Bürgermeister
Bürgermeister are leaders of a node's government who control the development of that node.[2]
- Other leadership powers.[2]
Only node citizens may be elected mayor.[5]
- Only one citizenship may be declared per account, per server.[5][6]
- This may have changed to one citizenship per account.[7]
- A king or queen can also become a mayor.[5]
- You may only ever be a citizen of a single node at a time.[5] – Steven Sharif
Bürgermeister gain new powers and responsibilities as their node advances.[8]
- Nodes have a number of node policies that are proposed by the mayor to be voted on by citizens.[9][10]
- The mayoral title unlocks special abilities and stats during sieges or events.[11]
- Mayors are notified when their node is named on a siege declaration scroll.[12]
- The mayor is made aware of what scroll has been generated if their node is the one that's named on the scroll.[12] – Steven Sharif
Mayoral caravans
Mayoral caravans are launched by Bürgermeister.[13]
Mayoral quests
Bürgermeister are able to initiate quest-driven systems that non-citizens can participate in. The mayor can use a portion of their node's treasury or goods as rewards for quest completion. Players will be able to interface with the node to view the quests that are available to them.[14]
- These quests can be used to bring in material components to help combat node atrophy.[14]
Node-Regierungen
Node-Regierungen werden aus den Bürgern einer Node gewählt, sobald diese Node die Dorf-Stufe (Stufe 3 ) erreicht. [16]
Positionen innerhalb der Regierung einer Node werden durch Titel erlangt, wodurch der Träger Zugang zu besonderen NPCs in der Node erhält.[17]
- Bürgermeister.[2]
- Priester, Bischöfe oder Akolythen in bestimmten Tempeln.[11][17]
- Patron Gildenleiter leader.[17]
- Oberster Kopfgeldjäger.[17]
Es gibt viele Dinge, die ihr innerhalb [einer Node] anstreben könnt, die euch diese besondere Behandlung gewähren.[17] – Steven Sharif
Führungsbefugnisse
Government officials have wide-ranging leadership powers.[19]
- Mark foreign citizens of other nodes as enemies of the state.[20][21]
- Entering into trade agreements with other nodes.[20]
- Bürgermeister are able to set tax rates for their node.[22]
- This includes setting tax rates that apply to tavern games.[23][24]
- Allocating money gathered via node taxes.[10][16]
- Directing treasury funds into building projects and/or improving node defensive structures, such as stronger walls and gates, traps, and siege equipment.[10][25][26][16]
- Bürgermeister can also allocate treasury funding to hire mercenary NPCs to defend their node during sieges.[27][16]
- Tax money may only be used to fund node development.[28]
- Bürgermeister are able to initiate quest-driven systems that non-citizens can participate in. The mayor can use a portion of the node's treasury or goods as rewards for quest completion. Players will be able to interface with the node to view the quests that are available to them.[14]
- These quests can be used to bring in material components to help combat node atrophy.[14]
- Nodes have a number of node policies that are proposed by the mayor to be voted on by citizens.[9][10]
- There are levers and dials that are present to both the owners of Castles as well as the elected officials of Nodes that during their administration they have the ability to impact and influence the region around them.[31] – Steven Sharif
Gilden do not control nodes.[32][33] Guild leaders (kings and queens) can become mayors of nodes.[5]
- Guilds hold separate roles in the direction of the node than the roles held by private citizens.[16]
- Only a certain number of guilds may participate in these roles.[16]
- Separate guild roles are reserved for small, medium and large guilds.[16]
- Guild’s also hold separate roles in the direction of the node, than the roles held by private citizens, and only a certain number of guilds may participate in these roles. Separate guild roles are reserved for Small size guilds, medium size guilds and large size guilds.[16]
Node policies

Nodes have a number of slots that they get to employ as Government policies that are enacted and chosen by the mayor and voted on by the people; and certain policies get unlocked by certain happiness states of the factions within the node; and those happiness states are predicated across different achievements that can happen in the world story arcs that get finished; bosses that get killed around you; new buildings that get constructed: Lots of different things can contribute to that happiness value: Number of citizens; number of citizens you've had leave; number of houses that might have been foreclosed upon. There's lots of different things that influence it, but when the happiness is met at a certain point- and even without that happiness you can still have policies that you get to enact regardless. You may choose policies that do certain things for the node; and this is a big strategic decision that the node has to almost agree on because it's voted on by the citizens within a short time period, but elected by the outstanding mayor; and when you deploy a policy it confers benefits to the citizens, or to the area, or to specific buildings, or to the mayor.[9] – Steven Sharif
Node policies are unlocked by various activities within a node that either increase or decrease the "happiness state" of the node.[9][10] High levels of happiness will unlock more policies. Low levels of happiness might even disable certain NPCs or services within a node.[34]
- Erfolge based on the completion of story arcs.[9]
- Weltbosse that are defeated.[9]
- Node-Gebäude that are constructed.[9]
- Node citizens gained (or lost).[9]
- Node-Häuser foreclosed upon.[9]
- Cultural influences of the node.[9]
- There's a lot of different things that policies can influence; and policies exist within certain denominations. You have some policies that might be reflective of the culture that the node is representing; and you get access to those cultural policies. You have some policies that might become available because you've constructed a certain building type and now you've attracted a guild of NPCs that are weapons smiths. You might have some policies that are social organizations representative- you only get to build one social organization or Temple: which religion does the node follow. All of these are customization points that the city gets to choose and now you as a citizen get to identify the city that best aligns with your progression within the game and your game style and gameplay.[9] – Steven Sharif
The mayor is able to assign policies to policy slots within the node that citizens are then able to vote for within a 24-hour or shorter time period.[9]
- Node policies that are deployed will provide benefits to various aspects of the node, its citizens, its ZOI, its vassals, specific buildings, and to its mayor.[9]
- Some policies occupy multiple slots.[9]
- Bürgermeister may be able to take emergency actions depending on certain predicates that get met. This might allow them to reduce the voting time for policies to an hour.[9]
- Some of the benefits you can receive by being a vassal of a certain parent is access to a policy that your node not might not normally have access to; and in fact you can also unlock an additional policy slot based on certain conditions that the parent or Sovereign node may have access to in their reliquary, or in their achievement systems, or in policies that they've elected. Some policies occupy multiple slots and it's almost like a card structure. You have each of these policies that live on a card and you get to select that card- throw it into the slot it goes out to the citizens to vote on within the 24-hour or sometimes shorter period. The mayor has emergency actions they can take right depending on certain predicates that get met and if an emergency action occurs they may be able to spend their influence as mayor within their term to set up a policy for a vote within an hour's period of time; and citizens in that way they can sneak it through a bit.[9] – Steven Sharif
Node elections
Once a node has reached Dorf stage there will be a one week cooldown period before node elections begin.[36]
- This cooldown period allows players to establish citizenship at the village; which may require them to relinquish previous citizenship at another node.[36]
- Following the initial cooldown, there will be a one week election process, then from that point on, elections will follow a monthly cadence.[36]
- Node-Belagerungen may not be declared for 21 days following a node advancing to any stage.[37]
The village stage is a unique stage because that's when the government system comes online and all other stages past village there will have already been a cadence for the election system and it will follow that cadence, but after the initial village stage is completed there will be a one week period where players have an opportunity to establish citizenship at the village that also provides for the cooldown time that is- that would be present on players leaving another node to kind of participate in in this particular node leveling up. But that after that one week period then there will be a one-week election process and then from that point moving forward will be the one month cadence that the node experiences elections on.[36] – Steven Sharif
Node elections occur on a monthly basis.[36][39]
- Election notices will be mailed to the accounts of citizens.[40]
- Only citizens of a node may participate in its elections.[16]
- Only node citizens may be elected mayor.[5]
- A king or queen can also become a mayor.[5]
Node-Regierungen and mayors are chosen through different methods according to the node's type.[41][8]
- Divine node governments are chosen from citizens via service oriented quests that prove faith and dedication to the node.[42][41]
- Most of the devotion-oriented tasks are going to be on an individual basis and won't utilize outside support.[43]
- Economic node governments are able to be bought and sold by citizens with the most money.[42][41]
- Bürgermeister von militärischen Nodes werden aus Bürgern der Node durch einen gladiatorähnlichen Arenakampf (Last-Man-Standing) ermittelt.[42][45][46]
- Eine Idee, welche derzeit in Erwägung gezogen wird, besteht darin, dass Spieler einen Champion ausbilden können, mit dem sie anstelle ihrer eigentlichen Charaktere in der Arena antreten werden. Diese Champions können mit Ausrüstung und Fähigkeiten via Aufträge versehen werden, sowie mit Materialien und Gold verstärkt.[47]
- Der Grund für die Champion-Idee ist die Imbalance des 1v1 PvPs im Spiel. Durch den Einsatz von Champions wird der Arenakampf ausgeglichener.[47]
- Arenakampf ist instanziert, aber das Zuschauen könnte über ein Interface implementiert werden.[48]
- Der Gewinner eines Kampfes kann das Bürgermeisteramt nicht auf einen anderen Spieler übertragen.[49]
- Wissenschaftliche Noderegierungen werden demokratisch gewählt. [42][41] Aufzeichnungen darüber, wer für wen gestimmt hat, werden nicht veröffentlicht. [40]
Knotenpunkt-Steuern
Bürgermeister können Steuersätze für ihre Node festlegen.[22]
- Dazu gehört auch das Festlegen von Steuersätzen, die für Wirtshausspiele gelten.[23][24]
Bürgermeister/Node-Regierungen weisen Ressourcen, Steuern, und Aufträge zu , um bei der Entwicklung der Node zu helfen.[3]
- Steuergelder fließen nur in die Finanzierung der Nodeentwicklung. Dieses Gold kann nicht vom Bürgermeister oder einem anderen Spieler abgehoben werden. [50][28]
- Die Steuersätze skalieren basierend darauf, wann ein Spieler einer Node als Bürger beigetreten ist. Das Ziel ist es, finanziellen Druck auf die Node-Populationen auszuüben, indem die Steuern mit fortschreitenden Nodes, immer teurer werden, anstatt harte Bevölkerungsobergrenzen einzuführen. [51]
Übergeordnete (souveräne) Nodes erhalten einen Teil von allen Steuern aus Unterkünften und Dienstleistungen, welche von ihren Vasallen-Nodes gesammelt werden. [50][52]
- Diese Steuer wirkt sich nicht unbedingt auf den einzelnen Bürger, da die Steuersätze der Bürger von ihren Nodes bestimmt werden , aber die Finanzen der Node wird von der Besteuerung beeinflusst, die von seiner übergeordneten Node erhoben wird.[52]
When a node reaches stage 3 (Dorf) and a player run government has formed, all player housing will pay taxes.[53]
- A player's tax charge will be determined by the number of structures built on their plot.[28]
Rathaus
Rathaus is a government building within a node.[20]
We want the City Hall to be the place where big decisions are made for each Node. It should be where the “ruling class” comes together and decides what to do (these decisions can quickly make them the “old ruling class” too).
Bürgermeister and node governments use Rathaus to visualize and control activities within their node. These capabilities will also be available via mobile/web inteface.[2]
- Status of the node's economy.
- Status of upcoming elections.
- Status of trade agreements.
- Status of caravans.
Players can interact with the node board to get a list of its citizens.[40]
- Clicking on a citizen will reveal information about their guild, society, religion, and property ownership.[40]
Node layout and style

The layout and architecture within a Node’s development area are determined by influential race. For example, a stage 3 Node with the majority of player contribution being Py'rai would have a Py'rai village with Py'rai architecture. Most NPCs would be Py'rai elves, and offer questlines within the Py'rai narrative.[8] – Margaret Krohn
Each player’s contributed experience is flagged with their character race and other identifiers. When a Node advances, the race with the highest experience contribution determines the Node’s style and culture. This style and culture change can happen at every Node Stage. For example, if a Node advances to Level 2 - Encampment Stage and 51% of all experience was earned by Ren’Kai players, the Node will be a Level 2 Ren’Kai Node. If that same Node advances to a Level 3 - Village Stage Node, but the Py'Rai contributed 62% of all the experience earned, then the Node will be a Level 3 Py'Rai Node.[55] – Margaret Krohn
Node layout and style is determined by several factors:[56][57]
- Environment (biome) and location of the node.[58][56][57]
- The way that the node system is built is that they can exist across a spread of 18 biomes, but at the same time have to represent the cultural influence of these cultures that are intrinsically a part of a specific biome.[58] – Steven Sharif
- Nodes will adjust the local topography to fit the aesthetic and mechanical requirements of the node.[59]
Currently the way that the platform system is set up, is it's capable of adjusting the topography of the node's footprint, regardless of the surrounding terrain. So the reason for that is we want to have flexibility in the presentation of the node's layout and how it is essentially both from an aesthetic standpoint as well as a mechanical standpoint with node sieges- how it's constructed and that construction should have the ability to take on a variance of different types of topography. So it shouldn't be dependent on the surrounding area. Now that's not to say that the surrounding area isn't going to have some influence over. So for example... we're experimenting a little bit with the platform tech and putting up a node up against the side of a mountain or on the edge of a cliff or something that has a beautiful vista. Those are things that we're going to test out obviously as we continue to work on the node tool and how that platform system works, but the idea is to have the node independent of the surrounding terrain.[59] – Steven Sharif
Some parts are determined by the area it's in. Some parts are determined by the type it is. Some parts are determined by the race it is; and then the rest of it is determined by the mayor.[57] – Jeffrey Bard
- Race that contributed the highest percentage to the node's advancement will alter the racial appearance of its buildings, NPCs, and props.[60][61][56][55][57][62][63]
All nodes whether they're associated with a castle or associated with normal node structure has cultural influences that replicate over to the buildings that are produced and the NPCs that are present.[31] – Steven Sharif
- The rest is determined by the node's mayor.[57]
- It should be possible for a node to complete several building projects within a mayor's one month term in office.[65]
- Q: How long would you say it will take players on average to fill slash build up a node completely from wilderness to metropolis?
- A: It's one thing to get a node to a certain level: it's another thing to develop the node; and I can't really give you an on-average expectation, because there's a lot of variables at play. There's how many citizens does the node have attracted to it; what's the type of traffic that the node is attracting to it based on things like its tax rates, or the specialization that it chose to spec into, based on the building types it's chosen to build. All of those things are variables that can affect the quote-unquote "average build-out time" of a particular node. So it's kind of difficult to give you an average when there's so many variables along those lines. But the idea is that if there is a particular project that players are interested in in developing based on the node stage, that they would have the ability to complete several of those projects as within a single term of a mayor; and a term of a mayor is one month.[65] – Steven Sharif
Constructible node buildings
Node-Regierungen decide the location and types of constructible node buildings to be constructed within sectors of a node.[68][69][70]
These are buildings that the mayor has agency over determining whether or not they should be a constructed project. Constructible buildings can be selected at open plots that are gained as the node advances. If they elect to begin construction of one of these types of buildings- one of which is the marketplace- it'll grant certain trade benefits as well as some stalls that the citizens may participate in.[71] – Steven Sharif
The government decides how to specialize their node. Once they choose certain things they won't be able to choose other things.[68]
- Node-Gebäude live within a "tech tree" based on the stage of the node. Each stage offers stronger services to the node but must satisfy prerequisites for the building construction.[72]
- Different governments may change the buildings within a node.[68]
And there could be regime change... If somebody doesn't like the fact that a market was built and they want to re-elect a new government next cycle, they can do so... and that market could be destroyed and a new building take its place.[68]
When the building types are determined, the community will then need to bring resources into the node (using caravans) and come together to construct the buildings (via quests and the like).[68]
- Materialien contributed toward building a node building are lost if the mayor decides to scrap the project.[73]
- Pre-defined parameters limit the number of buildings at in-node locations.[69]
Node politics
Innerhalb der Node wird es keine Bürgerkriegsmechanik geben, aber es wird Spielraum für interne politische Konflikte geben; wie die Untergrabung der derzeitigen Führung und die Störung des Handels.[74]
- Die einzige Möglichkeit, einen gewählten Bürgermeister vor Ablauf seiner Amtszeit zu entfernen, besteht darin, die Node zu zerstören. [75]
Wir möchten, dass die Konsequenzen eine Rolle spielen, und wenn diese Person gewählt wurde, müsst ihr mit den Mitteln der Mechanik arbeiten, um sie abzuwählen.[75] – Steven Sharif
Node wars
Node-Regierungen können einer anderen Node den Krieg erklären und Bürger für die Sache gewinnen. [20]
- Dadurch werden die Bürger der kriegführenden Node, einschließlich ihrer Verbündeten, gegenseitig als Kombattanten gekennzeichnet. [76]
- Die Aufträge sozialer Organisationen sind entweder kooperativ oder gegnerisch, basierend auf dem Kriegsstatus ihrer übergeordneten Node. [76]
- Vasallen-Nodes können ihrer übergeordneten Node oder ihren anderen Vasallen keinen Krieg erklären. [8]
- Node-Kriege können jederzeit ausgerufen werden, aber die Ziele erscheinen nur während der Server Prime-Time.[77]
- Spieler können sich während des Krieges jederzeit gegenseitig töten (nicht nur während der Server Prime-Time).[77]
- We have conditions that you can set between nodes with regards to either nodes being friendly with each other and acting trade alliances, or they can declare war on nodes similar to how guild wars may function in different games, where those citizens become hostile to each other based on the player government that's elected in the particular node. So those systems all kind of cater to allowing a conflict that's meaningful and that also provides a non-imbalanced relationship between stronger guilds and not as strong guilds.[78] – Steven Sharif
Visuals
Siehe auch
Einzelnachweise
- ↑ Liveübertragung, 2018-12-12 (14:48).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Liveübertragung, 2017-11-17 (9:49).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Liveübertragung, 2017-06-30 (53:57).
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Interview, 2018-05-11 (50:05).
- ↑ Interview, 2018-10-20 (2:36).
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Blog - Know Your Nodes - The Basics.
- ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12 9.13 9.14 9.15 9.16 9.17 Liveübertragung, 2022-08-26 (1:12:40).
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Liveübertragung, 2022-04-29 (27:42).
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Liveübertragung, 2020-07-25 (1:52:45).
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Liveübertragung, 2021-12-23 (1:30:34).
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Video, 2019-07-15 (2:12).
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Interview, 2020-07-08 (1:04:05).
- ↑ Liveübertragung, 2020-03-28 (1:02:46).
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 16.8 16.9 MMOGames interview, January 2017
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 Liveübertragung, 2019-07-26 (1:20:48).
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 City hall.
- ↑
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Liveübertragung, 2020-03-28 (1:03:38).
- ↑ 23.0 23.1
- ↑ 24.0 24.1
- ↑ Liveübertragung, 2020-07-25 (1:22:40).
- ↑ Liveübertragung, 2018-01-18 (37:05).
- ↑ Liveübertragung, 2020-06-26 (59:11).
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2
- ↑
- ↑ Liveübertragung, 2017-05-19 (36:05).
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 Interview, 2018-05-11 (47:27).
- ↑ Liveübertragung, 2017-05-19 (36:09).
- ↑
- ↑ Liveübertragung, 2022-08-26 (1:17:04).
- ↑ Liveübertragung, 2020-03-28 (1:01:34).
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 36.4 Interview, 2020-03-27 (6:03).
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 40.2 40.3 Liveübertragung, 2020-10-30 (1:01:00).
- ↑ 41.0 41.1 41.2 41.3 Node series part II – the Metropolis.
- ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 42.3 Interview, 2020-07-19 (26:54).
- ↑ Liveübertragung, 2021-03-26 (1:18:26).
- ↑ Liveübertragung, 2021-11-19 (51:56).
- ↑
- ↑ Podcast, 2018-05-11 (52:20).
- ↑ 47.0 47.1 Interview, 2020-03-27 (09:05).
- ↑ Interview, 2020-03-27 (11:04).
- ↑ Liveübertragung, 2021-03-26 (1:17:20).
- ↑ 50.0 50.1 Liveübertragung, 2022-08-26 (1:10:16).
- ↑ Interview, 2020-03-27 (0:30).
- ↑ 52.0 52.1 Interview, 2018-05-11 (57:02).
- ↑
- ↑ Blog: Creative Director's Letter
- ↑ 55.0 55.1 55.2 Blog - Know Your Nodes - Advance and Destroy.
- ↑ 56.0 56.1 56.2 Liveübertragung, 2020-10-30 (39:17).
- ↑ 57.0 57.1 57.2 57.3 57.4 57.5 Liveübertragung, 2018-09-27 (53:06).
- ↑ 58.0 58.1 Liveübertragung, 2022-02-25 (41:00).
- ↑ 59.0 59.1 Liveübertragung, 2021-02-26 (1:12:18).
- ↑ Liveübertragung, 2022-03-31 (4:57).
- ↑ Podcast, 2021-04-11 (29:47).
- ↑ Interview, 2018-05-11 (54:34).
- ↑ Liveübertragung, 2017-05-26 (21:23).
- ↑ Podcast, 2021-04-11 (23:36).
- ↑ 65.0 65.1 Liveübertragung, 2022-07-29 (1:13:09).
- ↑ Liveübertragung, 2020-03-28 (1:16:03).
- ↑ Video, 2020-03-23 (0:24).
- ↑ 68.0 68.1 68.2 68.3 68.4 Liveübertragung, 2017-05-19 (33:57).
- ↑ 69.0 69.1 Liveübertragung, 2018-01-20 (38:17).
- ↑ Liveübertragung, 2018-04-8 (PM) (51:49).
- ↑ Interview, 2020-07-08 (55:05).
- ↑ Liveübertragung, 2022-03-31 (1:13:00).
- ↑ Liveübertragung, 2021-07-30 (1:10:09).
- ↑ Liveübertragung, 2017-05-24 (40:50).
- ↑ 75.0 75.1 Liveübertragung, 2019-06-28 (1:26:14).
- ↑ 76.0 76.1 Interview, 2020-07-19 (24:34).
- ↑ 77.0 77.1
- ↑ Video, 2018-04-05 (41:48).