Chronicles of Elyria represents the next evolution in MMOs – moving beyond the stale, consumable gameplay of the current generation – into something new and better! Today's MMO players all know the inherent problems with sandbox or themepark online games and have been waiting for a solution. Chronicles of Elyria has been designed from the start to look for innovative solutions to those issues. As you look through this guide, you will find some features never seen in an MMO or done in a completely new way.
Chronicles of Elyria Game Guide
Endless Content, Multiple Lifetimes
From the moment your character is born, story arcs begin unfolding to create a unique narrative just for you. Any time you meet another character, loot an item, reach a certain age, commit a crime, and more, it creates an opportunity for unexpected adventure. Like a key turning a lock, your story reveals itself through the choices you make.
Physical fitness is dynamic and your character's body and attributes will change based on the activities your character performs. Increases or decreases in muscle and fat, as well as scars or other injuries, will shape what you look like and are more than just a slider used during character creation. Your character will look like they've actually lived the life you've experienced with them!
Meaningful World & NPC Interaction
Non-Player Characters (NPCs) in Elyria share the world with the real-life players and will be seen going about their daily lives, not be rooted in place acting as a quest hub. Similarly the creatures of Elyria will seek to survive within the confines of their environment. If food and water become scarce, look for the wildlife to change their behaviors, potentially driving migration or interactions with the tribes of Mann. This focus on survival, along with finite resources, will create a living, breathing world with real consequences, for good or ill!
To maintain persistence, your character remains in-game from the moment of creation until its lifespan has run out. Since players will be a vital part of the economy as merchants, trainers, and auctioneers, when you sign off to enjoy life in the real world, your character continues as an Offline Player Character (OPC) supported by A.I. scripts. These scripted Behaviors will let you do things like craft mastered items, run a storefront, perform weekly trade routes, rest, do some gardening, and many other things. Your character will continue to react to the world as best it can, even when unexpected events occur. However, real advancement will require a player's touch so these scripts are not a replacement for a play session.
An Ever Evolving Story
Like a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure novel on a grand scale, Chronicles of Elyria boasts a quest and story system that is unscripted, allowing you to be the master of your own destiny. Every action and event happening in Elyria has a chance to reveal new stories for your character to join into...or ignore. We're creating a GPS for Storytelling so, even if you miss your turn, our story engine will recalculate to get you back on the high road to adventure! Whether you aspire to be a hero of legend, wish to discover the secrets of the ages, or simply want a good tale to pass down, the story will evolve and adapt to the decisions you make as well as present new opportunities.
Join a Player-Run Family and Build Your Dynasty
Each character you create comes from somewhere and belongs in the world. Our unique family system is the key to sharing and growing your legacy with your real-life friends and family as you play. Being a part of a player-run family could mean inheriting titles, riches, and character traits from your parents and ancestors. You can even have children by using a Child Contract with another player, and invite your friends to play as your child.
Families are a method for continuing your lineage to your next character. Heirs can inherit land, title, wealth, and possessions. With your next Spark of Life, continue your legacy by inhabiting your heir with the same family support system as you continue to build out your family dynasty.
Survival Gameplay & Political Intrigue
In Chronicles of Elyria player choice has a lot to do with character survival. Player interaction runs deep, and choices can have consequences. Survival elements alongside player-initiated political intrigue and a system of law and government means that danger is not always obvious. In Elyria, you can affect the environment in realistic and permanent ways. The environment can also affect you, however!
Managing temperature, exposure, food, water, and fatigue are core to survival in Elyria. Rather than abstract all these experiences away, Chronicles of Elyria embraces these needs to push players to action, create reasons to interact with others, and drive the economies of the world. Stepping outside a settlement brings risk, but also rewards, for those who dare. Dramatic stories and heroic achievements are made possible through the unexpected.
No matter your play style, you would be wise to respect the world around you because there are a variety of different elements to consider as you play. How each one affects you will depend on where your character lives and what role they play in society. Farmers will need to stockpile the harvest for a long winter, or plant resilient crops for a hot summer. Travelers will need to pack the appropriate clothing and travel during advantageous times. Snow-filled mountain passages may become blocked, restricting trade with neighboring towns or trapping a war host that chose the wrong time to march. Cities will crumble and swords will rust if not properly maintained, as the time and weather will wear down even the greatest civilizations.
Finally Create the Character You've Been Dreaming Of
Chronicles of Elyria doesn't trap a player in the construct of a pre-defined class chosen during character creation. Instead your character evolves over time based on the skills you choose to pursue. This means you finally get the chance to create a character as unique as you are!
Never want to pick up a sword? You can find success as a crafter without ever using a weapon. Plus, there is more to becoming a master craftsman than waiting on a progress bar. Requiring fast reflexes and good hand-eye coordination, skill based challenges for non-combat skills means that for every action the character takes, some degree of player skill is required.
Even in combat, if your character effectively swings a sword, it's because you chose the precise moment for them to do so. If you dodge or parry, it will be at your behest. The era of auto-attacking is over!
Help Shape Elyria & Its Many Kingdoms
Player-run governments and organizations are just scratching the surface. With disguises and identities, rumors and information, and character-centric communication, players have a variety of tools at their disposal to handle intrigue. Player interaction runs deep, and we need systems and tools to support the flow of information and support player groups of any size. As a result, Chronicles of Elyria is the only game where players run an entire civilization, not just pieces of it.
Information is a tradeable commodity in Chronicles of Elyria, just like items and resources. Knowing someone's name, reputation, and affiliations can greatly impact whether you can get information. Players can put on disguises and assume different identities to help or hinder these efforts.
We've designed Chronicles of Elyria from the ground up to be a game of tens, hundreds, or even thousands of players working side-by-side. Organizations provide tools and opportunity for players to guide the social and economic future of Elyria for their server! We also put tools in the hands of players to guide and shape Elyria and its many kingdoms. A hierarchical government, along with our unique system for Contracts, means that players can affect broad changes that affect other players on their server, for good or for ill.
Completely Customize Your Home Base
Instead of static starter zones, players will enter Elyria in their family's home town which will be their base of operations, both a place of relative safety and an opportunity for wealth and success. As one gets established it will be common to branch out and build a home of your own.
It’s not uncommon for games to limit construction to within specialized housing regions. In Chronicles of Elyria, you can build buildings pretty much anywhere. If there are obstructions in your way like trees or rocks, you can remove them and lay a foundation. Constructing a building is an active process in which many people will work together and use various skills to complete it, based on the blueprint being used. Settlements will be born from having enough homes and public spaces to service the nearby population.
In Chronicles of Elyria, things have owners. Land, buildings, and items typically belong to someone and there can be repercussions to entering an area or taking something that doesn't belong to you. As the owner of such property, there are also things you can do to safeguard your belongings. Locks and keys can protect a home or container from being opened. Even traps can be set for those who are serious about security. However, that doesn't mean you have to hoard all of your items or keep them on you at all times, as some items can be shared between your family or guild, while still being off-limits to outsiders. Our ownership system means that, even if an item is taken, it's still yours and you can go after the thief through the legal system to get that item back.