Since I have proposed it as Game of the Month, I thought it might be a good idea to explain the game to anybody who hasn't played it.
Dwarf Fortress is, at the highest level, a world simulator. Every single event by every single person, thousands of them, is recorded, and can effect your game.
Within this simulation is three modes of play. Fortress mode, the titular mode, where you lead a group of seven dwarves to found a fortress. Adventure mode, where you play an adventure in a rogue-like. And finally Legends mode, where you can sift through the historical events of the world.
Now, the biggest learning issues in Dwarf Fortress are the graphics and the UI. You can change the graphics using handy graphics packs, but the UI is the hard part. With so many options the game seems so large and expansive, which it is, but the game presents so many options you will never use. I've never built a kennel, for example.
Now, I have a series of links below for all who are interested, on a variety of subjects. Many of them are stories, to show how in depth this game can be, and what it can produce, by itself or by the players work.
General:
http://df.zweistein.cz/This "medium-length pamphlet about miserable dwarves and a sublime game." Does a better job then myself explaining this game.
http://dwarffortresswiki.org/Have any questions while your playing? This is the place to go.
http://dffd.bay12games.com/file.php?id=7622The Lazy Newb Pack, is the most convenient pack for those wishing to play with utilities(Dwarf Therapist is highly recommended if your playing Fortress Mode, along with Soundsense, which adds sound and music.) or a tile set. Makes using both much easier and it comes pre-installed with the game.
Fortress Mode:
http://lparchive.org/Dwarf-Fortress-Boatmurdered/Boatmurdered is the most legendary fortress of all time, considered the greatest community fortress ever. Anybody who wants to play this game needs to read this epic saga.
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=19279.0Nist Akath is, in my opinion, the second greatest fortress to ever exist. There used to be an archive of it, but it has since been taken down, the thread is still around though.
http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/DF2014:Quickstart_guideEverything you need to know about starting a fortress, complete with ridiculously complex flowchart that even I can barely understand for your convenience.
Adventure Mode:
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=106920.0Deebus, a Kolbold Story, is a personal favourite of mine. While you can't usually play Kolbolds, the exception is if every single civilization is Kolbolds. A wonderful story..
http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/DF2014:Adventure_mode_quick_startThe wiki comes to the rescue again! Much shorter then its Fortress counterpart, it will help you figure out how to work adventure mode!
Legends Mode:
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=42702.0Considered the greatest epic ever to come out of legends mode, The Legend of Tholtig Cryptbrain is a tragic tale of a failing dwarven civilization.
