Category Archives: Community Spotlight

Homes of New Britannia – House Decorating Contest Winners!

November 10, 2016

Congratulations winners of the ‘Homes of New Britannia’ House Decorating Contest! We had over 60 participants and some truly amazing home entries. As we toured each one, we smiled, laughed, and even cried (in a good way!) at some of the decorating themes. Well done by all!

As we announced, the winners were organized by themes. We had one change and that was the removal of the Steampunk theme, since no one decorated their house in this way. To replace it, we added another “All-around well decorated” winner, since we had so many entries for that category.

And the winners are…

Shop/service theme goes to: Bamboozle

Location: Owl’s Head (124.8, 72.0, 109.4)

Read more…

Community Spotlight: Beran’s Reach – Player Owned Town

November 9, 2016

This week’s community spotlight features the Player Owned Town, Beran’s Reach! Each week we tour towns and talk with guilds and other groups, all of which are open to be spotlighted on coming tours brought to you by Berek, your community wood elf druid.

Here is what I witnessed while I roamed this holiday themed town:

On a high peak dominating the environs of Central Sanctus, the walled Metropolis of Beran’s Reach takes a commanding position in the wilds north of Regalis. For many who live within the northern realms, ‘the Reach’ has become synonymous with sanctuary from the great dangers that lurk within the moors and forests, both men and beast alike. It is, perhaps, with no degree of relief that my caravan rounded corner to reveal the stark, imposing walls and turrets that mark the outskirts of the settlement-proper.

After being ushered in by grim-faced guards, I must admit that I was taken aback by the splendor of a bustling settlement, a far cry from from the wilderness beyond.

Read more…

Community Spotlight: Bay Lunaire – Player Owned Town

November 2, 2016

This week’s community spotlight features the Player Owned Town, Bay Lunaire!

As told from a visit to the town by your community wood elf druid, Berek, Bay Lunaire is nested off of the docks in Central Brittany. The location is perfect for quick access to trade in some of the busiest areas in Novia, and to Kingsport from Central Brittany. Once you are in the town, it’s a breeze to get to all of Brittany’s neighborhoods with a quick boat ride from the docks.

Here is what I witnessed while I roamed this beautiful town that shares so much of the life that nearby Brittany has to offer:

Community Spotlight: Jade Valley – Player Owned Town

October 26, 2016

This week’s community spotlight features the Player Owned Town, Jade Valley! The upcoming Release 35 dance party (which starts this Friday at 2pm CDT) will also be hosted in Jade Valley. We will be livestreaming the last half hour or so of the dance party, leading into a new livestream event that officially begins at 4pm.

As told from a visit to the town by your community wood elf druid, Berek, Jade Valley is a unique town with many opportunities for new and experienced players to find a reason to visit. Close to Port Phoenix and several other player owned towns on the east side of the isle of Elysium, I saw a great many things across Jade Valley that drove me to write this spotlight.

Here is what I witnessed:

Jade Valley is very easy to find with many distractions to appease your adventurous spirit along the way. As I neared the town, nestled along the Twins Foothills in the southwest of Novia, the howl of the wind from the mountains threatened to rip off my cloak. Fortunately, as I approached the town’s entrance, the valley tamed the winds down to a nice breeze.

Mal Hari the town Govenor greeted me upon entering. He escorted me to the outdoor bar area, which had an amazing view of the coast. A group of fishing vessels were anchored there, bobbing up and down as the occasional wind gust came along.

As we walked, I asked Governor Mal Hari…

Community Spotlight: Serenite, an Oasis in the Desert – Player Owned Town

October 19, 2016

The third Player Owned Town spotlight kicks off with Serenite! We will be touring many communities and talking with their guilds and other groups in this series, all of which are open to be spotlighted on coming tours brought to you by Berek, your community wood elf druid.

Close to Desolis, I saw a great many things in Serenite that drove me to write this spotlight. Here is what I witnessed:

As I neared this oasis in the desert, along the coast of Grunvald, the searing heat of the desert made my plate mail feel like a pressure cooker. Serenite is very easy to find. It is the first community on the road when crossing the east reach gap just up the coast from Soltown. If you are standing in Brittany, just head toward the desert and look for the coast.

William the Governor greeted me upon entering Serenite. He escorted me to his modest but still impressive castle for a drink, as the desert heat had parched my thirst. Castle Serenite is nestled atop a hill overlooking the town.

The temperature in the region was warm but humid, a true oasis in the desert:

Community Spotlight: Exploring Silverhold – Player Owned Town

October 12, 2016

The second Player Owned Town spotlight kicks off with Silverhold! We will be touring towns and talking with guilds and other groups, all of which are open to be spotlighted on coming tours brought to you by Berek, your community wood elf druid. Near Port Phoenix, I saw a great many things in Silverhold that drove me to write this spotlight. Here is what I witnessed:

As I neared Silverhold, nestled in the higher elevations of Elysium, snow flurries began to fall around me. I realized this would be my first visit to a snow covered area of Novia. I did not prepare and bring a coat, but I managed.

It was no mild wintery weather here either, the white powdery stuff lay thick on the ground as the Town Crier greeted me upon entering the town. Clearly seeing I was new to the area, he suggested I visit the warmth of Silverhold keep. Governor Asher Silvarian enjoyed personally greeting newcomers to the town. I decided to take up this offer and headed up the trail toward monolithic stone structures in the distance.

Clasped Gauntlets Cloak for Community Events

October 7, 2016

We believe very strongly that community events that extend into the real world are very important and we have always worked hard to support them. We have been considering for a long time now how players who attend these real world events can display their attendance inside the game.

With all that in mind we came up with the Clasped Gauntlets Cloak! Any Shroud of the Avatar community event, of any size, is eligible to receive a cloak for each attendee. The organizer will need to submit a request for approval and then once approved provide a list of backers who attended. Large events can request a customized version of the cloak with a unique color scheme and a custom name.

The first approved use of these customized versions are SotA Con East 2016 and Ultima Dragons 25th Anniversary Party (see below on how to get these rare exclusive versions of the cloak).

Homes of New Britannia – Decorating Contest

October 4, 2016

Get those creative house decorating ideas ready, Avatars! Show the community the curb appeal you can bring to a town as folk walk down the street, and the wonder in the eyes of those who step in to visit your cozy abode. Throw it all up on the walls for this contest and see what sticks!

As the contest progresses, each week on either Monday or Tuesday, we will announce on social media the latest submissions in a Facebook screenshot gallery. Peruse the screenshots there, or go to the forum submission thread to find coordinates to the homes so you can tour them in-game!

If you have questions about this contest, or wish to comment on a particular submission, please post in the official contest forum thread.

TAKING SCREENSHOTS

Use the following guidelines to ensure the best and most impactful screenshots:

Image count: Minimum of 3, Maximum of 8 total screenshots.
Image views: Must include a minimum of 1 outdoor screenshot, and if applicable, 2 indoor.
Resolution: Minimum of 1920×1080, and always in 16:9 aspect ratio (you can trim if necessary).
Quality: Use in-game settings to their maximum, no post-screenshot alterations allowed.
Set the stage! Other players and staged items in the shot are great resources.
Stand your ground! Must be of your own house and plot as the main focus of the scene.
Protip! Be mindful of the game time for the best lighting angles you want on the home, if any.
Remember! UI must be off (Key: F9), no post-alterations to the screenshot.

Submit all screenshots in a single post response to this forum thread. Deadline to submit is 11:59pm CDT on Sunday, November 6th.

Community Spotlight: Relaxing in Bastion’s Point – Player Owned Town

September 21, 2016

The first Player Owned Town spotlight kicks off with Bastion’s Point! We will be touring towns and talking with guilds and other groups, all of which are open to be spotlighted on coming tours brought to you by Berek, your community wood elf druid. Near Soltown, I saw a great many things in Bastion’s Point that drove me to write this spotlight. Here is what I witnessed:

The other day I walked along the East Perennial Trail between Soltown and Solace Bridge. I was still dazed about the terrible things I saw at the Bridge and I needed a place to rest. To my good fortune, I came across a hamlet called Bastion’s Point just along the east coast. “Ah, I will rest here and perhaps get something to eat,” I said to myself.

As I entered Bastion’s Point, I felt a cool breeze of salt air which felt refreshing in the heat of the noon sun. I ventured further into town and found what initially looked like an inviting visitors center, until I saw the guillotine and the sign saying “executions every day brought to you by your friends at ‘A Bandit Camp'”.

Turning down the road, I encountered an open air social center with finely crafted chairs, a piano, and some strange plants. It was here I met Governor Trevour, who led Bastion’s Point. He greeted me with a friendly handshake and offered me a pint of ale from Mac’s Black and Tannery.

Bastion’s Point Social Center includes reading and relaxation areas, musical nooks, dance areas and town provided Amplifiers for listening to Avatar’s Radio and Radio Free Britannia!

I asked Governor Trevour…

Why was Bastion’s Point founded?

We wanted to bring together our friends we met playing other games like UO, once again to enjoy the experience of their company and the fun of adventuring together. What better way to do so than by creating a player owned town that serves not only as our hub of activity but also serves as a welcoming demonstration of our vision for our joint gaming experience. And no better place to come together once again than a world created by Richard Garriott and his great team of fellow visionaries.

‘Dawn of New Britannia’ Trailer Contest Results!

August 23, 2016

Wow! We had an outstanding community trailer contest this month. All submissions were truly fantastic and a pleasure to watch. Our team struggled mightily in narrowing it down to only three winners, as each entry was done well and were quite unique from each other. In fact, the debate over first and second place continued until the very last moment!

Well done participants! We present to the community the winners of the contest:

1st Place goes to Ember for ‘New Britannia Awaits’:

Ember receives: $1,000 Store Credit, SotA signed t-shirt, Sword of Midras hardcover book, SotA COTOs coin, and a specially signed congratulations letter from Richard Garriott.

2nd Place goes to Net for ‘Experience Shroud of the Avatar’:

Net receives: $500 Store Credit, SotA signed t-shirt, Sword of Midras hardcover book, SotA COTOs coin

3rd Place goes to Selene for ‘Welcome to New Britannia!’:

Selene receives: $250 Store Credit, SotA signed t-shirt, Sword of Midras hardcover book, SotA COTOs coin

You can view all entries in the contest in a playlist at youtube.com/portalarium. Note that the order of the trailers in the playlist is not in order of those we selected, except for the top 3 winners placed at the top of the list.

Congrats again to the winners, and to all that created a beautiful Shroud of the Avatar trailer for the community! For more about the contest, visit the Contest Announcement Article.