Genre: Colony Simulator
The steam release of the popular game Dwarf Fortress has brought a lot of new players into the community, and this is INCREDIBLE! I am so happy to see such a wonderful game get the attention it deserves!
But, be warned. This game is (perhaps famously) complicated. That isn’t to say it isn’t impossible to pick up, but it can definitely make new players feel overwhelmed which isn’t ideal. The packaged tutorial is also, in my opinion, fairly bare bones.
So, as an avid Dorf Fort player, I will give my OFFICIAL opinion on the steam release.
Dwarf Fortress Steam Edition Link
Dwarf Fortress Classic (Free to Play)
Controls
The new controls are definitely kinder to modern users, and I do think there are a number of advantages to it.
For those of you who don’t know , the old game used to control entirely through your keyboard, and if your keyboard didn’t have a number pad, then the controls would be pretty uncomfortable. There were some mods available that made it so you could use your mouse, but I was never overly thrilled using those, and continued to default to using the keyboard. This made laptop gaming very attractive, and DF dominated my time spent at college.
Now, though, on the steam release version of this game, the mouse is a control powerhouse. I can play the game on my desktop computer without having to worry about the lack of a keypad. But, I have noticed some problems.
First of all, my hand hurts. Granted, I’ve been playing a LOT of dwarf fortress, but the mouse is just not an ergonomic mode of control. I think the biggest offender is the way you pan the camera. You have to click the middle mouse button and drag the mouse. Trust me, you start to feel it after playing for a few days.
This isn’t a huge nitpick, however, because you can control the camera through WASD. I do suggest doing this as an alternative to using the mouse to control the camera. No big deal there. The keyboard provides a pretty solid work around.
Mouse Lag
There is, unfortunately, a pretty big problem with the mouse: the lag.
So, for the uninitiated, DF tends to lag the longer the game runs and the more creatures are in your embark zone. This was typically a minor annoyance in the old version, but in the new version, the lag affects your controls. And by controls, I mean the mouse.
I have noticed that as the lag increases, the game misses mouse clicks. This includes left, right, and middle mouse clicks. This means that you end up needing to spam mouse clicks, and it has led to me missing alerts. I’m pretty sure this contributes to my hand pain as well, and unlike camera movement, I don’t think that there’s a way around this.
Graphics
The new graphics are a mixed bag.
The sprites are all very nice, and I love looking at my exotic tavern patrons and my statues of flies. The stone can be a bit bland, though. Something I didn’t notice in the ASCII graphics since the colors there were all so vivid. That said, I do think that the overall game looks very good.
The UI, however, leaves a lot to be desired. While still a step up from the original UI, it is still very clunky and not all that intuitive. I’ve seen a number of people struggle to understand the information presented to them, and the revamped alert system doesn’t help. I’m hoping this gets some polish. Anything to lower the barrier to entry. I’d love to share this game with more people.
Here is a picture of my tavern. You can see that it is pretty busy, full of dwarves, bards, cats, and discarded clothes. While I prefer the vivid colors and complexity of the ASCII art, I cannot deny that the sprites in the Steam Edition are infinitely more user friendly.
Soundtrack
Okay, so I will admit to listening to the original dwarf fortress theme in ten hour loops, so perhaps I am biased… BUT the new soundtrack absolutely slaps. Its probably my favorite part of the steam release. I’ve listened to it on spotify and in my car. I can’t get enough of it.
My favorite track is definitely the forgotten beast (linked below).
Honestly, I can’t praise the soundtrack enough. Even if you’re not a fan of the game, do consider checking it out because it is incredible.
Verdict
Listen. It’s Dwarf Fortress. This is the grand daddy of colony simulators. An inspiration among game enthusiasts! It is an absolutely incredible game. I can say without doubt that this game is art. You are severely missing out if you haven’t given this game a shot.
And, as an older player of the game, I do recommend trying out the remaster if the original is intimidating to you! I know there are a few complaints about it here or there, but I’ve sunk all of my free time into the game, and I still haven’t gotten bored of it. Old players, please consider purchasing the steam release. The graphics and soundtrack alone are well worth the money.
Here is my score for the game. If you enjoy sandbox, simulation, or story heavy games, then Dwarf Fortress just might be for you.
1 Comment
dorf fort best game!!!