Updates

Password Change Request Due to Other Sites Being Compromised

Earlier this year a few well-known games and sites were compromised, and lists of usernames and passwords became widely available. Yesterday, it was revealed that DOTA2 was the latest victim.

We continue to be fortunate enough to not be one of the victims of these attacks. However we are under a hacking attack that is using these leaked username/password combinations to try and login to Shroud and has succeeded several times so far. If you have played one of these games that has been compromised you may be one of the victims we identified today.

You must make sure your username, or at least your password is unique on our site. We insist that you change your password if you have any doubt. FYI, this is good security behavior in general.

For now we have temporarily disabled login to the website until 6:00 pm CDT (11:00 pm UTC). When we bring it back up, please login to the website, click on “Account” to go to your Account Page, click “Edit Profile” link beneath your profile image, and enter a new password on your Profile Settings page.


Weekly Lot Selection Report – Knight and Knight Marshal, Edelmann, and Citizen Groups

Lot Selection is underway! This is your group-by-group weekly update on which pledge tiers have already claimed lots, and which groups are about to be able to secure a lot yet this week. Check out the list below to see if your group is coming up!

Interested in upgrading your pledge to claim sooner? You can! Just go to your Account settings and click on the Pledges menu tab.

NEW GROUPS SELECTING LOTS THIS WEEK

Knight and Knight Marshal: Groups 37-45:

  • Royal Founder – Group 37: August 8 at 03:00 CDT (08:00 UTC)
  • Royal Founder – Group 38: August 8 at 08:00 CDT (13:00 UTC)
  • Royal Founder – Group 39: August 8 at 13:00 CDT (18:00 UTC)
  • Founder – Group 40: August 8 at 18:00 CDT (23:00 UTC)
  • Founder – Group 41: August 8 at 23:00 CDT (August 9 at 04:00 UTC)
  • Founder – Group 42: August 9 at 04:00 CDT (09:00 UTC)
  • Benefactor – Group 43: August 9 at 09:00 CDT (14:00 UTC)
  • Benefactor – Group 44: August 9 at 14:00 CDT (19:00 UTC)
  • Benefactor – Group 45: August 9 at 19:00 CDT (August 10 at 00:00 UTC)

EDELMANN: Groups 46-54:

  • Royal Founder – Group 46: August 10 at 19:00 CDT (August 11 at 00:00 UTC)
  • Royal Founder – Group 47: August 11 at 00:00 CDT (05:00 UTC)
  • Royal Founder – Group 48: August 11 at 05:00 CDT (10:00 UTC)
  • Founder – Group 49: August 11 at 10:00 CDT (15:00 UTC)
  • Founder – Group 50: August 11 at 15:00 CDT (20:00 UTC)
  • Founder – Group 51: August 11 at 20:00 CDT (August 12 at 01:00 UTC)
  • Benefactor – Group 52: August 12 at 01:00 CDT (06:00 UTC)
  • Benefactor – Group 53: August 12 at 06:00 CDT (11:00 UTC)
  • Benefactor – Group 54: August 12 at 11:00 CDT (16:00 UTC)

CITIZEN: Groups 55-63:

  • Royal Founder – Group 55: August 13 at 11:00 CDT (16:00 UTC)
  • Royal Founder – Group 56: August 13 at 16:00 CDT (21:00 UTC)
  • Royal Founder – Group 57: August 13 at 21:00 CDT (August 14 at 02:00 UTC)
  • Founder – Group 58: August 14 at 02:00 CDT (07:00 UTC)
  • Founder – Group 59: August 14 at 07:00 CDT (12:00 UTC)
  • Founder – Group 60: August 14 at 12:00 CDT (17:00 UTC)
  • Benefactor – Group 61: August 14 at 17:00 CDT (22:00 UTC)
  • Benefactor – Group 62: August 14 at 22:00 CDT (August 15 at 03:00 UTC)
  • Benefactor – Group 63: August 15 at 03:00 CDT (08:00 UTC)

More group times are listed in the Lot Selection announcement on the main website. The last group will be Group 91 on August 24 at 03:00 CDT (08:00 UTC). After all group times have passed, anyone will have a chance to place a lot.

To get daily lot selection updates, follow the game on Twitter at www.twitter.com/shroudofavatar, or keep the above Lot Selection announcement bookmarked for easy access!


Update of the Avatar #188 – 2016.08.05: Estgard Remake, Land Rush Update, Community Trailer Contest, Star Citizen Cross-Promo, and More!

Greetings Fellow Avatars!

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

Estgard Remake

Estgard is another cloned scene using one of our PRT / POT templates based off of the Forest 01 base template (aka PaxLair). It is getting rebuilt this release and will go live with Release 33. Note that when we un-clone these scenes we do NOT change lot placements. We only make cosmetic changes of building styles, terrain, and foliage. In the case of Estgard, it is getting a plot specific perimeter wall added along with a host of other visual changes. Estgard is on the island of Norgard and is part of the Path of Courage.

[From a Dev+ Forum Post by Richard “RrMatey” Matey]

With Estgard, my goal was to tie it closer to the aesthetics of Valhold.

Take a ganderEstgard1

Read more…


‘Dawn of New Britannia’ Community Trailer Contest

Get those eye popping trailer ideas ready, Avatars! This is your chance to show that Shroud of the Avatar is both the game, and community, that new players will want to experience next! The ‘Dawn of New Britannia Community Trailer Contest’ kicks off today!

You have from August 4, 2016 (Now) to August 21, 2016 (11:59 PM CDT) to design a video trailer for all New Britannians to see and admire. Glamorous city districts, creative player-owned towns, luxurious housing, intense combat, majestic outdoor areas, and so much more is available to proudly show off. There’s a nearly infinite potential in creating a trailer that makes even the most hardy New Britannia cry in joy, and to want to share the video with others.

Below are the details of this contest, including what you can win when creating an amazing video!

WINNERS & PRIZES

Trailers will be judged by a team at Portalarium on the following merits:

  • Keeping to the Shroud of the Avatar world (Only SotA footage, audio, or your own (free/non-copyrighted) assets)
  • Overall originality and artistic flair (Don’t overdo it! Simplicity can work wonders)
  • Diversity of in-game areas presented (Outside scenes, inside homes, dungeons, etc.!)
  • Overall flow from opening scenes, buildup of in-game footage, and end scene
  • Seamless transitions, consistency, and smooth gameplay throughout
  • Will it make a fan shed a tear in joy? Brownie points here!

Check out these great prizes for designing a great trailer!

  • Grand Prize: $1,000 Store Credit, SotA signed t-shirt, Sword of Midras book, SotA COTOs coin, and a specially signed congratulations letter from Richard Garriott.
  • 2nd Place: $500 Store Credit, SotA signed t-shirt, Sword of Midras book, SotA COTOs coin
  • 3rd Place: $250 Store Credit, SotA signed t-shirt, Sword of Midras book, SotA COTOs coin

All Other Submissions: Everyone else that submits an eligible and feature complete trailer will have theirs included in a contest playlist on the official Portalarium YouTube channel for proudly submitting their work.

Final entries and winners will be mentioned and possibly shown in the upcoming summer telethon on August 22nd! Keep watch on the main website for details on the telethon.

Read more…


Weekly Lot Selection Report – Lords of the Manor, Duke, Baron, Lord and Lord Marshal Groups

Lot Selection is underway! This is your group-by-group weekly update on which pledge tiers have already claimed lots, and which groups are about to be able to secure a lot yet this week. Check out the list below to see if your group is coming up!

Interesting in upgrading your peldge to claim sooner? You can! Just go to your Account settings and click on the Pledges menu tab.

GROUPS ABLE TO CLAIM AS OF AUGUST 1

  • Lords of the Manor, Groups 1-9
  • Duke, Groups 10-18

GROUPS COMING UP THIS WEEK

Baron: Groups 19-27:

  • Royal Founder – Group 19: August 2 at 19:00 CDT (August 3 at 00:00 UTC)
  • Royal Founder – Group 20: August 3 at 00:00 CDT (05:00 UTC)
  • Royal Founder – Group 21: August 3 at 05:00 CDT (10:00 UTC)
  • Founder – Group 22: August 3 at 10:00 CDT (15:00 UTC)
  • Founder – Group 23: August 3 at 15:00 CDT (20:00 UTC)
  • Founder – Group 24: August 3 at 20:00 CDT (August 4 at 01:00 UTC)
  • Benefactor – Group 25: August 4 at 01:00 CDT (06:00 UTC)
  • Benefactor – Group 26: August 4 at 06:00 CDT (11:00 UTC)
  • Benefactor – Group 27: August 4 at 11:00 CDT (16:00 UTC)

Lord and Lord Marshal: Groups 28-36:

  • Royal Founder – Group 28: August 5 at 11:00 CDT (16:00 UTC)
  • Royal Founder – Group 29: August 5 at 16:00 CDT (21:00 UTC)
  • Royal Founder – Group 30: August 5 at 21:00 CDT (August 6 at 02:00 UTC)
  • Founder – Group 31: August 6 at 02:00 CDT (07:00 UTC)
  • Founder – Group 32: August 6 at 07:00 CDT (12:00 UTC)
  • Founder – Group 33: August 6 at 12:00 CDT (17:00 UTC)
  • Benefactor – Group 34: August 6 at 17:00 CDT (22:00 UTC)
  • Benefactor – Group 35: August 6 at 22:00 CDT (August 7 at 03:00 UTC)
  • Benefactor – Group 36: August 7 at 03:00 CDT (08:00 UTC)

More group times are listed in the Lot Selection announcement on the main website. The last group will be Group 91 on August 24 at 03:00 CDT (08:00 UTC). After all group times have passed, anyone will have a chance to place a lot.

To get daily lot selection updates, follow the game on Twitter at www.twitter.com/shroudofavatar, or keep the above Lot Selection announcement bookmarked for easy access!


Update of the Avatar #187 – 2016.07.29: World Start – Play Release 32 Now!, World Starting Backer Gift, Telethon Results, and More!

Greetings Fellow Avatars!

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

World Start_600p

World Start – Play Release 32 Now!

Release 32 successfully launched yesterday, July 28, with thousands of backers downloading, patching, and logging in for the Final Wipe and Lot Selection! Lords of the Manor are still claiming today and Dukes will begin claiming this weekend.

Besides Lot Selection, there’s lots of new content to explore, including:

  • New scenes including Brittany Estates, Spite and Xenos
  • New User Experience Polish including a reworked Isle of Storms
  • In-Game purchasable Player Vendors
  • Over 40 New Crafting Recipes
  • New NPC Behaviors including Theft Detection and Virtue Reactions
  • Economic and Combat Balance Adjustments

…and much more

Check out the Release 32 Instructions update for detailed information about all the new content.

Read more…


World Starting Gift to all Backers: Portable Aether Vibration Amplifier

All backers of Shroud of the Avatar with game access as of midnight July 27, 2016 will receive the Portable Aether Vibration Amplifier as a small expression of our gratitude. Availability post-R32.

This device will let you tune into streaming radio stations including our very own Avatar’s Radio or NBNN. We chose this specific gift to honor our community because it started as a suggestion from our community, was initially created by our community, streams content from our community, and is used by our community as part of their events.

Thank you community for making Shroud of the Avatar reach persistence. You made this possible!

Portable Aether Vibration Amplifier
by Shroud of the Avatar
on Sketchfab


Release 32 Instructions

[A SotA Public Forum post by Starr Long]

Starr_avatarAvatars,

Please read this entire message, as well as the linked instructions and known issues.

Thank you for being a loyal backer and follower of Shroud of the Avatar. Release 32 access for all backers at First Responder level and above begins this Thursday, July 28, at 9:30 AM US Central Daylight Time (14:30 UTC).

One Hour Early: Please note that we are opening the servers one hour early this time to give Group 1 more time to prepare for Lot Selection.

Patch at Midnight: Please also note that we hope to have the first build for R32 available for download to players as early as Midnight, right after wipe so that everyone can be fully patched up in the morning. Also please note that some of the below deliverables did not make the first patch.

History:
On Thursday December 12, 2013 Release 1 allowed our backers to play Shroud of the Avatar for the very first time. Since that very first release, we have provided you a monthly release on the last Thursday of every month for the last 31 months. Thanks to our amazing backers, our game and community have both grown each release to the point that we are now the second largest crowd-funded video game ever. Help us celebrate this historic moment as we move into our next phase with our 12-hour Summer Telethon of the Avatar!spite11

Persistence:
This Release will be different from all of those other releases because we are finally going Persistent. This means that the progress a player makes will no longer be reset every three months. Just because we are persistent, however, does not mean we are going to slow down! We will continue our Monthly Releases just like we always have. We still have features to implement, content to complete (see our Roadmap), and lots (and lots) of balancing to do. Even though this is the “Final Wipe” we are still in Early Access and, if needed, we will do small Rollbacks and/or Partial Wipes if we absolutely need to in order to maintain the health of the product.

Read more…


Property Tax Rates

The following are the current Property Tax Rates for Taxable Lot Deeds. These are balanced to be based on about one hour of effort per week to maintain a Row Lot on one end and about one hour of effort per day to maintain a City Lot at the top end. We want the Tax Rates to be achievable for single players easily for the smaller lots and through determined play for the larger lots.

For reference, we based these values on observing players making about 3500 – 7500 gold per hour at median levels with decent crafted gear (some determined players were making as much as 20K per hour!). As players first establish themselves and level up their characters in the first few weeks these rates will be challenging, but we calculate that they are very achievable in the long run. With that said, we will carefully monitor these values and adjust them if average play times do not match these goals.

In-Game Gold Rates:

  • Row: 500 gold per day
  • Village: 1000 gold per day
  • Town: 2000 gold per day
  • City: 3500 gold per day

Gold Crowns of the Obsidians Rates:

  • Row: 1 Gold COTO per week
  • Village: 2 Gold COTOs per week
  • Town: 4 Gold COTOs per week
  • City: 7 Gold COTOs per week

Update of the Avatar #186 – 2016.07.22: Xenos Reborn, More Brittany Housing, Renovating Spite, SotA Makes 2016 RPG List, New Bundle Store, and More!

Greetings Fellow Avatars!

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

Xenos Reborn

Xenos (like Spite) started as another cloned scene using one of our PRT / POT templates based off of the Forest 01 base template (aka PaxLair). It is getting a complete rebuild from scratch this release and will go live with Release 32. Note that scenes that we un-clone after the Final Wipe will NOT get this level of rework, and building placements and lot placements in those towns will remain unchanged; only cosmetic changes of building styles, terrain, and foliage will be made.

[From a Dev+ Forum Post by Richard “RrMatey” Matey]

Hi guys,

Wanted to give you guys a quick update on Xenos. This area is important because this is where you need to hitch a ride to Artifice. But to get on board, you need to win the lottery first. So good luck!

Xenos1

Read more…