40d:Release information

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xTATTEREDx · +FINE+ · *SUPERIOR* · ≡EXCEPTIONAL≡ · ☼MASTERWORK☼

This version, DF v0.27.169.32a, was released on October 29, 2007. The last update was v0.28.181.40d, released on September 8, 2008.

This page lists the changes in this version of Dwarf Fortress. As with all major releases, version 0.27.169.32a broke save compatibility with old versions.

General

With the release of this version, a huge number of changes were introduced. The central change was the introduction of a Z dimension to the game map; previously, all fortresses were built on a single, two-dimensional plane -- now, fortresses can span dozens of levels. The layout of terrain on the game map also changed radically, featuring separate distinct stone layers with (mostly) geologically accurate contents, as well as allowing a single fortress to encompass several different biomes.

Terrain layout

Rather than simply having an "outside" with a river zig-zagging north to south, you now embark on a hilly plot of land and can dig either sideways (into the hillside) or straight down. Availability of map features (rivers, chasms, magma, and adamantine) are now dependent on where you embark, so careful planning is needed in order to make sure you get everything you want. When you uncover a map feature, it is now fully revealed, rather than only revealing tiles visible via line-of-sight.

Map features no longer contain an infinite number of creatures - once their inhabitants are dead, no more will appear, leaving them safe for you to use as you see fit.

Water and magma no longer consist of "floods" that expand infinitely - instead, each map tile can contain varying amounts of liquid (from depth 0 to 7) which spread out to adjacent tiles.

The stone beneath the surface is now divided into distinct geological layers, each having their own inclusions of minerals and gems. Some layers may even hold aquifers, providing you with unlimited amounts of water if you're careful (and nasty flooding if you aren't).

Materials differences

Dozens of new minerals have been added, each having different colors, weights, and values.
Over a hundred new types of gems have also been added, giving your dwarves a much wider variety of materials for decorations.
The surface is now covered in a layer of soil, of which 20 different varieties now exist, including multiple types of sand which can be gathered to make glass.
More trees and plants have been added, some of which are exclusive to good, evil, or savage regions.
Metals are now defined in the raws, allowing modders to add as many new ones as they wish. Over a dozen new metals and alloys have been added as well.
Steelmaking can now use multiple types of flux - in addition to limestone, you can also use chalk, dolomite, calcite, and marble.
Obsidian is now created when water and magma combine, allowing infinite amounts of stone to be created if your map has infinite supplies of water and magma.
Metal ores are now treated the same as stone, in that you can make them into furniture or crafts, as well as smelt them into metal bars, if you flag them as "available for non-economic use".
Stone, gems, coal, and metal ores now follow the same formula for mining yields - 25% for an unskilled miner, scaling up to 100% for a Legendary miner.

A single embark may only contain a small number of these new materials, so careful planning is needed to ensure that you have access to everything you want. Stones and metal bars can now be traded from the mountainhomes, so even if you can't mine something locally, you may also be able to import it.

The encumbrance system has also changed significantly, reducing the original Γ unit to handle the wider variety of material densities.

Building differences

Caravan wagons no longer require an actual road to be built - instead, they just need an uninterrupted 3-wide wagon-accessible path from the edge of the map to your trade depot. Additionally, Dwarven caravans also bring wagons now.
Outdoor farming is now possible - most plants gathered from shrubs now yield seeds, and those seeds can be planted all year round to allow your dwarves to produce a wider variety of food, drinks, clothing, and dyes.
Indoor farming is no longer forbidden during winter, and your farm plots no longer need to be rebuilt every year.
Traps can now be placed outdoors, and outdoor bridges can now be made to raise or retract.
New walls, floors, stairs, and ramps can now be constructed in any location you desire, allowing you to build above-ground fortresses as well as replace excavated walls.
Water-powered mills have been replaced with machine-powered millstones and hand-powered querns. Machine power can be gathered from windmills and from water wheels and transmitted using gears and axles. Machine power can also be used to power screw pumps, allowing you to move liquids around your fortress in a more controlled manner.
Magma workshops can now be built over any tile that contains magma at a depth of at least 4/7, so you can pump magma from a magma pool or magma pipe into a secured area to keep your workers safe.

Cave-ins

Rooms can now be as large as you want - cave-ins only happen if you have a chunk of stone which has no connection to the rest of the world and is thus floating in mid-air.

Adamantine

Gone is the adamantine-lined chasm and the instant end-of-game that was triggered after mining it. Now, adamantine can be found in certain mountain embark areas, and digging too far will uncover the eerie glowing pits and give your miners a lot more than they bargained for.

Skills and labors

All skills now have their own labor setting - for example, metalsmithing has been split into weaponsmithing, armoring, blacksmithing, and metalcrafting, giving you much finer control over your dwarves. Each skill also now has its own distinct profession, so dwarves specializing in different skills within the same group (e.g. butchers and wood burners) can now be immediately distinguished in the units list. Additionally, adamantine working no longer requires special skills, instead using your normal metalworking skills, and adamantine extraction is now performed by strand extractors.

Miscellaneous

You can now embark at almost any location on the world map (with the sole restriction that at least one region tile must be non-mountain and non-ocean), and your fortress can be of varying size (default 6x6, with at least 15 Z-levels of stone underneath). Fortresses can also cover multiple biomes in order to have access to a wider variety of plants and animals. It is even possible to embark on top of existing sites (Human towns, Elven forest retreats, Goblin towers, caves, and ruins, but not Dwarven mountain halls), though you will need to deal with the original inhabitants.
Starting goods now include 60 units of alcohol and an anvil (worth 1000), which can be potentially traded for a wider variety of supplies.
The Manager, Broker, Bookkeeper, and Sheriff/Captain of the guard are now appointed from your own population and continue to perform their original labors when they are not busy with their special tasks (approving work orders, trading at the depot, and updating stockpile records). Additionally, a random dwarf will be appointed Expedition leader on embark and will be promoted to Mayor once your fortress becomes large enough, and a new Mayor will be elected each year. The Baron and consort also get promoted to Count and then Duke as your fortress grows, rather than being distinct nobles with their own separate room requirements, mandates, and demands.
Guilds no longer have distinct leaders, and some guilds have been removed - now, work-deprived miners, masons, carpenters, metalsmiths, jewelers, and craftsdwarves will meet directly with the Manager who will then relay their requests to the Mayor.
Activity zones now permit restricting which areas are allowed for fishing, water sources, sand gathering, ponds, meeting areas, and garbage dumps.
World generation now allows you to specify a seed value, making it possible for multiple people to generate exactly the same world without having to upload it to a file sharing repository.
Over a hundred new creatures have been added, including lots of large fish which now populate ponds, rivers, lakes, and oceans.
Creatures now have distinct personalities which affect their behavior in many ways.