Dwarf Fortress has now finally arrived on Steam, with all the shiny new bits including the new graphical tiles and audio included in Early Access. The good news is that even though it doesn't have Native Linux support yet, it does work on Linux desktop and Steam Deck with Proton.
It doesn't have controller support though, so on Steam Deck you'll need to mess about with Steam Input for a while to set it up how you want. I have no doubt it won't be long before someone makes a good one. To be honest with you, like a lot of people I was never able to get into it originally, it was a bit too retro for my tastes but this new more modern version definitely seems like something I can get into. The short guided tutorial is certainly a nice touch.
Steam Deck screenshots:
Seems like you might get pretty good battery life out of it on Steam Deck too.
There's no Cloud Save support yet though, which for a game as big as this feels like a huge oversight. Even if you only play on one device, it's always good to have that backup there.
Both Steam Deck and Desktop Linux were tested with Proton 7.0-4.
Launch Trailer:
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Direct Link
Direct Link
Game Features:
- Not just generated geometry -- a whole simulated world. Generated rise and fall of civilizations, personalities, creatures, cultures, etc. Infinite hours of gameplay.
- Now with beautiful pixel graphics!
- Learn the basics with in-game tutorials.
- A lifetime “living” project - created/updated since 2003, with no end in sight.
- Generate your unique world and manage a bustling colony of dwarves, even as they probably mine towards their eventual demise.
- A new endless hobby, just for you!
You can buy it on Steam.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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15 comments
Hopefully this generates some nice income for them. They've been a volunteer project, for what almost 20 years, right? I think I last played it 2009-2010. It's a fun game, but gosh it's hard.
4 Likes, Who?
For me it is one of the best games ever!
If you want to learn more about DF FUN, you should look for a "Boatmurdered" (usually in .pdf somewhere on the net, probably in archives of the game wiki). It's a brief history of one fortress.
If you want to learn more about DF FUN, you should look for a "Boatmurdered" (usually in .pdf somewhere on the net, probably in archives of the game wiki). It's a brief history of one fortress.
5 Likes, Who?
Holzkohlen Dec 6, 2022
Oh no, I have dreaded the moment I could not escape it any longer.
0 Likes
I bought it right away. Unfortunately I didn't have much time before work to try it out. Though I did notice that I had to use the mouse to interact with the various menus and that the old keyboard controls did not function. Pressing the arrow keys did snap my mouse to a specific location so maybe I just have something setup wrong or it's not fully implemented yet?
0 Likes
Philadelphus Dec 6, 2022
I bought it right away. Unfortunately I didn't have much time before work to try it out. Though I did notice that I had to use the mouse to interact with the various menus and that the old keyboard controls did not function. Pressing the arrow keys did snap my mouse to a specific location so maybe I just have something setup wrong or it's not fully implemented yet?Saw this article today on differences with the Steam version which might help – apparently some of the keybindings have changed and some menus need the mouse.
https://www.polygon.com/guides/23494480/dwarf-fortress-biggest-changes-stream-graphics-menu-keyboard-shortcuts-mouse
0 Likes
Dwarf Fortress isn't my sort of game, but I've known people who absolutely swear by it and who've shared some very amusing stories over the years, so this is really nice to see. 
There'll soon be officially-licensed merchandise from Fangamer, too!
I revisited it for a re-read recently, since the original was still ongoing back when I last did so, and it was great to finally see how it ended!
There are also an assortment of dramatic readings on YouTube, but I haven't listened to any of those so I can't speak to their quality.
There'll soon be officially-licensed merchandise from Fangamer, too!
For me it is one of the best games ever!It's on Let's Play Archive, here - a fine piece of entertainment in its own right, to be sure.
If you want to learn more about DF FUN, you should look for a "Boatmurdered" (usually in .pdf somewhere on the net, probably in archives of the game wiki). It's a brief history of one fortress.
I revisited it for a re-read recently, since the original was still ongoing back when I last did so, and it was great to finally see how it ended!There are also an assortment of dramatic readings on YouTube, but I haven't listened to any of those so I can't speak to their quality.
2 Likes, Who?
I got gifted a copy by an ex-coworker who knows how much I love Dwarf Fortress. I'm playing the tutorial for shits and giggles and while I know it's really dumbed down for newbies, it seems a little too dumbed down. Maybe the help guides fill in the gaps, but there's no explanation of how to "prepare carefully", how to manage dwarf labours, how to check your stockpiles, how the health/military systems work, how to raise, butcher and process animals and use their by-products, how and why to avoid carp*, how to create and manage burrows, the importance of booze, etc.
Obviously nothing will ever come close to replacing the DFWiki, but anyone thinking the tutorial will set prepare them for the long game will encounter much Fun.
I'm also struggling with unlearning the shortcuts I know and love -- the game feels so much slower with the removal of keyboard-only gameplay. I'm sure I'll get used to it, and if it plays as well on the Deck as it does on a regular PC (which would be impossible with tradition DF, which I can't even play without a numpad at this point), then it'll pretty neat.
* inside joke
Obviously nothing will ever come close to replacing the DFWiki, but anyone thinking the tutorial will set prepare them for the long game will encounter much Fun.
I'm also struggling with unlearning the shortcuts I know and love -- the game feels so much slower with the removal of keyboard-only gameplay. I'm sure I'll get used to it, and if it plays as well on the Deck as it does on a regular PC (which would be impossible with tradition DF, which I can't even play without a numpad at this point), then it'll pretty neat.
* inside joke
3 Likes, Who?
redneckdrow Dec 7, 2022
how and why to avoid carp*
!link
You guys realize that bug was fixed a long time ago, right?
Also, I'm concerned that the CPU overhead in WINE/Proton would lead to early FPS death (single-digit framerates, for the uninitiated). 'Course, you usually have to play without FUN for quite a while to hit that point, so I might try Proton.
I've been waiting so long, since the initial announcement, that I have no recourse but to instabuy!
I feel the same way about Avatar: The Way of the Water tickets... my poor wallet!
0 Likes
Mountain Man Dec 7, 2022
I got gifted a copy by an ex-coworker who knows how much I love Dwarf Fortress. I'm playing the tutorial for shits and giggles and while I know it's really dumbed down for newbies, it seems a little too dumbed down. Maybe the help guides fill in the gaps, but there's no explanation of how to "prepare carefully", how to manage dwarf labours, how to check your stockpiles, how the health/military systems work, how to raise, butcher and process animals and use their by-products, how and why to avoid carp*, how to create and manage burrows, the importance of booze, etc.Yeah, finished the tutorial, and was like, "Now what?"
Looks like I have some reading to.
0 Likes
Dwarf Fortress gas never been my sort of game, but I've always wanted it to be.
0 Likes
soulsource Dec 7, 2022
Also, I'm concerned that the CPU overhead in WINE/Proton would lead to early FPS death (single-digit framerates, for the uninitiated). 'Course, you usually have to play without FUN for quite a while to hit that point, so I might try Proton.I wouldn't worry too much. Since WINE is not an emulator, but rather an open-source reimplementation of the Win32 API (and some other Windows APIs like DirectX), all CPU overhead it has compared to Windows' own implementation of those APIs happens when programs call functions of those APIs. The CPU-heavy parts of Dwarf Fortress are in its own game code, not talking to the OS, so they should not be affected by WINE. Graphics, Sound and Input will still use a different amount of CPU time compared to Windows, but for Dwarf Fortress those only make up a tiny part of the game's computations.
1 Likes, Who?
I played it a bit a decade ago and the game has been on my wishlist since it was announce on Steam.
However, I will wait for the native version before buying it.
However, I will wait for the native version before buying it.
3 Likes, Who?
Awesome!
Another funny and awesome thing is that, the game works like a charm on pure wine-staging without any tricks (I've got the game from itch.io, where you get DRM free, portable version of DF).
Just double click Dwarf Fortress.exe and play. Simple as that :D
And damn... this game is just too good. You really should give a link to itch.io in the article too, I think ;)
Last edited by Avikarr on 7 December 2022 at 4:40 pm UTC
Another funny and awesome thing is that, the game works like a charm on pure wine-staging without any tricks (I've got the game from itch.io, where you get DRM free, portable version of DF).
Just double click Dwarf Fortress.exe and play. Simple as that :D
And damn... this game is just too good. You really should give a link to itch.io in the article too, I think ;)
Last edited by Avikarr on 7 December 2022 at 4:40 pm UTC
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