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Dungeons, Raids, World bosses, Mobs, Quests, Events, Resources, Narratives and other content within a node's ZOI will have a diverse level range; but will scale with the advancement of that node and its racial influence.[1][2][3]

  • Portions of the spawn tables (for mobs and resources) are static and other portions are dynamic and adapt to node development.[4]
We don’t have a strictly level 25 zone. Instead, that zone might have some level 10 creatures near the road, some level 20 creatures deep in the forest, and some level 30 creatures up the mountain. These ratios will change based on the Nodes that inform them, becoming generally more dangerous as the Node grows. All this civilization attracts the attention of Things-That-Should-Not-Be. This does not mean that wilderness areas are safe, by any means. Some may be safe-er, but all will have dangers that even the most experienced traveler needs to watch out for.[5]Steven Sharif

Event levels

The level of a particular event can be based on the level of the content that triggers it, or it can be set to a higher level in order to drive traffic back to lower level zones.[6]

For example, if the event takes place in a zone that has a base population of let's say average level 25, then one of the trigger conditions might be that 10 monsters of level 25 have been killed recently in that zone and the level 25 event will now spawn additional content designed for level 25 players. So these events aren't always going to be end-game they're going to be obviously appropriate based on the content in which the predicate system is informing, but they also could be something completely top level that is introduced at a lower-level area and brings population traffic of the players back to those types of things.[6]Steven Sharif
  • The more players participating in an event the more challenging the event will become and the higher the rewards will be for completing the event.[7][8][9]

Leveling

Alpha-1 early iteration of the level-up effect by Jim Sanders.[10]

One of the cool abilities we all love seeing and gives us a major dopamine response is when our character levels up.[10]Steven Sharif

Leveling won't follow a traditional linear path, although classic mechanics for leveling exist.[11][12]

Leveling: the act of of going out and adventuring, of killing monsters, and combat in general is the most tactile and moment-to-moment type of gameplay that you're going to experience in Ashes of Creation; and I think at every step of the way in that adventure it should be fun, and it should be something that you enjoy doing, and it should be something that's rewarding, and it should be something that teaches you more about the immersive world that you're in and allows you to follow a compelling storyline.[13]Steven Sharif
  • Some levels may offer more rewards than others.[21]
I think you can emphasize some levels more than others and that's a great way to do progression. But I think ultimately that you should see a reward for your progress or effort spent.[21]Steven Sharif
As part of our ideals as a game we're not going to give boosts away. We're not going to auto-level up a character. You have to spend time acclimating yourself to what this game is, to what the world that you're part of is; and that's an investment- a time investment; and that plays towards our ideas of risk-versus-reward; and I've always said our game's not going to be for everybody and that's okay.[22]Steven Sharif
If I have a skill that does a thousand damage to a target of equal level I don't want my skill to do zero damage to a target that's five levels above me.[24]Steven Sharif
  • A player could in theory level to max level at a single node, providing that node was at a high-enough stage, but it would not be the most effective means of leveling.[25]

End game

Ashes of Creation will not have a typical end-game where content is essentially static and repetitive. Instead, max-level characters will be able to engage with many different gameplay loops that open up based on how the world progresses over time.[26][27]

Endgame to me communicates static. It is static structure. Okay, you've entered this loop, now and this is your end-game loop that you will repeat over and over. Whereas instead, the approach for Ashes is you have now reached a point where all of these loops are relevant; and the loops are present to you depending on how the community engages the world. And it's up to you to identify the most promising loops because you have a finite amount of time and resources in which you can engage with them. And that's then where strategy becomes a part of the picture: How will I choose to engage with these loops to maximize my return, or to maximize the specific benefit I wish to bring in individual, group, myself, or guild.[26]Steven Sharif
Part of the whole experience with nodes is that there is no real end-game, in that the world is constantly shifting every day. Month one is going to be really different from month two; and that's for the level 50s and level 1s.[27]Jeffrey Bard

Level cap

The level cap at launch is expected to be level 50.[28][29]

  • On release the developers anticipate max level should be attainable in approximately 45 days if playing 4-6 hours per day.[30][31]
  • The developers estimate that players will reach level cap before a quarter of nodes reach Village (stage 3).[28]
  • Alpha-1 had progression to level 15.[32]
  • Alpha-2 expects progression to level 30 (subject to change).[33] Previously this was stated to be level 35.[34][35]

Lower level characters will have usefulness in mass combat (such as Node sieges) that is not directly dependent on their level, such as manning siege weapons, helping repair fortifications, bringing proximity-based buffs to key positions, using stealth or scaling walls. These types of things are relevant to the tide of battle and do not require the player to be max-level or have high combat stats.[36]

The idea is not to be a game where somebody can essentially no life for a week and be max level. The idea is to incorporate some significant chunk of time but still respect the casual player, because the way we respect the casual player is not everything is driven in our game through the adventuring progression line. Not everything is driven through your class level per-se. There's a lot of different progression paths that are available and make you relevant within certain systems and mechanics within the game; and some of those paths are more casual friendly and some of those paths are more hardcore friendly. So with regards to the adventuring class, the idea is to make sure that investment needs to be pretty significant and that the reward then is respective of that investment.[30]Steven Sharif

Zone of Influence

 
Nodes are pre-set locations, wrapped in a zone of influence (ZOI).[37]

Every Node is given purview over a predefined geographic area called a Zone of Influence (ZoI). No matter where you go in the world, whether you’re questing, gathering, or raiding, you’ll be helping determine which nodes will develop, and what Zones of Influence will expand. Any area that a Node controls is considered its Zone of Influence, including Vassal Nodes, and all Vassal Nodes exist within the Zone of Influence of their Parent Node.[3]Margaret Krohn

Every node is given purview over a predefined geographic area called a Zone of influence (ZOI). Player activity within the ZOI is weighted and counted toward a particular node’s advancement.[37]

The main thing that differentiates us from other MMOs is that we have a living, breathing, reactive world... Our world is separated into zones, which are then separated into what we call nodes. Nodes are sort of invisible zones of influence that listen to everything that a player does; so as players gain experience from killing things, gain experience from doing quests, gain experience through crafting things, the node is also gaining that experience. Once a node gains enough experience it levels up and then starts to attract NPCs to it .[38]Jeffrey Bard

Each Node can form into towns, but are limited by their neighbors. The Nodes have different levels of advancement. There can only be so many of each level. Think of this as advanced settlements needing more elbow room. Nodes encompass more land as they grow and will require more effort to be sustained. This system is a main driver for change in the world because it creates scarcity. As Nodes advance in stages of growth they will lock out neighboring Nodes from progressing, and will absorb their zones of influence.[37]

There is not a space where you will move in to do something and no node will get that experience.[40]Steven Sharif

Node simulation

Simulation of node interactions.[45]

This representation does show 111 nodes as part of this particular simulation. I'm not sure what the tick frequency is on this video. It might be something on the magnitude of like every second is probably 12 to 24 hours. So over time you start seeing these larger node systems building up to eventually where you might see Cities and Metropolises after some period of time; and what this allows the design team to do from a tools perspective, as they simulate this idea of how the world is going to progress, is it gives an opportunity to see strange happenings or something that we couldn't necessarily predict but was a possible outcome based on the variables present.[45]Steven Sharif

The developers have created a simulation of node interactions in preparation for Alpha-2 deployment of the node system.[45]

You can show the initial territories on the Verran map of what these particular nodes have governance over, or their Zones of Influence as we like to call them... As the simulation of this begins to advance and nodes begin to expand their territory and they begin to take over nearby nodes as a result of their of their growth, you start to see these power level ratings that are applied here on specific nodes that determines what type of takeover power it has and and what it pushes back against for other nodes that are looking to take over new territory as they advance.[45]Steven Sharif

  • It also simulates events, such as NPCs attacking and disabling certain node buildings and services. Failure to successfully respond to these will reduce the node's "health ticker", which will slow down the XP gains from the node.[45]

It also simulates events: So each of these nodes will have a health ticker: when that health ticker is impacted it'll stop gaining power or gaining or slow down in its gaining of experience; and that's because certain events can affect a node by disabling certain services, disabling buildings. Players don't respond to that horde of zombies that have come out of the nearby ravine then those zombies can attack stables, they can attack service buildings, and prevent particular types of quests or activities and services from happening until it's repaired.[45]Steven Sharif

  • Node sieges are simulated, with successful sieges destroying the nodes, and where unsuccessful sieges won't destroy the node but may result in disabled buildings or services, similar to events.[45]

It simulates the sieges if a particular node has a certain frequency that's set where we want to see randomization of how nodes get affected by sieges. Sometimes they'll be destroyed in the simulation. Sometimes they'll have disabled services again, similar to an event, because they didn't succeed necessarily at sieging the node but they did succeed at disabling some of the buildings as part of that siege.[45]Steven Sharif

  • It simulates what outcomes may happen in the live game as a result of player activity, such as splitting up a particular ZOI across a waterway, or having territories expand out to islands or across continents.[45]

It simulates what players could potentially do as well when the game goes live; and that might include things like splitting up a particular Zone of Influence across a waterway, having your territory expand out to an island, or across continents. These are these are the types of things that we want to see players do eventually obviously but this tool provides the design team the opportunity to see it repetitively and over a fast period of time so they see these different types of outcomes.[45]Steven Sharif

Node advancement

Citizen and non-citizen player activity (questing, gathering, raiding, etc.) within a node's ZOI counts toward that particular node's advancement (progression) to a higher node stage.[47][48]

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.[49]

  • Nodes advance to the first stage quickly. This enables NPC services such as vending or banking items.[50]
  • The more advanced the node is, the larger its ZOI becomes.[51]
  • Less advanced nodes (referred to as vassal nodes) that fall within a more advanced node's ZOI can still gain XP, but must remain at a lower advancement stage than the dominant node.[52]
  • Certain quests, such as story arcs, may not be able to be turned in after a node has advanced.[55]
  • The territory expansion algorithm takes into account the nearest coast, neighboring nodes, and the heatmap of players in surrounding areas over the last weeks or month.[56]
    • Due to the way the progression algorithm calculates territorial (ZOI) expansion during node advancement, there is a small possibility that two nodes of the same stage end up being close to each other.[57]
The way that the algorithm expands the territories takes into account a few things: One it takes into account the coast like where's the closest coast. Two it takes into account the neighboring nodes so it can take over and essentially vassal state those nodes, but what's more important is essentially the initial population based on like how players choose their races. Because we have nine different races and four different starting points that branch out, each server's population density is going to dictate essentially the first few nodes that are highly populated and then that initial seed is what's going to determine the node structure as it moves inland into the into the world essentially; and based on the performance and successes of different sieges will determine which nodes that got locked out from the previous the initial advancements what nodes can now be available to advance further. So I really think that with so many variables that are present in the equation of how nodes advance and stay existing with the more variables you have, the higher likelihood there is for there to be a significant diversion in world progression.[56]Steven Sharif
Normally the algorithm that's applied to the node territorial expansion will prevent significant nodes from being in close proximity to each other... There could be a perfect storm where all of the algorithmic progression of territory leads to having these nodes very close to each other because there's certain requirements that should that need to be available to satisfy node vassal takeovers; and it's possible that two nodes would never take each other over as vassals and end up close together and spanning their territories in opposite directions: The Tale of Two Cities thing.[57]Steven Sharif
  • A node does not receive XP from the nodes within its ZOI until these nodes have reached their cap.[52]
  • Citizens of one node can contribute to the advancement of other nodes.[58]
  • Node experience gain opportunities will be equitable across the four node types.[59]
    • The exact percentage of advancement from obtaining items or killing monsters is not going to be explicitly known to avoid "gaming" the system.[60]
Different people have different resources invested in nodes progressing and it would be a little "gamey" if you could know exactly what was necessary at that point because that would disincentivize people from participating.[60]Steven Sharif

Node advancement spawns a series of animations and visual effects (within the footprint of the node).[61][47]

  • Players within the node are teleported to a safe location, likely a respawn area near the node.[61][62]
  • Supplies will spawn around the node and system driven caravans are spawned to bring these supplies into the node. These caravans are not able to be attacked.[61]
  • NPCs will begin construction activities.[61]
  • Players outside the node will see the new facade of the node pop into existence as the node advances in stage.[61]
The Development Area of a Node is where civilization will appear as the Node advances. As the Node Stage increases, different buildings, NPCs, and services will become available in the Development Area. The higher the Node Stage, the more complex and populated the Development Area becomes. Development Areas will also vary depending on the Node Type - Economic, Military, Scientific, or Divine.[47]Margaret Krohn

Vassal nodes

 
Vassal node structure.[63]

This vassal mode structure tells you what it looks like for a sovereign at a level six metropolis stage; and what it can control at a maximum vassal network is two level five nodes, of which a level five node can control one level four and one level three as direct vassals; and then the four can control a three; and every three can control a one or a two. Now if the three gets removed through siege, the one or the two is removed as well. So that's an important distinction between the three's vassals, which technically isn't really a vassal relationship because there's no citizenships possible. Those vassals don't exist between three and X, but they do exist between four and three, five and four, and six and five. And what this also allows is that because there are 85 nodes that are within the world, we have a buffer zone of about 20 nodes that lives in a max server state. So if you had maximum five metropolises form in a world, you will have a number about 20 nodes that can live alongside those metropolis networks; and when or if a metropolis falls, that extra cushion of nodes around the five metropolis structures allows for the map to be redistricted in a way that is unique. It doesn't mean that one of the fives is just going to pick up where the last six left off and form the same exact metropolis structure. From a territory perspective it has ancillary nodes to play with and expand towards that redistricts the map, so that if a metropolis falls there's a significant difference in the layout of the world and the layout of these almost nation-like territories.[63]Steven Sharif

Village (stage 3) or higher nodes enslave nearby nodes, converting them into vassal nodes.[3][54]

There is a layer of intricacy between how the neighboring nodes advance and what potential parent structure they have in the vassalship tree.[64]Steven Sharif
  • Vassal nodes gain benefits from their regent node (also referred to as sovereign node or parent node) even if the node type of the parent is different to the vassal.[65][66]
It is not a bad thing to be vasseled, it is a good thing to be vasseled. It brings many benefits from the Sovereign, which is the ultimate parent of that vassal network down to the vassal node itself; and it allows that vassal node to even live outside of its normal mechanics. You get to adopt some of the benefits that the node type of your sovereign is, even if your node type as a vassal node isn't the same.[66]Steven Sharif
  • Regent nodes collect taxes from their vassal nodes. These taxes cannot be taken by the mayor or other players.[68]
  • Vassal nodes give excess experience to their parent node and may have their own vassals; so long as they fall within the parent node’s zone of influence.[68][3]
    • If a node is capped and is both a vassal and has its own vassals, any experience earned from itself or its Vassals is first applied to its own deficit. Experience beyond that is then sent to its parent node.[47]
When the vassal reaches its cap it overflows experience up to the parent; and so it can be very good early on for parents to get vassal nodes that are very productive- that have a lot of traffic.[68]Steven Sharif
  • Vassals are subject to the government, alliances, wars, taxes, and trade of their parent node, and are able to receive federal aid from them.[3]
  • Vassal nodes cannot declare war on their parent node or any of their vassals.[3]
  • Citizens of vassals are bound by the diplomatic states of the parent node.[3]
If a Node is a Vassal Node and is capped from advancing further, it first applies any experience earned to its own deficit (see Node Atrophy section), and then applies excess experience earned to its Parent Node. If the Parent Node advances and the Vassal is able to grow, it becomes uncapped. If a Node is capped and is both a Vassal and has its own Vassals, any experience earned from itself or its Vassals is first applied to their own deficit. Any experience beyond that is then sent to its Parent Node.[47]Margaret Krohn

See also

References

  1. Interview, July 19, 2020 (19:35).
  2. Livestream, May 15, 2017 (30:53).
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Blog - Know Your Nodes - The Basics.
  4. Livestream, August 26, 2022 (1:28:50).
  5. Interview: Ashes of Creation on Building Their Virtual World, 2017-04-13.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Livestream, April 29, 2022 (44:13).
  7. Video, September 29, 2023 (12:18).
  8. Video, September 29, 2023 (2:59).
  9.  
  10. 10.0 10.1 Livestream, July 31, 2020 (1:05:58).
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 Livestream, October 14, 2022 (23:15).
  12.  
  13. Livestream, October 31, 2023 (5:27).
  14. Podcast, July 15, 2023 (13:51).
  15. Interview, October 20, 2018 (2:53:53).
  16. Interview, October 20, 2018 (1:55).
  17. Podcast, December 3, 2023 (15:05).
  18. 18.0 18.1 Livestream, May 27, 2022 (1:11:10).
  19. Livestream, May 24, 2017 (46:27).
  20. Livestream, July 25, 2020 (1:33:37).
  21. 21.0 21.1 Livestream, July 29, 2022 (1:24:58).
  22. 22.0 22.1 Interview, June 13, 2021 (48:27).
  23. Livestream, September 27, 2018 (52:41).
  24. 24.0 24.1 Livestream, July 25, 2020 (1:34:55).
  25. Livestream, April 29, 2022 (1:06:34).
  26. 26.0 26.1 Interview, July 9, 2023 (42:51).
  27. 27.0 27.1 Video, April 5, 2018 (40:08).
  28. 28.0 28.1 Podcast, July 15, 2023 (11:21).
  29. Livestream, December 15, 2017 (58:48).
  30. 30.0 30.1 Interview, July 8, 2020 (1:07:59).
  31. Livestream, May 24, 2017 (19:25).
  32. Livestream, April 30, 2021 (41:18).
  33. Livestream, December 19, 2023 (1:41:54).
  34. Livestream, March 31, 2023 (1:24:21).
  35. Livestream, January 28, 2022 (15:35).
  36. Interview, July 8, 2020 (1:12:51).
  37. 37.0 37.1 37.2 Node series part I
  38. Interview, April 20, 2018 (7:22).
  39. Ashes of Creation FAQ.
  40. 40.0 40.1 Livestream, July 9, 2018 (39:32).
  41. Livestream, March 29, 2019 (58:14).
  42. Livestream, March 29, 2019 (29:17).
  43. Livestream, May 5, 2017 (37:52).
  44. Interview, May 11, 2018 (55:16).
  45. 45.00 45.01 45.02 45.03 45.04 45.05 45.06 45.07 45.08 45.09 45.10 Livestream, September 24, 2021 (30:26).
  46. Video, February 29, 2024 (33:57).
  47. 47.0 47.1 47.2 47.3 47.4 47.5 Blog - Know Your Nodes - Advance and Destroy.
  48. A reactive world - Nodes.
  49. Video, April 20, 2017 (0:02).
  50.  
  51. Node series part II – the Metropolis.
  52. 52.0 52.1 Livestream, October 16, 2017 (50:20).
  53. 53.0 53.1  
  54. 54.0 54.1 54.2  
  55. Livestream, February 29, 2024 (53:58).
  56. 56.0 56.1 Interview, July 18, 2020 (10:04).
  57. 57.0 57.1 Interview, July 8, 2020 (1:00:15).
  58.  
  59. Livestream, September 24, 2021 (1:21:23).
  60. 60.0 60.1 Livestream, May 26, 2017 (28:16).
  61. 61.0 61.1 61.2 61.3 61.4 Livestream, October 14, 2022 (55:13).
  62. Livestream, November 17, 2017 (55:27).
  63. 63.0 63.1 63.2 Livestream, August 26, 2022 (1:07:34).
  64.  
  65. Livestream, August 31, 2023 (52:56).
  66. 66.0 66.1 Livestream, August 26, 2022 (1:04:35).
  67.  
  68. 68.0 68.1 68.2 Livestream, August 26, 2022 (1:10:16).

Nodes