5 things we can learn from Dwarf Fortress 3: #3
3) Graphics don’t matter as much as you may think
This is a short one, but it’s important, especially for PC games. It’s ok to skimp on graphics if it allows for improvement in other parts of the gaming experience.
The graphics in Dwarf Fortress aren’t bad, but they are inscrutable. And it doesn’t matter. The game doesn’t suffer. As a hypothetical, let’s assume that Dwarf Fortresses graphics were slightly better. Say, instead of ASCII representations, they were rudimentary 3d graphics with the approximate detail of the first Quake game. Would this improve the experience, or detract from it? It still wouldn’t matter. One might assume that more realistic graphics would hurt the game as they might begin to encroach on the player’s imaginative territory, but I doubt that would matter. One may also assume that improved visuals always improve the experience; I don’t think that’s correct, either. In games as deep as interesting as DF, the visuals really don’t matter all that much.