The 3 main veterans include Peter Hu, Phil Shenk, and Erich Schaefer (brother of Max Schaefer who was also a lead at Blizzard North). The Schaefer’s also worked on the Torchlight series (Runic Games) and the ill-fated Torchlight Frontiers (Echtra Games). None of these on their own have struck gold anything close to Diablo/Diablo II (since as I’ve noted before, it really is about the time/place and entire team effort).

Since I haven’t really followed gaming in recent years, I did a little bit of research. It seems that back in 2024, the studio managed to secure $4.5 million in seed funding (and that it had originally been founded in 2021 by the three, but only announced the studio to the public in 2022 — though at the time, Schaefer was not listed as one of the founders).

The Darkhaven title was listed on Steam a few weeks ago (stating a demo is near). The thing that stood out to me was at the bottom; fully moddable. The other earlier stuff (with the persistent world environment with unique environments for every player) has me taking a wait and see attitude (because we’ve heard those grand pitches before where not even companies that specialize in MMORPG’s, have been able to deliver on those ambitions).

Genshin Impact has done an incredible job with the large open world design (including lots of verticality for both climbing and gliding, some sailing/underwater designs, many different biomes) for a mostly solo/limited co-op setup where it doesn’t have to worry about large scale persistence (a design that will definitely be more challenging in terms of what Darkhaven is trying to achieve). It will be interesting to see if they are able to pull this off in an OARPG as a small studio.

It does look like there are plans for a Kickstarter campaign (which again, I’ve been very much not into on the gaming side because of the sheer amount of rug pulls/scams that have occurred). Only recently did I actually fund a campaign (Pixelfed) but that was because it was an already shipping product (mobile app, open source server, web based sites); the Kickstarter was for additional funding to extend its development including that of the ActivityPub ecosystem. I ended up pulling that pledge though (as noted in the writeup).

The actual demo will give me a better idea of what I think about Darkhaven going forward (I guess the fact that I am even writing about it, says that is has piqued my interest to a degree).

Unfortunately, they found by actively designing, developing, and closed alpha testing, just how problematic it can be trying to marry the two without compromising the ARPG side.  The original envisioned design had some lofty goals including eliminating character levels (and creating a sense of growth with both horizontal and vertical progression systems).

Both the Frontiers system and character skills design needed to be revamped several times (they also scrapped designs and started over from scratch the skills and itemization systems).  My own play testing journey began with closed alpha 3.  What was missing for me was the game world of Torchlight where you had rich and varied environments to discover and explore.  The graphical aesthetics were all there such that you knew it was a Torchlight game.  The issue for me was the actual environments lacking a lot of distinct variations when compared with the game world in Torchlight II.   The Frontier maps had been designed for this shared open world and they ended up feeling linear.  The design also would periodically randomize the map since procedurally generated maps and levels were always a hallmark of these RPG’s.

Obviously, they had figure out how to deal with this in a shared world environment where the player isn’t constantly losing their place in the world as they progress.  This whole notion of the fog of war has been a key element in ARPG’s where you reveal the map as you play through it.  I would say they came up with an interesting design but that also contributed to the non-hub locations feeling like these map tiles without any sense of place.

I basically cut the game a lot of slack because it was in closed alpha and going through some very live design changes and iterations.  What never really changed drastically was this world environment though.  And when the announcement was made that the game would be going back to it’s multiplayer ARPG roots (as Torchlight III) versus the MMO-lite ARPG, I gave the initial revamp a try and found the same Frontier maps being repurposed.  And I think that was where my biggest disappointment was.

I previously was very much into these isometric camera ARPG’s but have slowly come to really enjoy the full exploration aspects of a 3rd person camera design where you can really fully be immersed in that game world.  Having played through the initial Korean soft launch of Lost Ark, that entire game world would have been just a different level if it hadn’t been locked into a quarter view camera.  That was a conscious design decision made by the original designers (who admitted there would be this sort of trade off with the huge game world they had created).  And so you had pre-defined pathing for climbing or dealing with other forms of verticality.

With Torchlight III, that aspect felt like a step backwards to me.  My own play testing time had been on a declining trend with each closed alpha update as they tried to refine the game systems for an imminent Torchlight Frontiers launch.  The decision to nix that entire free to play MMO-lite plan and the way the initial Torchlight III closed testing felt, was decisive in why I haven’t bought the game at it’s official launch last week (because it was something I already wasn’t enjoying in closed alpha testing).  And that’s painful for me to say because Echtra has a ton of great RPG designers.  But I also understand that it might have been an expensive affair to redo the map design (which is a different part of the production process) and the need to ship (I’m not sure how many private investors might be involved).

The PC numbers (which is only available via Steam) do not look good though (to be fair, the game is also available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One).  The peak was during it’s transition from Torchlight Frontiers to Torchlight III (with the initial closed testing also transitioning to Steam) where it has a peak of 5.6K players.  The actual launch number was even worse at around 3.6K players.  Source: https://steamdb.info/app/1030210/graphs/

Torchlight III is now only accessible via Steam (Echtra should’ve sent all alpha testers a Steam code in order to access the game from Steam).  All prior characters from Frontiers were wiped since the game has now removed the horizontal progression system (the Frontiers component) and gone back to a traditional linear questing progression.  The recently implemented Contracts system was also removed since it was Echtra’s take on a “dailies” system (and thus no longer applicable in that incarnation).

The game world remains the same (you just now quest through a main story line like your usual RPG).  Part of my feedback to Echtra is going to be in regards to modifying this world since the maps (from Frontiers) feel somewhat generic and small (again, the best way to see this is to contrast it with Torchlight II).  Now that it is going back to its ARPG roots, they really should go back, scrap the Frontiers maps (goblins and hyvids) and redesign the game world from scratch with different environments.  The initial main hub is similar to Path of Exile where you will see other players.  The instances outside of these multiplayer hubs are private or can be limited cooperative multiplayer if you are in a party.

In Frontiers, I didn’t really get far (my highest character had a combined level of only 22; majority of it from the goblin frontier).  The horizontal progression is what felt lacking in Frontiers and the general progression in Update 10 still sort of feels that way (part of it is the map designs which has been simply reused from Frontiers).  None of them really gives a sense of place so I feel like I am just progressing through those older maps that had to be designed that way to accommodate the prior shared world system.  So after completing the first dungeon instance, I pretty much logged out since I really do feel this is only the starting point with this transition.

My point is that what exists now (at this transition from MMO lite back to ARPG) isn’t grabbing me (it just feels like the Frontiers maps being reutilized with linear progression).  Hopefully they will put out a structured survey soon so that I can provide specific feedback about this.

IMHO, this is most definitely the correct decision.  The world environment of Frontiers was lacking since it’s design was defined by trying to make it this hybrid shared world (essentially an MMO lite but one that had a tendency to lack personality and often times, rarely seeing any other players anyway).  Going back to its spiritual roots (an actual ARPG) is what will make the game shine since that is the overall strength of the team that Schaefer has assembled.

The other game that saw a name change is TERA Frontier (the mobile version of TERA that is being developed by Krafton’s Red Sahara Studio subsidiary).  In this case, the name change is IMHO, a less than stellar one; TERA HERO.

Previously, the objective for Frontier was to replicate the PC story line into this mobile version.  It seems they are now revising this to take place in an era prior to the PC version.  The game is in the final stages of development where more info will be shared by March.

I noticed that Echtra posted a preview regarding update 9 and remembered I hadn’t tried out the patches since update 5 where I just wasn’t feeling it with the game (plus there was a period of time where I couldn’t connect to the server due to an issue with my installation).  Basically, I felt I was not getting anywhere in terms of drops which made progressing through the goblin frontier a slog on my forge.  I tried out the railmaster but it just wasn’t for me (as was the dusk mage).

The current patch in place is update 8 which includes some QoL enhancements as well as bug fixes (along with all the changes made to progression, relics, and pets).  So I logged into my forge and continued my questing from where I last left off.  I finally got some key legendary drops that really helped get through the dungeons that I needed to clear in order to finally unlock the hyvid frontier (it was previously open during the initial alpha but closed off in a later update until some quests were cleared in the goblin frontier).

I hit character level 15 (goblin frontier level is 12) on my forge; which shows how little I progressed during the initial 5 updates.  I’m still not a fan of the frontiers system and the way the game world presents itself (versus how it was in Torchlight II).  Just getting better drops which helps with progression makes a huge difference; it incentivizes me to play more now (as this also is allowing me to begin upgrading my fort).  And there are some key enhancements being added in this area with update 9 where more of the game seems to be coming together.

The game still has some pathing issues (several times my character got stuck behind some objects in a dungeon instance and in the open world) as well as my pet disappearing (I hadn’t dismissed it) when I got disconnected from a dungeon (it ended up in my pet shelter which I hadn’t built yet).  Overall, this was really the first time that I felt a sense of actual progression (I know I am far behind compared to other players that also began playing alpha 3 since the initial release).  As a result, I’m looking forward to giving this closed alpha more time once update 9 is released.

I really wasn’t expecting to get a quick response since I had filed it on a Friday afternoon.  3 hours later though, a PWE CSR replied via e-mail, noted they were unsure of the cause of the issue (even with the supplied log), and provided me a pretty detailed set of instructions to try a complete uninstall so that I could attempt a clean reinstall of the Arc launcher and the game.

Clearing out all of the cruft did the trick leaving me pleasantly surprised with the company’s support (especially when considering this is a title still in closed alpha and not generating them any revenues yet).  Front line CSR’s normally follow a strict script of questions even if you provide a ton of information (or steps you took yourself to self-troubleshoot) but the rep who handled my ticket actually read what I wrote and cut to the chase with providing me a possible next step which could resolve the issue (based on their prior experience).

The experience left me feeling positive about the company from the player facing customer support/service point of view.

Entitled “Beast Buddies”, this update which will be deployed on July 16th and expands on the pet system (which has always been an integral part of the Torchlight franchise).  Pets in the alpha have been currently limited to the one you select during character creation.  This update will now make pets (randomly generated) available when defeating a boss.  When finding one of these caged pets, the player will have several options (making it your pet, sending it to the new pet shelter in your fort, or releasing it).

These pets will also have 4 skill slots (these skills will be RNG based as well meaning that there will be a grind element to find a pet with the skills that you are looking for).  Skills fall into Auras (only one can be active), Buffs and Combat (these two are automatically triggered).

Myself, I haven’t really logged back in since Update 5 (where I mention some of my issues) and thus haven’t tried out the revamps made for Update 6 (which I also completely missed news wise).  This is still a game that I’m hopeful about where it can be properly shaped by the designers.  I just don’t know if the frontier progression aspect is the correct path.

Entitled “Lonesome Whistle”, this update brings the new Railmaster class to the game (as well as the usual bug fixes and tuning passes on items and skills).

I played the class for a short bit but was reminded after the first few quests, the main reason why the game (in its current iteration), hasn’t been engaging in the way that I thought it would be.  I do need to preface that with the acknowledgement that the game is in closed alpha (which is why I have tried not to highlight this issue that I am personally experiencing).  To date, I’ve withheld typing up an actual document (for feedback purposes) highlighting my personal experiences with the game.

I guess I have high expectations considering Torchlight II and Max Schaefer’s take on the ARPG aspects of the titles that he has worked on (not to mention the fact that he was able to assemble a team filled with years of ARPG experience).  As I noted in a prior posting, you know you are playing a Torchlight game (the aesthetics and the feel of the combat/movement are there).  The ARPG elements with the loot is there.  What is missing however is the world environment, some sense of place/tie-in of the story to the quests (I realize that part may not be fully tied-in yet), and the lack of impact with drops (whether it be items or gold).

The public areas are meant to be limited in nature in terms of the concurrent number of players (MMO-Lite) so unlike other MMO-ARPG’s (from South Korea) that have been released in the past, the open world lacks that “background noise” of those other players where even though you may be choosing to play solo, makes that game world feel alive in some sense.  I also mentioned before about how those maps feel rather linear and small (nothing like the large sprawling zone instances in Torchlight II for example).

I’m also not sure if the progression system (which attempts to eliminate the notion of that singular character level that has been a core aspect of dungeon crawlers and ARPG’s) is as satisfying as the traditional ones.  I level up a frontier and it falls flat for me.  I know they are trying to evolve past those core elements while also realizing that players need some gauge for their characters progression.  The early gameplay lacks that hook where you just want more though.  My point is that the current design isn’t doing much for giving me that dopamine fix.  As a result, I don’t find myself being engaged a lot where I have this daily urge to login and play.  But I’m again trying to temper that aspect with the fact that I realize this is a closed alpha where player feedback is partially being taken into account to shape the game.

Echtra Games released their first major update for the current alpha test today.

This update introduces the “Contracts” system which is akin to seasonal ladders in Diablo II/III or challenge leagues in Path of Exile.  “New Beginnings” is the name of the first test season that Echtra wants players to try out and provide feedback on.  The length will be half of what it will normally be and also offer a limited set of rewards during the test season (since they still have work to do on the actual missions and rewards).

As I began playing it again, my old ARPG self became immersed in the game where even my ARPG OCD kicked in (that is, the need to explore every part of the map in order to lift the fog of war).  The old school progression mechanics (stat and skill points) while simple, felt like a nice (and nostalgic) change considering the type of games I’ve been playing in recent times.  Oh, and the whole offline play (more so with the GOG version where it is DRM free) is nice since I could leave loot on the ground (if both my character and pet inventory became filled) and knew it would be there in my next resumed play session.

The completeness of Torchlight II reminded me how they were starting from scratch with Torchlight Frontiers; well I was reminded of that when the next day, I resumed playing in Torchlight Frontiers, and wondered where the tabs on the side of the screen went since I wanted to check was in my pet inventory (screen below).

I ended up wasting several minutes looking through the settings to see if I had inadvertently hit some key that toggled them off and kept trying to click my pets icon at the top right; I ended up going back to town and my fort to figure out why I couldn’t view my pet inventory.  I ended up giving up.  It was only later when I resumed playing my Engineer in Torchlight II that it hit me that I was getting that part of the UI mixed up.  In Frontiers, the pet inventory is a tab in the characters (I)nventory as opposed to the Pet Panel tab that is on the left side of the screen in TL2.

The point that I realized after the fact is that Echtra has managed to really keep the feel of the franchise the same (to where the older version messed with my mind this way) even though we’re seeing only a small part of what Frontiers has to actually offer during this alpha test phase.  Movement and combat are two critical aspects in ARPG type games and Echtra has that part down (what needs to be worked on is impact especially for the better skills including ultimates).  Hopefully the actual world environment will follow since the frontiers aspect doesn’t have the same feel of the massive zones in TL2.  I’ve seen the public areas refresh with a new layout but generally speaking, the map has this linear sort of feel to it (plus it lacks a fog of war component).  Again, this is still in closed alpha and we’re not seeing a lot of things they’ve designed but haven’t pushed out for play testing yet.