The Play, but i havent rly finished it /awkward laugh
Consider this a semi-official rough-draft / sub-Outline / Pre- Write for the Play post.
Say, hypothetically, that you have cute bugs. Now what???????
Hallownest Eternal is designed to be part BC Shop, part CRPG. In an "ARPG" (Art Roleplaying Game), progress is made by drawing your Character or Pet doing things according to the rules, regulations, theme, etc of the group/RP. We consider Hallownest Eternal to be more like a Creative Role Playing Game, which is a somewhat newer term going around that's designed to be inclusive of writers or other forms of art, rather than strictly focusing on 2-D visual artists.
So. How will that differ from ordinary RP-intensive BC shops?
The most notable difference for those familiar with BC shops is that activity will be expanded to include visual arts, like drawing. The more structured roots of CRPG and ARPG groups will also hopefully make engaging in RP easier for writers as well, by providing more inspiration, prompts, and framework for Owners to be active with their Bug. The third primary difference is that there will be an option for commissioning to count toward activity, so if someone becomes invested enough they seek fanart of their bug or hire a graphic artist to help them create a thread post-style, their Bug can receive credit toward growth for that.
These influences will also mean that the relationship between Activity and Growth will be quantified for interested Owners. Although it's possible to just play around with your Bug and report that to Staff, if someone were interested in reaching a specific point or accomplishment with their Bug they could plan out their route and activities, much like saving up for a future purchase.
Activity will provide a variety of reward options, including unlocking new activities/questlines/etc, additional Breeding options for getting new bugs with your friends or fellow citizens (or possibly a shop starter) once that's open, customization for your bug by way of items, scars, or even a chance for a unique pose or different Growth Path for them, and on top of that, some Bug Types will only be available through events, bribes, or advanced activity/questlines that require an existing Bug to complete them.
The following are current planned options for Activity:
> independent one-shots, including journal entries, stand-alone art, drabbles, etc
> semi-independent one-shots with staff-provided Random Chance results, such as gathering resources or researching things to help with reclaiming Hallownest
> structured Questlines, a combination of Random Chance and Choose Your Own Adventure. Available by Region of the Kingdom, with varying danger levels, and layered to unlock cooler or rarer questlines as your Bug advances
> timed Events, with both group/shop-wide and independent participation options for additional rewards for a current bug, or chances at getting rarer/cooler/more unique bugs than usual
> credit for written or drawn roleplays with other Bug owners, including those done in private (like through IMs) with sufficient proof of completion
> one-time activity bonuses, such as for creating a journal, making or commissioning a post design/layout/graphic, or similar, which might not be appropriate for recurrent activity but is still part of the "Creative" process in CRPG
Details, Lore-flavored theme'ing, and more information on the methodology and quantification system + rewards will be forthcoming, but this should give you a good idea of the kinds of options planned to be available at Launch for new Bug owners.
You'll like it. we got PLANS. a good time. let your cute bugs do stuff. this'll talk a little about what some of that stuff might be.