Since Dwarf Fortress' release to Steam, there has been an influx of new players, despite the huge cult following the game had already. The accessible graphics have made the game more palatable to the general public and Steam sales have skyrocketed. There is however still the small issue of the games' incredibly steep learning curve. Even with the new tutorial, Dwarf Fortress is not a pick-up-and-play game, it requires patience and practice.
Fear not though, as Dwarf Fortress veterans have been posting tips and tricks since the games release way back in 2006. Each playthrough is a unique experience thanks to the randomly generated aspects of the game. This means any new player that may need some help should be able to find a plethora of Dwarf Fortress trivia online!
10 Play The Tutorial - It's Much More Than Moving With WASD
In most video games, players are met with a tutorial that will prompt basic commands, such as using WASD to move or moving the mouse to look around. These simplified tutorials can be infuriating and for the most part, they are pointless, however, Dwarf Fortress is no ordinary game.
This is a sprawling, vast game that requires a lot of time management, patience, and preparation. Dwarf Fortress is not for the faint of heart; players will fail repeatedly. A fortress will not last forever, and the end is not a loss, it is just part of the story. So, before writing off the game and posting a negative review, please, play the tutorial, learn the basics, and don't quit when a run is at its end, the game is only just beginning! Much like a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, death and failure is just a part of Dwarf Fortress. So, with this in mind, do not skip the tutorial.
9 Ask For Help - Utilize The Online Gaming Community
There is a massive community of veteran Dwarf Fortress players out there that will answer any questions new players might have. The community is very active, don't be afraid to ask for help!
Players who persevere with a game like Dwarf Fortress will be rewarded with one of the greatest video game experiences possible.
One great way to get to grips with Dwarf Fortress is by reading about other players' games. This way, new players can learn passively while enjoying some Dwarf Fortress content. Whether it's a Reddit post or a YouTube video, there are plenty of tutorials, playthroughs, and tip guides to consume.
8 Embark Location - A Little To The Left?
Much like any colony simulator, a location with plentiful resources will make things a lot easier. As a beginner, take the easy route and choose a place with as many benefits as possible and avoid any dangers, like evil provinces. For performance, a 4x4 selection is probably wise and will be large enough to provide plenty of resources. A big tip for new players is to set up away from aquifers. Aquifers can cause a lot of problems, and new players will do well to avoid them until they gain more experience.
As a rule of thumb, choosing something near the mountains that also has easy access to trees and rivers would be an excellent place for a new Dwarf Fortress!
7 Assign Labor and Zones - Not The Danger Zone
Before embarking fully, press Y and take time to assign the Dwarves some tasks. Locking the Dwarves into their certain tasks means that they will only do that job. So, locking in the assigned miner means their sole focus will be mining. It may sound simple, but doing this means that the fortress can run efficiently, rather than each Dwarf trying to do separate jobs.
After this, press Z to open up the Zones menu and find suitable places to create a Water Source, a Fishing area, and animal pens. With this prepared, the Dwarves will get to work automatically.
6 Start Slow
The first fortress will be a memorable one, it's an iconic moment for all Dwarf Fortress players, but it will probably end badly, and that's okay! As a new player, the focus should be on learning but digging too deep too fast is a sure way to lose.
As players will know, Dwarves love to dig, and this is going to be a big part of the game. With that said, deep mining is not the priority, and within the depths, there is more than just ore and gems. Dangers lurk around every mine shaft, seriously, it is all too easy to meet destruction by digging too deep too quickly. Instead of burrowing away, in search of treasure. Start by covering the main things Dwarves need to survive. Following those guidelines will give the fortress a good solid foundation.
5 Managing Resources - How Much?
This may seem obvious in a colony simulator, but make sure there are plenty of supplies. Beer and food are two things that players will need a large supply of alcohol, or they risk facing an angry colony of Dwarves. Building a kitchen and supplying the dwarves with fine meals is a sure way of keeping morale high, rather than just keeping them full. A Tavern is also a great way of keeping the dwarves happy.
Players can maximize any stockpile space by using bins, barrels, and pots. These can hold many items at once and will free up space. Barrels and pots are used to store food and alcohol and smaller items can be stored in bins.
4 Trading - Two Of Them And Three Of The Other
A Trade Depot will quickly become an important part of any good fortress. The Trade Post allows traveling traders to visit, giving players a chance to exchange goods. Stockpile resources that are abundant in the immediate zone, and then use these to buy exotic items or rare resources. It can be helpful to put the trade depot near the entrance of the fortress, as it needs quite a lot of space, and it gives easy access without taking up room within the fortress. Be sure to take care when trading with certain factions. Elves, for example, will storm out of a fortress if offered any wooden items.
A trading post is also a great way to earn passive income by selling items crafted from stone. There is always stone lying around, get the dwarves to craft excess stone into tradable goods.
3 Assign Nobles and Administrators - Lords and Ladies
When the fortress becomes too large for players to keep track of all the tasks, assigning tasks to Nobles and Administrators will save a lot of time and effort. These dwarves will often have a particular set of skills, like an aptitude for numbers for example. Using these dwarves will lighten the load in terms of management and keeps the fortress running smoothly.
While this is not strictly an autopilot mode, it allows the players to experience the game as it plays out, rather than continuously complete tasks. The beauty of Dwarf Fortress is in the story, so make sure to take notice.
2 Make Friends Where You Can
Building connections with different colonies is a great way to establish alliances. As time goes on, players will undoubtedly trigger random encounters. These characters may be friendly or hostile, but every encounter is an opportunity. Sometimes, the friendlier characters will seek refuge in a player's fortress, this can be a boon or a hindrance, so choose wisely.
These guests will bring some perks that players can abuse, but they will require food and a place to stay in return for their services. If a weary traveler stops by that has some useful skills, it could be worth sparing some food to gain the perks.
1 Create A Militia
A military is essential to ensure the survival of a fortress. In Dwarf Fortress, every player will witness an angry faction assaulting their fortress, a well-trained militia is the only thing that will stop them. Dwarves that aren't specifically skilled in other jobs make great soldiers or cannon fodder. Creating a balanced squad with varied weaponry is the best way to ensure survival in any siege. Get the non-essential dwarves into the barracks and get them battle-ready!
Make sure these dwarves are kept happy, they are trained in the art of war and low moods could make them attack other dwarves. It will make sense to provide the best armor and weapons possible as this can be the difference between winning or losing a siege. Warhammers are a well-rounded choice but make sure there are some piercing weapons, or crossbows in the mix too.
Dwarf Fortress is available on PC.