From The Mana World
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This article collects information regarding the conceptualisation of the gameplay of The Mana World

This article is currently only a proposal

The features or design guidelines described in this article are only a proposal made by one or some persons. It has not been evaluated or accepted by the core development team yet. Feel free to add your personal opinion about them or make counter proposals.

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General idea

A player estate system allows player characters to own certain properties and things on their own. Basically, they can have houses, castles, furniture, etc. A la Animal Crossing or the Sims.

Player estates also have a very important function. When players die, they respawn in their homes. Players are also given a special item called a "Hearth Amulet", which can teleport them back to their estates instantly. The Hearth Amulet creates a portal in the home where the player can return to the point which he teleported to the house from. (This doesn't work inside dungeons). This portal vanishes when used, or if the player respawns.

Players begin with a modest shack, empty, except for the atrium, where they respawn upon death by default. Throughout their quests, the players can collect enough money to have local architects improve their home by adding new rooms or changing and upgrading room design. The players can also collect interactive objects from the world and use them to decorate their homes (ovens, couches, tables, etc.). These items would provide both aesthetic and functional uses.

Also, players could invite other Player characters to visit their homes. Visiting PCs do not get permission to use or move the hosts items, and the host can designate some places as off limits.

Players who can enter a specific PC's home are based on the settings in his friend list. There are 3 levels of permission these users can have (set by the home owner)

  • Guest (normal friends. They cannot modify the estate or use anything there. They cannot enter the property when the owner is away.)
  • Friend (close friends. They can use objects and tools in the estate, but cannot enter when there are no family members or when the owner is away.)
  • Family (basically has all the power of the owner, except that they can't change the status of other visitors. All members of their friend lists get guest type access to the estate)

When a player wants to add a new room to his home, he can visit the NPC architect's guild and ask for a new room. The following things need to be specified for each room:

  • Type
  • Decor (style of wallpaper and flooring, etc. These can also be changed later though a different NPC at the guild.)
  • Position (Where it sits in relationship to other rooms)
  • Room name (appears at the bottom of the screen)

Other things can be added on later, such as locks on the doors, hallways, stairways, etc. I'll list them when I come up with them. The different types of rooms each have a different function, as outlined below.

Houses can have multiple floors, as well as basements. There are also rooms that go outside the house, such as a corral and kennel for pets, a garden for growing produce for crafting, and other things.

The cost of adding each room increases exponentially, much like XP gain, making it hard to build a house overly large.

Guilds wishing to build their headquarters also expand in this way, though their rates for building are a bit different. (It's easier for guilds to build a huge headquarters than individual players, so the cost increase rate is lower).

Player Estates also come equipped with mailboxes, so that players can easily send mail and items to and from one another.

Rooms

Each room serves a purpose. some are more aesthetic than others, while some have almost an exclusive use.

  • Atrium - The entryway, and by default, the only room in the house. The Atrium contains a "Soul Pillar", where the player can respawn when he dies. Also, the Atrium contains a hearth, which contains a portal to the place where the player teleported to the house from.
  • Bedroom - In the bedroom, players can rest and recover lost health and mana points quickly, similar to inns in most RPGs.
  • Gate Room - The gate room contains 3 additional hearths, and comes with 3 additional "Gate Hearthstones". These gates persist even after death, and serve as quick links to various places in the world.
  • Greenhouse - Facilitates gardening.
  • Kennel - A place for the player's pets. A kennel can be upgraded to house up to 3 pets.
  • Library/Gallery - A large room for showing off things collected by the player. It has alot of storage space for small items.
  • Basement - A large, open room. Excellent for storing big items.
  • Dojo - A training room. Training equipment can be kept and used in these facilities.
  • Den - A sitting and socializing room. Mainly aesthetic, it comes with equipment for playing several minigames.
  • Kitchen - Facilites suitable for cooking crafts.
  • Laboratory - Facilities suitable for alchemy crafts.
  • Forge - Facilities suitable for metalworking crafts.
  • Woodshop - Facilities suitable for woodworking crafts.
  • Sewing Room - Facilities suitable for tailoring crafts.
  • Studio - Facilities suitable for artistic crafts.
  • Jewelery - Facilities suitable for jewelling crafts.
  • Synthesis Chamber - Facilities for synthesizing crafts.
  • Arena - Facilitates at-home PvP action with your friends.
  • Drink Bar - Complete with a counter and stools. Annexes well to the den. Some cooking functionality is included, but it is mostly aesthetic.
  • Guest Room - An extra bedroom. Guests can use this the same way as a player can use his own bedroom.
  • Guest Hearth Room - Having this room allows another player to visit the home at any time by using an item called a "Guest Invitation". The item called "Guest Invitation" can be generated by the hearthstone in this room as many times as the owner wishes. It has no trade value.
  • Corral - necessary for training pets.

Aesthetic rooms exist for looks and some storage, but they serve no real purpose.

  • Summoning Chamber - A room with a dark, occult look to it. Aesthetic.
  • Cathedral - A pearly room, complete with altar and confessional. Aesthetic.
  • Tranquil Garden - An open-air, Japanese styled garden. Aesthetic.
  • Graveyard - A misty, somber graveyard. Aesthetic.
  • Toy Room - Filled with random things to play with. Aesthetic.
  • Balcony - A great place to watch stars, sunsets, and sunrises. Aesthetic.
  • Astronomy Tower - A tower with a space-like design. Very aethereal feeling. Aesthetic.
  • Clock Tower - A tower with a bery mechanical feel to it. Aesthetic.
  • Glass Tower - A tower that seems almost mystical. Aesthetic.
  • Jail - A prison room, complete with lockable doors. Aesthetic.
  • Hedge Maze - Everyone likes a hedge maze. Aesthetic.
  • Mirror Room - Add some fun to your house. Aesthetic.
  • Entryway - Provides an additional doorway to your home. Aesthetic.
  • Control Room - For those evil-overlord types. Aesthetic.
  • Throne Room - For those with big egos. Aesthetic.
  • Prayer Closet - Available in various styles for the religously-diverse public. Aesthetic.
  • Treasure Room - A room full of treasure, and maybe even a curse. Aesthetic.