Darkfall - What is it?

GPrestige

Edit: Added a list of some cool videos I found at the bottom of the post, in case anyone else who is in the same boat as me is interested in checking them out. I'm coming closer and closer to deciding whether or not I'm going to buy this game. The reason I'm hesitant is because I've been burned too many times by MMOs.

I'm sure there are many people who don't know anything about Darkfall. This is where you come in! Use your vast untapped Darkfall knowledge and fill the rest of us in on the game. First, a prelude...

 

I would sit back and watch people bicker about this game. I knew nothing of it, so I didn't get involved too often. Let me just say that on paper, this game is literally my perfect MMO. I loved Vanguard, so I would most definitely love a game that has an open, massive world. I know they are different, but this thread isn't really about the differences between this and other MMOs.

I have been looking for my perfect MMO for a long time - bouncing back and forth between WoW, EQ2, VG, LotRO, AoC, FFXI, you name it! I haven't been able to stick with one MMO in a looooooooooong time. The only 2 I ever stayed with was FFXI first off and then WoW afterward. I need something new. This game, looks awesome. I saw the kraken video, I was awed. I then started to look at other videos, such as the WORLD SIZE VIDEO and the CITIES/AREAS VIDEO. I then started to read the latest PATCH NOTES and realized, hey maybe there is something here.

Then I went to see if there was a free trial, and of course, there isn't. There is a deal on subscription for 6 months but spending $90 on a game I know almost nothing about seems like a bad move.

This is where you guys come in!

1. How is this game's PVE? I love PVE, I love PVP, I just want a game that has both to offer me. Whether one is more prevalent than the other doesn't matter to me, just as long as they are BOTH THERE.
2. How do you start the game? Are you thrown into the world kicking and screaming with no idea where to go?
3. How OPEN is the world? Yes, it looks massive, and they advertise a seamless world, but there are always restrictions... such as "you can see how open this world is, right? Well... you can't actually GO THERE! HEH"
4. How does skill progression work? Do you pick a class? If not, do you mold your character to fit a specific class-type?
5. How about story/lore? Is there any?
6. Graphics. The videos I've seen, the graphics look mid-range. Nothing fancy. Are they ok when actually playing on max settings? Is the optimization OK? Example of bad optimization: EQ2 - pretty, but crappy on even high end systems.
7. Travel? With a world so big, how the hell are you supposed to get to your group? What are the different forms of travel?
8. EXPLORATION ( THIS IS A BIGGIE! ) I love exploration. I loved in Vanguard how I could go out on the ocean and perhaps find an island that I or someone else hasn't been to before. How is it in this game? How far out can you actually go on the ocean? Are there invisible walls? Etc.
9. Endgame? What do they offer?
10. The future of the game? What are some of the biggies they have planned for the future? Nothing from the latest ocean expansion patch notes, I've read that. Perhaps something that they have mentioned that is prospective but not official yet. I'm interested in that kinda crap.
11. What ties are there to your character? In other MMOs I've played, such as FFXI, the major tie was the fact that you ended up devoting so much time to the character he became "you". In a strange sense, it is what kept you playing. That is the #1 thing I look for in an MMO probably. How does this game do in that sense?
12. The future of the game? Do you ever see this game becoming insanely popular if they do all the right things and eventually do a mainstream launch? (Boxes on shelves, advertisements, etc). Even WoW started off fairly unknown and look at it now. Does this game have the potential to do that or will it always be a niche game?

I may add more questions later on down the road. I just want to know whats going on with this game!

ONE OTHER THING

Do you have something negative to say about the game? By all means, go for it! I just want you to actually give examples and describe why you say what you say. Back up your words. Remember, I'm trying to decide whether or not to buy this game. Keep the trolling/flaming to a minimum. I don't like flamers and trolls.

Videos!!

• The biggest ship in Darkfall
• Kraken Destroys a Ship
• HD Gameplay Footage
• Sights and Cities (HD)
• Large group PVP (HD)
• Free Expansion Preview

Sandblox

I am very new to Darkfall so may not have answers for all your questions but I will do my best.

1)  Well for starters it has both PvE and PvP but with a focus on pvp. The PvE will be very different from any of the more traditional MMOs you have played.

 -When I went to kill my first Goblin, I ran out there like Rambo, thinking this would be normal MMO newbie mob fare! Well I was wrong, the goblin would dodge my attacks, then called his buddies who had the smarts to kite me a bit with their bow and arrows.

Mob AI, I would not call smart, but it is harder then most games because the mobs in darkfall play more like a person would. There are dungeons, mob camps and towns. (I was exploring and climbed a mountain, saw a lift to a city above...so I took the lift and see a elven type city but it is all run down...I poke around and BAM horde of goblins, different kinds then I seen before chased me, so I had to run and jump the cliff, down a waterfall and into a lake below).

2) You are tossed into the world. There is a basic screen that shows commands and stuff. After that it is up to you. Nearby there will be a NPC however who has quests for you. No marker or anything to alert you to this but  they are there and the quests branch out to other NPC and so on. Earns you gold, trade skill tools and so on. All in all it is basic but good. Up to you to do them or not, the world is open, so really whatever happens is your choice.

3) World IS massive! I have found NO invisible walls, NO painted back drops. If I see, I can go to it and then I will most likely see more! Not like WoW that uses mountain faces as zone walls or Aion that well just has zone walls and doesnt even mask it half the time. Size wise it truly is huge, I go off exploring and I feel like I have been out there forever, check the map...and I am not even far from my starter town! The world also has a lot of variety and since it is all hand made there is a real attention to detail.

4) No classes, progression as far as I can tell is all skill based. So you earn skills by using stuff. Say I like 2 Handed Swords, to become better at using them, I need to fight with a 2h sword. I believe they have mastery skills you get at higher skill levels for Melee, Archery and magic, magic itself has multiple schools to learn with many different spells. The latest expansion has added more flavor to the fighting styles and I think the one coming plans to add a lot more.

5) Not a lot of story / lore that I have seen and the quest text has all been very basic. I know they are working on some kind of Dynamic Lore system using real players for lore and events...or something...I dunno much about it. For such a huge world, I do feel having more lore would be great.

6) Ok the graphics are a mixed bag. Do not enter the game and plan to see bright, pretty Aion graphics, not here. Environments are pretty with stuff turned up, enough eye candy to make one happy. Spell effects are pretty bleh but being upgraded. Animations are terrible and character models are dated but grow on you.

Darkfall is not a huge graphical eye candy feast nor a gaming audiophiles wet dream. However it makes up for it in gameplay and having such a open world to enjoy.  Vanguard was a game that also had a huge world (not nearly so big as DF I don't think) with better graphics but it also suffered from many technical problems, of which I have not found in Darkfall, runs smooth for me and my PC is around 3.5 years old. I will say Darkfall graphics are very organic which is nice and immersive.

7) Can run, can spring, can ride ships, can ride mounts, all that I know of. The world is meant to feel big and like a real world and not be trivialized by instant travel.

Did you play EQ1? Do you remember the game before Planes of Power? IMO EQ was better then because the world bigger and took effort, you noticed it all and it was more dangerous, also had more community by having players be the ones with teleports.

Darkfall is like that, you notice the world and belong to it rather then it be a series of stages you hop around on and act out whatever scene the devs wanted from you in that zone / stage.

I would like see to magic get a teleport skill though with druid stones, like EQ did...would be interesting.

8) Not been to see but there are many islands, there are terrors in the deep and the ocean seems MASSIVE. I mean the biggest ships are like seabound cities and while they make the players look tiny, the ocean makes the ships look tiny. Also this last expansion was all about adding MORE to sea faring gameplay. From new Sea Towers to new islands to built towns on, new shops and so on.

Being a open world and a huge one, the game lends itself to exploring so if you enjoyed that in VG you will enjoy it in Darkfall. Biggest difference aside from world size would be VG had tons of mobs to watch for, Darkfall has other players to watch out for.

9) Not sure since I am new but city sieges, guild politics, crafting would be the biggies. If you want PvE raids, I dunno if there is much of that.

10) Not sure but I did hear that the next expansion will "Change the face of the game" no clue what it means but could be awesome!

Darkfall is the first game in a long time that makes me feel smaller then the world and yet very much a living part of it. It is a game that I think about a lot and am enjoying a great deal. It brings back that feeling of adventure that has been lost to me .

It is far from perfect though...

Really what I want is POLISH! I see these cities but they have a handful of stagnant NPC who stand there. I want to see NPCs roaming about and LIVING in the world, make the cities come to life! Would add so much feeling rather then a ghost town.

I want more LORE! The world is ripe for it, give us lore, give us books to find or even pages of them to find and piece into a book, can be a new tradeskill. This would add a lot of depth!

Please please better sound effects and world music. I have heard the same Mahirim backround music forever now. Aion has an amazing musical score, AoC as well. Would add a lot to immersion.

Graphics and Animations I would like improved but it is less important to me then other stuff I mentioned.

A cleaner UI would be really nice.

More quests and random ones out in the wild. Say I am exploring and happen upon a a guy hiding behind a tree who tells me there is a camp of gnolls ahead who took him wife and plan to eat her. So if I rescue her the guy gives me a reward.

I am not asking for theme park here but more quests about would be enjoyable.

More racial meaning. We have all these races and racial factions but they mean little. I would love to see more race specific guilds, a bonus to them and so on.

Fishing to be more Dynamic

I can go on, most if it is little stuff some is bigger like adding life to cities!! Really though I want polish!! The game is there, and it is AMAZING!!! The game also has so so so much room to grow! If it began to get polish though, it would be epic and it would bring many people to the game. A lot of people I bet are simply turned off because the game is rough around the edges and at times not intuitive. If they polished it....wow just wow ^^

 

 

GPrestige

How about bugs? Is it buggy at all?

Agricola1

Originally posted by GPrestige


How about bugs? Is it buggy at all?

 

Nothing game breaking, so far I've heard of only a few minor ones that are slightly annoying if they happen at most.

eman_laerton

Sandbox : excellent overview regarding the questions. My compliments.

Iv'e only been in game 3 days and can say best start in an MMO Iv'e EVER had. WHAT A BLAST!

Nizur

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Originally posted by GPrestige
How about bugs? Is it buggy at all?

---

It's not as buggy as VG, but there were some minor ones that were more annoyances than anything. The ones I found have all been fixed with this last patch though.

GPrestige

I added question 11 and 12 and changed the thread title, it seems the old one didn't attract much attention.

Nizur

11. You will definitely have to spend time on your toon in order to be viable in any real fight. You don't fly through skill levels or stats within a week or two. If you want to be good at something, you MUST spend time on it. It won't advance unless you practice with it.

12. I don't see it becoming as popular as WoW, and honestly I hope it never does. I see it growing bigger, but because it's mainly PvP with full-looting I see it staying large-niche. Kind of like EVE.

Psalms

I just subbed about 11 days ago.  Client +  6month sub is $87 and now that ive played it, if they had a 2yr sub, i would've bought that.  

 

Most excitement ive had in any game in a long time.  MMO and excitement dont really go hand-in-hand, generally.  Anyway, it sounds like it would fit your playstyle pretty well, from what you have said.  Just dont get too attached to any of your gear and you will do fine.

twiggy550

Originally posted by Psalms



Just dont get too attached to any of your gear and you will do fine.

 

Wish I could do that. Always bugs me losing gear on death. Though I have to ask, does gear make that big of a difference for survivability? I don't mind losing my weapons, but actual clothing and armor which obviously breaks over time, it bugs me sorta.

Not the end-all be-all though, and it definitely is a great game. Been having a lot of fun that I haven't had since Planetside or Ultima Online.

Agricola1

11. The ties to my char are the skills I've ground out on him, I've put so much into building his abilities even in less than a month that re rolling isn't an option.

12. This game will have boxes on shelves. As to popularity I think in time it will gain popularity maybe 100k subs in a few years but due to the harsh nature of the game it'll never get close to the less harsh PvP games or PvE games.

Any dislikes? The one that comes to mind is the alignment system, an example of when it can peeve me off is a week ago I get my mount out in a starter city (Dumb thing to do). Then some new player jumps on it naked and rides off, I pull out my bow then realize he's blue. If I waste him the towers zap me, so I have to let him ride off as the system protects horse rustlers and common thieves! However I have patience and have his name written down, one day he'll regret it!!! Ahhhh revenge!!!!

GPrestige

I guess its down to whether I buy this or wait for Mortal Online... Both seem similar and promising.

Nizur

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Originally posted by Agricola1
Any dislikes? The one that comes to mind is the alignment system, an example of when it can peeve me off is a week ago I get my mount out in a starter city (Dumb thing to do). Then some new player jumps on it naked and rides off, I pull out my bow then realize he's blue. If I waste him the towers zap me, so I have to let him ride off as the system protects horse rustlers and common thieves! However I have patience and have his name written down, one day he'll regret it!!! Ahhhh revenge!!!!

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LOL! Sorry, Agricola1, I had to laugh at that. Last night, someone on chat was telling us how he took someone's mount as soon as they dismounted in town. I'm sure it's frustrating as hell, but it's a good thing you got his name written down. One of these days he'll be riding around enjoying the summer breeze and then BAM, ambushed! Please share when that eventually happens.

twiggy550

Originally posted by Nizur


 

Originally posted by Agricola1

Any dislikes? The one that comes to mind is the alignment system, an example of when it can peeve me off is a week ago I get my mount out in a starter city (Dumb thing to do). Then some new player jumps on it naked and rides off, I pull out my bow then realize he's blue. If I waste him the towers zap me, so I have to let him ride off as the system protects horse rustlers and common thieves! However I have patience and have his name written down, one day he'll regret it!!! Ahhhh revenge!!!!

 

LOL! Sorry, Agricola1, I had to laugh at that. Last night, someone on chat was telling us how he took someone's mount as soon as they dismounted in town. I'm sure it's frustrating as hell, but it's a good thing you got his name written down. One of these days he'll be riding around enjoying the summer breeze and then BAM, ambushed! Please share when that eventually happens.

 

LOL, Dude I was there for that. The guy was kind of annoying though, I bet he over-exaggerated on the other guy having 13 steedgrass.

Agricola1

WHEN I have the opportunity and take him down like the horse (well war pig) thief he is, I'll post it and gloat over my sweet revenge. My only hope is that he's got a keep on him and his mother is playing the account at the time, MUAH HAH HAH!!!!! *ahem* sorry there got a bit premature!

twiggy550

Originally posted by Agricola1


WHEN I have the opportunity and take him down like the horse (well war pig) thief he is, I'll post it and gloat over my sweet revenge. My only hope is that he's got a keep on him and his mother is playing the account at the time, MUAH HAH HAH!!!!! *ahem* sorry there got a bit premature!

 

I haven't made it far enough to find out yet, but if it works like UO, then find his house deed and take everything out of his house bank :{D

 

Edit: Assuming he has one.

glofish

Originally posted by twiggy550

 I don't mind losing my weapons, but actual clothing and armor which obviously breaks over time, it bugs me sorta.

I lost everything last night! bugged the hell out of me.

 

Logged in today, went  to check out the troll castle up on the top of a huge cliff. Found a tombstone it had gear far superior to what I used to have. I got decked out better than before.  Then I had to escape the trolls a tad bit later - they almost killed me too - that was very intense.

 

On my way back I found another tombstone - stuff many levels of anything I have ever seen.

True story.

astrob0y

Originally posted by Sandblox

wallz tex0tor

 

Damn it Sandblox. I belive you are the one that sold Dfo to me.

Sandblox

11) The ties that bind would be a factor of time and the fact you hand crafted your character.

Things take time in Darkfall, some call it a grind and I suppose that would be a OK way of putting it. Honestly though a MMO is built to be a grind of some sort, grinds and carrots on a stick is how they keep you paying to play. So no different here. The biggest difference for me is this...

When you have levels and a world built around level progression, you often feel this need that you have to keep grinding out lvls or else fall behind, not be able to see that new cool zone, not be able to use that cool sword, not be able to join your guild in a event and so on. These games keep trying to find some magical balance where they can have casual players of all types be able to advance and keep up with those who are more "hardcore" and it keeps on not working well and results in dumbed down gameplay.

Darkfall has no levels, no classes and I feel even though the pace is often slower, it does not bother me because I do not feel this need to rush and advance because the world is all open to me and even as a new player I am not worthless to those more powerful then me.

I guess that is a bit off track heh....really the time invested and the fact YOU are making your char how you want, be a polearm wielding marksmen or heck whatever you want. Also like some older games, having to work for things, having real risk v. reward often leads to a deeper sense of character and community over instant gratification where you lose excitement.

In games today it is hard to get me amped, I get some many constant rewards that it does nothing for me and I even expect and demand to get these. Made me lazy, spoiled and hard to please. Darkfall remedies this.

 

12) Darkfall is a niche game.

A) Sandbox is niche, most people have trouble playing a game when they are not told how to play it. Not their fault, most games are ran this way and MMOs went this direction. So having a sandbox, having to make your fun and having no restrictions I think throws people for a loop.

Even myself at times find having a full quest log and arrow showing me to go here, kill this and so on, can be relaxing and enjoyable but overall there is a greater sense of worth in the sandbox I find.

Open PvP is also niche. PvP in a mmo is of course far more popular, even mainstream. If a MMO launched with NO pvp these days, many people would not bother with it. PvP though is a loos term with many subsets.

Controlled PvP is something many enjoy because it is all on their terms. They can play in peace but if the whim strikes them to PvP they hit a button or goto a special area and find pvp.

Open PvP like in darkfall is well pvp anywhere, anytime. Darkfall is also full loot, which sort of puts the nail in the coffin for the masses.

I would like to say, I never played any of the hardcore PvP games such as UO, Asherons Call: Darktide, Shadowbane and so on. In fact my first true foray into pvp was from...WoW! Which sold me on PvP because before that I was like many who thought pvp was lame and for angst filled teens. How wrong I was! :P

I think if people TRIED open pvp with the full loot as in Darkfall, they would find...it does not hurt and in fact makes gameplay really intense! I was worried about this myself...then i got ganked and....did not care. Gear is not hard to get and is not a main factor of your power and it makes the world feel more real.

C) Darkfall is made by an Indie developer, this alone does impact people. For some reason people are led around by name brand recognition, I guess years of advertising has been doing it's job!

Second of course is no big IP. A game that is smelling like a turd like Star Trek Online is generating HUGE hype based solely on the fact it has Star Trek in the title. If the game was called Star Explorers it would be a tiny blip on the radar because the game itself looks like garbage.

If you say your MMO is being made by Bioware, Blizzard and so on it will get a mass following. if your game has Star Wars, Warhammer and so on it will get a mass following.

Take a foreign indie developer with their own IP and....exactly.

D) Graphics are dated in some areas. These days people will judge a game solely on it's graphics. It is really stupid of course and one would think a lesson would be learned by how many gorgeous games are pretty on the outside and huge flaming turds on the inside...but no....people keep on doing the same thing. If your game is graphically amazing, people will drool and wait to play it, if your game is not bleeding edge people will bash and spread bad rep.

E) Rocky start and terrible press AND terrible forumfall community (sorry guys but you DID shoot yourselves in the foot for a while there). Gamers, MMO gamers are jaded and fickle and we become more so every year. A game launches poorly and there is no room for forgiveness. People will hold that bad launch for years and cite that even no matter how much the game improved.

Forumfall was also hostile. People curious about the game would be ripped apart. They fought amongst themselves constantly and it spilled into other forums, painting a picture that even if Darkfall was a good game the community would make it unplayable.

I was one of the people so turned off by what I was seeing that It helped influence me to not buy the game as I had no desire to be a part of that community.

Now though to rest any concerns, all my time in game has been fine and forumfall is mostly civil, hell, WoW or Aion forums are full more more hostility, trolls and crying then I see in DF.

F) Lemmings, sheep, whatever. People are these things and this means people play what is popular. I know TONS of people who got into WoW because it was popular, had the most subs and so on. Being a part of the in crowd in the biggest game, attracts people as they want to be a part of that crowd. A game with a small pop that is not the cool kid on the block will turn many off.

 

I think Darkfall will grow however and grow well! It is like EVE I think and will be a popular game with a happy base of players for many many years. If they polish the game and make the newbie experience more friendly, I see a very high retention rate for this game. it will never have WoW like numbers, but then what games does or ever will for that matter.

However, look at EvE which is now one of the highest sub games, and the kicker is, it is a game that retains these players and grows unlike nearly all new MMOs who launch HUGE and can not keep their players.

I much rather be a part of a slow growing but stable game then an explosive game that dies out.

 

GPrestige

Sandblox, you're a good help. I do plan on getting the game, but was hoping someone might be able to do a quick rundown on Darkfall VS. Mortal Online? Both look similar, but MO has better graphics... if they are exactly the same except for graphics then it only makes sense to get the one with better graphics. Then again, I know barely anything about MO or even DF for that matter. Could someone shed some light? Perhaps a comparison chart or something to make it flow easier.

Plaidpants

Originally posted by GPrestige


Sandblox, you're a good help. I do plan on getting the game, but was hoping someone might be able to do a quick rundown on Darkfall VS. Mortal Online? Both look similar, but MO has better graphics... if they are exactly the same except for graphics then it only makes sense to get the one with better graphics. Then again, I know barely anything about MO or even DF for that matter. Could someone shed some light? Perhaps a comparison chart or something to make it flow easier.

 

Hard to compare them right now - MO is still not really close to ready. I think MO has a chance to be a better roleplaying/community game with a more immersive world. DF is all about the politics and PvP it seems.

Kyleran

Darkfall costs 50-75 bucks US.... OP is putting far too much effort into making a decision, just buy the damn game and find out already.

You'd swear people were buying an engagement ring or something.

twiggy550

Originally posted by Kyleran


Darkfall costs 50-75 bucks US.... OP is putting far too much effort into making a decision, just buy the damn game and find out already.
You'd swear people were buying an engagement ring or something.

 

So what's your point. 

He should be evaluating his decision carefully. Of course, coming to the DF forums where all the fanboys live may not be the best place to make an non-biased evaluation, but it does contain a wealth of information.

GPrestige

Originally posted by Kyleran


Darkfall costs 50-75 bucks US.... OP is putting far too much effort into making a decision, just buy the damn game and find out already.
You'd swear people were buying an engagement ring or something.

 

If I were to buy it I'd get the deal for 6 months, in CAD after tax it comes to $103. Its just a much better deal than the one that is just the game and free month, EVEN THOUGH the price is lower. I'd be an idiot not to take the deal. Still, its $103 for a game I can't really try before buying. I mean, it all sounds good and everything, just I want to be 100% sure.

 

That reminds me, does the 6 month one come with a free month?

Realbigdeal

Originally posted by GPrestige


Sandblox, you're a good help. I do plan on getting the game, but was hoping someone might be able to do a quick rundown on Darkfall VS. Mortal Online? Both look similar, but MO has better graphics... if they are exactly the same except for graphics then it only makes sense to get the one with better graphics. Then again, I know barely anything about MO or even DF for that matter. Could someone shed some light? Perhaps a comparison chart or something to make it flow easier.

 

MO seem to be really interesting, i looking forward to it too, but dont rely on graphic to decide wich one to take. the reason why DF lack on graphic and animation is specially to promote the zerg and the possibility to play with 10 000 players in one server. Mo cant do that. They will only have a small world(Probably like 1 continent from wow) with between 2000 and 3000 players. But i bet the max amount of players in one server will be 2000.

GPrestige

Hell, I just bought it. Downloading right now. I didn't know that offer ended today, so I figured I might as well, since I was probably going to get it anyways.

 

Gotta say, it has epic as hell launcher music.