Avatar’s Update #391: PvP Queue System Sneak Peek! Latest News Q&A Friday Livestream!

Greetings Fellow Avatars!

This week’s update gives us a quick look at what’s coming our way for the PvP Queue System. For those wishing to participate in any community activities, upcoming one-time and recurring community events have been announced! Be sure to also review the Players Guide and Known Issues list for additional information on recent changes and upcoming fixes. Now, let’s see what we have for you in this week’s edition of Update of the Avatar:

News Announcements

Community Updates

PvP Queue System Sneak Peek!

Developers are currently hard at work designing a PvP Queue System which will greatly aid players in PvP matchmaking. The system will be designed to provide fair match-ups as well as ease of gameplay. Albeit some of these items could change significantly as the system continues to develop, here are some of the initially planned components to the system currently in design:

  • Players will be able to view a list of other players looking for PvP.
  • The list of available queued players will display within brackets relative the player’s level viewing the list.
  • The planned brackets (approximate) will be as follows:
    • 20+ Levels Below
    • 10-20 Levels Below
    • +/- 10 Levels
    • 10-20 Levels Above
    • 20+ Levels Above
  • Players will receive a warning that credit will not be received for any competitions which are 20 levels below their own level.
  • Initial versions will feature a simple “JOIN” button, but later versions will include the following:
    • Map Selection: Players will be able to select from a list of possible maps.
    • Level Limits: Players will be able toggle exclusion from any competitions 20 above or below their level.
    • Competition Type: Players will be able to select whether the fight is to be ranked or practice.
  • When challenging a player, the following dialog boxes will appear:
    • Player acknowledging the challenge will be presented with a dialogue box, “Waiting for player to accept…”
    • Player receiving the acknowledgement will be presented with the dialogue box, “Your challenge has been accepted! Click “Engage” to begin, or click “Retreat” to decline…”
  • When a player accepts the competition by clicking “Engage” in the dialog box, both players will transport to the chosen scene or a random scene if none were chosen. Initially, only a single scene will be available, but more scene options will be added in the future.
  • Competing players will zone to random spawn locations within the selected scene, at which time the battle will begin.
  • The battle scene will continue until one player dies or leaves the scene. Results for each match will be collected to populate win/loss metrics.
  • Once a player leaves, logs out, or dies, both players will zone back to either their previous location or a hub type scene, depending up their previous location.
  • Initially, players will utilize the existing PvP leaderboards, but a robust PvP ranking system will be soon to follow.
  • Some maps may feature timed mechanics which force players into battle such as rising lava or a shrinking death field.

This new PvP Queue System is just one of the amazing new features coming your way this year. Stay tuned for future announcements as the PvP Queue System design continues to progress.

Latest News Q&A Friday Livestream!

Another weekly Community Livestream is this Friday, July 24th at 4PM CT on Twitch! Join Chris “Atos” Spears and other development team members for a community 1 hour livestream!

To enter the prize drawings, type “happy birthday Lord British” into any in-game chat channel OR make a purchase on the website add-on store. Please submit questions into Twitch Chat by inserting !question at the beginning of your text. Watch on Twitch, Friday at 4 PM CT!

Double EXP Continues!

Head out into the lands of New Britannia and charge headlong into the dangers therein, Avatars! For the near future, Shroud of the Avatar players will receive double experience points (EXP) for their endeavors in Adventure and Crafting! Please take advantage of the extra experience points! Stay home, stay safe and explore New Britannia!

New Vault Round!

The current round of Vault items are available until Thursday, July 30th at Noon CT. At that time, the next round of 9 items will be available for two weeks, and then the next, etc.

  • Kobold Masks Set 2
  • Viking Chest
  • Elven Elder Archer Armor Pattern Pack
  • Blackened Metal Baby Clockwork Dragon
  • Brown Nomad Hat
  • Ornate Flamberge Pattern Pack
  • Kobold 4-Story Great Hall City Home
  • Metal Crossbow
  • Elven Cloak


Latest Store Additions: Stiletto Heels & More!

The new Stiletto Heels are a perfect addition to any wardrobe worthy of a night out with friends. Cooks now have a wondrous second option for a crafting station style — the BBQ Smoker Cooking Station! Just perfect for the outdoor BBQ with fellow Avatars! This new cooking station will become available very shortly. For the Avatars seeking to display pipes throughout their properties, two new Steam Pipe 10-Packs are available on the Crown Store! Thick and thin varieties of pipes can now extend throughout your dungeons, basements, homes, and towns as a wonderful display of technology!

  • Stiletto Heals – Low Slung with Straps
  • BBQ Smoker Cooking Station
  • Aviator Glasses
  • Horn-Rimmed Glasses
  • Rectangular Glasses
  • Round Glasses

Also, we’re scouring the realm for items that have long been missing from the store. Many items are being loaded into the Vault and will rotate in periodically which will be announced each week as they go live, but here’s a small glimpse of additional items becoming permanently available for purchase:

  • Kobold Dwelling Village Home
  • Viking Cloak & Helm Set
  • Large Elven Tent
  • Viking 1-Story Village Home
  • Shogun 3-Story Keep Village Home
  • Demon Wings

July Login Reward: Picnic Table & Bench Set!

Get to cooking, Avatars! Now, with this splendid picnic set, players can have a stylin’ BBQ with friends! The tablecloth can be dyed, so players can show off their guild colors or simply color coordinate with the various items placed upon the table. Simply log in during the month of July, and this picnic set will become available in the Rewards Window.

Release 79 Reward Program Login Reward Items: Lord British & Summer Theme!

Avatars! Rewards Program login reward items for Release 79 are Lord British and summer themed! Reward Program members will receive these items immediately upon logging in during Release 79!

  • Lord British Plate Chest Armor
  • Pig on a Spit (Turns when activated)
  • Veggies on a Spit (Turns when activated)
  • Aviator Sunglasses (Lens and Frame Dyeable)
  • Horn-Rimmed Sunglasses (Lens and Frame Dyeable)
  • Rectangular Sunglasses (Lens and Frame Dyeable)
  • Round Sunglasses (Lens and Frame Dyeable)

NOTE: You must login during the release to receive each release’s rewards.

The Shroud of the Avatar Rewards Program lets you earn the best rate on purchasing Crowns, AND receive monthly reward items!

For the low price of $9 USD per month you will receive the following:

    • 900 Crowns of the Obsidians every month
    • Monthly Login Reward Items (3 per month)
    • Exclusive Title every 3 months
      • 3 Months: Keeper of the Faith
      • 6 Months: Keeper of the Word
      • 9 Months: Keeper of the Vow
      • 12 Months: Keeper of the Flame
      • 15 Months: Keeper of the Oath
      • 18 Months: Keeper of the Pledge
    • Pick any Dye 12-Pack every 6 months
    • Pick any three of the 7 Obsidian Potions every month, including:
      • Potion of Capacity: Increases carrying capacity
      • Potion of Conservation: Reduces reagent use chance
      • Potion of Expedience: Swift gathering on all gathering skills
      • Potion of Precision: Increases Meticulous Collection to all gathering skills
      • Potion of Preservation: Reduces armor and weapon damage
      • Potion of Reclamation: Increases Salvage and Repair to all production skills

Are You a Livestreamer?


Soon, the Streaming Reward Program will be returning. As the details are getting reworked, we’ll reveal more information. Traditional streaming rewards included an exclusive in-game Streamer Camera for being a veteran of our Streaming Program! Expect the camera reward to return! More goodies will come to your way as the program fully develops. Thank you for streaming Shroud of the Avatar!

Recent Shroud of the Avatar Livestreams

Atos and other members of the Shroud of the Avatar development team go live very frequently on our TWO Twitch Channels: twitch.tv/shroudoftheavatar and twitch.tv/communityoftheavatar — be sure to get these channels on follow and get the latest information right as we go live! Also, if you’ve missed our latest streams, check out our archive of content at our YouTube Channel (complete with “Mojito the dog” cam). Like! Follow! Subscribe! Prizes!!!




Don’t forget to also join the Shroud of the Avatar team and community over at our other social media venues:

Lord of the Isle Episode 2 Bundles

As one of the biggest and earliest supporters of Episode 2 you will be granted the largest lot deed in the land (Castle), the title Lord (or Lady) of the Isle, a tour of Lord British’s property, and dinner with the game leaders including Lord British himself! Only 24 of these unique bundles will be sold!

Complete List of Rewards:

  • Lord of the Isle Place Anywhere Castle Lot Deed: Tax Free Forever (when placed in a POT) and Tax Free for 1 Year (when placed outside of a POT). Placeable on water as well as land!
  • Title: Lord of the Isle or Lady of the Isle
  • Unique Lord of the Isle Home (pictured above)
  • NEW – Town Size Upgrade (if a town is not owned by the LOTI supporter, they may gift this size upgrade to another town owner. Maximum possible town sizes will be taken into account, but the Megalopolis size just became available!)
  • Choice of 1 House currently available in the store
  • Castle Basement currently available in the store of your choice
  • Castle Wall Set currently available in the store of your choice (with enough for Castle Lot)
  • Unique Lord of the Isle Dungeon Room
  • 140,000 Crowns
  • 1000 Bank Slots
  • Pick 12 Prosperity Tools
  • 2 Unique in-game items (to be revealed later)
  • Early Access to Episode 2
  • Episode 1 Box and map signed by the team
  • 1 hour one-on-one with Chris for design discussion (via video-conference)
  • One real silver ring crafted personally by Lord British: Numbered 1 – 8
  • In-game version of the Lord British ring: Numbered 1 – 8 (including a place-able decoration version)
  • Tour of Lord British’s property
  • Fine dinner and drinks with Lord British, Darkstarr, and Atos at a location TBD in Austin or NYC.

NOTE: Digital items that are currently available will begin delivery as soon as Release 62 (Jan 31, 2019). Other items will be delivered at a future date TBD.

NOTE: Travel costs NOT covered by Catnip Games for Tour & Dinner.

Upcoming Events Calendar

Be sure to check out the Upcoming Events page for spotlighted events plus links to various areas to post or find events on our forums:

2020 Events
July 30 – Release 80
Aug 27 – Release 81
Sep 24 – Release 82
Oct 29 – Release 83

Meretz: Win an Ornate Greenhouse 4-Story Row Home (No Trade)

Whether you move a little or a lot, as a Meretz user you rack up valuable Meretz Points (MPs). The more MPs you have, the more stuff you can buy!

Think: in-game SotA goodies, Sweepstakes entries and tons more. With Meretz, we launch several sweepstakes every month. This month, we’re giving away a Ornate Greenhouse 4-Story Row Home (No Trade) to two lucky winners! AND, use your MPs every day for in-game items like potions and emotes.

What’re you waiting for? Download Meretz TODAY!

Community Event: Catnip Games Weekly Fishing Tourney

For the Anglers of New Britannia, a weekly developer run fishing event has arrived! These weekly tournaments start at Noon CT every Friday and will last until Noon CT the next Friday. Players may register towns to be put into a registry list which will dictate most of the venues available for the fishing competition. Every week, the venues shift to the next 3 towns from the registry. Also each week, a new spotlighted PvE and PvP scene cycle into the contest. Each category (POT, PvP, PvE) features different prizes and goals. All fish must be caught within the timeframe of the contest. Here are some of the details:

Largest Freshwater Fish (Town):

  • Prizes: Player-Owned Town Row Lot Deed, Large Gold Fishing Trophy
  • Rules: Must be caught from one of these towns

Largest Fish (PvP):​

  • Prizes: 2 Chained Obsidian Shard 3-Packs, Large Silver Fishing Trophy
  • Rules: Must be caught in The Brave Coast

Largest Lava Fish:

  • Prizes: Fishing Rod of Prosperity, Large Bronze Fishing Trophy
  • Rules: Must be caught in Oracle Colossus

Consolation Prizes:

  • Prizes: Silver Fishing Trophy
  • Rules: Everyone who submitted an entry that did not win an above prize

Spinoff/Crossover Events:

  • No spinoff events submitted

Prizes provided by the Community Manager will be available for attendees, but governors, guild leaders and players are welcome to sweeten the pot by providing additional prizes based on objective criteria entirely of their own design. In fact, please consider planning events to overlap the duration and chosen weekly locations of the Fishing developer events. Please post these events in the in-game events forums and the Community Manager will promote accordingly. Expect a constant stream of weekly events, each to feature new locations and new objectives. Head on over to the Fishing Event Forum Thread for more information. Happy adventures, Avatars!

Community Event: Christmas in July

Hear ye, Hear ye! The Graceful Bard, aka Lauremir Elenir, is hosting a Christmas in July Pool Party at her dungeon in Immortal City! Featuring Live electronic Christmas covers by “thegracefulbard” herself, as well as fun raffles, a costume contest, and troll totem dungeons.

When: July 24th, 5PM CT
Where: Immortal City, Lauremir Elenir’s Dungeon
Host: https://twitch.tv/thegracefulbard

Party starts at 5pm CST! See you there! For more information, check out the main forum post on the official forums

Community Event: New Stream Announced by Corlag the Bard

Corlag the Bard has recently returned to Shroud of the Avatar after a long time away. He’ll be streaming the game regularly on his Twitch Channel.

Channel: https://www.twitch.tv/corlagthebard
Recent Video: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/686788003

To contact Corlag the Bard or to learn more about his stream, please visit his announcement post on the official forums.

Community Event: Interview with the Dragon Part 11

Attention Avatars! Recent efforts from Asclepius have brought yet another fine piece of orated fan fiction into the library. Please take some time to listen to Interview with the Dragon Part 11 written by Draxenath and masterfully orated by Asclepius.

For more information about these reoccurring broadcasts on Avatar’s/Virtue Radio, please contact Asclepius on his forum post about this topic. The Shroud of the Avatar community is INCREDIBLY creative, and many community members have composed short stories, poems, and other creative works. Asclepius, along with a number of other narrators have had the privilege of rendering them into audio form. There is a huge vault of podcasts on the Caverns site with well over 200 amazing creative contributions.

Community Event: Lys & Novia Market Enigma

The Enigma event is now live! The goal is pretty simple : 2 sheets with riddles have been hidden, 1 in Robyn Hood’s town Novia Market, the other in Lys Market. You need to find these riddles and solve the enigma. To enter the contest, you need to find both sheets and send your final answer via in game mail to Terrence Phillip (Co-Owner of Lys Market).

Starts: Now!
Ends: August 3rd, 9PM CT
Where: Lys Market & Novia Market

When we receive your answer, if it is correct, you will be entered in the lottery for a chance to win one of our awesome prizes! The prizes will be drawn the 3rd of August at 9PM CT! Bjorn Dyonisys will be conducting the drawing on his town lot in Lys Market.

Main Prize: 1 Row Lot Deed with a Viking 2-Story Row Home

More prizes and information are available on the event announcement post in the official forums.

Community Event: Mad Splatter Tea Party

[Forum Post by Lily Byrd]

The Mad Splatter Tea Party takes place every 3rd or 4th Sunday of the month, which is a tea party in my back garden at my home in Jade Valley. There are drinks and eats, there is sometimes music, there are often party games with prizes, and sometimes we just sit and talk about life in Novia.

Where: Lily Byrd’s Cottage and tea garden is south of the Hall of Inquiry and Learning
When: 3pm CST, July 26th (Usually every 3rd or 4th Sunday of the month)
Attire: This is a role playing event tea party so come as your avatar

We play games, we eat cake and drink…various teas and drinks… There are goofy prizes for winning games if we play them. See you there, Lily Byrd.

Project to Support – RodasurfAvatars! Yet another news outlet has spotted Darkstarr on a RodaSurf board. Be sure to check out this latest sighting in this latest Austin360 news article!

Darkstarr and the Rodasurf team also dazzled us with another interview which aired on Spectrum News not too long ago! The RodaSurf board is an accessory to the Onewheel XR device. Simply snap and lock the Onewheel into RodaSurf’s latching system, and you’ll be surfing the streets before you know it! For the full article PLUS a fantastic video, be sure to head straight over to the Spectrum News Website and see our beloved Lord of Chaos show off his latest venture!

Project to Support – Jar Wars


While you are delving into Virtual Reality (VR), be sure to check out this exciting and hilarious new game, Jar Wars! Our very own Darkstarr has been busy on some side projects, one of which is Jar Wars, a slapstick multiplayer game made just for VR enthusiasts. Battle your friends with wacky weapons and intriguing gadgets for total domination of the Moon! Available for free on Steam!

Project to Support – Dragon Fight

Darkstarr has also been hard at work with the team for Dragon Fight VR which recently went live on Steam! Dragon Fight VR is an internal experiment to capture the “essence” of a dragon fight, the classic penultimate experience of every fantasy story. We wanted to create a short visceral, realistic experience stripped of user interface, lobbies, scores, levels, and other visual intrusions that might distract. There were some key elements of fighting a dragon that we wanted to capture and we felt VR was uniquely qualified to convey:

  • Face to face with a large scale hostile creature trying to kill you
  • Using a sword and a shield
  • Fire!
  • Nowhere to run!

This started out as an internal experiment to learn some things about VR’s capabilities, be reductionist in our designs, etc. We felt that the experiment was successful enough to release as a free experience to share. Enjoy! Available for free on Steam!

Project to Support – Crowfall

Be part of shaping the next great MMO by becoming a Crowfall Backer! Crowfall is the first and only online Throne War game. You can win. Join intense PvP battles that demand strategy, survival and a fierce competitive spirit. Reap the spoils of war as an Eternal Champion!

Claim virtual territory on behalf of your guild or faction. Capture mines, mills, and quarries to secure resources, build castles, and besiege your neighbors. Scavenge artifacts and relics from the Dying Worlds and install them in your temples to grant blessings to your vassals. Capture lost spirits to do your bidding — or bind them into your weapons to infuse them with sorcerous power!

Project to Support – Avatar Express

[Forum post by Vladamir Begemot]

I’m pleased to report that The Avatar Express is clacking away furiously. News is being delivered and we have established systems to deliver it directly to your brain. You can use one of those systems by following us on Twitter at @avatar_express. Even more reliable due to its fully automated nature is joining us on the Discord server. News items are posted there via RSS. Or you can subscribe to RSS directly on the site.

If you run an event, quests, etc, please consider helping out by self reporting. The Shroud community is big, and many things are happening that are never seen by others. With 10k monthly users, we would need a full time staff to track down everything that is happening.

You can fill out the contributor form, message @that_shawn_guy here or post in the Discord server that you would like to help. There is no committment once signed up, you can post as much or little as you like.

Writing up your own events has several benefits beyond the immidiate exposure. It serves as a record for others to see the history of New Britannia as we create it, in an attractive format. Publishing in the Express also has a higher chance than the forums of being seen by search engines and random readers, thus bringing more eyeballs and new players to the game.

It will even make posting in the forums easier! You can upload images to your news item, and then link to those images in your forum post. No more need for 3rd party image hosts!

So if you have something going on in your guild or town, or want to be a Reporter, Cartographer or Historian, please join us!

Resources – Players Helping Players

SotA_NewPlayerWelcome_Forum

The official SotA New Player Welcome Forum and the Player Created Resources Forum have the best player created resources for Shroud of the Avatar, whether it’s a Player Written Guide, a Video Walk-through, or a Wiki-type Website.

Visit the official Community Resources page for a complete listing of all things community.