To my knowledge, Drakensang is the only game that is completely free to join. No file to buy, and available to Microsoft, Apple, and other format users. I have been playing for about a year on my 2012 Macbook Pro Retina. It is now an older Mac, but still perfectly adequate for Drakensang. There is a choice of four character-types: Ranger (uses a bow), DragonKnight (melee), Spellweaver (magic) and Steam Mechanicus (a new character type that is dwarven and that uses steam age mechanics).
Whatever character-type you start off with there is an introduction to the game in Swerdfield Pastures, which lasts about 6 levels, after which you are on your own. There are several “urban areas” where combat is not allowed and where there are NPCs to get quests from, A free dwarven storage facility to store valuables, and to mend your armour at the smithy. The main urban area is Kingshill:
http://drakensangonline.wikia.com/wiki/C...rban_Areas. There is also a wiki that is a recent development. Once it is fully built out it will be an even more valuable resource. This is excellent news!
There is also an in-game forum where you can ask questions. I have used this in the past and found it very useful.
This is the starting point at this link:
http://drakensangonline.wikia.com/wiki/Databases. I have added links to the current developments that are within my knowledge. The world is divided into regions. My level 34 Ranger is currently in the Norselands, a Viking region. He is at the difficulty level my Ranger is currently at. My Spellweaver (Mirageman, level 37) is in the next higher region, Helios, a Greek Mediterranean-type region.
Note that Dungeons are a special area that only admits singe players or single groups. In addition there are two dungeons that are open for those with sufficent entry qualifications. One is the Viscanium Mine, a dungeon that needs a “map” of the mine to enter, and that can be bought on the black market. I check it out once in a while but it is too difficut for me. If you get together with up to 4 players they can enter as a collaborating group. The other is a dungeon called Varholm, which is suitable for all levels, you get to meet monsters of your level in this place. This is only open at full moon and new moon, so roughly every 2 weeks.
Apparently in Kingshill there is a mage NPC (Thabo, who floats on a magic carpet) who will enchant realm fragments which, unenchanted, you need to enter Valborg (see the new wiki): Fragment
(This item is part of a quest)
Thabo will enchant your realm fragments with teleportation magic, if you bring him enough of them.
The above statement is rather vague. What is “enough” realm fragments? Have I got enough with over 400? And what does “teleportation magic” do? I will wait until I have collected 500 and then send my character to Kingshill to have them enchanted.
There is one special item (cloaks) which you can get from Thabo in Kingshill. It is actually a series of cloaks increasing in power the higher up you go. You apply for a cloak to him. You need to complete the three quests, associated with this. I didn’t know about this for my Spellweaver. So I never did any quests.
The pieces of equipment are ranked by their uniqueness. At the top is legendary. Then come various degree of usefulness: unique, extraordinary, improved, magic. My ranger mostly has a combination of legendary and unique. Then the equipment is related to the level at which it is used, so it has to be improved to maintain its usefulness as the character goes up a level.
It can also be improved by the addition of jewels. Diamonds, Rubies, and other gems.There is a list of these and how they make a difference (at the link in this paragraph).
All this makes the choice of weapon very complex. For my own part I go for a weapon that has the fastest shooting rate. The more shots that can be loosed per second the better. But even then all this must be balanced against the power of the shots. So a bow which can only be used by, say, a level 35 ranger may be better than one which is level 34. There are many dimensions to your main weapon. All this must be weighed up on the judgement of which bow to use!
