Hey everyone! Life keeps happening and I irresponsibly let this group fall off my radar entirely. I'll be looking into bringing on others who are interested in covering releases and dev blog updates, and anyone who is interested is free to post in the comments here.

12/05/2015: Released Dwarf Fortress 0.42.02

Toady One: Here's a quick follow-up for some of the worst bugs. There are still some strange things going on (horses all over, duplicate companions, etc.), but hopefully this version will work much better than the last one.

Major bug fixes

Fixed world generation freeze caused by error in poetry refrains
Fixed crash from building constructions on tree leaves etc.
Fixed calendar crash from bandit bar hoppers
Fixed crash with children joining socialize activities (most common with migrant waves)
Made worship activity branch properly (so prayer needs can be satisfied)
Fixed world gen seed not repeating after abort


Other bug fixes/tweaks

Can see deity for temple in location screen
Cannot spot vampires from occupation list anymore
Fixed a few typos

12/01/2015

Toady One: Here is the new version we've been working on all year! The flow of fortress life is quite a bit different now -- specific breaks and parties have been replaced by taverns and performances and needs and inebriation. You can designate a tavern, temple or library from a meeting area zone, bedroom or dining room using the new Assign Location option. The location list ('l') will let you know what sort of furniture and items you need, and you can set tavern keepers, scribes and other occupations there as well. You'll need to set up a drink stockpile and a chest for goblets in taverns for drink service to work properly, but dwarves can still drink without a tavern as before. You can assign multiple rooms/zones to a single location. There's a lot more -- see the feature list below.

The bug fix list below is partial. Large chunks of the game were changed, which has a way of making old bugs go away while bringing in new ones to take their place. We'll be focusing on bugs old and new in subsequent releases, starting with crashing saves and moving down the list. The next set of bug-fix releases will be measured on a scale of days and weeks rather than months, as usual.

New stuff

Ability to designate taverns, temples and libraries in the fortress
Taverns and libraries also exist in adventure mode and world generation
Tavern keepers can serve drinks in both modes, goblets can be used by dwarves to drink (in taverns or otherwise)
Performances include stories, poetry, music and dance (you can view activity descriptions from the unit/job list)
Art forms are randomly generated for each civilization
Instruments are now all generated, instruments can be used in both modes
Most instruments are constructed from multiple pieces using different materials
Personalities and values lead to needs which can be met by various actions in both modes
The fort has visitors, residency petitions and eventual citizenship, including non-dwarves
Tavern visitors include mercenaries, monster slayers, bandits, diplomats and performers
Can set details for clothing/armor jobs to make them for other races that can equip items
Monster slayers can petition your fortress to go down and fight monsters once you discover the underground
Performance troupes are active in world generation and into play, visiting the fort, can be formed in adventure mode
New knowledge system divided into nine branches (though it has very few practical effects so far)
Fortress scholars can advance knowledge, form master-apprentice relationships and write down their findings
Fortress scribes can copy works in your library
Scholars can visit your fortress libraries, bringing knowledge from around the world
Devoted historical figures can visit your fortress temples
Three forms of writing material: papyrus sheets, paper sheets and parchment sheets
Papyrus sheets are made directly from the plant at the farmer's workshop
Paper is made from pressed slurries (start at the quern/mill, then go to a screw press)
Parchment is made from hide and milk of lime at the tanner's (bake quicklime at a kiln, then make milk of lime at an ashery)
Sheets are used to make quires or with rollers to make scrolls -- these are then used for writing
Quires can be bound into codices with bindings after they contain writing
Dwarves read books in the library (they don't need to be scholars)
Values can be passed in writing (both modes) and through adventure mode arguments (uses some conversation skills)
Animal people are playable as adventurers, arrive as fort visitors and sometimes live in towns in (playable) populations
Children play with toys now, and they can also play make believe, in both modes
Personality can be customized/randomized in adventure mode, appearance can be randomized as well
Temples can be defiled in both modes, dwarf temples can be assigned to particular gods
Adventurer can rent rooms in inns
Adventurers can compose new poems, music and dances
Adventurers can write material down on empty quires or scrolls
Alcohol causes inebriation, erratic behavior, unconsciousness, death
Festivals occur in world generation, though we haven't gotten them out of there yet
Dwarves will wear trinkets again


Major bug fixes

Fixed some army pathing issues
Goblins have mounts again
Fixed long-standing flow bug with unit occupancy
Stopped some issues with brawls escalating to non-lethal


Other bug fixes/tweaks

Looking at reaction screen for redded-out reactions in workshop will indicate missing reagents now
Fixed inversion problem with half of the child/parent conversation thoughts
Lots of historical figures that weren't around from the beginning didn't have deities when they were supposed to
Allowed site finder to look for 1x1 sites
Human civilizations now have randomized values
Added ability to set invasion wave cap size



http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/

11/23/2015

Toady One: We're done with the list -- I'm going to have to push off rumor display changes for a bit, since I spent the day I set aside for that chasing crash bugs instead. The crash bugs were squished though, so I'm happy enough with the outcome. We're doing release mode tests now and going through the churn of tweaks that happens before it's ready enough to go. There will still be plenty of issues left for you to enjoy, along with all the new stuff. Fix fix fix, fix fix fix.

Mission Status

Threetoe: We asked you if you wanted to be our patron on Patreon and so many of you agreed that it is just plain amazing. Maybe they were right and a video game can be a work of art. Your generosity for our project hasn't gone unnoticed. We have doubled our efforts to bring you the quality Beyond Quality that you have learned to expect. Without your gifts, Bay 12 and Dwarf Fortress would not exist!

Congratulations to the generous!

Toady One: Thanks for helping out in June. Like last time, the numbers were evenly split between Paypal and Patreon, but everything was a bit higher, so it was a good month! We should have our first adventure mode performers trying their very best to entertain the community in a few days. Are your stories, poem, songs and dances masterful enough to impress random strangers on the street? Only one way to find out!


June: $5520.39
May: $4058.53
April: $3730.05
March: $2975.76
February: $4009.55


Reward reminder: If you support us, you can pick either a Story Reward or a Crayon Art Reward. A Story Reward is basically a mini-Threetoe story (examples) and a Crayon Art Reward is a crudely drawn scene which we sketch, color in, and mail to you, anywhere in the world (assuming your contribution covers postage, which is about a dollar almost wherever you are). We take personal requests for either reward as well, he he he. You can also be listed among the Bay 12 Champions. You can choose any kind of reward no matter which contribution method you choose.

http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=151691.0

Here's a Future of the Fortress reply:
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=140544.msg6345218#msg6345218

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