Darkan (2012)

Contributors: Trent

Darkan is an open-source RSPS project designed to recreate a familiar era of the game with a focus on genuine content completion rather than producing another barebones framework. Built on revision 727 with a cache from around July 2012, it aims to be a solid, long-term base that developers can extend meaningfully rather than copy, paste, and host without involvement. Its structure encourages contribution by keeping the authentication, lobby, and social systems closed-source but publicly accessible through API endpoints, making it possible to run a world with minimal client-side effort while remaining part of the broader community. The project offers multiple experience rates, with world 1 providing a near-authentic 1x environment and world 2 offering 25x rates alongside quality-of-life features, resulting in a small yet dedicated player base that gravitates more toward the faster-paced world. A lobby system modeled after Jagex allows cross-world communication, though each world maintains separate progression and economies. Development activity varies depending on the scope of updates, as the project is driven by passion and long-term goals, and it currently includes a growing list of features such as 33 of the 183 quests implemented as of July 14th, 2022. Beyond gameplay, the project serves as a collaborative environment where contributors help each other learn more about programming and the underlying game engine, continuing the tradition of shared knowledge that has shaped Darkan’s identity.