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Editing 40d:Important advice
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Here are a few things to keep in mind when playing Dwarf Fortress. | Here are a few things to keep in mind when playing Dwarf Fortress. | ||
Above all, one must remember that '''losing is [[fun]]!''' Be prepared to lose a few fortresses before you get the hang of things – it can be easy to accidentally kill the entire fortress while playing around with the different mechanics. | Above all, one must remember that '''losing is [[fun]]!''' Be prepared to lose a few fortresses before you get the hang of things – it can be easy to accidentally kill the entire fortress while playing around with the different mechanics. | ||
But remember: losing means that next time, you'll remember how you lost! In a big way, Dwarf Fortress uses the principle of learning from one's mistakes. | But remember: losing means that next time, you'll remember how you lost! In a big way, Dwarf Fortress uses the principle of learning from one's mistakes. | ||
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If you cannot find your answer on this wiki, check out the forums at [http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php Bay12games.com] | If you cannot find your answer on this wiki, check out the forums at [http://www.bay12games.com/forum/index.php Bay12games.com] | ||
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== Advice == | == Advice == | ||
<!-- General suggestions and philosophy --> | <!-- General suggestions and philosophy --> | ||
− | * Keep in mind that Dwarf Fortress doesn't have a "win" condition | + | * Keep in mind that Dwarf Fortress doesn't have a "win" condition: It just has a long series of "lose" conditions. |
* Learn the [[controls]]. There's lots of them, and learning them may seem daunting at first, but once you get the basics down (like how to check the status of your dwarves or the hotkeys for building certain structures), you'll find yourself playing much more efficiently. [[Efficient_gameplay|Efficient Gameplay]] offers some time-saving tips. | * Learn the [[controls]]. There's lots of them, and learning them may seem daunting at first, but once you get the basics down (like how to check the status of your dwarves or the hotkeys for building certain structures), you'll find yourself playing much more efficiently. [[Efficient_gameplay|Efficient Gameplay]] offers some time-saving tips. | ||
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* Plan ahead a little during construction. When building your first couple dozen rooms, consider that in the future you might want to make certain busy hallways wider so dwarves aren't always climbing over each other. This will be a lot easier if you put rooms back an extra tile so you don't have to rebuild everything. | * Plan ahead a little during construction. When building your first couple dozen rooms, consider that in the future you might want to make certain busy hallways wider so dwarves aren't always climbing over each other. This will be a lot easier if you put rooms back an extra tile so you don't have to rebuild everything. | ||
− | * Think three-dimensionally. You have a Z-axis. Things will be much closer when they're downstairs one floor | + | * Think three-dimensionally. You have a Z-axis. Things will be much closer when they're downstairs one floor then they if they're 20 tiles away down the hallway. Also note that, with the default [[tilesets|tileset]], your display of the fortress is not square, so north/south distances will appear longer than east/west distances -- they aren't. |
== Tips == | == Tips == | ||
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** Don't cook all your alcohol or all your [[seed]]s (or all the things that leave seeds). ({{k|z}} >> Kitchen). | ** Don't cook all your alcohol or all your [[seed]]s (or all the things that leave seeds). ({{k|z}} >> Kitchen). | ||
* Dwarves tend to get trapped easily. They like [[Digging#Dig_Priority|building and digging things from certain directions]], so try to make sure there is a way out (and keep an eye on them just in case they try something crazy). Also keep in mind that workshops block certain squares, so if ever notice that your jeweler dies after constructing a workshop with a door on the east side, that's why. | * Dwarves tend to get trapped easily. They like [[Digging#Dig_Priority|building and digging things from certain directions]], so try to make sure there is a way out (and keep an eye on them just in case they try something crazy). Also keep in mind that workshops block certain squares, so if ever notice that your jeweler dies after constructing a workshop with a door on the east side, that's why. | ||
− | * | + | |
− | + | * Workshops, construction and combat are [[noise|noisy]]. Keep your sleeping areas away from noise and your dwarves will get a good night's rest. | |
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* If a dwarf gets badly [[Wound|injured]], he'll need a hospital bed and someone to bring him [[water]] in a [[bucket]]. It's probably a good idea to have a set of those sitting around. | * If a dwarf gets badly [[Wound|injured]], he'll need a hospital bed and someone to bring him [[water]] in a [[bucket]]. It's probably a good idea to have a set of those sitting around. | ||
− | * [[ | + | |
− | * Having a dwarf with the Appraiser skill to be your [[broker]] will help a lot when [[trading]]. Otherwise, you can't see how much an item is worth. | + | * [[Traps]] can help take care of invaders at no risk to your dwarves. Any fortress can build a <!-- tub style mechanical chicken plucker --> bunch of stone-fall traps. |
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+ | * Having a dwarf with the Appraiser skill to be your [[outpost broker]] will help a lot when [[trading]]. Otherwise, you can't see how much an item is worth. | ||
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* [[Chain]]ing some [[dog]]s by your front door may deter thieves. | * [[Chain]]ing some [[dog]]s by your front door may deter thieves. | ||
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− | * Idle carpenters? It's hard to have too many [[barrel]]s (or too many [[bin]]s... [[bed]]s for the next wave of | + | * Dwarves can be assigned new jobs at any time. If your carpenter has died, your farmer can start making beds. (He probably won't be very good at it, since he doesn't have the skill, but it's better than nothing.) |
− | * Too many | + | |
− | + | * Idle carpenters? It's hard to have too many [[barrel]]s (or too many [[bin]]s... [[bed]]s for the next wave of immigrants are pretty handy too). Idle masons? You can fit a lot of [[door]]s into your fortress. | |
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− | + | * Too many immigrants? Don't know what to do with them? Have you started an [[army]] yet? | |
== Tricks == | == Tricks == | ||
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* Don't like all the stone laying around? Instead of using a stone [[stockpile]] create a 1-square garbage [[zone]] and [[dump]] the stone. Reclaim the stone after it's been dumped. This way, you can store an unlimited amount of stone in just 1 tile! (This is especially useful when the tile in question is next to your mason shop). | * Don't like all the stone laying around? Instead of using a stone [[stockpile]] create a 1-square garbage [[zone]] and [[dump]] the stone. Reclaim the stone after it's been dumped. This way, you can store an unlimited amount of stone in just 1 tile! (This is especially useful when the tile in question is next to your mason shop). | ||
− | * Usually the closest available material is used for tasks such as | + | * Usually the closest available material is used for ambiguous tasks such as building a floodgate, but not always. To prevent frustration, you can make a custom stockpile (e.g. for [[bauxite]]) next to your workshop and close the dwarf in. Don't forget theres a z-axis, so make sure there aren't unwanted materials above/below your workshop. (A good start for magma maps is to build the workshop next to the wagon, and get your magma-proof grate/floodgate/mechanisms painlessly) |
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* The Standing Orders ({{k|o}}) screen can be used for a variety of useful settings, like having your dwarves temporarily ignore wood, or all hide inside for a siege, or making your weavers stop heading outside all the time to collect spiderwebs and get slaughtered by wild animals. | * The Standing Orders ({{k|o}}) screen can be used for a variety of useful settings, like having your dwarves temporarily ignore wood, or all hide inside for a siege, or making your weavers stop heading outside all the time to collect spiderwebs and get slaughtered by wild animals. | ||
− | * Hitting {{k|x}} when building a building expands the list of items, so you can pick one with a specific | + | * Hitting {{k|x}} when building a building expands the list of items, so you can pick one with a specific quality (a nice bed for a noble's bedroom, or a good door for your dining hall). |
− | * | + | * Designate some high-traffic lanes ({{k|d}} {{k|o}} {{k|h}}) outside leading away from your doors, leading to your timber. Your dwarves will trample fewer saplings, so you'll have more trees. (They also won't mess up the ground and leave a bunch of ugly [[sand]] spots scattered around on a sandy map.) |
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* Build a walled [[statue]] garden outside your fortress so that your dwarves don't get [[cave adaptation]]. | * Build a walled [[statue]] garden outside your fortress so that your dwarves don't get [[cave adaptation]]. | ||
− | * Bring along a few [[turtle]]s or [[ | + | * Bring along a few [[turtle]]s or [[lobster]]s when you start the game. Make sure the dwarves eat them raw ({{k|z}} >> Kitchen). This way you will have a [[shell]] if you ever need it. |
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− | + | [[Category:Guides]] |