The Saga of Ryzom

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Ryzom
European Retail box for The Saga of Ryzom.
Developer(s) Nevrax
Publisher(s) Nevrax
Engine NeL
Latest version 00605
Release date(s) United States of America September 19, 2004
Europe September 16, 2004
Genre(s) MMORPG Fantasy, Science Fiction
Mode(s) Multiplayer
Rating(s) ESRB: T (Teen)
Platform(s) Windows
Media CD, DVD, HTTP download, BitTorrent

Ryzom is an online computer role-playing game (MMORPG), developed by the French studio Nevrax. The game launched in September 2004 under the name 'The Saga of Ryzom' and received little attention at the time. In August 2006, the name was simplified to 'Ryzom' for marketing purposes. Ryzom is labeled as Science-Fantasy by the creators due to storyline elements that are typically found in both science fiction and fantasy genres.

The game's engine, NeL, was created by Nevrax and licensed under the GPL.

Contents

[edit] NeL Engine Features

Ryzom was built using Nevrax's NEL engine. Some of the features used in Ryzom include:

  • Dynamic model degradation: Model quality and polygon count lowers as more and more entities appear on the screen allowing several hundred entities rendered in-scene at once for Massive Combat. Full customizable settings allow for scale up as technology improves.
  • Dynamic terrain degradation: Terrain polygon count lowers as the max poly count is reached.
  • Network Code able to handle several hundred entities in an area using a maximum of ~2500 B/s and down as low as 250 B/s when alone in an isolated area.
  • RAID engine: Allows massive combat involving hundreds of players vs. hundreds of mobs in the same area or multiple areas throughout Atys, simultaneously. Waves upon waves of kitins or other NPC faction/mobs can attack entire regions at once which must be countered by a cooperative mass player movement to kill a queen/boss.

[edit] Description of the World

Screenshot of the jungle ecosystem.

The game takes place on the planet Atys. Unlike normal planets, the planet Atys is simply a tree. The tree is not rooted in soil of any kind. It is, for lack of a better way of explaining, a tree floating in space.

Currently the game features five complete ecosystems: the Jungle, where the Zoraï live; the Desert, home of the Fyros; the Lakelands, or Sub Tropics, is the Tryker's land; the Forest, land of the Matis; and the Prime Roots, which is where the invading (NPC) Kitin creatures are.

The Nevrax team has strived to make Atys simulate a realistic environment. Animals and various creatures in the world of Atys have differing AI, based upon their species that allows them to behave in a realistic manner. The AI of the creatures allows them to perform many realistic behaviors, such as migration, movement as a herd or pack, and exhibiting behavior of real-life animals. Carnivores, for example, will hunt other animals for food, and certain animals are known to hunt in packs.

The game also features changing seasons and weather effects. Weather effects include rain, snow, and wind. Tied to the season and weather changes are the movements of animals and locations of harvestable materials. For example you might be able to get a certain type of sap at a location in the spring when it is raining, yet in the winter when it is snowing the material is not available. Each season (spring, summer, fall, and winter) lasts 4 earth days.

[edit] Playable Character Races

There are four homin (playable) races, which are intimately related to the four starting ecosystems:

  • Matis - A proud and noble race of forest dwellers. They have mastered the art that is a fusion of botany and genetic manipulation, and consequently they have constructed their kingdom and castles from massive trees grown for that very purpose. They are closely allied with the Karavan, while their imperialistic tendencies tend to put them at odds with the other cultures.
  • Tryker - A fiercely independent and hedonistic race of lake dwellers. They build large floating cities on their lakes, and networks of wind-powered water pumps around them. They are officially allied with the Karavan, though many take a neutral path or side with the Kami, which tends to distress the Matis.
  • Zoraï - A spiritual and tranquil race of jungle dwellers. They build their temple-cities within naturally fortified areas of the jungle. They seek enlightenment through their close relationship with the Kami, who they revere as the living embodiment of Ma Duk. All Zoraï are born with a genetically grafted Kami mask covering their face to make them look more like the Kami. (whether or not they actually join the Kami).
  • Fyros - A tough and obstinate race of desert dwellers. They have mastered much fire technology, which they like to build into their weapons and architecture. Though not prone to religious belief (preferring to see tangible evidence where possible), they have allied themselves more with the Kami and Zoraï in recent times, a process much influenced by the friendly relationship between their rulers.

[edit] Non Playable Races

  • Kitin: The Kitin are an insect-like species. They are written in the game lore to have caused a catastrophe known as the Great Swarming, in which massive numbers of Kitin killed many of the inhabitants of Atys. At the time of the game's launch, the Great Swarming had finished and the remaing survivors (the players) were appearing to rebuild what had been destroyed. Kitins are among the game's primary monsters.
  • High Powers: There are two higher powers in the game: the Kami and the Karavan. They are enemies, but are immune to each other's direct attacks.
  • The Kami: The Kami are a magic-based race that are written in lore to be the protectors of Atys. They follow a being called Ma-Duk.
  • The Karavan: The Karavan are a technology-based race. It is written in the lore that they are not from the planet Atys. It is unknown who they really are or where they really come from. They follow a female being named Jena.

[edit] Background

This article or section describes a work of fiction in a primarily in-universe style and may need cleanup.
Please help rewrite this article according to the guidelines on writing about fiction, or discuss the issue on the talk page.

In ancient times, across the vast depths of space, matter fused to form a living planet. The Life Giver, Ma-Duk, breathed upon this planet to create life as it is known. Towards the core of the planet the roots intertwine to create a vast network of caves. Across the surface of this planet are various areas from the deserts of chipped bark to the vast lakelands. Reaching toward the sky are the branches and canopy of Atys, the living planet.

No one knows when the first homin came to Atys, but they lived separately as four cultures in harmony with the planet for thousands of years.

It is now the year 2525. Much has happened in the past few millennia and homin civilization is slowly being rebuilt. As the saga continues events reveal the true nature of Ma-Duk, the Life Giver, and Jena, goddess of the Karavan.

[edit] Skill System

The skill system of the game is different from most other MMORPG's. In most other games predetemined skills are awarded to the player based on experience. In Saga of Ryzom players are awarded skill points at the completion of each level (10 points per level). Those skill point can be then used to get skill blocks, known as stanzas. The player then can combine stanzas to make unique skills. For example if one wanted to make an attack that the player made a circular motion with a sword, wanted it to cause more damage, and wanted a bleeding effect, they would take the circular attack stanza, increase damage stanza, and the bleed stanza and combine them.

[edit] Major Content Updates

The makers of the game issue some updates in the form of chapters. These chapters are in turn part of Episodes which designate movement forward in the game's ongoing storyline.

  • Chapter One was released on November 1, 2004 and was titled Changing Times. This update featured the addition of a merchants system in which players could sell their crafted items using vendors. It also featured the revamping of several of the game's key systems, including prospecting and harvesting. The update received a lukewarm if not negative response from the game's players due to the extent of the changes[citation needed].
  • Chapter Two was released in three parts with the first being on December 13, 2004 and third on Jan 13, 2005. There was no title for this chapter. Major features included the addition of the encyclopedia system and the addition of player mounts.
  • Chapter Three was released on December 19, 2005. There was no title for this chapter. Major features included the introductions of PvP outposts as well as major changes to the game's fame system.
  • Revamp of the New Player Experience was announced on June 15, 2006.
  • Ryzom Ring was released on October 3, 2006 and offered players the ability to create their own content.

[edit] Innovations

The first expansion Nevrax introduced was called The Ryzom Ring. The expansion offered players the ability to create their own content in the form of scenarios. The expansion works by giving players a WYSIWYG editor to design content in. After designing their content, players upload it to the game's main servers. Other players may then access the player-created areas through terminals located in each race's capital city.

[edit] Awards

  • Favorite Story, MMORPG.COM 2005 Reader's Choice Awards[1]

[edit] External links

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