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− | {{ | + | {{quality|masterwork}}{{av}} |
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:''This is not a tutorial, a FAQ, or a new player's guide. This is a mildly advanced theoretical treatment for someone ready to take the plunge and make all the decisions about their own fortress. The following are intended for beginners:'' | :''This is not a tutorial, a FAQ, or a new player's guide. This is a mildly advanced theoretical treatment for someone ready to take the plunge and make all the decisions about their own fortress. The following are intended for beginners:'' | ||
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:* Demand for a skill during a game | :* Demand for a skill during a game | ||
:* Whether quality or speed are significant considerations for tasks/final product | :* Whether quality or speed are significant considerations for tasks/final product | ||
− | :* Balancing the desire to create [[wealth]] ''(with high-value products)'' with the need to maintain [[thought|morale]] ''(with low-value but commonly | + | :* Balancing the desire to create [[wealth]] ''(with high-value products)'' with the need to maintain [[thought|morale]] ''(with low-value but commonly used products, like [[bed]]s, which normally are made from [[wood]])'' |
:* most importantly - ''your playstyle'' - what '''you''' think is "[[fun]]"! | :* most importantly - ''your playstyle'' - what '''you''' think is "[[fun]]"! | ||
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==== Design Constraints: Which skills do I need, really? ==== | ==== Design Constraints: Which skills do I need, really? ==== | ||
− | + | The only thing that you absolutely must do in the first year is get your [[food]] supplies into a food stockpile, preferably inside, or your food will [[rot]] on the ground and your dwarves will starve. Anything else you want to do can be accommodated by sufficient investment in initial supplies and/or skills. This means the options for possible starting builds are vast because virtually any set of starting skills for your dwarves is viable (and that's before you even think about equipment, which adds more variables). So the short answer is: none. | |
− | + | That said, there are some skills which will be '''used''', to one extent or another, by virtually every fortress - but that doesn't mean you '''need''' or even want to invest points in them to start. You could even manipulate the fortress (see [[challenge]]) to completely avoid one or more of the following, but these are the skills you will find it exceptionally hard to avoid creating jobs for: | |
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− | That said, there are some skills which will be '''used''', to one extent or another, by virtually every | ||
*[[Mining]] - to dig your fortress, and create loose [[stone]] for projects. It's only possible to avoid mining if you're secretly an [[elf]]. | *[[Mining]] - to dig your fortress, and create loose [[stone]] for projects. It's only possible to avoid mining if you're secretly an [[elf]]. | ||
− | ** Inexperienced [[miner]]s work very slowly. Mining can be leveled up quite quickly by mining [[soil#soil|soil]], but taking at least | + | ** Inexperienced [[miner]]s work very slowly. Mining can be leveled up quite quickly by mining [[soil#soil|soil]], but taking two dwarves with at least some points in mining is recommended in most cases. |
*[[Carpentry]], [[wood cutter|Wood cutting]] - [[bed]]s can only be produced from [[wood]] (rare [[mood]]s aside). This skill is also quite useful for producing [[bin]]s and [[barrel]]s. | *[[Carpentry]], [[wood cutter|Wood cutting]] - [[bed]]s can only be produced from [[wood]] (rare [[mood]]s aside). This skill is also quite useful for producing [[bin]]s and [[barrel]]s. | ||
** It's best not to assign carpentery and wood cutting to the same dwarf. Doing so creates a bottleneck early on, when carpentry is your only reliable industry. | ** It's best not to assign carpentery and wood cutting to the same dwarf. Doing so creates a bottleneck early on, when carpentry is your only reliable industry. | ||
− | *[[Masonry]] - to fashion dwarven [[furniture]] from stone, and build [[ | + | *[[Masonry]] - to fashion dwarven [[furniture]] from stone, and build [[buildings]] and [[constructions]] from stone. |
** Due to the vast supply of loose stones, masons can be easily trained by [[repeat]]ing jobs at a mason's workshop. | ** Due to the vast supply of loose stones, masons can be easily trained by [[repeat]]ing jobs at a mason's workshop. | ||
*[[Grower|Growing]] - your farmers' work echoes throughout so many other tasks, it's stunning. | *[[Grower|Growing]] - your farmers' work echoes throughout so many other tasks, it's stunning. | ||
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A common skill list (Just as a general quick start): | A common skill list (Just as a general quick start): | ||
*2 Miners | *2 Miners | ||
− | *1 | + | *1 Woodcutter |
*1 Grower/Cook | *1 Grower/Cook | ||
*1 Grower/Brewer | *1 Grower/Brewer | ||
− | *1 | + | *1 Carpenter |
− | *1 | + | *1 Mason |
This is not the be all end all, of course; it all depends upon your location, your goals, and what you consider fun. | This is not the be all end all, of course; it all depends upon your location, your goals, and what you consider fun. | ||
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==== Balancing military and economic needs ==== | ==== Balancing military and economic needs ==== | ||
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The items you choose to bring with you will need to satisfy a number of needs. Most importantly, you need to keep yourself alive - at least until the caravan arrives in the fall to resupply your fortress. You probably also want to plan on some way of making a shelter, whether that be the traditional delved hall, a majestic castle, a log cabin, or something even more exotic. You may want to plan for mishaps by bringing essential medical supplies, especially those which may be hard to acquire on site. And you might bring items which will assist in creating items for trade to that first caravan, should you need anything for the skills you're planning on. | The items you choose to bring with you will need to satisfy a number of needs. Most importantly, you need to keep yourself alive - at least until the caravan arrives in the fall to resupply your fortress. You probably also want to plan on some way of making a shelter, whether that be the traditional delved hall, a majestic castle, a log cabin, or something even more exotic. You may want to plan for mishaps by bringing essential medical supplies, especially those which may be hard to acquire on site. And you might bring items which will assist in creating items for trade to that first caravan, should you need anything for the skills you're planning on. | ||
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For the purposes of this article, livestock are considered items. | For the purposes of this article, livestock are considered items. | ||
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==== Container mechanics and free items ==== | ==== Container mechanics and free items ==== | ||
− | Many items come in containers such as [[barrel]]s and [[bag]]s, including [[food]], liquids, [[seed | + | Many items come in containers such as [[barrel]]s and [[bag]]s, including [[food]], liquids, [[seed]]s, and [[powder]]s. The cost to embark with these items can be cheaper than the cost of the container itself, and each different type of item for each category will come in its own container. Furthermore, you'll get a new container after every 10th instance for food, most liquids, and seeds, and after every item of powders.{{verify}} [[Alcohol]] gets a new barrel after every 5th unit. (Food actually groups by animal type, so if you get horse tripe and horse meat they'll combine in one barrel, but horse meat and donkey meat will come in separate barrels). Thus diversifying your initial food supply with 1 of each low-cost food item will net you a large number of barrels. Similarly, it is worth taking 1 of each seed you weren't planning on taking more of, solely for the bags. Taking some sand or gypsum powder is also a cheap way to get bags. [[Lye]] (for soap) and [[milk]]s can be brought for more barrels - and milk can be made into cheese for a low-cost embark option that becomes food. |
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− | [[ | ||
− | + | As stockpiling and some jobs are container-limited, getting as many free containers as you can will free up labor (and possibly valuable materials) that would otherwise be used making containers. Note, however, that this behavior is considered by some to be an [[exploit]] since it provides substantial advantage at no cost. | |
==== Finished product or do-it-yourself ==== | ==== Finished product or do-it-yourself ==== | ||
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==== Free Equipment ==== | ==== Free Equipment ==== | ||
− | The only free equipment you get in | + | The only free equipment you get in Dwarf Fortress mode is the wagon (which can be broken down for some logs), its draft animals, and your dwarves' clothes. Unfortunately, your dwarves don't get any free equipment based on their skills. This is in contrast to [[Adventure mode]], in which the only equipment available on starting is free equipment. |
That said, it is possible to procure additional containers by choosing to embark with a diverse range of items, ensuring that each is given their own bag, barrel or bin for less of the cost of the item by itself. See [[Starting_build#Container_mechanics_and_free_items|Container Mechanics and Free Items]]. | That said, it is possible to procure additional containers by choosing to embark with a diverse range of items, ensuring that each is given their own bag, barrel or bin for less of the cost of the item by itself. See [[Starting_build#Container_mechanics_and_free_items|Container Mechanics and Free Items]]. |