Dark Age of Camelot is a 3D medieval fantasy MMORPG that revolves around the war between three realms at the end of King Arthur's rule: Arthurian-inspired Albion, Norse mythology inspired Midgard, and Celtic Hibernia. The decision to develop Dark Age of Camelot was made in late 1999 by Mythic Entertainment and released on October 10, 2001.
Gameplay[]
DAoC offers two styles of gaming for players: Player vs Environment (PvE) and Player vs Player (PvP). Within those two styles, a player can choose to act alone, or he or she can join other players in a group (between 2 and 8 people) in which all of the responsibilities, risks, credits and rewards are shared. Individual players and/or members of a group can also join a Battlegroup, which shares some but not all of the characteristics of a regular group. These are mainly formed for large-scale events, mainly PvE, so that large numbers of players can work together and all achieve credit without having to repeat the events.
RvR[]
DAoC PvP is often referred to as Realm vs Realm (RvR), as the majority of player combat focuses players from the same realm (Albion, Midgard, Hibernia) combating players from the other two. PvP is usually restricted to PvP areas or zones; battlegrounds, New Frontiers, and some dungeons. PvP will offer some money, but not as much as PvE and will not offer any items. You receive Realm Points (RPs) and Bounty Points (BPs) for defeating enemy players in PvP. Earning enough RPs grants you Realm Ranks (RRs) which will offer new skills to the player.
PvE[]
PvE focuses around defeating creatures found around the world. PvE is the only way to obtain new equipment without purchasing, trading, or crafting it. PvE can occur in any playable region in the DAoC virtual world except capital cities and housing areas.
Leveling[]
A player creates a character and earns experience and money by hunting and battling non-player characters (NPCs, which are computer-controlled animals/monsters), completing quests and tasks, and doing battle other players. Gaining enough experience on a character will allow the character to increase their level, offering new skills and abilities, and in some cases, access to new areas of the game. Currently, the maximum level attainable is level 50. Expansions to the game offer additional "parallel" levels that, when completed, permit access to unique skills and abilities.