This series takes the Developers Journals and gives you all the information in a nice bullet point list. I like bullet points, but I still do not get why they are named after bullets. If you want discussion then you are going to have to wait for the Journal Discussed which will hit later this week, I’m guessing Sunday!

Who we are in the game is incredibly important to those of us who role-play. However, in Chronicles of Elyria it is going to be something that everyone starts to focus on much more. Not only who we are, but who other people think we are, and what they think about us. The constant risk of someone not being quite who they say they are. Identity, disguises, and reputation are actually all intricate systems and a lot to cover in one journal. So if you want to get all the detail the full version is up on MMORPG.com, but if all those facts are a little overwhelming the abridged version is below.

Identity

• Your character and your identity are separate. Your character is the physical body while the identity is the name, reputation and persona.

• While people can see your character, your identity is not displayed by default. Nameplates above players heads do not appear automatically.

Introductions

• Using the UI you can ask someone to introduce themselves, or introduce yourself to them.

• When you introduce yourself you have the option to share different amounts of information this includes just your first name, your full name, or full name and title, and also other information such as guild.

• If you ask someone to introduce themselves and they accept, then their nameplate with the information they have chosen to share will appear above their head for a limited time.

• If you ask someone to introduce themselves and they decline, you still know nothing about their identity!

• The more you get to know someone the longer their name plate remains visible until it is permanent.

• There is an option to turn off these permanent nameplates, but they may well be useful.

Becoming Anonymous

• While to most players you will be anonymous, there may be times you want to hide from even those who know you. This can be done with a hooded cloak.

• Wearing a hooded cloak with the hood up hides your nameplate from everyone.

• However, as are clearly wearing a hooded cloak to hide your nameplate from everyone that is a little bit suspicious.

Identity & Contracts

• Contracts (both implicit and explicit) are agreements made with identities.

• A character signs a contract with their name, if they break that contract or a law it is that identity that people will search for.

• Identities can be faked, and this allows you to dodge capture.

Multiple Identities

• You can choose which identity your character is using from your in game character sheet.

• The identity you choose affects who you introduce yourself as if asked and other things such as which disguise you wear, see below!

• Of course to select between identities you need to have more than one. To make additional identities requires forges documents, and where needed a disguise.
  • The documents are made using the Forgery skill, in the deviant tree.
  • The disguises are made using the Disguise skill (shock), in the deviant tree.

• Making forgeries and disguises is illegal.

• If you are caught with forged documents or a disguise you are not only facing jail for creating a false identity but anything you could be charged for anything illegal you did while using that identity.

Disguises

• Disguises are not always needed, but they dramatically reduce the chance of someone seeing through your false identity.

• Disguises are made either from scratch or from a model.

• Making disguises from scratch is the easiest, most common and lowest risk option.

• Items are chosen, such as wigs, hairstyles, clothing, and contact lenses and then added to a disguise kit.

• The higher your skill in Disguises the more items you can add to the kit.

• The disguise kit can be bound to an identity, so each time you change to that identity from the character sheet you automatically equip the disguise (as long as you have the kit with you.)

• Once you are wearing a disguise you can change your equipment without breaking the disguise.

• Making a disguise from a Model is more complex as you are basing it on an individual.

• To make a disguise from a model you have to chose your target and study them, ultimately you must steal at least one wearable item from them. The disguise will then allow you to resemble the person you chose.

• Using a skilled forger and a copy of that characters signature, perhaps from a previous contract, you can not just look like them and assume their identity in full.

Seeing Through Disguises/Fake IDs

• There is always a chance other players will recognise a fake identity.

• The chance is based on the number of times they have encountered you before. If you are not wearing a disguise, that might only need to be a few times. Wearing a disguise will take longer. However, if you keep swapping between identities it will be easier for them to notice.

• Should you have taken over someone identity, as explained above, if you ever meet that person your disguise will immediately fail. Those people who know the true owner of the identity will also be able to spot your ruse more easily.

• Your family can also always see through your disguise, as can the family of the person whose identity you have stolen!

Reputation and Fame

• If someone has stolen your identity and committed crimes while using it then you could end up with the jail time if you can not clear your name.

• The other reason it is important to keep your identity out of other peoples hands is your reputation and fame.

• Fame is how well you are known. The more famous the more players and NPCs will recognise your name if mentioned in conversation. This also means you reputation will spread more.

• Your fame will change over time based on the things you do (either good or bad) which effect other people and the story. Completing achievements, task, and crafting all have an impact.

• Reputation is the public opinion on you based on what people know about you. So if people do not know you do bad things you will not have a bad reputation.

• It should be noted a bad reputation is not always a bad thing, it depends what you are trying to do. Trying to get into a crime syndicate? That bad reputation is certainly going to help.

• Fame and Reputation are gained separately that means you can be:
  • Famous with a good reputation
  • Famous with a bad reputation
  • Largely unknown with a good reputation
  • Largely unknown with a bad reputation

• Your fame and reputation not only relies on your own actions but that of the groups you are affiliated with and your family and dynasty.

• The inverse is true so your personal fame and reputation affects that of the groups you are affiliated with and your family and dynasty.

The Spread of Information

• Any time you interact with an NPC you have the option to gossip with them.

• Gossip allows you to get information about other characters in the area.

• You can also share things you have seen with the NPC, the more open the NPC the more likely they are to pass this information onto other players or NPCs who gossip with them.

• This means news about a crime you have committed, or how helpful you have been, can spread to nearby towns before you get there.

• Gossip also means if you silence enough people news will not travel.

So there you have it, another roller coaster of things to get your head around. There really is a lot to get to grips with on this one. Identity theft being among them, better keep your wearables tightly locked away if you do not want clones of yourself out on the streets. Though I have to admit it is that last section that grabbed my attention, gossip. Gossip makes the world go around and my character is going to be stopping and talking to anyone who doesn’t run away quick enough. Suddenly my lovely farmer is going to be a target as a snitch!