Research

Table of Contents:

Research Primer

Overview

Research is a process that takes time and resources and it allows players to create new spells, rituals, and recipes or to recreate rituals and recipes that we’ve seen in items but do not have their ritual/recipe in play. It cannot be used to create new skills, that is more along the lines of epic territory. It cannot be used to create new runes, glyphs, or sigils, those are only introduced via being discovered. It also cannot be used to recreate recipes, spells, and rituals that are already in play, those are to be acquired by in-game means

How To Research

If you would like to research, the first step in actually starting the process is submitting the form, found here. Submitting the form starts the clock on the project (more on that later) and informs the research team of the project so that it can be added to their system. The other big first step is coming up with an idea and speaking to the research team about the idea. The easiest time to speak to the research team is at check-in. Also, this can be done before or after submitting the form but it is the form itself that formally starts the process. When you speak with the research team, they will work with y

Research Viability

Within the Game

In order for an idea to be viable, it must fall within the cofines of the game. This means:

  1. It must work with the mechanics of the game, if it requires introducing entirely new mechanics or taglines, it is likely to be rejected and will need to be adjusted or scrapped
  2. It must be within the balance of the game. It should fall within the realms of power levels we already see in spells, rituals, and recipes. Additionally, everything should have a counter, if your idea cannot be answered it will likely be rejected and need to be adjusted or scrapped.
  3. It must also fall within design decisions of the game. If you have an idea that you think is completely unexplored territory, it is possible that is because it was a design decision to intentionally not have that sort of thing in game.
  4. It cannot be used to cheat into obtaining things already available or being worked on. You will not be allowed to research spells, recipes, and rituals that are already in play or are already being researched. They must be obtained with in-play means. This does not mean you can’t research an idea BASED on an existing thing however.

Talking to the research team is essential as they will work with you on your idea to make sure it meets these requirements or help you land on an idea that does. Please note that if you start turning in resources for the research (more on this later) before the idea is finalized if the project must go a different direction, the turn ins will be applied to the finalized idea.

For Your Character

The other big aspect is it also must be viable for your character to research it. This means:

  1. It must be a skill you have. You can only research an alchemy recipe if your character has the alchemist skills for example
  2. You also must be high enough level upon completion of research. This means a level 3 healer ritualist would not be able to research a level 6 ritual idea. You may be able to start a research project that is 1 level higher, typically under the rp guidance of another who is higher level (Note: This is purely rp, for all intents and purposes, such research would fall under your character and your character only, not your teachers in anyway) but you will need to have obtained that level by/upon completion.

Again, talking to the research team is essential to ensure the research will be a viable research for your character.

Research Goal

Once your idea is finalized, that will determine the target value you need to turn in in order to complete your research. The higher level the research project, the higher the target value will be. (Note this can be hundreds or even thousands worth of value. Research is a resource intensive project.) The target is based on completing the research in one season’s time

It is possible to speed up how fast you complete a research, but doing so increases the target amount that needs to be turned in. The faster you wish to complete it, the more drastic that increase in cost. Regardless of how much you turn in, however, it will take a minimum of half a year, ~5 game events, to complete a project. You may also take longer than a year to complete a project. Doing so decreases the target amount that needs to be turned in. The longer you take, the more drastic the reduction in cost. In this way, you may consider time itself a resource.

Additionally, very high end research will require very rare materials to be turned in. Grandmaster 4 recipes require at least one raw mythic material. Grandmaster 5 recipes require at least two raw mythic materials. Likewise, Rituals of level 6 require a fey crystal, Rituals of level 7 require two, then three, then four fey crystals are required at level 9. These requirements are in addition to the target value and the season of game.

Research is meant to be a mysterious and unclear process. For this reason, you will not be told the goal you are trying to reach. Only the research team knows the target value. The target value, like the mythic material/fey crystal requirements above, are set based on level, thus they are applied equally across projects and players.

Turning In Things For Research

Types of Turn Ins

As established above, once you have started research, to actually complete it, you will need to turn in value until you reach a hidden target value. What can you turn in? Pretty much any sort of in game resource:

  • Crown
  • Production Points
  • XP
  • Material tags
  • Produced item tags
  • Item cards
  • Recipes, Spell scrolls, Ritual Scrolls
  • “Obscure” items
  • Item Credits

Each thing turned in has a value associated with it. Much like the goal, in order to represent the mysterious and unclear nature of research, these values are hidden. Only the research team knows these values. There are formulas and set values for everything so that everything is valued appropriately across different people, projects, and turn-ins.

Turn In Tips

Though the research team can’t tell you the value of your turn ins, here is the official research team advice for turn ins

  • Because time is also a factor, it is recommended you submit a form to start your next project as soon as you know you want to research. This way the clock can start for you research project.
  • Crown, production points, and xp are the absolute least value for your projects. You are better off spending your crown and production points to produce items or buy items/materials and turning them in instead. XP you are better off spending to level or saving for xp stores · When you turn in materials, you should turn in materials relevant towards your project
  • “Obscure” items, are one of the most valuable items for your research (they are, afterall, designed specifically to help with research). These are the items that say “Obscure ____” on them then explain what sort of research they are for. For example, Obscure Materials are used for blacksmithing. These each have a level associated, 1, 2, or 3 (denoted on the bottom of the card), the higher value, the rarer and more valuable they are.
  • Item credits can be turned in. They are worth 20% of your research value or time each, players choice. Thus turning in 10 can complete a project instantly. Item credits even by-pass the minimum time requirement.

How to Turn In

Once you know what your project is and what sort of things you wish to turn in, the next step is actually turning in those items. To do so, you should fill out the same form as before, found here. In the form, there is a section for Turn ins. Simply list what items you are turning in and how many of each in that section. Submitting the form allows the Research team to calculate your current turned in amount and compare it to your turn in goal (and time).

Then, at the next event you will go through the research line at check in and hand the materials over. The research team will be able to confirm your turn in and officialize it in the system and they will be able to give you a progress update on your research. This progress update is how you will be able to get an idea of how far along your project is coming. It is also why it is recommended that you regularly do turn-ins/submissions.

NOTE:Check-in is the only time research will accept turn-ins. We will try to accommodate individual cases as necessary.

Also note that even if you don’t wish to turn anything in, you should still submit the form. This will indicate to the research team to verify they have everything calculated so far for your project and so they can give a progress update when you go through the research line at check in

Regardless of whether you're turning in items or just checking progress, you should fill it the form by the deadline. The deadline is the same as preproduction, which is the Thursday of the week before game. This deadline is the ensure the research team has time to calculate all the ongoing projects and their progress.

Completing a Project

Once you complete a project, you will be rewarded xp for completing the project. The amount of xp depends on the level of the project. It is as follows:

  • Apprentice: 50 xp
  • Journeyman: 100 xp
  • Master: 150 xp
  • Grandmaster 1: 100 xp
  • Grandmaster 2: 200 xp
  • Grandmaster 3: 400 xp
  • Grandmaster 4: 800 xp
  • Grandmaster 5: 1600 xp
  • Spell: 25 per spell level
  • Ritual: 250 per ritual level

Additionally, if it was a recipe you completed, you will receive the completed item. (Their expense accounts for this reward for completing). Finally, your research slot opens up and you may immediately begin a new project if you wish.

Other Research Notes

Time progresses based on events. And it is not dependent on you or your character making it to those events. Thus the time still progresses even if you miss games.

Every character is limited to 1 research at a time. If you obtain the skill RP: Research you may research 1 additional project at a time for a maximum of 2 projects allowed at once. At this time there is no way to increase beyond this

Crafters may research a recipe within their specific craft (eg, Jewelcrafting) or they may research a general recipe (Eg Blacksmithing)

Spell casters/Ritualists may research only within their specific arts. (Eg a Wrath caster would research wrath only spell/ritual). There may be rare exceptions to this.

If the original researcher permits it, they may allow others to research the same project. Doing so will cost more than typical.

A spell or ritual can become general terrestrial or general ethereal if at least 3 different arts research the same idea, as permitted by the original researcher

A researcher may allow someone else to take over their research. Doing so transfers all progress over to that new character.

If the original researcher leaves game before completing a research project and they are gone long enough, that idea may be opened back up for others to be able to research. Their progress WOULD NOT transfer in this case.

Joint research is possible providing skill and resource support to the primary researcher, however there must be a primary researcher. Their skill will be required for the primary effect of the research (ritual, spell, recipe) and they will receive the “free” copy. This should not discourage collaborative RP and research.

The Form

As mentioned in previous sections, the research process is dependent on going through the form, found at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScy-POHhQmAXpaZRnwmCtDg4oHrbPejI_AZflLkxduv99m92g/viewform.

It has the following sections:

Name, Email, Character: These are to identify you, your character, and to send a copy of your responses if you like. This is to associate the correct projects to your (correct) character. Project Name (Especially if you have more than one): This is to identify your project. You do not need to remember exactly what name you use across multiple submissions, it just must be identifiable enough that the research team can connect each submission to its proper project.

New Research Idea/Description of recent work: If you are submitting a new idea, this is where you should describe the idea in as much detail as possible. This includes what magic arts or craft its for, what sort of spell/ritual effect or recipe item you are trying to create, what sort of purpose you are looking to achieve with the idea, etc. If you are submitting to continue a project, this is where you can include rp about what you are using the materials for and how. This may add bonus value. This may also impact the final recipe/ritual.

Turn Ins (List items surrendered for research): This is where you list each item you are turning in and how much of each. You should NOT use this section for rp or explanation of why you’re turning in said items, keep that information to the Description of Recent work section. You should enter each item on a new line for maximum legibility.

Example

10x Copper Ore

2x Iron Ore

5x Silver Ore

1x Adamant Ore

2x Weapon Shatterproofing

Send me a copy of my responses: If you check it, you get a copy of your responses. Possibly useful to document your turn ins if you wish