The Darkfall relaunch: First an ETA: Development should be completed sometime in August and we should know around that time when we’re going to release it and we’ll give out a release date and all the details. This relaunch is not an expansion. It’s a new game we’ve been developing in parallel with the current version of Darkfall. The scope is massive, and it has been difficult to stay on schedule after several unexpected issues we’ve had with the current version, changes and additions we decided to make for the new version, some business developments, and the decision to add the siege system into this version of the game rather than in the relaunch. There are shifting priorities having to do with business issues for this relaunch, and another part being some Asian developments we also need to take into consideration. We can assure you that everything we’re doing in this regard is in the best interest of our players and of Darkfall, and that the relaunch of the game will be very exciting for everyone.
Finally, we try to give you estimates based on our best information at any given time. This is done with the understanding that this is a dynamic environment and that priorities shift every day based on feedback from the live game and from the development process. We understand the frustration of being a player waiting for things to change. We’ve been there, and this is exactly why we’re moving forward with a complete redesign of the game incorporating the lessons learned from the current version, rather than just keep patching up this version. Please know that we are very hard at work trying to make Darkfall the best it can possibly be. We apologize for the inevitable inaccuracies in trying to predict the stages of our development cycle, but we feel it’s better than “it’s done when it’s done”.
What does this mean for the existing player base? Comments?
Looks like it means you're starting over, possibly combining NA and EU. If they allow character transfers from the current darkfall, I won't even try it. If they are starting over, I may give it a shot to see what or if they really changed the problems.
The main issue I have is with Duping and other exploits. Some people in the game play 24/7 so when they find an exploit they've used it to the max by the time AV would find out. If they can keeps these to a minimum, that would be a big plus.
14 months ago, don't make me pull up the thread. October 2011, press new disks with massive patch, new media drive, new server merge, and finally salad tosser admitting too a paid beta status for the last 2 1/2 years.
Eat a phat fucking hairy Greek dick and die a horrible burning death Adventurine.
df had a big drop in activitie, so they announced this, I already saw several df players, playing warband-cRPG. They are not crazy to reset a 1-2 year character development to be viable.
But there is a problem in real world and virtual world, once the customer is disapointed they do not come back.
14 months ago, don't make me pull up the thread. October 2011, press new disks with massive patch, new media drive, new server merge, and finally salad tosser admitting too a paid beta status for the last 2 1/2 years.
Eat a phat fucking hairy Greek dick and die a horrible burning death Adventurine.
Have you been communicating with Ms. Cleo again Tas?
That rudie poot bumba rasta-pastahead calls me for her daily info.
I foresee, white men in suits coming for you...the letters "I" and..."R", seem to be prominent, and it looks like a "S". Seems your Uncle is going to visit you Miss Cleo, and ask for some money.
I am not sure if they reset characters, regardless if they do it or not unless they fix the grind there absolutely no point of trying to "fresh start" it.
Even if they fix bunny hopping, ray cycling, bubble, knock-ups and so on... nobody going to suffer through years of grind to get to the endgame.
Sure even with grind, first few month after reset going to be fun, but once power-gap kicks in it will be quitting time for everyone who gave it another shot.
We thought we were promised a player skill based game. We got the worst grinder ever. Until they remove the grind for PvP relatd things, they can forget about more than couple month surge of activity here and there.
If they remove it, add some much needed graphic perks (bumpmapping anyone ?) and advertise even a little they can relax and enjoy the money.
You can be skilled up in a matter of a couple months if you glitch out mobs and have a way for someone to push you all the resources needed to gain the skill. What takes years of actual game play is getting your stats up to a point in which you are competitive. The only skills that take a while to level up are the ones that allow for damage mitigation.
Darkfall is just a bad system, and has been since we were playing early EU Alpha. The crux of the problem is one Sr. Developer and his Epic Ego.
Fuck you Tasos, I will see you in hell and enjoy shoving a pineapple up your bunghole backwards.
If I read correctly, it will be a parallel thing, in which you have the illusion of continuation Jet. I can almost guarantee there will be NO character transfer to this "new" thing under any circstance, in some desperate hope to bring back players and have everyone start over on a level playing field. When, after some time, your player base on the original (paid beta land) game goes so low, they will claim an inability to keep it going and you will be like all the SWG players.
And I don't want them to die Tas, as I stated before, I want them to be like that putrid douche in the Metallica video One for the next 50 years, being gang raped daily by Drakiis wanna-be's.
I am curious as to what is going to happen to the game we are playing now? My character?
My thoughts exactly. My first response to them throwing away 2 years of my character development just as I am pretty much finished with it, is that I would walk even though I enjoy character development. I am able to have fun in the process of character development but to take it away from me after I earned it and worked at it I would feel cheated. Especially for me now that I am at a critical/busy point in my career. Guess I won't know until I have to make that decision.
If they reset existing player base has all the reason to walk, they put such painful grind in and now delete all of it?
If they don't reset appeal for new players drastically decreased, especially if the grind is still there. Imagine starting "new" game where you have to deal with maxed out douches camping you outside the guard towers from day 1?
Here what logical (mind you, this doesn't mean AV will actually do it) solution would be - open new server for DF"2" and leave old ones as-is to rot to lack of updates.
This way technically there is no character wipe, but functionally there is "fresh start for everyone".
what they need to do is exactly is. yes delete characters and offer a free trial like 6 months to existing characters. that way it doesn't feel so harsh. i am hoping that this fresh start will work. i mean we all remember the good old days where we all where noobs. thats what was the great part. i wish that this will work and create a new more even player skill based game
/broken record What they have to do is remove the fucking PvP skills grind. Then people will care a lot less if they wipe toons or not: if they wipe, current high level toon owners won't cry too much as they won't have to put years to get PvP ready again. Only crafters would lose. If they don't, new players will be able to be competitive from minute 1 of logging in.
He is going to stick it to the player base again, just like he has been sticking it to the player base for the last 10 years. He fucking duped 1000's of us into a paid grind fest of a Beta, and then 2 years later of paid beta is more then likely going to flush all those wasted years of grinding right down the toilet and laugh his fucking Greek ass all the way to his cave.
Catch a clue, Adventurine doesn't give two shits about you the player.
The big thing I didn't like in DF was the grind, to hear others in game say "macro X for a few hours & go AFK" or "Macro swimming while you sleep" for training, is not a good thing to hear. It might not have seemed so slow if there was more content in the world, plus the hours looking for PvP & the horrid UI. The need to blend what is good about DF with what was good with Shadowbane.
DF has a great gathering/crafting system, great combat/PvP, no safe zones, no level & great seiging system..
SB Great City system, more content in the world & symbols on the map so it was simple to spot a mob camp.
I have to say I like the class system a bit more, then you have more strategy in the game. It is kind of nice to not have every player have magic missile.
The big thing I didn't like in DF was the grind, to hear others in game say "macro X for a few hours & go AFK" or "Macro swimming while you sleep" for training, is not a good thing to hear. It might not have seemed so slow if there was more content in the world, plus the hours looking for PvP & the horrid UI. The need to blend what is good about DF with what was good with Shadowbane.
DF has a great gathering/crafting system, great combat/PvP, no safe zones, no level & great seiging system..
SB Great City system, more content in the world & symbols on the map so it was simple to spot a mob camp.
I have to say I like the class system a bit more, then you have more strategy in the game. It is kind of nice to not have every player have magic missile.
Apparently we were playing two different DFO's. The Siege system was always utter crap, the crafting system was almost joke level, and the gathering system was good in the original EU launch up until they changed how nodes worked, and then really fucked cities when they let rare ores come out of metal nodes.
Oh wait, that is right Salachin, you only played DFO with us for about a month...
Concerning KGB's current association with this game, why are we even still there. I would end official KGB operations in DFO given the activity levels combined with the games overall status and population levels and the constant retooling this game continues to go through. A redirection of our efforts and man power into games which show more interest or promise, a cleansing of our vent and removal of nonessential personnel from other clans.
We could fall back regroup in a new game and institute a new gaming agenda for the guild, work out the kinks in our restructure of the clan, reassess our membership strength and our future course of action and let new Factions begin such as SWTOR, Salem, Guild Wars 2, etc and allow our more successful older faction of DDO move ahead unimpeded by DFO personnel or events and duties. If we don't get out of the DFO business at least make it a open faction, at this point it all but is anyhow.
Concerning KGB's current association with this game, why are we even still there. I would end official KGB operations in DFO given the activity levels combined with the games overall status and population levels and the constant retooling this game continues to go through. A redirection of our efforts and man power into games which show more interest or promise, a cleansing of our vent and removal of nonessential personnel from other clans.
We could fall back regroup in a new game and institute a new gaming agenda for the guild, work out the kinks in our restructure of the clan, reassess our membership strength and our future course of action and let new Factions begin such as SWTOR, Salem, Guild Wars 2, etc and allow our more successful older faction of DDO move ahead unimpeded by DFO personnel or events and duties. If we don't get out of the DFO business at least make it a open faction, at this point it all but is anyhow.
Personally I have no interest in any of the games you mention. The alliance presence in our vent in no way impedes KGB or other factions.
I continue to serve as High Chancellor in DFO and plan to continue for the foreseeable future.
There is nothing stopping anyone from starting a new faction. With the new Faction State system that will be ratified on July 10th, my ongoing role is diminished anyway. Federal faction support is not a requirement to do any of the things you suggested regarding new factions.
If this leads to a game that isn't a grindfest - I would come back. If it wasn't for the horrible grind for gear, even after you get stats, i'd still be playing this game.
If they eliminate the grind, a la Shadowbane - i'd consider giving it a whirl.
The big thing I didn't like in DF was the grind, to hear others in game say "macro X for a few hours & go AFK" or "Macro swimming while you sleep" for training, is not a good thing to hear. It might not have seemed so slow if there was more content in the world, plus the hours looking for PvP & the horrid UI. The need to blend what is good about DF with what was good with Shadowbane.
DF has a great gathering/crafting system, great combat/PvP, no safe zones, no level & great seiging system..
SB Great City system, more content in the world & symbols on the map so it was simple to spot a mob camp.
I have to say I like the class system a bit more, then you have more strategy in the game. It is kind of nice to not have every player have magic missile.
Apparently we were playing two different DFO's. The Siege system was always utter crap, the crafting system was almost joke level, and the gathering system was good in the original EU launch up until they changed how nodes worked, and then really fucked cities when they let rare ores come out of metal nodes.
Oh wait, that is right Salachin, you only played DFO with us for about a month...
In the immortal words of Dandelion: Get Shit On!
Well ok, I didn't say those systems were perfect. Why are you bringing I only played with you guys for a month, I did play DFO before you guys. Your are right about gathering, I will even say, the whole nodes in city was kind of odd. If you had to go out to gather anything PvP would have been better.
KGB has a more difficult situation than most guilds/clans as it is centered around individuals rather than a game. If we were centered around a game than only those with similar like for that game would be here. Unfortunately or fortunately, we are blessed or cursed, depending on your perspective, with people that have no interest in our current game, who seem to be quite passionate about their dislike of it.
Each of these individuals have different ideas what a game should be and a lot of our ideas are in conflict. If adventurine followed members X advice to the letter many or most other players would say it sucks. In fact as a software developer and a gamer I think following the players/users advice is foolish. Consider it and make your own decision, if they like it they can play/use, if not, who cares? I can speak from my gaming experience, EA did it and we got Trammel and personal Ninja’s; Or my personal professional experience looking at software I wrote 6 years ago still in use today I say to myself today “wtf was I thinking?”. I have followed demands by some only to have to deal with others who were out raged over it. One persons problems is another persons features. You can’t please everybody but you can lose everything trying.
In the end each individual has to decide if they want to play the game, if so cool, maybe we can hook up in game, if not cool, maybe we will hook up in another game. I don’t think most of us have enough info to make any decision yet.
Comparing guilds isn't a fair assessment simply because of the fact that darkfall consumes too much of gametime with outdated concepts that it is no longer fun. Also, the type of gamplay KGB centers around isn't casual mmos, it's hardcore mmos. With other clans it is enough to play with friends and it doesn't matter if the game is good or not; that's because they've only been around for 2 weeks and will disband 2 weeks later cause they eventually get bored together.
DF is cool, but I don't think any of us have the real-life time to commit to a game that makes it so hard to get competitive gear and characters - that the ratio of pve to get gear for the average player ( real gear, not crappy waste) versus the time actually fighting is so overwhelmings on pve side, that it's not fun anymore.
If df revamps their game so it's not so (I control this spawn so 99% of the server is fuked), and reduce mindless game mechanics, then ppl will come back. If not, they'll continue how they are now.
A lot went on during df KGB time, but if the game was better, we would all still be playing. At least I would.
Well our new state system should make this argument obsolete hopefully. All I know is when those who are playing a game like DFO come crawling on their hands and knees to play some other game after they've become frustrated with DFO I'll laugh and say I told ya so. And that will happen, it's just a matter of time as new games coming out are doing it better and bigger those who are still "playing" are just in denial, it happens and I've said so as much many times in the past, it's about perceived value, and investment verses time in game and the players needs.
The only thing that bothers me is when someone comes to play something else and tries to play it off as if it's only diversionary or to hang out and chit chat with other members who don't play and then gets defensive when that game of choice is run down and tries to justify how cool it still is yet they are not playing it.
when you tell me your playing DFO then fine play it, but don't play some other game and act like DFO is still the shit, because if it was then wtf are you doing playing in some other game. I could excuse it if you are researching your next move from DFO or your curious what is currently in interest, but when your putting more man hours into any game other then DFO then why continue the charade any longer?
Well our new state system should make this argument obsolete hopefully. All I know is when those who are playing a game like DFO come crawling on their hands and knees to play some other game after they've become frustrated with DFO I'll laugh and say I told ya so. And that will happen, it's just a matter of time as new games coming out are doing it better and bigger those who are still "playing" are just in denial, it happens and I've said so as much many times in the past, it's about perceived value, and investment verses time in game and the players needs.
The only thing that bothers me is when someone comes to play something else and tries to play it off as if it's only diversionary or to hang out and chit chat with other members who don't play and then gets defensive when that game of choice is run down and tries to justify how cool it still is yet they are not playing it.
when you tell me your playing DFO then fine play it, but don't play some other game and act like DFO is still the shit, because if it was then wtf are you doing playing in some other game. I could excuse it if you are researching your next move from DFO or your curious what is currently in interest, but when your putting more man hours into any game other then DFO then why continue the charade any longer?
I don't agree. It's all about the fun. Some of us are still having fun in the game. Also you can play more than one game at a time. Looks a Donk "Short Attention Span" Leaps. He sometimes plays three games at once. This time it is you with the archaic concepts and thinking my friend.
Donk does not have a short attention span. Donk finds a game and dominates. Then while everyone else is catching up Donk finds another game to dominate then goes back to previous game and re dominates.
I'm a trailblazer. I have to go into games and see what the devs are doing differently in hopes of finding a MMO that actually has a playable system worth sticking around in.
Keep expectations in check & see how it rolls out. Speculation is not worth the brain power.
They have been stating DF2010 was going to be a completely new engine for a while now ... hopefully they learned a few lessons from DFO.
Still .. nothing like a full loot mmo with siege mechanics & open PvP ... it is my favorite genre.
All games have issues & DF had a good run ... for many of us, it filled the void left by UO & Shadowbane, and other titles ... it brought a good number of KGB'rs together again in game, along with introducing some new blood into KGB ... hell, who can ask for anything more.
It's about the community here, not the game, per se!
For those that continue playing. Would you continue to play and pay to a company that states the following? All grind and hard work can result nothing, but a paid beta. If there is a split in player base with the new version, or a wipe.
Quote:
During last week’s activity report we spoke of a relaunch for Darkfall. We had talked about major changes to the game in the past using various internal terms such as Darkfall 2010 and Darkfall Arena. So let me explain a bit more about this:
We started with the changes we had in mind for Darkfall, from all the lessons learned since the game went live and in the process we delivered 3 expansions, and more than 60 updates. About a year ago, we decided that we should branch out development and build a new game out of the one we had. This was in order to better implement the major changes we had in mind.It is not a sequel, it’s version 2.0. It’s a very ambitious project, and it’s the product of more than 2 years of lessons learned and evolving the game, and a full year of development with a much larger team than we had for Darkfall. No aspect of the game has been left untouched. It’s very much a new game, but at the same time it’s the next chapter to the game we’re currently playing.
There were concerns about wipes: We’ve considered wipes on various levels, however these are important decisions because while this is like a new game, it’s still the continuation of the current one. Also, the way things will work in the new version, it would not be as necessary to wipe, but wiping would also not be as drastic as it would be in the current version. This is a topic we’ll open up for discussion after we’ve given you more information on the new version of the game, so you can understand all the parameters involved.
There were also questions about having to pay for the relaunch version, and the answer is no if you’ve already bought Darkfall. Active subscribers will have priority in playtesting and in a developer interaction group about the new game. They will also participate in the major events that conclude the first chapter of Darkfall. The ending of the first chapter is the reason we’re bringing the relaunch version of the siege system to the current version. We expect quite a few people that have taken a break from the game to return for the exciting ending of the first chapter and the beginning of the new version.
About an ETA for this, as I mentioned in the last activity report, we’ll know more in August. As far as development goes, the major tasks are almost concluded, however there’s quite a bit of internal testing, balancing and polishing left.
I hope this clears things up a bit more, we’ll follow up with more details on the new version, as these become available. Thank you for reading.
Darkfall conceptually is a solid game - it has open PvP, asset control, skill based combat. Unfortunately AV completely botched implementation by forcing proven-to-fail decade-old concepts on the player base.
I see DF as a failure to establish and practice good design decisions. Nobody at AV seem to ever asked "Is it fun?" question while designing and implementing the game.
What is especially annoying is that I could turn the game around with simple database/map fixes in about 3 months. Why can't AV?
Darkfall was a great game to play for me, but I could not get over the motion sickness. It got hard to play after about 20mins when i was eating crackers and drinking ginger ale to try and not hurl while playing!
Darkfall conceptually is a solid game - it has open PvP, asset control, skill based combat. Unfortunately AV completely botched implementation by forcing proven-to-fail decade-old concepts on the player base.
I see DF as a failure to establish and practice good design decisions. Nobody at AV seem to ever asked "Is it fun?" question while designing and implementing the game.
What is especially annoying is that I could turn the game around with simple database/map fixes in about 3 months. Why can't AV?
KGB has a more difficult situation than most guilds/clans as it is centered around individuals rather than a game. If we were centered around a game than only those with similar like for that game would be here. Unfortunately or fortunately, we are blessed or cursed, depending on your perspective, with people that have no interest in our current game, who seem to be quite passionate about their dislike of it.
Each of these individuals have different ideas what a game should be and a lot of our ideas are in conflict. If adventurine followed members X advice to the letter many or most other players would say it sucks. In fact as a software developer and a gamer I think following the players/users advice is foolish. Consider it and make your own decision, if they like it they can play/use, if not, who cares? I can speak from my gaming experience, EA did it and we got Trammel and personal Ninja’s; Or my personal professional experience looking at software I wrote 6 years ago still in use today I say to myself today “wtf was I thinking?”. I have followed demands by some only to have to deal with others who were out raged over it. One persons problems is another persons features. You can’t please everybody but you can lose everything trying.
In the end each individual has to decide if they want to play the game, if so cool, maybe we can hook up in game, if not cool, maybe we will hook up in another game. I don’t think most of us have enough info to make any decision yet.
These Siege mechanics won't matter...to keep siege costs down just only have one clan sign up and declare the seige/war then the other clans can just show up party crashing style...
DF only needs to do one thing, it's the most important lesson they should have learned a long time ago. "Speed up THE GRIND" If they make the grind more attainable and realize a significant part of the players in game have jobs. And most don't have much time to grind without taking more time out of their lives to get their character in good fighting condition.
I don't think grinding a character should be so fast that you max it out withing a few weeks either. There could be some common ground with this, if they find the right mix they could see a new influx of players. I think that's the biggest issue with darkfall. They are taking to many idea's and throwing them in a box and mixing them up "literally" except for the main one they should be changing IMO "The Grind".
DF only needs to do one thing, it's the most important lesson they should have learned a long time ago. "Speed up THE GRIND" If they make the grind more attainable and realize a significant part of the players in game have jobs. And most don't have much time to grind without taking more time out of their lives to get their character in good fighting condition.
I don't think grinding a character should be so fast that you max it out withing a few weeks either. There could be some common ground with this, if they find the right mix they could see a new influx of players. I think that's the biggest issue with darkfall. They are taking to many idea's and throwing them in a box and mixing them up "literally" except for the main one they should be changing IMO "The Grind".
Yes, the grind sucks. I have played MMOs before DF & never heard someone say "I AFK swim at night to up skills". Plus DF never seemed to have a lot to do, the world was empty feeling. I would have loved a city system more like Shadowbane had, build where & how you want. Would have added a lot more to the game. Ofcourse with a few rules so there wouldn't be 1 person guild cities & stuff like that. I am interested to see what they will do with DF2 or whatever they call it though.
DF only needs to do one thing, it's the most important lesson they should have learned a long time ago. "Speed up THE GRIND" If they make the grind more attainable and realize a significant part of the players in game have jobs. And most don't have much time to grind without taking more time out of their lives to get their character in good fighting condition.
I don't think grinding a character should be so fast that you max it out withing a few weeks either. There could be some common ground with this, if they find the right mix they could see a new influx of players. I think that's the biggest issue with darkfall. They are taking to many idea's and throwing them in a box and mixing them up "literally" except for the main one they should be changing IMO "The Grind".
Yes, the grind sucks. I have played MMOs before DF & never heard someone say "I AFK swim at night to up skills". Plus DF never seemed to have a lot to do, the world was empty feeling. I would have loved a city system more like Shadowbane had, build where & how you want. Would have added a lot more to the game. Ofcourse with a few rules so there wouldn't be 1 person guild cities & stuff like that. I am interested to see what they will do with DF2 or whatever they call it though.
What do you mean not a lot to do? There was plenty to do, skilling up with someone else dueling or macroing on each other,Harvesting,killing mobs, doing re-con on enemy holdings, PVP. There was more than enough to do in Darkfall. As far as building anywhere you wanted to, I don't think that would have worked the way they have their system setup. That would have been an even bigger problem, and I'm sure would have killed the game completely because they would have been fixing it more than it would have worked. There were enough problems as it was, let alone add something like that.
In conclusion here, despite all the problems, DFO is my favorite game since UO, and has held my interest longer than any game except UO. The only thing that is keeping me from playing full time right now is my STUPID decision to go into management at IBM.
In conclusion here, despite all the problems, DFO is my favorite game since UO, and has held my interest longer than any game except UO. The only thing that is keeping me from playing full time right now is my STUPID decision to go into management at IBM.
I shall return.
You shouldn't make it so easy Jet.
Swimming afk, and having guild members grind your toon, do not count as "playing the game". I understand the limited play time from RL work, but come on man.
Mine, trade ore, set to swim, then continue on being caught in the pussy trap. I all for poon tang as much as the next cave troll, but its Bro's before Ho's, not the other way around.
Because of work and family an MMORPG in which you'd be on equal footing with other people the second you login save from what a guild can provide (so, items) would be awesome. In this kind of environment any PvP player could just enjoy his playtime while the students and other people with lot of time on their hands grind the items and other things for the guild.
Swimming afk, and having guild members grind your toon, do not count as "playing the game". I understand the limited play time from RL work, but come on man.
Mine, trade ore, set to swim, then continue on being caught in the pussy trap. I all for poon tang as much as the next cave troll, but its Bro's before Ho's, not the other way around.
H8 on!
I prefer a more balanced effort in a game, unlike you flashbags that burn out in 2 weeks, I have maintained a presence and taken part in almost every big event for over two years and since beta.
I cant maintain a 4 hour a night presence, like the old UO days, but I can facilitate as much as possible.
If Darkfail manages to pull back in a playerbase after a wipe and relaunch, I'd probably come back and play it again... but only if it has a decent playerbase.
Otherwise, with as much time as I sink into games, it just feels like I'm wasting my time and I'd rather go waste my time in TF2 or Battlefield titles... or hell, even Minecraft. XD
The real fault with DFO was the wide open character build .. while it seemed pretty cool at the start, it only contributed to the major grind factor.
You really needed top tier spells at high levels from all schools to be up to par ... along with high mele abilities & even some archery to boot.
You really had to be a jack of all trades, which meant an intense grind.
The FPS aspect of the game was definately a much needed addition ot the genre ... tab-to-target mechanics just seemed so outdated & still do after DFO.
To me, it was the best large scale battle environment since shadowbane ... pure insanity.
It is those moments that would make me want to jump in again ... DFO just needs a good population, a lower grind with distinct specialization paths ... no doubt with those in play, the same large scale FFA battle experiences will ensue ... much fun for Shanks!!!
Now I am going to go start my 2nd P90X round ... Shanks is getting shit on IRL.