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The game is currently in development/Beta stage (Omega testing
is also being completed by players who reach certain criteria in
Beta), with prizes promised for top players when the full version
is released.
There is no cost to play the game; it is supported by
advertising.
The Omega test is a test of the
final (Gold) version of the game.
Players who participated in the Alpha test, or who are at or
above level 20 in Beta will be able to participate in this test,
where they will be able to test new features for Gold while they
are being developed.
A large community has built up around this game.
There is also an unofficial community channel which is run by
the user __RavErz__, and a few people with knowledge of IRC.
It can be accessed on the channel at
ultimate.outsiderz.com:7000 #darkthrone with an IRC
client.
Lazarus Software held a charity drive during the 2004
holiday season and raised over $10,000 (USD) for the Children's
Hospital in New
York.
Another charity drive started right before New Years 2006, and
Lazarus Software raised another $10,000 (USD), the charity drive
was recently ended.
Gameplay
Dark Throne is a text and turn
based game, in that it has no images other than logos, item symbols
and unit type symbols.
Even these are small, icon or smaller images.
The gameplay is based upon recruiting (as mentioned below) and
training soldiers for defense and offense, and arming those
soldiers with weapons.
Once you have armed these soldiers, you can attack other
players and defend against attacks from other players.
Also, there is an element of reconissance.
You can train spies and counter spies (sentries) to spy,
assassinate, and destroy the forticiations of other players.
Sentries can be used to defend against a spy's action.
Miners are one source of income, as they provide money, but are
not immune to attacks or assassination.
Every half hour players get 2 attack turns which they can use
to attack.
Upgrades increase the effectiveness of a player's army.
One
of the major features of Dark Throne is the recruiter
mechanic.
The primary way to gain citizens in the game (which are used to
train soldiers and the like) is by having people click on a unique
recruiter link, which each player is provided.
An anti-spam policy is
enforced to ensure that these links are not sent out as
spam.
Every time the link is clicked, the player receives an
untrained citizen and 250 gold.
An in-game recruiter has been implemented where a player can
click other player's links up to 350 times a day (400 in the Omega
test) which are recorded and allow the player to receive up to 275
citizens a day (300 in the Omega test) and a small amount of
gold.
Many Alliances also have their own out of game recruiter.
Another way is to build houses which produce citizens every 24
hours.
Units
Units are gained as said by the 'Darkthrone
Recruiter', external clicker, housing and mercinaries.
There are no other ways of gaining citizens.
(though an undead bonus had the ability to 'raise' the dead of
the player and defending army, leading to a game inbalance,
however, this was altered).
Units can be trained into four main
types(with their stronger upgrade in brackets):
Miners - for
bringing in a specific amount of gold per miner depending on
bonuses and mining upgrade, the more miners the more gold per turn
(TBG), which is every 30 minuits.
Soldiers (Knight) [and
(bezerker) for the undead] - these allow the player to attack other
players for gold and experience, each soildier can carry one of
each type of weapon, and Knights or greater can ride a steed when
the citadel upgrade has been purchased.
Guard (Archer) [and
(elite archer) for the elves] - these allow the player to defend
from attacks, even when offline, experience can be gained from a
successful defend however, gold cannot.
Like the soildier, the guard can carry one of each type of
weapon.
Archers or elites can garrison a guard tower to increase
defence, as guard towers a larger, there are 5 occupants to one
tower.
Spies (Veteran Spies) - these units allow the player to
snoop out and view another players statistics, (Offence, Defence,
Spy Offence, Spy Defence, Fort health, Trained units and Untrained
units). if caught, spies may be excecuted and no information is
passed on about the defending player, who then becomes aware of the
spying players actions.
Spies can also carry out assasinations against any unit and
infiltrate the fort, giving damage to the current structure.
More spy missions are apparantly being worked on
(though if they are ever finished is a mystery).
Sentries
(Sentinals) - Sentries protect against spy missions, these units
like the guards protect the base when offline aslo.
Valuable units for when players boost spy
strength.
Mercinaries may be bought from a mercinary camp,
depending on the upgrade level. these units may be untrained if the
user wishes to have them for an alternate role (such as
mining).
Population is the key to Darkthrone, the more units one
has, the father in the ranks one tends to
get.
Alliances
An alliance in Dark Throne, (DT for
short) is a group of players with one or more leaders.
Many players are part of alliances.
That group can simply work together to achieve a common
goal.
Dark Throne has many alliances, and some wage wars with each
other.
Accounts get pillaged, many soldiers die, and even some of the
greatest of players fall from an unstoppable onslaught of
attackers.
There are thousands of alliances, ranging from small to
alliances with thousands of members.
Default is currently the largest with almost 20,000 members,
the second largest alliance, Dark Force Aliança, has nearly
14,000 members.
Other alliances for example, ThE Sw0rD, are far more restricive
of members, alliances with restricive membership are known as
'elite', they consist of the stronger Dark Throne players.
Other smaller alliances are due to the continual creation of
newer clans.
Smaller alliances try to make official and un-official allies
with bigger and more powerful alliances for protection and safety
from other threats.
Membership
Recently in April, Lazarus
invited thousands of members to be a Dark Throne Legend.
Over time it changes to Premium Suscriber and Darkthrone
Supporter.
You also get all 275 citizens a day and get a new medal which
changes from bronze, silver and then to gold.
All you have to do is pay $7.99 (USD) a month.
In Omega the
maximum population from the recruiter is 300 and 25 from outside
clicks so Legend members get 325 in Omega.
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