> A commercial game would have a tutorial mode and other bells and whistles to make it more approachable.

Does Jackson Pollock have a tutorial? Duchamp? The beauty in Dwarf Fortress is that it doesn't cater to the lowest common denominator. It's the vision of Tarn and Zach Adams manifested without the filter of commercial interests.

Nobody's opposed to a tutorial (and there are plenty of community created ones: http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/DF2014:Tutorials ).

Commercial games are like corporate art. A company would never create a game like Dwarf Fortress.

Alternately, you can spend your hour before bed watching reality television.