I want to get into this, but the randomly generated nature has always been an (i...

ilyt · on Nov 22, 2022

The better UI(and paid) version drops on Steam 6th of December. Probably the best time to give it a shot.

And it is not "just" randomly generated. For example, the rivers flow where there are rocky paths in the terrain

Rocky paths are there because during worldgen game simulated erosion.

Erosion is made by simulated rainfall

Simulated rainfall depends in winds and location of a given terrain.

And only at the start of that chain there is "random generation".

> I guess I want more editorial choice in the level design.

Then tell your dwarves to build what you want, you can make pretty grand scale things in it.

bombcar · on Nov 22, 2022

You do control a large number of aspects of world generation, which can be used to "tune" the game from very easy to impossibly difficult.

And once you have parameters you like, you can try different seeds.

https://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/DF2014:World_generat...

https://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/DF2014:Advanced_worl...

Also, people will post seeds and world parameters for "good worlds" they've found: https://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/DF2014:Worldgen_exam...

MiddleEndian · on Nov 22, 2022

On top of what bombcar mentioned, you also get to choose your embark spot within your tuned world.

bombcar · on Nov 22, 2022

And you can post a world on the forums and ask people for a "good embark spot" and they'll find different ones for you.

It's amusing what people consider "necessities" and "absolutely not" in embark spots; some people will never touch an aquifer, others it's not even something to look at.