The Lands of Dusk

A tile-based multiplayer world, alive since 2002.

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How to Play

Getting started

Dusk plays right in your web browser. There's nothing to download or install.

  1. Click Play Now (on the left, or on the home page).
  2. Type a character name and a password, then click Play.
  3. If the name is new, you'll be asked whether to create it. Click Create character, then pick a race. Each race shows its picture and stat bonuses.
  4. You're in the world. Tick Remember me on this device if you'd like to skip typing your password next time.

It works in any up-to-date browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari), on a computer or a phone. On a phone, use the arrows on the map to walk. To install it like an app, open Settings and choose Install as an app, or on an iPhone tap Share, then Add to Home Screen.

Moving around

↑ ↓ ← → or W A S DWalk one square.
Click the groundWalk there.
M or the Map buttonOpen the world map. It fills in as you explore, and shows banks, shops and people with something to say. Use + Note to pin your own notes. Your map follows you to any device.
Click the minimapZoom it in or out.

People, creatures and things

Click anything on the map to see what you can do with it:

CreaturesAttack or Look. The one you click becomes your target, and its health shows beside the map.
People you can talk toTalk. What they say appears in a speech box, and their answers show up as buttons to click.
MerchantsShop. Buy and sell in the Shop tab.
Items on the groundPick up.
Doors and signsOpen a door, or Read a sign.
Barrels and chestsStand next to one and click it to open it. What's inside is shared with everyone, so be kind. Some chests are locked and only open for someone carrying the right key.

Your character

Your health, mana, stats, gold and experience are shown at the top right. Under them are these tabs:

BackpackWhat you carry. Use, wear or drop things.
EquippedWhat you're wearing, laid out on your body.
SpellbookYour spells, and a button to cast each one.
SkillsYour skills and how far you've trained them.
JournalYour quests: what to do next, and what you've finished.
FriendsWho's online, with a button to whisper them.
Action…Other commands, in a menu.

The gear you wear shows on your character, and other players see it too. Tap any item to see what it is: its damage or armour, uses and value.

Hotbar

The hotbar beside the map has ten slots, on keys 1 to 9 and 0.

  1. Click an empty slot to put a spell or command in it.
  2. Press its key, or click it, to use it.
  3. Right-click a slot to change or clear it. Drag the hotbar by its grip to move it.

Chatting

Press Enter, type, and press Enter again to talk to people nearby. ↑ and ↓ in the chat box bring back what you typed before. The newest line is always shown.

The chat has three tabs: General, Combat (with a summary of your fights) and Whispers. To whisper someone, type /name message, or click a player and choose Whisper. Click a whisper to answer it.

Trading

Stand near another player, click them and choose Trade. Each of you puts items and gold on the table; when you both press Ready, the swap happens. If anything changes, you both have to press Ready again, so nobody gets caught out.

Gold and the bank

Talk to a Bank Teller to check your balance, deposit or withdraw gold. Tellers can hear you from up to five squares away. Every teller shares the same account.

For 500 gp, a teller will rent you a deposit box, a private chest for 40 items. It's paid once, your box is the same at every bank, and a teller can make it bigger later: 60, 80 and then 100 items.

Old school: the classic Java client

Prefer the original? The classic Java client still connects to the same world, with the same characters. It runs on Windows, Mac and Linux.

Download the Java client

Easiest way: install OpenWebStart (free, one time), then open dusk.jnlp. the first time, you'll see a security prompt, because this is a small community server rather than a big commercial release. It's safe: click through to trust it.

Or run it yourself with Java 8 or newer:

Windows

  1. Install Java
  2. Save duskclient.jar to a folder
  3. Open Command Prompt in that folder
  4. Run: java -cp duskclient.jar Dusk

Mac

  1. Install Java (brew install --cask temurin, or from adoptium.net)
  2. Save duskclient.jar to a folder
  3. Open Terminal in that folder
  4. Run: java -cp duskclient.jar Dusk

Linux

  1. Install Java, e.g. sudo apt install openjdk-17-jre
  2. Save duskclient.jar to a folder
  3. Open a terminal in that folder
  4. Run: java -cp duskclient.jar Dusk

When the client opens, connect with:

Server Address: duskserver.tailaee0f2.ts.net
Port: 10000
Use secure connection (TLS): checked

Then log in with your character name and password, the same ones you use in the browser. The newer features (the journal, trading, map pins, night and weather) are only in the browser version.

Settings

Use the buttons along the top to change how the game looks:

Classic / ModernA retro spellbook look, or a clean modern one.
Pixel / PaintedThe original tile art, or the newer painted art.
Night and weatherDay turns to night every two hours, and rain, storms and snow come and go. Turn it off in Settings if you like, or turn on quiet music.
SettingsTurn names on or off for people, NPCs and objects. You can also switch off the minimap, hotbar, sound or footsteps, and put the chat across the bottom.
Found a bug? In the game, open Settings and click Report a bug. Or email duskadmins@gmail.com.