Avatar’s Update #351: Play Release 70 Now! R70 Livestream Today! Spooky Crown Shop Items!

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

News Announcements

Community Updates

Play Release 70 Now!

Release 70 successfully launched yesterday, September 26, with thousands of backers downloading, patching, and logging in to check out the changes! There’s lots of new content to explore, including:

  • Ulfheim Rework
  • Nightmares
  • Pumpkin Head Returns
  • New Skills: Taming Frenzy, Solar Flare, Rainbow Blast Combo
  • Will-o-Wisp & Phoenix summons balance
  • POT Water Type Changers
  • Spooky Recurring Items Return
  • Skull Masks
  • R70 Rewards Program Items: Spooky Theme!
  • Performance Improvements
  • More Bug Fixes
  • and more!

Check out the Release 70 Instructions update for detailed information about all the new content.

If you have not downloaded the game yet, go to www.shroudoftheavatar.com and click the “Play Now” button. The game is also available on Steam.

Release 70 Player Instructions

Release 70 Known Issues


Release 70 Livestream Today

The Release 70 Livestream is set for today, Friday September 27, at 3 PM Central Time! All Avatars from around the world are welcome to join us in the livestream activities. We will be talking about all our Spooky Stuff (Pumpkin Head, Nightmares, etc), touring scenes, answering questions, and handing out prizes. In addition we will have a special guest (and old friend) Rustic Dragon on the livestream to talk about the Kickstarter for Through the Moongate Part II!

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: Spooky Stuff: Pumpkin Head, Nightmares, Spooky Clothes and Decorations
  • 4:00 PM: Through the Moongate Part II Kickstarter with special guest Rustic Dragon
  • 4:30 PM: Scenes Tour: Ulfheim, Tartarus (new levels)

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 “Nightmares do come true” into chat OR by purchasing any item from our webstore during the livestream!

  • Ornate Scythe
  • Day of the Dead Mask 6-Pack
  • Skeleton 6-Pack (digital)
  • Undead Specimen Vats Set
  • Gallows
  • Haunted Gothic Village Inn

SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS

We will be answering questions throughout the livestream, so submit them in Twitch Chat during the event.

Watch on Twitch Friday September 27 at 3 PM CDT

Are You a Livestreamer?

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

 

9/27 Crown Shop Updates

Greetings Avatars,

The Crown Shop is crammed this week with tons of new items just in time to dress up for your costume balls and haunted home decoration needs! There are fifteen new colored lights, POT Water Type Changers, a Flaming Skull Mask, a Dyeable Flower Hairpiece, and a Round Heraldry Shield! On top of that Spooky Seasonal Recurring items are back for a limited time until November 8! We are continuing the spooky theme for the Vault with another round of expired spooky items and livestream spooky items!

  • Colored Light Fixtures: We have added a huge variety of light fixtures that cast colored light to the Crown Shop! They come in three colors (Blue, Yellow, and Red) and five types (Wall, Ceiling, Floor, Street, and Table). We plan to create more light colors in the future.
  • POT Water Type Changers: At the request of players, we are adding the ability to change the type of water used when fishing in your Player-Owned Town by placing and using a Saltwater or Fetid Water statue (all POTs are Freshwater by default). These two statues are available in the Crown Shop. Sorry, no switching to lava!
  • Flaming Skull Mask: This Flaming Skull Mask will be sure to haunt the dreams of any who behold your visage.
  • Dyeable Flower Hairpiece: This Dyeable version of the Flower Hairpiece is the perfect complement to any hairstyle. 
  • Bats and Bugs Decorations: Inspired by the recent additions of Butterfly and Fog decorations, we have added Bats and Bugs decorations to the Crown Shop, just in time for decorating your Haunted house!
  • Round Heraldry Shield: We have added a new Round Heraldry Shield to the Crown Shop that you can use to display your custom heraldry.
  • Spooky Seasonal Recurring Items: With Halloween coming up we have brought back all of the Spooky Seasonal Recurring items to the Crown Shop for a limited time! Get them before they expire again until next year on November 8!
    • Undead Specimen Vats 
    • Giant Lich Statue with Magic Portal Dungeon Entrance 
    • Giant Grim Reaper Statue with Magic Portal Dungeon Entrance 
    • Ornate Giant Grim Reaper Statue with Magic Portal Dungeon Entrance 
    • Ornate Scythe & Pattern Pack 
    • Dead Tree with Spider Webs 6-Pack 
    • Day of the Dead Masks
    • Spooky Emotes: Breathe Spiders, Rain Spiders, Puke Blood, etc.
    • Woven Spider Web Cloak 
    • Spider Web Cloak 
    • Ornate Spider Legs 
    • Zombie Pets
  • The Vault: Current round of Vault items are available until Thursday, September 26 at 10:30 AM Central Time. At that time, the next round of 9 items will be available for two weeks, and then the next, etc
    • 2016 Spooky Soundtrack – Wax Cylinders 
    • Obsidian Throne
    • Headless Mask
    • 2016 Grim Reaper Statue
    • 2016 Grim Reaper Mask
    • Nightmare Statue with flaming mane and glowing eyes
    • 2016 Jack-o-Lantern 6-Pack
    • 2016 Jack-o-Lantern Glowing Mask
    • Obsidian Village Home

October Login Reward: Skull Mask

Next week is the first week to login and obtain the October login reward! To celebrate Halloween, every player who logs in during the month of October will receive a unique Skull Mask!

To receive the rewards simply login to the game before the end of October and check your rewards tab!

NOTE: You still have three days left to receive the September login reward (Dragon Statue with Flames)!

Release 70 Reward Program Exclusive Items: Spooky Theme!

Halloween is right around the corner so we decided to make the Rewards Program items for Release 70 spooky themed! Reward Program members will receive these exclusive items immediately upon logging in during Release 70!

    • Obsidian Order Altar 
    • Executioner’s Mask 
    • Baby Black and Orange Spider Pet

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

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

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

  • 900 Gold Crowns of the Obsidians every month
  • Exclusive Monthly 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

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.

Fishing Contest & Various Other Livestreams (YouTube)

The Saltwater Fishing Contest Livestream last week was a blast! Here is the livestream from our YouTube channel in case you missed it:

Atos and others also sometimes livestream and you can check those out on our YouTube channel (complete with “Mojito the dog” cam).  Note that if you subscribe to the channel you will be notified when they go live.

 

Upcoming Events Calendar

Be sure to check out the Forums Recurring Events section for other events!

Sept 27 – Release 70 Livestream
Oct 10 – 13 – SOTA International Convention
Oct 31 – Release 71
Nov 14 – Release 72
Dec 12 – Release 73
Jan 30 – Release 74
Feb 27 – Release 75
Mar 26 – Release 76

Project to Support – Through the Moongate Part II Kickstarter

“Through the Moongate – Part II: The story of Richard Garriott, Origin Systems Inc and Ultima – From Wing Commander and Ultima VII to Portalarium” a book by Andrea Contato.

Through the Moongate is the ambitious two-volume comprehensive history of the Ultima series, Lord British, and Origin Systems at-large. Part I was successfully Kickstarted on October 16th, 2018 and covered Richard Garriott’s humble beginnings up through Ultima VI. Part II covers Ultima VII to Portalarium and includes Wing Commander and other important Origin titles.

Part II, which is already finished in Italian, is currently on Kickstarter to raise funds for translation and printing. If you’re interested in the history of Lord British and Origin Systems, definitely check out this project! Also, if you missed Part I, copies are conveniently available with certain pledges in the Kickstarter.

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.