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Map legend

From Dwarf Fortress Wiki
Revision as of 23:07, 9 February 2020 by Doorkeeper (talk | contribs) (→‎Biome/Region key: separated tables & added more snow/ice tiles)
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This article is about the current version of DF.
Note that some content may still need to be updated.

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 Normal Snow/Ice Good Evil Evil snow/ice
Temperate broadleaf forest
Tropical broadleaf forest
Γ
Γ
Γ
Γ
Γ
Γ
Γ
Γ
Coniferous forest
Γ
Γ
Γ
Γ

Hills and mountains

Green hills indicate a temperate or cold climate, and yellow hills indicate a tropical climate.

Biome/Region Normal Snow/Ice Good Evil Evil snow/ice
Hills
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Low mountains
Medium mountains
High mountains
Peak ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Volcano ^

Plains

Green plains indicate a temperate or cold climate, and yellow plains indicate a tropical climate.

Biome/Region Normal Snow/Ice Good Evil Evil snow/ice
Grassland
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Savanna
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Shrubland
" τ
τ "
" τ
τ "
" τ
τ "
" τ
τ "
" τ
τ "
" τ
τ "
" τ
τ "

Deserts

In normal sand deserts, the color depends on the type of sand.

Biome/Region Normal Snow/Ice Good Evil Evil snow/ice
Sand desert
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
Rocky wasteland
, ´
´ ,
n
n
, ´
´ ,
n
n
, ´
´ ,
n
n
, ´
´ ,
n
n
, ´
´ ,
n
n
Badlands
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V

Wetlands

Biome/Region Normal Snow/Ice Good Evil Evil snow/ice
Swamp
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Marsh
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"

Ice regions

Biome/Region Normal Good Evil
Tundra
·
·
·
·
·
·
Glacier

Bodies of water

Biome/Region Normal Good Evil
River •┬┴ ┬┴ ┬┴ ╦╩◄ •┬┴ ┬┴ ┬┴ ╦╩◄ •┬ ╩◄
Ocean
Lake
~ ~
~ ~
~ ~
~ ~
~ ~
~ ~

Constructions

Construction Normal
Roads •┬┴• •┬┴• •┬┴• •┬┴•

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
Swamp
Conifer Forest
Broadleaf Forest
Γ Tropical Forest

Site key

For forest retreats, dark fortresses, and towns, population increases from left to right.

Name Regular Ruins Night creature
Dwarven
Mountain halls Ω μ μ
Hillocks Ω μ μ
Fortress Ω μ μ
Elven
Forest retreat î μ μ
Goblin
Dark fortress Π Π μ μ μ
Dark pits º ª ª
Human
Town + * # μ μ
Hamlet = æ Æ = æ Æ = æ Æ
= æ Æ
= æ Æ
Castle
Other sites
Camp
Cave
Fort
Labyrinth #
Lair
Monastery
Shrine Å
Tomb 0
Tower I I
Vault

Other

Adventurer @
Any group or individual traveling *
Worlds
General
Map
Biomes
Chasm · Desert · Forest · Glacier · Grassland · Lake · Mountain · Murky pool · Ocean · River · Savanna · Shrubland · Tundra · Wetland
Features
Aquifer · Brook · Deep pit · Island · Magma pool · Passage · Road · Tunnel · Volcano · Waterfall
Underground
Civilization
Sites
Camp · Castle · Cave · Dark fortress · Dark pits · Forest retreat · Fort · Fortress · Hamlet · Hillocks · Labyrinth · Lair · Monastery · Mountain halls · Ruins · Shrine · Tomb · Tower · Town · Vault
Structures
Other