Updates

Q3 Schedule Update


[From a forum post by Starr “Darkstarr” Long]

Greetings Avatars,

As we have stated previously, we intend to publish quarterly schedule updates detailing our monthly releases and those monthly releases will continue just as before, on the last Thursday of each month. Even though the goals outlined in these schedules are likely to change somewhat as we react to feedback, we feel it is important to periodically provide you with an updated roadmap.

Our priority continues to be to deliver new content to our players regularly, so that you can give us feedback that will help us iteratively improve Shroud of the Avatar. This collaborative process continues to benefit the game, and often results in sweeping changes such as the recent balance passes to combat. As you have seen in previous releases, the flexibility inherent to this process means that we sometimes push things out, but we also often pull new things in. Read more…


Release 55 Instructions


[From a forum post by Starr “Darkstarr” Long]

Avatars,

Please read this entire message, as well as the linked Player Guide and Known Issues.

Release 55 is our third release since launching out of Early Access. As promised, we are continuing our cadence of monthly releases, just as before. Release 55 of Shroud of the Avatar goes live this Thursday, June 28, at 10:30 AM US Central Daylight Time (15:30 UTC).

Release 55 is the third, and final, release in which we focused on the current iteration of our Top 10 Priorities (from Q2 2018 post). We were able to address most of the items on that list in some fashion. We made strong progress on performance, physical goods, improved reward cycle, user interface polish, player direction and story polish. We will be spending more time on enemy behaviors and repeatable content in the next release and in Q3. Read more…


Community Livestream – Brewing!


Another content packed Community Livestream is coming this Friday! We will be kicking off the livestream with news from Starr “Darkstarr” Long and special guest Chris “Atos” Spears. Then Brandon “Bzus” Cotton, Joaquin “Wizardsmoke” Del Canto, and Sarah “Serafina” Dworken will be on to show off the new Brewing system that is going live in Release 55!

Watch on Twitch this Friday at 4pm CT! Also join the community’s Discord chat to ask questions about what’s presented:

PRIZE UPDATE: Enter for a chance to win a signed cloth map by either logging into the game and typing “Happy birthday LB” into chat OR by purchasing any item from our store during the livestream!

Are You a Livestreamer?

Get this exclusive in-game Streamer Camera for being a veteran of our Livestreamer Program!


Release 55 Livestream – July 6, 2018 (Lord British’s Birthday Themed!)


Another release livestream is upon us! The Release 55 Livestream is set for July 6, just a couple of days after Lord British’s birthday!

All Avatars from around the world are welcome to join us in the livestream activities. We will be doing deep dives, answering questions, having sales, handing out prizes, and tracking towards stretch goals. In honor of our sovereign’s day of birth, this event’s stretch goals are all Lord British themed!

LIVESTREAM SCHEDULE (Central Time Zone)

Monthly livestreams are on Twitch and include answers to your gameplay questions, world building tours, prize giveaways, sales on items, and more! Here is the schedule:

  • 3PM: Introductions
  • 3:30PM: Deep Dive 1: Episode 2 Sneak Peek!
  • 4:30PM: World Building Tour: East Vauban Foothills, Norgard Fens, Encounters
  • 5:30PM: Deep Dive 2: Combat & Obsidian Trials (w/ Scottie!)
  • 6:30PM: Q&A
  • 7PM: Ending Announcements

Read more…


Avatar’s Update #285: Obsidian Trials, Atavists of Purity, Double XP Weekends, & R55 on QA


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

Game Development

News Announcements

Community Updates


The Making of The Obsidian Trials

We are polishing various aspects of our combat and PVP systems in preparation for the upcoming Castle Defense Scenarios feature. This includes making areas of PVP engagement where no ransom items drop, where grouping rules can be controlled (on/off), having death remove you from the scene until the scene restarts, new currencies/merchants/rewards for PVP scenarios, and better overall physical spaces for PVP. To that end we have created a combat area where we can iterate on these systems over the next several releases called The Obsidian Trials. It will be where we implement, test, and polish various systems to improve and enhance our combat and PVP systems so that they can be expanded to support Castle Defense. In Release 55 we have built the space and implemented new death mechanics, blocked grouping, and removed ransoms. In the next few releases we will be adding boundaries that change the size of the play space, win/loss conditions, timer resets, and a new PVP currency that can be spent on rewards like titles, components, consumables, emotes, and patterns.

[From a Dev+ Forum Post by Travis “Vas Corp Por” Koleski]

Here are some early screenshots of the new Obsidian Trial zone. A subterranean pit of sheer obsidian hosts a deadly, 32-player PVP free for all!

Read more…


Community Livestream – Q&A with Lord British, Darkstarr & Atos + Obsidian Trials


Another content packed Community Livestream is coming this Friday! We will be kicking off the livestream with a Q&A of some of the questions we missed from the Release 54 Livestreams + live questions from Discord. Then Travis “Vas Corp Por” Koleski and Sarah “Serafina” Dworken will be on to showing off the new Obsidian Trials PVP map!

Watch on Twitch this Friday at 4pm CT! Also join the community’s Discord chat to ask questions about what’s presented:

 

Are You a Livestreamer?

Get this exclusive in-game Streamer Camera for being a veteran of our Livestreamer Program!


Avatar’s Update #284: The Making of East Vauban Foothills


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

Game Development

News Announcements

Community Updates


The Making of East Vauban Foothills

This hilly area is northeast of Vauban pass in the Drachvald region. It was previously a Tier 3 area but is being upgraded to a Tier 5 area for Release 55. The increase in difficulty of this scene is part of a longer term effort where we will be increasing the difficulty of several scenes to better match the surrounding scenes and the character’s progress along the associated story paths that bring you near those scenes. Undead have overrun a village here and Ebon Dawn Cultists are taking advantage of the resulting chaos.

[From a A Dev+ Forum Post by Chris “Sea Wolf” Wolf]

Hey folks! I have a few screenshots to share of my current progress on East Vauban Foothills. In this scene, an Ebon Dawn mage has converted the population of a small village into zombies, and is performing experiments on them to see if their humanity can be restored.

Cavern Scout Camp

Read more…


Community Spotlight – Beran’s Reach


Welcome to another Community Spotlight! These spotlights are dedicated entirely to community content, usually about a player town and presented by a single individual or an entire guild.

This week we return to the snowy peaks of the soon-to-be Municipality of Beran’s Reach. Home of The Bear Tavern and waypoint for many who venture out into the frozen wilds of Regalis and North Paladis. Beran’s Reach earned a reputation as being a sanctuary for all from the wilds beyond its high walls. We catch up with Vallas Tellen, Tavernkeeper of The Bear Tavern and Governor of Beran’s Reach, to find out more.

Can you tell me a little about Beran’s Reach?

Beran’s Reach has a long and distinguished history, growing over the years from a sleepy farmstead to the gateway to the northern reaches. Dominating the local countryside and overlooking the main road leading south to Britanny, it acts as a vital way station for both merchant caravans and those seeking fame and coin the wilds beyond. Indeed, Beran’s Reach has become a sight of veritable pilgrimage for newer adventurers looking to make a name for themselves like the heroes of old, a bastion that separates civility from savagery. To go beyond Beran’s Reach is to begin a journey to paths unknown, indeed perhaps best left untread.

As a consequence, Beran’s Reach has developed a unique culture that is surprisingly welcoming to all. In the northern reaches where survival presents an almost daily challenge, divisions and the complexities of life at court are luxuries that few can afford. Within the inns and markets that sprawl within ‘the Reach’ as it is more affectionately known, grim north men rub shoulders with wealthy travellers. Amid the hubbub of the central market square, merchants can often be seen vying for trade, with gold changing hands for valuable furs, wood and ore. All manner of adventurer can often be seen seeking food and provisions among the many shops and bazaars that dot around the city, providing last minute supplies for their journey.

Rising up from the centre of Beran’s Reach, the keep of The Bear Tavern shines night and day with the warm glow of a multitude of candles, torches and open fires. A Beran’s Reach tradition, The Bear Tavern provides a home-from-home for all as well as a venue for travellers and locals alike to eat, drink and seek respite from the outside world.

How do you get to Beran’s Reach?

Despite its seeming isolation, Beran’s Reach is a relatively short ride from central Britanny. Most travelers take the northern road that lies along the coast of Spindrift bay, turning right as the road forks within the Serpent’s Spine Foothills.

Crossing the bridge that spans the confluence of the Fortus and Sanctus rivers, the road leads on to the town and its prominent position on a hill within the Sanctus Forest.

What major landmarks are there in Beran’s Reach?

Within the walls and environs of Beran’s Reach are a diverse range of shops, businesses and locations, each contributing to the its rich and unique culture. Here is a selection of just a few that can be found, with many more yet to be discovered by the discerning visitor:

The Bear Tavern

Read more…


Avatar’s Update #283: Ebon Dawn Cultists and The Making of Norgard Fens


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

Game Development

News Announcements

Community Updates


Improving the Ebon Dawn Cultists

The Ebon Dawn Cultists are modern Novian worshipers of the historic Obsidian Order. They seek to restore the ancient power of the Obsidians and work with the Obsidian Cabalists and even the Undead. Until now these enemies have been using the same art as bandits. In Release 55 they will be getting their own art based on the Obsidian Order armor we created for the Release 52 Livestream Stretchgoals, albeit these versions are darker in color and more worn in appearance. Additionally in Release 56 you will be able to loot these enemies for this armor and salvage it for patterns.

Ebon Dawn Fighter

Read more…


Special Friday (June 8) Livestream – R54 Stretch Goals Continue (Tropical Themed)!


Watch Release 54 Livestream – June 8 from shroudoftheavatar on www.twitch.tv

** $80,000 **

R54 Livestreams Funds Raised

Join us this Friday for a special 4-hour livestream event from 3-7pm CT (8pm GMT) that picks up where we left off from this Monday’s R54 Livestream! We will be answering missed questions, having sales, giving out prizes, and tracking towards stretch goals from the R54 Livestream!

LIVESTREAM AGENDA (Occurring roughly in the order listed below)

  • Introductions
  • R54 Missed Questions
  • Combat Deep Dive
  • Community Announcements
  • Q&A Continues
  • Ending Announcements

CONTINUING THE STRETCH GOALS (Tropical Themed!)

As a special bonus, we are offering funding rewards to any player that makes a minimum purchase of $5 during a twelve hour window during the day of the livestream, from 12:00 PM to 11:59 PM CDT (June 8 17:00 to June 9 05:00 UTC). We continue the R54 Livestream stretch goals, Tropical themed, in honor of the summer season starting!


Reference Image From:
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa

All purchases during the twelve hour window will count towards the stretch goals, not just the four hours of the livestream! We will pick up where we left off at $47,500:

  • ACHIEVED ON 6/4! $10K: /rainbow
  • ACHIEVED ON 6/4! $20K: /wardance & /hula
  • ACHIEVED ON 6/4! $30K: Leaf Backpack
  • ACHIEVED ON 6/4! $40K: Palapa
  • ACHIEVED ON 6/8! $50K: Polynesian Dress with Tropical Flower Crown
  • ACHIEVED ON 6/8! $65K: Polynesian Axe & Spear
  • ACHIEVED ON 6/8! $80K: Large Tiki Heads with Flames
  • $90K: Polynesian Bow plus two other Weapons
  • $100K: Polynesian Daemon Themed Armor with Full Helm

Read more…