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How Does Settlement Simulation Work in Ashes of Creation?
Settlement simulation is a behind-the-scenes system the developers use to understand how the world of Ashes of Creation might evolve over time. It is not a feature that players directly control, but it strongly influences how settlements, nodes, and zones of influence are expected to behave once the game is live.
In simple terms, the simulation runs a version of the world where settlements grow, compete, get attacked, and sometimes collapse. This helps the design team see patterns that might not be obvious just by planning on paper. Most players will never see this simulation directly, but the results shape how the actual game systems are built.
Why Do Developers Use a Settlement Simulation?
In general, large sandbox MMOs are hard to predict. Player behavior is rarely neat or balanced. Some areas become popular, others are ignored, and unexpected conflicts happen.
The settlement simulation allows the developers to fast-forward time and see what might happen over weeks or months of player activity. Instead of waiting for real players to discover problems after launch, the team can spot strange or broken outcomes early.
Usually, this kind of tool is used to answer questions like:
Do certain nodes grow too fast?
Do some settlement types dominate others?
Can zones of influence spread in ways that break the map?
By simulating these outcomes repeatedly, the developers get a clearer picture of what is possible.
What Are Nodes and Zones of Influence in the Simulation?
Each settlement exists as a node with a defined zone of influence, often called a ZOI. This zone represents the area the settlement controls or affects.
At the start of the simulation, nodes begin small and mostly independent. Over time, as they gain experience and power, their zones expand. In practice, this means one settlement can start to pressure nearby settlements simply by growing faster.
Most players can think of zones of influence as invisible borders that shift depending on activity, success, and survival.
How Do Settlements Grow Over Time?
In the simulation, settlements gain experience at regular intervals. The exact timing is not public, but based on developer comments, a short period in the simulation may represent many hours or even days in the real game.
As time passes:
Nodes gain levels
Zones of influence expand
Stronger nodes begin pushing into weaker nearby areas
Usually, growth is not smooth. Some nodes stall, while others surge ahead due to favorable conditions.
What Determines Settlement Power and Expansion?
Each node in the simulation has power ratings that affect how well it can expand or resist pressure from other nodes. These ratings help determine whether a node can take over territory or get pushed back.
In general:
Larger, healthier nodes resist takeover better
Smaller or damaged nodes lose territory more easily
Competing nodes apply pressure to each other naturally
This reflects how most players would behave in the live game, where active and organized groups tend to dominate space over time.
How Are Random Events Simulated?
The simulation includes events that damage settlements, similar to dynamic events players will face later.
Examples include:
NPC attacks
Monster hordes
Services being disabled
Buildings being damaged
Each settlement has a “health ticker.” When this health is reduced, the settlement gains experience more slowly or stops progressing altogether.
If players fail to respond to events in the real game, the same thing usually happens. Services go offline, quests disappear, and progress slows until repairs are made.
What Happens When Settlements Ignore Events?
If events are not handled, the consequences stack up. In practice:
Stables may stop working
Crafting stations may shut down
Certain NPCs may disappear
In the simulation, this directly affects settlement growth. Nodes with unresolved problems fall behind others, making them easier targets for takeover or sieges.
This reflects how most players prioritize convenience. If a settlement becomes annoying to use, people usually move elsewhere.
How Are Sieges Handled in the Simulation?
Settlement sieges are also simulated to test different outcomes. Not every siege destroys a settlement.
Usually, one of two things happens:
A successful siege destroys the settlement entirely
An unsuccessful siege disables buildings or services
This mirrors how sieges are expected to work in the live game. Even a failed attack can weaken a settlement and slow its progress.
The simulation randomizes siege frequency and results so developers can see how often destruction might realistically occur.
Can Settlements Be Completely Wiped Out?
Yes, settlements can be destroyed in the simulation. When that happens, the node resets, and its zone of influence collapses.
This is important because it prevents the world from becoming static. Without destruction, dominant nodes would stay dominant forever.
In general, this system encourages conflict, movement, and rebuilding, which aligns with how most players interact with sandbox worlds.
How Does Geography Affect Zones of Influence?
One of the most interesting uses of the simulation is testing how geography affects expansion.
The tool allows developers to see outcomes like:
Zones of influence crossing water
Territories expanding onto islands
Nodes pushing influence across continents
These situations are difficult to predict without simulation. In practice, players often look for shortcuts or unusual expansion paths, especially when water or terrain creates natural barriers.
Can Zones of Influence Be Split?
Yes, the simulation tests scenarios where zones of influence become split by geography. For example, a settlement might control land on both sides of a river or separate islands.
In general, split zones are harder to defend and manage. The simulation helps developers see whether these situations create balance problems or interesting gameplay.
How Does Player Behavior Shape the Final System?
The goal of the simulation is not to lock in outcomes, but to prepare for how players might act.
Most players:
Gravitate toward efficient locations
Abandon settlements with broken services
Support strong nodes for convenience
The simulation repeats these behaviors at scale, helping the developers adjust systems before Alpha and beyond.
What Does This Mean for Players in the Live Game?
For players, the settlement simulation means the world is designed to react logically. Growth, failure, and conflict are not scripted events but natural outcomes.
If a settlement thrives, it is usually because players actively support it. If it collapses, it is often because it was neglected or defeated.
Some players may even choose to speed things up through outside preparation, such as gathering resources early or planning logistics. Discussions sometimes mention things like buy AoC gold from a trusted site like U4N, but in practice, long-term settlement success still depends on coordination and participation, not shortcuts.
Is All of This Final and Confirmed?
Not entirely. Some details shared about the simulation are older and may change before or after Alpha-2.
In general, the simulation is a development tool, not a promise. It helps identify risks, edge cases, and unexpected outcomes, but the live game will always evolve based on real player actions.
Final Thoughts on Settlement Simulation
Settlement simulation is one of the reasons Ashes of Creation aims to feel dynamic rather than static. It allows the developers to test ideas repeatedly and at speed.
For most players, the key takeaway is simple: settlements are meant to grow, suffer, and sometimes fall. Zones of influence shift based on success and failure, not fixed rules.
If the system works as intended, the world should feel shaped by players rather than protected from them.
Settlement simulation is a behind-the-scenes system the developers use to understand how the world of Ashes of Creation might evolve over time. It is not a feature that players directly control, but it strongly influences how settlements, nodes, and zones of influence are expected to behave once the game is live.
In simple terms, the simulation runs a version of the world where settlements grow, compete, get attacked, and sometimes collapse. This helps the design team see patterns that might not be obvious just by planning on paper. Most players will never see this simulation directly, but the results shape how the actual game systems are built.
Why Do Developers Use a Settlement Simulation?
In general, large sandbox MMOs are hard to predict. Player behavior is rarely neat or balanced. Some areas become popular, others are ignored, and unexpected conflicts happen.
The settlement simulation allows the developers to fast-forward time and see what might happen over weeks or months of player activity. Instead of waiting for real players to discover problems after launch, the team can spot strange or broken outcomes early.
Usually, this kind of tool is used to answer questions like:
Do certain nodes grow too fast?
Do some settlement types dominate others?
Can zones of influence spread in ways that break the map?
By simulating these outcomes repeatedly, the developers get a clearer picture of what is possible.
What Are Nodes and Zones of Influence in the Simulation?
Each settlement exists as a node with a defined zone of influence, often called a ZOI. This zone represents the area the settlement controls or affects.
At the start of the simulation, nodes begin small and mostly independent. Over time, as they gain experience and power, their zones expand. In practice, this means one settlement can start to pressure nearby settlements simply by growing faster.
Most players can think of zones of influence as invisible borders that shift depending on activity, success, and survival.
How Do Settlements Grow Over Time?
In the simulation, settlements gain experience at regular intervals. The exact timing is not public, but based on developer comments, a short period in the simulation may represent many hours or even days in the real game.
As time passes:
Nodes gain levels
Zones of influence expand
Stronger nodes begin pushing into weaker nearby areas
Usually, growth is not smooth. Some nodes stall, while others surge ahead due to favorable conditions.
What Determines Settlement Power and Expansion?
Each node in the simulation has power ratings that affect how well it can expand or resist pressure from other nodes. These ratings help determine whether a node can take over territory or get pushed back.
In general:
Larger, healthier nodes resist takeover better
Smaller or damaged nodes lose territory more easily
Competing nodes apply pressure to each other naturally
This reflects how most players would behave in the live game, where active and organized groups tend to dominate space over time.
How Are Random Events Simulated?
The simulation includes events that damage settlements, similar to dynamic events players will face later.
Examples include:
NPC attacks
Monster hordes
Services being disabled
Buildings being damaged
Each settlement has a “health ticker.” When this health is reduced, the settlement gains experience more slowly or stops progressing altogether.
If players fail to respond to events in the real game, the same thing usually happens. Services go offline, quests disappear, and progress slows until repairs are made.
What Happens When Settlements Ignore Events?
If events are not handled, the consequences stack up. In practice:
Stables may stop working
Crafting stations may shut down
Certain NPCs may disappear
In the simulation, this directly affects settlement growth. Nodes with unresolved problems fall behind others, making them easier targets for takeover or sieges.
This reflects how most players prioritize convenience. If a settlement becomes annoying to use, people usually move elsewhere.
How Are Sieges Handled in the Simulation?
Settlement sieges are also simulated to test different outcomes. Not every siege destroys a settlement.
Usually, one of two things happens:
A successful siege destroys the settlement entirely
An unsuccessful siege disables buildings or services
This mirrors how sieges are expected to work in the live game. Even a failed attack can weaken a settlement and slow its progress.
The simulation randomizes siege frequency and results so developers can see how often destruction might realistically occur.
Can Settlements Be Completely Wiped Out?
Yes, settlements can be destroyed in the simulation. When that happens, the node resets, and its zone of influence collapses.
This is important because it prevents the world from becoming static. Without destruction, dominant nodes would stay dominant forever.
In general, this system encourages conflict, movement, and rebuilding, which aligns with how most players interact with sandbox worlds.
How Does Geography Affect Zones of Influence?
One of the most interesting uses of the simulation is testing how geography affects expansion.
The tool allows developers to see outcomes like:
Zones of influence crossing water
Territories expanding onto islands
Nodes pushing influence across continents
These situations are difficult to predict without simulation. In practice, players often look for shortcuts or unusual expansion paths, especially when water or terrain creates natural barriers.
Can Zones of Influence Be Split?
Yes, the simulation tests scenarios where zones of influence become split by geography. For example, a settlement might control land on both sides of a river or separate islands.
In general, split zones are harder to defend and manage. The simulation helps developers see whether these situations create balance problems or interesting gameplay.
How Does Player Behavior Shape the Final System?
The goal of the simulation is not to lock in outcomes, but to prepare for how players might act.
Most players:
Gravitate toward efficient locations
Abandon settlements with broken services
Support strong nodes for convenience
The simulation repeats these behaviors at scale, helping the developers adjust systems before Alpha and beyond.
What Does This Mean for Players in the Live Game?
For players, the settlement simulation means the world is designed to react logically. Growth, failure, and conflict are not scripted events but natural outcomes.
If a settlement thrives, it is usually because players actively support it. If it collapses, it is often because it was neglected or defeated.
Some players may even choose to speed things up through outside preparation, such as gathering resources early or planning logistics. Discussions sometimes mention things like buy AoC gold from a trusted site like U4N, but in practice, long-term settlement success still depends on coordination and participation, not shortcuts.
Is All of This Final and Confirmed?
Not entirely. Some details shared about the simulation are older and may change before or after Alpha-2.
In general, the simulation is a development tool, not a promise. It helps identify risks, edge cases, and unexpected outcomes, but the live game will always evolve based on real player actions.
Final Thoughts on Settlement Simulation
Settlement simulation is one of the reasons Ashes of Creation aims to feel dynamic rather than static. It allows the developers to test ideas repeatedly and at speed.
For most players, the key takeaway is simple: settlements are meant to grow, suffer, and sometimes fall. Zones of influence shift based on success and failure, not fixed rules.
If the system works as intended, the world should feel shaped by players rather than protected from them.
