DFHack - Dwarf Fortress Modding Engine | Game Brain

About

DFHack is an add-on for Dwarf Fortress (search for it here on Steam!) that enables mods and tools to significantly extend the game. The default DFHack distribution contains a wide variety of these tools, including bugfixes, interface improvements, automation agents, design blueprints, modding building blocks, and more. Third-party tools (e.g. mods downloaded from Dwarf Fortress Steam Workshop or t…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

DFHack - Dwarf Fortress Modding Engine screenshot

99%

Audience ScoreBased on 966 reviews

gameplay8 positive mentions

grinding30 negative mentions

DFHack significantly enhances the Dwarf Fortress experience by adding numerous quality of life improvements, making the game more enjoyable and less tedious.
It provides essential tools for automating tasks and fixing bugs, allowing players to focus on the creative aspects of building and managing their fortresses.
The integration with the Steam version is seamless, making it easy to install and use, and it is highly recommended for both new and experienced players.

Some users have reported crashes and bugs when using DFHack, which can detract from the overall experience.
The learning curve can be steep for new players, and the abundance of features may feel overwhelming at first.
While it offers many helpful tools, some players feel that the cheat functionalities could undermine the challenge of the game if not used carefully.

grinding
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find that grinding in Dwarf Fortress can be significantly alleviated through the use of tools like DFHack, which automate tedious tasks and enhance quality of life. These tools are considered essential for serious players, making the game more enjoyable by streamlining complex management aspects and reducing time-consuming chores. However, some users note that while the graphical version improves accessibility, it can also introduce new forms of tedium in managing these features.
- “After being converted to the graphical version, the complexity remained, but the accessibility to manage these features became tedious in a lot of respects.”
- “Farming is broken!!!”
- “Helps with a lot of the tedious problems that can bog down running and enjoying a fort.”
gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
57%
12%
The gameplay of Dwarf Fortress has been significantly enhanced with quality-of-life features such as UI improvements, building planners, and automation tools, making mundane tasks more manageable and allowing players to focus on the more engaging aspects of the game. While the learning curve can be steep, the experience remains accessible and rewarding, with emergent gameplay and rich mechanics reminiscent of RimWorld, albeit without certain features like migration. Overall, these additions serve as valuable aids that improve the gameplay experience without being intrusive, offering both automation and deeper engagement with the game's systems.
- “The UI fixes, the building planner, suspend manager, ability to automate wood chopping, etc. in short, the best parts of this don't let you do anything you couldn't normally do in Dwarf Fortress, but they make mundane tasks much more bearable, letting you focus on the more interesting parts of the gameplay loop.”
- “An indispensable aid for playing Dwarf Fortress, serving as both an augmentation and automation of mundane tasks and a cheat engine for getting out of a tight spot or testing deeper mechanics.”
- “But it also adds a ton of great quality of life features that will make gameplay so much smoother.”
- “Gameplay is similar to RimWorld, but without the migration/caravan mechanic (at least at this time).”
- “The learning curve is somewhat steep, but the gameplay past that remains easy to remember.”
- “Even if you're like me and only use 1% of what's available, it's still super useful & completely non-intrusive on your gameplay experience.”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
58%
25%
The reviews highlight that tools like Dfhack significantly enhance the replayability of Dwarf Fortress, making it more accessible and enjoyable for both new and veteran players. While these tools are not essential, they greatly improve the overall gameplay experience, encouraging players to revisit the game multiple times.
- “Dfhack is an incredibly diverse and useful tool that makes Dwarf Fortress so much more playable and enjoyable.”
- “While not required to play Dwarf Fortress, the tools here make the game a hell of a lot more playable.”
- “Makes Dwarf Fortress vastly more playable.”
- “Makes the game more playable, and that's coming from a long-time vet.”
optimization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The optimization aspect of the game is highly praised, with users noting significant performance improvements and quality-of-life features that enhance gameplay. Automation tools and fine-tuning options make managing tasks easier, contributing to a smoother experience even with minimal engagement. Overall, these enhancements are deemed essential for both performance and user enjoyment.
- “From performance improvements and quality of life features to amazing automation tools that will make DF a lot more palatable for people who have had to deal with menial tasks one too many times, this is the kind of tool you feel you'll have a hard time living without after you have used it for a while.”
- “It has a lot of quality of life features, performance fixes, and overall better ways to fine-tune and figure out issues/problems.”
- “Just installing, and never even opening will make your game work smoother, let alone what you can do for optimization of your fort.”
- “It has a lot of QoL features, performance fixes, and overall better ways to fine-tune and figure out issues/problems.”
- “Essential for performance or for those who want to mess around.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Dwarf Fortress is praised for its engaging gameplay, though it is often described as buggy, with occasional glitches and lock-ups. However, the game includes helpful fixes and quality-of-life improvements that alleviate some of these issues, making the experience smoother and more enjoyable. Overall, while stability can be a concern, the available tools enhance the gameplay by addressing the more tedious aspects.
- “Dwarf Fortress is a great but sometimes buggy game.”
- “Takes some of the rough edges off the interface, and even if you don't regularly use it, you're going to be glad it's there if things get a bit... buggy.”
- “Adds a ton of great quality of life improvements to Dwarf Fortress, removing the most tedious parts while helping you fix when the game glitches.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The graphics of the game have seen significant improvement compared to the pre-Steam version, showcasing good artwork that enhances the overall experience. However, while the complexity of the game remains intact, managing these graphical features can be tedious for players.
- “The graphics of the game are quite good, and a major improvement over the pre-steam version.”
- “After being converted to the graphical version, the complexity remained, but the accessibility to manage these features became tedious in a lot of respects.”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
50%
33%
The game features high-quality storytelling, with each character, including goblins, kobolds, and dwarves, possessing rich backstories that enhance the overall narrative experience.
- “It has high quality storytelling.”
- “Story?”
- “Every goblin, kobold, and dwarf will always have a deep backstory and info on them.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is primarily centered around a dwarf character, who is consistently portrayed as funny and amusing, eliciting laughter from players.
- “The dwarf is laughing.”
- “Dwarf funny”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is enhanced by its user-friendly improvements, which create a smoother gameplay experience and provide helpful alerts, allowing players to engage more deeply without resorting to cheating. This focus on accessibility and interface refinement contributes to a more immersive and enjoyable emotional journey within the game.

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DFHack - Dwarf Fortress Modding Engine
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6h Median play time

6h Average play time

6-6h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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DFHack - Dwarf Fortress Modding Engine

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