Dev Talk: City in the Mists

In our last Dev Talk, Game Director Robin Henkys presented the Mists, a massive new feature release coming with the Beyond the Veil update on November 21. In our newest video, Environment Artists Johannes Geier and Maria Perakis take a closer look at Brecilien, the mystical "City in the Mists":

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[h3]A New City[/h3]

• Brecilien takes its name from the forest surrounding it
• Serves as a safe haven for those lost in the Mists or who willingly choose to make it their home
• Built on the ruins of an abandoned Avalonian settlement
• Fusion of wilderness and magic creates a symbiotic relationship between the forest, the wisps, and the ancient Avalonian architecture
• Position is constantly changing
• Reaching it for the first time is its own challenge

[h3]Further Explorations[/h3]

• Once inside, the city has a new mystical environment resembling the Mists
• Includes new music as well (as do the Mists themselves)
• Many of the same amenities as other cities in Albion
• Own crafting specialties, shops, and city plots
• Includes all-new Player Islands:
  • New aesthetic, but identical in price and function to traditional Player Islands
  • Same purchasing requirements, but can be owned alongside Royal Continent islands
  • For this reason, upgrade levels between Brecilien/Royal islands aren’t shared, and abandoning a Royal island does not give a head start in Brecilien

[h3]A New Travel Hub[/h3]

• Allows direct access to the Roads of Avalon and the Mists
• Roads of Avalon: 
  • Chooses a random Roads zone
  • When a party member goes through it binds itself to the destination, allowing up to four other party members to join
  • Only bound for a limited time
  • Members who join the group after the binding is in place cannot use it
• The Mists:
  • Allows access to any available Mists mode (solo nonlethal, solo lethal, duo lethal)
  • Entrance can be used at any time, but has a cooldown to discourage "rerolling" location
  • Gives access to common Mists regions; higher-value regions require Wisps in the open world or the Mists

[h3]Surrounding Areas[/h3]

• Four permanent regions just outside the city
• Minimal resources can be found
• Primarily there so players can access Randomized/Corrupted Dungeons and Hellgates
• These regions aren’t protected by the city and players can be attacked, though protections exist:
  • Invisibility shrines as in Portal Towns
  • Several ways to re-enter: same exit previously used, OR additional portals
  • Two other exits linked to other regions around the city
  • Total of six ways to avoid attacks
  • Finally, attacking unflagged players results in reputation loss

[h3]Wisps of Brecilien[/h3]

• Brecilien's Wisps are skeptical of outsiders, but players may be able to earn their respect
• Value of this respect is currently unknown
• However, the locals speak of a leader who left the city and may return, shedding more light on this mystery

Beyond the Veil launches November 21; stay tuned for one more Dev Talk on Fey Armor and Pristine Resources.

Thanks for watching, and see you soon!