Narrative Content Model

Note: Details are being worked out. Everything below is subject to iteration.

The game will feature seasonal branching story content based on player choice. Some of this content will be small-scale and linear. Some will be generated through an organic content system.

Adventures

These are stories the player takes part in and affects the outcome of. They reward experience points and sometimes an item, currency, resource, or increase reputation.

Vignettes are small encounters or experiences that add depth to a character or the world. These are meant to be completed in one sitting.

Tales longer, branching storylines with consequences that may be referenced before the Tale ends in future Tales. Choices made by players may modify their world through conditional visibility.

• For example, you let the king die and don't see him. But, if I protected him, so I see him.

Sagas is Either a collection of Tales or a quest lasting an entire game's season (several months). The consequences of a Saga change the actual world based on player metrics.

• For example, the capital Sarmizegetusa could be partially demolished and become overrun with supernatural enemies.

• The plan is to create robust tools for designers to easily create quests based on player actions rather than plan rigid story arcs without player agency.

Organic Content System

The world generates content based on a narrative ecosystem. The goal is to create new content every day.

Non-player entities (NPE), such as townsfolk or roaming monsters, belong to a group. These groups have unique IDs. When an NPE is hindered or helped by a source, their group may be informed of this. Once enough data is collected, and a threshold is met, the group will generate an appropriate event.

For example, a caravan of merchants is killed by raiding monsters. The merchants belong to a group attached to a specific city. If a surviving merchant their home city, their city's group will register that particular monster's group as a threat. This could create Vignettes. Alternately, if similar Vignettes were recently presented, the city could create an event where a small military force searches and destroy the monsters.