Albion Online News

With the Lands Awakened update coming in November, players can look forward to a revamped soundtrack as they explore Albion. Senior Audio Designer Marie Havemann gives a glimpse behind the scenes of its production in our latest Dev Talk, introducing new music for combat, cities, Hideouts and more.

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Prefer a written summary? Then read on...

It’s already been five years since the original soundtrack for Albion Online was composed, and since then a good deal of new features have been introduced. To enhance the sonic richness and emotional impact of playing Albion, new music has been recorded with Prague's FILMharmonic Orchestra. This was composed over the last year by Marie along with Albion’s original composer Jonne Valtonen, and includes new music for:

• Combat and Bosses
• Cities and Starter Towns
• Hideouts
• Tutorial
• Destiny Board

[h3]Combat[/h3]

• A percussive soundtrack seamlessly adapts to changes in threat level
• Features in both PvP and PvE and is adapted to different combat scenarios:
  • Hellgates and dungeons include varied music "layers" based on the scenario
  • Three different boss themes, depending on mob type and threat level
  • These convey a sense of danger and urgency, while emphasizing the player’s own agency and a sense of fun

[h3]City Themes[/h3]
In line with the stronger sense of regional identity within Albion that the Lands Awakened update brings, each city will have its own theme that reflects the character of the different factions:

• Lymhurst retains its existing city theme, with its proud and playful character
• The down-to-earth, easy-going inhabitants of Martlock have an upbeat theme, reminiscent of a beery celebration after a combat victory
• The music of Bridgewatch reflects its dignity and elegance as well as the energy of a bustling trading city
• The magic and mystery of the swamps come through in Thetford’s theme, which emphasizes its people’s wisdom, knowledge and connection to nature
• Deep in the cold, hostile mountains, the people of Fort Sterling are sober, hardy warriors, whose pride in their strength is conveyed through its theme
• Caerleon, the city of outlaws, musically expresses its identity as a devious, dangerous place, yet also with a sense of adventure

The starter towns of Albion also have a new theme to convey their liveliness and the sense of adventure at the beginning of a journey.
[h3]Hideout Themes[/h3]
For the first time, Hideouts have their own musical identity, befitting their status as a player’s home within the black zones.

• Simple, memorable melodies reinforce the “do-it-yourself” feeling of Hideouts
• The theme develops as a Hideout grows, reflecting its progression:
  • Starts low-key and calm, with a sense of precarious beginnings
  • Upgraded Hideouts gain a more orchestral theme reminiscent of a busy tavern

[h3]Additional Soundtrack Changes[/h3]

• New tutorial music which highlights the excitement of first arriving in Albion
• A new Destiny Board theme, reinforcing the mystical, fateful feeling of looking over one’s own journey

This new soundtrack will really enhance the emotional experience of fighting, trading and venturing within the world of Albion Online. Stay tuned for more Dev Talks coming soon, where we’ll look at upcoming changes to Guild Seasons, HQ Hideouts, and more. See you then!

The nights are drawing in, there’s a chill in the air… yes, Allhallows has returned to Albion! From 10:00 UTC on October 27 through to 10:00 UTC on November 10 you can run the Hallowed Ground dungeon by entering one of the special portals that appear randomly in T4-T8 zones across the open world. Once inside you’ll find creepy corridors filled with pumpkins, gruesome mobs, and the strange, terrifying final boss known simply as Bob.



Both group and solo versions of the dungeons will appear, and each offer rare seasonal loot like the Jack o' Donkey and Horse Macabre mount skins. And as always, Halloween decorations will adorn each of Albion’s cities to mark this eerie time.



So don your dungeon-delving kit, venture out into the dark night and rid Albion of these malevolent spirits!

In our last Dev Talk, Game Director Robin Henkys introduced the visual and level design improvements coming with the Lands Awakened update in November. In this newest video, he introduces open-world gameplay changes including mobs that level up over time, updated Static Dungeons, and fully reworked treasure sites.

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No time to watch, or prefer a summary? Read on...
[h3]Challenges and Goals[/h3]

• Challenges:
  • Offering valuable rewards that aren't static or predictable
  • Avoiding monopolization by powerful groups
• Goals:
  • Dynamic, unpredictable rewards available to anyone in the right place at the right time
  • Exciting gameplay opportunities for all player types and group sizes

[h3]Open-World Mob Improvements[/h3]

• Overhauled visuals, balancing, abilities, and rewards
• Mobs now level up over time:
  • "Recruits" spawn first
  • Over time these upgrade to regular or Champion mobs
  • If these remain unkilled, whole areas fill with them, offering massive rewards
  • Rewards exploration
  • Allows players to choose worthwhile areas
  • Encourages players to stray further from cities
• Additional new map view mode showing approximate mob value of regions

[h3]Static Dungeon Updates[/h3]
Mob upgrading system also applies to Static Open-World Dungeons:

• Encourages dungeon exploration beyond the entrance areas
• Entrances in neighboring regions added to make dungeons interesting hotspots:
  • Ensures players can’t camp one entrance
  • Can be used as emergency exits to escape powerful groups
  • Ensure that players can enter from all sides during “Dungeon Rush” Events
• Dungeon Rush:
  • Limited warning; randomized start times; last for short periods
  • Mobs and treasure chests upgrade more quickly, offering huge rewards
  • Attracts other players, leading to showdowns

The reworked open-world dungeons offer plenty of opportunities for different player types: PvE players can explore them outside event times, while PvP players can rush in during events.
[h3]Reworked Treasure Sites[/h3]
Current system:

• Fixed locations
• Open at preset intervals
• Many players avoid for fear of encountering well-prepared groups
• Outdated rewards

New system:

• Treasures now appear anywhere in the open world
• Give only limited warning before opening
• Only visible to nearby players
• Unlock time and visibility distance based on value
• Offer opportunities for various player types and group sizes
• Spawn much more frequently than current treasures
• Treasures now use the rarity randomization system, resulting in rare and legendary treasures

[h3]Resource Treasures[/h3]
Treasure system now spawns resources as well:

• Fully charged resource nodes are marked on the region map for local players
• Type and tier of resources depends on region, but will always be valuable and often enchanted
• Additionally, for gatherers who want to avoid other players, the world map now shows approximate available resources by type and tier

[h3]More to Come[/h3]
As you can see, there are tons of new features and improvements coming to the open world with the next update, and many other features as well. Soon we'll discuss new music, major Guild Season changes, HQ Hideouts and more, so stay tuned!

The standalone Energy Surge Season surges to the next level this weekend, with all territories reset and Season Points tripled.

Tune in to the AlbionTV Twitch channel starting Saturday at 17:30 UTC, where hosts Shozen, Bogul and Lewpac will be broadcasting live with a 15-minute delay.

Starting at 18:00 UTC, guilds will have new opportunities to claim territories and launch attacks. Those in the North and South American time zones can also tune in for the second round of territory resets on Sunday at 00:30 UTC with hosts Bogul, Shozenwon and Robinhoodrs, with territories becoming claimable at 01:00 UTC.

Be sure to stick around between the two reset broadcasts, as we'll be broadcasting high-level Crystal League fights with no delay.

For the complete schedule of this unique standalone season, check out this forum post.

Check out highlights of the last Invasion Day:

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The next major content update for Albion Online, Lands Awakened, will bring major changes, improvements, and new features to open-world gameplay in Albion. In this video, Game Director Robin Henkys introduces the upcoming visual and structural redesigns planned for Albion's five biomes and discusses how they will affect the overall gameplay experience.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]










Prefer a written summary? Then read on...

[h3]Re-Envisioning Albion's Open World[/h3]
The Lands Awakened update is scheduled to release in the second half of November, after the current Energy Surge Season. Goals:

• Bring open-world gameplay back to Albion Online
• Get players back out into the world with greatly improved Fame and treasure rewards
• Offer varied and exciting PvE
• Provide numerous opportunities for spontaneous, small- and mid-size open-world PvP
• Update and improve the look, feel, and layout of Albion's five biomes

This is a major undertaking, which involves revisiting all the content that makes up the world of Albion Online. For this Dev Talk, we're starting at the beginning: by looking at how the visuals and layout of the open world will be updated and improved.

[h3]Wide-Ranging Biome Improvements[/h3]
The Lands Awakened update will bring huge visual improvements to Albion's biomes. All 15 sub-biome graphics sets (3 for each of the 5 biomes) will be reworked with the following goals:

• Increasing visual diversity in Albion’s game world
• Making each biome and sub-biome more unique
• Increasing the enjoyment of travelling through the world of Albion Online

Each of the five biomes has a basic theme which increases in intensity and menace in higher-tier zones:

Forest

• Low-tier: Fresh, lush, welcoming
• Mid-tier: More focus on trees, environment is wilder and more overgrown
• High-tier: Mystical and magical, ethereal white-barked trees providing the most valuable resources

Swamp

• Low-tier: Mild wetlands, flooded meadows
• Mid-tier: Denser fog, larger puddles
• High-tier: Deeply flooded, bright colors among the mud and fog

Steppe

• Low-tier: Soft savannah, warm, green grass
• Mid-tier: Harsher sunlight, golden grass
• High-tier: Extreme heat, dead grass, red sand and white bones

Mountain

• Low-tier: Sunnier, still some greenery
• Mid-tier: Colder, less green, more shadow
• High-tier: Extreme cold, deep blue-hued ice and snow

Highlands

• Low-tier: Gentle hills, green grass, flowers
• Mid-tier: Color shift to cooler rocks and more vivid meadows
• High-tier: Mythical, ancient, high-altitude feel

[h3]Updating Layouts[/h3]
The maps introduced during the beta phase have worked fine, but often felt too cluttered or generic. To address this, we've challenged ourselves to completely rework all the open-world layouts of Albion Online, with the following two goals:

• Make navigation through the world more intuitive and enjoyable
• Allow players with different playstyles to use map layouts to their advantage

More specifically, these goals will be implemented in the following ways:

• Improving clarity of maps, reducing random cluttering elements, finding memorable themes for maps that are easy to remember and quick to read
• Adding strategic choke points via new terrain designs that feel natural within each biome:

• Mountain: sheer cliffs with crevasses and waterfalls
• Swamps: flat, cut by rivers of varying depths
• Steppe: broad plains with higher plateaus and lower ravines
• Highlands: gentle hills and harsher cliffs, broken up by larger rocks
• Forest: varied landscape with valleys, hills, and rivers, broken up by ancient trees and roots

[h3]What about Hideouts?[/h3]
When the Lands Awakened update launches, Hideouts will be automatically placed as close as possible to their original location. Guilds will have the opportunity to move each Hideout once within the same zone for a short time after the update launch.



Tune in next time to find out about more exciting changes coming to Albion Online with the next update, including new music, major improvements to open-world rewards, and new features for open-world PvE and PvP.

Thanks for watching!