When I started with this game I didn’t know nothing about it. This game could be quite hard for new players. So I’m making articles about “tips to start” which will introduce you for super basic start.
Before starts we must talk about LORE. In this game you play as Dwarf so you will probably need building wealth, build mines and mine ores. You will probably have problems with Elves or Goblins. And this game is about survive. So you must deep focus on your colony stats.
Select good place to start
In Dwarf Fortress are generated map which is unique. There is interesting technique that after creating new world is generated everything from scratch. So every game which you will play will be probably different than pervious.
Interesting is that you could have two or more fortress on one map. So if you want to play on specific map on specific places you could. This looks interesting for me. But back to the topic. Start defined how successful you will be…
… when you selecting new tile to start you could see some statistics. On screen bellow you could see statistics. Main information are highlighted with color.
- Temperature – every one know what determine
- Trees – definition how much trees are there (you need some)
- Surroundings – you could see if you have problems
- Other vegetation – mean how much you could harvest
- “Very deep soil” mean you must dig a lot to reach stone
- Neighbors – how far are other civilizations
Chose correctly could help you in first steps. If you need challenge then you could chose some inhospitable places where will be Dwarf Fortress mor chellanging.
Less digging is more chance to win
After start you will have 7 – 9 dwarfs in your community. In every game which I started I had just one miner. So you don’t need to start with megaFortress projects. You must start from small and slowly expand when you have more and more places which you need.
After this first steps inside mountain or earth you will need build first stockpile.
Chops some trees and build Carpenter’s workshop
After stockpile you must chops tree above and build Carpenter’s worksop. In this building you will make a lot of thing from wood. Like beds, doors, tables and more. And this is basic workshop which you will need in early phases of game…
… after building you could make some beds (for your dwarfs), make doors for your stockpile of food which we will build after and make doors for rooms of your dwarfs.
Build kitchen / food storage / dining room
As I mention above. We must build food storage, kitchen, fisher if you have fishes near and dining room. Food storage will be better stored if you build separated stockpile and make doors. In screenshot bellow I didn’t build doors and I had problems with flies and faster spoilage…
Main goal to build this rooms near is to minimalize routes of your dwarfs for food. If you need meal you have ingredients near and if you need to eat you could spend less time with eating.
Build rooms for your dwarfs
If you have these basics things then you must focus on accommodation. Every of your smaller friends will be satisfied if they could sleep in bed. Of course they could sleep on earth they are dwarfs but own room with bad and closet makes feel your little friends better…
… there are mote stats how to satisfied your dwarfs. But their private rooms is best thing to start. But be avare if you have families in your colony then is better build bigger rooms with more beds to make them together.
What you could do next?
After this super basic guide you know how to start new game in Dwarf Fortress now it’s all on you. I’m recommend you focus happiness of your dwarfs. They will show you what they need and what you must do for them if you click on them.
