Dwarf Fortress
Dwarf Fortress is a play of management/statégie and a roleplay and ventures free developed for Microsoft Windows by Bay12games. He is also regarded as a " Roguelike " because of its graphical interface, and of its universe.
Gameplay
The play, which uses as graphical interface the ASCII characters wide can appear for this reason rejecting. However, it offers an incredible richness seldom reached in other plays, in the possibilities of strategy to be used, as well as management of its colony.
Modes of play
Dwarf Fortress is divided into two modes of play, completely different, but being supplemented:
- the " mode; Fortress" , where the goal is to develop a colony of dwarves inside a mountain (it is the part management/statégie of the play);
- the " mode; Adventure" , which makes it possible to the player to control a dwarf, human or an elf and to traverse the world. (it is the part Roleplay).
However, these modes of plays are dependant between them, and the fact of losing in one does nothing but enrich the other: let us take the example of a player who starts to play with the " mode; Fortress" , but which loses all its dwarves, and gives up. It will not have then to recreate the world, but it will be able, if it wishes it, to play in " mode; Adventure" , where it will on the occasion to visit the ruins of its old fortress.
So the lifespan of Dwarf Fortress is immense, and the fact of losing does not mean failure for the player, but can on the contrary constitute a pleasure.
The " mode; Fortress"
When the player begins a first part of Dwarf Fortress, a world is created, by chance. Several areas, including/understanding rivers, villages, mountains, fauna and flaure, as with a specific climate are created. The player then chosen on which area it will decide to install its camping of dwarves, according to all the elements quoted above: hardness of the climate (hot or cold), importance of the wild animals, etc… Once this made choice, the player then has 7 dwarves at his disposal which it can specialize in various trades (minor, hunter, farmer, etc). It can then choose the provisions and materials which it will decide to take along with him to the beginning of the part.Once these made choices, the part begin, with the 7 dwarves of the player arriving in front of a mountain. It is then advisable to give indications, not directly with the dwarves, but by indicating zones on which one wants that the dwarves work. For example, to begin, it is necessary that the mountain is dug, because it is in these caves that the dwarves will live. It is appropriate then, starting from the menu, to indicate a zone which one wants that it is dug, and the dwarves who have the possibility of it (because we let us have them allowed to do it in their competences and they have the hardware requirement to do it, here, a peak) will put themselves at work.
The " mode; Adventure"
In the " mode; Adventure" , the player controls only one dwarf, human or elf. Its only goal being to survive. You will receive searches, consisting in killing out of the monsters. Several competences are available, like the use of shield, the fight, the use of several types of weapons, etc the attribution initial of competences will determine the starting equipment, but it is possible to buy some in the stores of the human villages. The player can also join groups of adventurers while asking the villagers to join it in the adventure.
External bonds
- the site of the developer
- Wiki in English, very complete, of the play
- French Wiki