Dev Discussion - Dream Nodes
What type of environment would you like to spend most of your time in? Whether it is in a certain biome or a strategic location, what makes a node desirable to you?
Snow/Mountains or Tropical Beach for sure. Can't wait to see what kind of nodes or content you have on the coast. Somewhere pretty to dock my ship I hope.
There's been so many great suggestions. I'm just going to throw out a few of my favourite settings. I'd love to see some similar to Rivendell it's absolutely beautiful and is such a a cool place.
King's Landing, so there's the beach/Naval element to it.
Moria, a Node built into a mountain would be class.
"What type of environment would you like to spend most of your time in? Whether it is in a certain biome or a strategic location."
Costal for sure. Cant beat the screaching of seaguls in the morning also in the desert. Makes it feel exotic. It should be apparent that its really hot so add that heat haze for immersion.
What makes a node desirable to you?
That the node feels alive. Not static. Chaotic. Suprising.
A machu picchu style node (in the mountain tops), but add lots of water around and within it! Enemies will have a hard time reaching it, unless they have an army of dragons or other flying beasts, or assassins
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akabearMember, Braver of Worlds, Kickstarter, Alpha One
Dense forest with Redwood trees with giant trunks, and skyscraper high canopies, filtered god rays of light, fallen trunk and chest high undergrowth.
An area to be traversed between zones with no way round, bountiful pve and a pvp choke point!
Since a lot of the available content will be dependent on which nodes are progressed the furthest, I am more interested in the strategic importance of node locations and how that will influence the appearance of the node as it progresses further. The most geographically strategic nodes should be the most difficult to attack in a node siege. For example, a coastal node should develop larger, and more fortified ports in some cases. A node in the snowy mountains could develop high walls and narrow chokepoints leading up to the entrance. Details like that should be in a players' consideration when deciding which node to help progress or become a citizen of.
Some players that want a militaristic node will look for the most strategic locations on the map and want to be part of a strong and defensible node. Other nodes may be more vulnerable to sieges because of their location, but they may have more opportunities for trade and advancement within their religion or artisan skills.
For general aesthetics, I'll take deep, but not too dark, forest. More trees and less underbrush. I'd also take snow covered rocky tundra that's boulders and hills, but not a ton of vertical (impassable mountain cliffs are just annoying unless you are funneling adventurers to certain places)
For xp grind areas, I like villages, ruins, nests or distributed camps. Personally, I'd think only animals should be just wandering around the forest respawning frequently, and even then, there should be a den someplace nearby (mini dungeon with mini-boss?) if there are enough wolves wandering around to make a farm spot. For example, the placement of the mobs in the ranger video made no sense with minotaurs just standing around. However, in the fighter video you can make a case for stone golems spawning in a rocky cleft.
The open sea is where I want to spend most of my time. Snowy mountain tops, dense jungle cliffs or the sails of a ship rising from the horizon to greet me is a feeling of excitement that I will look forward to every single time.
I'm not sure if ocean tides and weather are ever planned on being implemented but I think it would give the sea a much greater feeling of danger and excitement. Having to navigate a storm while chasing your quarry or escaping with your cargo through the swells of massive waves would create some incredible stories.
As far as actual nodes that can be grown, unsurprisingly, the node(s) I am looking forward to the most are basically anything on a coastline. Seeing a bustling port city develop from nothing is a pretty exciting prospect.
I'd like to live in a hilly forest (not Surprising for Py'Rai) with mountains nearby, beside a freshwater river that feeds into a brackish lake. That lake has access to the ocean through a couple other brackish rivers that flow from it. The node's settlement, defensively built into the side of a large hill, is very well defended geographically with the brackish lake and a wide fresh-water river protecting over 60% of its' outer wall (+25% protected by cliffs). With its' unlimited fresh water from the mountains, traders thrive in the abundance of herbs and crops from the long growing cycle, while the adventurers explore dangerous dungeons in the mountains and underwater.
Please for the love of god please have atleast 1 node located in the underealm Would love to see a cave city or metropolis with bio luminescence plants lighting it up :P
Would be nice to place it at a crossroads between underground passages would make for nice trade hub :P
For me the biggest thing with nodes is having different landscape and defensive layouts and things to make node wars different, needing different stratergies to breach the city fighting through tunnels for example to push in, pushing up a ramp where knockbacks can push people off the ledges and things and so on the same strat shouldnt work on every node war due to layout or terrain
Dev Discussion - Dream Nodes
What type of environment would you like to spend most of your time in? Whether it is in a certain biome or a strategic location, what makes a node desirable to you?
I prefer pleasant looking open areas with some elements of corruption, invasion, or something similar to turn it hostile and add level design elements that could help convey desperation, disgust, destruction, aggression, depression, or w/e fits the story behind the area, without making the whole area unpleasant to be in for extended periods of time.
For example - i did not enjoy staying for long in L2 Blazing Swamp or Forge of the Gods. Meanwhile Ketra and Varka Outposts i find to be some of the best designed areas in an MMO - pleasant to be in, large, fairly open, but still with plenty of structure to it, which made it great for PVP with multiple sub-areas, access points, and hot-spots (e.g. areas with Generals, where most competitive groups would collide, creating breathing room for peaceful players in less contested sub-sections). Among indoor areas - Cruma Tower stands out to me as the best, and something like Stakato Nest as the worst.
I don't think i actually have favorite biomes, it's just something sand/snow themed is more likely to be made dull.
TLDR: I think it comes down to high contrast. Beautiful area with splashes of ugly. Wide open segments separated by structures, elevation, claustrophobic corridors and tunnels. Dangerous, highly contested sections and chill areas well suited for solo players, or taking a break.
Do you want the node you choose to determine how you play the game, or based on the way you play the game will you choose whatever node is best for you at the moment?
Tabletop mountains - Starts at the edge of a cliff with nearby plateau if it level to rank for it will connect via bridge to the nearby plateau and R4 will connect to another one T5 will expand to another one and T6 will expand do another (maybe connects back to other side at R6 so now u get a shortcut through a ravine or something along those lines if it hit R6. Pushing across these bridges in node wars wil be interesting and does allow for knockback to be used with deadly effect if you knock people off the bridge as they try pushing across.
Lavabiome - Would be nice to see a city on an island inbetween 2 lava flow like it forks appart and there a hill in the middle where the node is on with bridges going over the lava flow to get to the city, could be up agaist a mountain and you can have 2 bridges connecting to either side of the lava flow
Jungle or Pyrei biome, Tree city (kinda like kelethin in Evrquest) muiltipul platforms in the tree connecting via bridge to eachother
Mountain node - Build into a large underground cavern inside mineshaft's
underrealm would be nice having a node underground in a large open space connected via tunnels, would be interesting in node wars fighting by pushing through tunnels to get to the city could be a little maze/labrythn like aswel, resident would be familiar with the maze where attackers might not be could add interesting element in node wars.
I am incredibly excited to see what the potential for variation between nodes is going to be. Obviously the powers are limited, with 120 nodes in the game there is no way that every single one of them can be personally handled with uniquely crafted building placement, expandability, and environmental specific changes. (Or maybe there is, Environment team might just be absolute MACHINES) BUT, what we all of course could hope for, is that all 120 of these nodes would be unique.
For me personally, the Node that I would be most excited for is either of the extremes on the color pallet. I am an enjoyer of the dark and the light, the marble and the basalt. The beauty of a white sand coast with a marble castle and diorite walls. Or under the shadow of a volcano, can lie a node that is make of the very igneous rock it rests upon.
Then again, there is something very valid about a classic Anglo-Saxon castle/village design. as you spend more and more time in a node, visiting it for many hours a day, every single day... nodes with aggressive appearance and a heavy amount of uniquity can ware on your eyes. Eventually you'd desire the ability to feel like you have a choice of the environment around you. If you build a house that's made entirely of beach wood and granite, you'll look completely out of place in a dark and brooding castle.
My hope as well is that the creativity and the ownership of your node doesn't stop there. When you take ownership and have love for the place you live.. you want to take it everywhere you go. Having the option to wear a banner that matches your node, having titles associated with your position in them. Those kinds of options are what allow you to immerse yourself into the place you live. The more that you love the place that you visit every day, the more that you'll love logging into the game.
Ultimately, if I can get satisfaction simply by sitting on a public bench looking around at the node and adoring it's beauty.. you've locked in a massive amount of satisfaction in the game as a whole. Let's hope we can get there.
Stay Creative, Stay Patient, and put your best foot forwards,
Do you care more about certain biomes or strategic locations?
Do you plan on changing the way you play, based on your node?
Do you want the node you choose to determine how you play the game, or based on the way you play the game will you choose whatever node is best for you at the moment?
A flying node that effects the influence of other nodes as it moves.
An undersea node.
A node on one of the moons.
A extra dimensional node that is only accessible periodically.
An anti-magic node.
A wild magic node.
Believe you already brought up the idea of underground nodes, which I assume are already in the cards.
[*] Do you care more about certain biomes or strategic locations?
I want to have easy access to the deep ocean because there I estimate my guild will play more often (if they play). However do not add fast roads or teleportation.
I am somewhat surprised that there is no swamp biome. But maybe swamps are just areas inside biomes? Anyway don't delay entering Alpha 2 just to add one more biome.
[*] Do you plan on changing the way you play, based on your node?
Sure. But that will happen with each new alt I create. And I will visit and live in all biomes eventually. Which alt I will play more often I cannot tell you now, just like you cannot tell me when you start Alpha 2 or release the game.
[*] Do you want the node you choose to determine how you play the game, or based on the way you play the game will you choose whatever node is best for you at the moment?
I will chose the node based on what play-style I chose when I level a new alt, after my old node is destroyed in a siege. If get bored from my play-style sooner than the node is destroyed, I might relocate myself to a new node, if that brings me an advantage (fast access without much rent increase for apartment or potential freehold). However if I will get lucky to own a freehold, most likely I will not relocate or move away from it.
I do not regret buying a freehold cosmetic shortly after the freehold change Steven made, but I will take my revenge on you later during Alpha 2.
In terms of biome or aesthetic, I think a node that has been warped by some sort magical phenomenon (mana storm, mana volcano, erupting ley line, etc.) would be really cool. I think you could have some really interesting gameplay from this. For example, mana eruptions from a ley line could warp/mutate npcs caught in the blast.
In terms of strategic aspect, I would spend most of my time in a node that was constantly under siege from npc invaders if it was offered. Ideally, the siege would be somewhat dynamic with more difficult raid monsters showing up during peak hours while lesser mobs that I can either solo or kill with a small group being more prominent during non-peak hours. That way, I can still make a meaningful contribution to defending the node, even when its 2AM, and most of my guildies are asleep.
So, if I had a choice I’d rather be in a certain biome as I plan on being a gatherer (so I’d like better access to the resources I care about). However, I’m sure my guild will try for a strategic location in terms of location as well as nearby resources (regardless if it’s the resources I specifically would need). So I personally don't care as long as I can play with my friends.
Once we settle a node the only thing I’d change about the way I play would be how I hunted monsters/farmed experience. But it’s all going to be the same overall. Farm experience to level up my adventure class, gather as much as possible of HQ ingredients for my guild, and participate in the raids when I can. The differences in playstyle would only be superficial in that regards.
So if I was a solo player I would pick the node that is best for me at the moment. But as someone who plans on playing with a group I’d rather have roots in a node where I could potentially be one of the first people in the housing market (I’m willing to PK my fellow guild members if I don’t get a mansion spot ). But even if we don’t pick a node that matches with me it won’t really change the way I play the game? I’m not sure exactly how it would. I’d assume all the nodes will have monsters, some sort of resource to gather, and raids will be something you travel/find anyways.
[*] Do you want the node you choose to determine how you play the game, or based on the way you play the game will you choose whatever node is best for you at the moment?
I do not want nodes to change and force play-styles I don't want upon me, (to try to actively prevent me to move away looking for something new) because that could actually force me to log into an alt located in a different place to avoid doing the content I don't want to do at that moment.
I want to know that in certain places I find the players who I can rely on: the crafters, the tamers, the pvp-ers...
And that I can be found in places where my main play-style is. That means when I am not with the guild I will play using a different alt than the one which I use when I play with the guild. Also I might want to create an alt which travels a lot and changes location often, if you create a profession which can do it's job while exploring.
I will probably not feel attached to a node unless I have a freehold there, which I doubt will happen. I will help all nodes to defend themselves if they belong to my metro, or if they are neutral buffer nodes.
That being said, even if I have multiple alts, I want the game to make it so that only one main alt exists, not only because I use it more often but also to exist a "main" property for the account. So that I can eventually identify other players I interact with as having a certain specialization rather than being self sufficient multi-alt players who can do everything.
Edit: if you increase level cap to 365, reachable in one year (4-6 h/day), it is more likely that I would play as the node tells me to play and I would make low level alts only if they would become useful to defeat high level players. Then I would welcome node special PvP and PvE events to break the monotony.
Do you care more about certain biomes or strategic locations?
Yes
Do you plan on changing the way you play, based on your node?
Yes
Do you want the node you choose to determine how you play the game, or based on the way you play the game will you choose whatever node is best for you at the moment?
Comments
A node at a river-delta could be awesome.
King's Landing, so there's the beach/Naval element to it.
Moria, a Node built into a mountain would be class.
Costal for sure. Cant beat the screaching of seaguls in the morning
What makes a node desirable to you?
That the node feels alive. Not static. Chaotic. Suprising.
An area to be traversed between zones with no way round, bountiful pve and a pvp choke point!
Some players that want a militaristic node will look for the most strategic locations on the map and want to be part of a strong and defensible node. Other nodes may be more vulnerable to sieges because of their location, but they may have more opportunities for trade and advancement within their religion or artisan skills.
For xp grind areas, I like villages, ruins, nests or distributed camps. Personally, I'd think only animals should be just wandering around the forest respawning frequently, and even then, there should be a den someplace nearby (mini dungeon with mini-boss?) if there are enough wolves wandering around to make a farm spot. For example, the placement of the mobs in the ranger video made no sense with minotaurs just standing around. However, in the fighter video you can make a case for stone golems spawning in a rocky cleft.
I'm not sure if ocean tides and weather are ever planned on being implemented but I think it would give the sea a much greater feeling of danger and excitement. Having to navigate a storm while chasing your quarry or escaping with your cargo through the swells of massive waves would create some incredible stories.
As far as actual nodes that can be grown, unsurprisingly, the node(s) I am looking forward to the most are basically anything on a coastline. Seeing a bustling port city develop from nothing is a pretty exciting prospect.
I'd like to live in a hilly forest (not Surprising for Py'Rai) with mountains nearby, beside a freshwater river that feeds into a brackish lake. That lake has access to the ocean through a couple other brackish rivers that flow from it. The node's settlement, defensively built into the side of a large hill, is very well defended geographically with the brackish lake and a wide fresh-water river protecting over 60% of its' outer wall (+25% protected by cliffs). With its' unlimited fresh water from the mountains, traders thrive in the abundance of herbs and crops from the long growing cycle, while the adventurers explore dangerous dungeons in the mountains and underwater.
Would be nice to place it at a crossroads between underground passages would make for nice trade hub :P
For me the biggest thing with nodes is having different landscape and defensive layouts and things to make node wars different, needing different stratergies to breach the city fighting through tunnels for example to push in, pushing up a ramp where knockbacks can push people off the ledges and things and so on the same strat shouldnt work on every node war due to layout or terrain
wtb zone where it rainining almost constantly
I prefer pleasant looking open areas with some elements of corruption, invasion, or something similar to turn it hostile and add level design elements that could help convey desperation, disgust, destruction, aggression, depression, or w/e fits the story behind the area, without making the whole area unpleasant to be in for extended periods of time.
For example - i did not enjoy staying for long in L2 Blazing Swamp or Forge of the Gods. Meanwhile Ketra and Varka Outposts i find to be some of the best designed areas in an MMO - pleasant to be in, large, fairly open, but still with plenty of structure to it, which made it great for PVP with multiple sub-areas, access points, and hot-spots (e.g. areas with Generals, where most competitive groups would collide, creating breathing room for peaceful players in less contested sub-sections). Among indoor areas - Cruma Tower stands out to me as the best, and something like Stakato Nest as the worst.
I don't think i actually have favorite biomes, it's just something sand/snow themed is more likely to be made dull.
TLDR: I think it comes down to high contrast. Beautiful area with splashes of ugly. Wide open segments separated by structures, elevation, claustrophobic corridors and tunnels. Dangerous, highly contested sections and chill areas well suited for solo players, or taking a break.
Changing - no, adjusting - sure.
I will try to pick the best node.
Tabletop mountains - Starts at the edge of a cliff with nearby plateau if it level to rank for it will connect via bridge to the nearby plateau and R4 will connect to another one T5 will expand to another one and T6 will expand do another (maybe connects back to other side at R6 so now u get a shortcut through a ravine or something along those lines if it hit R6. Pushing across these bridges in node wars wil be interesting and does allow for knockback to be used with deadly effect if you knock people off the bridge as they try pushing across.
Lavabiome - Would be nice to see a city on an island inbetween 2 lava flow like it forks appart and there a hill in the middle where the node is on with bridges going over the lava flow to get to the city, could be up agaist a mountain and you can have 2 bridges connecting to either side of the lava flow
Jungle or Pyrei biome, Tree city (kinda like kelethin in Evrquest) muiltipul platforms in the tree connecting via bridge to eachother
Mountain node - Build into a large underground cavern inside mineshaft's
underrealm would be nice having a node underground in a large open space connected via tunnels, would be interesting in node wars fighting by pushing through tunnels to get to the city could be a little maze/labrythn like aswel, resident would be familiar with the maze where attackers might not be could add interesting element in node wars.
For me personally, the Node that I would be most excited for is either of the extremes on the color pallet. I am an enjoyer of the dark and the light, the marble and the basalt. The beauty of a white sand coast with a marble castle and diorite walls. Or under the shadow of a volcano, can lie a node that is make of the very igneous rock it rests upon.
Then again, there is something very valid about a classic Anglo-Saxon castle/village design. as you spend more and more time in a node, visiting it for many hours a day, every single day... nodes with aggressive appearance and a heavy amount of uniquity can ware on your eyes. Eventually you'd desire the ability to feel like you have a choice of the environment around you. If you build a house that's made entirely of beach wood and granite, you'll look completely out of place in a dark and brooding castle.
My hope as well is that the creativity and the ownership of your node doesn't stop there. When you take ownership and have love for the place you live.. you want to take it everywhere you go. Having the option to wear a banner that matches your node, having titles associated with your position in them. Those kinds of options are what allow you to immerse yourself into the place you live. The more that you love the place that you visit every day, the more that you'll love logging into the game.
Ultimately, if I can get satisfaction simply by sitting on a public bench looking around at the node and adoring it's beauty.. you've locked in a massive amount of satisfaction in the game as a whole. Let's hope we can get there.
Stay Creative, Stay Patient, and put your best foot forwards,
Added some follow up questions to the OP
An undersea node.
A node on one of the moons.
A extra dimensional node that is only accessible periodically.
An anti-magic node.
A wild magic node.
Believe you already brought up the idea of underground nodes, which I assume are already in the cards.
I want to have easy access to the deep ocean because there I estimate my guild will play more often (if they play). However do not add fast roads or teleportation.
I am somewhat surprised that there is no swamp biome. But maybe swamps are just areas inside biomes? Anyway don't delay entering Alpha 2 just to add one more biome.
[*] Do you plan on changing the way you play, based on your node?
Sure. But that will happen with each new alt I create. And I will visit and live in all biomes eventually. Which alt I will play more often I cannot tell you now, just like you cannot tell me when you start Alpha 2 or release the game.
[*] Do you want the node you choose to determine how you play the game, or based on the way you play the game will you choose whatever node is best for you at the moment?
I will chose the node based on what play-style I chose when I level a new alt, after my old node is destroyed in a siege. If get bored from my play-style sooner than the node is destroyed, I might relocate myself to a new node, if that brings me an advantage (fast access without much rent increase for apartment or potential freehold). However if I will get lucky to own a freehold, most likely I will not relocate or move away from it.
I do not regret buying a freehold cosmetic shortly after the freehold change Steven made, but I will take my revenge on you later during Alpha 2.
In terms of strategic aspect, I would spend most of my time in a node that was constantly under siege from npc invaders if it was offered. Ideally, the siege would be somewhat dynamic with more difficult raid monsters showing up during peak hours while lesser mobs that I can either solo or kill with a small group being more prominent during non-peak hours. That way, I can still make a meaningful contribution to defending the node, even when its 2AM, and most of my guildies are asleep.
So, if I had a choice I’d rather be in a certain biome as I plan on being a gatherer (so I’d like better access to the resources I care about). However, I’m sure my guild will try for a strategic location in terms of location as well as nearby resources (regardless if it’s the resources I specifically would need). So I personally don't care as long as I can play with my friends.
Once we settle a node the only thing I’d change about the way I play would be how I hunted monsters/farmed experience. But it’s all going to be the same overall. Farm experience to level up my adventure class, gather as much as possible of HQ ingredients for my guild, and participate in the raids when I can. The differences in playstyle would only be superficial in that regards.
So if I was a solo player I would pick the node that is best for me at the moment. But as someone who plans on playing with a group I’d rather have roots in a node where I could potentially be one of the first people in the housing market (I’m willing to PK my fellow guild members if I don’t get a mansion spot
I do not want nodes to change and force play-styles I don't want upon me, (to try to actively prevent me to move away looking for something new) because that could actually force me to log into an alt located in a different place to avoid doing the content I don't want to do at that moment.
I want to know that in certain places I find the players who I can rely on: the crafters, the tamers, the pvp-ers...
And that I can be found in places where my main play-style is. That means when I am not with the guild I will play using a different alt than the one which I use when I play with the guild. Also I might want to create an alt which travels a lot and changes location often, if you create a profession which can do it's job while exploring.
I will probably not feel attached to a node unless I have a freehold there, which I doubt will happen. I will help all nodes to defend themselves if they belong to my metro, or if they are neutral buffer nodes.
That being said, even if I have multiple alts, I want the game to make it so that only one main alt exists, not only because I use it more often but also to exist a "main" property for the account. So that I can eventually identify other players I interact with as having a certain specialization rather than being self sufficient multi-alt players who can do everything.
Edit: if you increase level cap to 365, reachable in one year (4-6 h/day), it is more likely that I would play as the node tells me to play and I would make low level alts only if they would become useful to defeat high level players. Then I would welcome node special PvP and PvE events to break the monotony.
but to be Serious i love the nodes that have the most players whatever the biome is.
And what is that node ?
Mostly in the middle of the map node or very low tax node.