"The quality did not meet our standards and we will focus on improving the game for our fans in the future Dark And Darker Gold," the announcement today added.
Ironmace posted additional details about issues with the Ruins map in the Saturday hotfix. Portals down to a deeper, more dangerous level were removed, turning the map into a "single layer." It also increased the value of loot on the map and reverted changes to lighting that it "may have also gone a little overboard with."
I didn't get a chance to play the first version of the Ruins map but by the time I got into the game on Sunday I quite enjoyed it. The goblin caves and dungeon maps from last test felt a bit claustrophobic at times and made avoiding combat with other players nigh impossible. The outdoor setting was a nice change, and the more open map meant I was able to play around with putting out torches for some stealth-only extraction runs.
I did have escape portals yanked from under me not just once, but twice in one night, though, so maybe stealth isn't the play after all.
I really let the fear of being backstabbed get the better of me there.
Ironmace hasn't announced any dates for a sixth playtest yet, but says that it "will do everything possible to get the game to our fans as soon as possible and update you as much as we can."
You've got three extra days to play in the Dark and Darker alpha
Dark and Darker - three teammates stand in a castle room by Dark And Darker Gold for sale torchlight
