Updates

Release 51 Instructions

[From a forum post by Starr “Darkstarr” Long]

Avatars,

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 51 access for all Early Access backers begins this Thursday, February 22, at 10:30 AM US Central Standard Time (15:30 UTC).

Release 51 is the second release in which we focused on the current iteration of our Top 10 Priorities for Launch (from Q1 2018 post). Once again we were able to address almost every single item on that list in some fashion. We made incredibly strong progress on performance, clarity of direction, new user experience polish, story polish, and UI polish. We also finished more physical goods, including the D&D notes. Meanwhile, we continued to make steady background progress on launch readiness (example: EU data compliance & server monitoring upgrades) and localization. We did all of this while also planning our launch activities around SXSW.

All of this was accomplished despite February being a shorter month and therefore Release 51 being a shorter release cycle with one less week of development! Read more…


Avatar’s Update #267: Vendor Variations and Improvements

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

Vendor Variations & Improvements (cont.)

This week we added images for the new Male Shopkeepers, Female Vendor variations, and Male Vendor variations.

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

Male Shopkeepers: These player vendor outfits are based on Victorian shopkeeper wear and early concept sketches Denis Loubet made. They come in several outfit colors and face options. In Release 52 we will get female shopkeepers as well based on similar concepts.

Read more…


Release 51 Postmortem Telethon – Mar. 2, 2018

** $110,000 **

Telethon Funds Raised

Watch live video from shroudoftheavatar on www.twitch.tv

Telethon Stretch Goal Rewards:

    • ACHIEVED! $10K: /mosh (The ultimate chaotic dance!)
    • ACHIEVED! $25K: Darkstarr Morningstar
    • ACHIEVED! $35K: Darkstarr Pavers: pavers with Darkstarr symbol
    • ACHIEVED! $50K: Darkstarr Throne
    • ACHIEVED! $65K: Darkstarr Clocktower (Darkstarr loves watches!)
    • ACHIEVED! $80K: Darkstarr Black Chain Armor: Special chain version of the custom armor in the Darkstarr Concept painting
    • ACHIEVED! $90K: Darkstarr Coronated Chain Helm and Darkstarr Crossbow
    • ACHIEVED! $100K: Darkstarr Symbol shaped Shield, Darkstarr 1h Spear, and Darkstarr Dagger
    • ACHIEVED! $110K: 2h Darkstarr Black Flame Sword and Darkstarr Staff
    • $125K: Darkstarr Statue

The R51 Postmortem Telethon is today! Starr’s birthday is also coming up (March 12), so we’re celebrating with some Darkstarr themed stretch goals! We are also expiring a bunch of items with major changes to the store immediately after the telethon including changes to crown pricing, bundle pricing, and available inventory. See the forum announcement on the details.

LIVESTREAM SCHEDULE (Central Time Zone)

Telethons are livestreamed on Twitch and include answers to your gameplay questions, world building tours, prize giveaways, sales on items, and more! Here is the schedule:

  • 3PM: Introductions and Postmortem Q&A
  • 3:45PM: Deep Dive 1: Combat
  • 4:30PM: World Building Tour: New Scenes & Side Quests
  • 5:30PM: Deep Dive 2: Physical Goods
  • 6:15PM: Postmortem Q&A Continues
  • 7PM: Ending Announcements

Read more…


Community Livestream – Exploring S. Midmaer Way

We’ve been covering numerous scene updates, creatures, and new items in the last few livestreams as Release 51 approaches. One of the remaining scenes for the release that we haven’t shown yet is South Midmaer Way. This week’s livestream is going to fully explore the scene!

South Midmaer Way used to be the location of a thriving city with lovely canals on the shore of a large lake in an otherwise arid region. The city grew rich on trade as it sat astride the main road. The rulers of the city built tombs to themselves among the cliffs and hid their treasures in them, defended by traps of course! However, the lake dried up and the town was abandoned. Now opportunistic Satyrs have set up a bazaar in the ruins and Plunderers raid the tombs.

As always, we will be giving away some in-game prizes during the livestream, so be sure to join watch on Twitch this Friday at 4pm CT! Also join the community’s Discord chat to ask questions about what’s presented:

 


Avatar’s Update #266: The Making of South Midmaer Way and South Fetid Swamp, and New Bears!

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 South Midmaer Way

South Midmaer Way used to be the location of a thriving city with lovely canals on the shore of a large lake in an otherwise arid region. The city grew rich on trade through the area as it sat astride the main road. The rulers of the city built tombs to themselves amongst the cliffs and hid their treasures in them, defended by traps of course! However the lake dried up and the town was abandoned. Now opportunistic Satyrs have set up a bazaar in the ruins and Plunderers raid the tombs.

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

Hey folks, I have a few screenshots to share of our updates to South Midmaer Way. The visuals are inspired by African grasslands like the Kalahari, as well as the ruins and rough terrain of the Valley of The Kings. A Satyr bazaar lies at the heart of the grasslands, nestled within the canals of an ancient city. In the mountainous ravines, plunderers and Satyrs alike are raiding the tombs of ancient kings which are scattered throughout the map.

Satyr Bazaar

Read more…


Community Livestream – Exploring South Fetid Swamp and The Lost Vale

A quick update to our livestream plans! We were hoping to reveal more about several Heraldry items that will be making their way in Release 51. This will be put on hold while we finish up a few important effects we wish to show you about the items.

This week’s Community Livestream will instead be showing some really cool new upcoming scenes – South Fetid Swamp and The Lost Vale!

As always, we will be giving away some in-game prizes during the livestream, so be sure to join watch on Twitch this Friday at 4pm CT! Also join the community’s Discord chat to ask questions about what’s presented:

 


Avatar’s Update #265: The Making of The Lost Vale

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 The Lost Vale

“The Lost Vale” is a new adventure area (originally promised during the Kickstarter campaign) that is accessible only during special astronomical alignments. Note this is not to be confused with the Hidden Vale which is an entire island of both adventuring areas and towns that is accessible at all times.

[From a Dev+ Forum Post by Travis “Vas Corp Por” Koleski]

Lost Vale

Read more…


Release 50 Postmortem Telethon – Feb. 2, 2018

** $50,000 **

Telethon Funds Raised

Watch R50 Postmortem Telethon – Feb. 2, 2018 from shroudoftheavatar on www.twitch.tv

Telethon Stretch Goal Rewards:

  • ACHIEVED! $10K: /samba
  • ACHIEVED! $25K: Mardi Gras Garlands
  • ACHIEVED! $35K: Flambeaux (equippable 2 handed open flame gas lamp)
  • ACHIEVED! $50K: Mardi Gras Mask Fountain
  • $65K: Feather Outfit including Feather Back and Head Piece (like Rio Carnival)
  • $80K: Mardi Gras Jester Outfit

Greetings Avatars,

The new year has fully set in and we’ve just completed details for the next big celebration – R50’s Postmortem Telethon – Mardi Gras style! We’re announcing this release’s telethon with new Stretch Goal Items ready to be achieved, Expiring items that become rares if you get them now, Prizes to give away, and informative Developer Deep Dives.

All of this is coming up fast on February 2 from 3-7pm CT!

Read more…


A New Magnificent Trophy Rooms Contest

Get your homes ready for the most intense contest yet this year! Over the next few weeks you will have the fun opportunity to show off your hunting heroism, crafting coordination, and trophy triumphs in this new three part contest kicking off today.

Adding on to last year’s trophy room contest, we now have the wild boars and updated wolves to make into new trophies! Here’s how the contest will work…

PART 1: Hunt down a creature, defeat another player (to get their skull), or catch a fish!

PART 2: Craft the trophy from that creature (human skulls come as-is, no preparation needed…)

PART 3: Display your trophy triumphs in a single room of a house you have access to!​

Submissions Must Include:

  • 2-3 screens of combating a creature that can provide a trophy (1x with UI, 1x without)
  • 2-3 screens of you in the crafting process for creating the trophies (2x with UI)
  • 3 screens of your trophy room (1x with UI, 2x without UI, different angles, lighting, etc.)
  • Brief one paragraph description for each screenshot category. Please include as much basic detail about the location and other statistics that might be useful for others wanting to hunt the area to craft their own trophies.

Submit all screenshots in a single post response to This Forum Thread. Deadline to submit is Monday, Feb. 26 at 11:59pm CT.

Read more…


Avatar’s Update #264: Play Release 50 Now!

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

Play Release 50 Now!

Release 50 successfully launched yesterday, January 25, with thousands of backers downloading, patching, and logging in to check out the changes! There’s lots of new content to explore, including:

Read more…