Originally posted by noesis790 I have not seen a single reference to old school Ultima Online pre-T2A. Nearly all of his criticisms are a throw back to UO. The only thing new is the fps element. Trying to judge this based on EQ/WoW criteria misses the point entirely.
word.
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I played DF in beta and I bought BF about 2 months ago and played maybe a week. I want to love the game but I couldn't find any incentive to log back on : /
My Personal Darkfall Review, where I've played for dozens of hours RECENTLY and still play. I recently posted this on DarkFalls official forum and was encouraged by clan mates and friends to post it here.
Now first of all, I wouldn't be here saying ANYTHING if it wasn't for the server being down for the expansion (Otherwise I'd be playing, duh)
Me:
Before I start I want to say that I'm 23 year old Canadian, I've been playing video games since the original Nintendo was in front of me when I was 3 years old. I've played every game genre out there. I started playing on computers when I was 7 and I continue to use both (Haven't touched my console for over a week now... I bought DarkFall)
My Equipment:
Intel i7 3.07 Ghz
Duel Nvidia Geforce GTX 275's
6GB Ram
300 GB Raptor Drive
Good Motherboard (Forget specs lol)
Good Case
I averagely run this game at 200 FPS and 80 ping on the NA server. I've seen 380 Frames and as low as 62 ping
My Experiance:
I've played Eve, UO, WoW and tried many others that tried to make it in the MMO market and failed.
I even heard about DarkFall years before its released and watched it carefully and unlike most never doubted the fact that the game was being made... I researched the company a little but I was still a little worried about if it would survive to launch. Obviously that worry was laid to rest for me on January 22nd like so many other doubters.
I am not the first guy to run in, I like to gather information.. study and learn... break game mechanics ect. So I watched and read the reports about DarkFall after its initial release and they scared me... so much in fact I threw this game away before I even tried it.
Why and who you ask? It came from so many complaints that I won't bother to remember as I'm sure anyone can find them on review sites and from people who played and left reports on the many different forums that talked about this game and left long ago.
Now I don't know about all of you, but I played many games before.. and I can say from experience that any great game will require a great amount of time to progress to any type of serious level. Usually the longer the better it gets... and I must say that I don't think people are investing the appropriate amount of time playing before judgment.
Before the trolls start saying "TO DO WHAT? GRIND?"
Well yeah, in my case at least I want to craft, and yes I'm aware of what that takes in this game and I am willing to do it. Why? I think DarkFall is the best damn game I've played in long while and I believe it will succeed.
However I'd point out that yes grinding skills takes a LONG time, and yes gathering materials for certain crafting skills does take a LONG time. However they have redone it so that its faster to grind your
Strength and Vitality (Main Attributes a Melee would use) from fighting in melee, hitting others and being hit
Quickness being raised by things like running, walking, sprinting, swimming, ect
Dexterity seems to be raised by a few things I saw best results with my bow.
Intelligence can only be raised through Spell casting (That I noticed)
Wisdom it seems is slowly raised by everything and for best results use fishing and herbing.
I have find alot of people tend to think that gathering and crafting will get your attributes further much faster. (While it does tend to be safer, depends on the other players on a day to day basis) That seems incorrect where yes gathering does increase stats, it is slower than fighting. Also note that you get more skill gain from hitting NPCs instead of players, so if you want to fight. Go fight, don't go mining for 3 days straight and bitch about a grind.
Know what your doing and why, if your trying to become the "Master of Everything" that is possible to do in this game (THANK YOU AVENTURINE FOR NO SKILL CAP, THATS AWESOME). Well I can't save you from yourself and your gonna burn yourself out crying in a closet somewhere about how horrible this game is. I'm gonna try for it, but I plan and hope to play for years to come.
Now before I get on even more people nerves I remind you this game is OBVIOUSLY unpolished, but give Aventurine a break, I don't know about you but I seriously looked into their company long before the game was released, and if you think for a second you could create this game with that amount of people in that amount of time and still create such a great game. Well I'd really go off but its just not polite.
Frankly I'm impressed, and now they got the gears grinding, getting more staff and stepping it up, remember the game can change and they can do it. It hasn't even been released ONE YEAR and we have a 2nd expansion being INSTALLED AS I TYPE. WITHOUT BEING CHARGED THE PRICE OF A NEW GAME. No one can argue the passion and devotion of this company and if you do, well your ignorant and simply stfu and gtfo.
Now this was the biggest thing for me, it truly made me the biggest fan of this game. The sound, I'll talk about the rest after but the sound is amazing. I use some fairly expensive surround sound headsets and I usually listen to music, not in DarkFall. Why? well if you've turned you audio settings down or you blast music you wouldn't know, but the sound is AMAZING.
Some of you who have never listened or have not played are staring at these words and saying to yourself "Your a moron" well listen young grasshopper.
I can hear you walking from a distance, running and mounts from much further. I can hear fighting from a tremendous distance, so far in fact I thought it was crazy. I can tell which direction thanks to my headset. So as I run around I hear you, mining, herbing or logging and I might scope you out and decide if your a juicy target (If your afk you are dead meat) meanwhile while I gather (CAUSE I DON'T AFK) I can hear you approach, hide and decide on what to do. It allows me to find you, evade you and truly pulls me into the game.
Now I'm gonna talk about Combat
The combat system is more than I had Imagined, being chased by goblins... seriously first time I logged in I got my quests and walked to do my first starter quests and I was relaxed and looking at the scenery.... a minute of combat made me realize... I HAVE TO PLAY... When someone told me you block it blocks, you hit it hits, if you can't aim it misses, I thought of Oblivion or games like that in the past.
Well if you are thinking the same, just hit yourself and realize that each game is different and DarkFall is different. I can't say it easily in text, or explain it with words. But lets say that it does indeed involve more player skill.
Its not really easy and my god that is a change from most games. A refreshing change, in this world most of us are too use to the easy way, fast food, delivery for everything, online banking, ect... Many are just to lazy. After some review I find some complaints come from this, cause we just are not use to working for what we get. For those of us who are use to working for what we get, it doesn't bother us and all and in fact is more rewarding in the end.
As anyone who has even started working on it can tell you, Magic is extensive and VERY EXPENSIVE to skill up, depending on the particular spell and type of magic... to be that master mage is going to take a while, but its possible and as any who has done it will tell you, its so worth it.
I've played many FPS games out there, and most nowadays (at least anyone who doesn't live in a cave) can say CoD MW2 is amazing, I played it for 5 days on Xbox live... I bought it a day late (day after release date) and in 5 days I was ranked 50,000th in score worldwide. I do know how to play and I am good. I expected I would be playing that game for a long long time. That is until I played DarkFall... now your thinking, "Why is he talking about that"
Well, its because of archery. It really reminds me of my countless hours shooting people in other games, the arrows move fast, and do good damage. They arc extensively at longer ranges and it does take practice, you have to lead your target and takes more skill & attention than most FPS games I've played. That is simply the best way I could think of to refer archery to those who have not played.
As for combat, you are the largest factor. Know you cant win? HIDE!. Think you got them? Ambush them or just attack...undecided, well DECIDE DAMMIT, and do it fast also friends make the difference, I've see a ridiculously overly done character (Skill and stat wise, although we were lucky he wasn't chaining nukes, which won't be possible after xpac) be killed by 3 really new players... thats awesome
Now to talk more about the game (I can only talk about what I've seen, done or been told and I refuse to use much of what I'm told). Ive only been online a week and alot of that was personal downtime.
Quests and Questing.
I find this part is mostly fine, in this style of gameplay and game world I can't imagine a whole lot of stuff for the quests, I think some larger rewards would be nice, and some would say "WHY?!" and I respond, equipment hardly matters at the beginning, I've been PK'd over a dozen times, with them almost always stripping my corpse down to nothing. I don't care, after only a week I have at least 20 swords and shield in my bank about 5-10 of each gathering tool and 1 of each of my crafting tools. Some sets of good armour and some crap stuff. It just doesn't matter, its true I get mad, but I have hidden from many others and even ran away and managed to escape... I'm so new and I've even killed a player 1 on 1, sure I used a bow and the environment and jumped his ass from behind lol
One of the biggest problems I've seen is safe zones. Now I'm gonna put on some armor cause I'm about to have this forum rip me a new one
..............
Okay I'm ready ... This is a idea, and I've thought it over good or bad you decide. The starter town defenses are effective (As I've watched it put down a noob pker a few times) but I find something missing, not so much in the starter towns but in the capital city.... ITS NOT SAFE...
I'm a Alfar, and I don't know about other capitals but in mine, you are so not safe... I've seen same race PKers IN TOWN killing people who are crafting or grinding. I've had to run and hide... the towers didn't kill them cause they were in the middle of town and out of range, really I don't know how they got into town or how they planned to get out, but that is just ridiculous.
I think some NPC guards would do the trick, mind you they don't need to be crazy, just mediocre skills, and they attack and chase people with negative alignment or enemy races for a short distance... Making them decent but not overpowered would be the trick and making so they don't respawn if killed for like 2 hours or something (so if a large group wants to raid a city its not impossible although I think the tower kinda makes it impossible anyway).
Nonetheless a Guard that could be killed, wouldn't respawn fast and in general would just make the cities a little safer, cause lets be serious. Would any Capital City of any race put up with murders right down town? HELL NO. How can the capital be so unsafe? its stupid in my eyes.
Especially when are turning in the wisdom/title achievement quest and the mats weighs you down so much that you are dead slow and then you gotta carry it in town to the guy, at this point your the Biggest most Juicy steak anyone has ever seen screaming "EAT ME" in front of the largest population of wolves that gathered online in one game in a while.... With no real measure of safety at all.... I mean seriously, its a little rough.
Now I don't want to make the game for "Carebears" and I don't want to make it easy... but a safe zone here or there is not terrible okay? Its not gonna make the game unplayable, it just mean don't go there. Or I'll quote it from wow "DON'T STAND IN THE FIRE" If your that into farming noobs, search outside of town at quest areas k?
Personally as I play the game I sometimes get almost completely paranoid... as I said I use the sound... and I hear something I respond fast always wondering who it is. While pulling me into the game is great (Something that has never been done to me so well as this game has, it makes me feel like this character is me, I'm the one fighting, scared... running through woods in this virtual world) as great as that is... give me a breather guys... I don't want to log out to feel like I can go use the bathroom without wondering if I'll be alive when I get back. The only place I could see becoming the safe zone would be the Capital and really a guard or two roaming the streets INSIDE the starter towns wouldn't be too bad either...
For those who don't understand technology things in a game can be changed... Alot, anyone who has played a single game that was updated regularly online for a few years can tell you that.
This game was made by a very small group (Comparing to almost any other game I can mention really... I don't know everything but I can't recall a game being made by a smaller crew that even compares to the scale of DarkFall) and now they are upgrading, and they will tweak, and change many things... test and add things... and really they can do alot from improving performance to making it better in graphics and changing gameplay so its more realistic or/and better overall gameplay.
They can add places to build stuff and new things to make or build. They can create abilities or skills. Really this game has the most potential I've seen in any game in my life. So if you have not given DarkFall a chance, do so and know what to expect. If you ran away a long time ago, come back its changing... Its not easy, its rough... but its more rewarding and fun than anything I've played before personally.
Now I'm gonna do a small amount of story telling... Why? Cause it gives you a idea of the gameplay and a true reviewer should be giving examples.
To give you a idea, I officially decided to buy the game after reading about "NEW" the clan on NA1 and seeing a cheap discount of the game I jumped at it deciding I've wasted more on 1 stupid night at the bar, why not?
It was worth every penny and more
So I attempted to join new once I joined the game world and it took about 40 mins for my application to be accepted. Now the tale of a noob.
I first explored my surroundings after some quick modification in the visual settings, set for my max resolution and turned off most shadows (except character shadows ) and I started to explore, the NPCs in the town were few and easy to find...
Each town I went to was unique, each location was indeed different and the game world is vast and varied. I heard people complain that its "Barren" HAVE YOU PLAYED? I couldn't imagine travel if there was creatures everywhere... my god I get surprised enough as I explore and many times I've ran for my life... and not succeeded...
Even in the barren areas doesn't mean there no eyes of a PKer watching your dumb ass run as he starts to run toward you on a mount laughing about stomping your ass. I'm happy for the extra room, more area to maneuver and hide not to mention all the tactical choices, shoot arrows from the hills or melee in the forest? spell cast of open plains? if there was stuff everywhere it would be retarded.....
When I went to do my first quest I was relaxed... not a second thought about strategy or anything... It was marked on my mini map and so off I went... I sprinted the distance (cause I read the beginning instructions, which are actually useful btw... cause these controls are something your not use to I guarantee it) and by the time I got to them I was almost out of stam ( I didn't know )
So I run in with my sword and start attacking, 3 swings later I can't swing and going (WTF IS GOIN ON HERE?!) well like a intelligent person I realized real fast the mistake I made... In fact you can't do much of anything without stamina it turns out and it something you should be very aware of, almost more so than you health... almost...
So I run away, break Line of Sight with the goblin and hide... Luckily I did figure out how to rest before I started running around and used it. thinking I was safe, I was surprised to get circled and attacked and I died....
Coming back at town with a rather surprising feeling that I was retarded or that was really hard... (for a starting quest I was shocked). I knew I had made such a bad mistake and decided to go at it a little more seriously, so turned off my music and put on my headset (on top of being awesome it blocks outside noise so I concentrate better) and I began again... this time saving stamina as I approached... and what do I hear? fighting the clashing of a sword and the casting of magic? My god what is this... (I started to realize the greatness of in game sound)
I crouch walk and approach (seriously read the beginning instructions) to see another starting character with the very goblins I died against, and he was having much greater success that I did. so with the goblins distracted I attacked from the back, and with stamina I was no longer handicapped and was able to defeat my targets... The story of how I met my first friend in game and entrance to the game.
The enemy will run when injured or to break distance to shoot arrows or magic, it will chase you... It will kite you... I must say its the first time I've been kited by a creature in a game... seriously it still has alot of health and keeps running away... and I chase and attack... all of a sudden more are on the left AND right and others coming up mid... I am being attacked heavily and I run... it dragged me in.. like a fool I was ambushed
Thats the story of my first PvE experiance.
Now I must mention the Clan NEW. I've seen alot of pkers in DarkFall since I started playing many leave me alone, many don't. Some seem to think NEW is too carebare-ish for this game, well let me tell you sir, its not easy
Especially when you got guys that are much more advanced camping you or griefing for no purpose other than for lulz... sure its DarkFall and I for one don't cry when I die, I feel like ripping off your head to get my stuff back
So while I work on that, go kill other decent players and get some real reward for the kills...
Some people take it too far, and that ruins other newer players experience before they have extra gear, or extra gathering equipment. Some are too new to know to bank VERY OFTEN and never carry more than your willing to lose.
Some even carry their best shit to go gathering, then use all their stamina gathering just to get pk'd after hours of gathering... seriously they need to break it up, deposit it every little bit and not use shit they are not willing to lose.
It sure doesn't help that they don't know, Its worse when you exploit that. I just want to see this game make it as big as I think it can be, and not screwed because the playerbase has so many jerks that we can't keep our new players.
BTW thank you to the many guilds who helped put NEW together and in doing so convinced me to buy the game.
Thanks again to those in those guilds for responding to PKers camping and donating items or gold to the players and to make the town that NEW occupies...
I'm impressed by the idea, more impressed that it was done... and well I'm kinda in awe.... I can't even thank you enough really...
In the end, all I can say is darkfall is worth buying, its obvious it will only get better and its already damn good.... Most things I've heard people complain about can be mostly or completely avoided by
1. Knowing what to do
2. Don't be stupid, Bank Often, Hide and play smart
3. If your on NA join NEW and ask questions, those answers help alot.
4.Get friends ASAP and move in groups, saves your ass many times over.
5.Do what you want, its a game... go enjoy it.
If you are not sure, do not speak. Better to make them think you are a fool, than remove all doubt
My Personal Darkfall Review, where I've played for dozens of hours RECENTLY and still play. I recently posted this on DarkFalls official forum and was encouraged by clan mates and friends to post it here.
Sir, I wholeheartedly thank you for the time you spent writing this review.
The problem with a skill based system like Darkfall is that when you begin playing your character is the weakest it will ever be. It is the slowest at resting, the worst at fighting, the slowest at running away, will fail the most at gathering and crafting, and so forth. And combine that with the complexity (and non-intuitiveness) of the UI, and the general learning curve (who's idea was it to use command-line-style slash commands for things like adding waypoints to the map!?), and it's a very difficult game to get into.
Having played a couple of weeks semi-casually, I'm finally now noticing faster rest times, being able to sprint for longer periods, and am able to kill slightly harder mobs for slightly better rewards. So I'm finally finding incentive to play. But initially I was incredibly frustrated, and almost stopped all together.
Nearly 5 months on and this game is simply the best PvP MMO available. The population is healthy (at least it is in humanlands on EU1) and there are no other MMOs out that can give you an experience like this game can.
To be honest, I feel sorry anyone that was put off by Darkfall by a few bad experiences and are now missing the game as a consequence. Swallow your pride and give the game a go or you'll regret it in a few years time once the "glory days" are over. Many people consider the 'glory days' to be the beta and WW1/WW2, but there are a lot of highly skilled players currently active and due to the magic balance, many people including myself are having more fun than they've had in a game since UO).
Nearly 5 months on and this game is simply the best PvP MMO available. The population is healthy (at least it is in humanlands on EU1) and there are no other MMOs out that can give you an experience like this game can. To be honest, I feel sorry anyone that was put off by Darkfall by a few bad experiences and are now missing the game as a consequence. Swallow your pride and give the game a go or you'll regret it in a few years time once the "glory days" are over. Many people consider the 'glory days' to be the beta and WW1/WW2, but there are a lot of highly skilled players currently active and due to the magic balance, many people including myself are having more fun than they've had in a game since UO).
Nearly 5 months on and this game is simply the best PvP MMO available. The population is healthy (at least it is in humanlands on EU1) and there are no other MMOs out that can give you an experience like this game can. To be honest, I feel sorry anyone that was put off by Darkfall by a few bad experiences and are now missing the game as a consequence. Swallow your pride and give the game a go or you'll regret it in a few years time once the "glory days" are over. Many people consider the 'glory days' to be the beta and WW1/WW2, but there are a lot of highly skilled players currently active and due to the magic balance, many people including myself are having more fun than they've had in a game since UO).
This
Yeah right, the game is not bad, but not good either. It has never had the best pvp, it has a long way to go to achieve such.
Darkfall also has the worst community I have ever seen in a MMO. I highly recommend most avoid the game as it lends itself to some of the worst players in the genre.
I really did not like this review at all . .. the game has changed a lot since then and it is obvious, being a Darkfall player myself, that he did not spend much time in the world of Agon at all. Doesn't anyone have a review of what it is like to play this game 'very casually' for 6 months?
He says in the end that you should avoid this game like the plague if you are a casual player . .. lol? I am a very casual gamer and this is by far, the most rewarding game that I have played. I love all games, but there is nothing else on the market like this one that will give me a similar rush. I am assuming that he said this because he sucks at FPS and at adapting and had his ass handed to him and thought, "ahh well they must live in their parent's basement and play this stupid game all day . .."
My GF and sister play it FFS and they have no FPS experience and do not care for PVP. They find it funner than other MMORPGs (like Wow and GW is their xp) and only play it casually . .. I think that it is how the PVE is more realistic and interactive than other games being what draws them to this game.
This is truly a game where you can put on your headphones and get absorbed into it without stupid ass glowing exclamation points above quest giver heads and gloating green arrows pointing you the right direction so that you do not try and go the other way and get stuck on some invisible wall . .. that shit is for children and continously reminds me that it is only a game. I think that a RPer would appreciate this game more than many other because of the real life feel that it has and no instances.
I tried it out because it reminded me of the Elder Scrolls series, but it turned out much funner because it is a full loot PVP game that brings you on an emotional roller-coaster.
Who gives a crap about someone's impression of a game if he has played it only a few weeks . .. I want to hear the pros and cons from someone who has actually played it how it was meant to be played. You cannot experience much of anything if you are going to try out the 1$ trial . .. one week is simply not enough to experience the epicness that is Darkfall.
If you are looking for a game that will give you a big rush, followed by either an elated feeling of success or a feeling of getting hit in the stomach, than I think that you should try out this game!
NEWS FLASH!"A bank was robbed the other day and a man opened fire on the customers being held hostage. One customer zig-zag sprinted until he found cover. When questioned later he explained that he was a hardcore gamer and knew just what to do!" Download my music for free! I release several albums per month as part of project "Thee Untitled" . .. some video game music remixes and cover songs done with instruments in there as well! http://theeuntitled.bandcamp.com/Check out my roleplaying blog, collection of fictional short stories, and fantasy series... updated on a blog for now until I am finished!https://childrenfromtheheavensbelow.blogspot.com/Watch me game on occasion or make music... https://www.twitch.tv/spoontheeuntitled and subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUvqULn678VrF3OasgnbsyA
Hmmm. The amount of knee jerk WoW generation hate on Darkfall has convinced me to investigate the trial. Nothing will assure me quicker that the griefing 12 years olds are few and far inbetween in a game than a bunch of OMG THE PVP THE PVP I HATES IT posts.
Hmmm. The amount of knee jerk WoW generation hate on Darkfall has convinced me to investigate the trial. Nothing will assure me quicker that the griefing 12 years olds are few and far inbetween in a game than a bunch of OMG THE PVP THE PVP I HATES IT posts.
Thanks, kids.
LOL
Haven't seen any 12 year olds in Darkfall yet . .. its too hard!
: P
Most people seem to be potheads in their 20s or in their 30s and work in IT
Almost every fan of Darkfall has played every major MMORPG out there it seems . .. but you really have to be able to figure out things by yourself quickly and be able to adapt and customize your own controls IMO. If you have any questions or need assitance during your trial, send me a tell in game (sid vicious NA server).
It is not for everyone and almost everyone who ends up loving it doesn't like the first week experience. Good luck!
NEWS FLASH!"A bank was robbed the other day and a man opened fire on the customers being held hostage. One customer zig-zag sprinted until he found cover. When questioned later he explained that he was a hardcore gamer and knew just what to do!" Download my music for free! I release several albums per month as part of project "Thee Untitled" . .. some video game music remixes and cover songs done with instruments in there as well! http://theeuntitled.bandcamp.com/Check out my roleplaying blog, collection of fictional short stories, and fantasy series... updated on a blog for now until I am finished!https://childrenfromtheheavensbelow.blogspot.com/Watch me game on occasion or make music... https://www.twitch.tv/spoontheeuntitled and subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUvqULn678VrF3OasgnbsyA
Hmmm. The amount of knee jerk WoW generation hate on Darkfall has convinced me to investigate the trial. Nothing will assure me quicker that the griefing 12 years olds are few and far inbetween in a game than a bunch of OMG THE PVP THE PVP I HATES IT posts.
Thanks, kids.
LOL
Haven't seen any 12 year olds in Darkfall yet . .. its too hard!
: P
Most people seem to be potheads in their 20s or in their 30s and work in IT
Almost every fan of Darkfall has played every major MMORPG out there it seems . .. but you really have to be able to figure out things by yourself quickly and be able to adapt and customize your own controls IMO. If you have any questions or need assitance during your trial, send me a tell in game (sid vicious NA server).
It is not for everyone and almost everyone who ends up loving it doesn't like the first week experience. Good luck!
Okay, signed up and downloaded... annnnnnd I can't patch because the servers are down. This already isn't very promising.
WoW did not even have current generation graphics at launch. There are mmos older than WoW that have better graphics than WoW.
Also DF does not have next gen graphics. It has current/sub current graphics. Mostly for large pvp battle streamline reasons yes? Though it DOES look much better than WoW. (Though that's not saying much.)
I have to totally disagree with this. WoW's graphics are stylized and very well done. The animations are top notch compared to most MMORPG's - because Blizzard reworks them if necessary to get them right. I've played DFO and the animations are not fluid and sometimes down right ugly. DFO is a good game, but it is nothing to brag about.
Show me anything in DFO that comes close to being this cool and you win.
Comments
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I played DF in beta and I bought BF about 2 months ago and played maybe a week. I want to love the game but I couldn't find any incentive to log back on : /
My Personal Darkfall Review, where I've played for dozens of hours RECENTLY and still play. I recently posted this on DarkFalls official forum and was encouraged by clan mates and friends to post it here.
Now first of all, I wouldn't be here saying ANYTHING if it wasn't for the server being down for the expansion (Otherwise I'd be playing, duh)
Me:
Before I start I want to say that I'm 23 year old Canadian, I've been playing video games since the original Nintendo was in front of me when I was 3 years old. I've played every game genre out there. I started playing on computers when I was 7 and I continue to use both (Haven't touched my console for over a week now... I bought DarkFall)
My Equipment:
Intel i7 3.07 Ghz
Duel Nvidia Geforce GTX 275's
6GB Ram
300 GB Raptor Drive
Good Motherboard (Forget specs lol)
Good Case
I averagely run this game at 200 FPS and 80 ping on the NA server. I've seen 380 Frames and as low as 62 ping
My Experiance:
I've played Eve, UO, WoW and tried many others that tried to make it in the MMO market and failed.
I even heard about DarkFall years before its released and watched it carefully and unlike most never doubted the fact that the game was being made... I researched the company a little but I was still a little worried about if it would survive to launch. Obviously that worry was laid to rest for me on January 22nd like so many other doubters.
I am not the first guy to run in, I like to gather information.. study and learn... break game mechanics ect. So I watched and read the reports about DarkFall after its initial release and they scared me... so much in fact I threw this game away before I even tried it.
Why and who you ask? It came from so many complaints that I won't bother to remember as I'm sure anyone can find them on review sites and from people who played and left reports on the many different forums that talked about this game and left long ago.
Now I don't know about all of you, but I played many games before.. and I can say from experience that any great game will require a great amount of time to progress to any type of serious level. Usually the longer the better it gets... and I must say that I don't think people are investing the appropriate amount of time playing before judgment.
Before the trolls start saying "TO DO WHAT? GRIND?"
Well yeah, in my case at least I want to craft, and yes I'm aware of what that takes in this game and I am willing to do it. Why? I think DarkFall is the best damn game I've played in long while and I believe it will succeed.
However I'd point out that yes grinding skills takes a LONG time, and yes gathering materials for certain crafting skills does take a LONG time. However they have redone it so that its faster to grind your
Strength and Vitality (Main Attributes a Melee would use) from fighting in melee, hitting others and being hit
Quickness being raised by things like running, walking, sprinting, swimming, ect
Dexterity seems to be raised by a few things I saw best results with my bow.
Intelligence can only be raised through Spell casting (That I noticed)
Wisdom it seems is slowly raised by everything and for best results use fishing and herbing.
I have find alot of people tend to think that gathering and crafting will get your attributes further much faster. (While it does tend to be safer, depends on the other players on a day to day basis) That seems incorrect where yes gathering does increase stats, it is slower than fighting. Also note that you get more skill gain from hitting NPCs instead of players, so if you want to fight. Go fight, don't go mining for 3 days straight and bitch about a grind.
Know what your doing and why, if your trying to become the "Master of Everything" that is possible to do in this game (THANK YOU AVENTURINE FOR NO SKILL CAP, THATS AWESOME). Well I can't save you from yourself and your gonna burn yourself out crying in a closet somewhere about how horrible this game is. I'm gonna try for it, but I plan and hope to play for years to come.
Now before I get on even more people nerves I remind you this game is OBVIOUSLY unpolished, but give Aventurine a break, I don't know about you but I seriously looked into their company long before the game was released, and if you think for a second you could create this game with that amount of people in that amount of time and still create such a great game. Well I'd really go off but its just not polite.
Frankly I'm impressed, and now they got the gears grinding, getting more staff and stepping it up, remember the game can change and they can do it. It hasn't even been released ONE YEAR and we have a 2nd expansion being INSTALLED AS I TYPE. WITHOUT BEING CHARGED THE PRICE OF A NEW GAME. No one can argue the passion and devotion of this company and if you do, well your ignorant and simply stfu and gtfo.
Now this was the biggest thing for me, it truly made me the biggest fan of this game. The sound, I'll talk about the rest after but the sound is amazing. I use some fairly expensive surround sound headsets and I usually listen to music, not in DarkFall. Why? well if you've turned you audio settings down or you blast music you wouldn't know, but the sound is AMAZING.
Some of you who have never listened or have not played are staring at these words and saying to yourself "Your a moron" well listen young grasshopper.
I can hear you walking from a distance, running and mounts from much further. I can hear fighting from a tremendous distance, so far in fact I thought it was crazy. I can tell which direction thanks to my headset. So as I run around I hear you, mining, herbing or logging and I might scope you out and decide if your a juicy target (If your afk you are dead meat) meanwhile while I gather (CAUSE I DON'T AFK) I can hear you approach, hide and decide on what to do. It allows me to find you, evade you and truly pulls me into the game.
Now I'm gonna talk about Combat
The combat system is more than I had Imagined, being chased by goblins... seriously first time I logged in I got my quests and walked to do my first starter quests and I was relaxed and looking at the scenery.... a minute of combat made me realize... I HAVE TO PLAY... When someone told me you block it blocks, you hit it hits, if you can't aim it misses, I thought of Oblivion or games like that in the past.
Well if you are thinking the same, just hit yourself and realize that each game is different and DarkFall is different. I can't say it easily in text, or explain it with words. But lets say that it does indeed involve more player skill.
Its not really easy and my god that is a change from most games. A refreshing change, in this world most of us are too use to the easy way, fast food, delivery for everything, online banking, ect... Many are just to lazy. After some review I find some complaints come from this, cause we just are not use to working for what we get. For those of us who are use to working for what we get, it doesn't bother us and all and in fact is more rewarding in the end.
As anyone who has even started working on it can tell you, Magic is extensive and VERY EXPENSIVE to skill up, depending on the particular spell and type of magic... to be that master mage is going to take a while, but its possible and as any who has done it will tell you, its so worth it.
I've played many FPS games out there, and most nowadays (at least anyone who doesn't live in a cave) can say CoD MW2 is amazing, I played it for 5 days on Xbox live... I bought it a day late (day after release date) and in 5 days I was ranked 50,000th in score worldwide. I do know how to play and I am good. I expected I would be playing that game for a long long time. That is until I played DarkFall... now your thinking, "Why is he talking about that"
Well, its because of archery. It really reminds me of my countless hours shooting people in other games, the arrows move fast, and do good damage. They arc extensively at longer ranges and it does take practice, you have to lead your target and takes more skill & attention than most FPS games I've played. That is simply the best way I could think of to refer archery to those who have not played.
As for combat, you are the largest factor. Know you cant win? HIDE!. Think you got them? Ambush them or just attack...undecided, well DECIDE DAMMIT, and do it fast also friends make the difference, I've see a ridiculously overly done character (Skill and stat wise, although we were lucky he wasn't chaining nukes, which won't be possible after xpac) be killed by 3 really new players... thats awesome
Now to talk more about the game (I can only talk about what I've seen, done or been told and I refuse to use much of what I'm told). Ive only been online a week and alot of that was personal downtime.
Quests and Questing.
I find this part is mostly fine, in this style of gameplay and game world I can't imagine a whole lot of stuff for the quests, I think some larger rewards would be nice, and some would say "WHY?!" and I respond, equipment hardly matters at the beginning, I've been PK'd over a dozen times, with them almost always stripping my corpse down to nothing. I don't care, after only a week I have at least 20 swords and shield in my bank about 5-10 of each gathering tool and 1 of each of my crafting tools. Some sets of good armour and some crap stuff. It just doesn't matter, its true I get mad, but I have hidden from many others and even ran away and managed to escape... I'm so new and I've even killed a player 1 on 1, sure I used a bow and the environment and jumped his ass from behind lol
One of the biggest problems I've seen is safe zones. Now I'm gonna put on some armor cause I'm about to have this forum rip me a new one
..............
Okay I'm ready ... This is a idea, and I've thought it over good or bad you decide. The starter town defenses are effective (As I've watched it put down a noob pker a few times) but I find something missing, not so much in the starter towns but in the capital city.... ITS NOT SAFE...
I'm a Alfar, and I don't know about other capitals but in mine, you are so not safe... I've seen same race PKers IN TOWN killing people who are crafting or grinding. I've had to run and hide... the towers didn't kill them cause they were in the middle of town and out of range, really I don't know how they got into town or how they planned to get out, but that is just ridiculous.
I think some NPC guards would do the trick, mind you they don't need to be crazy, just mediocre skills, and they attack and chase people with negative alignment or enemy races for a short distance... Making them decent but not overpowered would be the trick and making so they don't respawn if killed for like 2 hours or something (so if a large group wants to raid a city its not impossible although I think the tower kinda makes it impossible anyway).
Nonetheless a Guard that could be killed, wouldn't respawn fast and in general would just make the cities a little safer, cause lets be serious. Would any Capital City of any race put up with murders right down town? HELL NO. How can the capital be so unsafe? its stupid in my eyes.
Especially when are turning in the wisdom/title achievement quest and the mats weighs you down so much that you are dead slow and then you gotta carry it in town to the guy, at this point your the Biggest most Juicy steak anyone has ever seen screaming "EAT ME" in front of the largest population of wolves that gathered online in one game in a while.... With no real measure of safety at all.... I mean seriously, its a little rough.
Now I don't want to make the game for "Carebears" and I don't want to make it easy... but a safe zone here or there is not terrible okay? Its not gonna make the game unplayable, it just mean don't go there. Or I'll quote it from wow "DON'T STAND IN THE FIRE" If your that into farming noobs, search outside of town at quest areas k?
Personally as I play the game I sometimes get almost completely paranoid... as I said I use the sound... and I hear something I respond fast always wondering who it is. While pulling me into the game is great (Something that has never been done to me so well as this game has, it makes me feel like this character is me, I'm the one fighting, scared... running through woods in this virtual world) as great as that is... give me a breather guys... I don't want to log out to feel like I can go use the bathroom without wondering if I'll be alive when I get back. The only place I could see becoming the safe zone would be the Capital and really a guard or two roaming the streets INSIDE the starter towns wouldn't be too bad either...
For those who don't understand technology things in a game can be changed... Alot, anyone who has played a single game that was updated regularly online for a few years can tell you that.
This game was made by a very small group (Comparing to almost any other game I can mention really... I don't know everything but I can't recall a game being made by a smaller crew that even compares to the scale of DarkFall) and now they are upgrading, and they will tweak, and change many things... test and add things... and really they can do alot from improving performance to making it better in graphics and changing gameplay so its more realistic or/and better overall gameplay.
They can add places to build stuff and new things to make or build. They can create abilities or skills. Really this game has the most potential I've seen in any game in my life. So if you have not given DarkFall a chance, do so and know what to expect. If you ran away a long time ago, come back its changing... Its not easy, its rough... but its more rewarding and fun than anything I've played before personally.
Now I'm gonna do a small amount of story telling... Why? Cause it gives you a idea of the gameplay and a true reviewer should be giving examples.
To give you a idea, I officially decided to buy the game after reading about "NEW" the clan on NA1 and seeing a cheap discount of the game I jumped at it deciding I've wasted more on 1 stupid night at the bar, why not?
It was worth every penny and more
So I attempted to join new once I joined the game world and it took about 40 mins for my application to be accepted. Now the tale of a noob.
I first explored my surroundings after some quick modification in the visual settings, set for my max resolution and turned off most shadows (except character shadows ) and I started to explore, the NPCs in the town were few and easy to find...
Each town I went to was unique, each location was indeed different and the game world is vast and varied. I heard people complain that its "Barren" HAVE YOU PLAYED? I couldn't imagine travel if there was creatures everywhere... my god I get surprised enough as I explore and many times I've ran for my life... and not succeeded...
Even in the barren areas doesn't mean there no eyes of a PKer watching your dumb ass run as he starts to run toward you on a mount laughing about stomping your ass. I'm happy for the extra room, more area to maneuver and hide not to mention all the tactical choices, shoot arrows from the hills or melee in the forest? spell cast of open plains? if there was stuff everywhere it would be retarded.....
When I went to do my first quest I was relaxed... not a second thought about strategy or anything... It was marked on my mini map and so off I went... I sprinted the distance (cause I read the beginning instructions, which are actually useful btw... cause these controls are something your not use to I guarantee it) and by the time I got to them I was almost out of stam ( I didn't know )
So I run in with my sword and start attacking, 3 swings later I can't swing and going (WTF IS GOIN ON HERE?!) well like a intelligent person I realized real fast the mistake I made... In fact you can't do much of anything without stamina it turns out and it something you should be very aware of, almost more so than you health... almost...
So I run away, break Line of Sight with the goblin and hide... Luckily I did figure out how to rest before I started running around and used it. thinking I was safe, I was surprised to get circled and attacked and I died....
Coming back at town with a rather surprising feeling that I was retarded or that was really hard... (for a starting quest I was shocked). I knew I had made such a bad mistake and decided to go at it a little more seriously, so turned off my music and put on my headset (on top of being awesome it blocks outside noise so I concentrate better) and I began again... this time saving stamina as I approached... and what do I hear? fighting the clashing of a sword and the casting of magic? My god what is this... (I started to realize the greatness of in game sound)
I crouch walk and approach (seriously read the beginning instructions) to see another starting character with the very goblins I died against, and he was having much greater success that I did. so with the goblins distracted I attacked from the back, and with stamina I was no longer handicapped and was able to defeat my targets... The story of how I met my first friend in game and entrance to the game.
The enemy will run when injured or to break distance to shoot arrows or magic, it will chase you... It will kite you... I must say its the first time I've been kited by a creature in a game... seriously it still has alot of health and keeps running away... and I chase and attack... all of a sudden more are on the left AND right and others coming up mid... I am being attacked heavily and I run... it dragged me in.. like a fool I was ambushed
Thats the story of my first PvE experiance.
Now I must mention the Clan NEW. I've seen alot of pkers in DarkFall since I started playing many leave me alone, many don't. Some seem to think NEW is too carebare-ish for this game, well let me tell you sir, its not easy
Especially when you got guys that are much more advanced camping you or griefing for no purpose other than for lulz... sure its DarkFall and I for one don't cry when I die, I feel like ripping off your head to get my stuff back
So while I work on that, go kill other decent players and get some real reward for the kills...
Some people take it too far, and that ruins other newer players experience before they have extra gear, or extra gathering equipment. Some are too new to know to bank VERY OFTEN and never carry more than your willing to lose.
Some even carry their best shit to go gathering, then use all their stamina gathering just to get pk'd after hours of gathering... seriously they need to break it up, deposit it every little bit and not use shit they are not willing to lose.
It sure doesn't help that they don't know, Its worse when you exploit that. I just want to see this game make it as big as I think it can be, and not screwed because the playerbase has so many jerks that we can't keep our new players.
BTW thank you to the many guilds who helped put NEW together and in doing so convinced me to buy the game.
Thanks again to those in those guilds for responding to PKers camping and donating items or gold to the players and to make the town that NEW occupies...
I'm impressed by the idea, more impressed that it was done... and well I'm kinda in awe.... I can't even thank you enough really...
In the end, all I can say is darkfall is worth buying, its obvious it will only get better and its already damn good.... Most things I've heard people complain about can be mostly or completely avoided by
1. Knowing what to do
2. Don't be stupid, Bank Often, Hide and play smart
3. If your on NA join NEW and ask questions, those answers help alot.
4.Get friends ASAP and move in groups, saves your ass many times over.
5.Do what you want, its a game... go enjoy it.
If you are not sure, do not speak. Better to make them think you are a fool, than remove all doubt
Sir, I wholeheartedly thank you for the time you spent writing this review.
The problem with a skill based system like Darkfall is that when you begin playing your character is the weakest it will ever be. It is the slowest at resting, the worst at fighting, the slowest at running away, will fail the most at gathering and crafting, and so forth. And combine that with the complexity (and non-intuitiveness) of the UI, and the general learning curve (who's idea was it to use command-line-style slash commands for things like adding waypoints to the map!?), and it's a very difficult game to get into.
Having played a couple of weeks semi-casually, I'm finally now noticing faster rest times, being able to sprint for longer periods, and am able to kill slightly harder mobs for slightly better rewards. So I'm finally finding incentive to play. But initially I was incredibly frustrated, and almost stopped all together.
Peoples responses to the review are just humorus.
Darkfall - PvP full loot, risk v reward
all you who try to trash the game, you just like levels, gloss, no risk.
*****************************
I have nothing clever to say.
Nearly 5 months on and this game is simply the best PvP MMO available. The population is healthy (at least it is in humanlands on EU1) and there are no other MMOs out that can give you an experience like this game can.
To be honest, I feel sorry anyone that was put off by Darkfall by a few bad experiences and are now missing the game as a consequence. Swallow your pride and give the game a go or you'll regret it in a few years time once the "glory days" are over. Many people consider the 'glory days' to be the beta and WW1/WW2, but there are a lot of highly skilled players currently active and due to the magic balance, many people including myself are having more fun than they've had in a game since UO).
This
This
I really did not like this review at all . .. the game has changed a lot since then and it is obvious, being a Darkfall player myself, that he did not spend much time in the world of Agon at all. Doesn't anyone have a review of what it is like to play this game 'very casually' for 6 months?
He says in the end that you should avoid this game like the plague if you are a casual player . .. lol? I am a very casual gamer and this is by far, the most rewarding game that I have played. I love all games, but there is nothing else on the market like this one that will give me a similar rush. I am assuming that he said this because he sucks at FPS and at adapting and had his ass handed to him and thought, "ahh well they must live in their parent's basement and play this stupid game all day . .."
My GF and sister play it FFS and they have no FPS experience and do not care for PVP. They find it funner than other MMORPGs (like Wow and GW is their xp) and only play it casually . .. I think that it is how the PVE is more realistic and interactive than other games being what draws them to this game.
This is truly a game where you can put on your headphones and get absorbed into it without stupid ass glowing exclamation points above quest giver heads and gloating green arrows pointing you the right direction so that you do not try and go the other way and get stuck on some invisible wall . .. that shit is for children and continously reminds me that it is only a game. I think that a RPer would appreciate this game more than many other because of the real life feel that it has and no instances.
I tried it out because it reminded me of the Elder Scrolls series, but it turned out much funner because it is a full loot PVP game that brings you on an emotional roller-coaster.
Who gives a crap about someone's impression of a game if he has played it only a few weeks . .. I want to hear the pros and cons from someone who has actually played it how it was meant to be played. You cannot experience much of anything if you are going to try out the 1$ trial . .. one week is simply not enough to experience the epicness that is Darkfall.
If you are looking for a game that will give you a big rush, followed by either an elated feeling of success or a feeling of getting hit in the stomach, than I think that you should try out this game!
NEWS FLASH! "A bank was robbed the other day and a man opened fire on the customers being held hostage. One customer zig-zag sprinted until he found cover. When questioned later he explained that he was a hardcore gamer and knew just what to do!" Download my music for free! I release several albums per month as part of project "Thee Untitled" . .. some video game music remixes and cover songs done with instruments in there as well! http://theeuntitled.bandcamp.com/ Check out my roleplaying blog, collection of fictional short stories, and fantasy series... updated on a blog for now until I am finished! https://childrenfromtheheavensbelow.blogspot.com/ Watch me game on occasion or make music... https://www.twitch.tv/spoontheeuntitled and subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUvqULn678VrF3OasgnbsyA
Hmmm. The amount of knee jerk WoW generation hate on Darkfall has convinced me to investigate the trial. Nothing will assure me quicker that the griefing 12 years olds are few and far inbetween in a game than a bunch of OMG THE PVP THE PVP I HATES IT posts.
Thanks, kids.
Skill that kill, baby.
LOL
Haven't seen any 12 year olds in Darkfall yet . .. its too hard!
: P
Most people seem to be potheads in their 20s or in their 30s and work in IT
Almost every fan of Darkfall has played every major MMORPG out there it seems . .. but you really have to be able to figure out things by yourself quickly and be able to adapt and customize your own controls IMO. If you have any questions or need assitance during your trial, send me a tell in game (sid vicious NA server).
It is not for everyone and almost everyone who ends up loving it doesn't like the first week experience. Good luck!
NEWS FLASH! "A bank was robbed the other day and a man opened fire on the customers being held hostage. One customer zig-zag sprinted until he found cover. When questioned later he explained that he was a hardcore gamer and knew just what to do!" Download my music for free! I release several albums per month as part of project "Thee Untitled" . .. some video game music remixes and cover songs done with instruments in there as well! http://theeuntitled.bandcamp.com/ Check out my roleplaying blog, collection of fictional short stories, and fantasy series... updated on a blog for now until I am finished! https://childrenfromtheheavensbelow.blogspot.com/ Watch me game on occasion or make music... https://www.twitch.tv/spoontheeuntitled and subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUvqULn678VrF3OasgnbsyA
Okay, signed up and downloaded... annnnnnd I can't patch because the servers are down. This already isn't very promising.
Skill that kill, baby.
Right now both servers are down for patching. It's a small patch with some fixes so it should be up soon.
AFAIK, patching won't take long and even if the client does need patching the download speeds are pretty fast (1.5mb/sec).
Really? 20 min into patching I'm 25% done and it's failed, waiting to restart....
EDIT: This game patches like old people fuck. I'm not even making any progress, it keeps failing, giving me error #21
Skill that kill, baby.
Darkfall August expansion is gonna change EVERYTHING
Anselm Williams of defiant Order a Darkfall clan