Hardly that new or enterprising.  They are just jumping on the band wagon that most people haven't realised has started yet.  I knew from their website and silly, community-happy terms like "the Tribe" that they would produce something that is fashionable.   F2P and online shooter... lol.  So innovative, yawn.  How about a REAL sandbox?  No one has done that yet.  But I suppose every one wants the easy money and I can guarantee you these guys are seeing that genre as the new blockbuster success.  These guys only do products that lends itself to polish, which means restriction, expect a lot of it.

These companies that are peddling "F2P" are merely trying to get away from what I call the "unsubscribe factor". Most players leave a game at some point no matter what the developer does. For arguments sake let us as 70% leave and 30% stay within a 1 year period.  Subscription games are then left with the dedicated players but the money they get from them is set at 30%, thus the new subscriber desperation.  BUT that 30% are likely the types of people that are willing to pay extra for benefits so why even worry about the 70%?  So some smart CEO cottoned onto this and viola... the F2P system is born!

"F2P" allows them to (1) widen the net to attract players with this "free" nonsense and increase the absolute values of the %s, and (2) enables them to ignore the unsubscribers, because they can milk more than the traditional 30% from those that will continue playing.

I guess I am a 70% type of player.

Tanemund's explanation basically hit all the main points, especially the 'exclusivity' aspect.

The problem with having the players 'be the story' is that the developers then completely skimp on the world design.  I am primarily referring to sandboxes.  It becomes sterile.  The developers need to work on a RPG infrastructure that the players can partake in and the pre-written snippets of dialogue will shape around their actions, choices, affiliations and locations and use facts like their size, age, name, scars, profession etc to give colour to your NPC actions.

Sandbox games are in principle much better than theme park type RPGs BUT thus far sandbox games have completely lost the rich story immersion of the world.  Obviously developers cannot create unique content in the form of quests.  This is why the Sandbox RPG-MMO will only be realised once players are able to assume the traditional NPC roles within the game.  How is this possible without being bored you may ask?  Well, players need to have multiple characters and all of these characters need to be persistent in-game at all times.  These characters need to be connected via an RPG story system where by you leave instructions based on how to interact with other characters.  Each of these character need to be a warrior, blacksmith, farmer etc and fulfill that NPC role within the game world.  Events such as sieges, war, shortage of materials or whatever other features you have are communicated via this system.  In other words even if my mate is offline his blacksmith is still online and I can buy, sell, repair etc and get the latest news from a neigbouring kingdom from this character.  The text needs to be presented in the developer designed phrasings.  Rewards in game are derived by acting within whatever role you are.  This will give the impression you are actually living in a real world (like you do in single-player RPGs) and not the sterile, everyone-is-clad-armour, monstrosities we have currently. 

I am glad some people are saying they don't buy into all this interactivity crap that the media are peddling.  How much interactivity do we need?  What the hell do you need Facebook involved in an MMO for?  How does it add value to the game experience by being able to access the game from your iPhone?  At best it is a less impressive experience than being at home at your pimped out desktop.  Not saying it won't happen, because in certain circumstance it might come in handy, but really... this not revolutionizing anything.  Get off the band-wagon!

Forget about political correctness.  If you want to be edgy, make a permadeath game.

And still no customizable titles, useable chairs/tables or anything to do besides PvP... instead it is slot machines, bumper carts and easter flags. What is the matter with these people?  None of this allows you to 'live' in the world.  Sweet lord.

Originally posted by Toferio

Originally posted by Thorii

Very smooth launch! Never been in a launch so good actually.

As I been trying to say, that is because that wasn't a big deal of a "launch", they just started charging money. There is no difference between the "launched" game and the beta version people were playing the day before except for the loot fix. There are same people playing it who were playing it the day before, give or take ~50 extra.

That is not really true.  Of our clan during beta there was maybe 5 in game at any time, and that was a lot.  Over 30+ are online now with more rolling in over the weekend.  From speaking to various other clan leaders this is pretty common for everyone.  Obviously, many of these players had pre-ordered and had played beta at some stage but they definitely were not all online at the same time.  There is easily a x3 to x5 increase active players on the server.

You guys often write a bunch tripe, but this is a pretty good article.  Even though I wish Darkfall all the best, and it has its place because many people do enjoy it for its FPS-PvP-24/7 style, it is most definitely not a sandbox.  A sandbox does not exclude non-PvP playstyles.  It is immersive and should allow a player to just 'live' in the world without being forced to grind/compete.  It can still be in the form of a conquest MMO but the game design needs to inherently benefit community builders more than destroyers purely because there are so many fewer people that are able to create/build.

And despite 94% fantasy, which is mostly of a medieval theme, we don't have one realistic medieval MMO.  It is a disgrace.  What is even worse is that somehow we can't get a sandbox that doesn't turn into a PK-type game.  A MMO where realistic societal interaction and immersion is prized over quick-fire ganking.

FIX THE REVIEW SYSTEM

This is a complaint against the current reviewing system.

I think a 6 is fair from a PvP-MMO player's perspective - especially as this game is breaking new ground and is reviewed from the blinkered perspective of the level/themepark MMO market.  Please note that I am not saying the reviewer is blinkered but that the system of grading is.  He has to compare it to games such as WoW because that is how the system works. 

There is definitely a fundamental flaw in game reviewing.  I hate WoW because it has levels but it gets a 9 or whatever.  As someone that wants to play an MMO I would think "ok great" that is a good score.  However, the score is for a type of genre, or sub-genre, which is different from a game such as Darkfall.  Yes, Darkfall and MMO are not in the same genre.  MMO's are far to diverse to all lump into one group.  At the very least a numerical score should come with a lot more specific details such as whether it is level based, FPS, quest driven, size of developer etc.  Say 9L would be WoW's score - L donating its very specific sub-genre and Darkfall would get a 7.5F or something.  People can then evaluate the number relative to the genre and the base quality available.  Did you love Shadowbane more than other level based MMOs?  Well Shadowbane got a 6F (for arguments sake as I don't know) and Darkfall gets a 7.5F.  That is a lot more helpful.  You know that this is an improvement for your chosen sub-genre.

Think about it.  What other semi-sandboxish, FFA-PvP, conquest MMO are out there?  Not many and none of AA quality.  So Darkfall is practically the leader it its field regardless of its faults.  How can you compare WoW polish and newb-friendliness with Darkfall?  You can't because Darkfall is breaking new ground with a limited budget.  Obviously polish and other finishing touches will go astray as they try to iron out the kinks in a revolutionary game.  Sure there are complaints about customer service etc.  Fine, but this whole booha about Darkfall and "misleading" reviews is because we are trying to grade apples in the matured meat category. 

Level and FPS MMO proponents get in each others face so viciously because they hate each others sub-genres.  Many WoW-lovers would not like Darkfall even if the game was smooth, had outstanding graphics, good CS etc.  They would never countenance such a game getting any score remotely close to their beloved MMO, and vice verca.

I played all the way from beta up to a month ago which is much much longer than I played WoW. That lasted maybe 2 weeks before I went "wft? levels are dumb.". That does not mean WoW's score is not deserved - but that the score does not give enough information.  Darkfall is innovative and deserves credit for that. Does it fail to deliver on things, sure, but needs to be in perspective that this is a sub-genre that is beginning with very few previous tried-and-tested systems and design.

The reason I am not personally going back is because there is not enough sandbox elements to the game.  To heavily PvP-orientated for my taste - but I only realised that now.  That is my personal choice and not Darkfall's fault.  So please put sandbox/PvP in a different category.

FIX THE REVIEW SYSTEM!

Originally posted by peteski123

Originally posted by m0j0mann

Do you mean "Hype" in the normal sense, or are you talking about what's happened to the MMORPG.com hypemeter in the past week?

Also, I thought Beta signup and the video killed all you vaportrolls?

Weren't you supposed to be moving to the more fertile arguments of "Graphix sux roflol" and "OMG they didn't even show us anything!!11"?

 

I am very much looking forward to DF..  however I will say this, beta signup and a video are NOT proof of anything, look at Gods and Heroes..... 

I am not a vaportroll I truely hope DF comes out but to say here is the proof is way way way jumping the gun..  proof, the only proof is on the Launch of the game and Not before..

Lets just keep our fimgers crossed DF makes it as it looks sooo much fun

I hope you are at least posting on all the other forums as well that nothing they produce pre-game is proof.

But, yes, lets keep our fingers crossed.

It's impossible to de-hype a game!  If someone thinks a game (such as WAR) is not worth any excitement then there is nothing wrong with them putting in a 1 as that is the level of enthusiasm they have.  Or are you only allowed to give a rating if you give it a ten?

I personally couldn't be bothered to even give WAR/AOC etc a 1.  Too much effort for something I have zero interest in.

Originally posted by PapaLazarou

Please remove this the game is horrible.

Have you played the game?  Ah, no, you haven't.  Mmm...

I do you feel for you.  You have obviously been abused by other game companies and now, in your blinding anger at them, you lash out at Darkfall.

Originally posted by HBlite

You're dead to us Zaxx, turn in your vapor troll badge before sunday. It's sad that a video with zero game elements got your panties wet, sad indeed.

 

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Originally posted by originalegg

Yea i think we all wanted more UI, but i think we saw enough to put to rest the whole scripted arguement or its just an oblivion mod.
The goal of the video wasnt to show how the game works. The devs have always said that they trust the community and that the product will speak for itself. The video was meant to show the gameplay and the different scenarios of combat you could get into, because the game is primarily pvp combat game.

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You are a bigger poster child then Aragon and I thought he was bad enough. Ok then oh great one, what was the goal of the video? Show absolutely nothing about the game, just a bunch of scripted battles? Because if that was the goal they hit it head on. You being a fan should be asking for a lot more than a lame video that shows you nothing about the game, how do you know even know those are game elements? Because the devs said so? Because it's on paper? 8 long years and they give you that, just wow. It is more sad that you ate it up with every spoonful they threw in your face.

What exactly is the point of any video released by a developer?  A video is a video.  You get cinematic and you get game play.  That was game play.  There is no better than that.  Unless you actually play a game yourself you can't believe that it's real?!  You obviously have a problem then with all unreleased games then and not just Darkfall.

Originally posted by Dlore

Originally posted by Shannia

Originally posted by singsofdeath

I will apologize...when I have played the free test period and experienced and/or have seen the features the Developers have aimed to put into this game.

 

Until then I remain skeptical about the mplementation of all features in the manner that has been boasted by Aventurine.

 

Other than that, I congratulate the DF Community on the video and hope they enjoy the days and weeks to come as the game prepares to launch. Have fun!

 

QFT.  I am fully prepared to eat crow IF and WHEN this game proves to me that it is the BEEZ KNEEZ.  Until then, I reserve the right to troll and flame DFO.

 

 

 

You fanbois were clinging to nothing at first, now you're only clinging to a video. That video isn't very good. Oh ya! You guys are also clinging to a beta. Eh that's a start. But so far you are only clinging to a video and a Informed Beta.

So that beta isn't out yet. Meaning the video is only that remains. And I bet that beta won't even be so soothing. If I'm able to try out the beta I will. And if it's true to what has been said I will apologize, so far I should be even more trollish!

DF fans do not cling to this video.  The only reason why we make such a big deal of it is because you people keep on flaming the developers with their lack of PR.  Well... there is you PR. 

To put it in another way, we believe in what the developers are trying to implement with DF.  It includes all the features that the top developers have not wanted to do because it's too risky and not main stream enough.  Main stream, however, never advances an industry.  It only polishes it.

All the BS arguments of the last few years, from you guys, have actually clouded the issue.  DF fans, generally, did not rally to DF because DF was the ULTIMATE GAME, but because we are all disillusioned with the MMO industry and the level-treadmill shite it produces.  DF was the first whiff we had of something better.

Regardless of what you may think of the game, if it is even marginally successful it will embolden another dozen groups to try an expand on the PvP-sandbox genre.  That is what we want.

Say NO to WoW...

These nay-sayers are unbelievable.  For the last few years they are screaming that ANY video would be good but that "the developers can't even do that".. now a video is out, a much longer video than any other developer has ever provided, but now that is still not good enough.  Now the complaint is "the video doesn't prove that any of the promised features are actually in the game"?!  So please explain how then does a video provided by any other developer prove anything?  Especially as all other videos are usually cinematic BS, or very short snippets of game play.  The Darkfall video has ONLY game play.

I will agree the character movement, building collapse- sinking ship animations are really not great.  The landscape looks decent, however.  What you forgot though is that they are aiming for high numbers of players in PvP battles.  You cannot do that with AoC graphics currently.  In fact I suppose you guys are the same morons that complain that AoC has too high system requirements?  And why do you even need AoC graphics?  WoW's ridiculous cartoony graphics sucks big time yet it doesn't seem to bother the ~400,000 or whatever current subscribers.

This type of game has never been done successfully before.  Obviously if they have some success they will definitely try to upgrade the graphics and animations - technology allowing.  But for now the features they want to give us is the issue!

None of you nay-sayers obviously want this type of game to succeed and you will argue and argue until the actual game is out.  Then when it is out you will say "but the features are not really what was promised" - whether they are or not.  I hate WoW, but I don't post BS about them, or any other game I don't like.  You guys are really pathetic.