Oct 24

[Notice] Coal Tomb Power Plant (Conquest Mode) Information & Feedback Request

DARKEST DAYS - DD_Manager

Hello Survivors,

This is the DARKEST DAYS.

The new multiplayer content, Coal Tomb Power Plant (Conquest Mode), was introduced with the update on October 15 (Wed) and is currently in its early trial phase.

Since before its release, we’ve received a tremendous amount of anticipation, feedback, and support from many Survivors — and we sincerely thank you for your enthusiasm toward this new mode.

This content was developed and released quickly to introduce a new PVP experience beyond the traditional farming-focused gameplay. As this is an early-stage version of the mode, we recognize that there are several areas that require adjustment and improvement. All departments within the DARKEST DAYS team are actively monitoring community feedback and in-game data in real-time, while also reviewing the collected play metrics to determine the best path forward.

Recently, the player feedback we’ve received seems to be focused on these two main concerns:

Difficulty in matchmaking due to the revised schedule for Casual and Guild Conquest modes
Frustration over the Guild Conquest ranking system, which seems to overly reward repetitive play rather than skills and winning

Below is a detailed explanation regarding these points:

Concerns Regarding Casual/Guild Conquest Schedule Changes

The schedule adjustments introduced in the 0.23.3 update were made to improve accessibility for global players in different regions all around the world.

By modifying the schedule, we aimed to allow more Survivors to participate in at least one or two Conquest sessions during their local play hours.

Please understand that this adjustment was part of our broader efforts to ensure that more Survivors from all different regions can experience and enjoy the Conquest Mode.

We will continue to gather feedback regarding the matches and matchmaking in general to continually update the schedule for all our Survivors.

Feedback Regarding the Guild Conquest Ranking System

Currently, since both the ranking and reward systems are still under development, the Guild Conquest mode is operating under a trial structure designed to encourage more participation and engagement.

As a result, the current system favors players who participate more frequently, which has led to fatigue for some players due to repetitive gameplay.

During this testing period, we will continue to collect feedback and analyze gameplay data to develop a fairer, more balanced ranking structure that provides a satisfying competitive experience for all players.

While there are currently no separate rewards tied to Guild Rankings, we sincerely apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused.

Once the rankings and rewards are finalized, we will be sure to let the community know.

We’d like to express our heartfelt gratitude once again for your support and feedback regarding the Coal Tomb Power Plant (Conquest) mode.

As a small token of appreciation, we have prepared a thank-you gift:

- Coupon Code: COALTOMB

- Valid Until: 2025.11.01 03:00 (UTC)

- Rewards: 100,000 Milla & 200 Silver Bars

We truly value your honest opinions and feedback to help us make the Coal Tomb Power Plant (Conquest) mode even better.

Please feel free to continue to share your thoughts and feedback through the DARKEST DAYS community. We will actively review all feedback and consider what can be implemented.

Thank you once again to all Survivors who continue to love and support DARKEST DAYS.

We will do our best to bring a more enjoyable and excitement game to you all.

Thank you.

DARKEST DAYS Team

Oct 24

October Dev Log - New Content Work In Progress

Doloc Town - Acneman

Dear Scavengers,

It's been a while since our major Quality of Life update. How are you enjoying the gameplay so far?

October is shaping up to be a quiet month in Doloc Town, as the team is hard at work on the next major patch, scheduled for the holiday season. We're excited to share a sneak peek of some new additions coming to the game in today's dev log!

Treaty Port Upgrade

In the next major update, you will get to witness the town's development firsthand - the Treaty Port will now upgrade as you progress further into the story!

This idea was part of our original vision, where the abandoned port would flourish again as more factions moved into town. Until now, we never had the time to bring this concept to life. We're thrilled with how it's looking and can't wait for you to see it in-game!

Additional Interior Decorations

One of the biggest additions in the next update is a brand new set of interior decorations. After all, a cozy game isn't truly cozy without personalized decor!

We've designed several new interior sets for you to choose from, along with the ability to flip the furniture into different directions for even more customization, as shown in the video below.

New Stone-Made Platform

The title says it all! We should be introducing a new type of platform in the next major patch, and this one is made of stone.

New Faction NPC Sneak Peek

Last but not least, we're happy to reveal that a new faction is in the works!

We're saving the detailed info for a future dev log, but the team wanted to share a quick screenshot below of the faction NPC. Guess which outfit color we went with eventually?

What we've shared today is only a glimpse of what's coming in the next major patch. Stay tuned for more updates and dev logs as we plan to reveal even more in the coming weeks!

Wishlist and Follow us on Social Media & Community:

Discord

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Instagram

Subreddit

Oct 24

Combat rebalance patch

Life is Feudal: Arden - Aori Goldenhanded

Feudals,

combat is an integral part of the feudal worlds. It is ruthless, it is challenging, it is fun! LiF has seen many names and many banners rise on the battlefield, glorified by their combat prowess. Every feudal knows that the only way to etch their name in history is with a sword, a spear, or an axe, guided by a resolute hand. This is exactly why we are excited to share with you the combat rebalance changes!

Combo trigger chains rework
We adjusted combo trigger chains for weapons to make initiating combos easier and more consistent. If a combo is not executed, the timeout duration remains unchanged.
- Thousand Cuts! - right swing - left swing - right swing / left swing - right swing - left swing
- Flurry of Blows! - right swing - left swing - thrust / left swing - right swing - thrust
- Another Hole! - overhead - right swing - overhead / overhead - left swing - overhead
- Power Overwhelming! - right swing - left swing - thrust / left swing - right swing - thrust
- Dismember! - right swing - left swing - right swing / left swing - right swing - left swing
- Execution! - right swing - left swing - overhead / left swing - right swing - overhead
- Crunchy! - left swing - right swing - right swing / right swing - left swing - left swing
- Kneel Before Me! - right swing - left swing - overhead / left swing - right swing - overhead
The bleeding effect now consumes Hard HP instead of Soft HP. Previously, bleeding could be easily countered through soft HP preparations, which made the effect less threatening for one-handed weapon builds.
We removed Bind to Hit Direction and Alternative Hit Direction settings. This adjustment aims to restore a more skill-based PvP combat, where advantage comes from training and player ability rather than key binding shortcuts or macro-assisted attacks.
We also updated attack logic for "Spear", "Boar spear", "Awl pike" so that all attack directions behave as a thrusting motion (downward input style) with and without active shield. This change is directly connected to the removal of Bind to Hit Direction, as players previously relied on that feature for consistent spear attacks.
Weapons with higher damage output have been moved to higher skill tiers, while shields offering greater coverage now also require higher skill levels to equip. Conversely, lower-damage weapons have had their skill requirements reduced to make them more accessible.
- Heavy Heater Shield - relocated to Knight 60
- Lance - relocated to Lancer 60
- Battle axe - relocated to Footman 90
- Scimitar - relocated to Swordsman 30
- Light Saber - relocated to Swordsman 30
- Nordic Sword - relocated to Swordsman 60
- Falchion - relocated to Swordsman 90
- Heavy Kite Shield - relocated to Swordsman 90
- Heavy Targe Shield - relocated to Swordsman 90
- Heavy Iron Shield - relocated to Swordsman 90
- Morning Star - relocated to Huscarl 90
- Tower shield - relocated to Huscarl 90
- Flamberge - relocated to Assaulter 90
- Chieftain sword - relocated to Assaulter 90
- Broad axe - relocated to Vanguard 90
- Sledge hammer - relocated to Vanguard 60
- Short bow - relocated to Archer 30
- Heavy crossbow - relocated to Ranger 90
- Pavise - relocated to Ranger 90
- Throwing axe - relocated to Thrower 30
- Throwing knife - relocated to Thrower 0
- Siege torch - relocated to Demolition 0
- Boar spear - relocated to Spearman 60
We adjusted aim to make these weapons perform more reliably in specialized combat situations, enhancing precision and overall balance during engagements.
Weapon models hitboxes reworked:
- Bec de Corbin - increased swing range hitbox
- Flanged Mace - added hitbox in mid-range swing
- Partisan - added hitbox for close-range swing
- War Scythe - increased swing range, removed blunt hitbox for mid-range swing, increased close-range swing
- Nordic Axe - increased swing range, centralized swing hitbox in mid-range
- Battle Axe - increased swing range, centralized swing hitbox in mid-range
- War Axe - relocated hitbox for close-range swing
We rebalanced damage and animation times for the following weapons:
- War axe, Battle axe, Nordic axe - animation times reduced by ~5%
- Hunter axe - animation times reduced by ~10%
- Spear, Boar spear, Awl pike - animation times increased by ~8%
This change aims to promote the use of one-handed axes by making them feel faster and more responsive in combat.
At the same time, spears have received a slight animation slowdown to balance their overall performance, following the recent attack logic update that standardized their thrusting motion.
The following rebalance focuses on improving the feel of one-handed weapons. Lower-damage swords now have a greater chance to apply wound and bleeding effects (which consume Hard HP instead of Soft HP), rewarding precision and sustained attacks. Weapons with naturally higher base damage will have reduced chances to trigger these bonus effects, maintaining a fair balance between speed, impact, and status infliction.
- Hunter axe - chopping damage increased by 150%, increased wound, fracture, stun multiplier by 0.1
- Nordic sword - piercing damage increased by ~10%, reduced wound multiplier from 0.2 to 0.1
- Light saber - slashing damage increased by ~20%, increased wound multiplier from 0.1 to 0.5
- Scimitar - slashing damage increased by ~15%, increased wound multiplier from 0.2 to 0.4
- Falchion - slashing damage reduced by ~10%, reduced wound multiplier from 0.2 to 0
- Gross messer - slashing damage increased by ~10%, reduced wound multiplier from 0.3 to 0.2
- Witch sickle - piercing damage increased by ~20%
- Cudgel - blunt damage reduced by ~50%
According to feedback from one-handed sword players, shields were too heavy compared to their defensive coverage, resulting in excessive slowdown during combat. We reduced the weight of certain shields to improve mobility while keeping overall balance intact.
Weight reduced by 0.5kg for following shields:
- Targe shield
- Heater shield
- Small kite shield
- Heavy targe shield
- Heavy heater shield
- Heavy kite shield
Weight reduced by 1kg for following shield:
- Heavy iron shield
This change follows a full review of shield weight, hitbox coverage, and overall performance. Shields have been rebalanced by providing higher bonuses and now additionally benefit from class armor bonuses.
Heavy Targe Shield
- increased effect magnitude Infantry weapons mastery from 1-10 to 1-15
- added effect Increased protection 1 to 5
Heavy Heater shield
- increased effect magnitude Cavalry weapons mastery from 1-10 to 1-15
- added effect Spurs 1 to 5
Heavy Iron Shield
- increased effect magnitude Infantry weapons mastery from 1-10 to 1-15
- added effect Increased protection 1 to 5
Heavy Kite Shield
- added effect Increased protection 1 to 5
In the early stages of the game, most players lack proper armor, causing unbalanced combat outcomes when double damage was applied too soon.
Disabling the double-damage effect in the first two Ages creates a fairer early-game experience.
In ages 3 - 5, an unarmored (naked) players will receive double damage when hit by the following damage types: “slashing”, “chopping”, “piercing”, “blunt”.
Reintroducing it later, starting from Age 3, reinforces the importance of armor progression and discourages naked or unarmored builds in mid-to-late gameplay.
Durability loss for sharpened/reinforced and perfect/masterwork weapons and armors is decreased.
This change aims to make higher-quality equipment feel more rewarding to use and maintain. Reducing durability loss ensures that advanced weapons and armor better reflect their superior craftsmanship and longevity.
T4 armors will also no longer require blueprint to craft. However they will still require regional resources.
This change further promotes the use and accessibility of Tier 4 armors by removing the blueprint requirement while maintaining the need for regional materials. It makes T4 gear more approachable for players and guilds, encouraging broader adoption of higher-tier equipment in both warfare and general progression.
Additionally, we reduced the weight of T4 armors to be only about 5% heavier than T3 gear.
This change is intended to promote the crafting and use of T4 equipment in wars by making it more accessible and practical for players to wear.
It is now possible to place movable objects on top of each other to climb over walls and overcome fortifications (aka “barboxing”). This mechanic is available during Judgment Hour and Holy Judgment Hour/Protective Judgment Hour on guild and outpost fiefs. Players can pick up and place various furniture objects and similar movable props:
- Chair, Decorated Chair, Throne, Table, Decorated Table, Bench, Simple Bed, Large Decorated Bed, Decorated Bench, Primitive Bed
- Weapon Rack, Armor Stand, Chest, Wardrobe, Crate, Urn, Barrel, Bark Box, Bottle Rack, Decorated Chest, Decorated Wardrobe
- Wine Press, Spinning Wheel, Loom
- Wheelbarrow, Cart, Trader Cart
Objects that are enclosed inside buildings (for example: houses, warehouses) cannot be picked up or moved.
Players often use objects to block terraforming, which leads to unfair advantages and prevents proper terrain modification during open-world PVP. These objects are not typically used for legitimate decorative purposes. Therefore, we made a decision to enable players to damage and fully destroy objects that block terraforming anytime (out of JH/during JH/HJH). The list of objects:
- Wooden fences
- Stone fences
- Wattle fences
“Manage Combat Styles” cooldown increased to 120min
Based on player feedback, the previous cooldown allowed players to swap builds too freely between Instanced Battles and open-world PvP, reducing the importance of preparation and strategic planning.
Extending the cooldown encourages players to commit to their chosen build for longer periods, reinforcing class identity and tactical decision-making in both large-scale and open-world encounters.
After discussions with the community, we wanted to make the healing role more personalized and open up opportunities for support-style gameplay.
“Treat patient” ability was relocated to Battle Survival skill, magnitude of healing will now depend on Battle Survival skill.
Added “Bed Rest (healing)” effect to “Treat patient” ability. This effect will now regenerate Hard HP over time (live):
- 0.1 HP per second at 0 skill level
- 0.5 HP per second at 100 skill level
- Luck trigger increase healing per second by 20%
New effect will be cancelled when:
- Player receive damage (as with normal Bed Rest)
- Player mount a rideable mount
We have made several fixes to the IB mechanic. The conflicting terrains were synchronized, so they will no longer cause an IB to crush. We also addressed the situation when an IB could get stuck in a “pending” status.
We have reduced the brightness of the influence area visual effect for the “Unit” and “Formation” skill at level 100 for it to be more comfortable. Players reported that the previous effect was overly bright and distracting, especially during nighttime battles.

We are exited to bring this change to our players. The adjustments are made to breath new life in LiF combat, make it more dynamic and skill-driven. We are looking forward to hearing from the fighters on how the new combat feels!