None activated node areas?

ArchivedUser

In the dev Q&A video there were good amount of info regarding the node system such as when a node gets active by the players that node starts to grow and generates quests, dungeons, bosses, buildings ect.
Well that sounds really interesting but then I got a little bit concerned, what's going on in all the other none activated nodes that litters the world, are those node areas completely dead, I mean no ruins there, no caves and dungeons to explore, no roaming bosses to kill, just trees, animals and generic mobs to kill?

ArchivedUser

I'd imagine it wouldnt be completely dead, more like generic as you say. There'll be monsters, treasure, hidden stuffs etc. But just in a different way than in the nodes.
I think dungeons is a different story though. They say that which dungeons are unlocked depends on the node development, what I imagine is something like this: Some workers uncover a cave full of monsters, bam theres a dungeon. They find an old graveyard and wake something, bam theres a dungeon. So basicly people "ravage" the land and awaken/uncover evils.
Dungeons will probably also exist outside of active nodes, but in lesser quantity I'd guess :)

From my point of view roaming bosses would actually be more common outside of populated regions, since a large strong enemy living right next to civilisation seems wierd, maybe a bandit leader or something. Great wolves, dragons etc. belong in the wild :)

ArchivedUser

Given that everything that a player does in a node zone contributes to the development of the node... They are there to explore and kill mobs, just at a zero activation down the development path until you turn up

ArchivedUser

Node growth has regional and global effects as well as local effects.
We will have to see how much there is to do in regions far from the Gateways before we start progressing the nodes.

Shouldn't be much of a problem once we do begin progressing nodes.

ArchivedUser

I think it's half the point of Ashes. If you're travelling around and find resources you want and think is  useful - they will likely be node favourable - so to get the best out of those materials you need to develop the node.
How you raise its presence is up to you- maybe via forums etc ^^
Someone might find a recipe that requeires a material from your favourable node~
Nodes will fall and rise depending on what the community/needs and wants.
imo it's good that some some nodes will never be touched until a long time after launch - keeps the world diverse and keeps the risk/reward systems alive xD

ArchivedUser

I agree with Diura that it will be good that some nodes may not be explored right away and only have the basic mobs and resources and hidden things. It makes sense that not every node would have a town or city or player activity in the world, especially close to launch.

I'd  be excited to find a node that no one had been to yet as that lets you explore and even build it up to a camp level with guild mates.

ArchivedUser

I think the other nodes are able to progress pretty far but only so many of the high LVL ones may be in the world at any given time. So I think all nodes will be worth developing to that point, to open all the goodies.

ArchivedUser

Dwarfatarms said:

I think the other nodes are able to progress pretty far but only so many of the high LVL ones may be in the world at any given time. So I think all nodes will be worth developing to that point, to open all the goodies.

Hey, Fatty, welcome back! LTNS, how've you been? 

And I think it's going to be EVER so much fun to figure out how the world works! Not knowing, being able to speculate, is actually part of the fun for me.

ArchivedUser

In the end I don't think there will be any such thing as a node that's not being used. Clans will push people away from certain nodes and the people that leave will start afresh on a new node.

ArchivedUser

I think instanced dungeons are unlocked and uninstanced dungeons are all over in unactivated nodes. I think thats why we have both types. And its amazing.

ArchivedUser

I proposed an idea in a thread somewhere about this, to throw a dynamic into the mix.

Rather than have X number of max sides nodes. Have a threshold of max combined total of nodes.

I would like each node to be given a value by size and the a max value of nodes in action at one time possible. The sum breakdown of which is in constant change.
Small changing all the time, medium changing sometimes, and large changing rarely

For example a value such as

• 1 pt level 1 node
• 2 pt level 2 node
• etc
• 5 pts level 5 node
• Max 5 level 5 nodes - 25pts
• Max 40 pts for sum of all active levels of nodes

Perhaps this would then permit chance for change of the lesser nodes making way to build up and challenge the more significant nodes.

Essentially keeping the potential for change more tangible and achievable at different scales.

ArchivedUser

@akabear , Mmmmmm, but then you'd be left with a lot of unlocked content you'd never see...
or it all coming out art once, how would you trigger the content in each node being released in a constant trickle as is currently planned

ArchivedUser

@akabear  I guess I am a little confused ( not unusual) .  I don't really see how this would help develop the nodes or encourage competition and cooperation with the world populace.  This game encourages both which entails  war and peace will be made continuously therefore ever changing the world.  Dungeons, world bosses and quests will be opened when nodes reach the right development. These all depend on player activity, not a number rating.  

ArchivedUser

Main thought was once they get large, they are harder to take down. If there is not a range of sizes available to either progress, or start up or take over then after a few months the game is for large group/clans/alliances only.

The thought being to keep it interesting at a range of levels

ArchivedUser

As currently designed, people are likely to challenge the nodes that are preventing their own from further growth.