Avatar’s Update #284: The Making of East Vauban Foothills

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

Game Development

News Announcements

Community Updates

The Making of East Vauban Foothills

This hilly area is northeast of Vauban pass in the Drachvald region. It was previously a Tier 3 area but is being upgraded to a Tier 5 area for Release 55. The increase in difficulty of this scene is part of a longer term effort where we will be increasing the difficulty of several scenes to better match the surrounding scenes and the character’s progress along the associated story paths that bring you near those scenes. Undead have overrun a village here and Ebon Dawn Cultists are taking advantage of the resulting chaos.

[From a A Dev+ Forum Post by Chris “Sea Wolf” Wolf]

Hey folks! I have a few screenshots to share of my current progress on East Vauban Foothills. In this scene, an Ebon Dawn mage has converted the population of a small village into zombies, and is performing experiments on them to see if their humanity can be restored.

Cavern Scout Camp

Cavern Laboratory

Obsidian Towers

The Dead Farm

The Dead Village

Chris Wolf
Level Designer

The Making of Norgard Fens (cont.)

This marsh on the southern tip of Norgard was previously a Tier 3 area but is being upgraded to a Tier 5 area for Release 55. The increase in difficulty of this scene is part of a longer term effort where we will be increasing the difficulty of several scenes to better match the surrounding scenes and the character’s progress along the associated story paths that bring you near those scenes. Mushroom creatures and Reapers roam this marsh and have defeated any attempts to harvest the abundant natural resources of the area. Even the industrious Kobolds who have recently been trying to build a foothold here have been meeting with defeat and nature’s marshy hands.

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

Hey guys! SorcerousSteve here to give you an update on the Norgard Fens!

This week I have been focusing on polishing up the POI’s and working with Dan on all things necessary for the puzzles and interactivity in the scene!

Below we catch a glimpse of the witches home situated above the quicksand pits of the Norgard Fens.

A cave in an undisclosed part of the swamp where the Beldame of Norgard Fens brings the children she abducts.

As mentioned in last week’s update the Kobolds have set up a camp in this area with the purpose of studying the mushroom species. Here we get a glimpse of a captive psilocybin behind glass that is getting gassed as a method of containment.

On the other end of the Norgard Fens deep in the heart of psilocybin country one can find a natural arena where players can choose to battle it out with mushrooms.

This system of burrows, gullies, and mud cliffs are the perfect home for the mushroom creatures.

There are plenty of nooks and crannies ready to be explore in the Norgard Fens!

Stay tuned for more on Norgard Fens!

Esteben “SorcerousSteve” Zaldivar
Level Designer

Heraldry Items (cont.)

Work began on Heraldry (aka Custom Family Crest) in Release 51. Each item comes as a fully usable item with an eternal pattern embedded inside that can be salvaged to be applied to other items. The Add-on Store Heraldry items come as eternal patterns already. The eternal pattern is what is linked to the heraldry blazon and what determines what blazon is displayed.

This week we are showcasing two additional upcoming Heraldry Items: the Heraldry Throne and Heraldry Round Table:

[From a Dev+ Forum Post by Starr “Darkstarr” Long]

Heraldry Throne: Reid Rollo has created this beautiful custom throne where your heraldry will be proudly displayed on both the front and back sides of the backrest.

Heraldry Round Table: What better way to complement your Heraldry Throne than with this large Heraldry Round Table? With its large blazon, fine wood, and gold accents, it’s a perfect addition to any well appointed room!

This image provides a good look at the dimensions of the Heraldry Round Table.

Meanwhile players continue to post pics of their heraldry in the thread they started in March and the results are still wonderful! We also started a thread to help players with heraldry creation.

Here are some of the latest player screenshots:

R53 Livestream Sky Navy Themed Items

Production on the R53 Livestream Sky Navy Themed Items continues. This week we’re showcasing the Blue and Red Electric Swords, White Sky Navy Helmet, Black Sky Navy Helmet, and Adobe Domes Deco Set (with Bonus Burned Skeletons and Blue Cylinders)!

[From a Dev+ Forum Post by Michael “Hutch” Hutchison]

May the Fourth was more than just another Friday in May, it was also the date of our Release 53 Livestream! With development on R55 in full swing, we’ve begun to complete many of the Sky Navy themed stretch goal rewards that were achieved during the R53 Livestream. Take a look below!

Blue and Red Electric Swords:

White Sky Navy Helmet:

Black Sky Navy Helmet:

Adobe Domes Deco Set (with Bonus Burned Skeletons and Blue Cylinders):

Electric Staff:

Electric Halberd:

All Metal Crossbow:
Image Coming Soon!

Cylinder Automaton:
Image Coming Soon!

R54 Livestream Results and Videos

Our Monthly Livestream for Release 54 was a huge success and we achieved a bunch of our Stretch Goal Rewards! We had deep dives, world building tours, answered questions, danced, sang, and handed out tons of prizes! A heartfelt thank you from the entire Dev Team to all of you, our players, that continue to play and contribute to Shroud of the Avatar. This month’s dual livestreams were yet another example of your amazing support and contributions.

The total for both the Monday (June 4) and Friday (June 8) livestreams was an amazing:

** $80,000 **

  • ACHIEVED ON 6/4! $10K: /rainbow
  • ACHIEVED ON 6/4! $20K: /wardance & /hula
  • ACHIEVED ON 6/4! $30K: Leaf Backpack
  • ACHIEVED ON 6/4! $40K: Palapa
  • ACHIEVED ON 6/8! $50K: Polynesian Dress with Tropical Flower Crown
  • ACHIEVED ON 6/8! $65K: Polynesian Axe & Spear
  • ACHIEVED ON 6/8! $80K: Large Tiki Heads with Flames
  • $90K: Polynesian Bow plus two other Weapons
  • $100K: Polynesian Daemon Themed Armor with Full Helm

R54 Livestream (Monday)

R54 Livestream Continued (Friday)

For more gameplay videos and developer livestreams, subscribe to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/portalarium

(SPOILER) POT Row Lot Deed Reward for Completing Story (R55)

[From a Forum Post by Starr “Darkstarr” Long]

Greetings Avatars,

We know that while property ownership is not a required component of the Shroud of the Avatar experience it is a very compelling one. So much so that we want all players to have a clear path towards that goal. We already have the deed raffle and deeds that drop as loot but those are random chances versus certainties.

Several members of our community suggested we reward property for a significant achievement in the game, some huge feat.

We really love that idea so, starting as soon as Release 55, all Avatars who complete the entire story will receive a Player Owned Town Row Lot Deed (Taxed) from the Oracle! This means completing the Paths of Truth, Love, Courage, and the Path of the Oracle. This will be retroactive so anyone who has already completed the story will merely need to revisit the Oracle and enquire about property to receive their lot deed.

This lot deed will not be tradeable between players and there will be a limit of one lot deed per account (i.e. you will not be able to earn one for each character you have). The no-trade and account limit are to prevent farming.

Note that in Offline Mode this lot deed can be used anywhere, not just in Player Owned Towns!

For those concerned about taxes a reminder that the Oracle provides 500 gold per day for consulting with her which is the same amount of taxes owed for a Row Lot per day.

NPC Submission Requests: Brittany Alleys

Earlier this month Scott “Lum” Jennings posted our latest request for NPC submissions for Brittany Alleys. This is for Developer+ level backers who are eligible for the “Design an NPC” reward “Help create and name a character in the game”.

For reference here is our current status on which towns we have done this work on and which towns remain to be done:

Done:

  • Aerie
  • Ardoris
  • Braemar (no backer NPCs)
  • Brittany Wharfs
  • Central Brittany
  • Desolis
  • Estgard
  • Etceter
  • Graff Island
  • Jaanaford
  • Kiln
  • Kingsport (no backer NPCs)
  • Northwood
  • Owl’s Head (no backer NPCs)
  • Resolute
  • Solania (no backer NPCs)
  • Soltown (no backer NPCs)
  • Spite
  • Xenos
  • Yew

In progress:

  • Brittany Alleys

To be done:

  • Bramble
  • Brittany Fields
  • Broochash
  • Brookside
  • Celestis
  • Eastmarch
  • Elad’s Lighthouse
  • Fortus End
  • Goti
  • Mud
  • Noreach
  • Point West
  • Port Graff
  • Storm’s Reach
  • Westend

Humility[From a Dev+ Forum Post by Scott “Lum” Jennings]

Thank you for your continuing support of Shroud of the Avatar! This month, we move from the jewel of the realm to its seamy underbelly – the district known as Brittany Alleys. The dark streets of the Alleys are full of mysteries and stories, perhaps one of which is yours…

Because of Brittany Alleys’ size, this will be the only area we are adding backer NPCs to for this release. If you do NOT want your backer NPC to be in Brittany Alleys for whatever reason, or if you absolutely have a character who should be in a given city not named Brittany, you should wait until we advertise for that city. We do plan on eventually populating every city in the game with unique NPCs!

First, some brief notes:

  • Brittany Alleys has many NPCs which are not currently unique. Thus, the NPCs are already in the game, but we can change appearance (to a degree, as seen below), gender, etc. to suit your request. If you want to pick a specific NPC (for example, one near your own house) we will do our best to accommodate you but may not be able to.
  • NPC visual customization, as you may have noticed, is still at a very early stage in development. Right now for the backers who want to be added to Brittany Alleys, we cannot offer any visual customization options beyond our standard gallery of NPC models. (Do note, however, that we frequently add to that gallery – the pool has doubled over the past 6 months, for example.) If you would like to have input over the visual customization of your NPC, you can wait for further releases when we can offer this. We will also allow a one-time visual re-customization once customization has been added if you would like to add your NPC now.
  • There are MANY NPCs within Brittany Alleys’ walls. Although we will be accepting submissions on a first come first serve basis, if you are a Developer+-tier backer (as in, you can see this post), you are welcome to submit an NPC of your own design, but people who have not yet submitted an NPC will take priority over those who have. If your NPC doesn’t appear in Brittany Alleys, feel free to respond again in future posts. We still have quite a few towns and cities to populate!
  • When responding, please list a first and second choice for profession.
  • Due to the great number of NPCs to populate this release, the amount of custom dialog we can add will by necessity be limited. If you would like specific custom dialog added for your NPC, it would help us GREATLY if you could submit in the form of [keyword that triggers a response] [the response desired] so that we have a better idea of how you would like that NPC implemented. We reserve the right to edit or change any dialog submitted, or not use it if we feel it inappropriate for the NPC or the game in general.
  • Things that will cause Lum to send you a regretful message saying we can’t use your NPC’s background: if your NPC has a backstory that contradicts the lore of the game (“my grandfather helped Aren Bennis win the Obsidian Wars”), thinly-disguised advertisements for your player-owned town or guild, references to races or major events that do not appear in-game (“my mother was an orc”), or a name that is an obvious reference to a real person, popular fictional character, or historical figure.
  • This is currently for the district of Brittany Alleys ONLY.
  • NPCs for Brittany Alleys should be primarily human, but we will consider submissions of elven migrants.

Still with us? Great! Here’s what we need for Brittany Alleys:

  • 40 guards
  • 89 citizens/travellers
  • 24 children/orphans
  • 1 guild registrar
  • 2 bankers
  • 3 town criers
  • 2 public vendors
  • 2 combat trainers
  • 1 crafting trainer
  • 1 alchemist
  • 1 blacksmith
  • 1 weapons salesperson
  • 1 butcher
  • 2 cooking supplies salespersons
  • 1 housing deco salesperson
  • 1 housing deeds salesperson
  • 3 fisherfolk
  • 2 farming supplies salespersons
  • 1 baker
  • 2 innkeepers
  • 1 tavernkeeper
  • 2 waiters/waitresses

If you’d like to have your namesake be a resident of central Brittany, please respond via private message on this forum to me (Lum) using the following format:

  • NPC name:
  • NPC gender:
  • NPC profession (first choice):
  • NPC profession (second choice):
  • District NPC appears (optional):
  • NPC background (optional): A paragraph on whom your NPC is, how they would respond to nosy outlanders poking about their business, what brings them to Brittany Alleys (or keeps them there), or anything else you’d like to add. We may or may not use this background, and reserve the right to edit and/or reject any background that does not fit the lore and setting of the game.

Please specify in your submission that this NPC is for Brittany Alleys.

We will respond if: your NPC is used; if it is rejected for whatever reason (such as an inappropriate name); if a supplied background is inappropriate, or if your NPC missed the cutoff for this release.

Thanks for your support, and keep a tight hold of your coinpurse when in the Alleys!

Portalarium is Hiring: Web Developer

We currently have an opening for a Web Developer for Shroud of the Avatar. Qualifications for the ideal candidate are:

  • Minimum 5 years industry experience
  • *nix experience (OpenBSD or Linux)
  • CSS
  • Web development experience (PHP, web services, JavaScript)
  • Relational database architecture experience (MySql preferred)
  • Server deployment and cluster orchestration (virtual and/or dedicated machines)
  • Server load balancing, traffic prioritization, etc.
  • Extensive experience with server security
  • Strong debugging skills
  • Ability to work in unstructured, non-hierarchical environment
  • BONUS SKILLS (any one or more of these):
    • NoSQL experience
    • Strong C#/C++ skills
    • Windows programming experience
    • ASP.NET
    • Mac development
    • MMO game development experience
    • Minimum of at least 1 shipped game

If you’d like to join the Portalarium Tribe working on the ground-breaking Shroud of the Avatar game, please submit your resume to jobs@portalarium.com. Provide links to your work (if possible), including gameplay, video footage, and document forms (images, maps, and event descriptions).

Weekend Flash Sale: Musical Instruments

In Release 54 we added a new musical instrument: Recorders. We also added a new musical artifact: Fiona FitzOwen’s Lute. To celebrate, all musical instruments are on sale this weekend!

Featured Musical Instruments:

And more items are available! Visit the Main Store to view them all! Also, you’ll want to explore the game in detail for many more craftable items available!

Upcoming Events Calendar

June 28, 2018 – Release 55
July 2, 2018 – R55 Dance Party (Monday)
July 6, 2018 – R55 Livestream: Lord British’s Birthday!
July 26, 2018 – Release 56
Aug 10 – 11, 2018 –Syndcon
Aug 21 – 25, 2018 – Gamescom
Aug 30, 2018 – Release 57
Aug 30 – Sept 3 –Dragon Con
Sept 27, 2018 – Release 58
Oct 11-13, 2018 – SOTACON Austin 2018
Oct 25, 2018 – Release 59
Nov 15, 2018 – Release 60
Dec 13, 2018 – Release 61

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.

Royal Gardeners Wanted! New Decoration Contest

[​IMG]
​Once upon a time, somewhere in New Britannia, a mysterious Outlander arrived.
Nothing was known about his origin, a curious place today known as “The Otherworld”.
Nobody knew of his intentions and the reasons of his arrival.
Nobody, not even the outlander himself could have forboded the fateful consequences of his arrival. Consequences that were to change New Britannia forever.
He, who was the first Outlander of our lands, is today known as Lord British, the keeper of Virtues.​

On June 29th we want to gather with you in our beloved New Britannia and celebrate a very special event: Lord British’s Birthday! 

(See the program here). Inspired and amazed by the magnificent beauties, that the Community has built over the years in Novia, we want to ask you, the Community, to design the garden/plaza of Lord British’s Birthday Celebration during this contest.

PARTICIPATION:

  • This contest is made for groups. it is recommended to get organized in a group but it is not mandatory.
  • Every group must have a group leader (it can be the guild master, but you can also choose to have a different trusted leader for this event if you wish)
  • The group leaders are to announce which members are part of their group.
  • At the end of the Event, the group leaders of the winning garden(s) will receive the prize for the group and are trusted to distribute it fairly as agreed with the group members who contributed.

CONTEST PERIOD:

The contest begins on Tuesday, June 5 and will end on June 26, when Portalarium will decide upon the best garden(s).

SUBMISSIONS:

  • Participants can submit their finalized Plaza in the Submission Thread.
  • Each leader posts on behalf of the whole group.
  • One post per participating group.
  • Resources cannot be reused for multiple gardens (one garden per group/lead!).
  • Helpers that tend to a garden may help others on their gardens.
  • By June 26th, each submission must include:
    • Location of the created place
    • 3 Screenshots of the place
    • A few sentences about the place
  • Updating your Submission is allowed at any time, by editing the respective post.

WINNERS AND PRIZES:

The submissions will be judged by their creativity, fanciness and/or originality.

The group of gardeners whose garden will become chosen “Royal Garden” shall receive:

  • 230 COTOs
  • 500,000 Gold
  • 1 x Stone Statue of your choice (Max. City Lot)
  • 1 x 2018 Lord British Birthday Cake
  • Exclusive Title: Royal Gardener
  • Host in your garden for the Lord British’s Birthday party

Up to two other beautiful gardens shall receive

  • 115 COTOs
  • 200,000 Gold

Once the prizes are handed over to the group leaders, the event is concluded. 

Any discussion related to the distribution of prizes are to be discussed with the members involved privately and not in public. 

Portalarium and Travian Games will not intervene in any discussions about the prizes after they have been handed over to the group representatives.

THE FEAST:
[​IMG] 

See the forum post for details. Good luck, Avatars!

Spotlight: Beran’s Reach

Welcome to another Community Spotlight! These spotlights are dedicated entirely to community content, usually about a player town and presented by a single individual or an entire guild.

This week we return to the snowy peaks of the soon-to-be Municipality of Beran’s Reach. Home of The Bear Tavern and waypoint for many who venture out into the frozen wilds of Regalis and North Paladis. Beran’s Reach has earned a reputation as being a sanctuary for all from the wilds beyond its high walls. We catch up with Vallas Tellen, Tavernkeeper of The Bear Tavern and Governor of Beran’s Reach, to find out more.

Can you tell me a little about Beran’s Reach?

Beran’s Reach has a long and distinguished history, growing over the years from a sleepy farmstead to the gateway to the northern reaches. Dominating the local countryside and overlooking the main road leading south to Britanny, it acts as a vital way station for both merchant caravans and those seeking fame and coin the wilds beyond. Indeed, Beran’s Reach has become a sight of veritable pilgrimage for newer adventurers looking to make a name for themselves like the heroes of old, a bastion that separates civility from savagery. To go beyond Beran’s Reach is to begin a journey to paths unknown, indeed perhaps best left untread.

As a consequence, Beran’s Reach has developed a unique culture that is surprisingly welcoming to all. In the northern reaches where survival presents an almost daily challenge, divisions and the complexities of life at court are luxuries that few can afford. Within the inns and markets that sprawl within ‘the Reach’ as it is more affectionately known, grim north men rub shoulders with wealthy travellers. Amid the hubbub of the central market square, merchants can often be seen vying for trade, with gold changing hands for valuable furs, wood and ore. All manner of adventurer can often be seen seeking food and provisions among the many shops and bazaars that dot around the city, providing last minute supplies for their journey.

Rising up from the centre of Beran’s Reach, the keep of The Bear Tavern shines night and day with the warm glow of a multitude of candles, torches and open fires. A Beran’s Reach tradition, The Bear Tavern provides a home-from-home for all as well as a venue for travellers and locals alike to eat, drink and seek respite from the outside world.

How do you get to Beran’s Reach?

Despite its seeming isolation, Beran’s Reach is a relatively short ride from central Britanny. Most travelers take the northern road that lies along the coast of Spindrift bay, turning right as the road forks within the Serpent’s Spine Foothills.

Crossing the bridge that spans the confluence of the Fortus and Sanctus rivers, the road leads on to the town and its prominent position on a hill within the Sanctus Forest.

What major landmarks are there in Beran’s Reach?

Within the walls and environs of Beran’s Reach are a diverse range of shops, businesses and locations, each contributing to the its rich and unique culture. Here is a selection of just a few that can be found, with many more yet to be discovered by the discerning visitor:

The Bear Tavern

[Read More…]

Prism and Diamond Fields Present a Grandmaster Crafting Tutoring Event – Saturday, June 16 at 1-3pm CT

You have been busting butt getting producer experience and while those lovely Obisidian potion of guidance suck in a lot more xp than a GM mentor can give you, every bit helps when you are sitting on a large pool. We have not been having our regular monthly events because of these potions, but will do them when the time is right. That time is right now!

We invite all Grandmaster Crafters to come and share their knowledge to new and would be Grandmasters. We can confirm at least one Grandmaster in the following:

All Production and Refining GM’s will have at least one teacher available.

If more grandmasters donate their time then even more can be mentored simultaneously.

You must bring your own materials to this event. There are merchants very near by the crafting pavilion in Diamond Fields selling fuels, but prices may increase due to turn out (other sub pots have merchants in case this happens).

Details in the forums!

Wild Safari Presents ‘Boogie Nights’ – Saturday, June 16 at 6-8pm CT

Next week ~Wylde Safari~ goes on location with another “Boogie Nights” dance party!

Join Sister Love on: Saturday, June 16th @ Club Zero in Elementum – 6PM-8PM CST

Bring your dancing shoes and prepare to get down! Tune in to Avatars Radio in-game on your amplifier or at avatarsradio.info​

Details in the forums!

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Concert and Birthday Celebration

Announcing a concert and birthday celebration for Sharok Alurien on June 17th. This is to celebrate his 60th year of Adventure!

Volunteers are welcome to join in the band perrforming at Majoria’s Concert Hall in Wizard’s Rest at 1pm Pacific Time.

Please whisper Sharok Alurien for more details and information!

AERIE Fund – 24-hour Streamathon, Primal Nature – June 23

When: Saturday, June 23rd (12:01 AM – 11:49PM) NBT
Where: twitch.tv/aeriefund

Snag your Primal Nature Reaper Sapling Pet and join us in New Britannia and beyond as we host the Primal Nature 24 Hour Streamathon on Twitch! We’ll be raising awareness and support for Conservation International (an amazing org protecting the environment), gaming, and giving out some neato prizes. Tune in and support your favorite streamers!

Wanna stream? Sign up and join the roster!

Win a Pair of SOTACON 2018 Tickets!

SOTACON Austin 2018 is giving away a pair of tickets and t-shirts to SOTACON Austin 2018!

Enter daily to win! To enter, get the Meretz App:
https://www.meretz.com/promo/sotaconaustin

Or watch Lunch with Laz & Jack Daily for additional entries, as well a chance to win a weekly prize of a Custom SOTACON t-shirt!

Relics by Rild on Meretz: Win Shroud Swag!

Project to Support – Portrait of Scottie for Shroud of the Avatar

From community member Frank Baxley:

Scott “Scottie” Jones has long been a favorite among the backers of Shroud of the Avatar. A natural storyteller, he treats us to detailed narrations of scenes he’s designed, sings us Elvish songs, and creates poems about the scenes we experience as our stories unfold in New Britannia.

Portalarium, the creators of Shroud of the Avatar, allow us to import portraits created by significant artists, most notably Denis Loubet. Denis is well known for his work in gaming, cover artwork for the Ultima series, as well as working alongside Scottie creating the earliest concept art for the game that would become Shroud of the Avatar.

Some time ago, a call arose on the official forums to create an in-game portrait of Scottie to show our appreciation. I am answering that call and creating this Kickstarter project to fund an official portrait.

Scottie has given us permission. Denis has agreed to work it into his schedule. Portalarium has agreed to import the resulting portrait into the game as both a standard portrait and a Kickstarter exclusive version.

All we need is the funding. The price for a top-quality portrait is $2500. Kickstarter adds fees that can range from 5%-10%. Hence our goal of $2750.

Please Join Us in honoring our friend Scottie in this way!

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.



2 Comments


  1. Sir GrantSir Grant

    Was there a post for missed questions for both parts of the Livestream? If not, any idea when?

    Thanks for all you do!

    1. BerekBerek Post author

      Sorry, we didn’t to it this time. We may be able to get one in next week though.

Comments are closed.