v0.31:Tutorials

Of course, instead of trial and error you could also just read the wiki...

Dwarf Fortress started as a pretty complex game back in the days when it was 2D and barely had a quarter of the features it has now. It's easy to get overwhelmed when you first fire it up. Don't worry though, following a tutorial is a very easy way to learn the game in an afternoon.

Don't worry if you don't understand why you do things on your first run, even after reading the tutorial's explanation. If one particular thing bugs you, try starting a new fort and skipping it, then seeing what goes wrong! Especially in the current version, trial and error is great way of having lots of fun.

Installing and Running the Game

If you have not installed the game yet see Template:L.

Learning Fortress Mode

Most of the tutorials were written for the older (40d) version of Dwarf Fortress. But nonetheless, they are still helpful. If you get stuck within a specific aspect of the game then search the wiki and don't hesitate to ask questions in the forum.

The following tutorials will walk you through world generation, embarking with your 7 dwarves, game basics, and building a full-fledged fortress.

Recommended tutorials and wiki articles

For DF2010: (the current version)

• Template:L. A good, mostly-complete tutorial.
• Template:L
• Template:L. A minimalistic, but great, diagram (maybe for players with a bit more experience).
• Jumping Into Fortress Mode. An outline of main concepts, though it lacks any technical help.

For the 40d Version: (but still really great for beginners)

• The legendary video tutorials by Captain Duck.
• The Complete and Utter Newby Tutorial for Dwarf Fortress with lots of screenshots (forum thread)
• Indecisive's illustrated fortress mode tutorial.
• A quickstart guide
• "What should I build first?"

Specific Elements

These are not necessarily tutorials, but they can help out with specific parts of the game.

Basics of World Generation

• Template:L
• Template:L

Basics of Embarking

• Template:L
• Template:L
• Template:L
• Template:L

Feeding Dwarves

There are several ways to Template:L your dwarves. Your initial supplies will run out, but Template:L and Template:L are easy ways to get additional food in a starting fortress. The default embark group starts with a Template:L; you'll need a Template:L workshop to clean the fish your fisherdwarf catches, to make them edible.

It is very important to have enough Template:L for your dwarves, so building a Template:L is almost a requirement during the first year. Template:L bring some drinks, but not enough.

To ensure sustenance when the fortress grows, Template:L is the most reliable way. Above-ground farm plots are easy to set up (if you have soil on your map), but require Template:Ls that can be obtained from gathered plants or by trading with humans or elves.

Buying food from Template:L is a good way to prevent shortages.

See:

• Template:L
• Template:L
• Template:L
• Template:L
• Template:L
• And not to forget: Template:L

Defending Against Enemies

This is one of the most challenging aspects of the game, so if you feel confused even after reading all of this then you are not alone.

• Template:L
• Template:L and Template:Ls
• Template:L
• Template:Ls

Adventure Mode

Currently the only tutorial for Template:L is the Template:L guide. Adventure mode is significantly less complex than Fortress Mode though, so that guide will probably be enough to get your started.

Also see the Template:L.