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Darkfall is half off on Steam through July 22
Got any money left in your wallet after Steam's summer sale? If so, and if you're in the market for a PvP-centric fantasy sandbox MMO, check out Darkfall. Aventurine's title is half-price until July 22nd, so instead of 40 bucks you can grab the game client for $19.97. Keep in mind that Darkfall is a subscription title, so you'll need to chip in $14.95 a month to continue playing after the first 30 days. [Thanks everyone who tipped us!]
Darkfall market system coming this week
Darkfall's getting a new market system in this week's patch, according to a developer blog recently posted on the game's official website. Markets will initially be available in the four NPC capital cities, but Aventurine plans to add more in the future. Markets feature an order system, so players can place and fulfill both buy and sell orders, or even use the new system for player-created quests. "New players looking to earn gold can work to fulfill buy orders that are available," AV explains. You can browse the market from anywhere in the game world simply by using the appropriate GUI button, but placing and fulfilling orders will require a trip to one of the capital market buildings.
Darkfall adds shipbuilding mastery, warships, harbors, and more
Yesterday's Darkfall patch added some noteworthy new content to Agon. First up is a new crafting skill called Shipbuilding Mastery, which requires Shipbuilding 100 and Prowess 10.000. The mastery skill is a prerequisite for the game's new warships, which -- you guessed it -- also debuted in yesterday's patch. Aventurine has added a Coastal Runner, which is the fastest ship in the game. It's a good thing it's so quick, too, because it has no cannons. There's also the Pinnace, a warship featuring three cannons. Harbors and shipyards are also available to build in clan holdings as of the patch. There's more, including plenty of gameplay tweaks and general fixes. The Darkfall forums has a listing of the full patch notes. [Thanks Dengar!]
Darkfall introduces new Broadherne dungeon with recent patch
Yesterday saw a new content patch for Darkfall:Unholy Wars as detailed in a post at the official forums. In addition to the regular bug fixes, this patch also brings with it the new Broadherne dungeon, new monsters, cooking mastery, party harvesting, and much more. A new utility ship -- called the Fishing Trawler -- has also been added. This boat opens up new cooking mastery fish and new harvesting loot tables that give more substantial rewards when fishing in dangerous areas. [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]
Choose My Adventure: Putting the finishing touches on our Darkfall project
Well, that just about does it. After weeks of your directing me through Darkfall Unholy Wars, our Choose My Adventure project is almost completed. We just have a few finishing touches to add before wrapping up -- namely, sieges! What romp through the wilds of Agon would be complete without experiencing the thrill of clan territorial warfare? You all couldn't let me leave without participating in a few sieges (which won over warfare on water by a narrow margin), and the server seemed more than willing to oblige. From small skirmishes infiltrating the cities of enemies to an all-out war to protect our own, I had the chance to fight -- and occasionally die -- in a few different sieges this past week. Considering I was still fairly new and fighting against a number of vets from the original Darkfall with years of practice under their belts, I didn't do too shabbily. Perhaps more importantly, I had fun through it all.%Gallery-187735%
Choose My Adventure: Building on the clan experience in Darkfall
Boy, MJ's Misadventureland is really coming along! Hiring a few more hands sure has sped things up; you wouldn't even recognize the project now compared to even just one week ago. But isn't that the whole point of Choose My Adventure -- to watch the adventure that you're building develop and unfold? Well, that and to snicker at your Massively guinea pigs... we know. Having gone into this particular adventure knowing that Darkfall Unholy Wars was not a game meant for the solo soul, I knew that it was only a matter of time before I found myself in a clan to experience more of the heart of the game, which just so happens to be clan warfare. And trust me, the clan wasted no time throwing me into the thick of things once you put me in one. Although I do think starting off solo was important to get the real experience Darkfall any new player would (after all, most find a clan after first logging in), this week really has shown me a whole new game. I'd just scratched the surface before, the skin if you will, and now I've peered into the heart and seen the seedy underbelly as well.%Gallery-187735%
Darkfall plans summer content update, suffers DDOS attack [Updated]
Darkfall's long-awaited Unholy Wars makeover launched almost a month ago, and now Aventurine is turning its eyes toward the future of its PvP-focused fantasy sandbox. AV's Tasos Flambouras posted a schedule of planned content updates on the forums earlier this week that stretches all the way into July. Aside from the usual MMO bug fixes and tweaks, there are major additions like the Svartvann, Marthnyr, Hardruk, and Dulguna dungeons, new families of monsters, new ships, and sea fortresses. [Thanks Dengar!] [Update: Aventurine is reporting that its NA servers are suffering the effects of a DDoS attack. The official blog reads, "In regard to the ping issues on the NA server the past couple of days, this was due to a DDoS attack during NA prime time. We have taken measures in cooperation with our hosting providers to filter this attack, and we're monitoring the situation. We'll keep you updated and we apologize for any inconvenience."]
Choose My Adventure: Beyond the walls of safety in Darkfall
Man up MJ, you said. Forsake the fetters of safety and wander the wilds of the world. Yes, folks, for the next phase of our Choose My Adventure project, you directed me to leave the confines of the starting cities and surrounding lands to explore and harvest in the unprotected areas in Darkfall Unholy Wars. That, and get familiar with the workbench for crafting. So said you all, and so I did. I ran little Emey Brokenclaw beyond the bounds of the safe zones and introduced her to the vast lands stretching across Agon. I enjoyed some exciting experiences as well as learned quite a few things during that journey, though not necessarily what you'd expect.%Gallery-187735%
Choose My Adventure: Framing my first foray in Darkfall
Break time's over! Now it's time to roll up our sleeves and get back to work building our latest Choose My Adventure. The first order of business is to establish the framework for the rest of our Darkfall Unholy Wars (mis)adventures. Of course, we can't just build willy-nilly; we need to follow a plan. And as with any major construction project, we couldn't really move forward until said plan was OKed by the planning commission. So while we waited for the foundation to set, we sought approval for which type of structure to base our continuing adventures on. And as is wont to happen with committees, there was trouble coming to a consensus; even though the proposed models were all pretty similar, disagreement arose as to which to pick. However, after some debate (one proposal won by only one vote!), we finally got the go ahead: The final word was to build a Mahirim Deadeye. I'm on it, boss!%Gallery-187735%
Darkfall Unholy Wars interview talks sandboxes, mounts, and content updates
The fine folks behind Darkfall Unholy Wars recently sat down with an Italian fansite to chat a bit about the game. They talked about how the new game stemmed from their desire to push the original Darkfall beyond the limits of its systems. There's no reason to scrap a good thing, though, so the developers have brought over a lot of the sandbox features from the original. The Demi-God bosses, naval combat, and mounted combat systems are all making a reappearance in some form, although the team has been trying to improve upon their original implementation. Additionally, the game is meant to support player-generated events, crafting without artificial barriers, a new dye system, and city vendor hubs. Presently, the team is putting in frequent patches with bug fixes while working on adding in features. Once the developers' current wishlist of features has been implemented, the team can focus on planning bigger patches and expansions for the future. You can read the interview for yourself here, but be prepared to scroll to get down to the English bit. Unless you're super pro and read Italian. [Thanks to moxious internetter Festano for the tip!]
Choose My Adventure: Pouring the foundation in Darkfall
It's relocation time! Although there were plenty of tempting properties spread around various locales to choose from, once the bidding wars began, Darkfall Unholy Wars grabbed the lead and refused to let go. So we're packing up our tools and moving to Agon to get this Choose My Adventure project started. And considering the whole neighborhood just went through a recent renovation, I'm sure we'll fit right in building our new retreat. Now, we just need... hm, where did we put those blueprints? Do we even have blueprints? No? Well, no matter; you can just give me the instructions as we go. Rome wasn't built in a day, and we've got five more weeks to work together to create this new retreat. I've got to tell you, I'm quite excited for this venture. One of the greatest things about the CMA series is that it forces us to finally dive in and check out games we've been wanting to but never quite "found the time." Once it becomes a part of your daily job, you have no choice but to make the time! Darkfall was always one of those games for me, and my curiosity and interest was piqued even more with Unholy Wars. So let's get this started. First, we need a foundation.
Darkfall Unholy Wars hits Steam as Valve introduces new subscription service
In a press release issued on Steam today, Valve announced that it now offers something of particular value to MMOs on the platform: subscription plans. Gamers can now subscribe to MMOs on Steam and manage recurring payments to those games using Steam itself. With Subscription Plans, Steam offers gamers the ability to sign up and manage payments for subscription-based games on Steam. [...] Steam customers may now sign-up for, manage, cancel or renew game Subscription Plans at any time, online directly through Steam. On the front lines of this new Steam feature is none other than subscription-based sandbox MMO Darkfall Unholy Wars, which relaunched just last week. Valve promises that "additional subscription-based games [will] follow" and posted a lengthy FAQ to ward off the tinfoil hat crowd.
Choose My Adventure: Extreme DIY makeover edition
Life may be like a box of chocolates, but gaming is like a Do-It-Yourself project. It may not be as mouth-watering an analogy, but it is certainly fitting: MMOs are a giant construction zone where players build their own experiences in a virtual world using tools from the game and their own imagination. Each project is a unique undertaking, bearing the personal touches of the builder, whether the builder is an individual or a group like a guild. Some players prefer to build a single residence and settle in, while others enjoy moving from project to project, exploring new territory and testing new tools. Me? I tend toward the former; I'm the kind who tinkers around in one place over a long period of time. But all that's about to change. Again. That's right, folks; it's my turn to break ground on yet another Choose My Adventure! For the next six weeks I am leaving the comfy confines of my familiar surroundings and allowing you to direct my next MMO project. Yes, my dear Massively friends, you will be the foreman of this endeavor, determining every step of the construction, from where I'll build my newest experience to what tools I'll get to use.
Massively's Darkfall launch week diary: Day three and recap
So yesterday I kinda rambled on at length about why I'm loving Darkfall Unholy Wars. I'm not really apologizing; after all, this is my launch week diary! Today, though, I figured I might tone it down a bit and just hit the highlights of my day three play experience. After that, I'll recap and give you some final thoughts on Darkfall as it stands in April 2013.
Massively's Darkfall launch week diary: Day two
I'm doing Darkfall Unholy Wars wrong. See, I'm one of those sandbox carebears who could not care less about PvP. I'll attempt to defend myself if attacked, and I'll add another body to the zerg if I'm in a clan or whatever, but I don't seek out conflict with other players. I mention this because that attitude obviously informs everything I write about Darkfall, which, at its core, is a great big high fantasy murder simulator. Yes, the game has crafting, harvesting, player housing, and better PvE than it's given credit for, but on some level all of this stuff exists to power the FFA PvP meatgrinder that in turn attempts to satiate the bloodlust of Aventurine's target demographic. And would you believe that despite that, Darkfall is still one of this carebear's favorite MMORPGs?
The Daily Grind: Do launch day hassles make you quit a game?
MMO launches have come a long way. While no MMO is bug-free, developers have made substantial strides in this department over the past decade. Similarly and for the most part, gone are the days when mile-long queues prevent you from playing on day one. And then there's Darkfall. Or more accurately Darkfall Unholy Wars. To Aventurine's credit, I can at least purchase and log in to the game unlike the catastrophe that passed for the original 2009 launch (and also to be fair, I'm a big fan of the game). It still took forever and a day to patch, though, and that was after I had to leave the client torrent download on overnight. So, how about it Massively readers? Do launch-day hiccups irritate you enough to move on to other games, or do you generally stick it out? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Massively's Darkfall launch week diary: Day one
Darkfall Unholy Wars' April 2013 launch was quite a bit like Darkfall's February 2009 launch. For me, at any rate. One crucial difference was that this time I was actually able to purchase Aventurine's fantasy sandbox title even though I wasn't able to log into it. Four years ago, finding a digital copy of Darkfall was damn near impossible. Fast forward to the present and AV has improved its billing apparatus but certainly not its delivery mechanism. After nearly three hours, DFUW's patcher managed to pull down 90 MB out of 6487. I switched to the torrent download, and while it was faster, I still had to leave it overnight. So technically this is day two impressions even though it's day one for yours truly.
Darkfall Unholy Wars finally launches
The next iteration of Darkfall is underway! Aventurine today announced that Darkfalls Unholy Wars has finally released after several delays and a lengthy beta. The sandbox MMO is a complete revamp of the original Darkfall with several new features, and it requires the purchase of a client and a subscription fee to play. Aventurine General Manager Tasos Flambouras seems relieved to have reached this stage: "After five months of beta we are happy to launch Darkfall Unholy Wars. We are grateful to our playtesters for their contribution to the game and we're happy to have them with us as players today. Darkfall Unholy Wars is the best combat MMORPG experience and our pledge is that it will continue evolving and pushing the PvP envelope."
Some Assembly Required: Your guide to MMO sandboxes in 2013 and beyond
Welcome to Massively's guide to MMO sandboxes in 2013 and beyond. I've collected the essential details on all the major sandbox titles releasing this year and in the near future in one easy-to-reference article. If you're wondering whether ArcheAge forces you to PvP, or if you can't tell The Repopulation from Origins of Malu, this is your post. I'll be updating it as game features are added, removed, or revealed, so be sure to use the comments to let me know if I've overlooked a particularly noteworthy item. Finally, I want to point out that this isn't an exhaustive list because of the sheer number of sandbox projects ongoing. For now, I'm choosing to focus on the ones that will be playable in 2013/2014 as well as the projects that have a big-name developer attached.
Darkfall Unholy Wars to launch April 16
Any Darkfall fan can tell you that it's been quite a wild ride from the launch of the original game in 2009 through the waiting period for Unholy Wars to release. Just do a search on this site for the keywords "Darkfall" and "delay" and you'll feel their pain. But the wait is almost over as Aventurine has announced a final release date of April 16. That's 2013, folks! Sardonics aside, we imagine the dev team wants to make sure the game is done right this time, which is the whole point of Unholy Wars in the first place. New features like salvaging, Prowess Points, the Primalist role, and Steam integration will make for a fuller experience, and fans of the game can then judge if Aventurine's claim of creating the "best PvP MMORPG experience" will hold true. [Thanks to Robert for the tip!]
