Category Archives: Update of the Avatar

Avatar’s Update #279: New Creatures! Skeleton Plunderers and Unicorns

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

New Creatures: Skeleton Plunderers and Unicorns

New creatures will soon be appearing in Novia, some more rare than others!

Skeleton Plunderers are Undead Plunderers who are cursed to wander the land forever seeking treasure. Kevin “UglyFist” Wells built these latest additions to our Undead army by meshing our Plunderers (who Fletcher “Scathana” Kinnear built in R53) with our Skeleton Mages, Warriors, and Archers. Skeleton Plunderers should appear in R54 in areas like Blood Bay and Penmawr Island.

Plunderer Skeleton Warriors: 

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Avatar’s Update #278: The Making of Westend

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 Westend

The town of Westend is located in the Verdantis region on the western coast of Novia. The combination of Norgard architecture and wetlands creates a unique visual element to the town not seen anywhere else in Novia. Westend is the port that serves adventurers traveling to Verdantis Shardfall and while the town remains small it has grown prosperous from trade because of the resources brought back by those lucky enough to survive the Shardfall. Of course many say those resources came off the bodies of dead adventures…

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

Hey guys SorcerousSteve here to give you a sneak peek at the uncloning of Westend!

Westend is located on the western end of Verdantis in close proximity to the Verdantis Shardfall. Alongside this it is in close proximity to Norgard, so for this particular uncloning we decided to bring in our Viking style architecture and improve the theme of the area as a coastal swamp biome.

The NPC center and cluster of shops in the heart of town have now received a major makeover with multi-level platforms that rise above the swamp alongside the addition of bringing in viking themed architecture, furniture and additional propping.

Read more…


Avatar’s Update #277: Play Release 53 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 53 Now!

Release 53 successfully launched yesterday, April 26, with thousands of backers downloading, patching, and logging in to check out the changes! There’s lots of new content to explore, including:

…and much more!

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Avatar’s Update #276: Heraldry Items and Decoration Loot

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

Heraldry Items (cont.)

In Release 52 we added Heraldry as a reward for eligible Kickstarter Founder era backers. In Release 53 Heraldry will be open for everyone through the sale of Heraldry Eternal Patterns in the Add-On Store. We are also adding a Cloak to the growing number of items you can use to display your heraldry. Note that these items are visually distinct from the Founder versions we released in Release 52.

This week we added the regular versions of Heraldry Armor, banners, and shield (which is rectangular). We also introduced a heraldry cloak.

Players continue to post pics of their heraldry in the thread they started a few weeks ago and the results are amazing!

Check out this helpful guide for submitting blazon artwork.

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Avatar’s Update #275: New Armor and Scenes!

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

Worn Armor

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

When fighting low level humanoids you will often find rusty weapons as loot when you defeat them. Players have often asked “why don’t we also find rusty armor?”

Starting in Release 53 low level humanoids will start dropping worn armor which can be equipped or salvaged for patterns. These will come in all armor types: Plate, Chain, Leather, and Cloth.

Rusty Plate Armor:

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Avatar’s Update #274: Monthly Livestream Rewards and a New Livestreamer Program

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

Monthly Livestream: R51 Rewards: Darkstarr Themed!

This week was incredibly productive for the Darkstarr items with Fletcher “Scathana” Kinnear producing seven new items including the chainmail, crossbow, dagger, staff, morningstar, and helm!

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

As you might remember the Monthly Livestream for Release 51 was Darkstarr themed in honor of my birthday! As we wrapped work on Release 52 launch tasks we started working on the the Darkstarr stretch goal items with the Darkstarr chaos symbol on them. I hope that you are as excited about them as I am!!!!

Darkstarr Chainmail: Based on the original concept sketch by Stephen “Caravaggio’s Wolf” Daniele and implemented by Fletcher “Scathana” Kinnear this armor cleverly incorporates the chaos arrows in every piece.

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Avatar’s Update #273: Launch is Here!

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

Launch is Here!

Shroud of the Avatar: Forsaken Virtues (Episode 1) (aka Release 52) successfully launched, leaving Early Access this past Tuesday, March 27, with thousands of players downloading, patching, and logging in to check out the launch version! There’s lots of new content to explore, including:

  • Framerate Improvements
  • Scene Rebuilds: South Boundless Forest, Northwood, Blood River Forest, Quel Shardfall
  • Companions
  • Multiple Characters
  • Heraldry
  • Offline Spawning Rules
  • Story Polish
  • More Side Quests
  • New Recipes & Patterns
  • More Virtue Banners
  • Combat Polish (New Skills, Dragon Wing Gust)
  • New Decorations (Wood & Stone Inn, Novia Globe, Ornate Planters)
  • More Emotes
  • Spring 2018 Items
  • R50 Telethon Items
  • R52 QA Testing Incentive Winners

Read more…


Avatar’s Update #272: Launch is Next Week!

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 Northwood (cont.)

The town of Northwood is located in the grasslands far to the north of Brittany near the western coast of Spindrift Bay in the North Paladis region. Rumors are spreading that the town boasts some remarkable similarities to locations on Earth known as Britannia Manor and Castleton but surely that must be coincidence?

Northwood is based on the Grasslands POT template and is being rebuilt for Release 52. As with other town rebuilds, the locations of player lots, merchants, and scene exits will not be changed.

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

A few more shots of progress: Read more…


Avatar’s Update #271: The Making of South Boundless Forest and the New Observatory Home

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 Boundless Forest

South Boundless Forest is a Tier 3 adventuring area in the North Paladis region far north of Yew, along the road to the Kas Ruins. This forest of ancient redwoods is the site of a major Kobold logging operation that is supplying lumber to Kobold locations as far away as K’rul. Stag clan barbarians have also taken up camp here in the ruins of an ancient colosseum from pre-cataclysm times.

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

Hey folks, I have a few screenshots to share of South Boundless Forest. The forests are home to a group of native barbarians, who have made their home in the ruins of an ancient amphitheater. A kobold mining operation has moved in, and is slowly devouring the barbarian’s homes. The new look for this map is inspired by the giant redwood forests of California, The ruins of amphitheaters such as the Colosseum, and scenes from the movie, the 13th warrior.

This scene is still a work in progress, and you can expect a few more screenshots next week, showing off the underground “Halls of Eating,” and the Kobold logging camp.

The Forest

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Avatar’s Update #270: The Companions of Truth, Love, and Courage

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 Companions of Truth, Love, and Courage

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

In Release 30 we introduced the first companion, Fiona Fitzowen, who was the archetype of the principle of Love. Our intent has always been to follow her up with at least two other companions to represent the two other principles of Truth and Courage. It has also been our intent to create unique art for these pivotal characters.

We are excited that in Release 52 not only will we finally be adding the companions of Truth and Courage but we will also be giving these characters unique art! The companions support avatars in the Offline mode by accompanying them along their adventures. They comment on where the player goes during the main quest and will even talk to each other on occasion.

Companion of Courage: Conrad Dupre, Knight of Norgard.

  • Conrad’s lineage is that of a soldier’s soldier. He has fought under the banner of Valhold for his entire life, from his childhood as a squire to a dissolute noble to the years of struggle against the Kobolds (a race which he both respects and despises). In addition to his mastery of swords, shields, and heavy armor, he has a veteran’s knowledge of Life magic, as well – not a great deal, but enough to keep himself and those around him fighting when others would fall.
  • Most who know him respect him, for he has little tolerance for cowardice or fear. But if he has any failing he also has little of a knight’s respect for those under his care. Norgard is at war, and he will brook no weakness in its time of greatest peril. Conrad knows much of the martial arts, but unlike his impeccably forged sword Silverthorn, the heart of his courage still requires tempering.
  • Avatars will meet him early on in their journey through the Path of Courage, in the fortified garrison of Resolute.


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