After two decades of creating the indie cult classic simulation gameDwarf Fortresson their own, brothers Tarn and Zach Adams have added two new team members to the game. The only programmers at developer Bay 12 Studios until now, the success of the game’s Steam launch convinced the Adams brothers to double the size of the development team after20 years of designingDwarf Fortressby themselves.
Maddeningly obtuse at times, yet surprisingly addictive,Dwarf Fortresstasks players with trying to grow and protect a colony of stubborn dwarfs who seem determined to do anything other than what players want them to do. Hidden behind the game’s simple graphics,Dwarf Fortressboasts an impressive world simulation system that accounts for everything from the freezing and evaporation of water to the love lives of the titular dwarfs. Though many long-time fans of the punishing simulation title were skeptical when it was announced the game would be getting a graphical facelift whenDwarf Fortressarrived on Steam, the new look and streamlined interface have been welcomed by many players.
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In a patch note posted on Steam, Bay 12 Studios announced that two new members had been added to theDwarf Fortressdevelopment team. Drawn from the game’s passionate community, new team member Putnam will be assisting with coding while SalfordSal will grow the game’s community on Discord and Twitch. Discussing the addition of Putnam to the coding team, Bay 12 Studios notes that “never before have non-Adams eyes seen theDwarf Fortresscode.” The developers credit the game’s successful Steam launch with making it possible to grow the studio afterDwarf Fortressearned nine million dollars in its first six dayson Steam.
In addition to adding some new, non-Adams faces to the team at Bay 12 Studios, the post also announces the addition of a Classic graphics mode toDwarf Fortress. As the name implies, the new Classic graphics mode replaces the pixel art and sprites of the Steam release with the original “ASCII-esque font-based glyphs” that long served as a barrier to entry to new players. Although the Adams brothers have stated that they want players tohave fun losing inDwarf Fortress, most players will probably choose to stick with the updated graphics so they can have at least some idea what’s happening the first time they inadvertently flood their fortress.
WhileDwarf Fortressis unlikely to ever achieve the same mainstream success as some of its more casual, less punishing competitors in the simulation game market, its unique and engrossing gameplay is truly peerless. And with new team members helping to improve the game’s intricate simulation systems, and their tendency to create some hilariously tragic outcomes for unlucky players,Dwarf Fortresslooks ready to deliver another 20 years of frustration and fun to gamers.
Dwarf Fortressis available on PC.
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