Hello Survivors,
It’s already been a month since we launched the Open Beta.
Both the development team and I are working hard to provide a stable service, but we are aware that there are still many areas that need improvement. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused.
While writing this letter to our survivors, I looked back through the patch notes from the past month. With that in mind, I would like to share with you what we have accomplished so far and what lies ahead.
# Auto-Fire Feature for Mobile
To reduce the difficulty of controls on mobile, we’ve added an auto-fire feature that allows your character to shoot automatically while aiming.
However, even with this feature, we understand that mobile controls are still challenging. That is why we will continue to improve the mobile gameplay experience and make it one of the top priorities moving forward.
# Adjusted Respawn Times and Quest Requirements in Multi-Map Areas
As survivors grow stronger, moving into multi-map regions becomes inevitable.
However, players often encountered houses that had already been looted, resulting in slow-paced gameplay compared to the fast action in Sand Creek.
To address this, we increased zombie and building respawn rates in multiplayer areas and significantly lowered the difficulty of multiplayer quests.
We hope you’re enjoying the smoother experience in these zones.
# Community Pass Season Mission Balance and EXP Adjustments
The Community Pass previously offered too little EXP compared to the difficulty of the missions.
To balance this, we have reduced the mission difficulty and increased the EXP rewards.
Future passes will include more exciting rewards and a rebalanced structure to make progression more fun and rewarding.
# Masked Band Difficulty Adjustment
Many survivors struggled with the Community Liberation quests and felt discouraged.
While the Masked Band of Sand Creek is meant to be a formidable enemy, they were, perhaps, a bit too formidable.
In response to this, we have lowered their overall difficulty so the residents of Sandcreek can be freed from torment become your allies and bit quicker.
# Rootland Difficulty Rework
Players have been engaging with Rootland in various ways. Some are active raiders who attack any survivor they encounter, while others are more stealthy looters who quickly move around and try to avoid conflict.
Early on, zombies and vagabonds (now members of the Masked Band) were so overwhelmingly strong that they seemed to be more of a threat than other survivors.
Some players even mistook vagabonds for cheaters!
To balance this, we have lowered the difficulty of these enemies so that even newly 40-level players can participate in Rootland.
With that being said, we understand that many players still find Rootland and the PvP content intimidating and difficult.
We are currently in the process of making it possible to earn a fair amount of ER in PvE zones as well.
# Lucky Box Probability and ER Reward Adjustments
We revamped the Advanced Lucky Box to improve the overall experience.
Items like SSR-grade equipment were previously too rare, and the ER rewards were often underwhelming.
The drop rates have been adjusted to make opening Advanced Lucky Boxes more worthwhile.
# Equipment Enhancement Probability Adjustment
We received consistent feedback about the difficulty of upgrading high-tier items because of the current enhancement structure. It was also noted that lower-tier items with high upgrades sometimes outperformed rarer ones.
To address this, we have adjusted enhancement rates across the board so all gear grades now share the same success probability.
We hope this alleviates some of the frustration.
Additionally, since gear enhancement was the only meaningful growth path after level 40, we are developing systems that allow continued character progression through gameplay and EXP, not just enhancements.
# Raid Time Expansion and Repeating Rewards
The limited raid windows often conflicted with players’ schedules, and rewards were only given once regardless of success or failure.
We have expanded the entry time zones and now allow for repeat rewards.
Also, with enhancement rebalancing, survivors have become stronger.
We are reviewing raid reward structures to base them on contribution and roles rather than just boss damage. We will share more once those plans are finalized.
# Holitore Difficulty Adjustment
We have heard your feedback about a lack of suitable farming locations after level 40.
To compensate for this, we have adjusted some areas in Holitore to level 45 areas.
We are also continuously reviewing additional high-level PvE zones for after reaching level 40.
While the above changes are part of our core and regular updates, we are also working on improvements for the following issues. While we don’t have exact implementation dates yet, our team is actively preparing the changes outlined below.
# Mobile Optimization
We are focusing on better performance and stability for mobile users.
Optimization efforts are underway to reduce crashes and unresponsiveness and we aim to ensure smooth gameplay across both low-end and high-end devices.
# High Repair Costs for High-Grade (Especially SSR) Items
We recognize the frustration of obtaining high-grade gear but being unable to use it freely due to repair costs. We do not want anyone to have a negative experience of being unable to use your gear even after you worked hard to acquire it.
We plan to significantly reduce repair costs across the board.
All gear grades will now share the same repair cost as N-grade gear of the same level.
This should allow you to enjoy various content without worrying about repair expenses.
# Performance Differentiation for High-Grade Gear
We understand that some upgraded lower-tier items may outperform higher-grade ones.
We are working on gradually increasing the performance of high-grade items to make them more worthwhile.
SSR gear will not just be "one grade higher" than SR. It will feel significantly more powerful.
We will provide more information on this once the changes are finalized.
# Additional ER Sources
Soon, you’ll be able to earn ER from zombie hordes and titans in Sand Creek and multiplayer zones.
Contaminated Flowers will also be updated to drop higher-tier crafting materials.
# Additional Hunting Zones Outside Conflict Areas
Currently, many players farm in Sand Creek or Holitore after reaching level 40.
However, with limited level-45 zones, the competition can seem intense.
Before new zones are introduced, we are considering upgrades to existing areas to serve as viable high-level hunting grounds.
# After Level 40 Growth Content
Starting next update, players will be able to continue earning EXP beyond level 40.
A UI will allow you to track accumulated EXP, which will later be used to unlock new stat boosts.
Note: This is not a level cap increase but an additional growth system from which you can acquire abilities through EXP.
# AFK Issues in Multiplayer Content
We are preparing a reporting and penalty system for AFK abusers in multiplayer content such as Lonetree Tunnel, raids, and other areas.
Until this system is implemented, we will review repeated reports of unfair and dishonorable behavior and may issue temporary bans for malicious misuse.
# UI/UX Improvements for New Players
Many experienced survivors have been kind enough to guide newcomers and we deeply appreciate your efforts.
We are working on improving the game’s onboarding experience so new players can understand and enjoy the game more intuitively, without needing to ask as many questions.
The improvements directions outlined today will be reflected in the roadmap we’ll announce next week, along with the update schedule.
Thanks to all the feedback you have shared across our communities, we have been able to improve the game step by step.
We know there is still much to do and we are not stopping here with these changes.
Please continue to share your feedback, suggestions, and support.
We remain committed to listening with an open mind and working with you to create a game worth playing.
Thank you.
Darkest Days PD