We recently kicked off a series of Dev Talks which take a look at a number of new features coming soon to Albion Online, starting with the all-new [url=https://albiononline.com/news/devtalk-shapeshifter][b]Shapeshifter[/b][/url] weapons. In the next of these videos, Game Director Robin Henkys takes a look at [b]Tracking[/b], a new open-world activity. [previewyoutube=fXr5N6i5sy4;full][/previewyoutube] [h3]Goals[/h3] As the open world is the heart of Albion Online, Tracking looks add a new element to gameplay here: [list] [*]Players are challenged to search the open world in [b]pursuit of a target[/b][/*] [*]The focus is less on direct PvP combat, but rather to increase the amount of players [b]roaming the open world[/b][/*] [*]This encourages [b]chance encounters[/b] for different-sized groups[/*][/list] [img]//assets.albiononline.com/uploads/media/default/media/822a7388c59ad340394fce4f206b57a446e3c325.jpeg[/img] [h3]How does it work?[/h3] [b]Following Tracks[/b] [list] [*]Players must first craft a [b]Tracking Kit[/b], which lets them interact with tracks in the open world[/*] [*][b]Reading a track[/b] reveals a location to search for further tracks [list] [*]This may be in the same region or a neighboring region[/*] [*]Players will generally have to search a wider area for tracks, not a specific point[/*] [/list] [/*] [*]There, players may find [b]further tracks[/b], the [b]final target[/b], or other [b]random encounters[/b][/*] [*]Each tracking step has a [b]time limit[/b][/*][/list][b][img]//assets.albiononline.com/uploads/media/default/media/d4fda21a053735f05dc7f18458620e51264edd96.jpeg[/img][/b] [b]Finding the Target[/b] [list] [*]Each step increases the chances of [b]catching the target[/b], which will usually then involve a fight[/*] [*]Bringing too many players can [b]scare off[/b] the target, meaning the chase must continue[/*] [*]As [b]only the hunters[/b] know the location of their target, larger groups cannot simply wait to contest them[/*][/list] [img]//assets.albiononline.com/uploads/media/default/media/86cab6714155acaa49019d73c8e7c48399540662.jpeg[/img] [h3]What can be found?[/h3] [list] [*]Initially, rare creatures matching the [b]Shapeshifter[/b] weapon forms can be tracked down and fought[/*] [*]These can drop new [b]Artifact Items[/b] [list] [*]These can be crafted into [b]Shapeshifter Artifact Weapons[/b][/*] [/list] [/*] [*]They can also drop new [b]Alchemical Ingredients[/b] [list] [*]These can be crafted into a set of [b]rare potions[/b][/*] [*]Part of a wider [b]rework of potion enchanting[/b][/*] [/list] [/*] [*]A wider range of [b]trackable creatures[/b] will be introduced in later updates[/*][/list] [img]//assets.albiononline.com/uploads/media/default/media/f5dbcb22c82779ca44f43851fd5d68255519b43a.jpeg[/img] We hope you’re excited about all the new possibilities which Tracking will open up. In our next Dev Talk, we’ll talk about a new concept which may use ingredients from Tracking: [b]Legendary Items[/b]. Stay tuned for that, and thanks for watching!