Greetings, Adventurers!    This is Jong Min Park, the Live Director of DFO.   As we gear up for our exciting 9th Anniversary update, I wanted to take a moment to extend my gratitude. It feels surreal that a year has already flown by since I joined the DFO team around the 8th Anniversary last year. Time truly flies when you're surrounded by passionate players and creating unforgettable experiences together.   Looking back, I recognize there may have been areas where we fell short. We sincerely apologize for any shortcomings and want to assure you of our commitment to continuous improvement. Your invaluable feedback fuels our development and publishing efforts, and we deeply appreciate it. On behalf of the entire development team, I want to express our heartfelt gratitude to each and every adventurer who has been a part of DFO's incredible 9-year journey.   Now, let's get this celebration started! Today, I'm thrilled to introduce you to Dusky Island, a brand new Legion Dungeon, and unveil the stunning artwork we've created for the 9th Anniversary.   Word on the street is that even a special NPC has joined the festivities to congratulate us. Are you ready to dive into the story?

 

 

Statistics after the FEB 20 Seon Update

I want to begin by sharing a few fun statistics.

 

We took a look at some data on when the first Mist Gears dropped, and found that the first character that saw the electric blue beam was a Glacial Master, less than an hour after our servers opened on FEB 20. The second and third Mist Gears dropped shortly after, dropping Deep Diver Fins and a Forest Witch Top.

 

On the topic of Mist Gear, I know many adventurers are running Mediator of Balance after the Seon update. We've have over four hundred thousand MoB runs, and the account that had the highest number of entries ran the dungeon almost twenty thousand times in under three weeks.

 

 

When we updated Seon, we fast-tracked some reward changes for the Seon Advanced dungeons, mainly Solidaris giving 2-3 times the number of Warped Dimension Cubes, and White Cloud Valley to also give Warped Dimension Cubes.

We were curious to see which Advanced Dungeons our Adventurers would enter more, and found that White Cloud Valley has a slightly higher number of entries than Solidaris.

 

 

We've also noticed more adventurers actively gearing up for customs since February, and wanted to share which custom equipment Warped Dimension Cubes were being used on most.

The top three pieces were Forest Witch Belt, Forest Witch Ring, and Deep Diver Mask.

 

 

With the Seon update came a lot of changes, and some of our newer and returning players may still be confused about the new types of items, as well as the dungeons. We're always keeping our video guides and official guides up to date, so make sure to check out the information for some pointers! (Mist Gear Summary Video, Seon Advanced Dungeon Summary Video, DFO Official Guide, Roadmap Based on Adventurer Fame)

 

 

Dusky Island: Introduction

Who is the face behind the Dusky Island dungeons?

 

The new Legion Dungeon Dusky Island will be updated next week. But... who are the bosses that appear in these dungeons?

For those of you who would like to find out for yourself, please skip this part until you've played the Scenario Dungeons that will be updated next week!

 

 

 

Notes on Dusky Island - Click to See Contents (! WARNING Spoiler Alert !)

 

As some of you may already be aware, the primary antogonist you will encounter is Largo. 

 

The Dusky Island Scenario quests will comprehensively detail Largo's descent and inevitable twisted transformation. In Dusky Island, three boss battles await adventurers on Dusky Island, unfolding sequentiall y across Faded Ruin, Purple Sea Road, to Deceitful Watchtower.

 

To heighten anticipation for the upcoming content, I am pleased to unveil the concept art and sketches of the various iterations of Largo.

 

 

Dusky Island: Monster Illustration Notes

Largo the Betrayer (Faded Ruin)

 

Largo of Tribulation (Purple Sea Road)

 

Largo, Maleficent of Treachery (Deceitful Watchtower)

 

 

Dusky Island: Dungeon Information

Now that we've had a closer look at our formidable foe, let's dive into the details of the new Legion Dungeon content.

 

1 - 4 members can enter the dungeon and 30 Fatigue Points are required to enter. As you can see in the chart below, in Level 2 dungeons you have a chance to receive Seon: Ispins/Hall of Dimensions Fusion Epic Equipment upon clearing, and in Level 3 dungeons and above you have a chance to receive Dusky Island Fusion Epic Equipment.

 

Additionally, you will also have a chance to receive Lv. 105 Epic Equipment (Mist Gear) after successfully clearing in all Levels, which was a feature that was made available a month after the content release in other servers.

Dusky Island Entrance Specifications and Rewards

 

 

You can choose from 3 different Equipment Levels, as well as the more challenging Unshackled Level. It's important to note that the selected Equipment Level will be applied to all dungeons, and the Unshackled Level will only be available if the previous dungeon was also cleared in the Unshackled Level.

Different Equipment Levels provide different advantages.

 

 

You also have a chance to receive additional rewards such as Warped Dimension Cube, Dusky Island Fusion Epic Equipment Selection Box, and Unshackled Malefic Energy Aura Avatar Box upon defeating the final boss in the Unshackled difficulty Dungeon.

Unshackled Malefic Energy Aura

 

 

With the materials you gain from clearing Dusky Island, mainly Precipitated Purple Malefic Energy, Lv. 105 Ispins/Hall of Dimensions Fusion Equipment can be upgraded to Lv. 110 Seon: Ispins/Hall of Dimensions Fusion Equipment. The upgraded equipment will grant Skill Atk. +3% / Buff Power +775 / Adventurer Fame +300 (as enhancement).

 

For those of you who will be testing your skills in the Unshackled level, don't forget to receive the quest Unshackled Power that will give an Unshackled Maleficent of Treachery Box that contains a Dusky Island Fusion Epic Equipment upon clearing. This quest will be reset and can be accepted again on the first day of every Month!

 

 

Dusky Island: Monster & Cinematic Dubs

As Largo undergoes his transformative phases, it becomes apparent through both his physical metamorphosis and his vocal changes that he descends further into wickedness. Intrigued by this evolution, we wanted to explore the potential of Largo's voice lines rendered in English- so we recorded a few lines during some of our other cinematic dubbing sessions, and this is the rendered result.

Please note, that this English version was made only for the purposes of the video and all original lines within the game will be in Korean, but I would love to hear your thoughts on this version.

 

 

 

9th Anniversary: Introduction

Do you have an anniversary theme that you've particularly enjoyed in the past?

 

From Rebirth of Elvenielle, to Odin's Sober, and Secret Casino, we've celebrated DFO anniversaries with a variety of themes in the past.

In keeping with this tradition, we've prepared special illustrations and decorations to celebrate this momentous occasion. This year's decorations were prepared by Bini Bean, who you may remember from the Codename: Gaebolg Teaser Video and Interview Video. Let's take a more detailed look!

 

 

Anniversary: Illustration Notes

Hello adventurers! I hope you have all been well. This is Bini Bean.   First of all, I would like to express my deepest thanks to all our adventurers who are joining us for our 9th Anniversary. I'm here to provide a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of this year's decorations.   Just last month, we had the Seon: The First World Under the Sky update. This update marked significant changes in Dungeon Fighter Online, and so we decided that the concept for this year would be 'Seon' iteself!   When conceptualizing the illustration, my primary focus was in ensuring that all the elements related to the events prepared for DFO's 9th anniversary were seamlessly integrated within a single image. If you look closely at the illustration, you can see the constellations from the Starlight - A Starry Night Vol. II event serving as the backdrop, along with NPC Joey from Custom Hunting in Seon! ft. Joey. Additionally, hints for upcoming events have been subtly woven into the illustration. We encourage adventurers to stay tuned for the second half of exciting events to be revealed on April 3rd.    Let's take a look at the actual illustration creation with notes from our illustrator!

 

Greetings adventurers! This is H, and I was the illustrator who created the 9th Anniversary illustration.

 

For the 9th anniversary theme, I really wanted to capture a bright and sunny celebration happening right in the WooHwa-Jung area. The details that Bini Bean came up with (like the sacred beast Meringue struggling to eat the cake!) were just too good to pass up, so I had to work them into the scene. 

 

I created several drafts that would convey a joyful festival atmosphere with adventurers having fun alongside the sacred beasts. Additionally, the compositions were focused on providing a clear view of the constellations in the sky.

These are a some of the drafts that were made in the process.

 

 

After choosing from one of the drafts, I added color and details. During the detailing process, I made adjustments to the perspective, shapes, and overall placement. Finally, I adjusted the light and shadow for the finishing touches.

 

Personally, I really enjoyed drawing the super cute sacred beasts! Happy 9th Anniversary DFO!

The final result!

 

 

 

Anniversary: Pixel Art Design Notes

Bini Bean again! For the town decorations, we discussed to have them in Clearmist instead of the usual Hendon Myre. When planning the placement of the decorations, I took into account the factor of sacred beasts roaming the town area as well as Clearmist's constant weather changes.   Additionally, to align with the overall concept, we decided to change up Seria's costume and Seria's room in the Seon theme to further create a unique and memorable atmosphere for adventurers during our 9th anniversary celebration. Specifically, Seria's costume drew inspiration from the Guardians of Harmony Package, that will be available for purchase next week.   Let's take a look at the design process below!

 

Hello adventurers! This is Mixin, and I created the town decorations for the 9th Anniversary.

 

Unlike previous anniversaries where we created decorations for the Hendon Myre area, this year's proposal was to decorate the new Clearmist area, which gave me a fresh new perspective on the project.

 

Process

I first started by referencing the setting and background colors used in Seon to create variations that fit the concept. I collaborated with Bini Bean and the lead from the Art Team to select the best variation.

Several variations for the main Cake NPC were made, from 3-tier cakes to cupcakes.

 

 

I was also given the task of creating a new Seria look to fit the theme of Seon and the new Guardians of Harmony package, so I referenced the White Cloud Watchman Rare Avatars for F. Slayer and Archer.

Can you tell which elements I drew inspiration from? 

 

Detailing and Animation

Once we made our selection, I proceeded to add details. During the detailing process I removed, modified, or added elements to ensure that the design was cohesive and visually appealing. Once the detaling process was done, I worked on creating several scenes for the animations.

     

 

Town Decoration Objects

I reused existing game assets where possible, and modified them to fit the theme and setting of Seon.

8th Anniversary and 9th Anniversary Photo Zone & Balloon Decorations

 

 

The photo zone, balloons, garland, and confetti were created with the same color pallette of Seon to enhance the festive spirit in Clearmist. A mat for the cake was also made as per Bini Bean's request, as it looked a bit empty and awkward with nothing underneath.

 

This was just a brief glimpse into how the in-game graphics were made for DFO's 9th Anniversary. I also feel it is important to acknowledge the hard work of the game designers and developers who contributed to the making. I hope that all of you will enjoy exploring the beautifully decorated town! Happy 9th Anniversary DFO! 

 

P.S. A special shoutout to 'OneLoveChun' the master of creating background images,
who is also the one who created this beautiful Seria's Room to go along with the Seria NPC.

 

 

Anniversary: NPC's Celebration Video

As I mentioned in the beginning of the Note, we have a special NPC who has prepared a congratultory message for our 9th Anniversary celebration in Clearmist.

Can you guess who it is?

 

 

 

Last but not Least...

As a token of appreciation and to celebrate our Anniversary, we've prepared a small gift. You can receive the gift just by logging in after the MAR 19 update. The gift box includes the following items:

 

• Single-Use One-Shot Amplification Grimoire
• Siv's Sub Equipment Bead
• Poppin' Poppin' Arcade Shume Creature Box (Buff Enhancement)
• Mediator of Balance Ticket x100
• Fatigue 156 Recovery Potion

The gift can be received after maintenance on MAR 19 to before maintenance on APR 30

 

 

And that wraps up this note! I'm closing with this postcard for our amazing adventurers.

Happy 9th Anniversary & Long Live DFO!

 

 

Sincerely,

DFO Live Director Jong