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Darkfall Unholy Wars delays release and opts for pre-order testing
Darkfall Unholy Wars developer Aventurine is notorious for running a bit long on projects, so it's probably not going to surprise longtime fans that the game is missing its revised release target tomorrow. Developer Tasos Flambouras informed players that the launch will be delayed most likely until January, although a firm date has not yet been established. He also apologizes for the last-minute announcement, citing a need for several different bits of cross-communication before the decision was final. To mollify those who just can't wait to start the game, a beta will be kicking off on December 17th for any pre-order customers. Returning players can pick up the game at the normal subscription price, while new players will still be able to get a discount by ordering. Flambouras promises that all pre-order players will receive a full 30 days of free time when the game goes live, as well as access to the beta during its duration. If it sounds like something you can't wait to jump on, keep your eyes peeled on Friday for purchasing details. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Aventurine 'sprinting' toward Darkfall 2.0
As Darkfall "sprints" down the road toward its second incarnation, bloodthirsty PvPers are looking to Aventurine for more information about how their favorite game world is being remolded. Tasos Flambouras came forth today with word that not only is the project still powering forward, but the development team is growing as new hires are brought on to assist in the efforts. Flambouras uses the post as a progress report and To Do list all in one. Perhaps the most exciting teases that he mentions are new methods of progression in the game. "These are significant and exciting changes to the way the game is played because they add more purpose to player freedom," he writes. Currently the art team is adding and revamping many of the game's objects and animations, while the world builders are hammering away at Mahirim. As part of Darkfall 2.0, introductory dungeons will be integrated into the game to help newbies get a foothold in the cutthroat MMO. The team is also experimenting with "alternatives" to player respawn time after deaths, as well as a brand-new market system and improved trading experience.
New Darkfall blog post addresses reactivation weekend, upcoming patch
Last week, we reported that Darkfall would be hosting a reactivation weekend with increased skill-up rates and loot drops. Head-honcho Tasos Flambouras stopped by the official site today to announce that the festivities will be beginning on Friday, November 18th, and that they will last through the weekend until the 21st. He warns, however, that the team is also busy preparing a patch, which -- understandably -- takes priority over the reactivation weekend. As such, it's possible that the event will be postponed. The patch itself includes a number of bug fixes and other adjustments, "more specifically addressing emotes cutting off animations and sounds." The team is also working to combat some of the game's exploits such as using the trading system to bypass over-encumberance. For the full details, head on over to the Darkfall official site.
Darkfall update talks camera, physics improvements
What's up in the lands of Agon recently? Quite a lot if the latest Darkfall dev update is any indication. The lengthy wall o' text touches on current development tasks including the possibility of an improved third-person camera, momentum mechanics, and ragdoll physics for the game's animations. Starter areas are also getting a makeover, and Aventurine producer Tasos Flambouras says that new and more powerful guard towers will deter newbie ganking without creating full-blown safe zones. Additionally, there's a bit more explanation regarding the ongoing siege and clan tweaks, and the devs continue to work on Darkfall's new armor specialization mechanics. Unfortunately there's still no word on either character wipes or a timeline for Darkfall 2.0's release, but there is quite a bit of other info available to peruse on the game's official site.
Darkfall update talks sieges, again
Darkfall's much-hyped new siege system may actually see the light of day next week according to the latest Aventurine dev blog. We say much-hyped here in terms of the number of times it's been mentioned in one of Darkfall's traditional Friday updates. Players and fans of the FFA PvP sandbox are no doubt more interested in when Darkfall 2.0 is coming out as well as who these mysterious partners are that producer Tasos Flambouras occasionally hints at in the weekly news blurbs. Alas, this week's announcement steers clear of reveals and instead offers a few more specifics on the new siege mechanics as well as a new concept art sketch of the revamped Khamset monster family. Finally, there's a short lore blurb to go along with a ton of unanswered questions.
Darkfall blog update teases new dungeon video
Another Darkfall update, another letdown in terms of a release window for Darkfall 2.0. Aventurine updated its blog over the weekend and acknowledged fan anticipation for the sweeping revamp, but remained coy on the timeframe. "We're in a better position to estimate but we haven't concluded our discussions with our partners yet," wrote producer Tasos Flambouras. If the new video that accompanies the blog update is any indication, we're a ways off from release since the clip is described as an "alpha version." What's in the video? It's basically a quick look at the new Niflheim dungeon, and there are a lot of yetis running around as well as a lot of bloodspray courtesy of the newly implemented splatter system. You can also see a few of the dynamic elements that make the dungeon more challenging than its old-world Darkfall predecessor, and there's even a paragraph related to the lore behind the lair. Check out the clip after the cut and head to the official Darkfall website for more.
Darkfall blog talks crafting update, forthcoming relaunch timeline
There may be a little light at the end of the Darkfall 2.0 tunnel if the latest Aventurine blog update is any indication. The entry bills itself as a crafting system update, but it spends the first paragraph or so giving fans an update on the revamped siege system (which is now scheduled to be done in about a week). After that, producer Tasos Flambouras says, "We'll go into more detail about more relaunch features and the production schedule." So anyway, crafting. In a nutshell, the new Darkfall tradeskilling system places greater importance on rare ore, unique item appearance, more customization options, and "more opportunities to excel as a crafter." The new system will offer mastery skills as well as a choice between six distinctive base designs for each weapon type. You can read all about it at the game's official website, linked below.
Aventurine reveals a few Darkfall 2.0 changes
Aventurine has updated the Darkfall Epic Blog again, and this time there's a good bit of info regarding the upcoming 2.0 reboot. Producer Tasos Flambouras reiterates that 2.0 is "a new game created on top of the current game rather [than] simply an expansion." He also states that the devs don't want to get too specific and give everything away just yet. That said, this week's entry does provide a very interesting list of changes "that are already implemented." First and foremost is the game's new skill set customization which is in turn tied to a new armor system. In a nutshell, your armor choice will affect your usable skills by rendering certain abilities ineffective and leading to highly specialized character roles (as opposed to the current game where every character can learn every skill, given enough grinding). Skill and attribute gains have also been tweaked, and players who focus on skilling up a single role will excel at it in short order through "casual play." The catch, though, is the inability to have more than one specialization active at a time. Crafting has also been overhauled, and the world map has been "completely changed." There's more big news where that came from too, including UI tweaks, alignment tweaks, incapacitation, dungeon and magic school redesigns, and new combat mechanics like momentum and crosshair wobble. Read all about it at the official Darkfall website.
New Darkfall video shows off redesigned Sandbrook
It's time for Aventurine's weekly Darkfall update, and today's blurb contains a few interesting nuggets about the town of Sandbrook. Apparently, the hamlet is undergoing a substantial facelift for Darkfall 2.0, and while it will remain a human village and hold on to its geographical location, players will find that it looks and plays quite differently. Aventurine producer Tasos Flambouras tells us that "the city has been completely optimized and everything is conveniently located where players can find it easily." He also mentions that Sandbrook is no longer a starter town but is instead a human factional city. Sandbrook is a picturesque location despite the proximity of a nasty goblin tribe, and the town is home to a small band of humans who settled on the banks of a river in the shadow of some enormous Nithron ruins. Head past the cut for a brief look at the new and improved Sandbrook courtesy of Aventurine's latest Darkfall video.
Darkfall dev update beats around the free-to-play bush
It's Friday and that usually means an update of some sort from the folks at Aventurine. True to form, Tasos Flambouras has checked in with his weekly Darkfall blog post. This time around we're treated to a round of Q&A with a couple of Aventurine devs, and reader-submitted questions are the order of the day. The discussion meanders from Darkfall 2.0's crafting changes, which are described as "a complete overhaul," to mechanical concerns like AoE melee damage as well as surges and fizzles. Flambouras also drops an interesting comment regarding Darkfall free-to-play rumors. "We also read around the internet about Darkfall going free-to-play. Rumor has it that if you start a sentence with 'rumor has it' you can say pretty much anything you want. Not true," he writes. Whether the "not true" was a reference to Darkfall's alleged F2P conversion or a reference to the latter portion of the sentence isn't completely clear, and we'll be interested to hear a definitive answer as it relates to business models.
The Daily Grind: Would you keep playing if your character was wiped?
So the scuttlebutt has it that Darkfall is getting ready to give way to an entirely new version. The PvP sandbox has gone through several iterations since its early 2009 launch, but one thing that has always been consistent is the player characters. Aventurine recently hinted at character wipes in conjunction with Darkfall 2.0, and while front man Tasos Flambouras hasn't said definitively that there will be a fresh start, he also hasn't said there won't be. For today's Daily Grind, we'd like to know your thoughts on character wipes. Whether it's a game like Darkfall or any other sort of progression-based affair, would you keep playing if your progress was reset? 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!
Aventurine talks Darkfall 2.0, character wipes, and more
Last week we told you about an Aventurine blog entry that touted Darkfall's forthcoming update as a "new game." This week, producer Tasos Flambouras sheds a wee bit more light on the Darkfall 2.0 situation, but readers of his latest blog post will likely be left with more questions than answers. To summarize, the new game is not a sequel but rather an iteration on all the lessons learned after two-plus years of operating and updating Darkfall. Aventurine now boasts a much larger dev team than the one that shipped the original game in 2009, and "no aspect of the game has been left untouched" when it comes to the revamp and relaunch. Speaking of relaunches, Flambouras addresses the seemingly odd decision to incorporate Darkfall 2.0's extensive siege mechanic changes into the current game. As it turns out, Aventurine is planning some sort of epic end-of-1.0 event before transitioning to the new game, and sieges will play a part in the action. Finally, those of you who have already purchased Darkfall will not be charged again for the 2.0 client. What about character transfers and/or wipes? That's a bit murkier, and though Flambouras says "it would not be necessary to wipe" in the new version, he also says that the topic is still under discussion. Head to the Darkfall Epic Blog to read this week's activity report.
Upcoming Darkfall relaunch is 'a new game'
How does a fresh start in the world of Agon grab you? The devs at Aventurine have been making noises about relaunching Darkfall for a while now, but in a new dev blog released earlier today, producer Tasos Flambouras gives us a hint at just how significant the changes are going to be. "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," Flambouras writes. So, yeah. Whoa. In our best Keanu Reeves voice. The blog features some further discussion about a new siege system and a political map for the current version of Darkfall, but frankly we're still recovering from the previous paragraph and unsure as to how it all fits together. Is this Darkfall II? Is the current version going away when the relaunch hits? Inquiring minds want to know, and we'll bring you the latest on this story as we learn more.
Darkfall possibly headed to Asian market
Darkfall's brand of FFA PvP and sandbox-style fantasy elements may be headed to the Asian market, according to a new post on Aventurine's weekly dev blog. Tasos Flambouras reports that company staffers recently traveled to the Far East for discussions with "several of the Asian majors." What became of those discussions is still shrouded in secrecy, but Flambouras does hint at more news in this regard down the road. "This will be good for the game overall since we'd be tapping into some vast development resources. Unfortunately I can't be more specific but there will be announcements when we can," he explains. Today's Epic Blog entry also talks a bit about some new PvE dungeons in the works, and there are some interesting pieces of concept art as well as a screenshot or two of the new Cairn dungeon. Read all about it at the official Darkfall site.
Aventurine looking for feedback on Darkfall siege revamp
Aventurine is in the process of revamping Darkfall's siege system, and the devs are in need of your assistance. A new entry at the Darkfall Epic Blog fills in the details, and perennial coolest dev name contest winner Tasos Flambouras has published a snippet of an internal design document in order to give players a better understanding of why some changes are necessary. Flambouras lays out four key points of particular interest to Darkfall's devs, and interested players are invited to leave feedback via the blog's comment system. Topics up for discussion include minimum numbers of active clan players, win conditions, timer issues, and automatic vulnerability. Head to the official Darkfall blog to make your voice heard.
Darkfall siege revisions, dungeon reworking, and more
Aventurine has posted its most recent Darkfall activity report, and it covers quite a bit of ground. The first highlight is on the studio's worldbuilder team and its recent work remaking dungeons and clan cities and testing a new lighting system which should allow you to see yourself getting ganked in a brand-new light (rimshot). The art team, meanwhile, has completed numerous new assets including some truly towering trees, flags and banners, and ruins. On top of this, Darkfall players will have some new enemies to slay in the form of newly created monsters like the Imp. To finish this off, players will soon be able to pretty up their characters with the addition of fabulous new hairstyles. The key piece of information offered is about the new siege system, which has been entirely revamped and is ready for testing. For the full onslaught of information on all this and more -- including interactive map changes, blood spatter behavior (oh boy!) and racial/capital quests -- head on over to the full piece on Darkfall's official site.
Aventurine discussing major prestige class revisions for Darkfall
Aventurine is looking for your feedback on Darkfall, and while there's no official survey, there is a lengthy list of bullet points that the developers are debating internally -- as well as an ongoing discussion in the comments section of the Darkfall Epic Blog. Topics include the possible implementation of lawless/lawful areas, clan vendors, capital city tower buffs (which would essentially turn Darkfall's starting areas into safe zones), and a recycling component for the game's crafting system. Producer Tasos Flambouras also addresses some huge theoretical changes to the game in the form of the prestige class system. "We're working on an improved concept to prestige classes where players get to make 'class'-based selections which can lead to the ultimate specialization, especially combined with the right equipment. The philosophy behind this is that while the armor system limits, the new 'class' system extends a player's specialized powers to new levels. [These] are major changes to the game to say the least," Flambouras writes. Head to the Darkfall Epic Blog to make your voice heard.
Darkfall activity report highlights game-changing revamps, recent patch
The March 31st patch was a big step for Darkfall, with everything from skill gain rates to the meditation system to the alignment and crafting systems on the receiving end of some developer love. Aventurine is just warming up, though, and the latest activity report illustrates what's next for sandbox PvP fans all over the world. Work continues on racial area revamps; the Mirdain and Alfar sections of Agon are nearly complete. Aventurine's Tasos Flambouras also hints at some exciting PvE updates, including trap doors and various gameplay physics tweaks designed to delight Agonian dungeoneers. There's also a good bit of info on NPC and monster AI revamps and re-population, new player character and armor models, and a mention of new sound, lighting, and GUI systems, all of which are building toward the game-changing revamp that Aventurine has mentioned previously. Check out all the details on the Darkfall epic blog.
Darkfall blog details PvE tweaks, hints at big PvP changes
Exciting things are afoot in the world of Agon, and Aventurine's weekly Darkfall activity report is here to fill you in on all the grisly details. Whether you're keen on seeing one of your personal weapon designs imported into the game or curious about the ongoing PvE and AI updates, this week's entry makes for interesting reading. To kick things off, Aventurine's Tasos Flambouras gives us the low-down on grungrocs, and these gnarly boar-like bipeds are bent on ruining every adventurer's day. There's also talk of boss fight tweaks, and Flambouras writes that there are "significant changes" coming to high-end PvE content including damage cap adjustments, fight tuning, and loot table changes. Darkfall's PvP is getting some love as well, and new land-based objectives (similar to the game's sea fortresses) are in the works. Flambouras also hints at a new "Arena" project and "a lot more we're doing with PvP" that will be revealed at a later date. Finally, all Darkfall accounts have been gifted with 25,000 meditation points (the game's offline leveling currency) to celebrate the title's second anniversary. Check out the full presentation on the Darkfall Epic Blog.
Darkfall alignment changes incoming
Alignment in Darkfall has long been a sore spot for the game's devoted playerbase. Aventurine's original implementation allowed for players to farm one another at will and basically offered no real penalty for doing so. According to a new activity report on the Darkfall Epic Blog, all that is about to change. Aventurine's Tasos Flambouras states that "alignment changes are going in. Enough with killing other players, this won't improve your alignment any more." So just how does a bad Agonian man (or Mahirim) lose that negative alignment? The devs are implementing a new mechanic centered around Chaos Churches where players can "repent their negative alignment away." Said churches are located in the game's neutral cities (i.e., those not aligned with any of the title's warring races). The activity report doesn't go into a whole lot of detail, but Tasos does indicate that there will be a spotlight feature dedicated to the new mechanic in the near future. Aside from alignment, this week's report also hints at fishing-related modifications, specifically those made to player ships to allow for scalable catches based on the safety of the waters, as well as additional protection against attacks from player swimmers. Finally, there's a bit more info about meditation tweaks and a mention of increased drop rates for books, scrolls, and attribute consumables.
