Hello, Adventurers!

This is The MMORPG, Black Desert.

On 12/1/2018 (Sat), Black Desert FESTA was held in South Korea.

Shocking announcements were made during this festive event.

So let’s see check out the news flash that just came in!

◈ 2018 was a long year for Black Desert…

< What was Renown Score supposed to be? >

How do you make PVE more fun?

How do you make adventurers feel the fun of growth?

How do you give more goals to achieve to a tedious gameplay?

Renown Score was created with these thoughts in mind.

Renown Score was made with the hopes to create intermittent goals and to allow adventurers to feel just a little bit stronger along the way.

It was our intention that Renown Score, at the earlier stage in gameplay, increases AP to help adventurers defeat monsters faster and that in the later stage it increases damage reduction so that adventurers with certain level of Renown Score does not die too quickly.

However, Renown Score was later met with the Caphras Stone system and there were some side effects we didn’t anticipate. We did not consider the consequences of this in advance and created a result we did not intend.

It was set to be an intermittent goal, but in reality, it created an even greater gap between the top end users and the rest. This led to allowing a single adventurer to be able to take down multiple players and sometimes led to a situation where adventurers with high Renown Score in Guild wars could not kill one another.

< What was Caphras Stone supposed to be? >

The hopes for Caphras Stone…

It was supposed to be a means of getting an equipment to PEN grade with a guaranteed success chance by investing a significant amount of time, effort, and silver.

Additionally, PEN equipment could be enhanced further with Caphras Stones to add even more progression for adventurers that already have PEN gear items.

However, as Caphras Stone made it even more difficult for newer adventurers to catch up as they also affected Renown Score.

< So.... What are we going to do? >

Here is our future plans for Renown Score and Caphras Stones.

First, remove Renown Score and all Renown Score bonus effects.

Therefore, we will not only remove Renown Score, but also adjust the balance of DP so that users will be able to fight more fiercely and have a more enjoyable experience.

Second, keep Caphras Stones and add in the extraction function.

We believe the bonuses earned through Caphras Stones are from the efforts put in by the adventurers. So we will keep Caphras Stones available for adventurers that wish to grow.

We are aware of the excessive competition for Caphras Stones in the marketplace. In order to solve this problem, we tried various ways such as increasing the price limit or the reservation count, but were not fundamental solutions.

So, we are working towards completing the new marketplace system as soon as possible.

As much as we wanted change, we were also afraid of the confusion it will bring by altering existing contents.

Starting with the removal of the Renown Score, we will make changes with caution and thorough review, as well as reflecting user feedbacks fully.

We would like to thank our adventurers for their sincere feedback during the various updates. We would like to apologize for taking so long in coming to a conclusion and causing you all anxieties and inconveniences.

Based on this experience, we will continue to improve further with Black Desert Online as we listen to more advice from now on. We deeply appreciate all the support and concerns you ever showed.

◈ With the approach of winter, comes new changes to Black Desert

This is the moment that many of our adventurers have waited for. The last major update of 2018!

< Archer >

'Why is there no male ranger?'

'Why are there no male elves?'

Archer, which has been introduced briefly through Twitchcon and Thailand Game Show,

has finally been officially introduced.

Through numerous updates, we have accrued a total of 15 classes, each with their unique awakenings. Now, the 16th class Archer will be released.

Archer has the following characteristics to set him apart from the rest.

1. Wields both his main weapon and awakening weapon from the start.

Archer is a versatile and powerful class that can use skills with both the Crossbow, the Main Weapon, and the Greatbow, the Awakening Weapon from level 1. Basically, it is a long-range attacking character specialized in stylish battle with the main weapon Crossbow and powerful ranged attack with the awakening weapon Greatbow. You can also use the true power of the awakening skills you have been using when you reach level 56 and perform a special quest.

It is an attempt to break away from the new class that you have always seen, and you will be able to feel the new adventure even for existing adventurers.

2. Global Release!

On 12/1/2018 (Sat), pre-registration for Archer began and you can test him out in the Black Desert Global Lab. On 12/5/2018 (Wed) comes early customization. Then on 12/12/2018 (Wed), adventurers from around the world can start playing Archer.

All of these were made possible because, under all circumstances, you’ve shown your love for Black Desert and continued to support us. We will continue to provide new and interesting content in the future.

< Main Story and Difficulty Adjustments for the Early-Stages >

The story that changed with the coming of Archer

will bring about a new kind of fascination that is different from before.

Since launch, faster leveling was made a priority as the initial framework was changed. This meant the fun and interesting stories scattered across Black Desert were being lost and forgotten. In an attempt to remedy this, the main stories were split into large sections and each section was designed to give a different feel to the game.

1. Changes made to the starting location and story

First off, a new opening cutscene was added. Also, the starting point is no longer Olvia, it is now at the Western Guard Camp.

When you reach Heidel while you perform the main questline, there will be a branching that leads you to three different storylines.

Additionally, the difficulty of the monsters that died too easily was adjusted to give an appropriate challenge, growth, and rewards.

We know that this change may not be entirely new to the existing adventurers, but it focuses on more clearly organizing relationships between key people, relationships, and events.

2. Ille’zra

Of course, it's not just about rebuilding an existing story. New settings and characters were added as well.

Ille’zra will be revealed the first time. She was a horrifying character known only through text. In addition, new stories will be added in Mediah and Valencia with the emergence of Ille’zra.

< New Marketplace >

The new marketplace is available on Black Desert Global Lab

and under development.

The advantage of the new marketplace is that there is no waiting time for sales and it is not a bidding system.

 

Here is how the new system will work. It will show the ups and downs in the price of the items, which will prevent abusive transaction activities. The existing bidding method that depended on probability will be replaced by the new method that will depend on the time an order was made. This will solve many problems with the current Marketplace system. It will also be a place to store your goods from all your storages.

The new marketplace system will be accessible on the web or smartphone regardless of your location.

The current upper and lower limit prices have been held excessively conservatively, so sellers were in an unfavorable position. However, with the new market economy, the general transaction activities will become less restricted.

The new Marketplace is a mass-scaled content which even requires additional servers.

As a result, we expect some time difference among serviced regions for its launch.

< New Territory - O’dyllita >

As the Ahib left their homeland,

they stole a branch of Kamasylve, the sacred tree.

They attempted to create another sacred tree with this branch.

The new territory O’dyllita is under development and is targeted for release in the first half of next year. We will try our best to get it ready for Turkey & MENA as soon as possible. Let’s meet the horrors that await in O’dyllita through some screenshots.

Valley of Olun

When O'dyllita was the territory of Kamasylvia a long time ago, golems were created to defend the edge of the area. After a long period of neglect, the Ahib came to occupy O'dyllita and poured magic into the golems to raise them up as guardians.

The restricted area west of Calpheon.

It is also called the misty forest, and it is where the black star fell in the past.

The habitat where ​​the indigenous tribe of O’dyllita, Turo, resides.

The Turo, who had lived without much greed, was threatened by the war between the children of the Goddess Sylvia.

The entrance of thorn tree forest.

O'dyllita, which gets very little sunlight, has a strangely twisted thorny tree. It is completely occupied by Ahib.

Castle of Thorns

The Ahibs left their hometowns to build their own paradise. The vast castle built on the south shores of O'dyllita symbolizes the Ahibs' desire for greater strength and their hatred and jealousy towards their brethren.

The capital of O'dyllita.

The capital, O'dyllita, is known as the place where the branches of Kamasylve that was stolen by Viorencia Odore, the leader of the city and Ahib, and her subordinates was planted to take root.

They show a clearly different style of architecture from their Ganelle sisters.

1. The Turo

- A large and powerful beast that looks like a cow.

- These monsters move in groups of two or three rather than in a big herd.

- It is recommended to fight them with two or three parties as 3 people can get loot.

2. Ahib

- The Ahib are forming the front line. Monsters here are all affected by CC, which makes them easy to defeat solo.

- The Ahib are basically more rewarding compared to other same level monsters. However, their attacks contains dark magic that has CC effect, so extra care is needed to fight them (high risk, high return).

< Territory War >

Calpheon vs Valencia

Valencia vs Calpheon

Calpheon is eagerly waiting to strike as they had failed their previous expedition into Valencia. War could break out at any given moment. A new type of war called territory war is under development and it will really bring out this conflict.

Territory war is a war between nations, unlike the war between guilds in Conquest or Node War. All guilds that occupy level 3 and 4 nodes in Calpheon will fight against the guilds that occupy level 3 and 4 nodes in Valencia. They will represent each of the nations they occupy the nodes in and fight an all-out war.

Mediah is the region that we find tricky. What is being debated so far is that we remove Conquest War in Mediah and let the Guilds who occupy nodes in the region to decide which side they should be on.

The winning Territory will have bonus effect from Mediah and Mediah's taxes will be distributed to the winning Territory’s members.

There are still a lot of things that need to be worked on, but it is highly prioritized in development.

< Shadow Arena >

A new arena

with a survival game mode

Shadow Arena is a new battlefield with a form of a survival game.

Each player who starts as a Black Spirit finds a fallen adventurer and possess it. While playing as the character you possessed, you can acquire equipment and skills while destroying nearby supplies and monsters. When everyone is killed except for the 1 survivor, the game ends with a victory message.

It does not matter what equipment or level you used in the existing Black Desert world.

The biggest feature of this mode is that everyone starts in an equal footing.

You must make thoughtful and strategic judgments while analyzing the enemy's appearance and skills. Once you defeat your opponents, you’ll be able to loot their items.

Shadow Arena is being developed with the aim it going live this winter. As of 12/1/2018 (Sat), we plan on making the content more solid by performing daily tests in the Global Lab.

< Developing Black Desert >

There is just too much content and tiring.

It’s hard to play if you don’t have a lot of time.

Savage Rift and Red Battlefield were created based on these types of feedback. These are places where people can earn  EXP and silver. The Shadow Arena that we unveiled today will also be expected to have EXP and silver rewards so that you can level up without having to grind.

Our future goal for Black Desert aims to make a game where all the things you do feels meaningful and can be fully enjoyed no matter what you choose. Please continue to give us your support as we will develop and improve Black Desert.

◈ Archer Update Events

We’ve announced a few updates that will be coming during this Black Desert FESTA. For the ones that feel a little disappointed, we have prepared a couple of events.

< EXP +100% Event >

Starting on 12/12/2018, all worlds of Black Desert will have the EXP +100% event.

This is a great way to level up the new class Archer during the month of December.

< Archer 1+1 EXP Sharing Event >

There will be another EXP related event happening during this time. The Archer 1+1 EXP Sharing event! Playing Archer will help level up another character! Isn’t it awesome just thinking about it?

Once you select a character to level up with your Archer, the set character will also obtain

100% of the EXP acquired by Archer.. All the way up to  99% of level 59!

< Gift of Appreciation >

We would like to thank everyone that has enjoyed Black Desert this year. A '[Transaction Butler] Ethan' will be sent as a gift to all adventurers in Black Desert.

2018 was an important year where Black Desert gained valuable experience.

Starting this winter and all the way through 2019, we will be sending out more fun and solid updates.

Thank you.