Washii Ponderings

Currently trying to figure out a good way to store my games, which primarily comprise jewel cases. Of course, my collection of the ‘full-sized’ plastic game boxes pose a problem for storage.

For most of the games, I’m using flip-open plastic storage boxes. I guess this will work for the moment, but I need to upsize to larger boxes for parts of the collection.

So, I was on the Dwarf Fortress forum awhile back, where I came across this image:

I got this picture from this thread, where it was posted by a user who had editted the original version of this graph.

Originally, all the items were MMORPGs. Well, Dwarf Fortress’ original line was supposd to be for EVE Online. I think that says something for the game, though I have a CompSci buddy that plays it.

But, is the line false? Probably not. The 2D version of the game may’ve had a slightly easier curve, but if you got started in the 3D version, you were well-and-truly screwed on the learning curve.

Still fun as hell when you start inately picking up the commands, though.

Near were this picture is embedded in the thread, somebody commented that the stick figures should have dwarven beards. The user who posted this image just said he was too lazy.

So, I like my games here and there. However, Dwarf Fortress (Wikilink) (full name: “Slaves to Armok: God of Blood – Chapter II: Dwarf Fortress”) is like classic NetHack paired up with Supreme Commander.

ASCII-based graphics (formerly curses) with a roguelike adventure mode (the NetHack part), and an RTS-like experience that can suck CPU cycles like no tomorrow (like Supreme Commander).

I primarily play the latter part. Can you figure out what you do in that part? If you guessed “Build a fortress”…well then, ding-ding-ding, you would be right!

You guide a group of dwarves (of varying population sizes…most games start with 7 dwarves, though this can be editted with utilities, with the game’s defaults coming with a hard-cap of 200 dwarves) into building a fortress; maintain alcohol levels (or provide easy means of drinking water), feed them (through gathering, trapping, hunting or good ol’ sedentary indoor farming!), clothe and room them…

Yeah, there’s a lot to do. And the learning curve is tremendously high. You can use a mouse, but you can’t make any of the selections with it. The numpad is one of your main arsenals in this game. As are most of the rest of the alphabet on your keyboard, plus arrow keys.

Today, the fortress can be built into a vast array of landscapes (plains, cliffs, tremendously mountainous areas, beaches), though I started playing the game shortly before this made it into the game. There, you were guaranteed a cave river, chasm and lava river at somewhat set points through the mountain. Oh, and you couldn’t build on different Z-levels, either (yes, you read that right: you can actually build down or up into mountains).

What do I call this? Addictively fun. Oh, and the music is pretty darn good too.