In Chronicles of Elyria, if something in the world can change - whether through player interaction or naturally over time - it probably does. The most dramatic example of this is the player characters themselves. Your character begins aging from the moment they're created, growing older and eventually dying. This encourages you to think beyond your character to their role in the larger story. Of course, actions you take as a player can dramatically shorten your character’s lifespan. So act carefully.
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.
In Chronicles of Elyria, you can become the most renowned blacksmith in the world, a feared assassin, travel places where few others dare to travel, or become a sorcerer of legend.
But such rewards always come with substantial effort, and frequently with great risk. The most dangerous of which grant you the opportunity to change the course of history. But in such times, failure could cost you everything.
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.
Chronicles of Elyria is the first MMORPG to feature an advanced, AI controlled story-engine which is constantly monitoring the state of the world. Player actions such as killing another character, amassing too much wealth, and getting lost in the desert brings the AI to life, causing it to spin intricate story arcs unforseen by the developers.
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 participate in. Local, regional, and national conflicts are continuously unfolding, giving birth to repeated opportunities for you to change the course of history.
In Chronicles of Elyria, mundane tasks typically abstracted away are brought to the forefront as a way to create tension and dramatic situations. In place of mailboxes you’ll find player-ran 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.
