A Strange Mood: The Couple's Dwarf Fortress Podcast

We’ve got fort updates, strange characters, and artifacts galore! Drew tells us about his monster encounters, and Kristin shares her new favorite weirdo, Shem the Shirtless Fisherdwarf. As a bonus at the end, we talk a little about some other games we’ve tried, including Elin, the game that feels like Adventure Mode! Extra Info: Transcript (see README for […]

“For Gods Sake, Someone Pull The Lever!” Today we’re visited by a very special guest, who brings along his process, stories and great Dwarfy tips! Stick around in the episode for another great bop? ditty? (idk, I’m old – Drew) from Stephen! Extra Info: Transcript (see README for more details)

This week, we actually played Dwarf Fortress! Drew has a cool new fort with some artifacts, and Kristin has a new fort that will be cool eventually, probably… hopefully? For the start of spooky season, Kristin talks about Mind Over Magic. And finally, Drew tells us all about Amazing Cultivation Simulator and how it doesn’t […]

We’ve got a special episode all about Critter Cove! This is 100% a Kristin Game, with cute creatures, exploration, crafting, and much more! We tell you all about the game and then discuss the concept of early access, and our experiences with games in development. Note that Kristin raises some questions about game features and […]

We’re back with an update about all the games we’ve been playing. There are dwarves, we promise! Extra Info: Transcript (see README for more details)

We’re alive! We’ve returned briefly from our summer interlude to discuss what we’ve been up to, and Drew tells us all about his recent Rimworld experience. We’ll be back soon with more dwarfy goodness, we promise! Extra Info: Transcript (see README for more details)

We’re back from summer break! Kind of! Indiana is going crazy in the heat, yo, but we’re staying cool with Dwarf Fortress, Rimworld, and all the good settlement games available right now. Extra Info:

Kristin starts settling a volcano start location, and realizes it’s a bit more fun than she thought it’d be. Drew continues with the adventure mode beta, making best friends with a hermit-crab-man and his platonic life partner, a master swordsman squirrel-man. Together with their cuddly pet giant war turtle and giant war bear they attempt […]

We’re back, this time with more goblin murder! We talk in the first 20ish minutes about adventure mode, some of the reactions we’ve seen to it, and how we’re feeling about the current state of the beta. Then, in the last 40ish minutes, you can hear us create an adventurer and almost immediately become murder […]

We’ve got so much going on! Drew has a metropolis, Kristin has a city, and we have all the encounters that go along with a larger population! Forgotten beasts, creepy underworld creatures, and artifacts galore. Plus, we talk a little about the Stardew Valley update and probably way too much about what manga and anime […]

Drew and Kristin talk about how things are going too well at their forts. Also sorry for the talk of dissection of animals in a school context at the end. Idk, it’s Dwarf Fortress! Extra info: Transcript (see README for more details)

And where does the apostrophe go when fortress is possessive? We have fort updates, goblin animal trainers, and a deep dive into story progression and endgame in simulation games. Plus, poetry corner and disappointing artifacts! Extra info: images Transcript (see README for more details)

This week, we’ve got tons of dwarfy news, musings on how Dwarf Fortress allows for so much creativity, and updates from our forts. Kristin has a wereracoon problem, and Drew’s mayor has a vendetta against mandrake juice. Plus, we’re both very tired and silly for this Monday recording, so enjoy some digressions into dwarven poetry […]

Drew makes Kristin compare Dwarf Fortress to other logistics / survival base building games. Spoiler alert: Dwarf Fortress is better. Also, for the SEO: Palworld, Palworld, Palworld. Meanwhile Kristin’s fort goes artifact crazy, while Drew’s fort turns into a drunken tavern nude elf orgy. Speaking of, we also recommend the (elf-loving) anime Frieren, which gets […]

Kristin strategically games and mourns her hamster bard's passing, while Drew shares how DFHack simplifies trading and recounts a gripping tale of sibling rivalry for a queen's favor in his fortress. From hamsters to heirs, this episode is worth a listen. Also, check out the Discord and the DFHack link for more !!FUN!!

We’re back, this time with mods! After a long break, we’ve spun up new Dwarf Fortress worlds and are getting back into the swing of things. Come for Dwarf Fortress talk, stay for our discussion of other games we’ve played during the break. Digressions include dralthas and how decapods wear shoes. Extra info: Transcript (see README for […]

We’re back! But then we’re taking a long break! But we’ll also be trying to drop some interstitial content! We’re excited! Alas, Fordcudgel has fallen, while Glazecradled has been abandoned by their goddess in favor of an exciting new volcano fort. Will the HOT HOT magma be enough to save their world from the ignominy […]

Sorry all, we’ve had a confluence of bad days this week which means you’re getting an apology and not much else right now. We’ll be back in a week or two with a last pre-holidays spectacular, but for now, enjoy some random Dwarf Fortress news and say your prayers for us to your preferred lungfish […]

It’s a little after Halloween, but we’ve got spooky stories to thrill and chill you AND your dwarves! Plus fort updates: a lot of dwarves died at Kristin’s fort, while Drew’s dwarves have been taken by many strange moods. Digressions include basically everything because we’re having construction done on our house this week and are […]

We’re back for episode 23 with strands of meat and spooky stories! Kristin has gone mad with power and is tackling all the industries at once, and Drew is trying to console a very angry craftswoman. We talk about how ghosts work in Dwarf Fortress, and we’ve got a fun new recurring topic: what’s on […]

Things are hopping at both our forts, and we’ve got paper making, mine carts, lava fountains, and clothes keeping us busy. Plus, tons of cool community news! Kristin wonders why her dwarves aren’t inspired to write books, and Drew tells us just how grumpy his dwarves are, even when they’re happy. Topic of the day […]

Welcome to Glazedcradled and Fordcudgel, our new forts! That’s right: we’re back to full time dwarfin.’ This time we talk settlement strategies and project plans, including Kristin’s small attempts to get into engineering and industry, and Drew’s grand lava plans. Digressions include crabapples and Kristin’s myriad elf boyfriends. Finally, be sure to send us your […]

We’re back this week to talk about (sorry) BALDUR’S GATE 3! We dedicate an entire episode to gushing about this amazing game. Digressions include, well, the entire episode, which is a digression from our actual focus. We’ll be back to dorfin’ next time! Act 3 spoilers start at 26:47. Extra Info Transcript(see README for more details)

We’re here, we’re injured, and we’re ready to talk about storytelling! This week, we discuss the demise of both Wetringed and FieryCities. (RIP.) We also dig deep into how we pull stories from dwarf fortress, how role-playing is different from storytelling, and what challenges we have when trying to document the lives of individual dwarves. […]

This week, we’ve got brief updates from our forts, but mostly we’re geeking out about Baldur’s Gate 3! Talk about highest quality; we’re obsessed with this game. If you’re not interested and/or don’t want spoilers for Act 1, you can skip from 19:30 to 40:05. Digressions this episode include pedal harps and, well, most of […]

This week we’re talking about guildhalls! We also bring you the latest news from WetRinged and FieryCities, featuring embezzlement and divine judgement. Digressions include moon snails, shady statues, and underwhelming secret identity reveals. Drew also brings us the tale of a dwarven con artist from Legends Mode! Extra info: Transcript(see README for more details)

This week, we’re giving you the news from our forts and then discussing what constitutes cheating in Dwarf Fortress and other simulation-type games. Digressions include bumblebee deities and Sims challenges. We also talk a little about two other games we’re currently enjoying: Sun Haven and Monster Sanctuary! Extra info: Transcript(see README for more details)

We’re back from vacation to tell you all about new forts, old forts, and child labor. Kristin’s new fort has a terrible name, and Drew’s continuing fort has a power couple and intriguing deaths. Plus, we talk all about dwarven children, both feral and, uh, domesticated? Asides include bees and unmanageable cavern terrain. Extra info: […]

Kristin and Drew are still on vacation, but we’ve brought you a special bonus episode about a game we love, Against the Storm! It’s a rogue-lite settlement builder with woodland creatures and an evil forest, and we think you’ll love it, too. Note that this game has been in really rapid development, so a few […]

Episode 13 brings the return of Legends Mode browsing, Kristin’s updates from BellBlade, Drew’s lack of updates from FieryCities, and so many violent attacks by otherwise peaceful animals. We also talk about finding your fort’s theme, such as: Glass! Magma! Succession Fort! but don’t know if we come to any conclusions. Extra Info: Transcript(see README […]

Episode 12 brings you updates from Kristin’s fort, BellBlade, and the epic ending of Drew’s fort, CopperStreams. Topics (not digressions!) include animal training and how/when to specialize dwarf labor. **NOTE** Corrected version dropped at 1:41pm EDT. Apologies! Extra info: Transcript(see README for more details)

We’re back to playing our individual forts AND we’re digging deep into the topic of caverns. Who knew we could fit so much content into one episode? Digressions include keeping dwarves happy after there’s been a massacre. Extra info: Transcript(see README for more details)

For our tenth episode, we played a succession fort. What does that mean, you ask? Well, we passed shared fort in a HAUNTED biome back and forth for a total of four dwarf years. Fun was had. Digressions include windmills and the titles of consorts baron/ess. Thanks for sticking with us for TEN EPISODES! Extra […]

It's the safety requirements that'll kill ya, folks. Drew tells us all about how to build a waterfall at your fort entrance, Kristin wonders if merchants are dumb or bugged, and we both share some weird fiction from our new forts. Plus, we reflect on how storytelling is an integral part of the game.

We talk fort reclamation, aquifers, and HELL! Seriously, though, we cover a lot of ground in this episode. Drew is trying to dig to hell, Kristin reclaimed an old fort, and aquifers ooze uncontrollably. In other words, it's a normal day in Dwarf Fortress.

Two weeks may feel like an AGE between episodes, but we’re back and we’re ready to talk about AGES of time… okay, there’s nothing there. Regardless, we’ve got weird news from our forts, and we delve into world generation and how history passes in Dwarf Fortress. We also talk a bit more about FPS problems, […]

We’re back! Welcome new listeners! We’re talking embark locations, including surroundings and how to deal with aquifers. We both have new forts and lots to say about them, and we mourn the demise of both Ragdreams and Daubedpages. Kristin also had a knock-down, drag-out fight with the microphone about a quarter of the way through […]

Nothing says romance like zombie entrails and olm people skeletons. We're both facing some troubles with our forts, and it might be time to move on. Drew's linked location (Dungsville?!) is having some economic success, and Kristin cannot get rid of the zombies. Should we call it quits and embark anew?

Welcome to our fourth episode! Drew shares the military exploits of Daubedpages, Kristin laments the misery that is Ragdreams, and we talk briefly about fortress tears. Are you a hamlet or a village? How about a duchy? Who knows!! As a bonus, Kristin shares a tragic short story about our friend Kol Copperleopard. (You'll be able to find text of the story in a separate post.) Thanks for listening!

No, not a fort called design; we're talking about designing your fort! We also have some fun news from our forts, and a lamentation about the casualties of well-digging.

In our second episode, we're talking drinks! We learn all about plump helmets, including how to efficiently grow them, store them, and turn them into that sweet, sweet dwarven wine. Drew reports on the unhappiest dwarf in existence, and Kristin bemoans the weremonitorlizard invasion currently plaguing her fort.