Know Your Nodes: Economic Node Type

Each Node Type brings something new to the world, and in this article, we’ll delve into what the Economic Node Type provides to the players of Ashes of Creation. If you missed our previous article in this series, we highly recommend you check out “Know Your Nodes: Scientific Node Type.” As a disclaimer, we want to note that our game is still in development, so all design decisions are subject to change during our Alphas and Betas. With that in mind, this series will provide you details on our current design plan for Nodes.

What makes an Economic Node different from other Nodes?

Hundreds of years before the first Harbinger appeared in the Verran sky, under the rule of King Fentis Lyneth VIII, there lived a great Aelan explorer named Doren Greyshore. Doren sailed the first ships to the shores of Eranthia, where he established one of the wealthiest guilds the 10 seas had ever seen: The Greyshore Company. Their motto - to this day - still holds true: “The sails of diplomacy are driven by the winds of trade, within the seas of opportunity.”

If playing the game of supply and demand is something you enjoy, the Economic Node Type is one you’ll want to find citizenship in. Whether it’s trading goods across land and sea, hoarding the income you make, or purchasing whatever you fancy, Economic Nodes provide a plethora of ways for players in Ashes of Creation to grow their fortune, build their reputation, and attain rare goods or fame. During the Expedition stage of this Node, players will encounter merchants looking for the help of brave adventurers and curious artisans. If you choose to aid them, the once-small Expedition could grow into a sprawling Metropolis with rare items from lands afar!

Unique Building

Each Node Type has a Unique Building associated with it that can be activated at Level 3, the Village Stage, of a Node’s development. In the Economic Node Type, this Unique Building is a building of trade and commerce. Players from all corners of Verra will find themselves visiting various Economic Nodes in order to partake in this vital business of trade. Outlined below are some, but not all, of the unique gameplay systems that become activated within the Unique Building at different Stages of the Economic Node. (Note: Some utilities can only be used by Citizens of the Economic Node - these will be revealed during our Alpha and Beta tests.)

The Market – Level 3 (Village Stage)

At the Village Stage, the Economic Node’s Unique Building is the Market, which serves as a center for the transaction of goods and services within the area. Players can use the Market to access features including (but not limited to) some of the following:

Auction House where raw resources and processed goods may be posted

Trade Hauling Stables for Tier 1 Mule Training

Player Shop Areas for Personal Shop deployment and Rental Stalls

Private Property Sale Certificates

Hunter’s Post (higher redemption for Tier 1 Creature Bounties)

The Exchange – Level 4 (Town Stage)

At the Town Stage, the Economic Node’s Unique Building becomes the Exchange. In addition to the previous abilities that the Market offered, the Exchange adds additional services, including (but not limited) to:

Trade Emissary (established by Node Diplomacy; offers exchange interface with citizens of foreign Nodes)

Expanded Auction House where all goods/items may be posted

Tier 1 Work Orders (these may only be requested by a Node’s government)

Tier 1 Caravan Cargo Bay Upgrade Certificates

Information on average sale prices for auction sales within the region

Map of active trade missions and requests from World Node Map

Exotic Hunter’s Store (Tier 2 Creature Bounties)

Tier 1 Business Licenses

The Galleria – Level 5 (City Stage)

At the City Stage, the Economic Node’s Unique Building becomes the Galleria. In addition to the previous abilities that the Market and Exchange offered, the Galleria adds additional services, including (but not limited) to:

Tier 2 Business Licenses

Map with information on current exchange rates for resource-based trade routes

Tier 2 Work Orders (these may be initiated by citizens or Node governments and can be fulfilled by citizens and non-citizens)

Tier 2 Caravan Cargo Bay Upgrade Certificates

Trade Hauling Stables for Tier 2 Mule Training

Trade Embassy: Offers expanded Work Order access to diplomatic friendly Nodes

Royal Hunter’s Lodge (Tier 3 Creature Bounties)

Inventory Expansion and Weight Management Training Certificates

The Emporium – Level 6 (Metropolis Stage)

At the Metropolis Stage, the Economic Node’s Unique Building becomes the Emporium. In addition to the previous abilities that the Market, Exchange, and Galleria offered, the Emporium adds a considerable amount of additional services, including (but not limited) to:

Worldwide sale prices for Auction Houses across Verra

Tier 3 Business Licenses

Tradeskill Mastery Qualifications

Player Shop Certificates (allows deployment outside of designated Player Shop areas)

Tier 3 Caravan Cargo Bay Upgrade Certificates

Trade Hauling Stables for Tier 3 Mule Training

Tier 3 Work Orders (these may be initiated by non-citizens and can be fulfilled by citizens and non-citizens)

Legendary Hunter’s Lodge (Legendary Bounties)

The Unique Building plays a central role in the progress of civilization for a server. The above examples are a small insight into the benefits of the Economic Node’s Unique Building - we don’t want to give away all our secrets, and would rather leave the discovery to our players.

Auctioneers for Vassal Nodes

If a Node is the Vassal Node of an Economic Node, an Auctioneer NPC appears in that Vassal Node. The Auctioneer allows players to list non-resource/processed materials in the Parent Node’s Auction House, but players cannot bid on items from this Auctioneer. These resources and processed materials must be stored within an Economic Node in order to be listed in that Node’s Auction House. In order to bid, they must still travel to the Auction House in the Parent Node.

Superpower

Each Node Type has a Superpower granted to the Node. These abilities become unlocked when the Node reaches Level 6 (Metropolis Stage). They are intended to change the dynamics of the game significantly.

Economic Superpower - Linked Economy

Economic Nodes that have reached the Metropolis Stage unlock the Superpower “Linked Economy”. Any Economic Node with this Superpower unlocked shares Auction House listings with all the others, meaning that the items listed in one Linked Economy Node can be bid on from any other Linked Economy Node. Linked Economies also connect a Metropolis and any Vassal Economic Nodes belonging to that Metropolis.

The Linked Economy Superpower has the potential to create a massive market that spans the world. This will allow players to attain and sell goods with ease, providing those who have access to these Economic Nodes a faster path to fortune in the lands of Ashes of Creation.

Ashes of Creation allows you, the player, to decide the fate of the world around you. With each Node Type, you can change the flow of resources and goods in the world. Will you grow the largest Economic Metropolis and help guide the riches of Verra, or will you choose another path unlocking new stories filled with allies and enemies?

In the next Know Your Nodes article, we’ll be covering the Divine Node Type, so be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook in order to get the most up-to-date information on Ashes of Creation!