Introduction
Guild Saga is a play-to-earn, NFT-based fantasy RPG built on the Solana blockchain. An isometric perspective and hand-drawn pixel art sprites complement strategic, turn-based, tactics-style combat heavily inspired by classics like Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre as well as modern CRPGs like Divinity: Original Sin and Pillars of Eternity. Tokenized (NFT) loot, SPL-token currency, and play-to-earn mechanics provide players with true ownership over the spoils of their in-game achievements, thereby incentivizing exploration, completionism, build optimization, and frequent play.
Gameplay
Guild Saga's gameplay offering can be separated into three distinct modes: story mode, PVE arena, and PVP.
In all our modes, we are guided by the following principles:
Gameplay should be sufficiently challenging to (1) reward strategic play and thoughtful character builds, and (2) ensure that earning potential is largely dependent on skill.
Leverage the potential of blockchain integration to provide players with true ownership over in-game loot in order to incentivize certain gameplay behaviours (completionism, exploration, challenge, etc.).
While Blockchain integration is a core component of Guild Saga's gameplay loop and provides a unique and valuable incentive to a role-playing game, Guild Saga must be an enjoyable and complete experience for all gamers.
All modes revolve around the same primary gameplay and economic loop:
Character creation and customization
Holders of a Guild Saga Hero NFT can import their NFT character and equipment at character creation or partway through a play-through; all players can create a custom character, selecting from various skin tones, hair styles, eye colours, and starting equipment.
By playing through the game, players can acquire diverse combat skills, collect equipment that provides stat buffs, and allocate points to different attributes upon leveling up.
Combat
Combat in Guild Saga is turn based and takes place on an isometric grid, similar to classic tactics RPGs like Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre. Players are restricted by both an action and movement gauge, and must make tactical decisions based on a number of unique considerations that change from one battle to the next.
Battles are initiated in the open world either by approaching an aggressive enemy, through a dialogue option, or initiating “battle mode” outside of combat and making a pre-emptive strike. This allows players to position their party strategically prior to initiating a battle. The order of battle is determined by each participant's INITIATIVE attribute.
Movement Points (MP) determine how many units a character can move; Action Points (AP) are consumed by using skills. Skills consume different amounts of AP depending on their power level and have a set cooldown time. AP and MP replenish on each turn in an amount dependent on the character's attributes.
Earning mechanics
Throughout the story mode, players are rewarded with tokenized loot that can be exported from their inventory to their Solana wallet, where it can be kept for safekeeping, sent to other players, sold on a marketplace, or imported back into the player's in-game inventory. $GGLD is also distributed for specific in-game achievements, such as winning a battle or completing a quest.
While Blockchain integration is a core component of Guild Saga's gameplay loop and provides a unique and valuable incentive to a role-playing game, it is not necessary for a fun gameplay experience. Guild Saga's story mode can be played, for free and in its entirety, with little interaction with the Solana blockchain. We hope this low barrier to entry attracts those from the more mainstream gaming demographic, who might then find interest in the earning mechanics made possible by Solana.
