This article is about the current version of DF.
Note that some content may still need to be updated.
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Dwarf Fortress uses tilesets to draw the game, including maps. This map legend explains what the characters and colors represent in the pre-start embark map.
Tile colors
The colors of a map tile may give information about that region's predominant biome and surroundings; its temperature, alignment, and other handy things. Generally, cyan and blue means the area is "good" aligned. Purple, gray, brown, and red areas have "evil" alignment. Light grey, brown, and yellow areas usually are dry and have sparse vegetation. Green tiles have vegetation and are usually moist. White and cyan tiles indicate snow or ice. The color of trees that change season to season can tell about the tree's current growth.
Biome/Region key
Forests
In normal forests, the color changes with the seasons.
| Biome/Region
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Normal
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Snow/Ice
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Good
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Evil
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Evil snow/ice
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| Temperate broadleaf forest
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| Tropical broadleaf forest
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| Coniferous forest
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Hills and mountains
Green hills indicate a temperate or cold climate, and yellow hills indicate a tropical climate.
| Biome/Region
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Normal
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Snow/Ice
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Good
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Evil
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Evil snow/ice
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| Hills
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| Low mountains
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| Medium mountains
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| High mountains
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| Peak
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^
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^
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^
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^ ^
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| Volcano
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^
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Plains
Green plains indicate a temperate or cold climate, and yellow plains indicate a tropical climate.
Deserts
In normal sand deserts, the color depends on the type of sand.
| Biome/Region
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Normal
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Snow/Ice
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Good
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Evil
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Evil snow/ice
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| Sand desert
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| Rocky wasteland
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| Badlands
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Wetlands
| Biome/Region
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Normal
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Snow/Ice
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Good
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Evil
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Evil snow/ice
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| Swamp
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| Marsh
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Ice regions
Bodies of water
| Biome/Region
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Normal
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Good
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Evil
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| River
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•┬┴ ┬┴ ┬┴ ╦╩◄
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•┬┴ ┬┴ ┬┴ ╦╩◄
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•┬┴ ╦╩◄
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| Ocean
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| Lake
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Constructions
| Construction
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Normal
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| Roads
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•┬┴• •┬┴• •┬┴• •┬┴•
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Tree key
Forests and swamps will use the map tiles of the trees they contain. The tiles below are used to specify generic forests, even if no trees that use that tile exist in that forest. Whether the game uses the generic tiles or the tile of the actual tree they contain is randomized on a tile-by-tile basis.
Tiles can vary significantly in forests due to the variety of trees that can be generated.
| Tile |
Terrain
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| ⌠ |
Swamp
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| ↑ |
Conifer Forest
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| ♠ |
Broadleaf Forest
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| Γ |
Tropical Forest
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Site key
Tiles are listed in this order, from left-to-right: normal populated sites, ruined sites, and sites captured by necromancers or their night creature armies.
For forest retreats, dark fortresses, and towns, population increases from left to right.
Dwarven sites
Elven sites
Goblin sites
Human sites
| Site
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Normal
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Ruins
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Night creature
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| Town
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+ * # ☼
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μ
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μ
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| Hamlet
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= ≡ æ Æ
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= ≡ æ Æ
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= ≡ æ Æ
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| = ≡ æ Æ
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| = ≡ æ Æ
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| Castle
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○
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○
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Other sites
Other
| Adventurer
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@
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| Any group or individual traveling
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*
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