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Multiplayer
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 | This page includes mods. The content is not part of normal DF as released. Changing game files can sometimes cause unexpected results, and should always be done with care and caution. |
Dwarf Fortress is, at its core, a single-player game. The game was designed and built from the ground up to be played by a single person, there is no multiplayer support, and no indication that it is ever going to be planned, even in the (very) far-reaching timeline envisioned by the Adams brothers.
However, it is possible, most often through unofficial and hacky methods, to enjoy a multiplayer-like experience of the game, depending on your definition of 'multiplayer'.
- Succession: in which players take turns controlling a single fortress or adventurer and pass the save file around. No specific implementation is needed, just a forum for communication to agree on the specifics. Many such threads are hosted on the Bay 12 forums, on the DF Community Games & Stories board.
- Hotseat: a single instance of the game runs, but the controls are shared among multiple players. This can be done over telnet with Dfterm2 ([1]) or over a web interface with Dfterm3 ([2]) or DF Everywhere.
- Co-op: a single instance of the game runs, but different screens are rendered to different players. This is implemented through dfplex.
- Arena mode: a single instance of the game on Arena mode runs, and players 'control' a single unit (in reality, the AI controls it and DFHack transmits the human instructions).