Node layout and style

The layout and architecture within a Node’s development area are determined by influential race. For example, a stage 3 Node with the majority of player contribution being Py’rai would have a Py’rai village with Py’rai architecture. Most NPCs would be Py’rai elves, and offer questlines within the Py’rai narrative.[2] – Margaret Krohn
Each player’s contributed experience is flagged with their character race and other identifiers. When a Node advances, the race with the highest experience contribution determines the Node’s style and culture. This style and culture change can happen at every Node Stage. For example, if a Node advances to Level 2 - Encampment Stage and 51% of all experience was earned by Ren’Kai players, the Node will be a Level 2 Ren’Kai Node. If that same Node advances to a Level 3 - Village Stage Node, but the Py’Rai contributed 62% of all the experience earned, then the Node will be a Level 3 Py’Rai Node.[3] – Margaret Krohn
Node layout and style is determined by several factors:[4][5]
- Environment and location of the node.[4][5]
- Node type.[5]
- Race that contributed most to the node's advancement.[4][5][6]
- Racial appearance of a node's buildings and NPCs.[7][6]
- This applies to all nodes, including castle nodes.[8]
- The rest is determined by the node's mayor.[5]
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.[5] – Jeffrey Bard
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.[8] – Steven Sharif
Contents
Node buildings
Constructible node buildings
Node governments decide the location and types of constructible node buildings to be constructed within sectors of a node.[11][12][13]
These are buildings that the mayor has agency over determining whether or not they should be a constructed project. Constructible buildings can be selected at open plots that are gained as the node advances. If they elect to begin construction of one of these types of buildings- one of which is the marketplace- it'll grant certain trade benefits as well as some stalls that the citizens may participate in.[14] – Steven Sharif
When the building types are determined, the community will then need to bring resources into the node (using caravans) and come together to construct the buildings (via quests and the like).[11]
The government decides how to specialize their node. Once they choose certain things they won't be able to choose other things.[11]
Different governments may change the buildings within a node.[11]
And there could be regime change... If somebody doesn't like the fact that a market was built and they want to re-elect a new government next cycle, they can do so... and that market could be destroyed and a new building take its place.[11]
Pre-defined parameters limit the number of buildings at in-node locations.[12]
Unique node buildings
Each node type has a unique node building associated with it that can be activated at the Village stage of node advancement. The unique building plays a central role in the progress of civilization for a server.[16]
Static housing development

If the node advances players can essentially select an option on their house as they own it that they want it to upgrade to the next stage if the node advances or they can select an option not to upgrade it. So you as the node levels and larger homes become available, the town stage introduces additional medium types housing, the city stage introduces large sized homes, and in the metropolis stage introduces my mansion size houses each of which contain specific... allowances and allotments for different types of furnishings that have gameplay implications.[17] – Steven Sharif
In-node housing can scale in size with the advancement of its parent node. This may be toggled on or off by the player.[17][18]
- The Village stage offers small housing types.[17]
- The Town stage introduces medium housing types.[17]
- The City stage introduces large sized homes.[17]
- The Metropolis stage introduces mansion size houses.[17]
If you choose to keep the same size then the next stage will have an occupied small home. So for instance if at stage three there are 8 small home and you own 1, then at stage 4 there are 10 new small homes of which x are owned by previous owners, and 10 new medium homes of which x are owned by upgraded small home owners.[19] – Steven Sharif
New property becomes available at each stage of advancement, but it will be more akin to what was available at the previous stage.[18]
- Only the houses that existed at the Village stage will become main street mansions at the Metropolis stage.[18]
Node redevelopment
A node that was successfully sieged may develop differently due to the following influences:[4][20]
- Different races becoming primary contributors.[4][20]
- Design elements determined by different governments.[4][20]
- Reactions and interactions with other nodes in the world.[4][20]
Artistic style
Ashes of Creation will have a higher graphical fidelity than most western games. It will not be too stylized or "cartoony".[21]
- All of the art assets in Ashes of Creation Apocalypse battle royale testing mode have been created by Intrepid Studios.[22]
We can push the limits a little bit on the graphical fidelity, especially using Unreal Engine 4... My desire was not to see very cartoony games. I'm not a big fan of highly stylized art.[21] – Steven Sharif
Artistic influences
- Aelean architecture has a French medieval influence.[23]
- Dünir have a Nordic cultural influence.[24]
- Empyreans have a Greco-Roman imperialistic feeling.[25]
- The Kaelar have a European racial influence.[26]
- The Niküa have a Polynesian influence.[25]
- The Py'Rai have a Navajo Native American influence.[25] Py'Rai architecture has a woodland inspiration.[27]
- Pyrian architecture has a Greco-Roman influence.[28]
- The Vaelune have a Middle Eastern racial influence.[26]
- The Vek have a Mesoamerican racial influence.[26]
You will see in the different races that are available from a player character standpoint a lot of different influences that reflect many cultures in the world: Not just European, not just Africa, not Mesoamerican. These cultures are going to be present in many of the races.[29] – Steven Sharif
The idea is just to find a base component in the real world as a starting point and then to begin to fantasize.[23] – Steven Sharif
See also
References
- ↑ Livestream, 9 February 2018 (33:50).
- ↑ Blog - Know Your Nodes - The Basics.
- ↑ Blog - Know Your Nodes - Advance and Destroy.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Livestream, 30 October 2020 (39:17).
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Livestream, 27 September 2018 (53:06).
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Interview, 11 May 2018 (54:34).
- ↑ Livestream, 26 May 2017 (21:23).
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Interview, 11 May 2018 (47:27).
- ↑ Livestream, 28 March 2020 (1:16:03).
- ↑ Video, 23 March 2020 (0:24).
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Livestream, 19 May 2017 (33:57).
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Livestream, 20 January 2018 (38:17).
- ↑ Livestream, 8 April 2018 (PM) (51:49).
- ↑ Interview, 8 July 2020 (55:05).
- ↑ Livestream, 1 September 2018 (36:28).
- ↑ Know Your Nodes: Economic Node Type.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5 17.6 Video, 31 May 2020 (47:32).
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Node series part II – the Metropolis.
- ↑
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Livestream, 24 May 2017 (52:39).
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Interview, 20 October 2018 (2:17:43).
- ↑ Interview, 20 October 2018 (2:28:08).
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Interview, 20 October 2018 (3:47:17).
- ↑
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 Interview, 11 May 2018 (1:03:21).
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Podcast, 11 May 2018 (31:35).
- ↑
- ↑ Livestream, 16 October 2017 (15:58).
- ↑ Interview, 11 May 2018 (1:04:27).