Dwarf Fortress is getting the mother of all magic updates • Hacker News Board

Re: Dwarf Fortress is getting the mother of all magic updates

#11

Post by Catloafdev » Mon, Aug 31, 2026, 6:58 PM UTC

Our_Benefactors wrote: post #10

Mobius01 wrote: post #3

I wish nothing but success to Tarn and Zach, it’s great that releasing on Steam and adding a friendlier UI helped the game reach new audiences. It’s the proverbial time black hole.

“Friendlier” and still one of the worst UIs available. It’s nearly impenetrable and the game has no tutorial to speak of, no on-ramps for new players, and is probably the most overrated game I’ve ever had the displeasure of playing. I’m convinced from articles about dwarf fortress that it’s a game that few actually play and enjoy, but like talking about as if it’s fun. The promise of dwarf fortress is far more intere…

Yep, the game is difficult to get into, it's not for everyone.

The game is great, though. You are in the "I have no idea what's going on" phase.

Re: Dwarf Fortress is getting the mother of all magic updates

#12

Post by postalrat » Mon, Aug 31, 2026, 7:01 PM UTC

Mobius01 wrote: post #3

I wish nothing but success to Tarn and Zach, it’s great that releasing on Steam and adding a friendlier UI helped the game reach new audiences. It’s the proverbial time black hole.

Makes me think how would an AI interface to a game like dwarf fortress play out. Where you tell it what you want like some sort of dwarven ruler.

Re: Dwarf Fortress is getting the mother of all magic updates

#13

Post by dnoberon » Mon, Aug 31, 2026, 7:02 PM UTC

Our_Benefactors wrote: post #10

Mobius01 wrote: post #3

I wish nothing but success to Tarn and Zach, it’s great that releasing on Steam and adding a friendlier UI helped the game reach new audiences. It’s the proverbial time black hole.

“Friendlier” and still one of the worst UIs available. It’s nearly impenetrable and the game has no tutorial to speak of, no on-ramps for new players, and is probably the most overrated game I’ve ever had the displeasure of playing. I’m convinced from articles about dwarf fortress that it’s a game that few actually play and enjoy, but like talking about as if it’s fun. The promise of dwarf fortress is far more intere…

So just because you couldn't get into it means everyone who's enjoying it is a poser? That's some pretty self-centered thinking right there.

No one should be judging you if it's not your thing. Those of us that enjoy it readily admit its faults and own the fact it's not a game for everyone.

Re: Dwarf Fortress is getting the mother of all magic updates

#14

Post by Our_Benefactors » Mon, Aug 31, 2026, 7:02 PM UTC

Catloafdev wrote: post #11

Our_Benefactors wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“Friendlier” and still one of the worst UIs available. It’s nearly impenetrable and the game has no tutorial to speak of, no on-ramps for new players, and is probably the most overrated game I’ve ever had the displeasure of playing. I’m convinced from articles about dwarf fortress that it’s a game that few actually play and enjoy, but like talking about as if it’s fun. The promise of dwarf fortress is far more intere…

Yep, the game is difficult to get into, it's not for everyone. The game is great, though. You are in the "I have no idea what's going on" phase.

It’s the games job to create an on ramp to understanding. It’s not mine to spend 200 hours grasping every concept before I can play “the real game”, that’s just shitty game design.

Re: Dwarf Fortress is getting the mother of all magic updates

#15

Post by Catloafdev » Mon, Aug 31, 2026, 7:05 PM UTC

Our_Benefactors wrote: post #14

Catloafdev wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep, the game is difficult to get into, it's not for everyone. The game is great, though. You are in the "I have no idea what's going on" phase.

It’s the games job to create an on ramp to understanding. It’s not mine to spend 200 hours grasping every concept before I can play “the real game”, that’s just shitty game design.

You're totally allowed to have that opinion. Time is valuable. It does have a tutorial nowadays, but it's still not easy.

Not everyone _wants_ to learn Dwarf Fortress, and that's fine - it's not for everyone.

But I'm just providing context that, for those of us that have learned, it is a great game.

Re: Dwarf Fortress is getting the mother of all magic updates

#16

Post by metalliqaz » Mon, Aug 31, 2026, 7:05 PM UTC

zhynn wrote: post #6

UltraSane wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In a documentary about them putting Dwarf Fortress on Steam Tarn talked about how he had to split the $7 million first payment from Steam with his brother and it turned out the easiest way was to just use the bank app.

You are thinking of the NoClip documentary! It is fantastic and well worth your time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwLSgaYPKA0&list=PL-THgg8Qnv...

NoClip does a great job. I also recommend their Prey/Arcane documentary.

Re: Dwarf Fortress is getting the mother of all magic updates

#17

Post by 8note » Mon, Aug 31, 2026, 7:09 PM UTC

What ive generally heard is that this is more of a refactor and base functionality improvement, rather than building out all the actual magic systems to start with.

2-10 updates in the future will have much more fleshed out magic

Re: Dwarf Fortress is getting the mother of all magic updates

#18

Post by all2 » Mon, Aug 31, 2026, 7:24 PM UTC

Our_Benefactors wrote: post #14

Catloafdev wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep, the game is difficult to get into, it's not for everyone. The game is great, though. You are in the "I have no idea what's going on" phase.

It’s the games job to create an on ramp to understanding. It’s not mine to spend 200 hours grasping every concept before I can play “the real game”, that’s just shitty game design.

This depends largely on your expectation for what a 'game' should be.

Puzzle boxes, for example, have zero on ramp, and yet many many people enjoy them, enjoy the struggle of discovery.

Arguably the edges of mathematics and science are inhabited by similar people, living where the rules are ill defined, where there is much to be discovered rather than pre-digested and spoon fed.

I have little patience for games that don't spoon feed, so I get where you're coming from. I watched my brother play DF and decided I didn't want to spend my time like that, trying to parse ascii, trying to figure out how all the things interacted.

I also don't like puzzle boxes that much.

To each their own.

Re: Dwarf Fortress is getting the mother of all magic updates

#19

Post by deadbunny » Mon, Aug 31, 2026, 7:25 PM UTC

Our_Benefactors wrote: post #14

Catloafdev wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep, the game is difficult to get into, it's not for everyone. The game is great, though. You are in the "I have no idea what's going on" phase.

It’s the games job to create an on ramp to understanding. It’s not mine to spend 200 hours grasping every concept before I can play “the real game”, that’s just shitty game design.

Why is it the games job to handhold you?

Re: Dwarf Fortress is getting the mother of all magic updates

#20

Post by joemi » Mon, Aug 31, 2026, 7:30 PM UTC

Our_Benefactors wrote: post #10

Mobius01 wrote: post #3

I wish nothing but success to Tarn and Zach, it’s great that releasing on Steam and adding a friendlier UI helped the game reach new audiences. It’s the proverbial time black hole.

“Friendlier” and still one of the worst UIs available. It’s nearly impenetrable and the game has no tutorial to speak of, no on-ramps for new players, and is probably the most overrated game I’ve ever had the displeasure of playing. I’m convinced from articles about dwarf fortress that it’s a game that few actually play and enjoy, but like talking about as if it’s fun. The promise of dwarf fortress is far more intere…

Minecraft was very fun and was selling like hotcakes when it had "no tutorial to speak of, no on-ramps for new players". Even nowadays there's no tutorial as far as I know and much of how to play is left to discovery. The achievements tree is a bit of a guide, just by telling you some of the things that are possible, but it sure doesn't tell you how to do anything.

I think having an official tutorial or an on-ramp for new players is not a requirement for a good game. In a broader sense of the word "game", a game is separate from a tutorial, so a good game can exist without a tutorial. Chess has no official tutorial or on ramp for new players, and yet it's widely considered to be one of the greatest games.