Author Archives: dallas

dallas

About dallas

Made some games. Lots of games.

Update of the Avatar #114 – 2015.02.27: Underworld Funded and Final Week Push, Crowfall Funded, Jabbering Bertha, SotA’s 1st Wedding, Rick’s Spectral Mines, and More!


Greetings Fellow Avatars!

Here’s what we have for you in this week’s edition of Update of the Avatar:

  • Play Release 15 Now!
  • Underworld Funded – Now Entering Final Week!
  • Crowfall Kickstarter Funded in 3 Days!
  • Final Week for Massively Kickstarter
  • First Wedding in New Britannia
  • Rick Holtrop’s Spectral Mines
  • In-game Community Weekend Events
  • Sir Frank’s Writing Contest (with Prizes!)
  • Receiving Pledge Rewards and Add-On Items
  • Changes to Store Credit Conversions
  • Steam Access Keys Available for All Backers
  • How to Cancel Monthly Layaway Payment Plans
  • This Week In The News
  • Upcoming Events


Play Release 15 Now!


Release 15 screenshot courtesy of *Meyaka*[PeV]. Check out more in the Release 15 Screenshot Gallery.

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Release 15 Instructions – Unity 5 is Alive!


[A SotA Public Forum post by Starr Long]

Darkstarr

Greetings Avatars,

Thank you to our loyal backers of Shroud of the Avatar. Release 15 access for all backers at First Responder level and above begins this Thursday, February 26 at 10:30 AM Central Time (16:30 UTC).

Please read this entire message, as well as the linked instructions and known issues.

This far from launch, we are in a constant state of change and we do not yet have in-game systems to inform players of these changes, or to share ways to help them to explore new content and systems. This means we rely entirely on this message, and the linked instructions and known issues to convey the current game state. We regularly have to answer questions or filter bug reports because players elect not to read this valuable information. By taking a few moments to read through this information, a great deal of our time and efforts can be redirected to focus on new “unanswered” questions, and addressing critical issues impacting each release. We greatly appreciate you taking the time to review this post, and for all the truly valuable feedback you continue to provide.

Unity5_logoWe are very excited that Release 15 represents our first release using Unity 5, the latest version of the Unity engine. Unity 5 provides us with both improved performance opportunities and graphical upgrades that will allow us to iteratively and dramatically improve the visual presentation of Shroud of the Avatar. As we have said before, our goal is to make sure Shroud is as visually compelling as we have time to make it. However, whenever we have to make a choice between simulation (turning lights on/off, picking up items from the world, NPC schedules, etc.) and visuals, we will ALWAYS choose the simulation.

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Update of the Avatar #113 – 2015.02.20: Underworld Gets Tracy Hickman and Steam Greenlight, SotA Single Player Features, Abe on Overworld, Chris Talks Economy, and More!


Greetings Fellow Avatars!

Here’s what we have for you in this week’s edition of Update of the Avatar:

  • Underworld Gets Tracy Hickman and Steam Greenlight
  • Single Player Offline Features
  • Abe Weighs in on Crafting the Novia Overworld
  • Let’s Talk About the Economy!
  • SotA On The Road Again!
  • Massively Kickstarter Success
  • In-game Community Weekend Events
  • Sir Frank’s Writing Contest (with Prizes!)
  • Last Chance Exclusives
  • Gem Treasure Designs: Silver Serpent Pendant
  • Receiving Pledge Rewards and Add-On Items in Release 14
  • Changes to Store Credit Conversions
  • Steam Access Keys Available for All Backers
  • How to Cancel Monthly Layaway Payment Plans
  • Upcoming Events


Underworld Gets Tracy Hickman and Steam Greenlight

underworld_ascendant

As previously reported, our long-time friend and former Origin protégé, Paul Neurath, is rebooting the legendary Ultima Underworld games with the Underworld Ascendant Kickstarter campaign! It has been more than a decade long wait, but the stars have aligned and Paul has at long last freed the rights to move forward with the franchise. We’re especially excited that, just as the original Ultima and Underworld shared a connection on backstory and fictional elements, so too will Shroud of the Avatar and Underworld Ascendant.

We’re excited to announce that SotA Lead Story Designer and co-author of SotA’s Blade of the Avatar novel, Tracy Hickman, has signed up to pen an Underworld Ascendant novel as part of their $750k Stretch Goal:

tracy-hickman-150x150Tracy’s talents as a fantasy author, together with his deep experience with gaming and close collaboration on Shroud of the Avatar, a world connected to ours, make him ideally suited to write the Underworld Ascendant novel. The novel is going to be set several generations before the game takes place, and tell the story of how a band of Dark Elves from the land of the Shroud of the Avatar passed through a magic portal to make an exodus into the Stygian Abyss. It will tell of their trials in this harsh and dangerous underworld, and of how they carved out a place for themselves.  – Underworld Ascendant Update #15

 
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Are You Ready for some twitching!


underworld_ascendant
Our friends on the Underworld Ascendant team over at Otherside Entertainment recently posted about some fun twitch action they have going on, starting today! Here’s what they said:
twitch[1]

…we wanted to give everybody a heads-up that over the coming 3 weeks we’ll be doing a series of sessions on Twitch, which we’re calling Otherside plays Looking Glass, Folks from OtherSide, along with some very special guests, are going to be playing a selection of classic games we worked on when we were at Looking Glass.

First up is Thief, this Wednesday at 3pm – 6pm EST. Then System Shock 2 on Wednesday the 25th (time TBD). For the finale session on Wednesday March 4th (time TBD), Ultima Underworld naturally.

During each session we will be chatting about the game, sharing behind-the-scenes anecdotes about what went into its development, and more. We will also be giving away some free digital copies of these classic games. Please come join us, and tell your friends to come along too!

OSELGSlogoep1


Update of the Avatar #112 – 2015.02.13: Underworld Dark Elven Kinsman Buckler, Necropolis Dungeon, Verdantis Shardfall, 50k Backers, and More!


Greetings Fellow Avatars!

Here’s what we have for you in this week’s edition of Update of the Avatar:

  • Necropolis: The Halls of the Dead
  • Underworld Ascendant: The Dark Elven “Kinsman” Buckler
  • Verdantis Shardfall
  • Novia Overworld Work-In-Progress
  • Help Us With Your Positive Recommendation on Steam
  • Hangout of the Avatar ~ Release 14 Postmortem
  • SotA Reaches 50,000 Backers!
  • Massively Kickstarter Success
  • In-game Community Weekend Events
  • Last Chance Exclusives
  • Receiving Pledge Rewards and Add-On Items in Release 14
  • Changes to Store Credit Conversions
  • Steam Access Keys Available for All Backers
  • How to Cancel Monthly Payment Plans
  • This Week In The News
  • Upcoming Events


SotA_Necropolis2a

Scene from the Necropolis Dungeon

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Update of the Avatar #111 – 2015.02.06: Help Support Underworld Kickstarter, Bank Slot Rewards, Carnival Mask, Time.com Top 50, $10 for $10 Bonus, and More!


Greetings Fellow Avatars!

Here’s what we have for you in this week’s edition of Update of the Avatar:

  • Raise the Underworld
  • New Pledge Rewards: Bank Slots
  • Receiving Pledge Rewards and Add-On Items in Release 14
  • Time.com includes SotA in Top 50 Most Anticipated Games of 2015
  • The Release 15 Grand Tour Silver Jester Carnival Mask
  • Limited Edition Jester Carnival Mask
  • Massively Overpowered Kickstarter
  • $10 for $10 Bonus Promotion
  • Novia Overworld Work-In-Progress
  • Changes to Store Credit Conversions
  • In-game Community Weekend Events
  • Last Chance Exclusives
  • Steam Access Keys Available for All Backers
  • How to Cancel Monthly Payment Plans
  • This Week In The News
  • Upcoming Events


underworld_ascendant

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Update of the Avatar #110 – 2015.01.30: Underworld Kickstarter, Play R14 Now, $10 for $10 Bonus, Novia WIP, Denis Loubet Patreon, and More!


Greetings Fellow Avatars!

Here’s what we have for you in this week’s edition of Update of the Avatar:

  • Raise the Underworld
  • Play Release 14 Now and Get Your Grand Tour Hennin Hat
  • $10 for $10 Bonus Promotion
  • Standing Stones
  • Novia Overworld Work-In-Progress
  • In-game Books
  • Elven Tents
  • Support Denis Loubet on Patreon
  • New Britannia Theater Troupe: Live Double Feature Videos
  • Pledge Rewards, Add-Ons, and Banks in Release 14
  • Changes to Store Credit Conversions
  • In-game Community Weekend Events
  • Last Chance Exclusives
  • Steam Access Keys Available for All Backers
  • How to Cancel Monthly Payment Plans
  • This Week In The News
  • Upcoming Events


Raise the Underworld

Underworld_Ascendant_KS_promo2
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Release 14 Instructions


[A SotA Public Forum post by Starr Long]

Darkstarr

Greetings Avatars,

Thank you to our loyal backers of Shroud of the Avatar. Release 14 access for all backers at First Responder level and above, as well as those who signed up at CES and PAX South, begins this Thursday, January 29 at 10:30 AM Central Time (16:30 UTC).

Please read this entire message, as well as the linked instructions and known issues.

This far from launch, we are in a constant state of change and we do not yet have in-game systems to inform players of these changes, or to share ways to help them to explore new content and systems. This means we rely entirely on this message, and the linked instructions and known issues to convey the current game state. We regularly have to answer questions or filter bug reports because players elect not to read this valuable information. By taking a few moments to read through this information, a great deal of our time and efforts can be redirected to focus on new “unanswered” questions, and addressing critical issues impacting each release. We greatly appreciate you taking the time to review this post, and for all the truly valuable feedback you continue to provide.

Release 14 is our first release of 2015 and represents several major new features (Banking, Pledge Rewards, Encumbrance, Enchantments) as well as overhauls to existing features (Crafting). It is also a milestone because now more than half of the Adventuring schools (magic and combat) are complete! Of course, with new content comes new bugs and balance issues, so help us out by posting bugs and feedback in our official forums.avatars-circle-logo-concept-7[1]

Also, remember that while we are providing new content with each release, our community is also working overtime to make new events for you to enjoy, so be sure to check out the Community Events Calendar (via in game book or the player run website Avatars Circle).

Without further ado, here are the R14 deliverables.
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Update of the Avatar #109 – 2015.01.23: SotA at PAX South, Banks, In-Game Backer Rewards, Novia Overworld, Game Informer, and More!


Greetings Fellow Avatars!

Here’s what we have for you in this week’s edition of Update of the Avatar:

  • SotA at PAX South
  • Banks in Release 14
  • Changes to Store Credit Conversions
  • First Glimpse of Novia Overworld
  • SotA in Game Informer Magazine
  • MMORPG.COM – Release 14: Strong Start to a New Year
  • Shack News: CES Interview with Starr Long
  • GDC Next – Crowd Sharing: Crowd Sourcing + Crowd Funding
  • In-game Community Weekend Events
  • New Britannia Theater Troupe: Live Double Feature
  • Last Chance Exclusives: The Axe and Wood & Plaster Homes
  • Steam Access Keys Available for All Backers
  • How to Cancel Monthly Payment Plans
  • Upcoming Events


SotA at PAX South

SotA_PAXSouth1

Richard Garriott, Starr Long, and Finn Staber are at PAX South, demonstrating the game and talking to the press. You can find them in the Texas Indie Game Lounge presented by Microsoft (booth 1343) at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas.

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Update of the Avatar #108 – 2015.01.16: Mad Hermit’s Lay of the Land, PAX South, R13 Postmortem, Duke’s Basement, Flesh Flayer, Steam Catchers, and More!


Greetings Fellow Avatars!

Here’s what we have for you in this week’s edition of Update of the Avatar:

  • The Mad Hermit’s Lay of the Land Video
  • SotA at PAX South Next Week
  • Hangout of the Avatar ~ Release 13 Postmortem
  • Duke Pledge Reward: Upgraded Basement
  • Benefactor Knight & Knight Marshal Stonework Refinements
  • Flesh Flayer
  • Geothermal Steam Catchers
  • Boreas, The Titan of Truth
  • The Avatars Chronicles I – Return of the Avatar: Special Developer Edition
  • In-game Community Weekend Events
  • Last Chance Exclusives: The Pickaxe and Wood & Plaster Homes
  • Steam Access Keys Available for All Backers
  • How to Cancel Monthly Payment Plans
  • Upcoming Events


The Mad Hermit’s Lay of the Land Video

Need a high-level overview of where the various cities, towns and villages are in Shroud of the Avatar? Jump in the Mad Hermit’s hot air balloon as he surveys the land from high-up above! Although most of SotA’s Pre-Alpha content is confined to the “Hidden Vale” at this point, boats and Lunar Rifts allow access to some of the cities and points of interest that exist on the Island of Novia (where the core part of the story will eventually take place).

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