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Atriarch

The upcoming online role-playing game Atriarch will take place on an entirely alien world populated by entirely alien creatures.

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Atriarch
Developer: World Fusion
Release Date: Q2 2001
By Andrew Park

World Fusion's Atriarch is an extremely unusual game, to say the least. Though it will be a massively multiplayer role-playing game, it'll have a number of unorthodox features; for instance, it takes place on a completely alien planet populated by strange alien creatures. There are no humans or elves or dwarves in the world of Atriarch; instead, you'll create your character from one of five alien races. Each of these races has its own distinctive look, its own particular strengths and weaknesses, and its own culture.

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Atriarch takes place on the alien world of Atriana, an enormous planet that's circled by three moons that regularly change the planet's climate, depending on their location within their respective orbits. And once each full cycle of the planet, a phenomenon called the Torpor Storm sweeps the land and induces a regenerative hibernation in all creatures - both those controlled by players and those that aren't. Atriana itself teems with life: It is inhabited not only by the player races but also by many other species of nonplayer creatures that are collectively referred to as "natives." Though some natives will be hostile and may attack player characters, others can be made to serve player characters as soldiers or workers.

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You'll be able to create a player character from one of five distinctive races: the Cavolon, the Eshlar, the Lokai, the Tyrusin, and the Unarra. None of the races on Atriana is human; however, four of them are roughly humanoid. The one race that isn't is the Cavolon, a tall, gangly race of creatures that slither about on tentacles and can also transport themselves by means of a "tentacle tongue" - an exceptionally long appendage they can use both to swing from branches and to attack their enemies. They can also use four of their appendages to wield weapons in combat, though the Cavolon tend to keep to themselves in their swampy habitats, preferring careful study of Atriana's plant life over combat and interaction with the planet's other races.

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The Eshlar are a tall and proud race of burly, heavyset humanoids that are generally quiet but have been known to be warlike. The Eshlar are the most creative race on Atriana; they're master artisans and are fiercely proud of their creations. Many Eshlar are also gifted architects; most of the existing buildings and structures that players will encounter in the game were built by Eshlar masons. However, Eshlar won't hesitate to don suits of crafted stone armor and charge into battle to defend their creations.

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The Lokai are a race of desert-dwelling nomads that vaguely resemble large, hunched praying mantises. The Lokai greatly value honor and loyalty but consider exploration and acquisition of unknown items to be even more important. Every Lokai is possessed by an insatiable curiosity about the world around it, and every Lokai wishes to explore the unknown. Many are accomplished storytellers, and in accordance with Lokai custom, each travels with a lifestaff, a rod that every Lokai carries and upon which every Lokai inscribes the tales of its own travels. The Lokai are better suited to travel than combat, though their thick shell serves as excellent armor in a pinch.

Next: More alien races

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The Tyrusin are a powerful race of humanoids that hail from Atriana's frigid northern plains. As a result of their harsh environment, they've attained a great deal of endurance and inner strength as well as the ability to set their own body fluids to below-freezing temperatures. Tyrusin are also adept at creating fields of electrostatic energy. In battle, the Tyrusin are formidable but honorable foes. The most powerful and highly trained Tyrusin warriors can attack their enemies by channeling electrostatic energy into damaging bolts of lightning and can defend themselves with impenetrable shields of ice.

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Finally, the Unarra are a slender and graceful race of humanoids that excel in tending, herding, and raising animals, both for battle and for husbandry. The Unarra are generally a peaceful race that prefer to lead quiet lives in the forests of Atriana; it is there that they are able to most easily and effectively commune with their animal wards. However, though most Unarra want nothing more than to raise and tend their flocks, if pressed, they're dangerous fighters and have been known to ride into combat on the backs of fearsome beasts.

Once you've created your character from one of the game's five races, you'll be able to set out into the world of Atriana. If you wish to seek adventure by attacking hostile natives, you'll be able to, but there's more to do in Atriarch than simply fighting monsters. For instance, you can develop your character in any of Atriarch's player skills; and unlike other games of this sort, Atriarch will let your character learn any skill in the game. However, certain races may have specific predispositions toward certain skills. For example, the prolific Eshlar will be more adept at the study and practice of architecture, while the empathic Unarra will be inherently proficient at the art of animal husbandry.

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One of the most important aspects of Atriarch will be social interaction. Players will be able to band together into guilds, or "factions." As a faction grows, its members may wish to build an empire. To this end, members that have studied the architecture skill may consult with each other to erect buildings and eventually build a city. The leader of each faction may aspire to become an Atriarch - imperial ruler of that faction's colony.

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Of course, Atriarch won't be a completely nonviolent simulation of a living world. It will feature full-fledged combat, both hand-to-hand and ranged, and will also feature a distinct system for large-scale battles. In large-scale battles, players will need to enlist the help of armies of natives, either by hiring them as mercenaries or subjugating them as minions. In the case of large-scale battles, players will appoint a general among the native troops and issue strategic orders on a world map.

And since your character will be able to fight battles in Atriarch, your character will also be able to die. Fortunately, death won't be as common or as inconvenient as in other online role-playing games, and you'll be able to take specific preventative measures against dying prematurely. Atriarch will let your character reproduce and give rise to offspring - a new being that will become your new player character should your current character die. Your offspring will receive the rights to all of your player character's possessions and will also receive all of your character's skills and powers.

Atriarch is still in a pre-alpha stage, and is currently scheduled for release next year. We'll have more coverage of the game as its development continues.

Next: Atriarch Q&A with Serafina Pechan

Q&A with lead Atriarch designer Serafina Pechan

We interviewed Serafina Pechan, lead designer of Atriarch, about the upcoming game.

GameSpot: Thanks for taking the time for this interview. In the context of most other online role-playing games (which are mostly high-fantasy swords-and-sorcery games), Atriarch certainly seems distinctive, and its setting on a completely alien planet is intriguing. Could you please explain why this setting was chosen for the game?

Serafina Pechan: Thank you!

There's the obvious answer: There are so many Tolkien and Dungeons & Dragons-inspired games out there already. It is time for something different. But there are other reasons as well.

By creating an original alien world we are not tethered to existing ideas. In other words, we're free to make whatever we like. We have some amazing talent on board for Atriarch. As a group, we want to shape Atriana in loving detail and create a living and breathing world. We have total creative license to make a rich world with a compelling story to tell. Then we get to turn it over to the public to make the world theirs.

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We also see a harmony between the technology being introduced with our engine, the game design, and the organic alien world. They all fit together quite nicely. A massive, unspoiled world, dotted with alien civilizations and waiting to be explored... sounds like fun to me.

GS: Atriarch takes place on the planet of Atriana, which is orbited by three moons that induce a regular occurrence, called the "Torpor Storm." Could you please explain what the Torpor Storm is and any other effects caused by these moons?

SP: The Torpor Storm is a natural phenomenon that never disappears from Atriana but moves about as if through a will of its own. It's nebulous in size and puts whole regions through cycles of hibernation and renewal. At the simplest level it has a weather effect, but the different alien cultures have different interpretations of it. Some revere it as a divine being. Some fear it and guard against it. But all hail it as a bringer of change.

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The three moons of Atriana are the moons of frost, fire, and fury. They too have their place in the histories and cultures of Atriana and at times dictate change. Much lore accompanies the extreme environmental and weather effects brought on by the moons. Their effects reach beyond weather and have an impact on the environment, animal behaviors, plant breeding, and spawning. Some beings on the planet dedicate their lives to the study of the moons. It is generally believed amongst the Lokai species that the moons were named after three Lokai siblings who are revered as the first real explorers: Gentar, Devar, and Mantar.

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GS: Since all characters in Atriarch belong to one of Atriana's five alien races, certain online role-playing conventions will be much different from the standard ones we're used to. For instance, a dead character spawns offspring; and live characters can actually breed. Could you please go into more detail about how these two systems will work in the game?

SP: Atriarch supports the ability for player characters to have families. We call it the Lineage System. Every player can have its character spawn offspring through asexual reproduction. There are two ways your character's family and lineage can expand.

Next: Offspring, player combat, and more

First, players will want to have their characters spawn an offspring for themselves. If a character happens to die, the player will have the option to return to the game as that character's spawn, inheriting most of the worldly possessions and properties of the parent. The spawn will continue to uphold the family name but must choose a new common name.

Second, you can choose to allow another player character to be born into your family. If you agree to allow another player to start off his or her character as your offspring, then he or she will carry your family name, as will the offspring. Families will carry their own reputation within the world.

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GS: Since Atriarch takes place on a world that's thoroughly different from our own, Atriarch's characters probably won't settle their differences the way we would. Could you please describe the sort of weapons and armor that will be available to players? Will combat in Atriarch be very different from the combat in most online role-playing games?

SP: While the game does, in fact, support negotiation and diplomacy as a means of settling differences, combat is a viable option as well... so, we might as well make it fun right?

Combat in Atriarch can be carried out on an epic scale as well as interpersonally. For large-scale wars you'll be able to control and direct armies of natives (nonplayer characters) or coordinate with other player characters. Additionally, you can bring in behemoth alien beasts or employ siege weapons.

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For interpersonal combat, players will be able to craft all manner of weapons and armor, including some that are actually symbiotic plants and animals. One thing to keep in mind is that Atriana is a wholly organic planet and lacks metals. For the old-fashioned spear you'll have to use wood, bone, stone, or what have you. An extensive system will be in place for the crafting of weapons and armors (or breeding them, as the case may be) and will allow players a vast choice of appearance and functionality.

Combat incorporates the best of console fighting games while taking out the "twitch" aspect. Each species has as a different fighting style with unique combat moves that the character can learn. Some moves are more appropriate against certain opponents and can be queued for optimal fighting.

GS: Another intriguing aspect of Atriarch is that it's not only focused on combat; there's a building component as well. Could you please elaborate on how building structures will work on Atriarch? Will players be able to build their own houses, towns, or even kingdoms?

SP: Player construction is a wide-ranging feature in Atriarch, which will affect several other aspects of gameplay.

Players will be able to custom design their own homes. They can build it from local materials or import materials from across the globe for that special touch. They can grow a home from plants and augment it with modern Atrian amenities. They can build walls and defenses against invasion. If a player is really into the building functions, they can specialize in it through various building skills and even pioneer their own architectural style that will bring them renown across the globe. But that's really just the beginning.

Next: Player-made creations

Players and their friends can join together to create their own towns, cities, or an empire spanning several continents. This will bring new depth to the multiplayer experience. Groups of players will literally have the chance to rule the world!

GS: In addition to building, what other sorts of trade skills will be available to players? Will they be able to craft powerful weapons or valuable items?

SP: All the best items will be player-made. Tradesmen will most definitely have their place in Atriana. The trade skills will be rich and multidimensional. The craftsmen will be able specialize and tailor down their skills. That, coupled with a broad choice of materials - some rare or even unique - will give the craftsmen endless possibilities. The items they craft will be far from cookie-cutter [material].

Also, there will be quests and unique rewards for craftsmen.

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GS: In Atriarch, players will be able to meet with other players and with natives, the nonplayer characters of Atriana. In what ways will players be able to interact with natives?

SP: Players will have the chance to inspire loyal native followers, hire them for tasks, or just keep them around for company.

Player factions that run a town or empire will attract natives to their cities, and these natives will then set up shop and bring the city to life. The faction can employ the natives or just watch them like sea monkeys.

GS: Is there anything else you'd like to add about Atriarch?

SP: Atriarch is meant to stimulate your sense of wonder and imagination while upholding the golden rule of games: It must be fun! It is meant to take you somewhere you didn't think was possible, yet there it is! We are working hard to build the foundation for a compelling and original world that will satisfy gamers yearning for something new and bold. Atriarch is a world made for gamers. Soon, Atriarch will be a world made by gamers.

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