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Are you lost Traveler? Be not ashamed if you are, it is the nature of of those to travel to inquire about where they are heading. Fear not, you might be a strange face in an equally strange place but you are not alone. I am here to help teach you the ropes of this game. And, with that knowledge you might survive.
Player Skills
Shards of Memory has a large number of player skills that you, dear Traveler, may choose from to equip. At player level one you will be restricted to a total of five skill slots you can equip an active skill to, but fear not, every ten levels you will unlock another skill slot which you can use. Furthermore, you may unequip and equip a different skill at any time, however, be warned now that when you unequip a skill you will lose all experience you have gained towards the next level of that skill.
Example:
Yume has a level 11 cooking skill and is currently at 946/1,490 experience. If she were to unequip the cooking skill for the sewing skill, then she would keep her level in cooking, but lose the 946 exp towards the next level.
Player skills are broken down into three broad categories, Basic, Advanced, and Hidden.
Basic Player Skills:
The basic skills encompass all skills which the player has access to when they first start the game.
Cooking
The cooking skill allows the player to whip together tasty meals, rather than just tossing some meat over heat and letting it char. Depending on the rarity of the ingredients and what food is being made, any player made meal can impart positive status effects which rival even the finest restaurant buffs. The higher the cooking level of the the more portions the player can make using fewer starting ingredients, and the better the resulting food will taste, even if low class ingredients are used.
Survival
The survival skill allows the player to build a campfire which will create a temporary safety zone where the player cannot be attacked by monsters so long as the fire is burning. It is a useful skill for players to have if they expect to be in the field for long periods of time and which to catch a few moments rest. Do keep mindful of where you make this fire Traveler, it will keep the beasts away, but it will not protect you against attacks by fellow Travelers.
Smithing
With the smithing skill a player can create and upgrade metal weapons and armors. Further the smithing skill allows players to smelt ores down into ingots. Hose with the smithing skill can also restore the durability of tired weapons or armors, and sharpen the edges gone dull of a sword.
The process for smithing is relatively simple.
For item creation the smith first chooses what type of weapon they wish to create then they place a metal ingot into a forge. At this point if there are any attribute the smith wishes for the sword to have they can add upgrading materials to the fires of the forge which will help direct what type of weapon will be made.
Example:
If the smith adds upgrading materials to the fire which make weapons that are light and sharp and selects to make a sword in the western category, then the sword will be lighter and a sharper edge than on average for weapons in that category.
After the ingot has been heated, the smith removes the ingot from the heat and beats it into shape on an anvil. After a certain number of hits against the ingot (often in line with the rarity and power of the resulting weapon; the more strikes the better the weapon) the weapon will take shape.
A similar process is used for weapon and armor upgrading. The item is heated in the forge, then struck with a hammer against an anvil. Grinding wheels are used to restore item durability.
Rejuvenation
While equipped the rejuvenation skill increases the rate at which a player’s health will replenish after damage has been sustained. This is a passive skill, and the skill gains experience based on the amount of damage the player has taken and the skill has healed.
Crafting
The crafting skill is used to fashion wooden weapons, as well as wooden staffs and poles used to create polearms. In jewelry crafting, while the metal parts of the jewelry is created using the smithing skill, the crafting skill lets the player cut gemstones and place them into the unfinished ring or bracelet. Animal hides are turned into leather using the crafting skill.
Sewing
With the sewing skill a player can create cloth clothing and armors, as well as work prepared leathers into leather armors. The player may also repair damaged cloth or leather clothing and armors using the sewing skill.
Appraisal
With the appraisal skill a player can inspect unknown weapons and determine their rarity and if they would be worth taking to a blacksmith to be restored. Further the appraisal skill allows a player to check the current stats and upgrades applied to any weapon or armor, as well as check the potency of upgrading materials and certain foods.
Barter
The barter skill lowers the prices paid when purchasing from, and increases the amount gained when selling to NPC and player vendors.
Hiding
The hiding skill allows the player to avoid detection by enemy monsters as well as their fellow players. How “hidden” a player currently is can be seen by checking a numerical indicator on the top of their HUD. (Typically near the top of one’s vision.) The numbers range from not hidden, zero to no detection at one hundred. If another player or monster looks at the hiding player then the number will start to tick down to zero or until the player is detected.
Detection
The detection skill is a player’s ability to detect hidden monsters, players, and traps.
Scavenging
While the scavenging skill is equipped, the number of raw materials gained during collection is increased. Further, whenever a player dismantles an armor, weapon, or article of clothing the amount of materials, upgrading materials, ingots, cloth bolts, and so on they receive back is increased.
Woodcutting
With the woodcutting skill players can cut down trees for materials.
Mining
With the mining skill players can extract ores from rock.
Fishing
You can fish.
Weapon Families
A collection of different weapons which are divided up based on similar uses on the battlefield or styles of combat.
Advanced Player Skills
A catchall term for any skill which has a prerequisite to unlock its use by the player. Typically these skills will be locked until a basic skill reaches a certain level or the player reaches a certain level.
Hidden Skills
These skills can only be found in specific floors often by completing a quest. Keep an eye open and you might find one.
Weapon Families:
Unarmed
Martial Art Family
One Handed Weapons
Western Family
(Short swords)
Eastern Family
(Uchigatana, Dadao)
Rapier Family
(Rapiers, Estocs, Epees, Sabers)
Dagger Family
(Dirk, Dagger, Stiletto)
Bludgeon Family
(Clubs, Maces, Flails)
Scimitar Family
(Scimitars, Cutlasses)
Hand Axe Family
(Axes, Hatches)
Two-Handed weapons
Two-Handed Family
(Battle Axes, Claymores, War Hammers)
Polearm Family
(Halberds, Naginatas, Spears)
Dual Family
Western Family
(Longswords)
Eastern Family
(Katanas)
Other
Thrown Family
(Daggers/Kunais, Chakram, Needles)
Leveling Up
Each time a player levels their health will increase based on their current endurance state and they will be granted six points to apply to the player attributes of their choice. When you first logged on you should have already allocated six points, but do remember for number calculation that all attributes start at level one.
Strength - STR
The higher one’s strength stat the more damage they can afflict, the heavier the weapon and armor they can wear, and the more weight they can carry before becoming over encumbered.
Agility - AGI
The higher a player’s agility stat, the faster their walking and running speed, the further they can jump and the quicker they can dodge out of danger in battle.
Endurance - END
The higher a player’s endurance, the more HP they gain each level up, and the longer they can perform an activity before they eventually tire.
Intelligence - INT
Intelligence increases the amount of experience a player gains from combat or use of a non-combat skill. Intelligence is typically tied to most non-combat related skills.
Dexterity - DEX
Dexterity effects weapon handling, and how well a player can land a blow where they wish the blow to land.
Luck
Luck increases the amount of Lor gained from drops, as well as a better chance at higher rarity equipment. Further, the luck stat increases the chance of the player landing a critical hit on a blow.
Weapon Skills
Every weapon family has a set number of skills that the player can unlock and use in combat. Skills increase damage inflicted by the weapon and any often have status effects and debuffs which can weaken the enemy or throw them off balance. We have a list of weapon skills in the works, so look forward to that.
Status Effects:
Status effects are broken down into two main categories; damaging effects and secondary effects.
Damaging Effects:
Much like the title implies, these status ailments deal direct damage to a player’s health or equipment.
Poison:
Symbol: A Skull
Poison deals constant draining damage to a player’s health for an extended period of time. Health potions can be used to offset the drain for weaker poisons, but an antidote is often required to survive stronger poisons.
Burn:
Symbol: An Orange Flame
Burn deals intense damage over a short period of time, but burn cannot harm player health until the durability of whatever armor the player has equipped reaches zero.
Acid:
Symbol: A Green Teardrop
Acid chews through armor durability quickly, but unlike burn, Acid harms player health before the armor is broken.
Secondary Effects:
Unlike damaging effects, secondary effects do not damage player health directly, but apply dangerous status debuffs.
Disarm:
A weapon is knocked from the player’s grasp, forcing the player to take a backup from their inventory or pick up the one which was knocked away.
Stumble:
A player is knocked off balance, and is left wide open to an attack. Often accompanies AOE attacks.
Fall:
Often happens when a player is hit with a stumble status twice. The player is knocked off their feet, and is dazed for several seconds.
[Stun:
Symbol: A Yellow Lightning Bolt
A player is temporarily frozen in place for three seconds, has a low chance of also inflicting a player with Disarm. Often accompanies AOE attacks.
Paralysis: A Green Lightning Bolt
The player is frozen for anywhere between one minute and ten, this status can only come about if a player is hit with stun twice. The player always drops their weapon. The only body parts a player can fully move is their dominant arm and head to allow for use of potions \, but movement is highly restricted
Blind:
Symbol: A Grayed out Eye
The player will have their vision impaired for a period of time. Often caused as a secondary effect by a spray of fluid by an enemy and must be wiped off of the eyes.
Slow:
Symbol: A Snowflake
Causes can range from sticky fluids left or used by mobs, to ice based attacks, but either way player movements are slowed to a fraction of their normal movement speed.
Artificial Intelligence
AI within SoM are broken down into three categories; Simple, Advanced, and True.
Simple AI
A simple AI is often the most common of the game’s AI. They make up a majority of the game’s shopkeepers, innkeepers, waitresses and other members of the service industry. More often than not, when interacting with these AI a popup menu will appear to help keep the player from being frustrated by the simple nature of these AI and how few commands they are able to understand and perform.
Advanced AI
These AI are much more detailed than their simple brethren. An advanced AI has a broad range of preprogrammed responses and are often hard to confuse so long as you remain within their limited field of expertise. These AI tend to have some personality all their own as well, but it should be remembered that advanced Ai are completely programmed. Advanced AI are usually companions during quests or givers of important quests or pieces of information.
True:
True AI do not provide pre-programmed responses to player queries, nor do they go about system driven routines. They are totally independent from the system, able to act and respond on their own accord based on their personal preferences. They are indistinguishable from humans able to learn, devise creative solutions to problems, feel complex emotions, and act based on personal whims. Much like the player, if the health of a True AI reaches zero, then the NPC is killed, and will not respawn.
Safety Zones:
All human towns, cities, and villages and player owned homes are counted as “Safe Zones” meaning that player health cannot be lost in these areas. Item durability can be degraded however, though at a much slower rate than out in the field. Furthermore, many dungeons have small rooms which are set as safe zones to grant players a place to rest for brief spells.
Player Cursor Colors:
One of the most common complaints during the Alpha was how hard it was to differentiate between players and NPCs at a glance. So in the Beta cursors were added to make it easier to tell at a glance who was human and who was NPC. In the retail release of SoM, the cursor system was taken a step further to act as a means of warning or punishing players who have committed something the system considers a crime.
Green:
The normal color for any player who had committed no crime.
Yellow:
A Yellow cursor means the player has committed some lesser crime, such as attempting to steal from an NPC vendor or other minor offenses. Yellow players are still allowed to enter into towns, but are barred from entering stores, restaurants, or inns. The Yellow cursor returns to Green after three days.
Orange:
Orange players have attacked a fellow player, but in most cases has not killed the player that they attacked. The orange cursor lasts for one to two weeks depending on the severity of the attack, and during that time an Orange player will be unable to enter into any town. But, if a player turns Orange over three times, then a quest is required to remove the orange status.
Red:
Red players have killed another human player, three times. The Red status cannot be removed, and Red players can be attacked without the attacker’s cursor turning Orange.
NPC Cursor Colors:
Blue:
The normal color for intractable NPCs.
Purple Question Mark:
The indicator for Quest Giver NPCs
Gold Exclamation Point:
The indicator for NPCs who progress quests.
Red:
The indicator for NPCs who are hostile towards the player.
Black:
The Indicator for NPCs who wish to kill the player.
Further, the color of the cursor on a monster is a quick way to check and see one’s level difference from the mob at a glance. The deeper red, or black a cursor is, the higher the monster’s level compared to the player. The closer to green the cursor the lower the monster’s level compared to the player’s.
