Hi,

In today’s developer diary presented by our designer, Tork Shaw,
we’re happy to present to you the Darkfall Unholy Wars interface, one of
the largest single projects in this game’s development cycle. Tork has
also written up a developer diary entry which you can read after the
video below. Please watch it in HD:
Today I will be outlining a couple of the features touched on briefly
in the GUI developer diary. These are fundamental systems that drive
and dictate gameplay in Darkfall Unholy Wars, both from a personal and a
clan perspective. The feat system eliminates the repetitive and
railroad approach of many MMOs to questing and single player character
development. The player and clan point systems encourage constructive
play, and discourage griefing and picking on new players. Together these
systems greatly improve the experience of players of all levels, in
what could otherwise be an unforgiving world.

The Feat System is part achievement system and part dynamic quest
tool. Feats are acts of bravery, skill, exploration, or development:
anything from slaying a host of kobolds, to visiting all the cities of
Agon, to crafting exquisite items. This gives you a huge range of
activities by which to develop your character and earn player points.
Instead of sending you on random, meaningless quests to collect a
basketful of apples, the feat system dynamically challenges you to
complete tasks based on your player points, your location, and your
chosen play style. PvP players need never venture into PvE dungeons to
advance, and crafters can complete only crafting feats, gathering player
points as successfully as those who take to the wilderness with a
sharpened blade, looking for trouble. Feats suggested to you will always
be challenging for a player of your experience, filtered by your
preferences, and relevant to your location. This allows you to travel
Agon sniffing out opportunities, rather than be at the beck and call of
some city-dwelling quest giver.

Player Points are a personal currency earned as you develop your
character in Darkfall Unholy Wars. Points are spent on various game
features but unlike, for example, gold, points are earned by actually
playing the game; killing mobs, completing quests, participating in PVP,
crafting, completing feats, and succeeding at the myriad tasks you can
perform in Unholy Wars. Player points cannot be traded or bought – they
must be earned by participating in a meaningful way in the Darkfall
world. The more challenges you seek the more player points you
earn. However there are diminishing returns which means it is never
valuable for you to try and farm these points from easy mobs, or by
victimizing new players. The more challenges you seek the more
player points you earn, and diminishing returns mean it is never
valuable for you to try and farm these points from easy mobs, or by
victimizing new players. Points you earn are then used to purchase new
skills, new boosters, and other game features that flesh out your
character and his abilities. In addition, every player point you gain
also grants clan points to your clan.

Clan points operate in a similar way, and are earned by clan members
as they earn player points. They can also be earned by successful clan
excursions, capturing holdings, and clan warfare. Clans points are used
to boost your clan’s prowess, and are required to initiate clan
challenges. Clans will need to recruit active players who can win them
more points by engaging in meaningful play, in and out of combat. New
players earn player points and therefore clan points faster, making
active recruiting and fostering new players an important part of
maintaining a clan.

Thanks for reading. See you in game!

Tork Shaw, Coordinating Designer.