[Yemil]

I haven't played DA in a very long time and have no accounts left. I've been kinda nostalgic about it lately and wanted to try playing again. Is it possible to start over and catch up with everyone else in a decent amount of time these daysor should I not even bother?

[Bena]

You just need to use clover+starfish and you are pretty much ready to master, given that you have some con/wis. :<

[Yemil]

What's that? Keep in mind the last time i played being AB 11 and getting cool armor was the big accomplisment..

[Drood]

i just started over 12 days ago, i subbed mastered went medinia path ab 13, Saturday i will be ab23 and im maxed now, tonight's the first night i get to work on my bases.

[SilentHawk]

Unless you have some serious dedication, all I can say is "good luck." This is one of the few games out there I've played where starting over and trying to catch up to everyone else is a ridiculous feat.

[Kakarott]

Yeah, Silenthawk is right. Aside from the game being very difficult to play by yourself, the community is not exactly welcoming to new/returning players.
You'll constantly be suspected of being someone else, and until you're "somebody", you'll be treated like garbage.

Dark Ages isn't what it used to be, and hasn't been for a long time now - since long before I quit.
I'll be the first to admit that I was one of those who created that atmosphere of poison, too. I'm not proud of it, and I wish it were different, but you can't change the past.

[Nigma]

Clover/Starfish combo will net you about 100mil exp and boost you to level 80ish?

If you go this route use a clover, then add your base wis/con needed to master with the stats gained, then use Starfish... you will have to spend a good amount of time in the dojo to level your skills.

At that point you can either - Grind BNC dust storms if you are a basher and do the related quests once a week. They give 85k exp each dust storm and the quests are a solid 6mil exp. the creatures are summoned as you walk around the map (so unless you keep walking around you won't be surrounded) and easily soloable by a basher class.

For casters its slightly more difficult but you can make friends with a gladiator/druid and do rounds in Cr10 for exp, they can solo bash with either fas or a cradh - either of which you should make sure you have as a caster.

If you don't use the clover/starfish route you can level up easily - albeit slowly.
Doing terror quest every 12 hours or whenever you can is an easy instant level till about level 50. You can also do BNC quests (weekly) explore deadwood/deadwood creatures, poison antidote etc. (consult http://da-wizard.com/quests.html) at level 50 another quest opens up in BNC - Beast of deadwood.
Karlopos hunting/quest will easily get you into the 60's at which point you can get into some Cr10 hunts with a gladiator/druid (see above), or into the 70's putting you into the BNC quest range (like above)

The hardest i think will be making friends, as most people are either afk, hunting, or don't feel like doing anything (and just chatting like a $10 IRC)

However, once you do make friends, its a somewhat enjoyable experience.

Just don't expect to be 5manning EW 18 like the good old days.

Also, unless you have patientce, money or gold, dont bother making a monk - hubae suck and there isn't enough new monks to help you even get to blue dugon.

This post has been edited by Nigma: 13 March 2012 - 02:02 PM

[Bena]

Kakarott, on 13 March 2012 - 01:48 PM, said:

Yeah, Silenthawk is right. Aside from the game being very difficult to play by yourself, the community is not exactly welcoming to new/returning players.
You'll constantly be suspected of being someone else, and until you're "somebody", you'll be treated like garbage.

Dark Ages isn't what it used to be, and hasn't been for a long time now - since long before I quit.
I'll be the first to admit that I was one of those who created that atmosphere of poison, too. I'm not proud of it, and I wish it were different, but you can't change the past.

We can't change the past, but we can change the future. Or try to, at least.

[Yemil]

Well that's disappointing. I thought it would be fun to play for a bit but starting over knowing noone seems impossible.

[Yemil]

Anyone here that's still experienced with the game and has established characters willing to take me under their wing? Help me star over again? Just PM me if you're interested...

This post has been edited by Yemil: 18 April 2012 - 04:32 PM

[Freq]

I subbed a priest to monk and master and almost GM in under 2 weeks. My recommendation is pick a good class that can go pure(wizard is a great choice) and have a little determination. If you can find clovers and starfish you should level quickly-I know it seems like hell and with almost nobody on 1-99 is the worst experience ever. However-make a few friends that can give you small hand outs and be patient and it will pay off in a month or two. :)

[Skorpse]

I thought clovers/starfishes gave nurrzty experience now, last time I used one on a low level character (first use), it got me to level 20 or around there.

[Ishikawa]

Hey Yemil, if you see me on (unlikely, since GMs don't show up on the world list, but try to whisper randomly), I'll give you a starfish, clover and some gold to get you started.

[Kakarott]

And if you ever see me on (which is not just unlikely, but impossible, since I don't play anymore), whisper ME, and I'll send you a bit of BC's finest export - you'll need it in order to derive anything meaningful from this game, and I mean that in all seriousness.

[Skorpse]

Sadly, I agree with ^

The game is extremely boring now without being drunk and/or high. It's worse than most Korean MMORPG Grindfests.

[Burhgess]

say something new pls

[Freq]

If you enjoy something, do it. I played swtor, aion, etc and they all feel bland and copied. If some people are bitter and would want to run miles away let them. Honestly one month for $10 ... Less than one drink at the club for me :)

[~Roane~]

Burhgess, on 19 April 2012 - 05:55 PM, said:

say something new pls

Leblake: Red!

[Burhgess]

oy! keep a low profileee boooiii

[Mayz]

Kakarott, on 18 April 2012 - 11:14 PM, said:

And if you ever see me on (which is not just unlikely, but impossible, since I don't play anymore), whisper ME, and I'll send you a bit of BC's finest export - you'll need it in order to derive anything meaningful from this game, and I mean that in all seriousness.

Should just send it to me anyways.

[Elenee]

Hi-jacking this thread as well, since I dont' really want to make a new one on the same topic.

Like the OP, I decided to install Dark Ages due to a bit of nostalgia. The last time I played however, was around Deoch 15 where even getting to the stage whereby you could Ascend was a big accomplishment. Needless to say my memory about this game is more than a little fuzzy and I might as well call myself a total newbie with regards the other additions that have accumulated over the years. This is why, If it isn't too much trouble, I hope you guys can humour me with a few questions

1) I've seen a lot of talk about "Starfish" and "Clovers" that seem to give a big exp boost to players. From what I gather, these were available during the March events and are unavailable now (other than through other players?). Does this mean that there's practically nobody from about levels 1-90ish or so? If so, does that mean I'm kinda stuck with a solo grind for levels (I'm guessing DA's still pretty much unsoloable for most part)?

2) The above posts make it seem as if the community in general is rather hostile to new players, and considering my situation, it makes me a little edgy about getting back to play. Still, are there any social guilds that you know of that would accept in and help a new player? Or player mentors?

3) What exactly differentiates a registered from an unregistered account? From what I could tell, an unregistered account is unable to participate in politics and religion, but do the limitations include restrictions on quests and skills (e.g. picking up Herbal Lore or a Craft skill)... or anything else for that matter? If there are limitations on skills acquired, would e.g. the account becoming non-registered after a month render these skills unusable?

4) What's the average server population? I logged in around noon EU time and there were barely 50 players or so, I'm guessing the number's a lot higher when the US players wake?

Many thanks for your time and best regards,
E

[Strife]

To answer your questions:
1. Yes, Starfish/Clovers are only available from other players now. You can expect a starfish to cost around 500k ea.
Using the starfish will give you 50mil, enough to bump you to level 63 from level 3.
They've recently fixed the lucky clovers so that the exp it gives scales with your level. (it used to give 50mil like the starfish) Now it only gives enough exp to bump you up a few levels (4 at max iirc).
And... there's barely any level 1-99s. Most online people are post-Master.

2. No idea.

3. Unregistered accounts can do almost everything up to level 99. Most of the crafts like gem-polishing still require active registration.
There is two crafts that I know of that doesn't require an active registration: Herbalism and Religion (praying only though; you need to be regged before to join a religion but you can pray/supplicate after unregged).
The Sapphire Stream is completely off-limits to unregged, so those Monk dugon skills are obviously unobtainable as an unreg.
Imo, a warrior can do the most out of the game unregged. The warrior training ground is acessable when you're unregged, so you can get most if not all of your skills.

4. Player population peaks at 200.

Truth be told, the game's funness peaks at the period from 1-99. After Master and especially Medenia, it's maximum grind for minimum gain.

This post has been edited by Strife: 24 April 2012 - 10:18 AM

[Ishikawa]

Strife, on 24 April 2012 - 11:14 AM, said:

4. Player population peaks at 200.

What time of day are you logging on? I frequently see it 260-300ish.

[Strife]

Ishikawa, on 24 April 2012 - 07:26 PM, said:

What time of day are you logging on? I frequently see it 260-300ish.

Around 3pm-10pm PST, and I see it usually in the 190s.

[Skorpse]

Same as ^

I haven't seen 250+ since Xmas.

[Burhgess]

Ishikawa, on 24 April 2012 - 06:26 PM, said:

What time of day are you logging on? I frequently see it 260-300ish.

you playing the same game?

[Drood]

I made a war/rogue and have now reached ab 42 40/70, im on my 3rd reg code now. and im having a blast. Its going really fast. I just made it to the point where i can hunt 700m a hour 3man with vday gifts mind you. Hunting the ab is what kills me. I rather be doing exp but i need that dmg yo.

box groups are a bitch to get in, but thankfully i have 2 stoner friends, a Riest and Pure summoner do 3man Chaduls realm with me almost every single night. Put on some pandora, smoke some weed, and just make that exp, usually 6 hours a night or so. We run for 2 dia aites.

This post has been edited by Drood: 25 April 2012 - 12:11 AM

[Stryke]

Actually, as of the last couple weeks, the game is in a pretty huge boom. Content is being updated like crazy, Joeker is listening to people's ideas and implementing them, the leveling experience is getting easier, and I think it will only get better. In other words, the game is receiving a gigantic makeover. From what I see, it went from 100 people max on during the slowest hours, to over 240 at 4 a.m. last night, central time. People are reregging, including myself, like crazy right now due to the threat of purge, and people are starting over because of how much easier the progression is. In other words, back in the day, I started from scratch and took many many months to hit 99 and start by sub, then more months to master, then what seemed like a year to max, with help from friends. Now, all this can be done in a couple of days. I'm seeing life pump vigorously back into the game, and it's very exciting to be a part of it. I smell a revival on the horizon, now is the time to start playing again, even if it is from scratch.

[Nalea]

Hello all.... I too just reregged after many years... I started playing in 1999... left and came back around 2006 (had my Char restored) and then left a short time after.... I am not coming back and attempting to get my character back, but no word on that yet.... However, in the mean time I have started over with a little Priesty. Its a slow go as the above threads are correct saying its a different world. So far there has only been two people that have even said a word to me over the last two weeks. I have managed to get my self to level 9 on my own, just by good old hunting solo and doing quests... But am contacting a few people I used to play with that are going to either come back or help out. This is one of those games thats like Atari lol. You get bored and then after a break feel like hey, I wanna play that again... lol. You can never get away. hahaha. Anyway, if anyone would like to help me out Im under Nathia. Its been a long time for me, so I have to remember a lot of things. but I have the basics down. :)

[Freq]

Nalea, on 28 April 2012 - 12:08 AM, said:

Hello all.... I too just reregged after many years... I started playing in 1999... left and came back around 2006 (had my Char restored) and then left a short time after.... I am not coming back and attempting to get my character back, but no word on that yet.... However, in the mean time I have started over with a little Priesty. Its a slow go as the above threads are correct saying its a different world. So far there has only been two people that have even said a word to me over the last two weeks. I have managed to get my self to level 9 on my own, just by good old hunting solo and doing quests... But am contacting a few people I used to play with that are going to either come back or help out. This is one of those games thats like Atari lol. You get bored and then after a break feel like hey, I wanna play that again... lol. You can never get away. hahaha. Anyway, if anyone would like to help me out Im under Nathia. Its been a long time for me, so I have to remember a lot of things. but I have the basics down. :)

Priest is a poor choice, considering that unless you have a dedicated leveling partner you will be stuck hardcore...and don't get me started on the gems. Rogues are such a pain to deal with, I was exceptionally lucky to find a few nice people but I still dropped over 6m on gems for spells. If I hadn't found those people I was looking at over 15m for the gems. That could have been me getting ripped off but he point is - pick a class not so dependent on others. Imo rogue, warr, or wizard are much more logical choices as depending how you build it and get a clover and gsf you can play a bit more casually and still find your way to master without much reliance on others. Subpathing from these also makes you very versatile in your new path depending on what you want to play if you won't go pure.

I know firsthand how frustrating it can be as people even in your guild ignore you. Many people use this game as an avatar pravat cab chatroom too. Keep looking and if you find me in game I will try and give anyone help :)