Darkfall

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For the books by this name, see Darkfall (novel)

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Darkfall
Developer(s)	Aventurine SA
Publisher(s)	N/A Self Published
Designer(s)	Claus Grovdal, Game Design/Producer Henning Ludvigsen, Art Director Ricki Sickenger, Lead Tools/Game Logic Programmer Kjetil Helland, Lead 3D/Client Programmer Erik Sperling Johansen, Lead Server Programmer
Engine	Darkfall Proprietary Engine
Version	Internal beta
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows
Release date	(Est. Release 2008)[1]
Genre(s)	MMORPG, Online RPG
Mode(s)	Open PvP Multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: Rating Pending (RP)
Media	DVD Disc and Downloadable package[2]
System requirements	Operating System: Windows 2000/XP/Vista System requirements not yet finalised. Internet connection required
Input methods	Keyboard, Mouse, Gamepad

Darkfall is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) in development by Aventurine SA that combines real-time action and strategy in a fantasy setting. The game is expected to feature unrestricted PvP, full looting, a huge, dynamic game world that evolves in response to player actions, and a player skill dependent combat system free of the class and level systems that typify most MMORPGs. The game is currently in closed beta testing, and is expected to be released in 2008.^[3]

[edit] Unique features

Darkfall is expected to have several features that set it apart from the majority of MMORPGs:

• Unrestricted PvP, with no safe zones, only protection by NPC guards in racially controlled cities. Indiscriminate player killing results in changes in alignment (see alignment section below), which in turn has severe in-game consequences ^[4].
• A character advancement system devoid of player levels and classes. The majority of player capabilities are determined by the possession of skills, which improve in response to in-game use. For example, all weapon proficiencies, the ability to swim, cast spells, ride mounts, and climb various obstacles are all skills that can be learned and improved through in-game use.
• A real-time combat system that includes FPS-style manual aiming & blocking.^[5] Ranged combat will be viewed from first person perspective. Melee combat will be viewed from third person perspective. There will also be no 'player radar' or floating names with which to identify players or NPCs ^[6]. Furthermore, friendly fire is always in effect, so missed melee attacks, misfired arrows, as well as area of effect offensive and healing spells affect both friends and enemies.^[7]
• Complete looting. All of a player's items become world lootable on death (see looting section below), and virtually all props and items in the game will be player-craftable.^[8]
• Cities that can be built, sieged, captured and destroyed by players ^[9].
• Naval warfare, with the ability to create, board, capture and sink player controlled ships ^[10].
• Real-world physics, including inter-character and projectile-character collision detection. Projectiles (spells, arrows, cannonballs etc.) can be evaded or blocked in real time. Players can be pushed or blocked by other players, NPCs and/or explosions ^[11].
• Dynamic, physical weather, including variable, directional winds. For example, foggy or rainy weather can severely limit sight range and high winds greatly influence tidal wave amplitude and ship movement. Day and night cycles are based on a realistic planetary system of 2 orbiting moons.
• Enhanced monster behaviour and AI. Monsters do not simply stand and swing at players until dead; they may employ sophisticated combat tactics based on their capabilities, social behaviour, and intelligence level. For example, intelligent monsters will preferentially target healers, casters, and/or weakened players. Monsters do not have fixed spawn locations or sizes - monsters form their own communities, may construct buildings and/or may relocate to new areas in response to being hunted by players. Monsters may also fight other monsters in their region.
• A zoneless game world capable of supporting over 10,000 concurrent players per game instance.

[edit] Development history

• On August 29, 2001, Razorwax announced the development of Darkfall and launched its official website ^[12]. The Razorwax development team initially consisted of five members:
  • Claus Grovdal (Lead Design and Producer)
  • Ricki Sickenger (Lead Tools and Game Logic Programmer)
  • Henning Ludvigsen (Art Director)
  • Kjetil Helland (Lead 3D/Client Programmer)
  • Erik Sperling Johansen (Lead Server Programmer)

• In October 2002, Aventurine SA was founded in Greece, ostensibly to develop and commercialise Darkfall. The Razorwax team was integrated into Aventurine, and five other developers from Norway were hired into the company.^[13] When the Razorwax team and the Aventurine team had their first meeting in Athens, a member of one of the teams joked that Razorwax should relocate from Norway to Greece due to the lower taxes and cost of living in Greece. Eventually, the two teams realised that this idea actually made very good business sense,^[14] and by December 2002,^[15] the relocation of Razorwax was finalised.

• In September 2005, the signup for a closed clan beta began. The first Darkfall gameplay video was released on February 2006 ^[16].

• Aventurine did not have a playable version of Darkfall available at E3 2006, an offline demo was presented instead. In June 2006, just after E3, the Darkfall team began releasing bi-weekly Questions and Answers through Warcry.

• An announcement on July 11, 2006 stated that preparations were being made to begin beta ^[17]. An interview with the developers on August 25, 2006 indicated that Aventurine did not have a publisher for Darkfall, and were considering the possibility of self-publishing the game.^[18]

• On January 17, 2007, Aventurine announced that a fully functional and stable beta build is running on remote servers and that the game is being shown to prospective partners, distributors, publishers, technology providers, etc ^[19].

• On January 30, 2007, Aventurine released a video containing about one minute of ingame footage, showing melee combat, mounts (including mounted combat), spellcasting and naval combat ^[20]. The developers have stated that the combat will be similar to that of Mount and Blade ^[21].

• On May 31, 2007, Aventurine's 9th Developer Journal responded to some of the recent beta inquiries, and announced that their internal target date for beta was summer 2007 ^[22].

• On August 2, 2007, Aventurine stated that although the game is technically ready for beta, beta will not start until negotiations with possible publishers are completed ^[23].

• On September 13, 2007, updated public beta information added to Darkfalls forums stating "Solo player beta applications will be taken soon. Please watch the news forums" ^[24].

• On February 22, 2008, they released a "location test video" depicting various player-crafted city locations in the game. "For today's update we put together a medley of location test videos, from in and around clan cities and racial outposts" ^[25].

• On May 9, 2008, a WarCry developer journal stated that "... launch date will be inside 2008, with the public beta preceding it by a few weeks. This is official and internally we're a lot more specific, but pending an announcement, we cannot say more at this time." ^[26]

[edit] Gameplay

[edit] Playable races

There are six playable races in Darkfall.^[27] Unlike other MMOGs, racial choice does not heavily influence your characters choices or progression options: 95% of the skills may be learned regardless of your race, the remainder are race-specific abilities. Each race begins play in their own homeland, and have their own unique storylines, histories, and racial alliances/enemies.

While certain races have friendships and hatreds with other races in Darkfall, these are not strictly enforced upon the players, and it is possible for allied clans to declare war upon both their own race and their racial allies. Declaring war will prevent players from sustaining alignment penalties associated with killing friends and allies as well. It is also possible for two racial enemies to ally together. However, NPC will behave according to their racial rules, and thus will react with hostility to racial enemies even if they are allied with that clan.

The races are as follows:

The six playable races of Darkfall; from top: Alfar female with Shulgan drake mount, two male dwarves and one female dwarf, human female, mirdain (elf) female with aerdian cat mount, mahirrim male, ork female.

[edit] Humans

• Homeland: Mercia
• Allies: Dwarves, Mirdain
• Enemies: Mahirim, Orks, Alfar
• Racial mount: Warhorse

Humans in the game live very much like their real life counterparts did in medieval times, with a feudal system, and a constant power struggle between the King and the Church. Humans are a versatile race, with no particular strengths and weaknesses.^[28]

[edit] Mirdain

• Homeland: Mirendil
• Allies: Dwarves, Humans
• Enemies: Mahirim, Orks, Alfar
• Racial mount: Aerdian cat

The Mirdain are a sophisticated race of skilled diplomats and traders. They prefer diplomacy and subtle manipulation to direct conflict, but Mirdain are still brilliant tacticians whose expert troop movements and cunning ruses allow them to defeat enemies many times their number. Working deep from within their forest home of Mirendil, the Mirdain are a peaceful and cultured race in a world torn by war. The Mirdain are somewhat magically adept, and most of them are able to direct a modest number of spells. They are also skilled hunters, proficient with the bow from an early age.^[29]

[edit] Dwarves

• Homeland: Dvergheim
• Allies: Humans, Mirdain
• Enemies: Mahirim, Orks, Alfar
• Racial mount: Garmir Ram

Grim-faced, iron-strong and unshakable in courage and convictions, dwarves are trueborn children of the mountains. They are an introspective and taciturn race who scorn all gods in preference of a multi-millennial path to perfection that was laid out by the legendary founder of their nation. The dwarves follow the teachings of Ymir, a legendary mastersmith who forged many of Dvergheim's greatest wonders, as well as the nation itself. Ymir spent his final years writing a book that laid out a detailed, step by step plan for the next 20,000 years of dwarven civilization. Ymir's teachings told the dwarves what to strive for, what to practice and what to create, and he told them how and when they should approach each task.^[30]

[edit] Mahirim

• Homeland: Tribelands
• Allies: Orks
• Enemies: Humans, Mirdain, Dwarves, Alfar
• Racial mount: None; able to run as fast as a mount on all fours when out of combat.

A fierce race of predators from the untamed wilds of the Tribelands, the Mahirim are a race who still seem at odds with their recent move to civilization. While they have laws now, they retain all the finely-honed instincts and predatory skills of their pack-hunter ancestors. Though they have recently evolved to walk on two-legs, the wolf-like Mahirim retain the ability to run on all fours, and can easily out-pace all other races on foot and match other races' mounts for speed, whilst retaining the capability to ride other races' mounts. Given their long history of aggression and their somewhat arrogant nature, the Mahirim have few friends. They do, however, have a small degree of respect for the Orks, who are very capable warriors and equally warlike.^[31]

[edit] Orks

• Homeland: Morak
• Allies: Mahirim
• Enemies: Humans, Mirdain, Dwarves, Alfar
• Racial mount: Death Pig

Until very recently the Orks used to roam the swamps like the Goblins do now: no permanent settlements, no civilization, spending their time hunting or at war. But, an evil deity tamed the Orks and taught them how to build cities and enslave workers. Modern day Orkish society is built on the enslavement of the Goblin race, as they do all the manual labor for the Orks. The Orks also control an evil cult of Dwarves who design buildings and weapons for Orkish conquest; they live in much better conditions than the Goblins. The Orks believe that one day their God will rise from the Volcano and kill all non-Orks.^[32]

[edit] Alfar

• Homeland: Nagast
• Allies: None
• Enemies: Everyone
• Racial mount: Shulgan Drake

The Alfar are the cruel, hate-spawned cousins of the Mirdain. Abducted eons ago by their insane god-king Melek, these former Mirdain have been mutated and warped by his diabolical influence and his mother's Silver Circlet into fearless, rage-driven killers. Striking their enemies from the shadowy, spell-blasted lands of Nagast, the Alfar tear a bloody swath of destruction wherever they go, disappearing as quickly as they appeared. Gifted with an innate affinity for the magical arts, the Alfar are skilled spellcasters who draw their power from their volatile God. Due to this unpredictability, Alfar spells fluctuate in power, creating a slight variance in result with every cast. Alfar have a deep seated hatred for all other life on Agon; though they can join clans of other races, they loathe doing so.^[33]

[edit] Skills

Darkfall departs from the conventional MMORPG paradigm of character levels as the main form of character progression, favouring instead a broad skill-based system^[34], similar to that found in games such as Ultima online and EVE online. Skills and skill proficiency determine a wide range of a character's capability in the game, including weapons and weapon skills and special attacks, spells, and archery, stealth mechanics, all aspects of player crafting, as well as more basic facets of gameplay, such as the ability to swim, climb vertical surfaces, and to ride and control mounts.

Many skills may be learned from NPC trainers in the game, however certain skills will require other skills as prerequisites, and/or may only be learned through specific quests and/or NPCs in remote/hidden areas. Without exception however, skills are improved (raised in power) through actual usage in game. The possibility for players to teach other players certain skills once a certain level of mastery has been reached has also been discussed by the developers.

Whilst the breadth and depth of the skill system has been frequently referenced in developer reports, only a few skills have been specifically named and described by the developers. Despite the relatively small amount of information available on player-learnable skills, developers have reported there will be approximately 500 skills and 500 spells in the game at release.

[edit] Loot

Darkfall has been designed from the outset as a full-loot PVP game, meaning on death players are able to fully loot other players of their gear and gold on their person. The ability to fully loot other players has been factored into the game as an important facet of the RTS-like logistical meta-game between warring clans.

The ability to fully loot other players is a significant departure from the other contemporary MMOGs, such as a World of Warcraft, in which the quest for ever better gear is the primary driver of player character improvement once maximum level has been attained. In Darkfall, character skills are the primary driver of character improvement, and while gear is expected to have some influence in determining a player character's overall power, it will be of greatly diminished importance than most other contemporary MMOGs.

[edit] Character alignment

Darkfall will feature a player character alignment system, which ranges from good to evil, based upon the actions of players.^[35] Characters will start the game with a neutral alignment. "Evil" actions, such as the killing of other characters without provocation, stealing from other characters, and even the casting of certain necromantic spells cause a change in alignment toward evil. The repercussions of an evil alignment range in severity from NPCs ceasing to trade with a character and the inability of a character to "bind" in certain cities & towns, to that character being attacked on sight by NPC guards and player characters of good alignment receiving quests and alignment bonuses for hunting and killing evil characters.

From the Darkfall character FAQ: "Turning evil is easy, although it doesn't make for an easy life. Killing other characters unprovoked will get you there fast and this will make most guards, clans and other players attack you on sight. Changing your alignment towards good is a challenging and difficult process."

[edit] Stealth

Almost all MMORPGs implement the concept of player stealth by allowing players/NPCs to become pseudo-magically "invisible", thereby permitting stealthy movement, and surprise attacks. Typically, this "pseudo-invisibility" skill is a fundamental game mechanic that provides the core functionality and/or defining trait of a limited number of player classes.

In Darkfall, stealth is accomplished by playing stealthily, employing real-world stealth techniques such as moving in darkness/shadow, employing camouflage, walking silently, and using world objects as cover; that is, stealth is not "auto-magical", and not restricted to any particular class or subset of players ^[36]. Since Darkfall is a class-less MMORPG, any player is able to acquire the various stealth-enhancing skills and to follow a stealthy playstyle.

This feature of "true steath" also comes with semi-realistic limitations - wearing heavy metallic armour emits audible clinking sounds, and reflects light, and moving more slowly decreases the volume of footsteps. True stealth in Darkfall is also made possible through the deliberate lack of "player radar" and use of first-person perspective for ranged combat.

[edit] The Darkfall world

The world of Agon

[edit] Geography

Darkfall claims to feature one of the largest online worlds of any MMOG created to date. The world, named Agon, is comprised of a large, central continent on which all 6 racial capitals are found, surrounded by 4 smaller continents to the north-east, north-west, south-east and south-west. In addition there are numerous small islands and archipelagos. It is said that it would take roughly 8 hours for a human to run from one end to the other.

The world includes a wide range of diverse terrain types, including forest, plain, desert, ice, jungle/tropical, swamp, and wasteland areas. Every part of Agon has been handmade by the developers and not computer generated. Darkfall developers have stated that any/all terrain can be accessed and traversed by characters possessing the appropriate skills, e.g. mountains may be climbed by those who possess sufficiently high Climbing skill; islands may be reached by those who possess a proper watercraft.

[edit] Monsters and monster spawns

In addition to its much-discussed PvP aspects, Darkfall will also include a wide variety of PvE monsters scattered across the world of Agon. Unlike most contemporary MMORPGs which involve timed, static spawns of monsters throughout the game world, Darkfall's mobs aggregate with each other to form groups, and when left unopposed will grow to form larger encampments.^{[citation needed]} In addition, computer-controlled mobs will attack player cities if nearby, and will also fight nearby enemy mobs. Monsters range in innate aggression levels and social dependence, which affects their likeliness to initiate attacks with other players/mobs, run away, call for help, etc. NPCs in Darkfall are also known to have their own kill-on-sight lists, and will loot player corpses of items they can use. NPC camps whose numbers are repeatedly thinned through player actions will eventually relocate to other parts of the world that satisfy their preferred habitat.

The combat AI of NPCs has been said to parallel that of Quake bots with respect to the level of challenge they are intended to present to the player.^[37] An indication of the quality of the NPC AI is shown by associate producer Tasos Flambouras by repeatedly referring to combat with NPCs as serious "practice" for PvP.

Darkfall is expected to feature a wide variety of monster types typical of the high fantasy genre, for example, goblins of various types, undead, such as skeletons and zombies, as well as various dragons, golems, and demons. Further examples of these may be found in the Darkfall bestiary.

[edit] Dungeons

As is typical of any fantasy MMORPG, Darkfall will feature an as yet unknown number of dungeons and underground areas, many of which will be heavily populated by monsters and monster bosses. Some underground areas are also available for players to colonise and build cities within. Both the Alfar and Dwarven racial capital cities are located predominately underground.

[edit] Cities, city building and clan warfare

A screenshot of a city siege

A major design goal of Darkfall is its support for large-scale territorial conflict between player clans (guilds). To this end, empire building through the construction and conquering of cities/forts/castles is expected to be a major part of the game. To promote such conflict, the developers have stated that there is a finite number of geographical locations within the world that are able to support city building.

These city-building sites are spread across the entirety of the world, and vary greatly in location, surrounding terrain, access to nearby resource nodes, and consequently, their ability to be defended by the owning clan. The developers expect certain sites, such as underground cave sites hidden by a waterfall, or a precipitous mountain-side location with a precarious one-way approach to be more highly coveted than other sites, adding to the potential for territorial conflict.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Darkfall site
• Official Darkfall forums
• Unofficial Darkfall forum (German)
• Collection of Darkfall screenshots and movies (German)
• Community-compiled FAQ
• Community-compiled summary of features
• October 2004 account of a tour of Aventurine and first hand preview of Darkfall (Gamerifts.com)