Just because you can do something in a game, it doesn't mean it's worth doing or fun beyond trying it once. DF is full of obscure overly complex stuff that didn't need to be complex and only adds to unfun micromanagement. DF over the years was developed in random divergent directions that no one asked for (like detailed history and world building) that's only useful if you play the half-assed roguelike mode and has no consequence for colony players. And all many players wanted was a user interface, but the DF bros were not interested in player needs, like some kind of sociopaths. Even if your game is free and you could do whatever you want as an author, the game is meant for the players. That's the ultimate meaning of making a game and publishing it.
Rimworld is a finely distilled version of DF with a hugely thought out game mechanics instead of random self-indulgent crap that were many DF updates. I'm a purist that tends to like minimalist design that works well, over a ton of arcane mechanics and content no one will use.
Thousands of people over nearly two decades would greatly disagree with you on that. Dwarf Fortress is exactly fun because of all the things you can do in it, because some people don't want a puddle colony simulator. They want a colony sim that feels like it's actually created a
breathing world, with far reaching management options like construction, economy, colony and so on and so forth. People wouldn't be playing micromanagement colony sims if they didn't like the micromanaging, after all, and anyone looking for colony sims where they can brain-dead it out and or barely do any micromanaging want a different sort of game anyway. Though the fact that it's only a few thousand short of players than Rimworld in just 1 day should exactly say that these types of games are very popular, whether they are extremely complex or not.
And what do you mean by "no one asked for"? These systems are popular because people like them. It's even well known because of its generation systems. The DF community especially loves the history and world building, it's part of the reason Adventure Mode is so popular and why we have so many DF knock-offs,
including Rimworld.
Wait a second....what makes you think they weren't interested in player needs? You're assuming ill-intent and there's absolutely no need or evidence to do so. Tarn mentioned wanting to do an interface overall back in 2010 and even before that, but stated it was his "weakness" in code/design, and so he wanted to focus on adding new content instead. I would hardly call the lack of time and money, or skill, being the same as being uninterested.
You can like DF all you want for sentimental reasons, but Rimworld has superior gameplay.
Sentimental? Honestly, this is just about Dwarf Fortress not being
your cup of tea, rather than it
actually being "unfun". And Rimworld has one thing going for it, which now DF has--interface/graphics. The gameplay honestly isn't as impressive as you're making it out to be and most of what people hype about the game directly comes from mods rather than vanilla....
