Archive by Category "Patch"

Hotfix #94 introduces the Dark and Darker 2nd Anniversary event, bugfixes, and balance changes, while announcing a delay of the next major season to September 23. To bridge the gap, a “Semi-Semi-Wipe” and mini-season (EA Season 6.9) will launch on August 26 with a fresh reset, new rewards, and temporary SSF mode.

Bugfixes

• Fixed an issue where Name Tags might not be visible when entering The Forgotten Castle as a trio using random matchmaking after forming a duo in the lobby.
• Fixed an issue where some crafted Longswords had higher Weapon Damage than other Longswords of the same rarity.
• Fixed an issue where Copperlight Leggings might not appear in the Leathersmith’s craftable items.
• Fixed an issue where the News content might not display properly when clicking the News button immediately after logging into the game.
• Fixed an issue where the News title might not change to the correct language when the language setting is changed.

Game Updates

• A special event will be held to celebrate the 2nd anniversary of Dark and Darker. The merchant Skeleton will visit, and new quests and a new lobby emote will be added.
• Arena Test Season 5 is scheduled to end at 00:00 on August 25.
• Religion Season 4 is scheduled to end at 06:00 on August 26.
• Improved an issue where the game could intermittently fail to run properly.
• Reduced the number of displayed news items from 5 to 4 to improve usability.

Balance Updates

Item

• Weapon damage of all daggers has been increased by +1.

Barbarian

• Morale Boost healing reduced from 33% to 25%.
• Berserker maximum move speed bonus reduced from 10% to 5%.

Druid

• Action speed while in Bear form reduced from -30% to -40%.
• Shapeshift cooldown per stack increased from 6 seconds to 9 seconds.
• Bear’s Swipe attack hit timing adjusted to occur on swing instead of during wind-up.

Developer Comments

This minor update brings the 2nd anniversary event for the Early Access release. The ‘Skeleton’ has returned to the tavern to drop some tasty new quests for this event. We’ve also added some minor optimization and bugfixes to improve your experience. We know that the next season will be critical for the longevity of the game and therefore we made the difficult decision to delay the next season rather than push out a rushed update. We are sorry to announce that the next season will need to be delayed one month to September 23rd. Unfortunately, the reality is that our two main features for the next season, a brand new expansive water-themed dungeon and the social Gathering Hall system, still need more work. Although we’ve been making good progress with both features, we need more time to get them to an acceptable quality for the upcoming ‘make or break’ season. We are very sorry for this delay and realize that this may take some wind out of the current player-base. As a mea-culpa and amends, we’ve worked on an urgent plan to make the remaining time leading up to the next season a little more interesting and meaningful. On August 26, we will be doing a ‘Semi-Semi-Wipe’ which will commence a super condensed mini-season known as ‘EA Season 6.9′. It will basically function as a season without the addition of a season defining feature. Instead the ‘Semi-Semi-Wipe’ will include the following.

• SSF mode for the first two weeks of the mini season. The marketplace and trading post will only become available for the last 2 weeks of the mini season.
• All character levels, items, inventory, quests, and affinity will be reset. The end quests will give ‘artifact’ items rather than cosmetics.
• A new condensed Adventure Rank season with rewards.
• A new Arena season with new maps in the Arena map pool.
• A new religion season with rewards.

We thank you for your understanding as we work our butts off to turn the tide and bring you a good foundational update for the September 23rd launch. Thank you and see you in the dungeons!

Hotfix #93 brings critical bugfixes to dungeon stability, visual glitches, and matchmaking, while also tweaking weapon balance and introducing the new in-game news system. With most systems now finalized, developers plan only minor adjustments while preparing for the upcoming wipe.

Bugfixes

• Fixed an issue where, upon entering Frost Mountain as a High-Roller, the Dark Swarm, session timer, and escape methods could fail to work properly.
• Fixed an issue where certain artifacts were mistakenly placed as background decorations, potentially causing confusion during gameplay.
• Fixed an issue where players could avoid damage when standing too close to a Giant Spider during its attack.
• Fixed an issue where equipping the Gauntlets could occasionally cause finger models to appear distorted during gameplay.
• Fixed an issue where name tags might not appear when entering a dungeon through Random Matchmaking.

Game Updates

• Added the In-Game News feature. Patch notes and announcements will now be delivered through the In-Game News system instead of front-page pop-ups.
• Changed the icon size of the Sash from 2×2 to 1×2.

Balance Updates

• Slightly increased the socket damage multiplier for some one-handed weapons (Arming Sword, Falchion, Viking Sword, Hatchet, Horseman’s Axe, War Hammer).
• Slightly decreased the socket damage multiplier for some two-handed weapons (Bardiche, Halberd, War Maul, Spear).
• Fighter’s Counterattack movement speed bonus changed from 5% to 10%.
• Ranger’s Spear Proficiency no longer grants a physical power.
• Bard’s Harmonic Shield’s armor rating and magic resistance bonus increased from 15 to 25.

Developer Comments

In this update, we’ve introduced a new Game News system to make it easier for you to stay informed about the latest announcements.

Many systems that have undergone frequent changes are now mostly settled, and aside from minor balance adjustments, there will be no major shifts going forward. For the rest of this season, we’ll continue monitoring data and listening to your feedback to maintain balanced gameplay and overall stability based on these finalized systems. At the same time, we’re working hard to prepare for the next wipe.

Thank you for playing, and we’ll see you in the dungeon!

Hotfix #92 introduces fixed party sizes for each dungeon, revamps matchmaking, and rebalances key weapons and PvP dynamics. The update also brings back the “Dark Swarm” to High-Roller dungeons and includes several crucial bugfixes and performance adjustments.

Bugfixes

• Fixed an issue where character levels and inventory items might have reset for some players.
• Fixed an issue where the attacks of Skeleton Champion and Skeleton Spearman might not be blocked properly.
• Fixed an issue where the Spear, Bardiche, Wizard Staff, Ceremonial Staff, and Quarterstaff could block an area wider than their intended weapon width.
• Fixed an issue where a Nightmare Skeleton Footman could spawn in the Ruins: Bandit Forest, even for ‘Normal’ and ‘Adventure’ modes.
• Fixed an issue in the Ruins: Tower Bridge where certain spots on the upper wall might not be affected by the Murder of Crows.
• Fixed an issue where the “+1 Weapon Damage” bonus might not apply to off-hand weapons when using the Frost Skeleton or Nightmare Mummy Race.
• Fixed an issue where both players could be shown as party leaders if they invited each other to a party at the same time.

Game Updates

• The sale period for the DLC: Seasonal Pack has been extended until August 7.
• Maximum Party size is now determined based on the dungeon.
• Goblin Cave – Solos
• The Frost Mountain – Duos
• The Ruins of Forgotten Castle – Trios
• The party type remains ‘Trios’ for all locales in ‘Adventure’ mode.
• Enabled random matchmaking.
• Disabled In-Game Party for Solos dungeons. (Once the party reaches the maximum number allowed by the mode, no more party members can be added.)
• Reintroduced Dark Swarm and Random Portal to High-Roller mode, and disabled some fixed extraction points.
• Name tags are displayed for party members when using the In-Game Party or Random Matchmaking system.
• Increased the number of recent chat messages shown in the HUD from 3 to 5, and extended the display time from 5 to 10 seconds.
• Changed the default price of the Sash from 50 to 12 gold.

Balance Updates

• Improved an issue where the Ghost King’s attacks dealt the same amount of damage regardless of distance.
• Increased the Max Impact Endurance of wooden doors.
• Improved the armor curve by +4.2% to slightly improve the durability of all armors.
• The hilt of the Longsword is no longer usable for blocking or riposting.
• The main attribute of the Frost Amulet and Phoenix Choker has been reduced by 1 across all rarities.
• Decreased the Impact Resistance of the Spear, Bardiche, Quarterstaff, Flute, and Longsword.
• Longsword weapon damage decreased by 2.
• Void Blade magic weapon damage changed from 4 to 2.

Developer Comments

This hotfix updates the PvP matchmaking queues and fixes a set party size to each dungeon. We have made the hard decision to trade some choice of dungeons to reinstate a purer solo and duo experience while still maintaining a consolidated number of matching pools.

• The Goblin Caves are now designated as the ‘Solos’ dungeon for ‘Normal’ and ‘HR’ modes. Parties are no longer supported in these modes.
• The Frost Mountain is designated as the ‘Duos’ dungeon for ‘Normal’ and ‘HR’ modes. The maximum party size is limited to 2 members in these modes.
• The Forgotten Castle is designated as the ‘Trios’ dungeon for ‘Normal’ and ‘HR’ modes. The maximum party size is limited to 3 members in these modes.

Please note that all three locales are set as ‘Trios’ for ‘Adventure’ mode and can support party sizes up to 3 members in this mode.

We have also reintroduced the random matchmaking option to better support this update. In addition, this update also includes a change to give non-premade parties a better chance against their premade brethren. Parties created through the random matchmaking or through the in-game party system will have a small advantage of being able to see their teammate’s nameplates within the PvP dungeons. Our plan is to continue exploring advantages and incentives for solo and duo players that are willing to take on the extra risks of entering the larger party dungeons in the future.

Going forward, our plan is to balance the dungeon locales to better fit their designated modes. For instance, this hotfix we’ve lowered the amount of loot that can be obtained from the Goblin Cave hoards to better match solo adventures. We will continue to make dungeon specific balance changes based on player behavior. We also hope that the additional incentives we roll out for solo and duo players in the future won’t just constraint them to their own dungeons.

This hotfix also marks the return of the Dark Swarm to the ‘High-Roller’ dungeons. Our original goal at the start of the semi-wipe was to see if it was possible to create a mixed queue dungeon experience that gave solos, duos, and trios an even chance in one pool. We removed the Dark Swarm at that time because it put undue pressure on solo and duo players as it forced more uneven PvP encounters. With the return of exclusive solo and duo pools, we no longer need discourage PvP and can return to giving the High-Roller mode its more unique hardcore identity.

We have also modified the impact power of weapons and their ability to destroy doors. Our original intention by giving more classes the ability break doors with their weapons was to improve the ability to run away. What we saw in-game actually ran counter to our intention and ended up giving an advantage to the pursuer. We still like the ability to break doors as it removes the stalemate of ‘Door and Doorer’ when parties actually want to engage each other. We have now re-balanced most of the weapons’ and door’s impact power to allow player to make a tactical decision to remove a door instead of just one-shotting it (which is still possible but requires the ‘Crush’ skill.)

We thank you for your patience and we’ll see you in the dungeons!

This patch focuses on fixing multiple gameplay bugs, from chat glitches to map exploits, improving the overall stability and polish of the game. Balance adjustments include reduced Warlock mobility, tweaked hitbox damage ratios, and refined item stats to promote fairer combat encounters.

Bugfixes

• Fixed an issue where using Warlock’s Evil Eye could allow movement outside the map from the Down Room waiting area.
• Fixed an issue where the shield VFX might not move together when the Ghost King used its jump pattern.
• Fixed an issue where a plant in the Stables module could improperly block hits.
• Fixed an issue where entering a long message in the in-game chat could result in only part of the message being displayed in the notification window.
• Fixed an issue where deleted chat messages could reappear when switching to another character after clearing all chat history.
• Fixed an issue where item link popups might not appear when hovering the mouse over the link in chat.
• Fixed an issue where the highlight effect might not apply when selecting Arena in the map selection UI.
• Fixed an issue where the chat HUD preview might not appear when entering text in the Arena.
• Fixed an issue where Magic Penetration and Cooldown Reduction Bonus might not be displayed in the Goldsmith Enchant list.

Game Updates:

• Changed in-game queue modes to Solo/Trio.
• Improved scroll visibility in the Karma UI.

Balance Updates

General

• Random modifier values have been increased or newly added within a range that does not compromise combat balance. No further changes are expected unless any major issues arise.
• The damage ratios for each hitbox area have been adjusted.
• Arm: 90% → 80%
• Hand: 90% → 70%
• Leg: 85% → 60%
• Foot: 85% → 50%
• Headshot damage reduction for Lizardman and Lycan has been changed from 10% to 15%.

Item

• Movement speed for feet equipment has been adjusted.
• Armor rating for plate armor has been slightly increased.

Class

• Warlock’s Phantomize movement speed bonus changed from 10% to 5%.

Developer Comments

This hotfix continues our quest to tune and rebuild the structure of the game one by one. After reviewing the reintroduction of the random modifiers, we realized we still have room to adjust them without breaking the system. To get us closer to our desired loot satisfaction level, we have now improved the random modifiers for accessory items.
 
With our increased confidence in the current item direction, we have started to address other components of the game structure, starting with the game modes. For context, we had originally removed the solo and duo pools to consolidate the player population in an earnest effort to make a mixed-party mode more viable and to remove some persistent issues that came with those modes. Although we started to see some potential with our current changes, especially with more interesting social dynamics, we started to realize that this path may not offer a satisfying solution for current solo player expectations.
 
We believe that the best path forward is to incorporate our new learnings and improved balance to support different experiences for players that are solo vs. having a party. We will be experimenting with the best ways to make this happen while avoiding the many pitfalls our previous simplistic solo/duo/trio system introduced. With this in mind, we are re-introducing a solo queue for the current dungeons. Our goal is to give the solo queue dungeons a more unique identity going forward and for this first implementation we will be leaving the in-game party system enabled to encourage various social play. We thank you for your patience and understanding as we rebuild the dungeons.

Hotfix #90 brings major balance changes, bugfixes, and quality-of-life improvements, including adjusted hitbox damage, revamped weapon stats, and the return of randomized item modifiers. The patch also re-enables Chaf Games migration, improves chat features, and updates matchmaking!

Bugfixes

• Fixed an issue where the VFX of the Sorcerer’s Mud Shield could display incorrectly.,
• Fixed an issue where the orb size of the Sorcerer’s Mud Shield could appear smaller than intended.,
• Fixed an issue where blocking an unarmed attack from another player with the wooden part of a spear might not produce a sound.,
• Fixed an issue where the stats for Frostlight Lightfoot Boots and Frostlight Riveted Gloves could be displayed with incorrect values.,
• Fixed an error in the stats of Gravewolf gloves, Cobalt hat, and Frostlight wizard hat.,
• Fixed an issue where the sound effect of the Cursed Bandage could be heard as a metallic sound.,
• Fixed an issue where the ceiling of the Pit module might not be visible.,
• Fixed an issue where players might not be able to ascend directly on an uphill path in the Mountain Pass module.,
• Fixed an issue where only up to 2 party members could be displayed in the lobby, even when more than 3 had been in the same party during a session.,
• Fixed an issue where Worship Seals (Weekly/Seasonal) could be displayed in reverse.,
• Fixed an issue where the Ruins Golem’s attacks might not be properly blocked.

Game Updates:

• Chaf Games Migration Restarted. For details, please visit the official website: https://darkanddarker.com/support/search/39082397522964,
• Resumed Gem Socketing for the Goldsmith.,
• Added the Clear All Chats feature.,
• Added the Toggle Party Chat On/Off feature.,
• The last 3 chat messages now appear on the in-game HUD.,
• Item Quick-link feature added. You can use it instantly by clicking the mouse wheel button.,
• Supports key binding for convenience.,
• Arena Test 5 Rank starts from 07/11 00:00(UTC).,
• Arena MMR Reset.,
• Items and utility gear are no longer lost upon defeat in the Arena when using only Self-Found and Self-Crafted equipment.,
• Allowed item grade upon entry is up to Legendary.

Balance Updates:

General

• Some monster balance adjustments.
• Reverted MaxHealth graph to increase health scaling from Vigor and Strength.
• Damage ratios for hitboxes have been adjusted.
• Body: 125% → 100%
• Arm: 100% → 90%
• Hand: 100% → 90%
• Leg: 75% → 80%
• Foot: 75% → 80%
  
• Items
• Random modifiers are added to equipment based on rarity.
• Occultist Hood has been changed to the dual stats that includes Magical Power, and Magical Healing.
• Falchion weapon damage increased by 1.,
• Longsword riposte attack damage ratio changed from 125% to 150%.
• Flute riposte attack damage ratio changed from 110% to 150%.
• Zweihander weapon damage increased by 1, its scaling formula was adjusted, and secondary attack damage ratio changed from 115% to 130%.
• War Maul weapon damage decreased by 2.
• Felling Axe weapon damage increased by 2, scaling formula was adjusted, and animation speed increased.
• Battle Axe weapon damage increased by 1.
• Double Axe weapon damage decreased by 1.
• Bardiche weapon damage decreased by 3, and its scaling formula was adjusted.
• Halberd weapon damage decreased by 2, and scaling formula was adjusted.
• Longbow weapon damage decreased by 2.
• Longbow armor penetration reduced by 5%.
• Recurve Bow weapon damage decreased by 4.
• Survival Bow weapon damage decreased by 2.
• Crossbow weapon damage decreased by 3.
• Windlass Crossbow weapon damage decreased by 4, and armor penetration changed from 35% to 40%.
• Francisca Axe weapon damage increased by 1, and it now increases by 2 for each rarity.
• Throwing Knife weapon damage increased by 1, and it now increases by 2 for each rarity.

Developer Comments

This update brings the addition of the automatic server selection system. To streamline the matchmaking process, players will no longer need to select their server region and instead will be automatically placed in the closest server based on the region of the party leader. We hope this leads to a more fair and optimal experience for players from all regions. We thank you and see you in the dungeons!

The upcoming patch 89 fixes critical bugs like shield penetration, broken block animations, and stuck players while improving loot drop rates and tweaking party mechanics to balance solo play. Developers are also experimenting with disabling team HUD elements in High-Roller dungeons to narrow the advantage gap between squads and solo players.

Bugfixes

• Fixed an issue where the Ranger’s Back Step might not activate when crouching in mid-air.,
• Fixed an issue where the animation could appear glitchy when continuously holding the block stance with weapons capable of counterattacks after blocking.,
• Fixed an issue where some weapons could penetrate shields.,
• Fixed an issue where Deathbloom’s effects could be obscured depending on equipped gear.,
• Fixed an issue where monster attacks might not be properly blocked with weapons like the Longsword and Spear.,
• Fixed an issue where certain melee attacks during the Lich’s attack patterns could be blocked unexpectedly.,
• Fixed an issue where if a Demon Centaur was being healed by a Demon Imp and the healing was interrupted, the Demon Centaur might not die even after taking fatal damage.,
• Fixed an issue where some of Ice Harpy’s attack effect timings did not match the actual hit timing.,
• Fixed an issue where being too close to an Ice Kobold Archer could cause its arrows to deal no damage.,
• Fixed an issue where the Ice Giant Spider could fall to the ground while stuck in a suspended pose after being hit by a Sorcerer’s Windblast.,
• Fixed an issue where players could become trapped when spawning in the Crypt Gated Rooms module.,
• Fixed an issue where players could become stuck at specific locations in the Ice Cavern Hut A module.,
• Fixed an issue where downed players in spectator mode might not be reported properly after the match ends.,
• Fixed an issue where the Achievement window might not close properly.,
• Fixed an issue where player statuses in the player list could be displayed incorrectly.,
• Fixed an issue where long nicknames could overflow on the Karma screen.,
• Fixed an issue where the remaining time for character slots added through the Seasonal Pack might not display correctly.

Game Updates:

• Issues with Twitch Drops integration can be resolved through customer support.,
• Partially updated the in-game party system:,
• Party invitations can now only be sent when the party is not full.,
• Players can now only send party requests when unarmed.,
• Added a feature to turn on/off party UI elements within specific dungeons. We will be testing this feature with real-time adjustments in the HR dungeon to see if it can help improve the odds for solo players.,
• Ice Abyss Frost Maw module: Added a previously missing door at a specific location.,
• Death Cam is no longer available while a party member is still alive.,
• Improved the Maintenance popup.,
• Improved the hitbox of the Giant Spider.

Balance Updates:

• Improved lootdrop rates.,
• Increase Primary Attribute by 1 starting from Uncommon grade.,
• Updated the primary attribute for the Lantern so it gives a move speed bonus.

Developer Comments

One of our key goals for this season is to improve the experience of solo players while trying to find a solution within the current mixed matchmaking system. One of the big advantages a squad has over a solo player is the ability to quickly discern vital information for their allies through the in-game HUD, thus reducing the communication/coordination overhead that naturally occurs when a team increases in size and thus amplifying the numbers advantage.

We want to test if we can slightly improve the odds for solo players by turning off some of the in-game HUD features for teams, thus putting solo and squads on a more even footing when quickly analyzing a situation. We understand that this change can add too much pressure to an already high-pressure game and so we will be testing it in the High-Roller dungeons as it aligns with its more hardcore nature. We also have different combinations of in-game HUD we can turn on/off and will be testing different variations.

This hotfix also improves the loot drop rates for all three dungeon modes as the previous rates made progression in the lower dungeons too extreme. We’ve also polished the in-game party system and slightly improved several blocking issues with weapons. We will continue to carefully re-introduce elements as we make progress one step at a time. Thank you and see you in the dungeons.