1223: Dwarf Fortress - Revision history

172.71.222.235: /* Explanation */ Secured two links, all others have already been secured, cannot be secured due to lack of certificate, or are dead.

2025-03-10T23:52:39Z

‎Explanation: Secured two links, all others have already been secured, cannot be secured due to lack of certificate, or are dead.

162.158.38.12: /* Explanation */ Because it's all very arguable (e.g. [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=138478.0]), using a less arguable term...

2024-05-03T17:46:50Z

‎Explanation: Because it's all very arguable (e.g. [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=138478.0]), using a less arguable term...

172.71.126.208: "steep learning curve" means something can be learned quickly, just think of the experience/time graph. Come on guys, this is a nerdy community, we are better than this

2024-05-03T11:49:40Z

"steep learning curve" means something can be learned quickly, just think of the experience/time graph. Come on guys, this is a nerdy community, we are better than this

Marethyu: typo fix

2022-06-02T18:09:12Z

typo fix

Theusaf: Reverted edits by Donald Trump (talk) to last revision by CRLF

2022-05-26T20:00:55Z

Reverted edits by Donald Trump (talk) to last revision by CRLF

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Donald Trump: Reverted edit by anti-crap user

2022-05-26T18:56:48Z

Reverted edit by anti-crap user

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CRLF: Reverted vandalism with User:CRLF/OneClickUndo.js

2022-05-26T18:04:10Z

Reverted vandalism with User:CRLF/OneClickUndo.js

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Donald Trump: Crapped page

2022-05-26T17:01:27Z

Crapped page

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Davidy22: Reverted edits by Explain xkcd server admin (talk) to last revision by Davidy22

2022-05-21T02:54:47Z

Reverted edits by Explain xkcd server admin (talk) to last revision by Davidy22

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Explain xkcd server admin at 21:49, 20 May 2022

2022-05-20T21:49:27Z

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 Informally, a system exhibits ''Turing-completeness'' when it is theoretically capable of executing any algorithm. One of the simplest Turing-complete systems is the {{w|Turing machine}}, a device that manipulates symbols on a strip of tape according to a table of rules — it {{w|Church-Turing thesis|can be proven}} to have the same capabilities as any ordinary programming language. Other very simple systems include {{w|Rule 110}}, {{w|lambda calculus}}, {{w|Conway's game of life}}, and {{w|Brainfuck}}. The reason we don't work with these is because they're a real pain in the ass. Would you rather build a network of spaceships that collide with each other to simulate the successor function, or just write <tt>i := i + 1</tt>?
-A common CS nerd challenge is to prove the Turing-completeness of a system that wasn't intended to be that way &mdash; games in particular. The usual way to do this is to construct a Turing machine simulator within the system. It has been done for [http://mkv25.net/dfma/map-8269 Dwarf Fortress], [http://web.mat.bham.ac.uk/R.W.Kaye/minesw/infmsw.pdf (infinite) Minesweeper] (pdf), [http://www.toothycat.net/~hologram/Turing/HowItWorks.html Magic the Gathering], [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13GOFa1C4e4 Little Big Planet], [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X21HQphy6I Minecraft] ([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sNge0Ywz-M another Minecraft example])<sup>1</sup>, [http://aurellem.org/vba-clojure/html/total-control.html Pokémon Yellow] (through the elaborate use of many in-game glitches) and [http://cp4space.wordpress.com/2013/04/05/3d-chess-is-turing-complete/ 3D chess]. These kinds of proofs often involve formulating ridiculously complex creations just to simulate a little machine writing symbols on a tape!<sup>2</sup>
+A common CS nerd challenge is to prove the Turing-completeness of a system that wasn't intended to be that way &mdash; games in particular. The usual way to do this is to construct a Turing machine simulator within the system. It has been done for [https://mkv25.net/dfma/map-8269 Dwarf Fortress], [https://web.mat.bham.ac.uk/R.W.Kaye/minesw/infmsw.pdf (infinite) Minesweeper] (pdf), [http://www.toothycat.net/~hologram/Turing/HowItWorks.html Magic the Gathering], [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13GOFa1C4e4 Little Big Planet], [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X21HQphy6I Minecraft] ([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sNge0Ywz-M another Minecraft example])<sup>1</sup>, [http://aurellem.org/vba-clojure/html/total-control.html Pokémon Yellow] (through the elaborate use of many in-game glitches) and [http://cp4space.wordpress.com/2013/04/05/3d-chess-is-turing-complete/ 3D chess]. These kinds of proofs often involve formulating ridiculously complex creations just to simulate a little machine writing symbols on a tape!<sup>2</sup>
 Finally, Randall makes a crack that users will try to nest their Turing-complete computers; after finishing his Turing-complete Dwarf Fortress computer, someone else will try to make the Dwarf Fortress computer run Minecraft (a highly inefficient process that would be a nightmare to coordinate, and would run incredibly slowly).

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 This comic is a reaction to the recent reveal of a U.S. electronic telecom surveillance program called {{w|PRISM (surveillance program)|PRISM}}, run by the {{w|NSA}}. There is [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/06/us-tech-giants-nsa-data a Guardian article] about it. PRISM, leaked by a former NSA official, incited some controversy since it provides government access to private data (e-mails, videos, chats, file transfers, etc.). <!-- please expand/correct this   ~Alpha -->
-''{{w|Dwarf Fortress}}'' is a freeware strategy game in which the player builds a civilization by giving orders to — as opposed to directly controlling — a group of dwarves. It is famous for having a very detailed simulation of its world and for allowing deep micro-management (as well as an incredibly shallow learning curve).
+''{{w|Dwarf Fortress}}'' is a freeware strategy game in which the player builds a civilization by giving orders to — as opposed to directly controlling — a group of dwarves. It is famous for having a very detailed simulation of its world and for allowing deep micro-management (as well as an incredibly difficult learning curve).
 "Big Brother" means "a tyrannical government body that constantly monitors all its citizens." The term comes from the classic dystopian novel ''{{w|Nineteen Eighty-Four}}'' by George Orwell, wherein propaganda videos are narrated by an actor with the stage name of Big Brother and the dystopia's surveillance system is said to be monitored by Big Brother himself.

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 This comic is a reaction to the recent reveal of a U.S. electronic telecom surveillance program called {{w|PRISM (surveillance program)|PRISM}}, run by the {{w|NSA}}. There is [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/06/us-tech-giants-nsa-data a Guardian article] about it. PRISM, leaked by a former NSA official, incited some controversy since it provides government access to private data (e-mails, videos, chats, file transfers, etc.). <!-- please expand/correct this   ~Alpha -->
-''{{w|Dwarf Fortress}}'' is a freeware strategy game in which the player builds a civilization by giving orders to — as opposed to directly controlling — a group of dwarves. It is famous for having a very detailed simulation of its world and for allowing deep micro-management (as well as an incredibly steep learning curve).
+''{{w|Dwarf Fortress}}'' is a freeware strategy game in which the player builds a civilization by giving orders to — as opposed to directly controlling — a group of dwarves. It is famous for having a very detailed simulation of its world and for allowing deep micro-management (as well as an incredibly shallow learning curve).
 "Big Brother" means "a tyrannical government body that constantly monitors all its citizens." The term comes from the classic dystopian novel ''{{w|Nineteen Eighty-Four}}'' by George Orwell, wherein propaganda videos are narrated by an actor with the stage name of Big Brother and the dystopia's surveillance system is said to be monitored by Big Brother himself.

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 <small>
-<sup>1</sup> The youtuber legomasta99 even build a whole programmable PC in Minecraft as can be seen [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbO0tqH8f5I here].
+<sup>1</sup> The youtuber legomasta99 even built a whole programmable PC in Minecraft as can be seen [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbO0tqH8f5I here].
 <sup>2</sup>Technically, a computer is not really Turing-complete. A Turing-complete system has to have unlimited space, and that's not possible for a memory-limited computer or any software running inside it. But even if we don't have access to Turing-completeness, we can build a theoretical machine and show how it can be extended indefinitely. In a few of the games, we prove Turing-completeness in infinite variants.