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My experience since returning to Darkfall (1-2 mos.)
I played in beta, and into release on EU-1 and I ended up leaving because I felt like AV had no interest in anything but FPS style PVP action. I still followed the game hoping it would develop into a fun sandbox title, and in my opinion it definitely has. When I saw that villages and housing, numerous PvE enhancements, Chaos Chests in the wild, and things that weren't so focused on meaningless PvP was added I decided to jump back into NA-1. It's been a couple months and this is what I have experienced.
I decided going in that I wanted to have a plan in mind because it's easy to get wrapped up grinding then burning out in a Sandbox. So I wanted to be a treasure hunter. I got in game, started some of the quests, and harvested in my spare time to get a good stockpile of steedgrass which I traded for mounts. Every day I explored Agon searching for Chaos Chests, and binding at different locations. My favorite thing about the game has always been the world. I would spend hours in beta just exploring and loving every minute of it. I was opening a good bit of chests on my adventurers, and buying up treasure keys with my earnings to keep up with the treasure hunting goals I had in mind. Then one day I opened a treasure chest and there it was. A House Deed. These things are worth a ton and I freaked out. Then I saw two battle pigs (Orc mounts) coming over a hill nearby. I quickly jumped back on my horse and began riding away looking for higher ground. My heart was about to explode. I quickly found a hill that would put me out of their site, and rode around behind a tree that was a bit out of the way. I slowly circled it as they rode past and went the opposite direction. I escaped, ported back to town and banked. This matches up with one of my favorite memories from UO where I found unbelievable loot and had to get to a bank. I sold the House Deed, and picked up a much cheaper Cottage Deed so that I could afford the taxes and because I had explored so much I knew exactly where I wanted to be. It was this quiet little Island village on a snow covered Island. I placed my Cottage and was the first one to settle in the Village. I liked this spot because it is on an Island and I knew the upcoming expansion was going to focus a lot on the sea based parts of the game, and it is just an awesome spot.
I joined a guild that was fairly new, and focused simply on killing off griefers and exploiters that were all over human lands. We grew rapidly, and eventually purchased a city and began to build it up which just happened to be right by my cottage. We have developed it into an almost completely built up city, and also took a hamlet near the center of the map where we can hunt some of the strongest mobs in the game. Growing with a guild has been a great experience and we get into skirmishes daily. The guild experience is an important part of Darkfall if you really want to enjoy it. We ride around and capture villages, defend allies hamlets and cities, and constantly fight off reds. I really enjoy the village system since I have a cottage in a village, and our guild captures them often. In case you aren't familiar with it I will explain. All over Agon there are villages and at the start they are empty with lots for houses, cottages, villas, and large villas. Each one has a stone that can be beat down using siege hammers and whichever clan beats it down all the way gets control over the village for 6 hours. Every 6 hours they go vulnerable and remain free until someone captures it. There is a notice 30 minutes before a village goes vulnerable in system chat so you can plan a route, and if you capture a series of them you know when they will be vulnerable again. We often ride between villages, capturing them, and fighting off enemies that show up. They really do make little PvP hotspots in the world and have provided some of my favorite PvP battles in any game ever. The clan that captures the village is awarded taxes every hour providing us with valuable GP on top of providing all of this fun. It is a smart system that needs some tweaks, but with the coming expansion there is supposed to be an overhaul of the siege and conquest(village) system.
I knew that magic was overpowered at the time so I went entirely into archery and melee figuring AV would do something soon to nerf magic or boost melee/archery and with the coming expansion they are adding mage killer which boosts archery damage against anyone wielding a staff at the expense of being blocked out of arcane, elemental, and necro magic. I have maxed out my archery skill, and have been constantly gathering mats and having new elemental bows made. I have a stockpile of about 20 sets of armor, and over 30 elemental bows. It doesn't take long in this game to get to a point where you can constantly stay ahead of your losses. It can be brutal at first because you die the easiest, and have so little to lose, but after a short time it becomes a really good balance.
They are also adding more world spawned items similar to Chaos Chests, and wandering mobs to breathe more life into the world. Housing is supposed to be getting a form of local banking which will be great for me as well. I love to go to my village, spawn my raft and go out fishing at sea. All of these things are great for my playstyle, and their expansions show the desire to turn Darkfall into a true sandbox which is why I plan on staying and playing this game for a long time to come.
I am also playing Mortal Online, and will follow it hoping it becomes another good entry in this niche genre. I know this is biased because i'm having so much fun in Darkfall, but many of you who had sworn it off like I did really should take a second look. There may be something here that you missed the first time around. I really have had a blast.
Here is a pic of my village on a foggy afternoon:
Comments
Nice write-up
I really enjoy the skirmishes too. Probably more than sieges which are a bit hectic and zerg v zerg.
DFO is IMO the only game out there that feeds sandboxers on so many levels (after trying twice I just can't seem to get into EVE for some reason).
P.S. MO - yes, I'm following it too but it has a horribly long way to go IMO and the combat system just doesn't appeal to me atm at all.
Yeah I really like the small scale battles, but many of the hamlet sieges we've been in have been 4-10 people per side and been a lot of fun. I am at the point now where I can find 1v1 fights that go on for 5-10 minutes and can be a ton of fun also.
This morning we just took an enemy hamlets mine, and fought off a number of different people trying to come get the mine. I got a set of plate armor, a mount, and half a set of bone along with rare ore out of it. Post maintenance can be a wild and crazy time.
Loved the read, sparked up my love and first experiences in Darkfall.
I plan on going back soon after the expansion so I can transfer.
This post has single handedly convinced me to buy this game. I have been searching for awhile for a game that could capture that old mmo feeling for me, and what you describe in this post is exactly what I want.
really nice write up.
yeah I resubbing after next expansion assuming EU server population doesn't completely fade due to free character transfers.
My blog:
Just took a break from some treasure hunting of my own. While out and about another solo (human) player decked out in some sweet armor, happened to come to my area a few minutes after I got there and kicked my Mahirim butt.
Anyways I really enjoyed the read, and believe your right in thinking people need to give this game another look. I'm having such a wicked time.
"Mr. Rothstein, your people never will understand... the way it works out here. You're all just our guests. But you act like you're at home. Let me tell you something, partner. You ain't home. But that's where we're gonna send you if it harelips the governor." - Pat Webb
Gah! Reading your post makes me want to try DF. I'm hunting for another MMO to supplement Ryzom atm. I'm in the middle of trying FE and CoS. I'm liking FE when it doesn't crash on me, but I'm afraid my free trial period will end before I get the problem worked out.
I really wish DF had a free trial. I'd absolutely give it a shot if it did.
Current: None
Played: WoW, CoX, SWG, LotRO, EVE, AoC, VG, CO, Ryzom, DF, WAR
Tried: Lineage2, Dofus, EQ2, CoS, FE, UO, Wurm, Wakfu
Future: The Repopulation, ArcheAge, Black Desert, EQN
I've barely heard anything about this game, but this post has single handedly made me want to play it.
Really bad...
Playing: World Of Warcraft
Resting From: Nothing
Retired: EQ2, CoH, Tabula Rasa, SWG, Warhammer, AoC
Waiting For: SWTOR, APB
Love(d): Tabula Rasa, SWG, World Of Warcraft, Age of Conan
When is the expansion expected to be released? I thought it was October.. did they delay it?
Delayed for another two weeks or so.
"Mr. Rothstein, your people never will understand... the way it works out here. You're all just our guests. But you act like you're at home. Let me tell you something, partner. You ain't home. But that's where we're gonna send you if it harelips the governor." - Pat Webb
My god, I'm looking at the sight and, and...
I wanna faint...
If it is what I'm reading, this game is amazing.
Playing: World Of Warcraft
Resting From: Nothing
Retired: EQ2, CoH, Tabula Rasa, SWG, Warhammer, AoC
Waiting For: SWTOR, APB
Love(d): Tabula Rasa, SWG, World Of Warcraft, Age of Conan
Ya it's amazing for sure. Between Darkfall and EVE I'm totally set mmo wise.
This game could surprise many a disgruntled mmo player, just not those looking for the current mainstream style game.
"Mr. Rothstein, your people never will understand... the way it works out here. You're all just our guests. But you act like you're at home. Let me tell you something, partner. You ain't home. But that's where we're gonna send you if it harelips the governor." - Pat Webb
Ya it's amazing for sure. Between Darkfall and EVE I'm totally set mmo wise.
This game could surprise many a disgruntled mmo player, just not those looking for the current mainstream style game.
When I get the money, this game is mine!
Dear lord I want it now...
Playing: World Of Warcraft
Resting From: Nothing
Retired: EQ2, CoH, Tabula Rasa, SWG, Warhammer, AoC
Waiting For: SWTOR, APB
Love(d): Tabula Rasa, SWG, World Of Warcraft, Age of Conan
I really want to try DFO, I'm just not sure I want to pay fifty dollars to try it out.
Didn't quote entire OP, but wanted to say great post.
What you did is go after the game and not wait, hoping it would come to you, and that is what made the difference.
Hope your fun continues.
-CC
"Lately it occurs to me,
what a long, strange trip it's been". -Hunter
I gotta bump this after rereading the OP. I think more people need to check it out. If you don't know much about Darkfall, this will give a wicked sample.
"Mr. Rothstein, your people never will understand... the way it works out here. You're all just our guests. But you act like you're at home. Let me tell you something, partner. You ain't home. But that's where we're gonna send you if it harelips the governor." - Pat Webb
I just bought the game like 2 weeks ago myself, after giving AV so much grief about the release and waiting for things to get fixed and a NA server. I wrote this game off for quite awhile until i read some forums on the changes and thought i would give it a go. I have to say i'm enjoying it so far. It's got pretty much everything i wanted in a game, FFA PvP, Housing, Clan Cities, Sieges, open skill based, no levels etc. etc.
If you haven't tried the game and wrote it off like me for months, give it a go, it's pretty fun, nothing like taking 25 peeps and rolling into a city and just raping a bunch of people.
Confirming the game is good. WOW diehards will probably hate it but everyone else should really give it a try, it's a really refreshing change from regular MMOs.
Awesome! Glad you guys are enjoying. I havn't had this much fun since being an EVE noob 4 years ago. After I got comfortable of course.
"Mr. Rothstein, your people never will understand... the way it works out here. You're all just our guests. But you act like you're at home. Let me tell you something, partner. You ain't home. But that's where we're gonna send you if it harelips the governor." - Pat Webb
Great post OP, completely agree than anyone who is on the fence and has an open mind...get the game. It really is the most fun I have had in an MMO since....lets just say for a long ass time
Darkfall owns
I really enjoy DF, but I'm hunkering for some of the RP elements it misses as well as a better housing system. Don't get me wrong, DFO is a great PvP focused sandbox game, I just wish they'd add some "carebare" features to take the edge off
I'm going to type up a substanive suggestion post this weekend probably as well as a look into the clan "NEW" for newbie players to see whats going on there.
Games:
Currently playing:Nothing
Will play: Darkfall: Unholy Wars
Past games:
Guild Wars 2 - Xpiher Duminous
Xpiher's GW2
GW 1 - Xpiher Duminous
Darkfall - Xpiher Duminous (NA) retired
AoC - Xpiher (Tyranny) retired
Warhammer - Xpiher
good to hear theyre working on what people didnt like and keeping the pvp aspect, wish aion would have done the same but ive cancled my ncsoft sub because they let the bots run rampant, might have to give darkfall a try now that its up and running (and actually sounds like its running well =D). not a big fan of full loot death, but if you can put in some time to skillups and having items like health potions and good gear on you preventing you from dieing too easily i could get into it, i do like the heart racing feeling as you try to survive to avoid losing all your stuff, and in the end if its feasable to have extra sets banked before risking what youre wearing thats not so bad either. (i put tons of time into my gear and tradeskills in aion and it was good till the bots raped the land of all resources and mob spawns, i kid you not you cant get a kill or a resource anywhere near the botted zones which is now about 90% of the games land masses outside of the abyss)
http://forums.darkfallonline.com/showthread.php?t=220016
Great post,I've played DF from the start and its been a rough 8 months,but wonderful at the same time.What i mean by that is i've got to watch DF grow into whats becoming one of the best FFA PVP sandbox MMOs.Its been rough with little to no advertisement and the split between EU and NA 3 months ago,but DF has pulled though and this next expantion looks to bring old and new players into the game.I hope to see a lot of new people that come into the world and enjoy what i have been enjoying for almost 8 months now.
hahaha spotlighted
BestSigEver :P
