v0.31:Tilesets

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v50.15 · v0.47 · v0.34 · v0.31.25 · v0.28 · v0.23 This article is about an older version of DF. More Info · V

(For a chart with the default ASCII characters, see Character table.)

(For user-created tilesets, see Tileset repository.)

(For user-created creature graphics sets, see Graphics set repository.)

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Tilesets are images the game uses to display its graphics; each tile is used to show text and represent things. Users create custom tilesets for a number of reasons, including increased visibility, aesthetics, or small size. Tilesets come in two flavors: "character sets" (or simply "tilesets") and "graphics sets".

Overview and installation

Character sets

A character set is an image in BMP format that contains the 256 different tiles, corresponding to the IBM Code Page 437 (sometimes called Extended ASCII), which are used to display the main graphics. Here is the list of user-made standard tilesets. To install any of these tilesets, follow these steps:

1. Download the tileset via right-click-save-as on the the tileset. The tileset is just an image, so there's no separate download link. (The list is here)
2. Convert it into a 24-bit BMP file^{V0.28.181.40d} file or PNG file^v0.31.06. Do NOT just change the extension to .bmp; you must use a program like MS paint to save it as a .bmp.
3. Put it in the data/art directory of your Dwarf Fortress installation.
4. Open data/init/init.txt
5. If you want to use the tileset in fullscreen mode, locate and modify the [FULLSCREENX:800], [FULLSCREENY:600], and [FULLFONT:curses_800x600.bmp] configuration lines to match the specifications from the tileset list. The FULLFONT directive should match the filename of the tileset you downloaded. If you want to use the tileset in windowed mode, search for the [WINDOWEDX:640], [WINDOWEDY:300], and [FONT:curses_640x300.bmp] lines instead, and change them to the correct values.
6. It is also recommended you keep [BLACK_SPACE:YES] to prevent stretching of the graphics.
7. Save the .txt file, then you're ready to play!

Graphics sets

Character sets only change certain graphics, while others are left out. The confusingly-named graphics sets are used to change the appearance of creatures in the game, such as dwarves and unicorns. These are usually designed to work together with certain character sets. While Tilesets work the same as previous versions, Graphics Sets will have to be redone as the raws have changed.

Custom tileset design

The default (and minimum) gameplay viewport is 80 characters wide, and 25 characters tall. Therefore, a tileset's target resolution will be TILE_X_LENGTH * 80 by TILE_Y_LENGTH * 25. Since the tileset is arranged into a 16x16 grid of tiles (256 tiles total), the tileset image size will be TILE_X_LENGTH * 16 by TILE_Y_LENGTH * 16. Here are some common tile sizes:

• A tileset with 10x12 tiles will be 160x192 pixels large, and the target resolution will be 800x300.
• A tileset with 16x16 tiles will be 256x256 pixels large, and the target resolution will be 1280x400.

When creating a custom tileset, it's often easiest to start with an existing one, and edit it to your liking. Tilesets generally fall into three categories: rectangular tilesets, square tilesets, and 16x16 square tilesets. Rectangular tilesets have tiles that are taller than they are wide. The text in these tilesets is generally easier to read, but the map appears squished horizontally. Square tilesets usually provide more attractive graphics, but are slightly less readable. The 16x16 square tilesets are just a sub-set, which are grouped together because most Object Tilesets use 16x16 tiles. The graphics in Dwarf Fortress can be somewhat diversified and enhanced through the use of graphics sets.

Many tiles are used by the game in multiple ways, and this makes customizing the graphics difficult. The same icon is used for chairs and the north end of one-tile-wide vertical bridges. Ashes and broken arrows look the same, and many game entities (such as levers, floodgates, bags, and bins) share characters that are also used in Dwarven names or other bits of text in the interface.

What tiles are used for what

• Items marked with * can have their tile changed in the raw data files.
• Items marked with # can have their tile replaced by a graphics set image, in addition to having their tile changed in the raw data.
• Items marked with $ can be changed in the init.txt file.

For a graphical table, go to the Character Table.

Row 01 (000-015)

00	Used for background tiles in the intro CMV, rarely used elsewhere
01☺	Civilian dwarves# used for dead dwarves
02☻	Military dwarves# used for dead dwarves
03♥	Dimple cups*
04♦	Cut gems, large gems
05♣	Fungiwood trees*, Spore trees*, Acacia trees*, Mangrove trees*, Maple trees*, quarry bushes*, Alder trees*, Birch trees*
06♠	Plump helmets*, Tower-caps*, Black-caps*, Goblin-caps*, Nether-caps*, Oak trees*, quarry bush leaves*, Mahogany trees*, Chestnut trees*, Ash trees*
07•	Stone*, solid workshop tile for several workshops like the magma smelter, lakes in main map, caves in the main map, moon on travel map
08◘	Solid workshop tile for several other workshops like the magma forge, tanner workshop, catapult cup, fortress keeps on travel map, nest box tool*, nest box building
09○	Well, ant colony, millstone, quern, vertical axle, fortress walls on travel map, sun behind clouds on travel map, fortresses on world map
10◙
11♂	Male sign, bags
12♀	Female sign, amulet
13♪	Ladles*
14♫	Armor stands
15☼	Unmined Gem Cluster*, Rough Gems and Raw Glass, unmined bituminous coal*, mined bituminous coal*, currency symbol, masterpiece quality symbol, spider webs, turtle*, sun, gear assemblies, fireballs, bandit camps on travel map

Row 02 (016-031)

16 ►	Head of Ballista arrow facing east, manta ray*
17 ◄	Head of Ballista arrow facing west
18 ↕
19 ‼	Cages, on-fire symbol, vertical bars
20 ¶	Mugs, largest elven cities, cumulonimbus clouds on travel map, Highwood trees*
21 §	Restraints, whip vine*, Rope
22 ▬	Logs, hive tool*, hive building
23 ↨	Cedar* trees
24 ↑	Interface text (bridge direction), Pine* trees, Larch* trees, some conifer forests on world map
25 ↓	Hungry/thirsty/drowsy/unhappy indicator, bridge placement raising direction indicator
26 →	Interface text (bridge direction)
27 ←	Interface text (bridge direction)
28 ∟
29 ↔
30 ▲	Head of Ballista arrow facing north, ramp up
31 ▼	Head of Ballista arrow facing south, ramp down

Row 03 (032-047)

32	Spaces in text messages, used for background on the title screen/menu
33 !	Various status icons, text
34 "	Shrub*, quotation marks, Carpenter's workshop tile, kobold's glowing eyes*
35 #	floor grates, labyrinths on travel map Sandstone*, Rock salt*, Basalt*, Gypsum*
36 $	Coins
37 %	Prepared meal, unexplored underground, screw pump in action Siltstone*, Slate*, Brimstone*, Kimberlite *, Bismuthinite*, Realgar*, Stibnite*, Marcasite*, Olivine*, Orthoclase*, Microcline*, Petrified wood*, Brimstone*, Pyrolusite*
38 &	Demons#
39 '	Rough floors, unexplored underground, Claystone*, Rhyolite*, Periclase*
40 (	Foreign object opening tag, tile in bowyer's workshop, waxing moon on travel map, text
41 )	Foreign object closing tag, waning moon on travel map, text
42 *	Ore*, glowing pits, superior quality tags, key reference, working gear assembly, gem floodgate, Lignite*
43 +	Smooth/constructed floors, injured status, finely-crafted quality tags, text, block/bar bridge or road, towns on world map
44 ,	Rough floors, Claystone*, unexplored underground, text
45 -	Scepters, arrows in flight, well-crafted quality tags, keyboard reference, Part of animation when two creatures or dwarves are on the same spot
46 .	Rough floors, Felsite*, text, unexplored underground
47 /	Weapons, bolts, Ballista tile, text

Row 04 (048-063)

48 0	Coffins, text
49 1	Text, fluids if SHOW_FLOW_AMOUNTS is YES in d_init.txt
50 2	Text, fluids if SHOW_FLOW_AMOUNTS is YES in d_init.txt
51 3	Text, fluids if SHOW_FLOW_AMOUNTS is YES in d_init.txt
52 4	Text, fluids if SHOW_FLOW_AMOUNTS is YES in d_init.txt
53 5	Text, fluids if SHOW_FLOW_AMOUNTS is YES in d_init.txt
54 6	Text, fluids if SHOW_FLOW_AMOUNTS is YES in d_init.txt
55 7	Text, fluids if SHOW_FLOW_AMOUNTS is YES in d_init.txt
56 8	Fortress gates on travel map, text
57 9	Text
58 :	wild strawberry*, prickle berry*, fisher berry*, sun berry*, snowstorms, underground shrubs*, command menu text
59 ;	Mason's Workshop, Kitchen, command menu text (Movies key)
60 <	Stairs up, brackets around squad names, "Less than 1 unit weight" on Trading screen.
61 =	Empty Stockpiles, hamlets on world map, *Chert*, Gneiss*, Sylvite*, Chromite*, Kaolinite*
62 >	Stairs down, brackets around squad names.
63 ?	"Task assigned" indicator, looking for path

Row 05 (064-079)

64 @	Sheriff#, berserk dwarf#, adventurer#, fortress guard#, royal guard#, dwarven merchants#, caravan guards#, adventurer's location on map
65 A	Alligator#, Tile in Farm Workshop, text
66 B	Bears#, text
67 C	Cow#, camels#, bronze colossus#, text
68 D	Dragon#, Draltha#, Depot Access Display, text
69 E	Elephant#, elk bird#, text
70 F	Text
71 G	Text
72 H	Horse#, text
73 I	Support, text
74 J	Text
75 K	Text
76 L	Leopard#, text
77 M	Magma man#, mule#, muskox#, text
78 N	Text
79 O	Trade depot post, glass portal, Tile in Farm Workshop, column$, wall construction, Giant Olm, full moon on travel map, text

Row 06 (080-095)

80 P	Text
81 Q	Text
82 R	Giant Rat#, Text
83 S	Sasquatch#, giant desert scorpion#, Giant Cave Spider#, text
84 T	Titan#, Text
85 U	Human#, Unicorn#, text
86 V	Badlands on map, Text
87 W	Depot Access Display, Text
88 X	Bin, stone floodgate, shop post, building footprint, Depot Access Display, text, up/down stairs, Tile in Ashery, keyboard cursor Nausea / Winded / Stunned / Unconscious / Migrant indicator
89 Y	Text
90 Z	Sleep indicator, text
91 [	Clothing, armor, item stack opening tag, moon on travel map, text
92 \	Part of animation when two creatures or dwarves are on the same spot, Ballista tile
93 ]	Floor tile in workshops and furnaces, item stack closing tag, text
94 ^	Trap, Alabaster*, Volcano on world map
95 _	Channel designation, text

Row 07 (096-111)

96 `	Rough floors, unexplored underground Dolomite*, Schist*, Alunite*, Rutile*
97 a	Antman#, text
98 b	Batman#, text
99 c	Cat#, Crundle#, text
100 d	Dog#, text
101 e	Elf#, Text
102 f	Frogman#, text
103 g	Goblin#, Mountain goat#, Gremlin#, Groundhog#, text
104 h	Harpy#, text
105 i	Fire imp#, text
106 j	Text
107 k	Kobold#, text
108 l	Text
109 m	Mandrill#, mussel, text
110 n	Hilly Grassland(?) on Map, Text
111 o	Well construction, bridge construction, text, millstone in action, floor tile in magma furnaces

Row 08 (112-127)

112 p	Text
113 q	Text
114 r	Ratman#, text
115 s	Snakeman#, Slugman#, Snailman#, text
116 t	Troglodyte#, text
117 u	Text
118 v	Text Anhydrite*, Mica*
119 w	Wolf#, text
120 x	Saltpeter*, text
121 y	Text
122 z	Text
123 {	Forbidden opening tag, tile in Jewellers Workshop.
124 |	Talc*, pipe sections, Part of animation when two creatures or dwarves are on the same spot
125 }	Forbidden closing tag
126 ~	Unfinished rough stone road, river, magma, flows, dirt road, farm plot under construction, sand, furrowed soils, blood smear, guts
127 ⌂	Animal trap, low mountains on world map, part of mechanic's workshop

Row 09 (128-143)

128 Ç	Mechanisms
129 ü	Text
130 é	Text
131 â	Text
132 ä	Text
133 à	Text
134 å	Text
135 ç	Totems
136 ê	Text
137 ë	Text, military elves
138 è	Text
139 ï	Text
140 î	Elven forest retreat
141 ì
142 Ä
143 Å	Idols, shrines on travel map, text

Row 10 (144-159)

144 É
145 æ	Toys, hamlets on world map
146 Æ	Coffers, quivers, backpacks, hamlets on world map
147 ô	Cauldrons*
148 ö	Rings
149 ò	Unactivated levers, Stingrays#, text
150 û	Bucket, text
151 ù
152 ÿ	Valley herb*
153 Ö	Bracelets
154 Ü	Military Humans
155 ¢	Closed hatches
156 £	Many valuable metals* in veins, Other Features in Local embark map screen (when display is enabled)
157 ¥	Cave lobster*
158 ₧
159 ƒ	Rope reed*, splints

Row 11 (160-175)

160 á
161 í
162 ó	Activated levers, text
163 ú
164 ñ	Bogeymen
165 Ñ	Night Creatures
166 ª
167 º	Cloth
168 ¿	Instrument
169 ⌐	Withered plants*
170 ¬
171 ½
172 ¼
173 ¡	Flask, waterskin
174 «	Tail of Ballista arrow facing west, item with decoration tag
175 »	Tail of Ballista arrow facing east, item with decoration tag

Row 12 (176-191)

176 ░	Partially dug rock, miasma, cave-in dust, steam, smoke, Fishery & Butcher's workshops, fog on travel map, Jet*, Chalk*, Diorite*, various soils*
177 ▒	Partially dug rock, miasma, cave-in dust, steam, smoke, side tiles for catapult, window, fog on travel map Gabbro*, Obsidian*, various soils* Workshops (craftdwarf's, bowyer's, mason's, mechanic's, jeweler's, clothier's, kitchen, and leather works)
178 ▓	Partially dug rock, miasma, cave-in dust, steam, smoke, tannery, Wagon body, fog on travel map, Marble*, Limestone*, Flint*, Granite*, various soils*, sky$
179 │	Tunnel tube trees*, Overworld rivers, well chain/rope, rotating axles
180 ┤	Overworld rivers, top-right tile for Loom, glumprong tree*
181 ╡	Blood thorn trees*, bridges, catapult tile
182 ╢
183 ╖	Ends of smooth walls
184 ╕	Ends of smooth walls
185 ╣	Smooth/constructed walls
186 ║	Smooth/constructed walls, bridges, wooden doors, center catapult tile, center Ballista tile, axles, fortress walls on travel map
187 ╗	Smooth/constructed walls, bridges
188 ╝	Smooth/constructed walls, bridges
189 ╜	Ends of smooth walls
190 ╛	Ends of smooth walls
191 ┐	Overworld rivers

Row 13 (192-207)

192 └	Overworld rivers/Roads
193 ┴	Overworld rivers/Roads
194 ┬	Overworld rivers/Roads, crutches
195 ├	Overworld rivers/Roads, top-left tile for Loom
196 ─	Overworld rivers/Roads, rotating axles
197 ┼	Doors, overworld rivers/Roads, floor detailing/engraving in progress
198 ╞	Bridges, trees in winter, (un)dead trees, catapult tile
199 ╟
200 ╚	Smooth/constructed walls, bridges, fortress walls on travel map
201 ╔	Smooth/constructed walls, bridges, fortress walls on travel map
202 ╩	Smooth/constructed walls
203 ╦	Smooth/constructed walls, fortress walls on travel map
204 ╠	Smooth/constructed walls
205 ═	Smooth/constructed walls, bridges, planted crops, center catapult tile, center Ballista tile, axles, fortress walls on travel map
206 ╬	Smooth/constructed walls, bridges, fortifications, (flashing) wall detailing/engraving/fortifying in progress
207 ╧	Tail of Ballista arrow facing north, screw press building.

Row 14 (208-223)

208 ╨	Bridges, catapult tile
209 ╤	Table, tail of Ballista arrow facing south
210 ╥	Chairs, bridges, catapult tile, farmer's workshop bottom-middle tile
211 ╙	Ends of smooth walls
212 ╘	Ends of smooth walls
213 ╒	Ends of smooth walls
214 ╓	Ends of smooth walls
215 ╫	Wooden floodgates, bone floodgates, wall grates
216 ╪	Metal doors
217 ┘	Overworld rivers
218 ┌	Overworld rivers
219 █	Any solid color tile
220 ▄	Siege engine parts, Ballista tile
221 ▌	Ballista tile
222 ▐	Ballista tile
223 ▀	Ballista tile

Row 15 (224-239)

224 α	Fish*, top-center fishery tile, meat, altocumulus clouds on travel map
225 ß	Leather, cumulus clouds on travel map
226 Γ	Weight symbol, candlenut tree*, mango tree*, rubber tree*, cacao tree*, palm tree*, kapok tree*
227 π	Cabinet, dark fortresses
228 Σ	Trap component
229 σ	Anvil, metalsmith's and magma forge bottom-middle tile, jugs*
230 µ	crown, ruins on world map
231 τ	Tree sapling*, pig tail*, cave wheat*, longland grass*, rat weed*, hide root*, muck root*, blade weed*, sliver barb*
232 Φ	sweet pod*, bloated tuber*, kobold bulb*, traction benches, pots*
233 Θ	Beds, Puddingstone*
234 Ω	Statues, dwarven cities on map, sea nettle jellyfish*
235 δ	Earrings, kennel tile
236 ∞	Boulder, dry brook, middle-right butcher's shop tile, Andesite*, Conglomerate*, sea foam, images of clouds, fortress gates on travel map, honeycomb*
237 φ	Thread, loom bottom left tile, farmer's workshop bottom right tile
238 ε	Bowyer's workshop middle-right tile
239 ∩	Hills on world map, slab building

Row 16 (240-255)

240 ≡	Bars, excellent quality symbol, zones, metal/glass floodgates, floor bars, cirrus clouds on travel map, hamlets on world map
241 ±	Unfinished road
242 ≥	Debris (spent ammo, ballista bolts, and catapult stones), ashes
243 ≤	Debris (spent ammo, ballista bolts, and catapult stones), ashes
244 ⌠	Willow tree*, swamps on world map
245 ⌡
246 ÷	Barrel, screw pump, upper left tile of still (works well as barrel)
247 ≈	Rough stone road or bridge, water, river, lava, glob, fat, tallow, farm plot, furrowed soil, vomit, blood pools, sea foam, sand, Mudstone*, Serpentine*, others?
248 °	Sea foam, eggs
249 ∙	Vermin*, Boulders at lower elevation.
250 ·	Seeds, micro-vermin, Open Space$ (changeable with the SKY and CHASM tags in d_init.txt), terrain at lower elevation, plants at lower elevation.
251 √	Weapon racks, badlands in main map, check mark (selecting production materials, confirmed items on manager window)
252 ⁿ	Savanna in main map
253 ²	Body parts, chunks, vermin corpses, bone, shell, skins, skulls
254 ■	Blocks, trees at lower elevation, human houses/shops on travel map
255	No use?

List of text characters

Changes to these may make text look strange or be difficult to understand, unless you are using the TrueType font feature.

• " ! ( ) _ + , - . 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 / [ ]
• A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
• 32 (Space); ↑ ↓ → ← [Bridge direction indicators]

Alphabets

Accented characters are used for names.

Dwarven: íèîïéóúûôöùòêìëàáåäâabcdefghiklmnorstuvz

Elven: íèéóúÿùòìçabcdefghiklmnopqrstuvwyz

Human: ñáabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

Goblin: ûôöêëäåâabdeghklmnoprstuxz

No known use

These are ideal for using to change tiles in the raw data or init.txt.

• ◙ ↕ ↔ ₧ ª ¬ ½ ¼ ╢ ╟ ⌡ 255

Game Interface FAQ
Menu interface guide
What do these symbols represent?
What do the flashing icons mean?
How do I make the game run faster?
How do I accomplish tasks with fewer keystrokes?
What are good key bindings if I have a laptop or unusual keyboard?
Where can I get color graphic tiles for this game?
On the z stocks page, why are numbers displayed in yellow such as 10? 20? etc
What do the C H and S in the top left border mean?
What configuration options are available?
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