steep learning curve may scare away many would-be players but those who use the recommended tutorial at http://www.dwarffortresswiki.net/index.php/Your_first_fortress and have patience will find themselves absorbed into a unique experience that outshines many of the A-list titles on the shelves of retailers.
What is the goal of the game? Well, there really isn't one per se. Those who want to have a goal can make up their own challenges but the real attraction of this game is the unusual stories and circumstances that come from the game itself.
Dwarf Fortress is not for everybody due to the difficult learning curve and the ASCII graphics may scare many off, but for some this may be an addictive find.
Be the first to comment on this story