I’m having trouble recalling when someone first tipped me off to Dwarf Fortress… 2006 or 7? It was a fairly vague description “rogue-like” and “open world” were all I remember being said. I was intrigued though and seeing as I was a poor college student at the time (I’m merely a poor professional, now) I looked up the website and downloaded the game not really knowing what to expect. It wasn’t Dwarf Fortress… After spending 30 minutes or so poking around at the game while trying to find a decent resource on the web I closed the game and forgot about it. Every year or so someone else would come along and remind me of it either through conversation or a blog post (and now the NYT’s is writing about the game) and I’d look up the latest version, boot it up, poke a little at it and close it again. I don’t think Dwarf Fortress is a game for me, even if you can get it to look decent:
I’m glad Dwarf Fortress exists I don’t think I’ll ever play it. I have no interest in obsessing over the vast array of details and minutia that is the game’s bread and butter. Maybe you are interested though? Maybe the only think holding you back is the games opaque UI and lack of a manual (oh, the manual for this game would be glorious!) If so, then you are in luck Reddit University is offering an introductory class on Dwarf Fortress that starts on August 3! Enroll now!
