NBM ALCHEMY UNVEILED!
Dear Corporate Leaders,
We are proud to announce that ALCHEMY, our next major release (NBM 1.6), has been pushed to its final development stages: design and implementation.
Before unveiling some core aspects of this new mechanics, keep in mind that this concept remains subject to changes, especially if our community strongly dislikes certain aspects.
Without further ado, let’s dive in!
Alchemy? What is that?
In NBM, you play as a space explorer who has landed in Arcadia, a unique stellar system composed of several planets and moons, each with unique environments and wonderful resources to extract. Additionally, the first explorers quickly realized that these environments are not inhabited. Strange forms of life, ranging from aggressive creatures to uncanny fungi and vegetation, to quick and swift organisms, populate these unique worlds. Therefore, it is up to each player not only to set up their mining rigs for resource extraction but also to explore Arcadia in order to discover and eventually identify/collect those elements (called materials) each bearing unique properties. Since all these materials bear unique attributes, ranging from strong therapeutic aspects to increased aggressivity or a boost of endurance, each player can try their luck and experiment by mixing these materials to create powerful potions called Isotonics. With more than 250 unique materials to collect and mix, players will be able to create a wide range of Isotonics influencing every aspect of the NBM game, from Shadow Depths to resource mining, and even the overall luck of the player! This is ALCHEMY.
How are materials collected?
There are several ways to collect materials. It’s important to note that some materials can only be collected in specific ways, meaning that not all materials are present in all environments.
By playing Shadow Depths:
Shadow Depths is a seasonal game that offers over $30,000 in rewards, allowing NBM players to create a clone for exploring caves present in Arcadia. These caves are inhabited by powerful creatures that clones must defeat to survive and grow stronger. When a monster is killed, there’s a small chance it will drop a material of its own. Additionally, if fortunate, the clone can also discover and collect unique materials such as mushrooms, insects, mold, and more during its expedition.
By putting units on Aperta:
Aperta is a unique region on New Terra, the third planet in the Arcadian system. It is a region that contains more than 40 different environments, ranging from mountains and deserts to rivers and giant mushroom forests. Anyone is free to place units in this region and attempt to collect the materials it contains.
By creating mining operations:
In NBM, it is also possible to acquire a piece of land and extract the resources it contains. Players who decide to upgrade their land can receive special lands (called Arcadian lands) for free, on which unique materials can be found. Players who have managed to acquire Arcadian lands can not only extract the resources those lands contain but also attempt to collect the materials they hold.
By improving your Corporate Leader rank:
In NBM, each player starts with a rank of Crewman (Level 1). By completing various achievements, players can advance their rank. Each higher rank grants unique perks, ranging from bonuses on mined resources to free packs every hour. Additionally, with the Alchemy release, players with a rank high enough will be able to potentially receive a random material every hour among those they have already identified.
How will alchemy work?
A new NPC will make its appearance in NBM: the Alchemist. This character will also come with its lab: the Alchemy Lab.
This environment will be located in the main game menu. It is also important to know that each material belongs to one of the three possible states: liquid, solid, essence. To create a recipe, the alchemist will need to mix at least three materials: one solid, one liquid, and one essence. Also, like any other businessman, the Alchemist won’t be working for free. Mixing materials will require each player to pay the Alchemist with some Fusium and Constructium. Costs in resources will be relatively affordable to allow every player to try some mixes. Each functional recipe is a predetermined set of three materials (1 SOLID + 1 LIQUID + 1 ESSENCE). If a player manages to put the right combination of materials corresponding to a predetermined recipe, they will receive the associated Isotonic; if not, the player will receive a useless liquid.
How will the ‘NBM rarity system’ be utilized in Alchemy?
In NBM, most assets can have a given rarity being (weakest to the strongest): COMMON, RARE, EPIC, LEGENDARY, ULTIMATE. Materials follow the same logic. Common materials are easier to find and weaker than Ultimate materials, which are extremely hard to get but very powerful. Many Isotonics will also be available in five versions (Common to Ultimate), with the Ultimate one granting a more powerful and longer bonus compared to its Common counterpart.
As previously mentioned, Isotonics will target most aspects of the game, from Mining to Shadow Depths, and creating the most powerful Isotonics will require the finest materials such as those that are only available on Arcadian lands.
How will it be possible to identify recipes?
With more than 250 materials divided into 3 categories, the Alchemy system offers more than half a million possibilities when it comes to mixing. Therefore, our team has designed several logics that will help players in their journey.
Update of the Arcadex
Currently, each player receives, for free, an Arcadex, a small device in which each Corporate Leader can store information about the materials they found, the monsters they fought, etc.
The current design of the Arcadex is very basic. With the release of Alchemy, the Arcadex will be revamped, introducing new tabs including an Isotonic and a Creature tab along with new features. One of the key features that will be introduced is a detailed description for each material, providing clues on where the material can be found and what type of Isotonic can be created using it. Additionally, this description will sometimes give hints on what other materials are compatible with it.
A lab that can be upgraded.
Each player will have the opportunity to upgrade their alchemy lab (7 levels planned) using CONSTRUCTIUM. Each upgrade will grant unique perks, including the possibility to mix more than 3 materials in a blend (increasing the chance of success), the option to recook a recipe in case of failure, and even the option to ask the Alchemist to analyze the materials and see what could have been done to make the recipe work!
Recook a recipe.
As mentioned, many Isotonics will come in 5 rarities ranging from Common to Ultimate. The essence in the mix will dictate the rarity of the Isotonic being created. In addition to the materials required to create an Isotonic, players will have the option to add some MINIUM (one of the 4 NBM resources) into the mix. MINIUM greatly increases the fertility of the soil and will help make the materials compatible with each other. If a player puts his materials into the pot with some MINIUM and his recipe fails (the mix doesn’t correspond to any recipe), thanks to the MINIUM being added, the Alchemist will recook the recipe and try to make a lower rarity Isotonic. For instance, if a player puts a Legendary essence along with some other materials and some MINIUM, and if the Legendary recipe fails, the Alchemist will then try to create an Epic Isotonic with the same essence. If he fails, he will then try with a Rare Isotonic, and finally, a Common. Therefore, the reroll happens on all lower rarities below the essence being put in the mix. The probability of success for the lower rarity Isotonics will be independent of the Solid and Liquid put into the mix. This will be a flat success rate dependent on the amount of MINIUM put into the pot.
Analysis of the recipe.
For the most powerful Isotonic, and only if the players have upgraded their Alchemy lab enough, they will be able to ask the Alchemist to monitor the recipe. This option will have a significant cost in FUSIUM and CONSTRUCTIUM. If the recipe fails, the Alchemist will give the player a valuable clue on what solid and liquid materials should have been mixed with the essence to make the recipe work.
Keep track of the recipe.
Additionally, with a few lab upgrades, players will be able to access a history of the previous 100 recipes they attempted. It will also be possible to export this dataset as an Excel file.
A reward for the first creators!
As creating recipes will take time and eventually resources, the team decided to put in place a system of patent where the first player to create a given recipe will automatically claim the rights to this recipe. In simple words, if a player discovers a recipe (meaning, he is the first one to try the combination of materials and it corresponds to a working recipe), he will automatically become the owner of this recipe. The recipe will then be published in every player’s Arcadex, making it available to the community. However, anyone deciding to cook the recipe will have to pay a small fee in NBM resources to the creator of the recipe. The WAX address of the creator will be indicated in the Arcadex next to the name of the Isotonic. More powerful recipes will have higher fees, but those fees will remain accessible since the goal is to encourage every player to use materials and create Isotonics.
Patents, additional costs, and fees. Will Alchemy be a pay-to-win?
With the implementation of several lab levels and the option to pay to recook a recipe or even get a clue, it is true that individuals with more resources will be more likely to secure a patent and claim ownership of particular Isotonics. However, it is important not to forget that the first step in creating a recipe is to manage to get materials. Also, not all Isotonics will come in 5 rarities. Many Isotonics will have only 1 variant for which reroll and getting a clue will not be possible. Therefore, only those who carefully read the Arcadex and try to mix things together will be able to claim the ownership of those powerful Isotonics. Finally, the team will constantly implement new recipes, keeping the concept alive and allowing new players to enjoy the system and try to claim their patent as well.
A global marketplace for players to buy and sell materials and Isotonics.
With the release of Alchemy and the discovery of particular recipes, we expect to see a demand for materials and Isotonics. This is why we aim to implement a marketplace similar to the one currently available in Shadow Depths. In this extensive marketplace, players will be able to sell, buy, or trade materials and Isotonics 24/7.
How should the materials for Shadow Depths be balanced?
Compared to traditional mining, Shadow Depths is a more dynamic game where materials can be more easily collected than in the Apertian region or on the Arcadian lands. This is why it will not be possible to directly use Shadow Depths materials in Alchemy. These elements will require prior preparation before the Alchemist will be able to use them. This is why, the Alchemist will make its appearance in every player’s X.1 shuttle (as a new module) and offer to compress 50 identical materials into 1 concentrated version that can be used to create recipes.
Conclusion:
Alchemy aims to become an exciting feature that will bind together many aspects of the NBM game (Shadow Depths, Mining, Exploring). As usual, the concepts presented in this article are not definitive, as we strongly value feedback from our community. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this concept, do not hesitate to visit our Wiki and join us on Discord to discuss with our members and our team.
Your NBM Team.
