http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=168704.0
The following is an excerpt of DragonMaster13's original post on bay12forums (linked above):
This is a 16x16 tileset(s) for Dwarf Fortress. This tileset was initially started to use a unique tile for every STONE, FLUX, & METAL/ORE in the game. This is a game about mining and I want my DF underground to be filled with noticeably different stones. After an initial proof of concept I found more ways to add depth and character to the game. Every time I would finish an idea I found I had two more to replace it and now A Year (2017) of weekends later & over 1,000+ hours of work here I am. Below is a list of some of the unique accomplishments that this tileset tackles:
- Unique tiles created for ALL Unmined stones, ~60+. The stones in DF are divided into two Main categories (Layer or Mineral) and Four Layer Groups (Sedimentary, Igneous intrusive, Igneous extrusive, Metamorphic). I've spent over 200+ hours looking at the rocks associated with these groups, visiting rock museums (Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History), looking up information and colors online to try and bring a picture/color to each rock and incorporating any DF rock I could find into the tileset for Nostalgia. Most of the rocks in DF are really just generic, they serve no purpose. So I came to the conclusion that they should all look different for Identification and be all different colors for your building project needs. Some look like real life examples while other icons exist for ease of identification. The layer rocks have a blended layer tile while the mineral rocks have icons, more or less. Work in progress still, yes still. I'll make more changes when I get feedback.
- 13x different Unmined gem tiles for better gem recognition. Cut Gems can't be changed to more than one tile, as far as I know (50+ hours of research to find out "NO").
- Color palette increased from 16 to 170 colors in game. I'm going to say that again... 170 COLORS IN GAME. (NOTE: I didn't create this functionality.) (I discovered how to use it through long hours of research. I then developed a palette and implemented the colors in several key areas of DF. The results are vivid and amazing! :o)
- Every STONE, FLUX, & METAL/ORE in game has a unique color and I found a way for the products (Chests, Chairs, tables) made out of that material to retain that unique color. The following shows all the metals in the game in bar form and chests made out of each metal.
- Mined Stone (i.e. Boulders) for STONE, FLUX, & METAL/ORE (in inventory & on ground) now appear noticeable different for better representation & understanding:
(I've never seen anyone ever use this feature before in a tileset so I'm going to go out on a limb and say I discovered it ??? I know people have been trying to do it in TWBT for years without success cause I was one of them. Success! DONE.) ;D
- Cinnabar, Pitchblende, & Cobaltite all appear BIGGER to indicate higher density (Heavier).
- Magma safe mined stones have a (Ring or Shield) around them to identify them as MAGMA SAFE.
- Mined Flux stones now appear as a powder to easily identify them as flux.
- Stones with a Medical use now appear to have a plus on them identifying them for use in the hospital.
- Metals/Ores now appear as nuggets or chunks of metal.
- Created some unique tiles with different colors for WILD/CROP Plants (Still a work in progress). I think I changed them all...
- All trees have their own unique colors. A standing Pine tree with a unique dark BARK will produce a light colored WOOD when chopped down. WHY? Have you ever chopped down a tree and found that the wood on the inside was the same color as the bark? NO. Okay well now it works that way in DF as well. That wood color should be ~90% unique from all other wood colors in game and will carry over into the products made from it (I'll try to post examples of this in the future).
- There are a lot of unique new tiles to this tileset, created by me, to take advantage of the new material colors products can be made into (50% so far, more to come).
- Using an old DF trick I made the menu a little less intrusive on the main map. Because its all about the little things!
- I also took the liberty to put my spin on GOOD vs EVIL Biomes.
- Lots of research was taken to make colors appear as real to life as possible. I do take a creative license approach towards unclear colored objects in question. Where multiple color choices for a particular stone occurred I picked a color that was not already represented to make the game a more colorful place. I also picked a generic yet plausible color for exotic woods (i.e. the internal color of Avocado wood). Please remember I only have 170 Colors to work with. STOP LAUGHING! ::)
I've been playing Dwarf Fortress since v0.31.25. Over the years I've changed a lot of tiles on Obsidian & Phoebus Tilesets for tiles that I liked. I finally got to the point that I wanted to make my own tileset both with my own created content and a mix of DF tiles from other sources that I thought made DF awesome (I'll be crediting authors below).
Thank You! “DFHack” & all the people that make it awesome.
Thank You! “MIFKI” for the wonder that is TWBT: Text Will Be Text. (I would not be able to do what I do without you.)
Thank You! “DF Wiki" & all the people that contribute to it.
PeridexisErrant + Lazy Newb Pack = awesome! I use it all the time.
Tileset Sources (In No Particular Order):
Aesomatica Tileset
Bisasam Tileset
Belal Tileset
ChezzoJRPG Tileset
Darkond2100 Tileset
DrD_AVEL Tileset(Wow, awesome Work!)
Dvorovic Tileset(Thanks for the Rock Textures!)
Flying Mage Tileset
Hermano Tileset
Isenhertz Tileset
Jackard Tileset
Lemunde Tileset
LordZorinthrox Tileset (Big Fan Of your Barrels and Leather Tags)
Tigrex Tileset
Timmeh Tileset
Lord Nightmare 8x14 IBM VGA Tileset (Otherwise Known as My TEXT Tileset) THANK YOU!!
The Obsidian Tileset (I made my own Walls based on Obsidians Walls, Inspiring!) (Also the original Base for my Tileset)
The Duerer Tileset (I borrowed a wood tile) Thanks.
Ironhand w/"TileMagic" Tileset - Thanks!
Mayday Tileset
Phoebus Tileset & The Community that keeps you up-to-date! Thanks!
SpaceFox Tileset
Meph (Thanks for the inspiration)
SpaceFox Sprites (A Really Big Heart Felt Thank You! Your Sprites are Awesome.)
Everyone Else who's ever contributed to Dwarf Fortress!!
This Dragonmaster Tileset is FREE to Share and Use. Please cite me by name “DragonMaster13” is all I ask.