Sandbox Interactive’s Albion Online is prepping for closed beta testing, which is scheduled to get underway within the next three weeks. Before that begins they’ve been rolling out developer diaries covering some of the game’s features, including housing and an NPC laborer system, which enables gamers to hire NPCs to work in the house or carry out tasks around the surrounding area.
Over on the official Albion Online website there’s a developer journal that details how the laborer system works and what sort of features players can look forward to when utilizing it. You can check out the three minute video below, which explains in depth how players can make use it to the best of their abilities.
I’ll admit that Albion Online wasn’t really on my radar much, but finding out about the custom housing system, the NPC laborer mechanic and the fact that the game has slightly more emergent gameplay over other titles out there instantly put it a rung up on the ladder of interest.
In addition to hiring in laborers and having them work for you, you’ll also need to keep their happiness rating up, ala The Sims. As mentioned over on the website…
This is interesting because usually this kind of meta aspect is left out of the MMO scene. We rarely have NPCs in games that force us to do more than just interact once with them in the most utilitarian of ways. To actually have to consider their condition and happiness adds an extra layer of depth to the game that could help with the replay values.
You can learn more about Sandbox Interactive’s Albion Online by paying a visit to the game’s official website.
