Chronicles of Elyria dev blog: Immersion, heroism, and realism

Why pre-release MMO Chronicles of Elyria is different

The most dynamic and immersive MMO to date, Chronicles of Elyria is the first MMORPG where your character ages and dies, encouraging you to think beyond your character to their role in a larger story. Here are five reasons we at Soulbound Studios think you should keep an eye on our developing MMORPG.

#1 – Dynamic and immersive: In Chronicles of Elyria, if something in the world can change, it probably does. The most dramatic example of this is character aging. Your character begins aging from the moment they’re created as a child, growing older and eventually dying. This encourages a player to think beyond their individual character to their role in the larger story.

#2 – Heroes must be truly heroic: In Chronicles of Elyria, the player must take risks, be heroic, and repeatedly put their character’s wealth, prestige, and even life on the line to be considered a true hero. You can become the most renowned blacksmith in the world, a feared assassin, or travel places where few others dare if you are willing to take the risks.

However, risky, adventurous, or illicit behavior often shortens your overall lifespan if unsuccessful. This forces players to make meaningful choices about their in-game behavior, reducing the incentive behind griefing and other unsavory playstyles.

#3 – A blending of player and character skills: At its most basic level, Chronicles of Elyria is a fully customizable, skill-based Action RPG in which the absence of classes means you can create any character you can imagine.

But there is more to becoming a master blacksmith than waiting on a progress bar. Requiring fast reflexes and good hand-eye coordination, skill based mini-games for non-combat skills means that for every action the character takes, some degree of player skill is required.

The era of auto-attacking is over. If your character effectively swings a sword, it’s because you chose the precise moment for them to do so. If your character cuts a Master Emerald, worthy of sitting on the crown of the King, it’s because your own nimble fingers made it happen.

#4 – Story- and event-driven: Chronicles of Elyria is the first MMORPG to feature an advanced, AI controlled story-engine that is constantly monitoring the state of the world. Player actions such as killing another character, amassing too much wealth, or getting lost in the desert brings the AI to life, causing it to spin intricate story arcs.

In addition, a closed economy, finite resources, and a fully destructible environment means that each time you log in, there is something for you to do. Local, regional, and national conflicts are continuously unfolding, giving birth to repeated opportunities for you to change the course of history.

#5 – Dramatic realism: Dramatic situations often glossed over in other games are brought to the forefront in Chronicles of Elyria. In place of mailboxes, you’ll find player-run delivery services. Worried about the courier making off with your parcel? You should be – and he’s worried about the highwaymen!

Travel in Elyria is dangerous, and those who wander too far from town or too far off the beaten path risk being caught out with no food or water. With only hand-made maps to rely on, a journey into the wasteland could mean it’s time to move on to the next character.

But realism is not all bad. From the moment you enter Elyria, you’ll be greeted and supported by your player-run family. Work as a team to develop your noble house, increase holdings, and improve your collective wealth. Or, when the time is right, set off on your own to adopt the life of an adventurer. Earn your own noble titles and slowly work your way up to running an entire kingdom.

What’s next?

Chronicles of Elyria will be releasing information during the development cycle, keeping you informed of cool features, new screenshots, and all of the exciting things going on. Hopefully these 5 items have piqued your interest enough to jump over to the official website to join the community and learn more there.