Significance / What is it?
The Tree of Sorrow is an NPC that needs to be repaired/healed by player by using the game’s currency “Terra Shards”. It is the main indicator of story progression, tracking and rewarding the player for defeating levels and their region Boss. At the end of the game when the tree is fully recovered, it reveals itself to the player to be Acceptance (the last stage of grief), prompting a heartwarming and hopeful dialogue sequence with the player.

Project Change: this means Acceptance no longer requires its own game region.

How it works
Tree has 5 Growth Levels, starting at 0. The tree grows by recovering Terra Shards that are dropped by enemies and collected by the player. Each tree growth level requires a set number of Terra Shards, once the required number has been recovered by the player, they receive permanent upgrades from the tree (one smaller utility/offensive stat upgrade and one large optional upgrade).

Change: Have all Terra Shard requirements be the same amount (100) as this will keep the economy balanced and flat throughout – no need to balance increase drops or cost, increase costs can also be considered off putting for the player as grinding through levels repeatedly is not enjoyable.

Tree/Growth Level	Tree Reward / Player Upgrade
1 (requires 100 Terra Shards + 1 Terra Soul)	⭒ Receive a +10% speed bonus (better to be early on because it makes the gameplay feel better) ☆ Choose between additional health (Extra heart) or Receive damage +25% increase (noticeable beefy strength increase)
2 (requires 100 Terra Shards + Terra Soul)	⭒ Receive +5% attack speed (land more hits per second) ☆ Choose between additional health (Extra heart) or Receive damage +25% increase (noticeable beefy strength increase)
3 (requires 100 Terra Shards + Terra Soul)	⭒ Receive a +10% speed bonus ☆Choose between additional health (Extra heart) or Receive damage +25% increase (noticeable beefy strength increase)
4 (requires 100 Terra Shards + Terra Soul)	⭒ Receive +5% attack speed ☆Choose between additional health (Extra heart) or Receive damage +25% increase (noticeable beefy strength increase)
5 (all 4 Terra Souls)	☆ No reward. Major story progression – game finale TREE REVEAL!!!!

Players being allowed to choose between two large upgrades allows the ability to spec out in certain areas and depending on the players needs to facilitate gameplay

Appearance
The Tree of Sorrow is introduced at the end of the tutorial/prologue (where the player learns movement basics and receives their first Terra Shards). The player is instructed to approach the tree and interact it by giving it their Terra Shards in order to initiate its recovery. The tree ‘wakes up’ to provide a dialogue explaining the game story – who is the player? what is this place? what does the player have to do?

The Tree of Sorrow is initially weak, meek and dull. As the tree grows upon recovering Terra Shards, its appearance changes, becoming “more full of life” – regaining colour (ethereal and glowing, think the Erdtree from Elden Ring), growing in size. When the tree has been completely recovered (all 5 levels have been reached), the player will engage in another dialogue interaction with the tree signalling the end of the game.

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Second Iteration

Tree has 4 Growth Levels, starting at 0. The tree grows by recovering Terra Shards that are dropped by enemies and collected by the player. Each tree growth level requires a set number of Terra Shards, once the required number has been recovered by the player, they receive permanent upgrades from the tree (one smaller utility/offensive stat upgrade and one large optional upgrade chosen by the player)

Tree/Growth Level	Reward / Player Upgrade
1 (requires 175 Terra Shards + 1 Terra Soul)	⭒ Receive a +10% speed bonus (better to be early on because it makes the gameplay feel better) ☆ Choose between additional health (Extra heart) or Receive damage +25% increase (noticeable beefy strength increase)
2 (requires 175 Terra Shards + Terra Soul)	⭒ Receive +5% attack speed (land more hits per second) ☆ Choose between additional health (Extra heart) or Receive damage +25% increase (noticeable beefy strength increase)
3 (requires 175 Terra Shards + Terra Soul)	⭒Receive a +10% speed bonus ☆Choose between additional health (Extra heart) or Receive damage +25% increase (noticeable beefy strength increase)
4 (requires 175 Terra Shards + Terra Soul)	☆ No reward (tree has all 4 Terra Souls). Major story progression – game finale

✧Ensuring the Terra Shard requirement for all levels is the same (175) will keep the economy balanced and flat throughout meaning there is no need to balance increase drops or cost. Increase costs can also be considered off putting for the player as having to grind through levels repeatedly is not enjoyable.

✧ Players being allowed to choose between two large upgrades allows the ability to spec out in certain areas and depending on the players needs to facilitate gameplay. It is recommended that the player have at least one of each upgrade.

– Found this confusing and kind of boring HOWEVER I think the concept of upgrading and becoming stronger with progression is essential for this game so I’ve started considered implementing a more traditional skill tree, which isn’t too different

Draft of Skill Tree