Character Progression: Difference between revisions

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Added details from Raph Koster’s interview about skill-based progression, including the cartography and journalism professions, special training methods (e.g., items gaining XP from other players’ use), and the process for disabling and re-enabling skills without losing progress. Also highlighted how each skill ties into the broader player-driven economy.
 
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In [[Stars Reach]] character progression will be skill based. There will be no character levels or level ups, and no classes to choose from at character creation. (The will be some [[Playable Species]] to pick from though).
= Character Progression =
 
In ''[[Stars Reach]]'', character progression is entirely skill-based. There are '''no character levels''' or “level ups,and there are '''no classes''' to choose from at character creation (although you will still pick from various [[Playable Species]] for your avatar).


[[File:Macroeconomy Diagram.jpg|300px|thumb|right|alt=macroeconomy diagram|This blurry economy graph is the first image ever released by Playable Worlds]]
[[File:Macroeconomy Diagram.jpg|300px|thumb|right|alt=macroeconomy diagram|This blurry economy graph is the first image ever released by Playable Worlds]]


Instead, you get to mix and match a certain number of skills you want to train, chosen from a full list over 40 possible skill trees. Within those trees, skill can be dependent on each other - that means you can only learn a subsequent skill, after having learned the prerequesite one. The image to the right shows a diagram of the economy. All skill-trees will (including combat and service-based skills) be able to participate in the [[player-driven economy]] in some way.
== Skill System Overview ==
* '''Over 40 Skill Trees:''' Players select from a large variety of possible skill sets—combat, crafting, exploring, social/entertaining, cartography, writing/journalism, and more. 
* '''Open-Ended Combination:''' You are free to mix and match skills. Some skills may unlock only after gaining the prerequisite ones (e.g., advanced surveying might require a base cartography skill).
* '''Experience Through Usage:''' Most skills progress by actively '''using''' them in the game world—fighting increases combat skills, crafting increases trade skills, etc. Certain skills have special training methods (for instance, you may earn extra crafting XP if your items are used by other players).
* '''Economic Participation:''' Nearly every skill tree (including combat and service-based roles like entertainment or map-making) can create something valuable for the [[Economy|player-driven economy]].
 
== Creative Skills & Social Progression ==
From recent developer talks, we know “social” or “creative” skills—such as journalism/writing or cartography—will have unique progress paths:
 
* '''Cartography:''' Mapping unexplored planets or territories increases your skill. The maps you create can be sold, shared, or traded. 
* '''Journalism / Writing:''' Players who publish guides, news updates, or streams may earn progression if others like or follow their work. This approach treats “content-creator” roles as meaningful parts of the in-game world.


The primary method of training skills is by using them - but there can be other methods of training for individual skills as well. For example crafting skills are going to earn (additional?) training when the crafted items are being actively used by other players. There might be more special training options like this.
== Skill Slots & Switching ==
* '''Skill Slot Limit:''' You can only train a certain number of skills at once; the exact limit is still under development. 
* '''Disabling (“Out of Practice”):''' If you want to learn a new skill but are at your slot cap, you can disable one of your active skills. You do '''not''' lose any progress in that skill—it simply goes into “inactive” status. 
* '''Re-Enabling Skills:''' To bring a disabled skill back, you must spend time reacclimating. Early estimates suggest around one real-world week before it returns to its previous level of expertise (values may change).


There is a limit to how many skills you can learn at once - but how exactly that is going to work and what that number is going to be, is not yet known. You can disable learned skills though, they call that "putting it out of practice", thus opening slots for new skills to learn. If you later want to switch a disabled skill back on, you can put it in practice again. You will not loose any training in the process - your re-enabled skill will be at exactly the same level it was when you disabled it. The process of re-enabling a skill will some time though. How much exactly is still to be determined, but developers have mentioned "a week" as a preliminary value.
== Economy Tie-In ==
The image on the right shows an early macro-level diagram of the game’s economy. Every skill tree, from combat to crafting to entertainment, ties into a shared ecosystem, ensuring that no matter your specialization, you can engage with other players and create goods or services they find valuable.


=References=
= References =
* Developer interviews and statements by [[Raph Koster]] regarding skill-based sandbox progression, including discussions of mapping, social roles, and economy design.
* [[Playable Worlds]] official previews (Kickstarter posts, public blog updates).

Latest revision as of 17:21, 9 March 2025

Character Progression

In Stars Reach, character progression is entirely skill-based. There are no character levels or “level ups,” and there are no classes to choose from at character creation (although you will still pick from various Playable Species for your avatar).

macroeconomy diagram
This blurry economy graph is the first image ever released by Playable Worlds

Skill System Overview

  • Over 40 Skill Trees: Players select from a large variety of possible skill sets—combat, crafting, exploring, social/entertaining, cartography, writing/journalism, and more.
  • Open-Ended Combination: You are free to mix and match skills. Some skills may unlock only after gaining the prerequisite ones (e.g., advanced surveying might require a base cartography skill).
  • Experience Through Usage: Most skills progress by actively using them in the game world—fighting increases combat skills, crafting increases trade skills, etc. Certain skills have special training methods (for instance, you may earn extra crafting XP if your items are used by other players).
  • Economic Participation: Nearly every skill tree (including combat and service-based roles like entertainment or map-making) can create something valuable for the player-driven economy.

Creative Skills & Social Progression

From recent developer talks, we know “social” or “creative” skills—such as journalism/writing or cartography—will have unique progress paths:

  • Cartography: Mapping unexplored planets or territories increases your skill. The maps you create can be sold, shared, or traded.
  • Journalism / Writing: Players who publish guides, news updates, or streams may earn progression if others like or follow their work. This approach treats “content-creator” roles as meaningful parts of the in-game world.

Skill Slots & Switching

  • Skill Slot Limit: You can only train a certain number of skills at once; the exact limit is still under development.
  • Disabling (“Out of Practice”): If you want to learn a new skill but are at your slot cap, you can disable one of your active skills. You do not lose any progress in that skill—it simply goes into “inactive” status.
  • Re-Enabling Skills: To bring a disabled skill back, you must spend time reacclimating. Early estimates suggest around one real-world week before it returns to its previous level of expertise (values may change).

Economy Tie-In

The image on the right shows an early macro-level diagram of the game’s economy. Every skill tree, from combat to crafting to entertainment, ties into a shared ecosystem, ensuring that no matter your specialization, you can engage with other players and create goods or services they find valuable.

References

  • Developer interviews and statements by Raph Koster regarding skill-based sandbox progression, including discussions of mapping, social roles, and economy design.
  • Playable Worlds official previews (Kickstarter posts, public blog updates).