u/btroycraft

I've been working on a vector-graphics inverse of the old 9x14 IBM VGA font, converted to square-aspect and TrueType for use with text mode in DF 47.05. It should be a pixel-perfect inverse (except for 1 annoying straggler in glyph 237/U+03C6 - and the beardy faces). Also included are several resolution levels in multiples of 14x14 in the DF bitmap format (bmps include beards, ttf does not).

In general, I tried to match pixels while rounding as much as possible, while keeping the "essence" of the base glyphs.

The repo is here

https://preview.redd.it/pgc50n3t0v7h1.png?width=672&format=png&auto=webp&s=7629b8b31001156fa336a3ba979d23664f631947

For context, Dwarf Fortress used to be the only game I kept on my Linux laptop. I got used to having it there for when I was traveling and bored. In a way, it didn't feel like a game, more akin to something like Zork or Hitchhiker's Guide. And it didn't need the trackpad. I could play just as well on a plane, in a recliner, in a cafe, didn't matter. The ASCII graphics and keyboard controls completely obfuscated from judgey eyes the fact I was playing a game in public.

Since the release I had been playing the modern DF on my home desktop with mouse and keyboard, and for the most part it's been enjoyable. But it feels different. It needs Steam, for one. And the imagination isn't there.

Recently I've been traveling and from that really begun to miss the keyboard interface and ASCII graphics. I updated to the newest free version, and it's unplayable in so many ways:

Searching for an embark, the X doesn't flash like it did before.

The calendar is cluttered with ()s. Every other menu is cluttered with weird artifacts trying to directly replicate the GUI elements in ASCII.

There is a keyboard cursor, but no k inspection or way to select units with it, or at least that I've found.

The ASCII-GUI spreads random symbols all over the screen, and heavily relies on mouseover tooltips to explain everything.

Most importantly, there is no text on the menus. You just have to go off of the symbols; and the symbols look like nothing. That's fine for units on the board, because you don't NEED to look at them, but its absolutely awful for the UI. In the classic interface, all the options were clearly visible in the side window, and stated what the available key commands were at any given time.

I went back to 47.05 and the change in feel became very apparent.

This has been discussed before, but it feels like Dwarf Fortress had a piece of its soul carved out. Browsing online, I see that the keyboard-ASCII question has been brought up and promptly ignored multiple times, and now is a complete afterthought years later. 47.05 is there, but stagnant. In a way, it feels like Dwarf Fortress died in 2021 and its kid took over.

It makes me sad.