Expansion to launch on Thursday [NEW: 12/2]

[Deja]

Darkfall’s “Conquer the Seas” Expansion will launch on Thursday December 3d. There could be up to 24 hours downtime but any missed play-time will be refunded to all Darkfall players. The downtime is necessary for the application of the patch and the last minute live testing to ensure that all systems are functioning as they should be. This is a massive expansion and there are major changes to many systems in the game.

Aventurine is moving to larger offices this weekend. The specific timing for this had to be moved up to this specific weekend for technical reasons having to do with the transfer of our internet services. Our downtime will be minimal and support and all other game services will continue as usual. To avoid any potential issues with supporting the new expansion, we’ve chosen to wait a few days and launch it after the move is complete and everything is up and running again.

http://forums.darkfallonline.com/sho...d.php?t=222758



Here's a list of all the details that have been released regarding this upcoming expansion:
Expansion Spotlight - Earth Magic Animation Changes [new]
Expansion Spotlight - Hamlet and Player City Tower Changes
Expansion Spotlight - Barbers
Expansion Spotlight - Siege Mechanics
Expansion Spotlight - Ship Changes and Additions
Expansion Spotlight - Slot Machines
Expansion Spotlight - New Skills and Abilities
Expansion Spotlight - AI Changes and Additions
Expansion Spotlight - Player Vendors and a New House Type
Expansion Spotlight - Local Banking
Expansion Spotlight - Racial Abilities, Combat and Crafting Changes

[Deja]

Re: Expansion to launch on Thursday

Here's the latest spotlight just posted today:

As Conquer the Seas is just around the corner we thought we would squeeze some more information from our ever-enterprising devs. Today we are able to shed some light on our up-coming Barber feature!

Various NPC's around Agon will now offer Barber-shop services through a new tab in their dialogue window. This service will allow you to clip, trim and accessorize your character with new looks and bling for a reasonable price in gold. To begin with, the feature will only offer the existing styles for a player to re-customize. However, this is only the first step and there are plans to implement many new looks, styles and features in the not to distant future, including ones that will not be available through the original character creation.

So if you regret not adding that nose-ring. Rue the day you forewent the bone through your eye-brow? Visit your local NPC with mystical barber powers and give yourself that extreme make-over!

http://forums.darkfallonline.com/sho...d.php?t=223111


lol

[Donkish]

Re: Expansion to launch on Thursday

I'm going to dye my black man hair white!

-Donk

[Deja]

Re: Expansion to launch on Thursday

The Developers have been taking player feedback to heart, specially when it comes to problems with world-building linked to cities and/or hamlets.

One major player concern was that many cities had walls which were easily bypassed without any active effort. Wall placement, canon placement and other structure problems have been therefore reevaluated and corrected. Active attempts to climb walls or use spells to get over walls are still considered game mechanics and/or smart use of skills.

Wall Cannon placement has also been adjusted in various places.

Additionally, the community expressed the concerns of hamlets being too vulnerable. Therefore hamlets have gotten their own, smaller, versions of guard towers. Players owning a hamlet may find a bit of comfort in the knowledge of having this added feature.

In order to balance the changes to cannon damage, the guard towers have also undergone upgrading and will dish out more damage along with the added feature that they can also lead to critical hits.

You better dress warm and come prepared if you plan on attacking some supposedly weak pray from now on!

http://forums.darkfallonline.com/sho...d.php?t=223249



I think adding towers to hamlets is a great idea, their defense was non-existent in some cases and in others it was mediocre at best. Fixing the walls on some cities is also a good update, glad to see they got around to fixing that kind of stuff before too long.

As for the increased damage, I really do prefer to current version of guard towers that act more like "enemy location spotters" but the current damage on a developed character is like a mosquito buzzing around. As long as they don't change the ability to break line of sight with the towers then it wont be that bad. I'm sure the damage increase will still be enough to allow for the attacker to heal through, it will just take a little more effort than currently.

[Jackal]

Re: Expansion to launch on Thursday [NEW: 12/1]

The guard tower thing concerns me. Fixing them so you can consistantly break LOS would be helpful to balance them.

[Deja]

Re: Expansion to launch on Thursday [NEW: 12/1]

The guard tower thing concerns me. Fixing them so you can consistantly break LOS would be helpful to balance them.

You can break LoS on player city towers

[Jackal]

Re: Expansion to launch on Thursday [NEW: 12/1]

It's pretty buggy

[Deja]

Re: Expansion to launch on Thursday [NEW: 12/1]

With the waves of Conquer the Seas looming ever closer and ready to crash through our screens, we've been doing our best to milk our devs for as much info as possible to wet your appetites while we wait. Thus far we have brought you some details on the changes to mechanics, features both old and completely new, and game-play. Today we cornered one of our artists and did our best to force some information from their paws.

Our humble artist/developer confessed that he has been diligently working to upgrade the looks of much of the magic you so happily use to destroy and disfigure your enemies. With Conquer the Seas, you will see Earth Magic mightily revamped. Blood gorged spikes erupt from your foe's feet with Impale, fiery, burning, rocks rain down with Meteor Strike, the essence of a mighty, roaring bear will summon in your casting of Brawn and much more!

We've included a small video here to show you some examples of our pumped up Earth Magic.
All the schools of magic will be seeing visual revamps however. Earth Magic is simply the one that will be coming with Conquer the Seas, with the rest of the schools hot on it's heels.

Magic is not the only aspect to receive some visual lovin' however. Keep an eye out for idle animations, new tombstones, blood splatter with extra helpings of gore and much more!

http://forums.darkfallonline.com/sho...d.php?t=223385

[youtube:2kgps90h]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l370xBsch2E[/youtube:2kgps90h]
[click here for HQ]




Not only am I stoked on the new spell animations but I'm so happy that they've changed they thick-orange swirl casting animation to a thinner green one. I really hope it doesn't block my view as much as the current animation.