Seraph X
Prince of the Realm of Dreams
Welcome to
XenoSword/Xenoblade Online
Developed by Dream Weave Industries Incorporated, we hope you enjoy your journey through the world of XenoSword/Xenoblade Online - the spiritual successor to the classic infamous RPG XenoSword/Xenoblade Chronicles, and the first fully immersive Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game!
We at Dream Weave Industries also wish to thank you for your purchase of the company's patented DreamDiver Virtual Reality Headset, and hope that you find the experience of using the device and playing the game to be to your satisfaction. Below, we will attempt to provide for you all necessary information to make your gaming experience in Xenoblade Online as exciting and engaging as possible, yet as simple to understand as we can possibly make it.
XenoSword/Xenoblade Online Mechanics
The XenoSword/Xenoblade Online creators, Dream Weave Industries, wanted to make this game the best that they possibly could, both before and after the beta test stages. Numerous polls and surveys were given to players asking for feedback and thoughts about the system in its early stages, and as a result numerous player changes were added such as the ability to “Reincarnate” one’s character. Reincarnation in Xenoblade Online means that the player’s avatar can be respawned upon death at one of three locations: the previous save point, the most recently visited Inn, or the player’s home (if they have one in game).
Reincarnation, however, is a special skill acquired upon reaching level 20. If players lower than level 20 are killed in game, their avatars are visualized via fragmentation into thousands upon thousands of polygon shards just as monsters are. The avatar is then deleted from the game’s archives to conserve space and keep everything running at optimum efficiency, and the player is then prompted to select a new avatar or build one from scratch again.
In XenoSword/Xenoblade Online, players feel a wealth of sensations having to do with real life including hunger, fatigue, thirst, pain, soreness, stiffness, and even a rush of adrenaline. Players can taste food, feel the saliva in their mouths, air through their nose and throat as they breathe (including that dry burning sensation when severely out of breath in the chest), feel air and other weather-based effect such as wind, rain, heat, cold, and more. Everything in XenoSword Online was optimized for creating the most realistic VRMMO experience the world had ever seen.
Some special aspects of the game which were improved upon from beta testing are that clothing and armor can be equipped one of two ways - via touch in the menu selection, or via actually putting it on by hand - and that Equipment can be made to not influence a character's appearance if changed after a liked outfit is found. Yes, clothing can be put on and taken off by hand, including undergarments (another reason the game is rated M). Agreed to be more of a complication and seen as unnecessary, the need to use the restroom is not present in the game. For the enjoyment of the players, all players have the ability to remove the censors of mature content by selecting <<Moral Code Removal>> from the options menu. By doing so, players can enjoy the pleasures of adulthood without restriction (young adults have needs you know).
In order to maintain the fully immersive experience of XenoSword/Xenoblade Online, pain is felt in this game by players when they are attacked or otherwise influenced such that injury would be suffered. However, special permissions were acquired by Dream Weave Industries due to the danger this presents when and if severe enough injuries were suffered by the player in game. Pain sensory perception is reduced the greater the damage taken, so even if a player breaks an arm or is gutted by an enemy, they will feel only mild pain akin to pulling a muscle rather than the full effect of what such injuries would actually feel like. If the player wishes, they may alter how much of the pain is absorbed by the system by changing the level of the <<Pain Absorber>> in the Options menu. As well, this pain is only suffered in game, and the user’s brain is prevented by the DreamDiver from sending those signals to their real bodies. This way, when the player logs out, they can safely return to life as usual without feeling any aftereffects of having been injured in game.
Dream Weave Industries had to fight long and hard in the courts leading up to the release of XenoSword/Xenoblade Online to keep this pain reception, and after a long legal battle they won. However, as stated before due to the realistic sensations of pain brought on by injuries, the game is given an M rating with the extra stipulation that children under the age of 18 are strictly prohibited from playing.
To ensure this, the DreamDiver scans the user’s body the first time it is worn for the purpose of synchronizing with their brainwaves upon activation. The scan generates a 3D image of the user’s body inside the software which is then examined by the system. Upon said analysis, the system uses complex algorithms to determine whether or not this player is indeed of the age of 18 including scans of bone density, height, weight, presence (or lack of) body hair and signs of puberty, and more. The system then makes a determination about the user, generating a probability prediction of whether or not this user is of proper age.
If the possibility is less than 90%, the user’s likeness and location data is immediately sent to the local authorities who conduct an investigation of the player including a home visit and questioning of the parents. If the player is proven to be of proper age via birth certificate or other means, then they’re fine. If they cannot be proven to be of proper age, their voice and face will be registered as being underage currently and will be logged in the servers as restricted from play until the day they will be of age.
Dream Weave Industries is taking no chances with the safety of their player base, as well as ensuring a certain level of maturity by denying children who should not have access to such a game from being able to play.
Every region of the world in the game has its own unique climate, geography, fauna, flora, and monster lists. All of them cycle through the four major seasons throughout the literal year, each lasting a total of three months, and each season affects the climate and how the weather may change in that area.
Within the game, certain aspects of the world are considered “Immortal Objects” which cannot be damaged or destroyed by the player in any way or under any circumstances. Objects such as buildings, monuments, and other major landmarks and such are all immortal objects, and if touched offensively by the player a notification will pop up notifying the player that this is an immortal object.
Non-immortal objects in game all have a durability level which is a very important feature in the game. Durability is a measure of how much an item or object has either been used or damaged by a player before it expires and shatters into polygon fragments. Clothing, food, potions, crystals, and more such items the player can collect and/or interact with on a regular basis are all subject to gradual loss of durability.
Initiation and Character Creation
Logging onto XenoSword/Xenoblade Online is first done by a voice command from the player upon activating the DreamDiver for the first time. The device asks the player through an audio recorded message for “Voice Confirmation of Player Requested.” The player then says the words “Player…” and states their name for the confirmation. Once confirmed, the Bifrost can then activate the scan and, if the player is of age, it begins the log in procedure asking the player to say the words “Log On.”
Upon the spoken command the player’s eyes are forced shut due to the sudden disconnection from the brain by the DreamDiver, and after a few moments of what appear as tunnel vision with vivid colors everywhere the view goes black. On this black screen is a pre-game status check which confirms the connection of the player’s five senses, and then it prompts the player for their chosen language. Afterwards, the “Log On” icon is shown next to the “Exit” icon in case the player decides not to log on for whatever reason. After the welcome screen, the player is taken to the character creation menu.
There are five species of being a player can play as: Homs, High Entia, Nopon, Machina, and Mechai. The player can do one of two things here: have the DreamDiver scan their bodies once more to create a fully realized version of themselves in game as the species of their choosing, or create an avatar from scratch by utilizing the character creation sliders for such things as height, gender, girth (body thickness), arm length, leg length, muscle size, muscle definition, head size, torso size, facial features (nose, eyes, eyebrows, brow, cheek bones, jowls, jawline, chin, lips, ears, etc), and more. When creating Nopon, this allows them to alter all body parts, including their arms, legs, ears, face styles, and body sizes.
User Interface
In the player’s display one can see several interfaces. The HP bar is located in the upper left corner of one’s field of view displaying their name and a visual hit point gauge along with numerical hit points displaying the current to maximum HP respectively. It will also show the names and HP bars of all players in the party in a smaller bar beneath the player’s own.
A clock displaying the game world's current time is shown in the lower left corner of the screen alongside the current time in the player's real world time zone.
A color cursor can be seen over every NPC, monster, and player in the game. The cursor is green for all players in good standing in the game’s legal system, orange for players with criminal infractions, yellow for NPC’s, various shades of red for monsters, and black for players with extreme criminal backgrounds. The HP, name, and status of the target can be seen in the top center of the player’s FOV.
Beast/Familiar/Pet System
There are some NPC creatures, known as either Familars, Beasts, or Pets, which can be tamed by a player to become their companion. Some may act hostile towards the player, while others may act timid or shy, but all are able to be tamed. Their status as Beast, Familiar, or Pet decides if they are your actual ally or neutral. Once a Beast knows you're its friend rather than a threat or enemy, it will become known as a Familiar and its cursor will turn blue for your eyes only. If you can convince a Familiar to travel with you by taming it, it will become your Pet, its cursor will become white in all player's vision, and you will be able to name it. Once named, it will become a permanent member of your party until it dies, at which point it will die and leave behind what is known as Pet's Momento. However, there are some locations where items are hidden that can revive Pets, and some of these same items are sold in stores as well. If you can claim and use one of these items on a Pet's Momento within three days time, you will be able to revive them. If not, the Momento will turn into a basic item and be sellable at shops for large sums of Gold.
Touch Interface
Players can interact with the world by tapping various key objects, or one can opt to disable this touch option for a more realistic approach by selecting <<No Touch>> in the options menu's <<Touch Interaction>> option. This way instead of touching a door knob, they actually have to grasp hold of it, twist it, and then push the door open like one would in the real world.
Main Menu Window
The main menu is the primary means of accessing a player’s items, maps, skills, and inventory. It can be accessed by placing one’s right index finger and thumb together and swiping downward. Players who are left handed can opt to switch to left hand in the options menu. Afterwards, a small ring sound is heard and the menu appears.
The main menu’s coloration scheme can be changed by the player in the options menu, but is by default a white coloration and is presented as a series of circles floating around the player’s humanoid shape in the center. Details appear to the right side in accordance with whatever item has been selected.
There are five primary items in this menu, and each comes with a set of subcategories which are as follows:
* Inventory
- Equipment
* Weapons - Appears as a sword icon
* Equipped - Appears as a chest armor icon
- Items - Selecting this sub-menu will open an additional scrolling screen on the left that lists all items the player is currently carrying, and when selected the item appears in front of the player. The inventory appears red when the inventory is full, but the maximum capacity of the Items inventory is 99 stacked copies of each type of item, with the Items section being able to hold a grand total of 150 different types of items. When you call an item out from the inventory, the count for that item will drop by one and you will have one copy of that item in your hand.
- Arts - Selecting this sub-menu opens an additional scrolling screen which shows the player’s Arts, sorting them into categories based upon if they are Weapon, Magic, or Specialty-based.
Friends/Guild
- Party - This opens three additional options which include <<Create>>, <<Invite>>, and <<Dissolve>>.
- Friend - Selecting this menu reveals a list of the player’s friends. Selecting a friend opens three options which include <<Message>>, <<Position Check>>, and <<Profile>>.
- Guild - This opens the Guild sub-menu which shows the name, status, rank, and the number of members in the Guild. The Player can also see their own standing/rank in the Guild displayed as well in the upper right corner, and can choose to do one of the following while in this sub-menu: <<Message>>, <<Join Quest>>, <<Start Quest>>, <<Forfeit Quest>>, <<Form Party>>, <Dissolve Party>>, and <<Quit Guild>>.
Communications
- Befriend - This option allows the player to send a friend request to another player or NPC, thus adding them to their friends list.
- Trade - Opens a trade window with a selected player/NPC on the player’s friend list.
- Duel - Opens the duel screen allowing the player to send, accept, or decline duel requests.
- Marriage - Opens an option at the very bottom which allows the player to send a marriage request to another player/NPC on the player’s friend list. Married partners have uninhibited access to the other’s equipment, and their inventories are merged with a new max capacity of 300 items between the two of them, all able to be stacked for 99 copies of any item maximum. Also, when fighting on the field at the same time and within a certain distance (10m), they gain a buff in combat of +5 Speed and +4 Strength each.
Maps/Quest
- Dungeon Map - Reveals a map of the current dungeon
- Quest - Selecting it opens the quest log, which shows information about current and completed quests.
- Field Map - Opens a map of the region showing the area the player has explored or been given information on by other players/NPC’s.
Settings/Main Menu
- Options - Reveals the Options sub-menus, allowing the player to choose the following options and change the corresponding features: <<Hand Switch>>, <<Pain Absorber>>, <<Touch Interaction>>, <<Equipment/Appearance Influence>>, and <<Moral Code Removal>>.
- Help - This will open a sub-menu where players may perform the following options: <<View FAQ>> and <<Send Notification>>.
- Logout - This will open a confirmation screen saying, "Are you sure you want to log out?" There will be two options below this: <<Yes>>, and <<No>>.
Equipment
Equipment comes in two major types: Weapons, and Armor. Players can equip one weapon, however some weapons take the form of dual-wielded pairs of weapons - this does not mean their stat enhancements are taken twice. For Armor, there are six types - Head, Torso, Arms, Legs, Feet and Gems, with Gems being added onto "slotted" forms of the other five armor types - and each is equipped to a specific corresponding part of their bodies. By changing the <<Equipment/Appearance Influence>> option, players may have their avatar's appearance changed by equipping certain kinds of Armor.
When it comes to Armor and Weapons, there are several things to keep in mind. First, there are four kinds of Armor, three of which are divided based upon their weight, and one which is only wearable by two species. These are the Light, Medium, and Heavy Armor classes, which can be equipped by Homs, Nopon, and High Entia characters, and Mechonis, which can only be worn by Machina and Mechai characters. There are NPC shops which sell all manner of Equipment, both Weapons and Armor, often entire sets of the latter, with each item from a set sold separately with a separate price from the rest. Some Armor and Weapon objects will have special Slots on them which can have Gems attached to further enhance a player's stats, while others will either have no Slot or be Unique and have a Gem of their own already pre-attached. Most of the time, both can be bought in the shops with good condition, many versions having Slots, yet it is possible to get Slotted versions of different Armors and Weapons, and often some special Unique or otherwise more potent Armors and Weapons, from monster drops, particularly from Unique monsters
Combat
In XenoSword/Xenoblade Online, players must explore the wide open world of Biochonis. Currently, not much of the world has been explored and identified. Most regions are currently still undergoing full development. However, in what regions are complete, there are several kinds of Monsters which can be encountered and killed by players for Experience, Gold, and Item drops. All Monsters, when targeted by a player, will display a set of information to help the player decide if they want to engage them, specifically the level and name. This information, displayed in a broad box banner, may be surrounded by an elegant border, indicating the Monster is a Unique - a rarer Monster with special Item drops and more power than the average Monster. Each banner, based upon the Monster's level in comparison to that of the targeting player, may also have a specific color to it to indicate the danger level: blank, clear black means it is weaker than the player and will not openly attack unless it is Unique; blue means that the monster is a lesser level that will still attack; gray means the monster is close to the player's level of power and will likely attack; yellow means the monster is one which should be approached with caution and is above the player's level; red means the enemy is well beyond the player's level of power and must either be avoided or taken on with a large group in order to deal significant damage and survive. When a player approaches and wills their interface to target, or is targeted by, a monster, their interface enters Battle Mode, displaying a message of, "Battle Start!"
When entering Battle Mode, players can see all of their current attack options beyond basic regular attacks, known as Arts. These Arts are of three kinds: Weapon, Magic/Ether, and Specialty. Weapon Art icons commonly have a vertical line running through them; Magic, or Ether, Arts have a horizontal line; Specialty Arts have an X running through the background of the attack symbol. Each Art is different, and each Art has a Cooldown that decides how long it will take before it can be used again after each time it is used. Once an Art is used, it's icon turns dark and gradually fills over time. Once it becomes solid and lit up again, it may be used again to attack.
Players must use their own skills and Arts to combat any encountered Monsters. When combat ends, if the player is victorious, a "Congratulations" banner will appear, along with a window displaying the Experience, Gold and Items acquired.
Level System
XenoSword/Xenoblade Online uses a level based system to determine the strength of the player. Once the player gains enough EXP, their avatar glows golden and their level is raised by 1.
The current level cap is 99, and any extra experience gained after reaching this cap can either be stored to induce future levels should the cap be raised, or exchanged for half the amount obtained in Gold
Party Mechanics
It is generally more efficient to battle in groups, otherwise known as parties. While there is no emphasis on classes in XenoSword/Xenoblade Online, there is an emphasis on “Real Battle” mechanics. This means that any player can attack any monster at any time without the use of a “Switch” mechanic as in many games. However, this requires the players to collaborate before battle to decide who kills what monsters, how many monsters, etc. Otherwise disputes can break out which often end in duels and bad blood.
The current party max is set at 6 players (excluding Pets). And another cap is the total number of parties which can be a part of a Raid Group. The total number of parties allowed in a Raid Group is 8, for a total of 48 players on the field at once.
Player vs Player
In XenoSword/Xenoblade Online, it is impossible to damage another player without having first accepted a duel. This mechanic was implemented after the finalization of the polls and surveys which wanted to do away with player killing and unfair deaths by the hands of careless or otherwise unpleasant players.
Unauthorized attempts at combat, such as striking another player repeatedly, will render the aggressor’s icon as orange which is visible to everyone for up to 8 hours. Those who repeat the offense numerous times within a short period are marked with a black icon which remains visible for up to 5 full days.
Authorized combat is the duel system, in which the first player to be reduced to 20% of their total HP is declared the loser and the system ends the duel on the spot.
NOTE: Credit to ChoShadow for creating much of the basis of these mechanics. For SAO fans, I recommend you go check out her Hosted Project RP, SAO: Return to Aincrad (please forgive me if I spelled that wrong, I'm new to the SAO show still, I'm just using the concept for an RP idea I like).
XenoSword/Xenoblade Online
Developed by Dream Weave Industries Incorporated, we hope you enjoy your journey through the world of XenoSword/Xenoblade Online - the spiritual successor to the classic infamous RPG XenoSword/Xenoblade Chronicles, and the first fully immersive Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game!
We at Dream Weave Industries also wish to thank you for your purchase of the company's patented DreamDiver Virtual Reality Headset, and hope that you find the experience of using the device and playing the game to be to your satisfaction. Below, we will attempt to provide for you all necessary information to make your gaming experience in Xenoblade Online as exciting and engaging as possible, yet as simple to understand as we can possibly make it.
XenoSword/Xenoblade Online Mechanics
The XenoSword/Xenoblade Online creators, Dream Weave Industries, wanted to make this game the best that they possibly could, both before and after the beta test stages. Numerous polls and surveys were given to players asking for feedback and thoughts about the system in its early stages, and as a result numerous player changes were added such as the ability to “Reincarnate” one’s character. Reincarnation in Xenoblade Online means that the player’s avatar can be respawned upon death at one of three locations: the previous save point, the most recently visited Inn, or the player’s home (if they have one in game).
Reincarnation, however, is a special skill acquired upon reaching level 20. If players lower than level 20 are killed in game, their avatars are visualized via fragmentation into thousands upon thousands of polygon shards just as monsters are. The avatar is then deleted from the game’s archives to conserve space and keep everything running at optimum efficiency, and the player is then prompted to select a new avatar or build one from scratch again.
In XenoSword/Xenoblade Online, players feel a wealth of sensations having to do with real life including hunger, fatigue, thirst, pain, soreness, stiffness, and even a rush of adrenaline. Players can taste food, feel the saliva in their mouths, air through their nose and throat as they breathe (including that dry burning sensation when severely out of breath in the chest), feel air and other weather-based effect such as wind, rain, heat, cold, and more. Everything in XenoSword Online was optimized for creating the most realistic VRMMO experience the world had ever seen.
Some special aspects of the game which were improved upon from beta testing are that clothing and armor can be equipped one of two ways - via touch in the menu selection, or via actually putting it on by hand - and that Equipment can be made to not influence a character's appearance if changed after a liked outfit is found. Yes, clothing can be put on and taken off by hand, including undergarments (another reason the game is rated M). Agreed to be more of a complication and seen as unnecessary, the need to use the restroom is not present in the game. For the enjoyment of the players, all players have the ability to remove the censors of mature content by selecting <<Moral Code Removal>> from the options menu. By doing so, players can enjoy the pleasures of adulthood without restriction (young adults have needs you know).
In order to maintain the fully immersive experience of XenoSword/Xenoblade Online, pain is felt in this game by players when they are attacked or otherwise influenced such that injury would be suffered. However, special permissions were acquired by Dream Weave Industries due to the danger this presents when and if severe enough injuries were suffered by the player in game. Pain sensory perception is reduced the greater the damage taken, so even if a player breaks an arm or is gutted by an enemy, they will feel only mild pain akin to pulling a muscle rather than the full effect of what such injuries would actually feel like. If the player wishes, they may alter how much of the pain is absorbed by the system by changing the level of the <<Pain Absorber>> in the Options menu. As well, this pain is only suffered in game, and the user’s brain is prevented by the DreamDiver from sending those signals to their real bodies. This way, when the player logs out, they can safely return to life as usual without feeling any aftereffects of having been injured in game.
Dream Weave Industries had to fight long and hard in the courts leading up to the release of XenoSword/Xenoblade Online to keep this pain reception, and after a long legal battle they won. However, as stated before due to the realistic sensations of pain brought on by injuries, the game is given an M rating with the extra stipulation that children under the age of 18 are strictly prohibited from playing.
To ensure this, the DreamDiver scans the user’s body the first time it is worn for the purpose of synchronizing with their brainwaves upon activation. The scan generates a 3D image of the user’s body inside the software which is then examined by the system. Upon said analysis, the system uses complex algorithms to determine whether or not this player is indeed of the age of 18 including scans of bone density, height, weight, presence (or lack of) body hair and signs of puberty, and more. The system then makes a determination about the user, generating a probability prediction of whether or not this user is of proper age.
If the possibility is less than 90%, the user’s likeness and location data is immediately sent to the local authorities who conduct an investigation of the player including a home visit and questioning of the parents. If the player is proven to be of proper age via birth certificate or other means, then they’re fine. If they cannot be proven to be of proper age, their voice and face will be registered as being underage currently and will be logged in the servers as restricted from play until the day they will be of age.
Dream Weave Industries is taking no chances with the safety of their player base, as well as ensuring a certain level of maturity by denying children who should not have access to such a game from being able to play.
Every region of the world in the game has its own unique climate, geography, fauna, flora, and monster lists. All of them cycle through the four major seasons throughout the literal year, each lasting a total of three months, and each season affects the climate and how the weather may change in that area.
Within the game, certain aspects of the world are considered “Immortal Objects” which cannot be damaged or destroyed by the player in any way or under any circumstances. Objects such as buildings, monuments, and other major landmarks and such are all immortal objects, and if touched offensively by the player a notification will pop up notifying the player that this is an immortal object.
Non-immortal objects in game all have a durability level which is a very important feature in the game. Durability is a measure of how much an item or object has either been used or damaged by a player before it expires and shatters into polygon fragments. Clothing, food, potions, crystals, and more such items the player can collect and/or interact with on a regular basis are all subject to gradual loss of durability.
Initiation and Character Creation
Logging onto XenoSword/Xenoblade Online is first done by a voice command from the player upon activating the DreamDiver for the first time. The device asks the player through an audio recorded message for “Voice Confirmation of Player Requested.” The player then says the words “Player…” and states their name for the confirmation. Once confirmed, the Bifrost can then activate the scan and, if the player is of age, it begins the log in procedure asking the player to say the words “Log On.”
Upon the spoken command the player’s eyes are forced shut due to the sudden disconnection from the brain by the DreamDiver, and after a few moments of what appear as tunnel vision with vivid colors everywhere the view goes black. On this black screen is a pre-game status check which confirms the connection of the player’s five senses, and then it prompts the player for their chosen language. Afterwards, the “Log On” icon is shown next to the “Exit” icon in case the player decides not to log on for whatever reason. After the welcome screen, the player is taken to the character creation menu.
There are five species of being a player can play as: Homs, High Entia, Nopon, Machina, and Mechai. The player can do one of two things here: have the DreamDiver scan their bodies once more to create a fully realized version of themselves in game as the species of their choosing, or create an avatar from scratch by utilizing the character creation sliders for such things as height, gender, girth (body thickness), arm length, leg length, muscle size, muscle definition, head size, torso size, facial features (nose, eyes, eyebrows, brow, cheek bones, jowls, jawline, chin, lips, ears, etc), and more. When creating Nopon, this allows them to alter all body parts, including their arms, legs, ears, face styles, and body sizes.
User Interface
In the player’s display one can see several interfaces. The HP bar is located in the upper left corner of one’s field of view displaying their name and a visual hit point gauge along with numerical hit points displaying the current to maximum HP respectively. It will also show the names and HP bars of all players in the party in a smaller bar beneath the player’s own.
A clock displaying the game world's current time is shown in the lower left corner of the screen alongside the current time in the player's real world time zone.
A color cursor can be seen over every NPC, monster, and player in the game. The cursor is green for all players in good standing in the game’s legal system, orange for players with criminal infractions, yellow for NPC’s, various shades of red for monsters, and black for players with extreme criminal backgrounds. The HP, name, and status of the target can be seen in the top center of the player’s FOV.
Beast/Familiar/Pet System
There are some NPC creatures, known as either Familars, Beasts, or Pets, which can be tamed by a player to become their companion. Some may act hostile towards the player, while others may act timid or shy, but all are able to be tamed. Their status as Beast, Familiar, or Pet decides if they are your actual ally or neutral. Once a Beast knows you're its friend rather than a threat or enemy, it will become known as a Familiar and its cursor will turn blue for your eyes only. If you can convince a Familiar to travel with you by taming it, it will become your Pet, its cursor will become white in all player's vision, and you will be able to name it. Once named, it will become a permanent member of your party until it dies, at which point it will die and leave behind what is known as Pet's Momento. However, there are some locations where items are hidden that can revive Pets, and some of these same items are sold in stores as well. If you can claim and use one of these items on a Pet's Momento within three days time, you will be able to revive them. If not, the Momento will turn into a basic item and be sellable at shops for large sums of Gold.
Touch Interface
Players can interact with the world by tapping various key objects, or one can opt to disable this touch option for a more realistic approach by selecting <<No Touch>> in the options menu's <<Touch Interaction>> option. This way instead of touching a door knob, they actually have to grasp hold of it, twist it, and then push the door open like one would in the real world.
Main Menu Window
The main menu is the primary means of accessing a player’s items, maps, skills, and inventory. It can be accessed by placing one’s right index finger and thumb together and swiping downward. Players who are left handed can opt to switch to left hand in the options menu. Afterwards, a small ring sound is heard and the menu appears.
The main menu’s coloration scheme can be changed by the player in the options menu, but is by default a white coloration and is presented as a series of circles floating around the player’s humanoid shape in the center. Details appear to the right side in accordance with whatever item has been selected.
There are five primary items in this menu, and each comes with a set of subcategories which are as follows:
* Inventory
- Equipment
* Weapons - Appears as a sword icon
* Equipped - Appears as a chest armor icon
- Items - Selecting this sub-menu will open an additional scrolling screen on the left that lists all items the player is currently carrying, and when selected the item appears in front of the player. The inventory appears red when the inventory is full, but the maximum capacity of the Items inventory is 99 stacked copies of each type of item, with the Items section being able to hold a grand total of 150 different types of items. When you call an item out from the inventory, the count for that item will drop by one and you will have one copy of that item in your hand.
- Arts - Selecting this sub-menu opens an additional scrolling screen which shows the player’s Arts, sorting them into categories based upon if they are Weapon, Magic, or Specialty-based.
Friends/Guild
- Party - This opens three additional options which include <<Create>>, <<Invite>>, and <<Dissolve>>.
- Friend - Selecting this menu reveals a list of the player’s friends. Selecting a friend opens three options which include <<Message>>, <<Position Check>>, and <<Profile>>.
- Guild - This opens the Guild sub-menu which shows the name, status, rank, and the number of members in the Guild. The Player can also see their own standing/rank in the Guild displayed as well in the upper right corner, and can choose to do one of the following while in this sub-menu: <<Message>>, <<Join Quest>>, <<Start Quest>>, <<Forfeit Quest>>, <<Form Party>>, <Dissolve Party>>, and <<Quit Guild>>.
Communications
- Befriend - This option allows the player to send a friend request to another player or NPC, thus adding them to their friends list.
- Trade - Opens a trade window with a selected player/NPC on the player’s friend list.
- Duel - Opens the duel screen allowing the player to send, accept, or decline duel requests.
- Marriage - Opens an option at the very bottom which allows the player to send a marriage request to another player/NPC on the player’s friend list. Married partners have uninhibited access to the other’s equipment, and their inventories are merged with a new max capacity of 300 items between the two of them, all able to be stacked for 99 copies of any item maximum. Also, when fighting on the field at the same time and within a certain distance (10m), they gain a buff in combat of +5 Speed and +4 Strength each.
Maps/Quest
- Dungeon Map - Reveals a map of the current dungeon
- Quest - Selecting it opens the quest log, which shows information about current and completed quests.
- Field Map - Opens a map of the region showing the area the player has explored or been given information on by other players/NPC’s.
Settings/Main Menu
- Options - Reveals the Options sub-menus, allowing the player to choose the following options and change the corresponding features: <<Hand Switch>>, <<Pain Absorber>>, <<Touch Interaction>>, <<Equipment/Appearance Influence>>, and <<Moral Code Removal>>.
- Help - This will open a sub-menu where players may perform the following options: <<View FAQ>> and <<Send Notification>>.
- Logout - This will open a confirmation screen saying, "Are you sure you want to log out?" There will be two options below this: <<Yes>>, and <<No>>.
Equipment
Equipment comes in two major types: Weapons, and Armor. Players can equip one weapon, however some weapons take the form of dual-wielded pairs of weapons - this does not mean their stat enhancements are taken twice. For Armor, there are six types - Head, Torso, Arms, Legs, Feet and Gems, with Gems being added onto "slotted" forms of the other five armor types - and each is equipped to a specific corresponding part of their bodies. By changing the <<Equipment/Appearance Influence>> option, players may have their avatar's appearance changed by equipping certain kinds of Armor.
When it comes to Armor and Weapons, there are several things to keep in mind. First, there are four kinds of Armor, three of which are divided based upon their weight, and one which is only wearable by two species. These are the Light, Medium, and Heavy Armor classes, which can be equipped by Homs, Nopon, and High Entia characters, and Mechonis, which can only be worn by Machina and Mechai characters. There are NPC shops which sell all manner of Equipment, both Weapons and Armor, often entire sets of the latter, with each item from a set sold separately with a separate price from the rest. Some Armor and Weapon objects will have special Slots on them which can have Gems attached to further enhance a player's stats, while others will either have no Slot or be Unique and have a Gem of their own already pre-attached. Most of the time, both can be bought in the shops with good condition, many versions having Slots, yet it is possible to get Slotted versions of different Armors and Weapons, and often some special Unique or otherwise more potent Armors and Weapons, from monster drops, particularly from Unique monsters
Combat
In XenoSword/Xenoblade Online, players must explore the wide open world of Biochonis. Currently, not much of the world has been explored and identified. Most regions are currently still undergoing full development. However, in what regions are complete, there are several kinds of Monsters which can be encountered and killed by players for Experience, Gold, and Item drops. All Monsters, when targeted by a player, will display a set of information to help the player decide if they want to engage them, specifically the level and name. This information, displayed in a broad box banner, may be surrounded by an elegant border, indicating the Monster is a Unique - a rarer Monster with special Item drops and more power than the average Monster. Each banner, based upon the Monster's level in comparison to that of the targeting player, may also have a specific color to it to indicate the danger level: blank, clear black means it is weaker than the player and will not openly attack unless it is Unique; blue means that the monster is a lesser level that will still attack; gray means the monster is close to the player's level of power and will likely attack; yellow means the monster is one which should be approached with caution and is above the player's level; red means the enemy is well beyond the player's level of power and must either be avoided or taken on with a large group in order to deal significant damage and survive. When a player approaches and wills their interface to target, or is targeted by, a monster, their interface enters Battle Mode, displaying a message of, "Battle Start!"
When entering Battle Mode, players can see all of their current attack options beyond basic regular attacks, known as Arts. These Arts are of three kinds: Weapon, Magic/Ether, and Specialty. Weapon Art icons commonly have a vertical line running through them; Magic, or Ether, Arts have a horizontal line; Specialty Arts have an X running through the background of the attack symbol. Each Art is different, and each Art has a Cooldown that decides how long it will take before it can be used again after each time it is used. Once an Art is used, it's icon turns dark and gradually fills over time. Once it becomes solid and lit up again, it may be used again to attack.
Players must use their own skills and Arts to combat any encountered Monsters. When combat ends, if the player is victorious, a "Congratulations" banner will appear, along with a window displaying the Experience, Gold and Items acquired.
Level System
XenoSword/Xenoblade Online uses a level based system to determine the strength of the player. Once the player gains enough EXP, their avatar glows golden and their level is raised by 1.
The current level cap is 99, and any extra experience gained after reaching this cap can either be stored to induce future levels should the cap be raised, or exchanged for half the amount obtained in Gold
Party Mechanics
It is generally more efficient to battle in groups, otherwise known as parties. While there is no emphasis on classes in XenoSword/Xenoblade Online, there is an emphasis on “Real Battle” mechanics. This means that any player can attack any monster at any time without the use of a “Switch” mechanic as in many games. However, this requires the players to collaborate before battle to decide who kills what monsters, how many monsters, etc. Otherwise disputes can break out which often end in duels and bad blood.
The current party max is set at 6 players (excluding Pets). And another cap is the total number of parties which can be a part of a Raid Group. The total number of parties allowed in a Raid Group is 8, for a total of 48 players on the field at once.
Player vs Player
In XenoSword/Xenoblade Online, it is impossible to damage another player without having first accepted a duel. This mechanic was implemented after the finalization of the polls and surveys which wanted to do away with player killing and unfair deaths by the hands of careless or otherwise unpleasant players.
Unauthorized attempts at combat, such as striking another player repeatedly, will render the aggressor’s icon as orange which is visible to everyone for up to 8 hours. Those who repeat the offense numerous times within a short period are marked with a black icon which remains visible for up to 5 full days.
Authorized combat is the duel system, in which the first player to be reduced to 20% of their total HP is declared the loser and the system ends the duel on the spot.
NOTE: Credit to ChoShadow for creating much of the basis of these mechanics. For SAO fans, I recommend you go check out her Hosted Project RP, SAO: Return to Aincrad (please forgive me if I spelled that wrong, I'm new to the SAO show still, I'm just using the concept for an RP idea I like).
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