Q2 2019 Update

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

Greetings Avatars,

The first quarter kicked off 2019 with a huge bang! We added the Envy Angel (another seasonal boss), more expansions to the Player Made Dungeons (including Encounters!), Back Slot Items, Pronged Weapons, Pirate Items, Massive Repricing, Fertilizer for Agriculture, Crown Store Polish, Baby Dragons and Tons of Quality of Life Improvements!

The second quarter is going to be just as amazing as Q1! We will have Crafting Specializations (choose your effect!), the ability to flag your Row Lots as empty (crops!), the return of the Atavists of Purity (seasonal boss/creature), Episode 2 areas, Raid groups (groups of groups) and more quality of life improvements.

Stay with us for Episode 2 which will have a new story, new lands, a revamp of the Quest and Journal system, a Theater System, Treasure Hunting with treasure maps that show up as loot, Item Affinity, Taming system expansions, Customizable NPCs, and expanded permissions for containers and doors!

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.

Q2 Top 10 Priorities: As mentioned previously we keep a running list of our Top 10 priorities at all times that we use when building our schedule and prioritizing where to allocate our team’s resources. We often refer to it when making decisions about the project. While it has a VERY strong influence on what we work on at any given time, it does not mean that we only work on something that is on the list. It just means that if someone can assist with something that will help address an item on the list, then we will make sure they do that first before working on anything else. Sometimes team members cannot assist with anything on our top priorities, so they work on other tasks such as visual polish, combat balance, or content that helps us raise funds.

1. Quality of Life: We will continue to make general improvements to quality of life by removing slowdowns and annoyances in gameplay.
2. Systems and User Interface Polish: Polishing and improving existing systems will continue to be a major focus. This will take priority over new systems. We will also continue to polish various UI elements.
3. Bug Fixing: We will continue to focus more on fixing bugs versus new content and new features.
4. Performance: While the game is much more playable now we feel there is still more to be gained so in Q1 we will continue making code and content changes to improve performance.
5. New User Experience Polish: We will polish and improve various elements of the New User Experience.
6. Seasonal Content: Content to support Summer events will be brought back.
7. Improved Reward Cycle: We will continue our focus on systemic and game-wide upgrades to the quality and quantity of loot.
8. Player Made Dungeons: We will also continue to add new features and content to the Player Made Dungeons feature.
9. Shipping Phase 3: Collector’s Boxes will ship to those who did not get theirs in the first or second rounds.
10. Episode 2: New areas for dwelling and adventure related to Episode 2 will go live.

As always, all dates, durations, and deliverables are subject to change as we adjust our designs based on direct feedback from you, our players.

RELEASE 65, April 25, 2019

• Performance: Performance work will mainly focus on improving frame rate and reducing hitching during gameplay. Work will also continue to be done on load time reduction on the few outstanding scenes that are not meeting our 15-second load time target.
• Combat: A pass will be done on summoned pet balance. This will include additional party bonuses based on pet type.
• Crafting & Economy: Fertilizer will now be able to be used in Agriculture to affect the outcome. Players will also be able to purchase items from the “Vault” section of the Crown Shop which will feature rare, previously-expired items that will be available for a limited time at a premium price.
• Player Towns & Player Housing: Our first ever paintable homes will also go live! Additionally updates to Dynamic Player-Owned Towns (POTs) that have locked submission forms will appear in the game.
• Livestream Content: We will add recent livestream stretch goal items.

RELEASE 66, May 30, 2019

• Story: The first area associated with Episode 2 will appear!
• Performance: Performance work will mainly focus on improving frame rate and reducing hitching during gameplay. Work will also continue to be done on load time reduction on the few outstanding scenes that are not meeting our 15 second load time target.
• Combat: Players will be able to join multiple groups into large Raids (groups of groups).
• Crafting & Economy: Crafters will be able to choose a single Crafting Specialization (Smithing, Tailoring, Alchemy, Carpentry) which will allow them to  choose effects during Masterworking or Enchanting (versus random selection).
• Player Towns & Player Housing: We will provide lot owners the ability to flag their Row Lots as empty which will open up the ability to do things like plant crops on Row Lots for the first time ever! Additionally updates to Dynamic Player-Owned Towns (POTs) that have locked submission forms will appear in the game.
• Livestream Content: We will add recent livestream stretch goal items.

RELEASE 67, June 27, 2019

• Story: The Luminous Atavist has returned from hiding! Some residents of Novia are not pleased with the sudden and voluminous influx of Outlander immigrants. The Atavists of Purity have vowed to rid Novia of the Outlander scourge. “Their houses crowd our fair towns! Their wares compete with those of native Novian merchants!” yells their leader, the Luminous Atavist. He and his lieutenants, the Knight Purifiers, have been known to ambush unwary Outlanders on the road. They are even swelling their ranks with common folks who call themselves Unifiers.
• Performance: Performance work will mainly focus on improving frame rate and reducing hitching during gameplay. Work will also continue to be done on load time reduction on the few outstanding scenes that are not meeting our 15-second load time target.
• Crafting & Economy: Upon achieving Grandmaster in a crafting school you will now unlock a set of new exclusive effects for Masterworking and Enchanting.
• Player Towns & Player Housing: Players will have the ability to add custom conversations to their NPCs (shopkeepers, POT NPCs, servants, etc.). Additionally updates to Dynamic Player-Owned Towns (POTs) that have locked submission forms will appear in the game.
• Livestream and Seasonal Content: We will add recent livestream stretch goal items as well as the return of Lord British’s birthday recurring items.

We continue to be incredibly thankful for the support we receive from this amazing community. While the financial support you provide makes all of this possible, it pales in comparison with the faith you have in us, the feedback you provide us, and the content you are making for everyone to enjoy. We are humbly grateful, and we are always excited to see you each month in New Britannia!

Join us for Episode 2 which will have a new story, new lands, a revamp of the Quest and Journal system, a Theater System, Treasure Hunting with treasure maps that show up as loot, Item Affinity, Taming system expansions, Customizable NPCs, and expanded permissions for containers and doors!

Sincerely,
Starr Long
Executive Producer
Shroud of the Avatar