Please help me to understand this

Maybe it is due to the fact I am not an English native speaker ... but I was under the impression SotA is for free. After all, I backed the game with a three digit figure. And now I am reading I need to BUY the episodes approx. once a year – another 40 bucks per year, approx 200 in total? What is it I am missing or what did I understand wrongly?
Thanks.

 

SOTA has never been free, you will have to purchase the initial game like any other. Im actually not sure if you have to buy into each of the 5 episodes but from what I read, it s probably the case. However, buying into things like bundles have these built in.

The devs are offering "free" couple of day trials for people.

 

SotA does not have a monthly subscription but you need to purchase the game to play it. Backers above a certain amount received a reward entitling them to play the future episodes. You might have that reward depending on what you purchased.

 

Only pledges of certain levels get more then 1 episode. Pledges are all expired now.
Future Episodes of Shroud of the Avatar

• Episodes 2 & 3 (Royal Artisan pledge)
• Episodes 4 & 5 (Explorer & Explorer – All Digital pledges)

 

None of the bundles (that I know of) include any episodes other than the first. Only pledges did.

 

Can someone explain to me what an episode means? I always assumed it was optional DLC content after the 'base game' is done, but now I feel all sorts of confused. Is it an online access thing?

 

@Della kit a new episode means new content like a new continent to explore (where you can live ofc = new living space) and a new story, new races , new bundles (like pirates for ep 2 i think) ect

 

Think of all the other MMO's. Once every 1 or 2 years they release a huge update with massive new lands, story and areas.

 

Were the episodes only included in original kickstarter? I do not see them listed on those pledge pages. I have Explorer, but pledged after KS was over. I'll probably be fine kicking in an extra $40 per episode if needed, but if I already end up getting them then I can turn that money to to add-ons I probably would not have gotten before.

 

Try this: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...nuHUXtT_Xx93qa9Bc3w/edit?pli=1#gid=1943167947

Lines 205 and 211 say you need at least Benefactor status. Have a look at your account...

 

Has nothing to do with kickstarter, If you got a Explorer pledge then your good for all 5 episodes . Its all about the pledges before they went away. Check your account out like higginss said.

 

Episode is going to future content post release.
Right now = pre alpha for the final Episode 1 on launch. Epi 2 will be probably 1 year after launch (content) which was said to be much larger areas to explore, whilst more Story elements (by Tracy Hickman/LordB) unfold in their entirety.

 

Basically, look at an "Episode" like an expansion for a game like WoW. TBC for WoW would be what an Episode is like, for this game. Each expansion for WoW you had to buy.

Pledges are not the same as bundles. Bundles are small packages of items you buy from the Add-On Store. Pledges are a level of commitment a player buys that gets them certain non-game breaking items in return. Pledges were not only during the Kickstarter. They were around for quite a long time after the Kickstarter was done. Above a certain level of pledge, you would get an additional reward of up to the first 5 Episodes for free, as you pledged X amount of dollars to help back the development of the game.

I hope this helps explain it better.