Is it possible to have two fortress games going on in one world in Dwarf Fortress?

When starting up Dwarf Fortress, the options I get are:

  • Continue Playing
  • Create New World
  • Design new world
  • Object Testing Arena

Is there some way to start a second fortress game without starting a new world, or abandoing my existing fortress?


Solution 1:

No. You can start a new game in your current world once you quit the current one, or you can start a new world. Dwarf Fortress does not allow for two games to go on in the same world because of the unspecified ways they might interact.

Solution 2:

Yes, sort of.

  1. Copy and rename the save
  2. Resume playing the copy
  3. Abandon the fort in the copy
  4. Start a new fort in the copy

You can now resume playing either fort. You've got two "parallel universes" at this point; but they don't effect each other.