Avatar’s Update #305: Sandbox Livestream Today & R60 on QA

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

News Announcements

Community Updates

Release 60 on QA Server

An early version of R60 is on the QA server. “So soon after Release 59?” you ask. As noted in our Q4 2018 Schedule Update: “PLEASE NOTE: The last two releases of the year (Nov/R60 and Dec/R61) will be very early in their respective months so that they are released well ahead of the US winter holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas).” R60 is full of new content and fixes, some of which is now on the QA server for early testing. We could really use everyone’s help to test all of this amazing content before it goes live!

  • Fishing Phase 2:
    • New Fishing Expedition Scene
    • Fishing Holes in Alpine POT Templates
    • Rotating POT Fishing Bonus
    • Fishing while Sitting
    • More Fish Recipes
  • Increased Salvage Rates for Grandmasters
  • Bludgeon Balance
  • More Player Made Items in Loot
  • Ornate Viking Longbow
  • Select Crown Items Anywhere
  • 2018 Winter Holiday Items (rares)
  • R57 & R58 Livestream Items
  • More Bug Fixes
  • and more!

Testing on QA makes you eligible for Testing Incentive Rewards including gold crowns, the Ant Farm, Antennae, Bug Cloak and Paintings.


Sandbox Roleplay Livestream Today!

Another content packed weekly Community Livestream is today (Friday) November 9 at 4 PM CDT on Twitch!

This week we are going to talk about how Shroud of the Avatar facilitates Sandbox Roleplay with our housing system, emotes, conversations, clothing, and more. Our very own Travis “Vas Corp Por” Koleski is having the grand opening of his Mexican restaurant, “Dos Gardenias” and we will use that as our example of just one of the many possibilities our game makes possible. Various other Portalaroons will be staffing the restaurant and if you have ever watched a reality show about the restaurant business I am sure you know everything will go off smoothly opening night! :)

Also this is the LAST Friday to earn the Release 59 Fish themed stretch goals by making a purchase or by participating in the Rewards program! As a reminder we will be having massive sales (up to 50% off!) from noon to midnight on Friday to help us hit those stretch goals. Over the last two weeks we managed to achieve the first four stretch goals which means we can now role-play Fish people with the Fish Masks! This is the first step to Fish people versus Horse people wars but for these to be visually effective we need to get the Fish Shield and Swordfish Sword and if you really want to terrify the Horse people we need to get the Shark mask!

  • ACHIEVED $10K: Fish Pavers 
  • ACHIEVED $25K: Fish Throne
  • ACHIEVED $35K: Fish Mask Set
  • ACHIEVED $50K: Big Trophy Fish Stone Statue Set
  • $65K: Fish Shield & Swordfish Sword
  • $75K: Big Fish Mask Set (Shark & Lava!)
  • $85K: Unique Dungeon Encounter Room with Fishing Spot
  • $95K: Fish Scale Armor

As usual we will be giving out prizes at 4:15 and 4:45! To be eligible all you need to do is either make any purchase in the store or log into the game and type “Reel it in” in the chat window (no purchase necessary).

Watch on Twitch this Friday at 4 PM CDT!

Winter Recurring Items Return!

Winter is coming and with it winter recurring items have returned for a limited time, including the Ice Nightmare mask and Ornate Sleigh! Get these rare items while they are cold because they will go away again until next winter on February 1, 2019.

Automatic Redemption of Rewards Release 61

As part of our continuing improvements to Quality of Life in Shroud of the Avatar we are going to remove the extra step required when receiving purchased items inside the game. You will no longer have to click on a “Redeem Rewards” button. Instead we will automatically send the items to your rewards interface when you next login to the game. If you are currently logged in then they will appear as soon as the purchase transaction completes. We are also going to provide an onscreen notice for when rewards are delivered to your Rewards Interface. This improvement will go live with Release 61 on December 13, 2018.

Upgrading Bundles with Crowns (ends 12/21)

As many of you know we are expiring all of our bundles before the end of the year. Viking and Kobold bundles expire on November 30. Elven, Obsidian, and Shogun bundles expire on December 21. In Release 59 we will be adding the contents of the bundles to crown vendors as single purchases, however they will not have any upgrade functionality. Based on numerous requests from those of you who have been saving up your crowns we are going to offer an alternative path for upgrading bundles using crowns. For a limited time (offer ends December 21, 2018) you can purchase a service voucher to use crowns to upgrade your bundle!

If you wish to upgrade your bundle with crowns please email us at support@portalarium.com BEFORE purchasing the voucher. In the request please list the name of the bundle you wish to upgrade, and the bundle you wish to upgrade it to (e.g., Elven 2-Story Row Tax Free Bundle to Elven Village Tax Free Bundle). We will then determine how many crowns you need for the upgrade and notify you of that amount so you can decide before proceeding. Only then will you purchase the voucher and we will then remove the crowns from your inventory.

Please note that we will be using the non-sale exchange rates that are currently on the store for this transaction.


50% Item Fridays & 20% Crown Weekends Holiday Sales

To celebrate our first holiday season since launching we are putting most items* in the store on sale for 50% off, our deepest discounts ever, every Friday noon to midnight, until December 21, 2018!

Additionally we are having our first sale on Gold Crowns of the Obsidians ever! Some packages are discounted as much as 20% every weekend through December 21, 2018!

*Note that this sale does not include the already discounted and expiring Bundles and associated items.

Elven, Obsidian, & Shogun Expirations

To celebrate our first holiday season since launching the Elven, Obsidian and Shogun Bundles are expiring at 11:59 PM CT on December 21, 2018! As a limited time bonus we have added Episode 2 access to these bundles! We will also be expiring several of the items that are included in those bundles including pets, weapons, decorations and homes. We are also discounting these items, some as much as 30%! For City level bundles this means a $1000 discount!

NOTE: This is a final expiration. Upgrades will not be allowed after these bundles expire.

Viking & Kobold Expirations

To celebrate our first holiday season since launching the Viking and Kobold Bundles are expiring at 11:59 PM CT on November 30! As a limited time bonus we have added Episode 2 access to these bundles! We will also be expiring several of the items that are included in those bundles including pets, weapons, decorations and homes. We are also discounting these items, some as much as 30% For City level bundles this means a $1000 discount!

NOTE: This is a final expiration. Upgrades will not be allowed after these bundles expire.

 

Shroud of the Avatar Boxed Editions $40 off Holiday Sale!

For those of you who missed the opportunity to purchase the Collector’s Boxed Edition of Shroud of the Avatar during the Kickstarter (expired on January 4, 2016) can now purchase the retail Boxed Edition from Amazon. Additionally for a limited time we are also offering a signed version of the retail Boxed Edition (see above) for purchase directly from our website! To celebrate the holidays these two versions are on sale for $40 off their regular price until December 21, 2018 ($49 on Amazon, $99 for signed)!

These editions include:

Physical Goods:

  • Game Box signed by Lord British* (signed edition only)
  • Game Manual
  • DVD in case
  • Runic Translation Card
  • Ankh Trinket
  • Cloth Map
  • Our Epic Origins

Digital Items:

  • Digital Download of Shroud of the Avatar, Episode 1 (Full Game Access)
  • 30 Bank Slots to store your gear
  • 1 Gold Crown
  • Pick 1 Obsidian Potion
  • Digital Download of Shroud of the Avatar, Episode 2 (Full Game Access when released)
  • Exclusive Title: Visionary
  • Exclusive Emote (exact emote to be created at a future date)
  • NEW: Unique Item (to be created at a a future date)

Release 59 Livestream (YouTube)

Last week’s Release 59 livestream was a huge success! We had deep dives about Fishing, Boss Behaviors, and Deck Building. We gave out tons of prizes including signed boxes you could only win by using secret phrases you could only learn by watching the livestream for whenever Sharkstarr appeared!

We also made huge progress towards the R59 fish themed stretchgoals with players making purchases or by participating in the Rewards program. These stretchgoals are in in celebration of Fishing Phase 2 kicking off in Release 59. In fact by the time we got to midnight we another two stretchgoals!

  • ACHIEVED $10K: Fish Pavers 
  • ACHIEVED $25K: Fish Throne
  • ACHIEVED $35K: Fish Mask Set
  • ACHIEVED $50K: Big Trophy Fish Stone Statue Set
  • $65K: Fish Shield & Swordfish Sword
  • $75K: Big Fish Mask Set (Shark & Lava!)
  • $85K: Unique Dungeon Encounter Room with Fishing Spot
  • $95K: Fish Scale Armor

In case you missed it you can now view it on YouTube:

Shroud of the Avatar Rewards Program

The Shroud of the Avatar Rewards Program lets you earn the best rate on purchasing Gold Crowns, AND receive rare stretch-goal items from our monthly livestreams! This program automatically enrolls you in the monthly livestreams (counts as the $5 minimum purchase) along with other perks.

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

  • 9 Gold Crowns of the Obsidians every month
  • Automatic Participation in the Monthly Livestream Stretchgoals (counts as the $5 minimum purchase)
  • 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
  • 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

Weekend Flash Sale: Deeds

In Release 59 made it so our free players can now own property and we added Keep and Castle POT Deeds to Crown Merchants! To celebrate all basement, home, and property lot deeds are on sale this weekend!

Upcoming Events Calendar

Nov 15, 2018 – Release 60
Nov 19, 2018 – Release 60 Dance Party
Nov 30, 2018 – Release 60 Livestream
Dec 13, 2018 – Release 61
Dec 17, 2018 – Release 61 Dance Party
Dec 21, 2018 – Release 61 Livestream
Jan 31, 2019 – Release 62
Feb 2, 2019 – Release 62 Livestream
Feb 28, 2019 – Release 63
Mar 8 – 17, 2019 – SXSW
Mar 18 – 22, 2019 – GDC
Mar 28, 2019 – Release 64
Apr 25, 2019 – Release 65
May 30, 2019 – Release 66
June 27, 2019 – Release 67
July 25, 2019 – Release 68
Aug 29, 2019 – Release 69

Visit the official Community Calendar to see the great lineup of activities our amazing community has planned for this weekend! And be sure to check out this month’s Release Events thread in the SotA forums for additional events.

Community Event: Put Up Yer Dukes! Get your fight on in Stormsong Vale!

[Forum post by MelfromHell]

Come join us for some North Paladis Pugilism, THIS Saturday, November 10, 7:00 PM CST.

Message Church here on the forums, on Discord (Church#4018), or mail Church in game.
Join us in Stormsong Discord – https://discord.gg/SZBams

For more info: http://bit.ly/PunchNerosNow​

Community Event: The Stone Dragon Player Quest

[Forum post by Lily Byrd]

Come to Jade Valley near the Elysium Mines. It’s a Player owned town. When you land on the bridge check your map, find the Jade Valley Graveyard marked, and go there. The quest is in the graveyard. You will find the first 2 books on a pedestal at the entrances. There is a prize for finishing: It is a copy of the story, a candle, a chair, a rug, and a bowl of dragon stew.

Brought to you by the Jade Valley community; May your ancestor’s wisdom not be forgot.

Chapter one of the Stone Dragons

Part one of two.

Zyrina and Phlebus turned back to stare at their two trailing companions as they finally meandered out the near side of the old wooden covered bridge and Zyrina called out, “Meet us at the old graveyard in the Jade Dragons tool shed and workshop on the top floor, Laggards!! We will have drinks waiting.” She then turned back and sprinted to catch up with Phlebus. His quick stride, still as familiar as his lanky frame, was faster than she normally travelled, and it was easy to fall behind in this peaceful valley. The desire to slow down, breathe deeply, and just be in the woods was strong. Not strong enough to slow the pace of a focused and determined Phlebus though. He was single minded about this rumor they had heard and was determined to talk with the graveyard caretaker before dark and be at the River Runner Inn beside the river in Jade Valley tucked into his bed with a lovely hot rum toddy to comfort him before the chill of the night was upon the land. The rumor was disturbing to say the least. More and more fetid carcasses of various sized animals were said to be found in the valley all of them bearing the scarring and the afterglow of dark magic.

Zyrina had been teasing him that he was full of “book learnin’ but not real learnin’”. It annoyed him that she might be right, but he wasn’t going to show any soft bits to his oldest friend. He knew she would not stop till he proved to her that he had indeed been studying with mages at the castle libraries, that it was useful knowledge, and he hadn’t spent the entire 7 years drinking with his friends in Central Britanny. Though she had taken to the twins right away, and conversation flowed as if they’d been speaking for years, she was still wary of the friends Phlebus had arrived with from the big city. The two oldest friends had been in contact by mail but had not been in each other’s company for the entire seven years that Phlebus had been studying with the old mages. There were some awkward silences as they got familiar with each other’s routines and movements while exploring Jade Valley, but their old familiarity was finding its well-worn path and they were more and more comfortable as the afternoon wore on.

Zyrina had taken the last 7 years to travel around the entirety of New Britannia learning how to survive on her own and how to protect those she cared about. That concise energetic woman full of grand ideas possessed an eagle eye. Her aim with her bow was not to be discounted and Phlebus always felt a little safer when she walked with him through the woods. Like tonight, the woods seemed peaceful, the river flowed lazily around the bend and the air was sweet here, with a hint of chill, but there were lurkings that Phlebus could sense under the veneer of safety. Something moist and dark was hidden here in this valley and it was harming animals and birds of all sizes. His arm hair stood fully at attention. Phlebus shook his head to clear his mind. His training had taught him to respect the knowledge of his body. His body could sense something his mind couldn’t. First, they would talk with the caretaker at the Jade Dragons Tool Shed and Workshop property and see what knowledge Ivan could add to what Phlebus suspected was happening to disturb the valley. The companions had passed wagons with body parts and some with whole animals who were on their way to the village’s burn pile with the remains and they spied other people working on clearing up the various bodies to get ready for the wagons. It was obvious why Jade Valley wanted this mystery solved. And obvious why they thought it was something more than normal pranks that never ever include death or decay.

Earlier at the Hall of Inquiry and Learning near the stone bridge the librarian had taught them to use the local map for this valley (Mal Hari has done a bang-up job of keeping the map up to date and most public locations are marked (press M on keyboard)). Just when the group was getting directions to the Jade Dragons guild hall which faces the large stone dragon in the local market square, Rinaldi sauntered into the building and overheard their conversation. He introduced himself as one of the officers of the guild attending the meeting and he willingly guided the four to the company of Mal Hari and other officers of the Jade Empire Calan Caitin, Elnoth, Froji, Joe, Maganda Hari, Merrik Dragon, One Zero, and Paston Bane, up on the top floor of the guild hall. Each gave what knowledge they had acquired to the companions. Phlebus had been corresponding with the local Governor, Mal Hari, by mail. He had been concerned about this new twist in his otherwise peaceful valley home. Mal was certain that there was more to it than the local youth out playing pranks on the farmers in the valley. He wanted answers. Each little bit Phlebus learned added to his theory that this indeed was not the pranks of children.

The putrid odor of decaying, mutilated carcass was not something Phlebus wanted to breathe. Ever again. His libraries had not prepared him for the olfactory feast of the countryside let alone the brutality of burned decayed flesh rotting in spoiled fields. Mal originally asked Phlebus’s teacher for help and Trida had thrust Phlebus back into the world outside the city and away from his scrolls. He was ready, but he was made awkward by the suddenness of his reentry into the world outside the libraries and pubs he had become accustomed to frequenting. At least Trida had given Phlebus a pep talk before sending him into the world and then waved goodbye to him and because of those kindnesses and more, Phlebus wanted to solve this mystery for Mal Hari. He hurried his pace for the last bit toward the Stone Dragon Graveyard because he wanted to be done with this interview and back to his lodgings before the late night was upon them.

Continued in Chapter One. Part Two. At the Graveyard in Jade Valley until 25 November 2018


Community Event: Novia Market R59 Grandmaster Bundles

[Forum post by ldykllr]

NoMa Grandmastery Bundles (R59)

Every month we are offering four professional-grade bundles:

  1. Adventurer’s Bundle – some of the highest grade gear available in the land, ready to take a novice adventurer to the journeyman level! This month we are featuring armor from Robyn Hood!
  2. Crafter’s Bundle – Are you an aspiring Alchemist/Enchanter? The Enchanter’s Starter Kit comes complete with all the items you will need to get started!
  3. Dungeon Bundle – Want to build your own dungeon but don’t know where to start? This bundle will include recipes, blueprints, and deco to get you on your way to crafting your own dungeon!
  4. Yule Bundle – ‘Tis the Season! This bundle is the first of many seasonal bundles we will have throughout the year! All the deco you need to get ready for the upcoming Yule Season!

These bundles will be raffled on November 16th (the day after R60 release). Tickets are on sale now and priced especially for beginners at 500gp each bundle.

No matter how many tickets a character purchases, they will only get a single chance at winning that bundle – so purchase only one ticket per bundle!

We are hosting the ticket vendors and a display table of what each bundle entails at Market Square, at the south end of NoMa (if you check in with the town crier, it is the only City lot in town and under Governor Robyn Hood’s name). As you wander past all of our merchants, please do some window shopping and take a look at what all of our residents have to offer!

(Screenshots below to help you find your way).

Cheers,

Ben & Robyn

Screenshots

Location of the Market Square in Novia Market

Community Event: Design the S Mart Heraldry contest

[Forum post by Vladamir Begemot]

S Mart needs your help! We’ve been hemming and hawing over our Heraldry for quite some time, and just couldn’t get it right.

So we’re running a contest. See below for some mock-ups of what we’re looking for. These are the general idea.

  • The person in the chair should be in more of a lounge, comfortable, pajama style outfit
  • The person should also be more comfortable, lounging back and reading, maybe with a leg crossed over the other
  • We think that no background is better for heraldry (see the one with all the white)
  • I put the empty chair pic in for reference, I do like the Brown Suede chair
  • Different styles are fine
  • A thought was also having a window frame that the “viewer” is looking in through. I don’t like the idea much, Viola does, but if you go for it and it’s the best, we’ll use it!

If you want to throw some joke Heraldry, or something totally different that you think might work, go for it.

Post here a 256×256 .png, this is what will be being judged, as it is what will be uploaded to the Heraldry server.

The winner has to agree that the work becomes our property to use as we please.

You don’t have to include the source files, but I will appreciate it if you do. I will use it to make a real footer in my forum posts, and use it as a watermark, logo, etc.

Contest closes on November 5th, 11:59 Central Time/NBT. We will announce the winner on November 6th. 50 COTO’s to the winner!



Meretz: Win a Circle of Stones Rift Dungeon Entrance

Win a Circle of Stones Rift Dungeon Entrance plus 125 Point Dungeon – AND earn free SotA in-game items daily!

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

We’re talking potions, emotes, sweepstakes, giveaways, and tons more!

With Meretz, we launch a new sweepstakes every month.
This month, we’re giving away a Circle of Stones Rift Dungeon Entrance plus 125 Point Dungeon – valued at $100!
You can also enter to win a Relics By Rild $50 Gift Card and other cool prizes.
AND, use your MPs every day for in-game items like potions and emotes.

Good luck!

What are you waiting for? Download Meretz TODAY!

Project to Support: Underworld Ascendant (launches Nov 15!)

From the creative minds behind the acclaimed Ultima Underworld®, System Shock and Thief series, in Underworld Ascendant®, Paul Neurath and Warren Spector’s OtherSide Entertainment challenges you to think creatively in an interactive sandbox environment.

You are summoned by a mysterious figure to The Stygian Abyss, a dangerous and constantly evolving dungeon world imperiled by the looming threat of the beast Typhon. To save this world, and yours – you must overcome complex challenges, uncover lost secrets and gain favor with factions to maximize your knowledge and strength. Utilize your environment to stack the odds in your favor. Devise the ideal plan to overcome the challenges you face or dive in and think on your feet.

Each decision holds great opportunity and grave consequence. What you leave behind will be engraved on the lives of others. Assuming you survive…

Purchase on Steam

Project to Support – The Dreams in Gary’s Basement

“The Dreams in Gary’s Basement: A Documentary on Gary Gygax” (Kickstarter)

“Gary is a down-on-his-luck shoe repairman, but when he pursues his passion for fantasy games, it takes him on a real-life adventure.”

Gary Gygax was one of the great minds of the 20th century – his innovations have influenced generations of artists and spawned tens of billions of dollars in global revenue.

With Dungeons & Dragons, Gary crafted a vehicle for engaging the mind at a creative, analytical, social and even emotional level – all at the same time. There is truly nothing else like it.

Gary’s work has woven itself into the fabric of our culture, yet there is no monument to recognize him, not even in his own hometown. We intend this project to be a filmic monument of sorts – a high-quality, emotionally engaging record of Gary’s story that can be appreciated by gamers and non-gamers alike for generations to come.

Join the Kickstarter now!

Project to Support: Dragons & Dragonkin – The Coloring Book!

“The artist’s second coloring book – this time celebrating all manner of Dragons & Dragonkin with all new original pieces!”

Indi Martin of Tortoise & Hare Creations who illustrated our Shroud of the Avatar comic books and successfully created an awesome Adult Coloring Book is running her second Kickstarter right now!

Welcome to Dragons & Dragonkin, the Kickstarter campaign for my second coloring book!

In October 2016, I finally Kickstarted my first coloring book. I love doing lineart and inks, and had fielded several requests to pursue one, but I wanted to wait until I found a theme I could really sink my teeth into – I love themes! That theme was Dangerous Women, and 84 wonderful backers helped bring it to life. The original goal was a 24-illustration coloring book, but stretch goals helped bring it up to 40! Since its publishing, it’s become one of my best-sellers at conventions.

I knew I wanted to tackle another coloring book, but again, I wanted to wait until I felt drawn to a theme that could sustain at least 40 pieces. As fantasy illustration has become a larger chunk of my work over the last few years, I knew it would be down that path – and once it hit me, it seemed so obvious. I always joke that none of my dragons look more than tangentially related – they’re my favorite creature on which to practice new shading techniques, new shapes, scales, feathers, anything really. For Inktober this year, I wanted to do some of that experimentation, but also drill down a bit and see if there was a recognizably-“Indi” dragon type in there somewhere too. It also struck me as the perfect theme for my next coloring book – Dragons & Dragonkin!

Join the Kickstarter now!

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.