Are you ready for images and tutorials for Dwarf Fortress? If you are, you'll be happy to know that the Dwarf Fortress Steam release date has been revealed for December 6th, with the game costing $29.99. It's also coming to Itch.io, so if you don't want to be tied down into Steam's ecosystem then that's an option as well.
Back in February, Bay 12 Games revealed the roadmap that it needed to complete in order to finalize a Dwarf Fortress Steam release date. This included new menus, game modes, and fancy graphics. You might think that last one is a bit of a joke, but it's actually a really big deal. Before this release, mods were needed to get something that looked like it was made in the last 30 years. Why? Well, on its own, Dwarf Fortress used letters and numbers for graphics like it was straight out of the 80s. Basically, it was not approachable in the slightest unless you were really dedicated.
You might think this game will be really hard to learn and play, and you're probably right, but a tutorial mode was also released in June. This is great news, and the tutorial should definitely make the lives of newcomers like us a lot easier as we struggle to wrap our heads around with what is undoubtedly one of the most complex games ever made.
As for what's still needed, the last few creatures and building graphics are being added. Bugs are also being fixed as well, which is good, as bugs in a massive game like Dwarf Fortress could ruin huge portions of the game for people. Legends mode is also coming, which should excite some fans that want to "view maps [and] histories of each civilization and any figure who has lived or died in the generated world".
What might not be coming in time for launch is Steam Workshop integration and the Arena and Classic modes. They're all either close or partially working at this point, so it's going to be down to the wire whether they're in at launch or in patch a few weeks after the Dwarf Fortress Steam release date.
For more information on Dwarf Fortress and other games like it, stay tuned to TechRaptor.
