YOU IN SOULART Gameplay for SOULART is mostly open world / free roam meaning there is no linear objectives that you have to fulfill except for the tutorial and special events (which are usually optional). As a result, you are allowed to level up and specialize at your own pace. You start the game by picking your race which gives you different beginning stats. Through the tutorial, you may try different classes but have to pick one by the end. You have the chance to change your class later on but it is not recommended. You may also choose a specialized class at later level following the new update. Throughout the game, you may join parties in raiding dungeons, grind and train to learn a skill, practice to master a trade, or anything you would like. The only thing that limits you is your imagination. BASICS OF SOULART The world of SOULART is divided into four main continents, denoted by cardinal direction - North, East, West, and South. Each continent has its own native races. The snowy mountains of the North give birth to AuRa. The dense forests of the East bear Elves. The grasslands and fields of the West produce Lalafell and Roegadyn. The harbors and bays of the South yield Miqo'te. Humans, however, are found all over the continents, a majority from the South or West. Throughout the lands are various dungeons, each level spawning progressively higher level monsters yet dropping higher grade treasures - objects, equipment, etc. - in return. Each race and class has its own benefits and flaws, but a good gamer knows how to overcome their weaknesses with their strengths. GAMEPLAY OF SOULART SOULART has two modes: general mode and gameplay mode. The console for general mode is similar to a PSP in shape and size,. The console for gameplay mode is a virtual reality (VR) helmet that can be plugged into the general console. Within the game, there are three forms of money: soul points (SP), art points (AP), and real money (USD). Since the update, SP and AP are used in gameplay mode while money is used in general mode. Soul points are what you can earn in-game and can be spent in in-game stores. Art points can only be gained by leveling up and are used to buy trades or change classes (though you'll return to level 1 as a result). Money can be added into the user's account if wanted. However, there is news that the update will make such an action unnecessary. STORES AND FRIENDS Due to the two modes, there are two kinds of stores. There is the general store, accessible in general mode, which sells a variety of products such as lost Revival Costs (expanded upon in the handbook) and care items for your sprite (detailed below) for real money ($). In gameplay mode, there are stores run by NPCs and others by other users. There, they offer products at the price of SP and have a much more wide array of items and equipment. Players may also sell items at stores for set prices or go to a nearby auction house for more rare items. SOULART also comes with a general mode messaging system to speak to anyone and a friends system that gives notifications if a friend is online, allows private chats in gameplay mode, and warns when a friend is in trouble. PLAYER STATS SIMPLIFIED BOD FOR SPI DEX VIT PTY LCK Body: physical attacks and lifting of weapons Fortitude: defense and status resistance Spirit: magical attack and non-item healing Dexterity: speed and dodging Vitality: health points (HP) Piety: mana points (MP) Luck: critical hits, trade success rates, and drop rates GRADES & ELEMENTS Most things within the game are measured not by level but by grades SS - F where SS is the highest and rarest while F is the lowest and common. Monsters are always of at least one element and the higher the grade, the more likely they have a secondary or even, though unconfirmed, a tertiary element. The principle also applies to sprites though sprites can have two elements maximum and only if S or SS grade. There are seven elements: water, fire, earth, air, dark, light, and spirit. Water wins over fire, fire over earth, earth over air, and air over water. Dark and light have no effect on each other and are strong against water, fire, earth, and air but loses against spirit. Spirit is weak against water, fire, earth, and air but strong over dark and light. Other match-ups deal normal damage. SPRITES Sprites are semi-rare monster drops where monster grade does not matter (meaning F monsters are as likely to drop it as SS monsters). Sprite grade, however, does correlate to monster grade. Sprites are supernatural creatures that have needs (HP and hunger) which you care for through the use of items bought from the general store. They can battle monsters alone, earn SP, and even pick up items occasionally. Higher grade sprites can find higher grade items and can fight greater level monsters with a greater chance of success. Different commands can be given and they can be named. They can die if they lose all HP or hunger and may also be freed tor sold. However, only those who do not have a sprite may gain one so, for instance, players will never have one and sell another. TRADES Trades refer to jobs that players learn that allow gathering of materials either to sell or to give to NPCs to make better equipment (and maybe a discount). There are four trades that players are able to pick. The first trade is available level 15 and another is gained every subsequent 100 levels. Practice is the only way to upgrade your trade. Each trade comes with three aspects: discovery, collection, and appraisal. Translated simply, the trade allows you to recognize the presence of material, gather it, and to identify it, its grade, its market price, and the products it can become. In the case your grade is lower than the material, you will fail to discover it. If you happen to come across it, success for collection will be greatly lowered and, if successful in collecting, will fail to appraise it.   TRADERS Traders are able to create some products on their own such as potions to regain vitality or piety - though there is risk at failing and losing the material - but a majority of more useful equipment, armor, for instance, can only be made with the help of NPC stores. Most characters do little with their trades since to create useful products requires gathering materials from more than one trade. Some players, on the other hand, dedicate their gameplay almost entirely to becoming the greatest in their trade and even use their products within their fighting style. Great trader set up shops, sometimes with other traders - generally, fishers with culinarians and botanists with miners due to combination products, earning currency in this manner. However, not all traders remain stationary.  NON-PLAYABLE CHARACTERS One of the most praised aspects of SOULART, the non-playable characters (NPCs) are realistic and surprisingly life-like. One theory is that there are people who rotate in playing these NPCs as jobs at SOULART headquarters while another theory suggests that there the game stole the souls of inactive players and made them into NPCs, making them players for all eternity. Rumors aside, there is no doubt that NPCs are realistic, each with their own quirks and habits - even their own "favorite customers" though how that judgement occurs differs on the NPC - some like those who spend a lot of money while others prefer recurring customers. Regardless, for traders and adventurers alike, it is a necessity to have good relations with NPCs since they can and will refuse service. Races . . . Humans . . . . The most physically diverse even amongst each ohter and numerous throughout the continents, humans are the most well-rounded of all races. . Initial Stats: BOD FOR SPI DEX VIT PTY LCK 17 13 15 16 12 12 15 . Other Names: ↬ hyur ↬ hume . . . Elves . . . . Said to be the closest to nature and the earth, elves can be easily identified by their lean stature, pointed ears, and u