The New Era · PvP
The fight
Ground worth holding. Losses worth avoiding. Combat that rewards the hands on the keys.
Design goals
What we are building toward
- Goal
Territory that matters
Towns, lifestones and hunting grounds worth holding, with the holder there for all to see.
Darktide fought over prices and lifestones: the Darktide record behind “Territory that matters”
- Goal
Stakes with counterplay
Deaths that cost something, and ways for a prepared player to cut the loss.
Darktide’s death items: the Darktide record behind “Stakes with counterplay”
- Goal
No safe walls on contested ground
Sanctuary belongs away from the field.
Barriers hollowed out the towns: the Darktide record behind “No safe walls on contested ground”
- Goal
Winning does not end the server
Holdings that cost more as you grow, and objectives that move. No wipes.
Blood won, then emptied: the Darktide record behind “Winning does not end the server”
- Goal
Combat that rewards skill
Dodgeable projectiles, positioning that matters, and published rulings on technique.
The developers’ own 2004 praise: the Darktide record behind “Combat that rewards skill”
- Goal
No escape by the back door
Combat timers that stop a losing fighter recalling or logging out.
Portal logging, 2000: the Darktide record behind “No escape by the back door”
- Goal
Allegiance as politics
Real power for active allegiances, and tools for wars, truces and bounties.
The allegiance tree was the scoreboard: the Darktide record behind “Allegiance as politics”
- Goal
Live events that pick sides
Moments that make factions declare, and change the map.
The oath, December 2000: the Darktide record behind “Live events that pick sides”
- Goal
One world, well populated
One PvP world with the people in it for the war to happen.
Darktide never got a second chance: the Darktide record behind “One world, well populated”