Nodes
Encompassing each server are carefully placed points of development called Nodes. Every node is given purview over a predefined zone of influence (ZOI).[2]
Node advancement
Player activity (questing, gathering, raiding, etc.) within a Node's ZOI counts toward that particular Node’s advancement. There are six stages of node advancement.[2]
- Expedition (Few hours)
- Encampment (Many hours)
- Village (Few days)
- Town (Many days)
- City (Few weeks)
- Metropolis (Many weeks)
The advancement of a node unlocks its unique content, which comes at the cost of locking out an increasing ring of neighboring nodes from progressing to the next stage.[3]
- The more advanced the node is, the larger its ZOI becomes.[4]
Node development
Node layout and style is determined by several factors:[7][8]
- The way that the node system is built is that they can exist across a spread of 18 biomes, but at the same time have to represent the cultural influence of these cultures that are intrinsically a part of a specific biome.[9] – Steven Sharif
- Environment (biome) and location of the node.[9][7][8]
- Nodes will adjust the local topography to fit the aesthetic and mechanical requirements of the node.[10]
- Currently the way that the platform system is set up, is it's capable of adjusting the topography of the node's footprint, regardless of the surrounding terrain. So the reason for that is we want to have flexibility in the presentation of the node's layout and how it is essentially both from an aesthetic standpoint as well as a mechanical standpoint with node sieges- how it's constructed and that construction should have the ability to take on a variance of different types of topography. So it shouldn't be dependent on the surrounding area. Now that's not to say that the surrounding area isn't going to have some influence over. So for example... we're experimenting a little bit with the platform tech and putting up a node up against the side of a mountain or on the edge of a cliff or something that has a beautiful vista. Those are things that we're going to test out obviously as we continue to work on the node tool and how that platform system works, but the idea is to have the node independent of the surrounding terrain.[10] – Steven Sharif
- Some parts are determined by the area it's in. Some parts are determined by the type it is. Some parts are determined by the race it is; and then the rest of it is determined by the mayor.[8] – Jeffrey Bard
- Race that contributed the highest percentage to the node's advancement will alter the racial appearance of its buildings, NPCs, and props.[11][12][7][6][8][13][14]
- All nodes, whether they're associated with a castle or associated with normal node structure, has cultural influences that replicate over to the buildings that are produced and the NPCs that are present.[16] – Steven Sharif
- The rest is determined by the node's mayor.[8]
- It should be possible for a node to complete several building projects within a mayor's one month term in office.[17]
- Q: How long would you say it will take players on average to fill/build up a node completely from wilderness to metropolis?
- A: It's one thing to get a node to a certain level: it's another thing to develop the node; and I can't really give you an on-average expectation, because there's a lot of variables at play. There's how many citizens does the node have attracted to it; what's the type of traffic that the node is attracting to it based on things like its tax rates, or the specialization that it chose to spec into, based on the building types it's chosen to build. All of those things are variables that can affect the quote-unquote "average build-out time" of a particular node. So it's difficult to give you an average when there's so many variables along those lines. But the idea is that if there is a particular project that players are interested in in developing based on the node stage, that they would have the ability to complete several of those projects as within a single term of a mayor; and a term of a mayor is one month.[17] – Steven Sharif
Node government
Positions within a node's government are attained through seasonal titles that grant special powers and benefits within the node.[20][19][21][22]
There are other node-based positions. Most of them relate to social organizational structures like the temple and the social organization building that the node might construct. Those are ladder systems of achievement that players can work through on a seasonal basis to achieve the highest level of that for the particular node; and by doing so they will then have titles bestowed upon them, which grants certain types of powers and benefits.[20] – Steven Sharif
- Mayors.[23]
- Priests, bishops, or acolytes of temples.[20][24][21]
- Social organization positions.[20]
- Patron guild leaders.[21]
- Chief bounty hunter.[21]
Node housing
Static housing provides non-instanced player accommodation within a node, also known as in-node housing.[26]
- Players are able to purchase small one room houses (cottages) starting at the Village (stage 3).[26][27]
- There will be 8 cottages available for purchase at the village stage.[27]
- The amount of static housing increases as a normal part of node advancement.[28]
- The architecture of static housing is predetermined by the racial influence of the node's layout and style.[29]
- Taverns and Player shops are not tied to in-node housing.[30]
Node apartments
Apartments provide instanced player housing functionality on a rental basis.[31][26]
- Village (stage 3) apartment buildings offer 50 rental apartments. Additional apartments can be added at Town (stage 4) if the mayor chooses to construct them and if there is an available plot for the expansion. This includes different types of apartments, such as penthouses.[32][33][31][27][26]
- The number and sizes of available apartments increases as a normal part of node advancement.[31][28]
- It is estimated that the number of apartments available in a Metropolis (stage 6) node will be in the hundreds, if that node specs into all apartment expansion upgrades. This number is subject to change based on testing.[31]
- Prices for apartments will fluctuate depending on the number of units already sold in the node.[26]
- Different price points offer different apartment sizes and types, such as penthouses.[33][26]
- It was previously stated that apartments would be available at Town (stage 4) or above.[26]
- The mayor may additionally construct apartment buildings when the node hits stage 4 at one of the building plots in the node, along with cities gaining additional static housing and apartments by default as a normal part of the leveling process.[28] – Steven Sharif
Freeholds
Freeholds are sizable player housing plots that can be situated in baronies within the Zone of influence (ZOI) of a Village (stage 3) or higher node, including the ZOI of any of its vassal nodes.[37][38][39][40][41][42][43][26]
- Freehold estates may be purchased from other players,[44] or can be obtained via deeds from completing a quest and winning an auction.[37][38][39][45][40][41][46][43]
- Freehold ownership, whether purchased from players or via a freehold auction, requires the purchaser to have completed a freehold quest, which has a level requirement of 50.[47][48][37][49]
- The seller decides if their freehold should be auctioned or sold directly to other players.[50]
- Some freehold auctions will require node-type-specific bound currencies, others will auction for gold.[51][52][53] This is intended to cater to players with different playstyles, who are progressing through alternate systems.[51][53]
- The idea is that we're not reserving freeholds for the top 10 percent of levelers, we're reserving freeholds for the top 10 percent across the multiple different play paths that exist within the game; and this spreads out that ownership across different playstyles.[51] – Steven Sharif
- Housing takes several forms in the world of Verra. However, Freeholds are the highest tier of player housing available. Acquiring a Freehold is a major accomplishment, and it will take a large amount of effort and strategy to get a Freehold of your own. Since there is a limited amount of space available to place Freeholds in each node’s region, these are symbols of prestige for those who are able to acquire and maintain their Freeholds.[37]
- Freeholds are approximately 1.5 acres in size, or roughly 100m x 60m.[38]
- The footprint of a freehold does not change with node progression.[55]
- Previously it was stated that freeholds were half an acre in size.[56]
- The developers are expecting the number of freehold plots on each server to be in "the low thousands" depending on world state.[37][57][58][59]
- The number of Freeholds on a server will vary on a number of factors, such as how player actions advance nodes. At the moment we are targeting the low thousands for Freeholds on a server, but as we continue to test these systems during Alpha Two, we anticipate making adjustments.[37]
- Freeholds are subject to node taxes.[60]
- Freehold tax is calculated based on the number of permits issued for buildings on a freehold.[60]
- Freehold buildings that require permits will have additional upkeep costs.[37]
- Blueprints are required for the construction of the freehold buildings that are used to process resources into crafting materials.[61][62][63][64][65]
- The best processing can only be carried out on freeholds, so obtaining a freehold will require a large amount of effort.[66]
- If a player wants to achieve a freehold they can achieve the freehold, however the amount of effort resources and time that's required in order to achieve that freehold is a large amount. It is something that is a monumental achievement for you to to get that freehold; and the reason why is because freeholds tie in very heavily to the processing artisanship aspect. Some processing can be done in nodes, but the best processing is done on freeholds; and we want to make sure that there's a little bit of a throttle or gate on the amount of effort that's necessary to achieve that influence over the processing market.[66] – Steven Sharif
- Inns and other player housing options are available that are easier to obtain for players who do not need the benefits of a freehold.[61]
- Just because the freehold is very difficult to attain doesn't mean that you don't have a space for housing and furniture that you can achieve through our apartment system or an inn or the static in-node housing. Those are alternate methods as well but they do not have that aspect of the best processing is done on the freehold.[61] – Steven Sharif
- Freeholds are intended to work with the family system.[67]
- The spread of corruption in the world does not impact the freehold system.[69]
- Players are not able to adjust the terrain of their freeholds. Sloped terrain will result in stilts beneath placeable structures (to keep them level).[70]
- Expansions and upgrades become available as node progression allows.[56]
Stock exchanges (also called Stock markets and Share markets) enable players to buy and sell shares in Nodes, Guilds and Social organizations.[71][72][73]
- Stock exchanges were a Kickstarter stretch goal unlocked for reaching the $3 million dollar mark.[73]
- This is a planned feature for the launch of Ashes of Creation.[71]
- The value of stocks is influenced by world events and the performance of nodes, Social organizations or guilds.[74]
- Hard metrics, such as quest lines, nearby resources, citizen progression, and purchases of local real estate, will determine the value of purchasable shares.[73]
- There is no regulatory commission to restrict the purchase and sale of stocks.[74]
References
- ↑ Node series part I]
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 A reactive world - Nodes
- ↑ Ashes of Creation - Nodes part 2
- ↑ Node series part II – the Metropolis]
- ↑ Blog - Know Your Nodes - The Basics.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Blog - Know Your Nodes - Advance and Destroy.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Livestream, October 30, 2020 (39:17).
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Livestream, September 27, 2018 (53:06).
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Livestream, February 25, 2022 (41:00).
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Livestream, February 26, 2021 (1:12:18).
- ↑ Livestream, March 31, 2022 (4:57).
- ↑ Podcast, April 11, 2021 (29:47).
- ↑ Interview, May 11, 2018 (54:34).
- ↑ Livestream, May 26, 2017 (21:23).
- ↑ Podcast, April 11, 2021 (23:36).
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Interview, May 11, 2018 (47:27).
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Livestream, July 29, 2022 (1:13:09).
- ↑ Livestream, March 28, 2020 (1:02:46).
- ↑ 19.0 19.1
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Livestream, September 29, 2023 (1:07:01).
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 Livestream, July 26, 2019 (1:20:48).
- ↑ MMOGames interview, January 2017
- ↑ Livestream, November 17, 2017 (9:49).
- ↑ Livestream, July 25, 2020 (1:52:45).
- ↑ Video, May 31, 2020 (38:50).
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 26.5 26.6 26.7 Node series part II – the Metropolis.
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 Steven Sharif - Clarification points from today’s stream.
- ↑ Livestream, May 19, 2017 (33:57).
- ↑ Interview, July 8, 2020 (33:34).
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 Interview, July 9, 2023 (1:50:50).
- ↑ Blog: Development Update with Village Node.
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 Livestream, August 31, 2023 (15:51).
- ↑ Livestream, May 29, 2020 (36:29).
- ↑ Livestream, June 30, 2023 (9:09).
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 Video, June 30, 2023 (5:41).
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 37.3 37.4 37.5 37.6 Blog: Exploring the Boundless Opportunities of Freeholds.
- ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 Livestream, June 30, 2023 (1:12:07).
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 Livestream, June 30, 2023 (14:09).
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 Development Update with Freehold Preview.
- ↑ 41.0 41.1 Video, June 30, 2023 (21:22).
- ↑ Livestream, April 29, 2022 (1:03:44).
- ↑ 43.0 43.1 Livestream, May 19, 2017 (32:23).
- ↑ 44.0 44.1 Livestream, June 30, 2023 (1:15:34).
- ↑ Livestream, June 30, 2023 (13:10).
- ↑
- ↑ Podcast, July 15, 2023 (11:21).
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ 51.0 51.1 51.2 Podcast, July 15, 2023 (15:14).
- ↑
- ↑ 53.0 53.1 Interview, July 9, 2023 (19:56).
- ↑ Interview, May 11, 2018 (50:47).
- ↑ Interview, July 8, 2020 (45:23).
- ↑ 56.0 56.1 Livestream, October 16, 2017 (56:42).
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ Livestream, June 30, 2023 (30:21).
- ↑ 60.0 60.1 Livestream, June 30, 2023 (1:45:22).
- ↑ 61.0 61.1 61.2 Livestream, June 30, 2022 (1:09:29).
- ↑ Livestream, February 25, 2022 (1:12:27).
- ↑ Podcast, April 11, 2021 (40:20).
- ↑ Interview, March 27, 2020 (9:00).
- ↑ Livestream, May 5, 2017 (34:15).
- ↑ 66.0 66.1 Livestream, June 30, 2022 (1:08:02).
- ↑ Livestream, June 30, 2023 (26:23).
- ↑ Livestream, April 7, 2023 (37:56).
- ↑ Interview, July 9, 2023 (49:48).
- ↑ Livestream, January 31, 2024 (1:24:57).
- ↑ 71.0 71.1
- ↑ 72.0 72.1 Livestream, May 17, 2017 (11:27).
- ↑ 73.0 73.1 73.2
- ↑ 74.0 74.1 Interview, October 20, 2018 (5:51).