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Darkfall News Update
The folks over at Aventurine have released an update on the progress of their pre-launch test, telling us that improvements have been made and that another round of invites should be going out.
The folks over at Aventurine have released an update on the status of their upcoming MMORPG, Darkfall. According to the release the trial, which from this reporter's perspective closely resembles a Closed Beta, has been making strides in terms of player feedback and load test, having exposed an issue with their patching and login systems as well as others, which have been addressed. All well in line with what you would expect from a game in the closed beta phase of testing.
As a result of numerous fixes, the letter promises that more invites will be handed out , following the three waves that the company has already invited. They will do this until their capacity is reached. There was no word on solid numbers and while their capacity is probably unknown even to them (that's what they're testing for), it would have been nice to know how many invites constitutes a wave, if only to slate my curiosity.
Arguably the more controversial part of the latter states that the NDA is still in place. While this isn't unusual for any game doing these kinds of test, it is a little bit out of the ordinary given the game's proximity to launch (one month) and the fact that this phase is being called a trial rather than a beta. It's really just semantics, but I think that the wording is causing some confusion amongst fans and critics alike.
At this time, MMORPG.com has not received its invitation, but we have been told that we will get one just as soon as the stress testing has concluded. In the meantime, we're in the same boat as many who haven't received invitations yet: sit and wait.
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Check out the original release:
Forums had been down due to several DDOS attacks. Since it became an issue, we took the forums down and have taken all appropriate measures to make a recurrence less likely. The game servers have not been affected.
The trial faced some issues during the initial stress test when the volume of the invitees taxed the patching and the login system. This was to be expected and it's the nature of a stress test. Testers experienced periodic low download speeds and various minor errors and hiccups which were soon dealt with. We increased our patching capacity and corrected small errors, until everything was running smoothly. For launch we will have in place a peer to peer system which should greatly improve download speeds and make the downloading and patching run smoothly. There have been a couple of server crashes since we're still running in debug mode. The issues causing the crashes have been addressed and we have issued a few new patches in this time. Servers are currently down for scheduled maintenance for a few hours tonight, during which we are also running an internal stress test. Servers will be up again right after this.
So far there have been three waves of invites sent out and these proved to be a very good stress test for the download, patching and login systems. We would like to thank the testers for their persistence during this initial stress test and their patience while we corrected the issues that came up. Most players entered the game, and have been playing since yesterday.
Now that things have stabilized, we'll start sending out more invites. We will keep sending invites out, every day when possible, and until we hit our capacity.
The NDA is still in effect, because this remains a testing period. Even though this is the release candidate client, previews based on this experience may not be indicative of the release quality of the game, especially not while you're consciously trying to break the game during stress testing. The game is still in debug mode so that we can deal with any issues that arise. Other than that, we are trying to simulate the launch, in order to better prepare for it. The testers in-game so far have been sending us very positive reports on their gameplay experience, even so, the NDA will be in effect while there's still testing going on. As soon as we're out of debug, the stress test is over, we'll lift the NDA.
If you haven't received an invite yet please don't take it personally. You very well might receive one soon. Please respect the invite process; it was made to be as fair as possible, while also being the most helpful for the game. We appreciate everything the community has done for the game and while we regret that we can't make everyone happy, it's impossible when considering the large volume of the applications. Even so, there will be a great number of players allowed to playtest. We really understand the impatience, and we're doing our best to get as many into the game as possible.
Please do not try to bypass the invitation process by emailing or PMing us. We're afraid that it's not possible to do so. This is an automated procedure, and we could not possibly manually process all the messages we're getting at this stage.
As far as the latest major patch goes, these are just some of the updates included:
- The interface has been completely reworked and re-skinned.
- Camera modes have been updated. You can now use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out.
- Warhulk movement has been enhanced. You can cycle camera modes using F12
- Mount controls have been tweaked
- Rivers will now carry you downstream.
- All character attributes have been enabled and they display signals when they increase.
- NPC animations have been updated
- Rune Stones (recall stones) have been enabled.
- You can buy more slots for starter weapons at a vendor.
- Directional attacks for all melee weapons have been added. You can slice vertically or horizontally.
- Player Journal and Clan Window have been updated.
- High score quests have been enabled.
- Time limit high score quests are enabled
- Massive AI update: Many more monsters have been added.
- AI behavior has received a significant update.
- Wildlife has been enabled. Tigers, bears, lions etc. can be found in nature.
- Underwater monsters are now enabled.
- Dungeon monsters are now enabled.
- Monsters will now visibly taunt you
- Roaming monster packs are enabled.
- Some monsters will send you personal taunts.
- Environment system is fully enabled. Ambience and weather will now change over time and as you travel. One Darkfall day is now approximately 5 hours long.
- In-game help has been enabled.
- Updates to armor graphics.
- Character creator has been updated.
- More player skills have been added.
- Clan cities that belong to your clan have been updated to display on your world and mini map.
There were also numerous smaller fixes and updates included in this patch and in the subsequent few smaller patches.
We'll follow up with more status reports on the game, and various other updates as needed.
MMORPG.com will keep you updated as more information becomes available.
It resembles a CB 'cos that's just what it is. Aventurine have simply renamed it as a trial to make it look like they're progressing. I'm sure they've been taking some tips on political spin.
Good to see they're starting to sort out some of the issues, though. I'm glad they're addressing the UI - it looked hideous before.
Looks as though they've finally realised they're having to be a bit more open with their fanbase. Too much simpering from adoring fans can make developers get lazy. Glad they got the wake up call they deserved.
Over 7 years and counting and still no Closed Beta.
If they didn't have something as simple as mousewheel zoom in before, it really scares me to think what else they're missing as far as controls go...
It doesn't matter how nice or innovative a game is - if the control system sucks people will not play it.
Nah, Tasos just has to press his magic button and lollipops and gumdrops (or maybe death and destruction) will rain down from the Darkfall Heavens to create the perfect game that will revolutionize this genre forever and ever and maybe about a year. Who knows.
Monsters will now visibly taunt you
i like the sound of this idea
other than that all I can say is i like the screenshot
What I still don't understand is their continuing refusal to allow a media site in. Also the continued NDA pretty much indicates to most of us that the game just is not close to being ready for the public yet. I just don't see how this game will release in February at this stage.
I hope they can get all the kinks out fast.
That little feature has been in Everquest 2 since day 1, wandering around the commonlands to see the Orcs gesturing you to kiss their Ass is always quite funny, ofc once you out lvl them and they go "Grey" they then shy away from you in fear of your presence, guess after it being in a game for 5 yrs some other game also had to add something similar, but yes always a welcome addition to make the game feel more alive.
The only question is; Will the NDA be lifted before they take pre-order money.
They said they would never do preorders and they have backtracked on that promise... if they ever meant to keep it to begin with. But if they announce they are going to accept pre-order money without allowing any beta testers or the press from talking about the game.. well that should just be a huge scam-alert everywhere.
They also haven't addressed many of the 'features' that were announced last month as being turned off. Housing, Guilds, Ships etc. They have added some pretty minor things to the game, but most of the big features of the game have not been turned on yet. How do they expect to test them and release the game in under a month.
Why does it look soo "brown"?
Sorry, but I am beginning to trust Aventurine less and less. At one point Taos said that "everyone" would have a chance to try the game before they buy. Now, they are allowing a select few into the "trial" as if that is going to appease anyone. The more and more I hear from these people the more and more the term "snake oil salesman" comes to mind. Time will tell but I have already slipped into the "stay away" column.
I'll take a guess and say the media invites will go out at the same time the NDA is lifted.
Which will coincide with Pre-Orders being available.
Hey, I can guess, can't I?
Ignorant posts got old a while ago....
And yet... You're still here following around the game trying to make yourself feel better.
But don't worry, You definitely are not alone in that department.
And yet... You're still here following around the game trying to make yourself feel better.
But don't worry, You definitely are not alone in that department.
You're driving down the highway and see a wreck by the side of the road. Cops are there and lights are flashing. You can't help but be curious and look, as well as talk about it with the other people in the car with you.
That doesn't mean you actually want to be in a wreck, yourself.
I'm with Gruug. The stuff I'm hearing from Aventurine reminds me way too much of Funcom before (and after) the launch of AoC. And honestly, what I've seen from this game's community doesn't help either. I may check out Darkfall after it's been out for 6 months or so. That doesn't stop me from being curious (and amused) when new spinspeak comes out, though.
It looks interesting, though it is a little wierd that they've still got the NDA going (course, I'm just beating a dead horse now, aren't I?)
That little feature has been in Everquest 2 since day 1, wandering around the commonlands to see the Orcs gesturing you to kiss their Ass is always quite funny, ofc once you out lvl them and they go "Grey" they then shy away from you in fear of your presence, guess after it being in a game for 5 yrs some other game also had to add something similar, but yes always a welcome addition to make the game feel more alive.
Oh yea i do remember that.... It gives the atmospehere ingame a whole different approach.....
It makes the environment somehow more alive as well...
Veeeery good veeeery good that we will see that in DF :p
IMO every MMO should be under NDA until just before launch. Otherwise existing MMO's just clone the original ideas out of the new game in some half-assed fashion making the new game seem little more than a half-assed attemped at something new.
If more things are under NDA until close to launch I bet each company would be forced to undertake new innovation giving us increasingly diversified choices in gaming like the first games MMO's that defined the industry did.
It's not like you get an extensive free trial and specs for every item in each new FPS, RTS, RPG etc. before it launches. The appeal of single player/console gaming is the diversity of games. The homogony of games coming out (thanks to releasing all their data) may one day result in a mass exodus from mmo's and the genre will sputter. More things will be copied because sales are down and public corporations(which are driven by profits rather than dreams) will be less and less likely to "risk" money on a few bright developers.
That doesn't mean we should get suckered into a Pre-order. I'm not saying this as a Darkfall fanboi but someone who runs a guild in WAR. I love the game but I see where their marketing has goofed up so many times and I also watched Blizzard swoop down like a vulture. Blizz copied things like the ToK and RvR with their achievement's system 1 PvP zone which suprisingly is more like DAoC than WAR is.
I played Vanilla/tBC WoW. They're both great games. Now, thanks to marketing WAR's differences, they're much more similiar than they would have been if WAR kept it's mouth shut.
anyone else notice that they are adding features in... less than one month from it being released?
here is a list of what i consider new features that are being put in only 3 weeks before release i believe.
Rune Stones (recall stones) have been enabled.
Directional attacks for all melee weapons have been added. You can slice vertically or horizontally.
High score quests have been enabled.
Time limit high score quests are enabled.
Wildlife has been enabled. Tigers, bears, lions etc. can be found in nature.
Underwater monsters are now enabled.
Roaming monster packs are enabled.
More player skills have been added.
Maybe i'm misunderstanding it, but if the beta testers are just now getting a glimps of these, who knows if they will present bugs. Like now the roaming mobs will roam into newbie areas. I dunno what exactly could go wrong, but in my experience enabling things tends to add new possible bugs. And they are just doing this now? Well i guess i hope that they all work out the first time, or i wouldn't be surprised to see another month delay saying, "with all the bugs we found, we are dealying for a month to fix them".
Also for another example of what could go wrong, directional attacks for all melee weapons have been ADDED. see that, added, not enabled. How much you wanna bet that some weapons wont work, aka they wont deal damage, wont have the range done right, or something is going to be wrong with one of the weapons.
@Respit
That would not be a Bad idea.
Game launches people buy and play, and Media gets a 14 day trial.
At least like that the media can make a more Objective review of a Full Live game.
I like it.
I just recently started following this game, but I have to say the community around it seems quite pessimistic. I'm not sure why; perhaps there's a large back-story I don't know, but I have to ask why? The graphics to the game look great. I watched the trailer, and they're promising a lot. Even if they keep half the promises, well, it's still sounds like it's going to be a fun game. As far as being released, why not just be understanding and accept that all these games get pushed back? And lastly, why the angst toward their secrecy? It's their game and it seems to me they can release it (to their benefit or folly) how they want to. Just a thought.
few ok LOLS
not ading enabling also some featurres are becasue of gameplay feedback omg they listen geese
Uhm, yeah....you've missed a lot, and there is INDEED a HUGE "backstory." People have been waiting for the "imminent" release of this game for at least 7 years, although some will say 10 because it has changed "hands" once in the midst of everything. And the "secrecy" is pretty much permeated with half-truths and lies and people over the course of all these YEARS have begun to feel some well-deserved mistrust toward the developer and the company's "spokesman," Tasos.
If you're really interested in the "backstory" you can find posts very similar to the ones you're reading today by doing a search on the game.....the posts date back for many years.
Uhm, yeah....you've missed a lot, and there is INDEED a HUGE "backstory." People have been waiting for the "imminent" release of this game for at least 7 years, although some will say 10 because it has changed "hands" once in the midst of everything. And the "secrecy" is pretty much permeated with half-truths and lies and people over the course of all these YEARS have begun to feel some well-deserved mistrust toward the developer and the company's "spokesman," Tasos.
If you're really interested in the "backstory" you can find posts very similar to the ones you're reading today by doing a search on the game.....the posts date back for many years.
Wow, seven years..... not trying to jinx it or anything, but I really hope this doesn't turn out like too human did.......