This could be an awesome game if it ever comes out and comes out as promised. Given the lenght of time they've been working on it, though, one can't but wonder if there will ever actually be a release date.

Skill is subjective--some games require skill at macroing, others require quick reflexes and knowledge of game mechanics, etc.

Well, I applaud the guys over at Razorwax, or whatever they're calling themselves these days, for daring to dream, but if this game ever actually sees the light of day, I'll be amazed.  Moreso if it even remotely resembles the game they've been pitching for the last 2-3 years.  I certainly hope they succeed, though.  The lack of worthwhile pvp MMOs is painful.

It'll be interesting to see how the devs react when the local uberguild shows up, and dominates the map, or when the grief crew start driving people off, despite the devs well laid plans to the contrary.

To answer the height maps question, a height map is a 2d representation of a section of 3d terrain.  As I understand it, it can be used to create random terrain, or manipulate terrain features, height wise, for lack of a more indepth description.  In this particular instance, Im guessing it just referring to the fact that all the terrain is built from scratch by hand, rather than randomly generated as SWGs is.

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Originally posted by Coldmeat

It'll be interesting to see how the devs react when the local uberguild shows up, and dominates the map, or when the grief crew start driving people off, despite the devs well laid plans to the contrary.

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Originally posted by Nalaeph
Hmm.. with that much emphasis on PvP combat it sounds like a niche game, and I had to chuckle when I read the part about people requiring "skill" in this game. Ah, the ever important "skill" ! Other games play themselves or people just press random buttons to suceed I guess.

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I applaud their iniative and enthusiasm in attempting to create a PVP MMO with FPS type gameplay.

One of the main technical challenges I seem them facing is varying qualities and speed of connections. Sounds to me like this system would be VERY subject to latency and lag issues. Someone with a long ping time could be at a significant disadvantage.

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Originally posted by Froztwolf

Oh, and sure there is a release date. Just check the main Darkfall page. "When will Darkfall be released? We are hoping for a Q1 2003 release of Darkfall. Again, delays happen" ;)

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Yeah, I remember reading that in a magazine, Darkfall release = spring 2003.

Well I was a HUGE sceptic, just look at my history, since year two of the annoucment that the game was coming, I said, eh "it's vaporware" from the name legal action to the silence of the site, to the actual company falling apart because of the lack of funds, this title seemed doomed from the start. However if they are at the E3 show, (which is not cheap at all to get into) there really must be something going on. I have been to those shows and to get in, takes a good amount of funding and proof you actually have something to sell.

I will offically take them off my "vaporware" list, it seems they got the funding and things are moving ahead. Thou even with the "clan beta" concept going flop etc. I think it comes to just bad project managment. I am less sceptical now that this title won't see light, but I am still sceptical that everything they are promising will be there. We will have to see, but at least this is a step in the right direction.

Edit: has anyone noticed the screen shots are the same ones from the game a "hero's journey"? another reason why it's ummm... questionable.

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Originally posted by chaintm

Edit: has anyone noticed the screen shots are the same ones from the game a "hero's journey"? another reason why it's ummm... questionable.

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Originally posted by Shadowoak

And the company didn't fall apart, they merged with another one.

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aye after they ran out of funds... not saying this is a bad thing, just shows the bad managment and forsight needed to take on such a project.

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Originally posted by Nalaeph
Hmm.. with that much emphasis on PvP combat it sounds like a niche game, and I had to chuckle when I read the part about people requiring "skill" in this game. Ah, the ever important "skill" ! Other games play themselves or people just press random buttons to suceed I guess.

Btw: The commentary link in the full artice links to the main page, that might be why you don't get more comments.

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What they mean by skill is you will be playing against humans who think, not just npc's who zerg you.

It's coming MF'ERS! And it's looking great! I Can't WAIT!!!!!!!!!!

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Originally posted by Shadowoak

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Originally posted by chaintm

Edit: has anyone noticed the screen shots are the same ones from the game a "hero's journey"? another reason why it's ummm... questionable.

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I will try to get into the beta if they ever get it into a playable state.  I refuse to get hyped by a feature "wish list" that isn't implemented yet.  Too many games have promised the heavens and delivered a couple grains of sand.

wish them luck.. it looks like they'll need it. I honestly can't see this game launching in under a full year. By than who is going to care? =\

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Originally posted by timber

 Who is going to play this game?

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Cool, now that the sun has set on Shadowbane, Darkfall sounds like the PvP sun is rising. Im excited to see this game make good on their ideas. Every game I played since I started MMORPG annoyed me beacuse of the lack of collision detection. No matter how many "tank" type toons you had in front of you, the enemy would just all run through them and zerg me the poor magic-user/cleric type. Naval Strategy? Awesome. Looking forward to chokepoints at sea and land. Yeah the nromal fantasy races sound the same but the wolf men (Maharim sp?) sound cool. They recieve an extra special running speed on all fours.

Good Luck Darkfall!

Originally posted by Amorphism
Hmm.. what does it mean "no height maps"?

A height map is, as someone already mentioned, a means of producing 3d looking terrain. it is done by taking a 2d plane, a grid of points forming polygons facing one directions. Place the plane facing up towards the "sky" and then move the points( vertexes) of the plane up or down to form the ground. Many games use this as a simple form of map making. The unreal engine uses height maps to some effect for some of it's outdoors.

There are major negative effects with height maps though. First being that a very simple height map looks very very bad. The second is that since vertex can only be moved up or down, you can never create a cave or any other structure where any vertex of the plane would be moved in any direction but up and down. AFAIK, most good mmo's wouldn’t use pure height maps in a game, but a combination of different techniques.

But to answer your question, I think what they are trying to say is that they created the whole world in a 3d modeler, by hand. Not that this is anything fancy, because WoW did the same thing. It gives you a really nice looking world, but it takes a very very long time to make the world.