How to make a Dwarf Fortress tie?

February 1, 2010 10:20 AM

Gift filter: I'm interested in making a tie for my fiance's birthday. The catch: I'd like to make it with a Dwarf Fortress motif, but I don't know enough about the game to design this well. I've seen screenshots on the site--should I just do something with one/some of those? DF players, if you were to receive a DF tie, what would a cool one look like?

I already have a source for making the tie, although any thoughts on custom tie-making would also be welcome. Thanks.

posted by emkelley to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (16 answers total)

Okay, this is an awesome idea, and I think a screenshot really is the way to go.

As for what would make a good one, well, part of the question is whether or not this is intended to be a surprise. If it isn't, you might ask your fiance whether they've got a favorite fortress or saved game running from which you could grab a meaningful image.

If it is a surprise, I'd suggest mucking about the wiki for likely-looking screenshots.

You could also hit up the Three Panel Soul archives, as they have a number of comics on the subject. You'd probably want to contact the site's creators before you used their stuff though.
posted by valkyryn at 10:24 AM on February 1, 2010

I made a novelty tie for my boyfriend for Christmas. The results weren't spectacular. I just used an iron-on transfer.

Do you want this to be a tie he can wear in a professional setting?

Screen-printing would look much better and would not wear off the tie. If you don't have access to a screen-printer yourself, I would suggest Etsy Alchemy.
posted by mmmbacon at 10:25 AM on February 1, 2010

If an overall sense of Dwarf Fortress would be useful to you in this process, Let's Play Dwarf Fortress: Boatmurdered is a less time-consuming way to get it than to play an actual game. It captures the sense of tedium interspersed with periods of severe WTFery, and has lots of screenshots of crazy situations in action.
posted by dorque at 10:41 AM on February 1, 2010

Response by poster: valkyryn: While we've discussed it as "something cool", I very much doubt that he thinks I'll actually make it happen, so in that sense it is a surprise. Thanks for a new source of screencaps.
mmmbacon: I was going have it made rather than attempt it myself, but the Etsy Alchemy suggestion is a good one, thanks.
dorque: ah yes, Boatmurdered. I know about it but haven't had the time to wander around in it.
posted by emkelley at 10:48 AM on February 1, 2010

Best answer: I think it would be awesome if you pulled a frame from the opening title sequence; this one is pretty recognizable as "dwarf fortress", but it also is an interpretable figure so he won't get tons of "what are those squares on your tie?" questions
posted by Think_Long at 10:59 AM on February 1, 2010

Best answer: And I would include the blue rock being chipped away, cause it looks pretty and asymmetrical designs are pretty.

p.s. if this project turns out, maybe you should put it on etsy for interested parties
posted by Think_Long at 11:01 AM on February 1, 2010

Best answer: I wasn't thinking necessary of screencaps, but one of the running jokes in the game (among players) is the recursiveness of the artefacts. Like 'This is Thorgaz, a Silken Tie. It is made of the finest craftsdwarfship by Lodi the dwarven tiemaker. On it is a depiction of Lodi the dwarven tiemaker making the Silken Tie Thorgaz'.

Ergo, I'd put a dwarven tiemaker making a tie on it.
posted by cobaltnine at 11:20 AM on February 1, 2010

Think_Long's idea is brilliant. I know I'd walk up to someone wearing a tie with that on it and fistbump them/ask them about it.
posted by adamdschneider at 12:16 PM on February 1, 2010

I would use a pattern with a single ☺ (maybe slightly bigger to make it noticeable) in the middle of a catsplosion.

Something like this:

ccccccccccccc
ccccccccccccc
cccccc☺cccccc
ccccccccccccc
ccccccccccccc

posted by Memo at 1:25 PM on February 1, 2010

I dont know, but you are awesome.
posted by outsider at 5:08 PM on February 1, 2010

Yes, this is awesome. Here is an archive of less-than-serious fan art, you be the judge of whether the recipient would like to run around in a tie that features a grisly reference to a bug in an ancient version of an obscure computer game (I would. That'll teach'em to invite me to boring weddings and baby showers!) or whether you'd like to go for something more accessible.

Oh, and make it menace with spikes of something!
posted by themel at 2:42 AM on February 2, 2010

What's your source for making the tie and your scheme for getting the design you settle on onto the fabric? Are you thinking an all-over design or a single image? Doing the sewing yourself, or commissioning it?
posted by dpcoffin at 9:31 AM on February 2, 2010

Oh, btw: The Bay 12 donation page offers "ASCII art rewards" to donors, maybe that's a way to make both you and the Bay 12 people happy.
posted by themel at 10:34 AM on February 2, 2010

Response by poster: dpcoffin, I was going to go with zazzle, and upload my own design. I've put in an Etsy Alchmey request, but the only hit so far is applique, which was not exactly the look I was going for.

In terms of the design, I really like the idea Think_Long suggested, using the posted graphic of the dwarf digging away at the... blue stuff, whatever that is. But I also really like the idea of a dwarven tiemaker making a tie; I feel like that would be one step above, if I could make it look cool.
posted by emkelley at 10:35 AM on February 2, 2010

zazzle certainly looks like the easiest way to go. I was going to suggest making it yourself with custom-printed fabric from Spoonflower, and an assist from an article or a little booklet I wrote about tiemaking; can send links if that's a possibility. Sorry, can't help with the design itself…
posted by dpcoffin at 11:29 AM on February 2, 2010

A small embroidered carp would be stylish and would be a funny DF reference.
posted by ODiV at 2:34 PM on February 2, 2010