I just gotta talk about this awesome indie MMO. I recently got back into it. It's like crack, but it's not the typical MMORPG kind of crack. It's not the gaining of loot or whatever that players thrive on, at least not for me. It's the fact that it's just so damn fun, whichever role you want to play.
For those who don't know, Darkwind is an MMOG that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. You create a gang, and the main goal is just to survive. Do whatever it takes - trade, race, banditry, fight etc. My favourite aspect of the game still has to be racing, mainly because my gang's roots are too firmly ground into races. Think of it as Kingdom of Loathing's travelling system meets Autoduel meets Car Wars. You get to do trading and other miscellaneous activities which I haven't explored yet via the web browser. When a battle takes place, you launch the in-game client, and you fight in turn based 3D.
But let me elaborate more on my favourite part of the game, since it's also my most familiar, and hopefully it will excite more people - the races. Races and deathraces are held on a regular hourly basis, so there's no shortage of races to take part in. The game is turn based. You select the degree of turning, select the optimal speed, and end turn, and the cars will move according to how the players/AI choose. Sounds boring on paper, but the physics are so well executed in-game, it's a thrill ride. I'm even willing to say that this feels even more intense than any real time racing game I've played. It's just...addiction at its best, as you can see from the website:
http://www.dark-wind.com
Any GOGers want to join in? We could form an alliance.
Official trailer here

I'd say it's worth a shot, let me give it a little try after work today and I'll get back to you then!

Hehe, I used to play KoL. That game has the most insane sense of humor I've ever encountered.

Sorry, I actually meant KoL's travelling system :(. Yea KoL was awesome.

I loved playing the tabletop game of car wars the few times I had the chance. Once I get my graphics card sorted out I will give it a go, If I like it I'd definatly be up for forming some sort of GOG alliance.

Nice. You don't need anything particularly powerful though. It works fine on my Acer Aspire One, running on a GMA950
I had my first deathrace yesterday, since I stopped playing indefinitely about a year ago. The feel is still the same, but with new features like handbraking and slipstreaming, it feels really good. The adrenaline rush is still there, and it reminded me why this is the only MMORPG really worth paying a few bucks per month for. Awesome.
Also, I should mention there's no "grinding" in this game. You really have fun while earning money, and there's no commitment to level up and what-not. You can set a long term goal to have one of your gang members become the best driver in Evans, but the game genuinely wants you to have fun while doing that, instead of just mindlessly plodding 5 more races so your driver can up 5 more driving levels. No sir.
I should also add it's quite a futile long term goal because all deaths are permanent. If your best driver dies, prepare a funeral :)

Bump and a review for those skeptical:
Gametunnel

So... it's like Auto Assault?

Not really. Both games are post-apocalyptic games. That's where the similarities end.
Comparing Darkwind to Auto Assault is like comparing Football Manager to Winning Eleven. In Darkwind, you manage your gang, you can send your people out to scout for loot or bandits, or you can simply be the bandits (though most PVP is consensual since people don't really like getting their gang members killed). The game is played in two ways: one on the web browser, one via the in-game client. The web browser is where you give orders on the world map, visit the various facilities in town like hospitals or the marketplace. The in-game client is where the fighting/driving takes place. This is, of course, the highlight of the game, where people often come out with crazy stories to talk about.
Case in point: a few years ago when I just joined the game, there's this racetrack dubbed by players "Satan's Track". The track is full of narrow valleys and there's this one point where accidents always happen at a figure-8 part of the track. Basically, there are incoming and outgoing cars here, and there are rarely no casualties on this track. Once, I think I won the race because everyone in the race died. There were about 7 NPC drivers and myself racing. This one guy caused a major road accident, but my car neatly swerved around him. I thought he was going to smash into the boot of my car, but he only nearly touched me.
Then all of a sudden, a car smashed into him, and flew into mid air, and as it fell with a certain beautiful graciousness, it nearly crushed my car. Course, with a very nice hairpin turn, that flying car merely kissed the side panels of my car. It was beautiful, I tell you. I've never experienced thrills like that before, honestly not even GTA3 comes close to providing this sort of near-death experience.
You've got to try it. Don't let the term "turn based" daunt you.
Also for all you Jagged Alliance 2 fans and turn based strategy fans out there, there are certain minigames that let you fight on foot. It's a new feature, so I don't know much about it, but what I do know is, it does look like a blend of Fallout and Jagged Alliance.

It more a case of my graphics card has actually died, I'm kind of using it in a zombie mode now without drivers so it allows me net access but I can't play any games at the moment. I have a fx5200 somewhere but I still have been unable to find it, I should have my card RMA'ed in a week or so then I'll give it a try.

Nice. I'll see you on the racetrack in a week.

Actually looks like the coolest MMO I've ever seen. Thanks!

Have you tried it? What are your thoughts?

Wow. I'd never even heard of this game before. Just took a look at they're site this evening and this definitely looks like something I want to check out. I played the hell out of the old Car Wars and Dark Future table top games when I was younger and I've been longing for a PC or console treatment of those games ever since. Looks like Darkwind could be the answer to those prayers.
Unfortunately, I'm right in the middle of something big in EVE at the moment but, as soon as I get that sorted, I'm gonna give Darkwind a shot. Thanks for the heads up lowyhong.
If it turns out I like the game and you still want to get a GOG gang together, count me in!

Has anyone tried this yet?