Back to Stone Age?

[White Lion]

Guys we're in 2023 now. It's an era where graphic card technology can produce animation so realistic that you can't really tell the difference between reality and CGI.

I'm very shocked that it got a near perfect score from 18 thousand reviews. We already have similar games like Dungeons 3, War for the Overworld, or other games with similar mechanics.

So the biggest question is what is your primary motivation to buy Dwarf Fortress with "stone age" graphics quality instead of other games with next-gen graphics?

Please don't answer "because it's fun". Please elaborate what aspect of it is more "fun" if compared to the other ones.

[Claybot]

A big part for me is watching worlds generate and being able to play a part in those worlds and exploring the incredible amount of depth in them. The game is also an infinite strategy game classroom but when you lose, its fun! There nothing like watching your fort of 100 dwarves slowly become werepigs and knowing that its probably more fun to watch them all become hideous monsters than micromanage every single dwarf that was infected and quarantining them. Then you retire that fort and make a new one in the same world where you may be invaded from a werepig from your last fort but this time youll be ready.

[Benjamin_Bellamarca]

I think the depth of detail in the content is the big draw- how many other games have more than 50 types of gemstone? A multiprocess honey supply chain? The opportunities for fun (and "fun") are almost endless. Sure, the game would be more user friendly with more modern graphics. But I respect independent devs who put a focus on content over appearance.

[Tanyon]

There are layers of depth to this game that do not exist in other games with better/modern graphics there is a trade-off..

Dwarf Fortress
Minecraft
Terraria
Rimworld

All these games if you have an imagination and can get past the looks have very rich and rewarding game-play.

At first glance yet the looks can be a deterrent but to learn to play this game could take dozens of hours... to maser it could take hundreds.

[Floorpills]

The depth of the simulation. In combat your dwarves can damage individual limbs and those limbs are composed of fat, nerves, muscle, arteries etc. It can be damage by weapons in which the combat itself is also detailed affected by the skills of the combatants. That battles are detailed by which individual strikes and the damages are detailed which makes combat gruesome (when you apply a bit of imagination) multiply that combat to hundreds of fights in a battle between dwarves and goblins (FPS death right there). You can pick out a dwarf and check out who he's fighting and how injured him and his combatant is and follow a detailed log of his fight as if its a detailed 1v1 games focused on literary fights. Also, the simulation on armors and metals. Instead of the devs just giving an abitrary value of "Armor +10" it instead has arbitrary values set by engineers irl (Not that different actually?) atleast to the best of the DF devs can simulate it. Metals have shear, impact fracture etc. which influence the armor/weapons on how well they perform. In fortresses making soap, armor, as said above honey could be an endeavor.

The Scale of the world. Sadly, in this steam version adventure mode is still ways away. Being able to leave the fortress and venture throughout the big wide world with your dwarf (or some other species) going to various cities buying armor, weapons, hunting the night creature that stalks the streets. Going into the wilderness and getting ambushed by giant dingos and having your great run ended early (happened years ago and I'm still salty about it). Following rumours of dragons, demons and titans. Consequently getting stomped by those same mythical beasts (Have you ever fought a titan made of pure steel, shooting webs and breathing fire? I did and my adventure died soo fast its not even funny). My favorite thing to do after my fortress fell because of an epic creature like dragons. Is to basically make a demi-god and slaughter every enemy for revenge.

Histories. Sadly, legends modes UI does not allow the old exporting of histories, maps, etc that allows me to use a third party program that makes it easier to read the history of the world. But, back at ver 47 before I started a fortress. I investigated the world. How's my civilization faring? Has war decimated my civ? Is my Civ currently at war? I might then build a military fortress and send people out to raid and hold back the tide. Does my civ have an epic King/Queen? I might build a fortress worthy of that title (For the popular one read "Cacame Awemedinade" at the wiki).

Lastly, the chaos of it all when everything goes downhill (or uphill). One time I was invaded my a giant ettin naturally I sent of dwarves to attack it. The first one to come out of the gates is a dwarven woman naked that proceeded to wrestle with the invader. The enemy tried to hit her but she always misses and the woman always hits but it wasn't very effective (She also tried to strangle the ettin to no avail) But, what she did is tire out the enemy so when my fully armed and armored military finally came around they simply slaughtered it. I dedicated a full statue for her after the fight and investigating her skills she has a Legendary skill in wrestling and Dodging.

Dwarf Fortress is one of the best games I played in my life so far. I recommend trying out v47 if you can stomach the graphics after you get familiar with Steam version. It has the full adventure mode and Legends mode + compatibility of 3rd party legends viewers mod.

[kudos72]

For me it's a combination of the mechanics sandbox, e.g. making a trap that fires mine carts full of lava and the story generation, e.g.

It's kind of the fulfilment of a Peter Molyneux promise but the cost is graphical fidelity.

The reality is that games cost time to make and time is money. This game has taken decades of man hours largely done as a hobby.

I think if you're into games like Rimworld its worth a go but it's far more manual and less forgiving. I'm really enjoying it after failing to cope with the ASCII/keyboard version.

[Menzagitat]

Originally posted by Death Star:

I'm very shocked...

Have some

[zeeb]

Someone has apparently never heard of "Gameplay > Graphics".
The gameplay of DF is superior to many AAA graphic games of today and I will pick a game with higher quality gameplay over a game with high quality graphics any day of the week. Even with a ton of bugs (some minor, some critical), DF still comes out on top when matched against other titles, that speaks pretty much for itself.

Look at the latest BF and COD titles, see how much graphics are worth when the rest is missing.

[malthenielsen]

Simply because graphics isn't everything in games. Like millions I play chess that has quite ♥♥♥♥♥♥ graphics, but the game's appeal just isn't in how it looks.

[Sasquatch]

This has to be a troll post LOL, because the OP seemingly doesn't even understand what kind of game DF is.

Besides, there are no games with realistic graphics that I've played longer than 100-150 hours. Meanwhile I have thousands of hours in DF and Rimworld.

When AAA companies shove all their $ into graphics, there usually isn't much gameplay there. Certainly not enough to keep me playing for 1000+ hours.

Gameplay ALWAYS > Graphics. Graphics wow you for a few hours and then you don't even care anymore. Gameplay lasts.

[The Knowledge Seeker]

I think with this game, every little choice you make, has an impact. For example, logs have a weight. Weight can slow progress speed. Choice of log also effects environment such as beauty and flammability. If a dwarf is outside when it is raining...well, click on your dwarf and then the items tab for what they are wearing Rain is going to affect their mood. Rain will also affect the enviroment, etc. Now, expand this idea with each and every object, on top of the fact that another species hates when you chop trees and use wood or animals in product or product storage.

So many ways to die, so many ideas to try, so many situations to experience, so much more in the future. What is not to love?

[harlequin_corps]

I've been playing DF for a VERY long time. I have never WON a game of DF. Someday.. I will. Granted, the steam version is, essentially, the new player version with a lot of the things that will wipe out your fortress being removed or reduced to the point of being just an irritation.

[White Lion]

Originally posted by zeeb:

Someone has apparently never heard of "Gameplay > Graphics".
The gameplay of DF is superior to many AAA graphic games of today and I will pick a game with higher quality gameplay over a game with high quality graphics any day of the week. Even with a ton of bugs (some minor, some critical), DF still comes out on top when matched against other titles, that speaks pretty much for itself.

Look at the latest BF and COD titles, see how much graphics are worth when the rest is missing.

Those games are swarmed by cheaters. Hence players abandon them. So they're irrelevant comparison to DF.

[White Lion]

Originally posted by malthenielsen:

Simply because graphics isn't everything in games. Like millions I play chess that has quite ♥♥♥♥♥♥ graphics, but the game's appeal just isn't in how it looks.

You didn't answer the question. The post is not about debating gameplay over graphics. What part of DF is so appealing to you, that made you disregard its graphics?

[zeeb]

Originally posted by Death Star:

Originally posted by zeeb:

Someone has apparently never heard of "Gameplay > Graphics".
The gameplay of DF is superior to many AAA graphic games of today and I will pick a game with higher quality gameplay over a game with high quality graphics any day of the week. Even with a ton of bugs (some minor, some critical), DF still comes out on top when matched against other titles, that speaks pretty much for itself.

Look at the latest BF and COD titles, see how much graphics are worth when the rest is missing.

Those games are swarmed by cheaters. Hence players abandon them. So they're irrelevant comparison to DF.

Irrelevant because it doesn't suit your narrative.

[Rainbow Jeremy]

I think the graphics look really nice. At least the Dwarves look cool instead of like weird mutant chess pieces of the lowest value.