Avatar’s Update #326: R64 Livestream Now April 12

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 64 Livestream: Now April 12

The Release 64 Livestream is now Friday April 12. We adjusted the date so we could focus today on addressing the ongoing graphical issues associated with our recent upgrade to the latest version of Unity. Thank you for your patience.

All Avatars from around the world are welcome to join us in the livestream activities. We will be doing deep dives, answering questions, handing out prizes, and tracking towards stretch goals. To celebrate Spring and the arrival of the Envy Angel our theme for Release 64 is Dark Spring!

LIVESTREAM SCHEDULE (Central Time Zone)

Monthly livestreams are on Twitch and include answers to your gameplay questions, deep dives, prize giveaways, and more! Here is the schedule:

3 PM: Introductions
3:30 PM: Easter Egg Tour (tour of hidden things and pop culture references)
4:15 PM: Easter Egg Hunt (see below)
5 PM: Ending Announcements

EASTER EGG HUNT:

We are going to have our very first Easter Egg Hunt!

To participate in the contest search the game for Public Cache Chests with Easter Eggs hidden in them. If you find Eggs named “Easter Egg Hunt 5th Prize”, “Easter Egg 4th Prize”, etc. then you have won! Once you have found the prize eggs then you will need to find List Rostov (Vas Corp Por in the forums) or Atos in Hometown and turn in your prize eggs to claim your prize! Note that some chests will have miscellaneous prizes including confections, crowns, and regular eggs.

Prizes:

5th Prize: Royal Elven Longbow
4th Prize: Ornate Elven Furniture Set
3rd Prize: Elven Guard Tower (digital)
2nd Prize: Hollow Log Two-Story Village House (digital)
1st Prize: Player Owned Town Village Lot Property Deed (digital)

STRETCH GOALS (Dark Spring)

As a special bonus, we are offering funding rewards to any player that makes a minimum purchase of $5 during Release 64. In honor of Spring and the arrival of our newest seasonal boss, The Envy Angel, our theme is Dark Spring!

All webstore purchases during the Release will count towards the stretch goals, not just the two hours of the livestream! Also participation in the Rewards Program counts towards our stretch goal totals!

$15K: Flower Hairpiece
$30K: Dark Leaf Spear
$45K: Flower Bed
$60K: Dark Thorn Wand & Dark Thorn 1H Sword
$75K: Redthorn (Shardfall Plant) Decoration Pack
$90K: Dark Thorn Mace & Dark Leaf Shield
$105K: Cenote Player Dungeon Room (open to sky with water and plants)
$125K: Dark Thorn 2H Sword and Dark Thorn Staff

*Please keep in mind that stretch goal rewards take time to develop and will most likely not be available until Release 67 at the earliest. We will keep you updated!

WIN THESE GREAT PRIZES!

We will be giving prizes away on an hourly basis with many being given away multiple times. Enter for a chance to win a prize by either logging into the game and typing “Dark Spring has Sprung” into chat OR by purchasing any item from our store during the livestream!

Black Butterfly Mask (digital)
Wedding Dress (digital)
Wedding Tuxedo (digital)
Tall White Floral Box Hedge Fence (digital)
Ornate Elven Planting Beds Set (digital)
Storefront Greenhouse Four-Story Row Home

SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS

We will be answering questions throughout the livestream, so submit them in the comments section of the original post or in Twitch Chat during the event.

Watch @ShroudofAvatar updates throughout the day of the livestream. See you on Twitch!

Q2 2019 Update

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.

Quality of Life: We will continue to make general improvements to quality of life by removing slowdowns and annoyances in gameplay.
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.
Bug Fixing: We will continue to focus more on fixing bugs versus new content and new features.
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.
New User Experience Polish: We will polish and improve various elements of the New User Experience.
Seasonal Content: Content to support Summer events will be brought back.
Improved Reward Cycle: We will continue our focus on systemic and game-wide upgrades to the quality and quantity of loot.
Player Made Dungeons: We will also continue to add new features and content to the Player Made Dungeons feature.
Shipping Phase 3: Collector’s Boxes will ship to those who did not get theirs in the first or second rounds.
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

Darkstarr Recurring Items

It is the Regent Darkstarr’s (aka Starr Long) birthday on March 12th! In honor of his birthday the recurring rare Darkstarr items are in the Crown shop for a limited time! They will only be available this year until May 3rd and then you will have to wait for another full year before they become available again!

Here’s a list of those recurring items:

Darkstarr Fur Collared CloakLord British vs Darkstarr Battle BannerDarkstarr Shield & Darkstarr Shield Pattern Pack Darkstarr Basement Entrance Eternal Pattern

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 the Portalarium Offices, and dinner with the game leaders including Lord British himself! Only 24 of these unique bundles will be sold!

Complete List of Rewards:

UPDATED: 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
NEW: Unique Lord of the Isle Home (to be revealed later)
UPDATED: PLUS Choice of any 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)
NEW: Unique Lord of the Isle Dungeon Room (to be revealed later)
1400 Crowns
999 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 Portalarium Offices
Fine dinner and drinks with Lord British, Darkstarr, & 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). Other items will be delivered at a future date TBD.

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

Ask Us Anything Livestream (+ Atos Livestreams) (YouTube)

Last week’s Row Homes livestream was beautiful! We showed off some amazingly decorated Row Homes by our players and demonstrated how to decorate. As a reminder every player who finishes any of the Outskirts (roughly 2 hours of gameplay) receives a free Row Lot Deed and Row Home!

In case you missed the fun times here is the Ask Us Anything stream on YouTube:

Additionally Atos has been livestreaming most days and you can check those out on our YouTube channel as well (complete with “Mojito the dog” cam). Note that if you subscribe to the channel you will be notified when he goes live. Here are a few highlights:

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:

900 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

Upcoming Events Calendar

Apr 6, 2019 – Release 64 Dance Party
Apr 12, 2019 – Release 64 Livestream (Dark Spring)
Apr 25, 2019 – Release 65
May 3, 2019 – Release 65 Livestream
May 30, 2019 – Release 66
June 7, 2019 – Release 66 Livestream
June 27, 2019 – Release 67
July 25, 2019 – Release 68
Aug 29, 2019 – Release 69

Community Event: R64 Dance Party

[Forum Post by Amber Raine]

Join us in Rift’s End for the Traditional testoflag fest known as “The Release 64 Dance Party”

Come help the Devs test the limits of the newest update. While partying on the Queen of Chaos we will have our ears tantalized by the best beats this side of the Rift by the one and only Lord of Chaos, Darkstarr himself.
This is a party you are most certainly not going to want to miss!

The Queen of Chaos,
The Lord of Chaos,
On the Isle of Chaos,
One Night Only!!
April 6th 2019
2pm – 5pm NBT
Rift’s End.
Only on Avatars Radio

Community Event: Daggers in the Dark

[Forum Post by Amber Raine]

Coming Soon….

to Serpents Watch
(just over the bridge and a little south and west of Brittany)

March 30th 2019

8pm NBT

The New Britannia Theatre Troupe Presents the next play written by Gabriel Nightshadow and performed by a number of voice Actors across New Britannia.

Music Score composed by Amber Raine

Daggers in the Dark — Don’t Trust Anyone, you never know who might be holding the “Dagger in the Dark”

Community Event: R64 Novia Market 1st Annual Fishing Contest!

[Forum Post by ldykllr]

Calling all Avatars! Come and join us for the 1st Annual Novia Market Fishing Contest! This will be a 24 hour competition, April 13th from 1200am (0000) NBT to 11:59pm (2400) NBT.This contest will be for freshwater and fetid fish, fished up from Novia Market and one of the two fishing dungeons in Novia Market (Alpha Fishstick’s and Rook Strife’s lots, please see the map below).

Rules/Prizes will be as follows:

COTO’s for each trophy fish turned in (yes you heard that right, you get the following coto amounts for EACH trophy fish you turn in caught during the event):

Freshwater Fish:
Pike – 100 cotos
King Salmon – 75 cotos
Black Trout, Brook Trout, Oscar Sunfish, Peacock Bass, Spotted Bass – 10 cotos

Fetid Fish:
Sturgeon – 100 cotos
Alligator Gar – 75 cotos
Tarpon – 50 cotos
Goliath Catfish – 25 cotos
Sharptooth Catfish – 10 cotos

Largest Fish – Fetid or Freshwater (winner can be either type):

1st Place – 100k
2nd Place – 50k
3rd Place – 25k

Largest Freshwater Fish (Rare) – 1000 cotos
Largest Fetid Fish (Rare) – 1000 cotos
Longest Combined Length (Freshwater Rare + Uncommon – no more than one of each fish type – i.e. 1 Black Trout, 1 Oscar Sunfish, etc) – 500 cotos
Longest Combined Length (Fetid Rare + Uncommon – no more than one of each fish type – i.e. 1 Sharptooth Catfish, 1 Golaith Catfish, etc) – 500 cotos

BONUS prizes (these prizes will be given out if they occur during the competition):

Screenshot needed for these two showing in-game chat of item being fished up with the date/time visible. Send to robynhood.sota@gmail.com. I would suggest you don’t try to cheat on this one because I will be able to tell and you will be banned from future competitions.

Ancient Golden Ring/or Necklace – 250 cotos
Pax Ring – 250 cotos

Largest Pacu (if and only if NoMa is POT of the day) – 250 cotos
Caught ALL the Fetid fish (rare + uncommon + common) – 1000 cotos
Caught ALL the Freshwater Fish (rare + uncommon + common) – 1000 cotos

All turn ins will be done at the Pirate Galleon on the town lot under Robyn Hood’s name (take a right from the docks and follow the water until you see the ship and cherry trees). There will be several chests to drop submissions and it will be checked throughout the day. Tiebreakers will be based on the time the fish was caught. For the longest combined length/caught all the fish entries, all fish must be put into a backpack (there will be backpacks in the public cache on the docks on the day of the event) labeled with your name and you must send me an in-game mail (I will even include paper in the backpack!) to let me know you are submitting them for that particular prize. All loose submissions (not in a backpack) will be treated as entries for largest fish and will also count as submissions for cotos.

Depending on the number of participants, it could take some times to process all submissions. I will post here announcing the winners once they have been determined (this may take a day). Winning submissions will be put on display in Novia Market (location tbd) and will not be returned as I’d like to keep a running record and display of winning entries. All other entries will be returned to you.

Fishing dungeon locations (1 – Alpha Fishstick, 2 – Rook Strife):

Project to Support – Avatars Radio

Avatars Radio is a community run and community funded radio station founded by community member Amber Okhan (formerly Amber Raine). They air plays, music, sermons, speeches, and they organize the monthly release dance parties. You can listen to Avatars Radio on their website or through one of the Aether Amplifiers inside Shroud of the Avatar. Consider helping this community endeavor by supporting their Patreon!

“This station was created with the love of our community and fellow citizens in Lord British – Richard Garriott’s new world of Shroud of the Avatar. Our dream desire is to serve and share (simply by airing) communities work through the moon towers. We have an open welcoming of all submissions from our community. Talented musicians (be it instrumental, vocal, or mixer), poets, designers of station identifications and other sound bytes, or perhaps you have the face and voice for radio and would like to try your turn behind the desk as a DJ? This station shall always welcome the creative works of the community weighed over that of earthly!”

Resources – Players Helping Players

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.

Avatar’s Update #326: R64 Livestream Now April 12

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