DF2014 Talk:Quickstart guide

Spring

Some of this article still assumes that the fortress will start in Spring, but that's not necessarily true any more. I don't know how to fix it without making things more complicated though. --Dree12 (talk) 20:31, 14 July 2014 (UTC)

I decided to go with "in the first six month", "by your third season", or similar. --Dree12 (talk) 02:19, 15 July 2014 (UTC)

Change name to "Fortress Mode Quick start"?

I feel like this page should be moved to Fortress mode quick start, not only to be consistent with the name Adventure mode quick start, but also to make it so that the name is more descriptive. "Quickstart guide" could mean anything, really. (For me at least, the current title feels like the name for some hypothetical "how to get DF running" guide, moreso than a fortress mode guide.) As a bonus, the new name doesn't imply that fortress mode is somehow the "default" or "main" mode of play :) . —Lue (talk) 02:42, 21 July 2014 (UTC)

Makes sense to me. —Lethosor (talk) 18:34, 21 July 2014 (UTC)

The game is called 'Dwarf Fortress' and the game mode at issue is called 'Dwarf Fortress' so I think it's reasonable to imply that this is the default mode of play. I don't actually care what the article's title is, but I don't really think anyone is confused by the status quo and if they are I don't think they can handle anything more challenging than legends mode. So I guess this is a vote against.Qalnor (talk)

Articles not Transferring over between versions

I was just browsing through this guide when I noticed that the "starting site" and "preparing carefully" articles are red links. Those pages existed for the last version of this article, but apparently they haven't been transferred over to DF2014 (that's the current version?). I really don't know much about this game or how wikis work, but for anybody else who views this guide it might be useful to see about getting those pages updated so the "where to start" article doesn't have red links in really important places.

Apparently subpages weren't copied over. I'll work on this tomorrow, hopefully. —Lethosor (talk) 04:04, 24 July 2014 (UTC)

Feedback: Great Guide

No section specified

I installed DF last night and this guide got me rolling withing a few hours. Thanks! (Well, the DF Starter Pack deserves some credit as well...) --94.65.62.78 21:12, 3 August 2014 (UTC)

Feedback from anonymous user

Section: Nobles

Details on how to read the two columns in the inventory/stocks screen would be great here. --99.234.13.193 03:06, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

Added a link to stocks. —Lethosor (talk) 03:10, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

Feedback: wheelbarrow

Section: Workshops

Maybe im being dumb and blind but i can't find wheelbarrow in Carpenter Workshop.

This is the paragraph where it is explained, but im going through the list and can't find "wheelbarrow". "Also, it would be helpful to build a few wheelbarrows to make hauling large objects easier. Queue up 2 or 3 at the carpenter's workshop (they're located near the bottom of the list, but remember that scrolling up with - warps to the bottom of the list). While the wheelbarrows are being built, select your stone stockpile with q and use w to increase "Max Wheelbarrow" to 3 (the maximum). Your dwarves will automatically move wheelbarrows to the stockpile once they are built."

Maybe it's name got changed or it's being build somewhere else. --84.114.70.137 19:59, 19 August 2014 (UTC)

What version of DF are you using? As long as you're using v0.34.08 or higher, they're definitely built at a carpenter's workshop (located between "Make wooden minecart" and "Make wooden pipe section"). You may be confused because they're not on the first page of the list, which is mentioned in the paragraph you quoted. —Lethosor (talk) 23:02, 19 August 2014 (UTC)

Feedback: what?

Section: Delving Secure Lodgings

This is incredibly confusing. The picture doesn't even show the entrance. I thought it was supposed to be 20 tiles long and 1 wide. It is nowhere to be found. --63.142.119.65 13:14, 21 August 2014 (UTC)

This picture shows the entry tunnel after the modifications described in the first two sentences of this section:

"Near the middle of the entry tunnel, build a 5x5 room, and link it to the entrance tunnel with a 3-tile-wide passageway. Expand the main entry tunnel to three tiles wide from the entrance of the new room to the outside entry."

The entrance tunnel extends from the upward ramps on the right to the large room on the left. —Lethosor (talk) 14:16, 21 August 2014 (UTC)

Feedback: Don't know how many barrels are in currently in my stockpile

Section: Brewing

It says to reduce the max barrels to the number currently in the pile, but I don't know how to find that. Thanks. --196.200.93.16 15:02, 23 August 2014 (UTC)

Removed that part, since it's not necessary (in fact, the whole point of reserved barrels is to avoid adjusting the settings of every stockpile). —Lethosor (talk) 21:45, 25 August 2014 (UTC)

Feedback: 1x1 stairway or 3x3 stairway

Section: Stairways

It says to put a stairway in the middle of the room we created for them. That would seem to suggest 1 square stairway. I see some of the graphics that on the floor below it looks like there are 3x3 stairs. I don't know what the implications are of either option or what's intended.

Thanks --196.200.93.16 15:05, 23 August 2014 (UTC)

It should be a 3x3 staircase in the 3x3 room (see the picture) - hopefully I made this somewhat clearer. —Lethosor (talk) 21:45, 25 August 2014 (UTC)

Feedback: Shift + > or Shift + <

Section: Stairways

I know there are different graphics when shift should be pushed but showing it for < or > is confusing. It was not apparent that I should hit shift. Had to search somewhere else to figure out how to change z levels --76.125.186.211 00:04, 25 August 2014 (UTC)

Many keyboard layouts (including US keyboards) require Shift to type < and > - this isn't DF-specific. I added a note in the first place those keys are mentioned. —Lethosor (talk) 17:33, 25 August 2014 (UTC)

Feedback from anonymous user

Section: Stairways

"in the middle of the 3x3 room you dug out earlier"

May be 5x5 room? --94.181.49.32 15:42, 5 September 2014 (UTC)

No, this is correct. From the article:

Near the middle of the entry tunnel, build a 5x5 room, and link it to the entrance tunnel with a 3-tile-wide passageway. Expand the main entry tunnel to three tiles wide from the entrance of the new room to the outside entry. At the end of the entry tunnel, dig a 3x3 room, which will later become your main stairwell.

I've added a note to the article about this. —Lethosor (talk) 19:08, 5 September 2014 (UTC)

Feedback: Boooze over

Section: Checking Supplies

In a upper paragraph didn't we make more booze? --191.180.4.103 02:38, 8 September 2014 (UTC)

Feedback: Great guide!

No section specified

Hey, I really appreciate the work that went into making this guide. I've tried a few times in the past to get into Dwarf Fortress - but I never came victor. I thought it was way too complex for me, and even though I love complex simulators, I finally gave up.

Recently it started bugging me again, and I gave it another chance. Thanks to this guide, I finally *understood* the meaning of the game and I can now play and discover much like anyone else. There was just this single lever to (P)ull, and now that's on it can never be turned off.

Thanks a bunch, guys. --94.36.51.106 08:51, 1 November 2014 (UTC)

Feedback from anonymous user

Section: Stockpiles

I got some issues with my "general purpose stockpiles", whem digging it, i got many leftover chert . . . I don't know how to remove those stuff to create a fully vacant stockpiles.

In the guide we get a note about it, but no info on how to change this. Hide the chert let them still on the tiles and dumping them, not make something for me at this point . . .

Thank for the guide and for the help --89.3.210.92 18:24, 4 January 2015 (UTC)

Feedback: Bruh

Section: Stairways

3x3 is ugly bruh --66.171.208.194 04:21, 1 February 2015 (UTC)

Not starting with Plump Helmets

I've started several different fortresses using the default loadouts, but have yet to start with a farmer or any Plump Helmet seeds. I'm using version 40.24, not sure if that matters. I do start with Shade Thorn saplings and Devil Mushrooms. Can I make booze with these instead of the plump helmets?

These plants aren't present in the vanilla/unedited game. I recommend you ask in a thread or forum that's familiar with the mods you use. --Button (talk) 01:12, 13 February 2015 (UTC)

The only mod I've installed was a tileset mod. No extra items or seeds. I've already got a decent sized fortress now, is there a way to get plump helmets other than starting with them?

Again, you have plants which aren't present in the unmodified game. We have no way of knowing if plump helmets even still exist in the mod you're using. I suggest you ask at wherever you downloaded your copy of Dwarf Fortress from. --Button (talk) 18:29, 13 February 2015 (UTC)

If you installed a new version over an older version, any mods might remain and cause problems. Although, if your game has plump helmets at all, you will probably be able to purchase them from the dwarven caravan (they always seem to bring plenty).--Loci (talk) 21:13, 13 February 2015 (UTC)

I've never used a mod with this game before other than this new tileset. There were no old versions on this computer. The last dwarven caravan had no plump helmets either. It seems I'm SOL. I'll have to go with aboveground farms until I figure out what's wrong. Thanks for trying to help though. – unsigned comment by 50.103.31.170

Grazers

So after the issue with the plump helmets I now realize that none of my grazing animals will eat. They simply walk around, remove all the grass, then promptly starve to death, regardless of how large the pen is that I put them in. I'm starting to think that my entire game may be bugged. I really like the world I have now and would really like to keep playing it. If anyone has any ideas on how to fix my grazers it would be greatly appreciated. – unsigned comment by 50.103.31.170

Turns out the "tileset" I downloaded changes a huge number of things in the game, adding plants, animals, weapons and all kinds of other things. Real nice of the guy that made it to mention that in his post. Sorry for wasting your time. – unsigned comment by 50.103.31.170

Which tileset is this, exactly? Can you provide a link to this post? —Lethosor (talk) 23:37, 14 February 2015 (UTC)

Masterwork?

This page is not really a must-read topic, but it is the single most thorough and detailed article on the entire wiki, perhaps on the best articles in the whole dwarffortressverse. (Horrible -verse name alert) I believe this article should be masterwork. Is that enough to negate the must-read requirement? Latias1290 (talk)

I don't think the "must-read" topic requirement is as important as other criteria. Feel free to change this page's rating if you see fit. —Lethosor (talk) 23:06, 26 March 2015 (UTC)

Strictness of instructions

There are a lot of instructions like "dig a 3x20 hallway", "make a 3x3 stairway", "two tiles past that, dig a 11x11 room". I believe it's detrimental to the creativity of beginners and ultimately the variety of fortresses to give such exact instructions. Instead, something like "make a stairway", "dig a large room", etc should be preferred. In addition, a paragraph talking about reasonable dimensions ("most fortresses will do with a 2x2 staircase", "a 3 tile wide hallway is enough for the main hallways of 200+ fortresses") should give beginners a sufficient scale to base their decisions on.

The question is whether it's better to give new players actual numbers to follow or instead give them rough dimensions and tell them to experiment. I fear that the former will rear players that build nothing but cookie cutter fortresses following exact dimensions of this guide; while the latter might simply be inferior as a guide. CLA (talk) 23:31, 23 July 2015 (UTC)

I tried to remove some rigid measurements from the guide a while back, so I don't object to removing others and adding more explanations. Of course, the minimum 3-tile-wide hallway to allow for wagon access is important to mention, but I can't think of anything else off the top of my head. —Lethosor (talk) 18:40, 26 July 2015 (UTC)

Done. CLA (talk) 18:06, 28 August 2015 (UTC)

Perhaps more information on trading would be useful?

What should I get? What should I be trading? 216.254.133.138 21:28, 21 August 2015 (UTC)

I think the most reliable thing for trading away would be prepared meals? They're relatively high value, and not very difficult to make lots of. 2602:302:D111:7290:9357:C7C4:D315:4B93 01:38, 22 August 2015 (UTC)

I expanded the trading section a little. Probably needs some correction and changes. In the end, I decided to omit the prepared meals, as a couple of barrels full of lavish meals created by a legendary cook can easily buy the entire caravan 3 times over. It makes the game ridiculously easy really quick, and I figure new players probably have more fun in the long run if they can't get everything from a caravan right away. I also mentioned the usual suspects for missing mood items as must-have supply, without explicitly mentioning moods as they're a bit spoiler-y and not mentioned anywhere else in the guide. Not sure if we should a) not mention these altogether, b) mention them without explaining why they're important, or c) list them with an explanation and link to mood page. Personally I think it's fine as I made it though.CLA (talk) 13:54, 23 August 2015 (UTC)

Feedback: how to cook

Section: Brewing and Cooking

It would be nice to know how one actually does any cooking. Shall one dwarf be assigned with the cooking labor? And then what? --81.216.197.38 13:14, 25 September 2015 (UTC)

Feedback: Those pictures are extremely confusing

Section: Traps

The pictures are either not helpful at all or marginally helpful without explanation of what they mean. --67.54.220.18 20:27, 13 October 2015 (UTC)

Feedback: Zombies!

Section: World Generation

I would like to suggests that all players to consider the fact that if there's a necromancer tower near you. Your kingdom will most likely be siege by various undead animals. Please put this note in for future new players. I have suffered the consequence by these unholy beings slaughtering my 22 little workers, 2 of which being children. RIP Rocksgrope. --Stagskull (talk) 07:04, 31 January 2016 (UTC)

I need an earlier step

I downloaded df_42_06_win.zip and unzipped it to a folder and read the readme.txt but I can't figure out what I should open to launch the actual game, can someone add an earlier step to this guide explaining how to go from downloading > unzipping > what to open to launch the game? NM I found DF2014:Installation but I will link that at the start. 184.145.18.50 20:27, 27 February 2016 (UTC)

Mouse wheel

Under DF2014:Quickstart_guide#Surveying_the_Area it talks about keys. I noticed that when I scroll my mouse wheel up/forward it zooms out and down/back it zooms in. Is this a proper way to interact with the map? 184.145.18.50 20:54, 27 February 2016 (UTC)

Feedback: Add a bit more

Section: Refuse

Add a bit more --69.112.13.248 00:43, 27 April 2016 (UTC)

Such as? For a quick start, that's all you need to know about refuse. Remember that this is the quickstart guide - here to give you a quick start with only the minimal amount of critical information. If you need in depth documentation, you can look up everything on the relevant wiki pages. CLA (talk) 11:32, 27 April 2016 (UTC)

Feedback: Example screenshot of search

Section: Choosing a Good Site

There should be an example screenshot of the search window for new players to understand how the interface works better. --Enzanki ars (talk) 22:52, 30 May 2016 (UTC)

Feedback: Thanks!

Section: Feedback

Most helpful.

One confusing area: the pictures illustrating the initial setup in the Room Dimensions section.

Please edit the picture to include labels, so that it actually *is* clear which area is which. Also, it isn't too clear where in that image the fortress connects with the surface. --109.202.107.10 10:31, 5 September 2016 (UTC)

Feedback: Problems?

Section: Workshops

I've followed all of the instructions and have a ton of architect dwarves and everything is set up like it should be, but my dwarves aren't building workshops. In the "q" menu it says "Waiting for construction... Construction inactive." Maybe add more troubleshoots, I can't possibly be the only one having this problem. --50.35.12.66 00:30, 4 February 2017 (UTC)

Only a few workshops require the architecture labor to be enabled for their construction. Most instead only require a labor specific to the kind of work performed at the workshop. For instance, to build a kitchen (b-w-z), you need to enable the cooking labor for at least one dwarf. The chosen dwarf does not actually need to have any skill in cooking; only workshops that actually do require Architecture have any measure of building quality, and even that has no effect on how well they function. If you choose an unskilled dwarf to construct the workshop, remember to disable the labor afterwards so he doesn't then try to make use of the workshop.

Another thing that might be wrong is for construction to have been interrupted for some reason. Common causes are animals (domestic or otherwise) wandering over the construction site, dwarves getting spooked by threatening encounters, or the selected building materials becoming inaccessible for some reason. If so, you should resolve the issue (pasture animals, wait for the threat to pass, send squads, etc.) and then q-s over the workshop in order to resume construction. If all else fails, you can q-x the workshop to deconstruct it (instantaneous if it hasn't been built yet) and attempt to build it at a different location. --Rriegs (talk) 17:03, 8 February 2017 (UTC)

I've added explicit mention of the need for workshop labors to be enabled in order to construct workshops. The other possible problem (suspended construction) and its solution was already mentioned in the Workshops section. --Rriegs (talk) 18:40, 8 February 2017 (UTC)

Feedback: Doesn't describe how to haul dwarves and supplies inside

Section: Strike The Earth!

This section's first paragraph states that "you will want to get all your dwarves and supplies inside a protected area as quickly as possible." Wise words.

But the section doesn't describe how to do that. It only describes how to designate an initial entrance and room. This is confusing for readers who expect that the section is about getting dwarves protected as fast as possible. --216.114.117.77 01:11, 31 July 2017 (UTC)

Clarified. CLA (talk) 19:23, 6 September 2017 (UTC)

Feedback: UI

Section: Choosing what to sell and what to buy

Hi! Thanks for the lovely quick start guide, however it assumes that I have any idea how to interact with trader. I have no idea what has happened just now, just some lines of text were shown, no trade was done, could not set the priority (assuming it is my priority) and then they just left... maybe next year lol --77.247.162.32 00:41, 29 August 2017 (UTC)

There has been a link to the trade page for a while now. I reorganized the text a little. CLA (talk) 19:25, 6 September 2017 (UTC)

Feedback: Navigating through menus

Section: Common UI Concepts

You should write where should I expect to not use arrow keys and how to navigate through main menu. I was also confused with the number of pre-set controls configurations in lazy newb pack. --37.248.155.248 10:26, 4 December 2017 (UTC)

Feedback: needs more depth

Section: Surveying the Area

. --173.79.11.244 19:06, 24 December 2017 (UTC)

Created a PDF Version

I have created a PDF version of the Quickstart guide page for offline use, for users with poor internet connection or limited data. It is largely a copy-paste of the article, arranged in a way that is cleaner than the "Printable Version" of the pages, and includes the images. Would it be a good idea to upload it on the page, and how would I go about adding a link to it?

AlastríonaCatskill (talk) 21:51, 12 January 2020 (UTC)

Feedback: stone stockpile?

"While the wheelbarrows are being built, select your stone stockpile with q and use w to increase "Max Wheelbarrow" to 3 (the maximum)."

When/where should a stone stockpile be created? By this point, the guide suggests not including stone in a general purpose stockpile, but never suggests when/where to create stone stockpile.

Qwiption (talk) 02:59, 3 March 2021 (UTC)