Ashes of Creation is speaking my language this week in its lengthy dev blog on the game’s economic node. Nodes, you’ll recall, are the 103 (at launch) pre-planted centers of influence spread across the game for players to settle around and build up as cities, in divine, military, scientific, and economic form.
“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,” Intrepid Studios says. “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!”
The economic node gets a unique commerce building depending on its stage: special markets, auction halls, player shops and stalls, high-end business licenses and work orders, specialty stables, hunting lodges… it’s extensive. Linked economies with shared auction halls are even on the table for superpower groups.
