Update of the Avatar #151 – 2015.11.13: North Naryad Pinelands, R23 Postmortem, Pilgrim Bonnet, Flute, Radio Free Britannia, Hot Air Balloon, and More!

Greetings Fellow Avatars!

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

• The Making of North Naryad Pinelands – Part 2
• Hangout of the Avatar ~ Release 23 Postmortem
• Release 24 Grand Tour Quest Reward: Pilgrim Bonnet
• New Musical Instrument: Flute
• NBNN’s Radio Free Britannia
• All Player Towns Gathering for Release 23
• Clockwork Pets
• Hot Air Balloon
• Shroud of the Avatar Soundtrack Volume 1 – Wax Cylinders
• 52 Day Countdown for Winter Reward & Price Expirations
• Get Your 15% Black Friday Bonus
• In-game Community Events
• Upcoming Events
• Recommended Projects to Back

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The Making of North Naryad Pinelands – Part 2

[Continuation of a Dev+ Forum Post by Esteben “SorcerousSteve” Zaldivar]

Hey guys, a few days ago I introduced you all to a new level I am working on called the North Naryad Pinelands! Below are some screenshots of my updated progress:

The river that passes through the lumber mill/docks mentioned in Episode 1 of The Making of North Naryad Pinelands finalizes in a serene lake nestled between rugged cliffs and wooded pine.

Showcasing the level of detail of the forest. Special attention has been given in order to achieve the most organic feel possible.

Looking southeast to the lumber mills and docks. In the foreground are humble shacks where hardy workers would live while they worked at the lumber mills. Farther away in the background you can catch a glimpse of the Varisalla Foothills of Verdantis.

Introducing a new location! Initially conceived in one our design chats between @Sannio and myself this cave was once a greedy attempt at exploiting precious minerals off the land that ended in disaster.

That’s it for now folks, thank you for all your attention and comments!

Stay tuned for the next episode of Worldbuilding with Esteben!

Esteben Zaldivar
Level Designer

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Hangout of the Avatar ~ Release 23 Postmortem

We had a great Hangout of the Avatar this week, with Richard, Starr, and Chris chatting about Release 23 and providing a sneak peek at Release 24. FireLotus fielded lots of questions and feedback live in the chat-room and from the original post! Here’s the video in case you missed it live:

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Release 24 Grand Tour Quest Reward: Pilgrim Bonnet

Just as we’ve been doing since Release 10, we’re including a Grand Tour Quest in R24 designed to guide you through all the new content. By completing the R24 Grand Tour Quest you will be rewarded with a Pilgrim Bonnet. This reward can only be unlocked during Release 24 (did someone say rares?), so be sure to log in to R24 starting November 19 and talk to all the Tour Guides!

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Dyeable Brown Pilgrim Bonnet

And for those that love to accessorize, the dyeable Brown Pilgrim Bonnet is now available in the Add-On Store!

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New Musical Instrument: Flute

In addition to the lute and piano, you will also be able to play a flute in R24. This instrument can be played freeform using simple key presses along the number row (1-8), with two modifier keys (SHIFT and ALT) providing the player access to a full two octaves of notes, sharps and flats included. You can also use this instrument to play ABC/MML music files stored in the Songs directory. With Synchronized Play, members of a party can play synchronized songs together! You will be able to craft this flute in-game:

This ornate Cordovan Flute is available in the Add-On Store:

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NBNN’s Radio Free Britannia

This past September, the lands of New Britannia got a second radio station, NBNN’s Radio Free Britannia, but players have been unable to hear the new station in-game. Our in-game radios were hard-wired to SotA’s first and only available station, Avatars Radio. Starting in Release 24 next week, the in-game radios will have a UI allowing players to add additional stations!

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All Player Towns Gathering for Release 23

During Release 5 in April 2014, Player Towns appeared for the first with the PaxLair “homestead” located in the NPC town of Valemark. There were several other of these “homestead” Player Towns appearing in our early Releases, including Dara Brae – The Celtic Holdfast (established in Northshire), Vengeance (established in The Brave Coast), Beran’s Reach (established in The Brave Coast), and Port Phoenix (established in Holtrot, then Kingsport).

There were ongoing discussions between Richard Garriott and Winfield, the Governor of PaxLair, regarding player towns, and due to the success of our ongoing crowdfunding, it was decided in June 2014 to make Player Owned Towns an official feature of Episode 1.

These Player Owned Towns (PoTs) turned out to be more popular than we anticipated. In order to keep the Overworld map from becoming too congested, we limited the number of PoTs with direct Overworld access to 230. After those sold out, PoTs were required to connect to other PoTs or NPC towns. As of this writing, there are 260+ PoTs total, with 170+ currently activated in Release 23, and many more coming online next week in Release 24.

To help foster communication and collaboration among this growing community of Player Owned Towns, Governor Winfield is hosting an All Player Towns Gathering in PaxLair this weekend. He shared these thoughts:

Over a year ago in Pre-Alpha Release 10, players got together in game for the first All Player Towns Gathering. We held it in the Hidden Vale well before any Player Owned Towns were purchased and any Player Run Towns (those not purchased) were regularly populated. In fact, the idea of player towns was still a concept. What were the meetings like? Oh, we introduced ourselves and said a few words about the towns we planned (hoped) to build. We dreamed, we envisioned, we made broad plans, and we got to know each other. We were done in about an hour and then toured around the area for more ideas.

What we did accomplish in those early months was very significant! We helped shape the future of how towns could be created, developed and can prosper in New Britannia. I thank all backers who brought forth great ideas. I sincerely thank the developers who listened to us and built a town system we can enjoy and live in for decades to come.

Now a year later, the All Player Towns Gathering is more important than ever. The gathering of people and ideas can significantly affect the future of Novia and those who live within it. We’ve come a long way but now a new dimension is unfolding: regional cooperation and interaction.

The All Player Towns Gathering scheduled for this Sunday, November 15, will focus on towns that are created in the various Regions of Novia. Yes, if you look at the Novian map and read Blade of the Avatar, there are many regions in Novia. Most regions have certain resources, are blocked by control points, and have people with intriguing cultures, attitudes, and interests. Scarce resources or massive conflict in one region will certainly affect other regions! Our towns will be impacted in many ways.

So, I am extremely honored to host this upcoming All Player Towns Gathering. Everyone may attend (in person and/or via radio/video broadcast)! You do not need to be a town owner, leader, or resident. Come see and listen to new ideas. Get involved. Enjoy a Grand Experiment of people working together (or against each other) on the Novian continent in New Britannia.

Dragonspeed! Fish!​

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Here are additional details regarding the All Player Towns Gathering event from Winfield’s forum post:

When: Sunday, November 15, 2015

• Pre-gathering Party
  • 12 PM Central US Time
    • 6 PM GMT
• All Towns Gathering
  • 1-3 PM Central US Time
    • 7-9 PM GMT

Where: PaxLair

• East or Brittany in northern Grunvald region on Spindrift Bay
• Just inside PaxLair entrance, turn right (south).
• /zone Winfield
• TeamSpeak: ts3.avatarscircle.com

Why

• The All Player Towns Gathering is a time for many Player Owned and Run Towns to meet to talk about town development, diplomacy, and ideas.
• All towns and people are invited to attend.
• This is your chance to meet other town leaders, citizens, and adventurers.
• We will have some plenary topics and presentations of information and ideas.
• We will have time for casual social engagement too

Streams

• Audio Avatars Radio:
  • In-game: click on an Aether Amplifier anywhere in the Realm
  • Web: http://www.avatarsradio.info – click on Listen
  • App (Ios and Android): see: https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/forum/index.php?threads/sota-community-app-android.23074/
• Twitch.TV:
  • Amber Raine: http://www.twitch.tv/amberraine
  • NBNN: http://www.twitch.tv/nbnnnews
    • http://www.nbnn.info/

Resources

• SotAWiki.net:
  • Community:All Player Towns Gathering – reference page for this gathering
  • Community:Novia Regions – list of towns and regions
• SotA Forums:
  • R23 All Player Towns Gathering (Sun, Nov 15 at 1-3 PM CST and 12 PM party)
  • Player Owned Towns List

Agenda Topics

I [Winfield] would like to assemble some short topics for the Gathering and moderate them to keep things moving and interesting for everyone. I propose the following topic with a quick road trip:

• Regional Cooperation – Towns are in one of 16 regions of the map. Regions are defined by location/area and by control points. For all towns attending this Gatherings, please decide which Region you live in. We will have chairs/benches set up for each of these 16 regions. Then we will have some discussion based on “regions” that can include commerce, local resources, regional nostalgia and culture, etc.
  • N – Regalis
  • NNE – Hidden Vale
  • NE – Graff Island
  • ENE – Drachvald
  • E – Grunvald
  • ESE – Midmaer
  • SE – Perennial Coast
  • SSE – Quel
  • S – Elysium
  • SSW – Longfall
  • SW – South Paladis
  • WSW – Forsaken Vale
  • W – Verdantis
  • WNW – Norgard
  • NW – Noreach
  • NNW – North Paladis
• Visit Serenite Regional Market for Grunvald – illustrate an example of a cooperative market for the Grunvald region.
• More topics? Please Reply.

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Clockwork Pets

These non-combat, clockwork pets can follow you wherever you go! Available now in the Add-On Store!

Brass Clockwork Cat

Silver Clockwork Dog

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Hot Air Balloon

Be the envy of your neighbors with this Hot Air Balloon anchored in your yard, available now in the Add-On Store!

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Shroud of the Avatar Soundtrack Volume 1 – Wax Cylinders

Twenty of your favorite Shroud of the Avatar songs are included in this Volume 1 bundle of wax cylinder music recordings, available now in the Add-On Store. The following wax cylinders are included:

• “Beautiful Meadow” by Kailef
• “Dance of Fawns” by Holt Ironfell
• “Dark Planet” by Space Bards
• “Elven Truth Seekers” by Quetzalcoatl
• “Forage and Grow” by Richard Daskas
• “Foundation and Strength” by Richard Daskas
• “Kobold Industry” by Kailef
• “Kobold Invention” by Kailef
• “Labor of the Sea” by Santa Clause
• “Lava and Fumaroles” by Santa Clause
• “Loss of Honor” by Dougyfresh
• “Lost in the Desert” by juggernautilus
• “Milk and Honey” by Kailef
• “Over Hill and Round the Mountain” by Richard Daskas
• “Peasants and Pantries” by Santa Clause
• “Salty Dog Shanty” by Richard Daskas
• “Timber and Pelts” by Richard Daskas
• “Town Final” by Drax
• “Trade and Commerce” by Samuli Teerilahti
• “Trekking in the Tall Grass” by Kailef

(NOTE: You will need a Phonograph placed on a Property in-game to play these wax cylinders; Available in-game in Release 24, starting November 19, 2015)

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52 Day Countdown for Winter Reward & Price Expirations

As major milestones such as Alpha and Beta loom ever closer on the horizon, we are announcing the Winter Reward Expiration Event that occurs at 10:30 am CST, January 4, 2016. This event includes the following reward expirations:

• General Rewards (Custom Crest, Name on Tombstone, Custom Avatar)
• All Physical Rewards
• All In-Person Rewards
• Player Owned Town Add-On Store Houses

Additionally, the price will increase for several Add-On Store items.

[More Winter Reward Expiration details…]

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Get Your 15% Black Friday Bonus Now!

Last year we extended our Black Friday Promotion to give you 8 weeks to take advantage of our Black Friday 15% Bonus, and we’re doing it again this year! This is especially helpful for backers that intend to pledge or upgrade prior to upcoming Expiration Events! Here are the details:

For all new purchases (including pledges, pledge upgrades, add-on items, player owned towns, player owned town upgrades, stretch goal items, and Make a Difference items) between 12:00 am CST October 2, 2015 and 12:00 am CST December 1, 2015, we will add an additional 15% bonus to your Store Credit! You can use your Store Credit toward additional purchases (which includes pledges, pledge upgrades, add-on items, player owned towns, and player owned town upgrades).

[NOTE: The 15% bonus is calculated every day at 1:00 pm CST for any purchases within the previous 24 hours and added to your Store Credit account; Any monthly payments paid during the promotion period also receive the 15% bonus; Store Credit cannot be applied toward the purchase of stretch goal or Make a Difference items]

You can use the 15% Bonus to save on your next purchase! For example, if you have the $45 Adventurer pledge and really want to upgrade to the $90 Royal Artisan pledge, you would normally pay the extra $45 for the upgrade. But using the 15% bonus you can immediately save $5. To do so, you would first purchase $40 worth of Store Credit Gift Coupons (via PayPal, Amazon, Bitcoin, or credit card; excluding existing Store Credit) then use the “Convert to Credits” option on your account page to transform the Store Credit Gift Coupons into Store Credit. Within 24 hours an additional $6 bonus ($40 x 15%) would be applied to your Store Credit account, bringing it up to $46. You would then use $45 of your Store Credit to upgrade to the $90 Royal Artisan pledge.

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In-game Community Events

Our amazing community has another great lineup of in-game events planned for this weekend. Special thanks to community member SpookyJenny (aka Jenny Phoenixfyre in-game) for her help in compiling the latest schedule of player events from the Avatar’s Circle Community Events calendar and the Events of the Avatars community calendar:

Recurring Events

• RPOTA Monthly $150 Writing Contest – November Theme is Thanks, Goodwill, and Cooperation
  • Here ye! Here ye! Biographers, Historians, Diplomats, Journalists, Story Writers, Quest Designers and Videographers! RPOTA is in dire need of your amazing talents! Role-Players of the Avatar is hosting a monthly contest to award those most famous with their quill or camera! (details)
• The R23 Unreliable Travel Guide
  • The Unreliable Travel Guide, created at the SotA Writing Round Table, is not an event, but a collection of hilarious short stories published by two drunken layabouts who have nothing better to do than try to derive a dishonest income from newly arrived avatars. (details)
• Avatars Radio (Daily Programming)
  • Welcome New Britannians to Avatars Radio – Radio of the Avatars. Rocking your socks off from the town of Radio City with the Terrestrial and New Britannian bards together under one roof through the power of the Moon Towers.  Check out their daily program of amazing DJs:  http://avatarsradio.info/schedule.php
• NBNN Lunch with Laz & Jack (Weekdays, 12pm CST)
  • Join NBNN every weekday for Lunch With Laz & Jack. They will be covering the daily goings on in SOTA. Calendar updates, Relevant issues happening in the days news. Come chat with us about upcoming events and general information. http://nbnn.info
• Daily War Time PVP Event (Daily, 8pm CST – 9pm CST)
  • Invitation to all guilds, PK hunters, PVP’rs or players interested in PVP training to come to Chaos Crossroads (Located at the crossroads outside of Kingsport on the road to Owl’s Head). PVP Event rules: None! Use whatever spells you want, kill in mobs or solo, group with new allies and defend your territory, lure newbies into the town and wack them! (details)
• Daily Breakfast Club – 12am CST (London UK); 6am CST (Central US); 3pm CST (Sydney Australia)
  • Breakfast Clubs offer a time when people from around different time zones can gather. (Wody’s Pub, Paxlair)
• “The Tavern Respite” RP Event (Mondays, 8pm CST)
  • The tavern door opens before you, and the scent of pipe and stew waft outwards with a wall of warmth from the hearth. Join in with the patrons of the Bear Tavern as they share tales of their adventures amid endless mugs of ale, legs of mutton, and merriment unbounded (The Bear Tavern in PaxLair; /zone Elgarion De’Khali; details)!
• Challenge Dungeon Run (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 7pm CST)
  • This is a self-host event, meet at the Braemar Cemetery and organize into groups to take on the infamous Chillblain’s Compendium of Pain & Suffering!
• PaxLair Working Hours – Host Sean Silverfoot (Tuesdays, 2pm)
  • PaxLair town and community “working hours” are for anyone interested in PaxLair. We will be in New Britannia doing things as a town when many people can work together. Sean Silverfoot hosts this working period. / zone Sean Silverfoot
• Novian Academy – New Citizen Help Hours (Tuesdays, 6pm CST)
  • /zone Kazyn Phoenixfyre of Novian Academy in Soltown as they provide guidance to those new to the world of New Britannia.
• Happy Hour Wednesdays (Wednesdays, 8pm CST)
  • Otherwise known as “Spend Stryker’s Gold” – Stryker will open a bar tab at one of the local Novia taverns for an hour or so for drinks, stories, news, critique of the arts, dancing, and otherwise unplanned mayhem. Zone /Stryker Sparhawk or watch this thread for locations each week!
• Gladiator Wars (Thursdays, 7pm CST)
  • A call to all fighters PVE and PVP! Would you like to participate in the “Gladiator Wars” PvP Tournaments? Registration starts at 6pm CST. (Finchfield; /zone Pestilence; details)
• Phoenix Republic PVE Nights (Thursdays & Fridays, 7pm CST)
  • Join the Phoenix Republic as we send our weekly foray into the control points, dungeons and other of the most dangerous locales. Each week we will depart to a different PVE locale to help train our combatants. Contact Kazyn Phoenixfyre or Malakas for more info!
• Novian Academy – Role Play Courses (Fridays, 4pm CST)
  • Luka Melehan is hosting RP classes and practice sessions. (/zone Luka Melehan)
• Shardfall Madness (Fridays, 6pm CST)
  • A PvP event. Contact Wind Silvermoon for details.
• Vengeance Madness (Fridays, 7pm CST)
  • This is an Open PvP event where everyone fights it out in a royal rumble to see who the ultimate death dealer is! (City of Vengeance; /zone Bambino LudoVate)
• Astronomy Event (Fridays, 7:30pm CST)
  • Interested in New Britannia Astronomy? Just enjoy gazing at the stars? Join us every week as we explore the night sky above New Britannia. (Player Town of Caer Dracwych; details)

Saturday, November 14

• 9:00am CST PaxLair Working Hours
  • PaxLair town and community “working hours” are for anyone interested in PaxLair. (/zone Winfield)
• 10:00am CST New Britannia Theatre Troupe Presents “Legacy – Part 1”
  • Join the cast of the New Britannia Theatre Troupe in Radio City as they bring you the first installment of “Legacy” – Written by the playwright Gabriel Nightshadow.
• 11:00am CST Church of the Dark Star – Saturday Service
  • High Priestess of Chaos, Amber Raine, and the Dean of the Novian Academy, Kazyn Phoenixfyre, welcome you to the Church of the Dark Star. A shared project, built upon equality, where all are welcome. Services range from what is Chaos and Order to how they affect different aspects of our life. The path you choose is yours. (PaxLair; details)
• 12:00pm CST BMC Craft Show
  • Come learn the intricacies of crafting from the BMC master craftsman. There will be several well stocked player run stores onsite providing a large variety of bespoke products. Always wanted that custom armor set, legendary weapon or house decoration but didn’t know a supplier? Then this is your chance to grab master crafted items at fair prices. Q&A sessions with master crafters. Prizes! Live coverage on NBNN. (Blackrock Cove near Etceter Crag Mines, /zone Xavier Starfall​; details)
• 12:00pm CST Meeting of the Port Phoenix Guards and Associated Clans/Guilds
  • A meeting between all the Guilds associated with Port Phoenix to coordinate events and form a cohesive group of Fighters and Others to Defend our Towns. Lord-Galiwyn will be in the Town Square in Port Phoenix from 11 am till they are done (Port Phoenix; details)
• 6:00pm CST BMC Second General Assembly
  • Quarterly meeting for the sanctioning of goods. (Blackrock Cove near Etceter Crag Mines, /zone Jaron Schwartzhaar​; details)
• 7:00pm CST Port Phoenix Social Nights
  • Come out and join the Republic in one of many potential events (chosen new each week). Each week we get together for everything from fishing, to music, to gustball, to PVE duneoneering and adventuring. (Contact Kazyn Phoenixfyre for more details!)
• 8:00pm CST Vengeance 1v1 Tournament
  • The longest running Player vs Player tournament in Shroud of the Avatar. (City of Vengeance)

Sunday, November 15

• 5:30am CST Explore Novia! with royalsexy
  • Starting at the entrance to Owl’s Head, come explore the wide world of Novia – for people on our side of the calendar! (Dancing Rock, Owl’s Head Entrance, /zone royalsexy)
• 8:30am CST PaxLair Meeting
  • Come see what PaxLair is up to in Novia and other town areas! Many people also attend from towns and guilds for a bit of a weekly wrap-up and what’s happening. Good discussions! (PaxLair, /zone Winfield)
• 11:00am CST Phoenix Republic Weekly Teamspeak Meeting
  • A Gathering of members of the Phoenix Republic to cover important topic areas of the month. It is here that the republic shall discuss new event types, ideas on new laws and other concerns effecting the Phoenix Republic. (Republic Town Hall, Port Phoenix, teamspeak at ts3.portphoenix.com)
• 12:00pm CST Pre-All Player Towns Gathering R23 Meet & Greet
  • Come an hour before the All Player Towns Gathering meeting (one hour later) to meet people, bring books about your towns, hang out in the hot tubs, and more. Find your Region’s bleacher and get settled in for the Gathering meeting. (PaxLair; /zone Winfield; details)
• 1:00pm CST All Player Towns Gathering R23
  • The All Player Towns Gathering is a time for many Player Owned and Run Towns to meet to talk about town development, diplomacy, and ideas. All towns and people are invited to attend. This is your chance to meet other town leaders, citizens, and adventurers. We will have some plenary topics and presentations of information and ideas, and casual social engagement too. Media coverage provided by Avatars Radio and NBNN (PaxLair, /zone Winfield; details)
• 1:00pm CST Serenite Shopping Extravaganza
  • Shopping Extravaganza at the Serenite Selfridge Mall. Crafters will be available for special orders.
• 3:00pm CST Gustball
  • Two teams are pitted against each other in a sporting event not dissimilar from soccer, football, and basketball. The object of the game is to Gust a Gustball around the field and into your opponent’s goal (/zone Bambino Ludovate, details)
• 5:00pm CST BMC Grid Iron Feast and Registration
  • Register to compete in the BMC Gridiron and mingle with other participants and spectators before the big fight! (Blackrock Cove on Novia near Etceter Crag Mines, details)
• 5:30pm CST BMC Gladiator’s Grid-Iron
  • The BMC is proud to present the nastiest, the foulest, the most feared arena in all of New Britannia! The Grid-Iron is equipped with a pit-style arena, locker rooms, a VIP round-table, betting & vendor booths, and all the blood-sport you can handle. (Blackrock Cove on Novia near Etceter Crag Mines, details)
• 7:00pm CST PaxLair Meeting
  • Come see what PaxLair is up to in Novia and other town areas! Many people also attend from towns and guilds for a bit of a weekly wrap-up and what’s happening. Good discussions!  (PaxLair, /zone Winfield)
• 8:00pm CST Fishing with Winfield
  • Come sit with Winfield on a log or rock to hear some fish tales or tell your own. Chat about anything from the moons to the earth worms. Spend a relaxing day in nature near a stream or lake — bring insect repellent or a sword.  (some fishing spot or pond, /zone Winfield; details)

Be sure and check out the Release 23 Events thread in the SotA forums for additional events that may not be included here.

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Upcoming Events

2015.11.19 – Release 24
2015.12.17 – Release 25
2016.01.28 – Release 26
2016.02.25 – Release 27
2016.03.17 – SXSW Gaming

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Recommended Projects to Back

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In this Throne War Simulator, characters are persistent but the campaign worlds are not, thanks to voxel technology which enables fully-destructible settings. A seamless blend of an MMO with a large-scale strategy game, players are immortal champions, traveling between realms to fight in an eternal War of the Gods.