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Aventurine 'sprinting' toward Darkfall 2.0

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Game mechanics, Previews, PvP, Sandbox

As Darkfall "sprints" down the road toward its second incarnation, bloodthirsty PvPers are looking to Aventurine for more information about how their favorite game world is being remolded. Tasos Flambouras came forth today with word that not only is the project still powering forward, but the development team is growing as new hires are brought on to assist in the efforts.

Flambouras uses the post as a progress report and To Do list all in one. Perhaps the most exciting teases that he mentions are new methods of progression in the game. "These are significant and exciting changes to the way the game is played because they add more purpose to player freedom," he writes.

Currently the art team is adding and revamping many of the game's objects and animations, while the world builders are hammering away at Mahirim. As part of Darkfall 2.0, introductory dungeons will be integrated into the game to help newbies get a foothold in the cutthroat MMO.

The team is also experimenting with "alternatives" to player respawn time after deaths, as well as a brand-new market system and improved trading experience.

Aventurine 'sprinting' toward Darkfall 2.0 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Darkfall blog post addresses reactivation weekend, upcoming patch

Matt Daniel — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Events, in-game, Patches, News items, Sandbox

Last week, we reported that Darkfall would be hosting a reactivation weekend with increased skill-up rates and loot drops. Head-honcho Tasos Flambouras stopped by the official site today to announce that the festivities will be beginning on Friday, November 18th, and that they will last through the weekend until the 21st. He warns, however, that the team is also busy preparing a patch, which -- understandably -- takes priority over the reactivation weekend. As such, it's possible that the event will be postponed.

The patch itself includes a number of bug fixes and other adjustments, "more specifically addressing emotes cutting off animations and sounds." The team is also working to combat some of the game's exploits such as using the trading system to bypass over-encumberance. For the full details, head on over to the Darkfall official site.

New Darkfall blog post addresses reactivation weekend, upcoming patch originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall update talks camera, physics improvements

Jef Reahard — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Sandbox

What's up in the lands of Agon recently? Quite a lot if the latest Darkfall dev update is any indication. The lengthy wall o' text touches on current development tasks including the possibility of an improved third-person camera, momentum mechanics, and ragdoll physics for the game's animations.

Starter areas are also getting a makeover, and Aventurine producer Tasos Flambouras says that new and more powerful guard towers will deter newbie ganking without creating full-blown safe zones. Additionally, there's a bit more explanation regarding the ongoing siege and clan tweaks, and the devs continue to work on Darkfall's new armor specialization mechanics.

Unfortunately there's still no word on either character wipes or a timeline for Darkfall 2.0's release, but there is quite a bit of other info available to peruse on the game's official site.

Darkfall update talks camera, physics improvements originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall update talks sieges, again

Jef Reahard — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Game mechanics, Lore, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Sandbox

Darkfall's much-hyped new siege system may actually see the light of day next week according to the latest Aventurine dev blog. We say much-hyped here in terms of the number of times it's been mentioned in one of Darkfall's traditional Friday updates. Players and fans of the FFA PvP sandbox are no doubt more interested in when Darkfall 2.0 is coming out as well as who these mysterious partners are that producer Tasos Flambouras occasionally hints at in the weekly news blurbs.

Alas, this week's announcement steers clear of reveals and instead offers a few more specifics on the new siege mechanics as well as a new concept art sketch of the revamped Khamset monster family. Finally, there's a short lore blurb to go along with a ton of unanswered questions.

Darkfall update talks sieges, again originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall blog update teases new dungeon video

Jef Reahard — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Darkfall, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Dev Diaries, Sandbox, Dungeons

Another Darkfall update, another letdown in terms of a release window for Darkfall 2.0. Aventurine updated its blog over the weekend and acknowledged fan anticipation for the sweeping revamp, but remained coy on the timeframe. "We're in a better position to estimate but we haven't concluded our discussions with our partners yet," wrote producer Tasos Flambouras.

If the new video that accompanies the blog update is any indication, we're a ways off from release since the clip is described as an "alpha version." What's in the video? It's basically a quick look at the new Niflheim dungeon, and there are a lot of yetis running around as well as a lot of bloodspray courtesy of the newly implemented splatter system. You can also see a few of the dynamic elements that make the dungeon more challenging than its old-world Darkfall predecessor, and there's even a paragraph related to the lore behind the lair. Check out the clip after the cut and head to the official Darkfall website for more.

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Darkfall blog update teases new dungeon video originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall blog talks crafting update, forthcoming relaunch timeline

Jef Reahard — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Sandbox

There may be a little light at the end of the Darkfall 2.0 tunnel if the latest Aventurine blog update is any indication. The entry bills itself as a crafting system update, but it spends the first paragraph or so giving fans an update on the revamped siege system (which is now scheduled to be done in about a week). After that, producer Tasos Flambouras says, "We'll go into more detail about more relaunch features and the production schedule."

So anyway, crafting.

In a nutshell, the new Darkfall tradeskilling system places greater importance on rare ore, unique item appearance, more customization options, and "more opportunities to excel as a crafter." The new system will offer mastery skills as well as a choice between six distinctive base designs for each weapon type. You can read all about it at the game's official website, linked below.

Darkfall blog talks crafting update, forthcoming relaunch timeline originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aventurine reveals a few Darkfall 2.0 changes

Jef Reahard — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Sandbox

Aventurine has updated the Darkfall Epic Blog again, and this time there's a good bit of info regarding the upcoming 2.0 reboot. Producer Tasos Flambouras reiterates that 2.0 is "a new game created on top of the current game rather [than] simply an expansion." He also states that the devs don't want to get too specific and give everything away just yet. That said, this week's entry does provide a very interesting list of changes "that are already implemented."

First and foremost is the game's new skill set customization which is in turn tied to a new armor system. In a nutshell, your armor choice will affect your usable skills by rendering certain abilities ineffective and leading to highly specialized character roles (as opposed to the current game where every character can learn every skill, given enough grinding).

Skill and attribute gains have also been tweaked, and players who focus on skilling up a single role will excel at it in short order through "casual play." The catch, though, is the inability to have more than one specialization active at a time. Crafting has also been overhauled, and the world map has been "completely changed." There's more big news where that came from too, including UI tweaks, alignment tweaks, incapacitation, dungeon and magic school redesigns, and new combat mechanics like momentum and crosshair wobble. Read all about it at the official Darkfall website.

Aventurine reveals a few Darkfall 2.0 changes originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Darkfall video shows off redesigned Sandbrook

Jef Reahard — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Darkfall, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Sandbox

It's time for Aventurine's weekly Darkfall update, and today's blurb contains a few interesting nuggets about the town of Sandbrook. Apparently, the hamlet is undergoing a substantial facelift for Darkfall 2.0, and while it will remain a human village and hold on to its geographical location, players will find that it looks and plays quite differently.

Aventurine producer Tasos Flambouras tells us that "the city has been completely optimized and everything is conveniently located where players can find it easily." He also mentions that Sandbrook is no longer a starter town but is instead a human factional city.

Sandbrook is a picturesque location despite the proximity of a nasty goblin tribe, and the town is home to a small band of humans who settled on the banks of a river in the shadow of some enormous Nithron ruins. Head past the cut for a brief look at the new and improved Sandbrook courtesy of Aventurine's latest Darkfall video.

Continue reading New Darkfall video shows off redesigned Sandbrook

New Darkfall video shows off redesigned Sandbrook originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall dev update beats around the free-to-play bush

Jef Reahard — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Business models, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items

It's Friday and that usually means an update of some sort from the folks at Aventurine. True to form, Tasos Flambouras has checked in with his weekly Darkfall blog post. This time around we're treated to a round of Q&A with a couple of Aventurine devs, and reader-submitted questions are the order of the day.

The discussion meanders from Darkfall 2.0's crafting changes, which are described as "a complete overhaul," to mechanical concerns like AoE melee damage as well as surges and fizzles.

Flambouras also drops an interesting comment regarding Darkfall free-to-play rumors. "We also read around the internet about Darkfall going free-to-play. Rumor has it that if you start a sentence with 'rumor has it' you can say pretty much anything you want. Not true," he writes. Whether the "not true" was a reference to Darkfall's alleged F2P conversion or a reference to the latter portion of the sentence isn't completely clear, and we'll be interested to hear a definitive answer as it relates to business models.

Darkfall dev update beats around the free-to-play bush originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Would you keep playing if your character was wiped?

Jef Reahard — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind

So the scuttlebutt has it that Darkfall is getting ready to give way to an entirely new version. The PvP sandbox has gone through several iterations since its early 2009 launch, but one thing that has always been consistent is the player characters.

Aventurine recently hinted at character wipes in conjunction with Darkfall 2.0, and while front man Tasos Flambouras hasn't said definitively that there will be a fresh start, he also hasn't said there won't be.

For today's Daily Grind, we'd like to know your thoughts on character wipes. Whether it's a game like Darkfall or any other sort of progression-based affair, would you keep playing if your progress was reset?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

The Daily Grind: Would you keep playing if your character was wiped? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aventurine talks Darkfall 2.0, character wipes, and more

Jef Reahard — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Expansions, MMO industry, New titles, Patches, News items, Dev Diaries

Last week we told you about an Aventurine blog entry that touted Darkfall's forthcoming update as a "new game." This week, producer Tasos Flambouras sheds a wee bit more light on the Darkfall 2.0 situation, but readers of his latest blog post will likely be left with more questions than answers.

To summarize, the new game is not a sequel but rather an iteration on all the lessons learned after two-plus years of operating and updating Darkfall. Aventurine now boasts a much larger dev team than the one that shipped the original game in 2009, and "no aspect of the game has been left untouched" when it comes to the revamp and relaunch.

Speaking of relaunches, Flambouras addresses the seemingly odd decision to incorporate Darkfall 2.0's extensive siege mechanic changes into the current game. As it turns out, Aventurine is planning some sort of epic end-of-1.0 event before transitioning to the new game, and sieges will play a part in the action. Finally, those of you who have already purchased Darkfall will not be charged again for the 2.0 client.

What about character transfers and/or wipes? That's a bit murkier, and though Flambouras says "it would not be necessary to wipe" in the new version, he also says that the topic is still under discussion. Head to the Darkfall Epic Blog to read this week's activity report.

Aventurine talks Darkfall 2.0, character wipes, and more originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Jul 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Upcoming Darkfall relaunch is 'a new game'

Jef Reahard — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items

How does a fresh start in the world of Agon grab you? The devs at Aventurine have been making noises about relaunching Darkfall for a while now, but in a new dev blog released earlier today, producer Tasos Flambouras gives us a hint at just how significant the changes are going to be.

"This relaunch is not an expansion. It's a new game we've been developing in parallel with the current version of Darkfall. The scope is massive, and it has been difficult to stay on schedule after several unexpected issues," Flambouras writes.

So, yeah. Whoa. In our best Keanu Reeves voice.

The blog features some further discussion about a new siege system and a political map for the current version of Darkfall, but frankly we're still recovering from the previous paragraph and unsure as to how it all fits together. Is this Darkfall II? Is the current version going away when the relaunch hits? Inquiring minds want to know, and we'll bring you the latest on this story as we learn more.

Upcoming Darkfall relaunch is 'a new game' originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall possibly headed to Asian market

Jef Reahard — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, MMO industry, News items, Dev Diaries

Darkfall's brand of FFA PvP and sandbox-style fantasy elements may be headed to the Asian market, according to a new post on Aventurine's weekly dev blog. Tasos Flambouras reports that company staffers recently traveled to the Far East for discussions with "several of the Asian majors." What became of those discussions is still shrouded in secrecy, but Flambouras does hint at more news in this regard down the road.

"This will be good for the game overall since we'd be tapping into some vast development resources. Unfortunately I can't be more specific but there will be announcements when we can," he explains.

Today's Epic Blog entry also talks a bit about some new PvE dungeons in the works, and there are some interesting pieces of concept art as well as a screenshot or two of the new Cairn dungeon. Read all about it at the official Darkfall site.

Darkfall possibly headed to Asian market originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aventurine looking for feedback on Darkfall siege revamp

Jef Reahard — Fri, 20 May 2011 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Game mechanics, MMO industry, PvP, News items

Aventurine is in the process of revamping Darkfall's siege system, and the devs are in need of your assistance. A new entry at the Darkfall Epic Blog fills in the details, and perennial coolest dev name contest winner Tasos Flambouras has published a snippet of an internal design document in order to give players a better understanding of why some changes are necessary.

Flambouras lays out four key points of particular interest to Darkfall's devs, and interested players are invited to leave feedback via the blog's comment system. Topics up for discussion include minimum numbers of active clan players, win conditions, timer issues, and automatic vulnerability. Head to the official Darkfall blog to make your voice heard.

Aventurine looking for feedback on Darkfall siege revamp originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 May 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall siege revisions, dungeon reworking, and more

Matt Daniel — Fri, 06 May 2011 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, News items

Aventurine has posted its most recent Darkfall activity report, and it covers quite a bit of ground.

The first highlight is on the studio's worldbuilder team and its recent work remaking dungeons and clan cities and testing a new lighting system which should allow you to see yourself getting ganked in a brand-new light (rimshot).

The art team, meanwhile, has completed numerous new assets including some truly towering trees, flags and banners, and ruins. On top of this, Darkfall players will have some new enemies to slay in the form of newly created monsters like the Imp. To finish this off, players will soon be able to pretty up their characters with the addition of fabulous new hairstyles.

The key piece of information offered is about the new siege system, which has been entirely revamped and is ready for testing.

For the full onslaught of information on all this and more -- including interactive map changes, blood spatter behavior (oh boy!) and racial/capital quests -- head on over to the full piece on Darkfall's official site.

Darkfall siege revisions, dungeon reworking, and more originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 May 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aventurine discussing major prestige class revisions for Darkfall

Jef Reahard — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items

Aventurine is looking for your feedback on Darkfall, and while there's no official survey, there is a lengthy list of bullet points that the developers are debating internally -- as well as an ongoing discussion in the comments section of the Darkfall Epic Blog.

Topics include the possible implementation of lawless/lawful areas, clan vendors, capital city tower buffs (which would essentially turn Darkfall's starting areas into safe zones), and a recycling component for the game's crafting system.

Producer Tasos Flambouras also addresses some huge theoretical changes to the game in the form of the prestige class system. "We're working on an improved concept to prestige classes where players get to make 'class'-based selections which can lead to the ultimate specialization, especially combined with the right equipment. The philosophy behind this is that while the armor system limits, the new 'class' system extends a player's specialized powers to new levels. [These] are major changes to the game to say the least," Flambouras writes. Head to the Darkfall Epic Blog to make your voice heard.

Aventurine discussing major prestige class revisions for Darkfall originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall activity report highlights game-changing revamps, recent patch

Jef Reahard — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Dev Diaries

The March 31st patch was a big step for Darkfall, with everything from skill gain rates to the meditation system to the alignment and crafting systems on the receiving end of some developer love. Aventurine is just warming up, though, and the latest activity report illustrates what's next for sandbox PvP fans all over the world.

Work continues on racial area revamps; the Mirdain and Alfar sections of Agon are nearly complete. Aventurine's Tasos Flambouras also hints at some exciting PvE updates, including trap doors and various gameplay physics tweaks designed to delight Agonian dungeoneers. There's also a good bit of info on NPC and monster AI revamps and re-population, new player character and armor models, and a mention of new sound, lighting, and GUI systems, all of which are building toward the game-changing revamp that Aventurine has mentioned previously. Check out all the details on the Darkfall epic blog.

Darkfall activity report highlights game-changing revamps, recent patch originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall blog details PvE tweaks, hints at big PvP changes

Jef Reahard — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Contests, MMO industry, PvP, News items, PvE

Exciting things are afoot in the world of Agon, and Aventurine's weekly Darkfall activity report is here to fill you in on all the grisly details. Whether you're keen on seeing one of your personal weapon designs imported into the game or curious about the ongoing PvE and AI updates, this week's entry makes for interesting reading.

To kick things off, Aventurine's Tasos Flambouras gives us the low-down on grungrocs, and these gnarly boar-like bipeds are bent on ruining every adventurer's day. There's also talk of boss fight tweaks, and Flambouras writes that there are "significant changes" coming to high-end PvE content including damage cap adjustments, fight tuning, and loot table changes.

Darkfall's PvP is getting some love as well, and new land-based objectives (similar to the game's sea fortresses) are in the works. Flambouras also hints at a new "Arena" project and "a lot more we're doing with PvP" that will be revealed at a later date. Finally, all Darkfall accounts have been gifted with 25,000 meditation points (the game's offline leveling currency) to celebrate the title's second anniversary. Check out the full presentation on the Darkfall Epic Blog.

Darkfall blog details PvE tweaks, hints at big PvP changes originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall alignment changes incoming

Jef Reahard — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, News items, Dev Diaries

Alignment in Darkfall has long been a sore spot for the game's devoted playerbase. Aventurine's original implementation allowed for players to farm one another at will and basically offered no real penalty for doing so. According to a new activity report on the Darkfall Epic Blog, all that is about to change.

Aventurine's Tasos Flambouras states that "alignment changes are going in. Enough with killing other players, this won't improve your alignment any more." So just how does a bad Agonian man (or Mahirim) lose that negative alignment? The devs are implementing a new mechanic centered around Chaos Churches where players can "repent their negative alignment away."

Said churches are located in the game's neutral cities (i.e., those not aligned with any of the title's warring races). The activity report doesn't go into a whole lot of detail, but Tasos does indicate that there will be a spotlight feature dedicated to the new mechanic in the near future. Aside from alignment, this week's report also hints at fishing-related modifications, specifically those made to player ships to allow for scalable catches based on the safety of the waters, as well as additional protection against attacks from player swimmers. Finally, there's a bit more info about meditation tweaks and a mention of increased drop rates for books, scrolls, and attribute consumables.

Darkfall alignment changes incoming originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall dev diary talks new info interface, crafting skills, and meditation

Jef Reahard — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Patches, News items, Dev Diaries

A new Darkfall dev blog update has been sighted in the wild, and Aventurine is apparently hard at work on a number of Agonian fixes despite a case of the flu taking up residence in the company's office. Darkfall players can look forward to crafting skill gain adjustments in the next patch, and Aventurine is also aiming to get stats into the game's offline meditation system in the near future.

Darkfall's new info interface will debut in March, and Tasos Flambouras writes that it will "give you a detailed information overview having to do with a great many activities like politics, clan activities, vendor information, etc." Flambouras also mentions the ongoing work on the game's new UI, as well as upcoming lore-related events tied into the title's second anniversary (and a forthcoming website and forum revamp).

Be on the lookout for a full run-down regarding the new info interface in an upcoming dev diary, and check out all the other details at the Darkfall Epic Blog.

Darkfall dev diary talks new info interface, crafting skills, and meditation originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall activity report hints at game-changing expansion

Jef Reahard — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Patches, News items, Dev Diaries

It's been pretty quiet in Darkfall land since the first of the year, and whether that's because the devs have been hunting wabbits or hard at work on the game's next patch is a question that is addressed in the latest Aventurine activity report. There's a new patch in the works, tentatively scheduled for sometime next week, and it's bringing "significant changes" to the offline leveling system that was introduced late last year. How significant? For starters, additional skills will be available for meditation and the overall gains will see a substantial increase according to Aventurine's Tasos Flambouras.

Aside from the patch, the dev team continues to forge ahead with Darkfall's next expansion, and it is shaping up to be (quite literally) a world-changer. Flambouras outlines the team's high-level approach which "involves a complete overhaul and dramatic streamlining of the world and complete redistribution of all its features," as well as a "completely level playing field for all players." Details on these sweeping statements are vague at this point, but Darkfall will clearly be undergoing some huge changes when the expansion debuts in the second quarter of 2011.

Finally, the activity report touches on long-standing issues like the grind, character progression, endgame content, and the alignment system. If that's not enough for you, there's also a hint about a drop rate increase on books, scrolls, and stat potions, leading us to conclude that big things are afoot in the world of Agon. Stay tuned.

Darkfall activity report hints at game-changing expansion originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall offline skilling coming this week

Jef Reahard — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Patches, News items

Ready for offline skilling in Darkfall? Ready or not, it's on the way with this week's patch, according to Aventurine's latest activity report. In addition to the hotly debated advancement mechanic, the devs are also tweaking the sea fortress schedule and updating auto-stacking on equipped items.

The activity report, written by Aventurine's Tasos Flambouras, also makes mention of several important pieces of player feedback that the devs are working to address. Balance issues brought on by bunnyhoppers, one-man clans declaring war, and additional types of craftable ships are all on the internal discussion table. Flambouras also uses the activity report to clue us in to the importance of player feedback. "We're not talking about long-term hopes when we say we're looking into something or working on an issue. If we talk about it, there are developers assigned to it and community liaisons following up on progress," he writes.

Darkfall offline skilling coming this week originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall dev diary talks new UI, quest content, and more

Jef Reahard — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, News items, Dev Diaries

Aventurine's Tasos Flambouras returns with another activity report on the Darkfall Epic Blog, and the focus is fairly broad. He touches on the dynamic quests and lore-driven events we mentioned last week, as well as upcoming world optimizations that include aggressive wildlife based on location and time of day, new monster families and epic mob encounters, and improvements to both player character models and monster animations.

Those of you who haven't been able to get past Darkfall's unique user interface will also have reason to give the game a second look in the near future, as Flambouras states that Aventurine has decided on a new GUI framework and tools. "These should yield a vastly improved user interface. The next phase for the GUI is the architecture and adapting the current GUI functionality to the new framework," he says.

Other notable items include the mention of a completely new environmental sound system as well as an in-game political map which will feature clan associations, vendor and bank locations, and various other resources. Check out all the details on the official Darkfall blog.

Darkfall dev diary talks new UI, quest content, and more originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 21 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall highlights dev team tasks, PvP tips contest

Jef Reahard — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Contests, PvP, News items

Are you curious about Darkfall but put off by the fact that the open-world sandbox title focuses on PvP? Fear not, as Aventurine is taking steps to make the world of Agon more accessible to a wider range of players. In addition to the recent PvE-focused Hellfreeze expansion, the Greek development firm is also sponsoring a contest designed to impart veteran PvP wisdom to newer players. If you've got PvP tips you don't mind sharing, submit them in the comment section of the contest blog post, and you could be one of five winners who will receive rare in-game ingots and an exclusive forum title.

In other Darkfall news, Tasos Flambouras has given us a peek behind the curtain of the game's development schedule, courtesy of another blog post that outlines both the team work groups and their respective responsibilities over the next few weeks. Aventurine's staffers are currently split into 11 teams, all working to grow the game in terms of UI updates, server tools, offline skilling, and various other game mechanics. Flambouras' posting is an interesting look at a Scrum-based software development cycle, and you can check it out on the official website.

Darkfall highlights dev team tasks, PvP tips contest originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Nov 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall prepping offline skill advancement

Jef Reahard — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Game mechanics, News items

Tired of the lengthy skill-grind in Darkfall, as well as the perception that it will take newer players many months to be competitive with veterans? Aventurine has heard your concerns and is currently in the process of implementing a form of offline skill advancement for the PvP sandbox MMORPG.

In a recent activity report on the Darkfall forums, developer Tasos Flambouras clarified the plans for offline advancement and was quick to point out that Aventurine doesn't intend for the mechanic to be used as a substitute for skilling up. "We're not looking to upset the game's balance by adding a convenience feature and this is why I mentioned there's a lot of thought and balancing going into this. So on offline skilling, we'll start with a small amount of skills and gradually expand it, and obviously many skills won't be included," he writes.

Offline skilling is nothing new in MMORPGs, as EVE Online has used the system for years, and even themepark games like Age of Conan have gotten into the act. Whether Darkfall implements a similar system or tries something completely new, Massively will be there to bring you the latest.

Darkfall prepping offline skill advancement originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 31 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aventurine squelches Darkfall 2 rumors, for now

Jef Reahard — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, MMO industry, News items

Darkfall news has been flowing fast and furious of late. Whether it's info on the newly minted Hellfreeze expansion and its patches, upcoming character model upgrades, or new lore, it seems like the little Greek MMO that could is gathering a head of steam.

One bit of news that got blown slightly out of proportion was a reported mention of Darkfall 2. Aventurine's Tasos Flambouras briefly mentioned Darkfall 2 at a recent event, and some fans took that to mean the company was already working on a sequel to the sandbox MMORPG. In reality, Flambouras was speaking of reusable assets and the fact that the development firm is "keeping the future of Darkfall in mind while we work on this version of the game. It doesn't mean that we're working on a new game."

In a post on the official forums, Flambouras reiterates that Aventurine's devs are not currently making a Darkfall sequel, and even if they were, "it would take years to complete and we would not stop full development of Darkfall 1."

Aventurine squelches Darkfall 2 rumors, for now originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aventurine expanding Darkfall, development team

Jef Reahard — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Expansions, News items

As much as many in the MMO community love to hate on Darkfall, the game soldiers on, and if recent reports coming out of Aventurine are any indication, it's actually growing a little bit. Producer Tasos Flambouras recently posted a lengthy development update on the game's official forums. In it, he discusses the ongoing server issues before moving on to more interesting news bits like the upcoming expansion, lore updates, and tweaks to various smaller aspects of the game's operation such as the online help and download sections of the website.

Aventurine's main task these last few weeks has been polishing the new expansion, and Flambouras has lots to say on the matter. The team has redesigned many of the new dungeons, added new quests, monsters, and rewards, and continued working on terrain improvements. "I have to repeat what a monumental task this has been: the entire world has been repainted, all textures have been redone from scratch, there are no texture seams anymore or stretching," Flambouras writes.

Finally, Aventurine looks to be expanding not just the world of Agon but the team constructing it. In addition to welcoming back a former member of the world-building team, Aventurine has hired two new programmers and one designer, and is currently interviewing more programmers in order to bring its future Darkfall plans to fruition.

Aventurine expanding Darkfall, development team originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall expansion delayed, treasure hunting in the works

Jef Reahard — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Expansions, News items

Lots of stuff is going on in the world of Agon, and the weekend brought us a double-shot of news updates, one good and one not so good. Aventurine's Tasos Flambouras recently checked in on the official boards to announce a delay on the upcoming expansion. The delay appears to be primarily performance-related. "The expansion is forced back a short while longer, we hope no longer than a couple of weeks, in order to get the performance right, and everything in the expansion working properly and tested thoroughly so there's no repeat of the last setback with the terrain feature," he wrote. Aventurine has also been having trouble with its network service provider, and the post provides a few details along those lines as well.

Now for the good news: treasure hunting is coming to Darkfall, courtesy of the aforementioned expansion. Players will be able to acquire map-reading skills from NPCs, make their own shovels to unearth various objects, and use treasure map hints to determine appropriate dig locations. "We are already planning on expanding this system, which means you can expect additional treasure hunt features being added on top of the one we talked about today," writes Aventurine's Laenih on the Darkfall forums.

Darkfall expansion delayed, treasure hunting in the works originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall EU server latency issues to be corrected

Jef Reahard — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, MMO industry, News items

Denizens of Darkfall's European shard have been subjected to a rough ride of late, and not just from the title's relentless PvP action. Due to a Storage Area Network hardware failure at Aventurine's third-party hosting center, players have seen high amounts of latency over the last week.

The bad news is that Aventurine doesn't have a specific timetable for correcting the problem. The good news is that the company is currently working on it, as well as prepping for future hardware upgrades. "Performance is an extremely serious issue with us and we're constantly working on improvements. Apart from dealing with this specific issue, we are currently working on major performance upgrades for both servers to be added during the upcoming expansion," says Darkfall's Tasos Flambouras on the game's official forums.

Darkfall EU server latency issues to be corrected originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall community Q&A follow-up offers more details

Jef Reahard — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Interviews, News items

Aventurine's Tasos Flamboras has donned his flame-retardant gear and ventured into the eternally blazing forest that is the Darkfall forums in an attempt to douse the fires raging after the publication of a lengthy Q&A session earlier this week. Put together by noted Darkfall blogger Paragus, the community-generated question list was initially answered by a three-man team that included Flambouras as well as developers Claus Grovdal and Kjetil Helland. Controversy erupted when community members balked at the perceived evasiveness of the answers.

"When we say that we're looking into something, or considering, or have plans for, it doesn't mean that we're being evasive or diplomatic in our answers. If that was our intention, we simply wouldn't answer. It means that we're trying to give you actual insight or confirmation on what we can't go into detail about," Flambouras says. He goes on to briefly outline Aventurine's information-revealing methodology before expounding on a few of the answers from the Q&A as well as new tidbits like armor dyes, significant improvements to crafting, a completely redesigned UI, and of course the prestige class system. "Prestige classes are the largest feature ever added to Darkfall and will definitely change the face of the game," Flambouras states.

Darkfall community Q&A follow-up offers more details originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall community Q&A hints at massive game expansion

Jef Reahard — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Interviews, News items

Its been quite awhile since Aventurine first sat down for a community-based question and answer session with noted Darkfall blogger Paragus. Today, he brings us part two of the lengthy interview, which features a whopping 57 questions generated by Darkfall players. As you would expect, some of the answers are short and fluffy, but many are quite informative as to the future of the PvP sandbox title.

Stashed away inside the deluge of queries are a few gems about upcoming content, including mention of the cryptically titled Darkfall 2010 project. "[It] comes after the next expansion and is a much bigger proposition. Darkfall 2010 is our internal code name for this project. Our intent is to have it complete within the year, but we can't rule out that it will take longer than that. We've been working on this for quite a while, it's parallel development to Darkfall and almost as big a project as making a new game," Aventurine says.

Aside from that teaser, there is also talk of prestige classes, performance improvements, and the long-awaited four-legged running feature for the mahirim race. Sadly, it seems as if this particular fan wish isn't going to be granted anytime soon, despite the assets already existing in the live game. "Our main problem is that it is an unbalancing factor," says Aventurine.

Darkfall community Q&A hints at massive game expansion originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall PvE expansion delayed

Jef Reahard — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Expansions, News items, PvE

Say what you will about Aventurine and its PvP-centric MMORPG known as Darkfall, but one thing you can't say is that it doesn't communicate with its player base, even when the news is less than stellar. Lead developer Tasos Flambouras checked in on the official forums today with an update on the game's forthcoming expansion. The news is, shall we say, disappointing.

It seems the new world-terrain system is the monkey in the wrench of the PvE-focused expansion, and it has introduced a fair bit of instability into the updated client. With six months of work already invested in the expansion, much of it going towards sorely needed tweaks like dungeon and monster revamps, Aventurine is taking a cautious approach and sticking with the "not until it's ready" mantra.

Continue reading Darkfall PvE expansion delayed

Darkfall PvE expansion delayed originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aventurine: MMORPGs are not casual games

Jef Reahard — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Interviews, PvP, News items

Aventurine, the indie developers behind the free-for-all PvP sandbox known as Darkfall, recently sat down with Rock, Paper Shotgun for a revealing question and answer session. Lending their voices to the discussion were lead developer Tasos Flambouras and RPS' Kieron Gillen. The interview touches on everything from the game's new 14-day trial, to the extensive changes since launch, to changes in the MMORPG genre.

"It's pretty amazing to us how little the MMO genre has changed over time. It seems to be the same successful basic recipe with little variation. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good games, but they don't really bring many new things to the table. Everyone wanted to make the Everquest killer and now they want to make the World of Warcraft killer. To do that they probably have to make a variation on the theme rather than innovate and dare to be different," Flambouras says.

He also comments on the unique nature of MMORPGs as well as the ideal Darkfall player. "When you play any MMOG, you're making an investment, these are not casual games and they continuously evolve," he says.

Check out the full interview at Rock, Paper Shotgun.

Aventurine: MMORPGs are not casual games originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall overcomes patch delays, adjusts splash damage

Jef Reahard — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Patches, News items

After a brief delay, Darkfall's latest patch is upon us; to compensate, Aventurine released their rather hefty patch notes ahead of time while they polished a few last minute details, so we got a quick look in advance of the launch. Tasos Flambouras checked in on the official forums with the details as well as an explanation for the original delay.

"Unfortunately we are forced to hold back the patch for an extra day of testing due to some possible last minute issues. We apologize for yet another delay to this patch, it's frustrating to us as well, but we had to give it some more attention. The new infrastructure we've implemented will help us avoid such delays in the future," he writes.

Among the tweaks now live are a few instant cast spells, adjustments to splash damage, and clan city wildlife additions. Check out the full list on the official forums!

Darkfall overcomes patch delays, adjusts splash damage originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aventurine announces Darkfall price cut

Jef Reahard — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, News items

Aventurine's Tasos Flambouras has surfaced on the Darkfall official forums, and the outspoken developer bears great news for fans of the sandbox-style PvP MMORPG. The game client has seen a price reduction to $29.95 USD (29,95 Euro), as the Greek gaming company prepares to launch Darkfall in various retail establishments.

Additionally, Aventurine has done its European fans a favor by eating the cost of the nasty VAT tax. "This price reduction is part of the preparations for Darkfall's inclusion in online shops and retail outlets. The 29,95 pricing includes VAT which our company has decided to absorb in the case of EU players," Flambouras writes.

Check out the full post on the Darkfall forums, as well as the trial client specific to your region.

[Thanks to Paragus for the tip.]

Aventurine announces Darkfall price cut originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aventurine offers 14-day Darkfall free trial

Jef Reahard — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, PvP, News items

Aventurine has officially announced a 14-day free trial for their PvP-centric fantasy MMORPG known as Darkfall. Lead developer Tasos Flambouras brings us the good news via the game's forums.

"After our experience with the 1 euro/dollar trial and after several further improvements we feel that we're ready to offer a free trial which won't disrupt the current user experience and will help with making the game available to a larger playerbase and getting new players into the game," he writes. He goes on to state that North American and European customers will receive priority handling in the event of overcrowding.

You can check out the European trial client or the American trial client to get started.

[Thanks to everyone who let us know!]

Aventurine offers 14-day Darkfall free trial originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Jun 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall's Tasos addresses player feedback

Jef Reahard — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, PvP, News items, PvE

Players often complain that development teams rarely address their feedback, or even listen at all. Aventurine's Tasos does both in a lengthy post over on the official Darkfall forums. He touches on a number of planned improvements for the PvP-focused fantasy MMORPG, including faster skill progression, diminishing stat returns, and improvements to the game's PvE options.

"We agree that skill progression needs to be made more interesting, that special quests need to be introduced; unique mobs, unique items and many of your suggestions in this area are being looked at already. Furthermore as we mentioned, quests and dungeons are being revamped, the entire system is being made as to connect the dots and give more meaning to adventuring in the game," Tasos says.

Check out the post and as well as player response at the Darkfall official forums.

Darkfall's Tasos addresses player feedback originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall ropes players back in with free gametime

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall

Do you hear that? That faint yet alluring noise drifting over the MMO plains? 'Tis the siren song of the free gametime, my child. It twists and turns with the wind, seeking out every nook and cranny where a potential player may be hidden. Few can escape its call, but then again, why would they want to?

Over on the Darkfall forums comes the announcement of a Return to Darkfall campaign aimed at previous players. If you were a Darkfall player before April 2010, Adventurine wants to invite you back for a two-week free play session. North American players also have the option to transfer to the NA server for free during this period. Adventurine is directing NA players to sign back up here, and EU players to head over there.

The 14-day free play offer will end on May 31st, so if you tasted of the fruits of Darkfall in the past and want to see if it's sweeter today, now is the time to hop back on board!

[Thanks Billy!]

Darkfall ropes players back in with free gametime originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eurogamer finally posts Darkfall re-review, game now 4/10

Lesley Smith — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, MMO industry, Reviews, News items

Hands up who remembers the Darkfall/Eurogamer scuffle about a certain low score? If you didn't and just to recap: reviewer Ed Zitron gave the game 2/10 and dev Tasos let forth his unhappiness with a vengeance. He accused Zitron of only having played the game for a few hours, most of which were spent designing characters or screenshotting. Eurogamer's editor-in-chief, Tom Bramwell, then promised to re-review the game, this time entrusting journalist Kieron Gillen with what had to be a very unenviable task.

I admit to taking a personal interest in this since the story broke; like many other British games journalists I've done a stint writing reviews for Eurogamer and I know both Ed and Kieron both professionally and personally. Indeed within the British games industry, Kieron Gillen is something of a minor celebrity whose opinion is trusted and respected.

Continue reading Eurogamer finally posts Darkfall re-review, game now 4/10

Eurogamer finally posts Darkfall re-review, game now 4/10 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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American server and free expansion coming to Darkfall early July

William Dobson — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Expansions, Forums, Launches, Patches, News items

Tasos Flambouras of Darkfall has posted details on the game's forums of some big events that are just around the corner. The US server launch has been scheduled for the 7th of July, but as we learned previously, players from the European server won't be able to transfer their characters over straight away:

"Characters from the European server can be cloned and moved without their possessions 3 months after the American launch. Certain restrictions and charges will apply, to be announced at a later date."

The only way to play on the US server from launch is to buy the American Darkfall client. Tasos later added that American players currently on the European server would not need to buy the new client in order to transfer over when the time comes, to help the US early adopters -- any others jumping ship will need to purchase the US version of the game.

In addition to this, during the first week of July players can expect a free expansion to roll out, which will include new content and updates to PvE and PvP. A new website is also in the works, with forums that the public will be able to read, but only Darkfall subscribers will be able to post to.

[Via MMORPG]

American server and free expansion coming to Darkfall early July originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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