I see it's highly requested but to me it looks terrible. I can't see what the appeal is.

I can only speak for my self but its challenge of creating a thriving community out there and the stories that evolve from there, from dwarves that lose their minds, to the highs and lows, there is so much that can or cannot happen in a playthrough.

but the games difficulty can have an effect on that and its not for everyone.

Everyone is different.

I can't, but I'd suggest watching DasTactic (YouTube).

Because there aren't so many games in which the learning curve has a vertical asymptote :)

The complexity of the world created by this game is something unique. Even if not every player will enjoy playing it, it is worth taking a look at it. Certainly a masterpiece.

Anyone? I don't play it.

Didn't know you also watch him! I also watch him sometimes mainly when he plays games from Slitherine since those are the games that he mostly plays. But yeah, not really important, just wanted to say that lol.

I'm still trying to figure out why so many people think Death Stranding is a good game.

I think the idea that "games don't need to be entertaining" has really found traction in the gaming community in the past few years.

I noticed someone posting in this thread used the word "unique" to describe Dwarf Fortress. I have seen the same word used to describe Death Stranding. It's starting to seem like that word is being used to describe games when there's nothing good that can be said.

"Who needs fancy graphics when you have your imagination?"
don't know the author.
but jokes aside. the appeal is DF being of the most (if not just THE most) complex games. it creates a whole "living" world with its history and every its inhabitant having their own traits and relationships and stuff. and everything just works in the most realistic and logical way. and the cruel random makes !!FUN!! happen ensuring you witness said world history being made right before your own eyes.
you know, any play session will leave you with lots of stories to tell.
but I'm being biased here.

''looks terrible'' is subjective. There are even now games being made in ASCII art. That was also the case with DF, when in it was freeware. Judging by the screenshots of the now paid release - I'd say it does not look half bad.

As to what's the appeal of the genre?
That's the case - DF was somewhat the first of it's genre. Have you played RimWorld ?

The appeal is also subjective, but mostly it's - ''Here. Have a few ''settlers'' and some starting tools. Do what you want.''

For me it would be the colony and resource management. Others would enjoy the steep learning curve. Again others would enjoy playing with the games physics (You can make trapdoors that are activated with levers, stepping plates and wire them in various way). Others simply enjoy how the AI acts (Sims style). Others invented meta-play styles, such as playing for 3 days, then passing the save file to another, who then passes it to another, who passes it back - and you have to figure out, without pausing (!) just what they have changed in the meantime. BIG HINT: if there is suddenly a big red lever with the letters ''DO NOT PULL'' - do not pull. It's almost guaranteed that thing is wired to TNT that is wired all over your colony...

What else?
Well, again, the game is open ended so you can find many many ways you want to play.
Elf traders might show up and if you offer to trade wood with them they treat it as an insult and declare war on you. Goblins may try to invade you. You can dig down to literal hell.

Really in this game you have to look past the graphics. =)

---

Side note: there was once a thread here about ''what's the point of minecraft?''
That one was weird.

For the same reasons you play games you enjoy?
Wild guess, I know.

No chance, because I see nothing I'd enjoy here.

Read again.

I, roughly, like the genre. I especially like the independent agents and whatnot. But...

I found the particular "subgenre" where -- Dwarf Fortress (It was freeware for ages; is it still?). Gnomoria (on GOG), etc, inaccessible. They have horrible UX that makes any game play they have a chore. Adding the "underground layers" just breaks it for me.

Rimworld is better. Heck, going back to Populous is better. To me.

I totally get why people who play it do. I just can't brake into this specific title.

Classic version is still free and always will but there is new paid version with graphical overhaul now, making it more accessible and similar to RimWorld.

I can't explain fully why I enjoy playing e.g. Starcraft (the single-player campaign) or Team Fortress 2 (an online shooter) so much. I just do. They just gently rub the mental G-spot in my brains.

When you say you don't "see" anything you'd enjoy there, have you tried to play it yourself, extensively even? If I only saw someone else play e.g. Starcraft, I probably wouldn't understand why it was supposed to be so interesting. Or when I friend of mine saw a gameplay video of Team Fortress (I think it was TF Classic), he couldn't understand why it is supposed to be a great game, he couldn't understand anything that was happening in it, players just running around and shooting.