RPOTA.COM -- Role-Players of the Avatar

Very cool Elgarion! Does either SotAMap.com or RPOTA.com have any social networks we can retweet from? I want to help you guys spread the word about these updates.

 

Thanks Berek, and I do! In fact I have two very neglected social media accounts for RPOTA hahaa On that note, I just posted the last update on each, and I'll try to start using them each time when posting updates.

Twitter: @rpotadatabase https://twitter.com/rpotadatabase

Thank you so much for taking an interest

Also, @Jakub White , I couldn't find you on Twitter or Facebook -- do you have social networks to share with @Berek ? I'd also like to know so I can add you to my fledging following list

 

We're now following! I'm also following via @MathewAnderson as well .

 

Awesome!!! Thank you @Berek

 

Maia 2016 in Retrospect...

Welcome to this month's RPOTA news update! With another monthly contest upon us, please take the time to enjoy the entries, new and old, which were inspired by this month's contest theme, "Valor, Courage & Duty!" Contest deadlines are always on the last hour and minute and day of the month, so get them in quick or miss out on a chance for some wonderful prizes! If you have ideas for the site or wish to read through all the updates which have ensued since last month, be sure to read about them at our Suggestions & Updates forum!

So... stuff that came up in Maia... Location enhancements! You'll notice now that all locations have embedded SotAMap.com content, so you can quickly find that location using Jakub White's wonderful map website! Also, you'll notice I've slowly but surely been revisiting all locations (to ensure I haven't missed any non-player created or run locations). You'll notice 1 Hidden Vale location was missed, but I'm also adding a screenshot of each location from the Overland Map view. Hidden Vale is complete for this pass, and for Juno I'll be off to Novia!

Also, I still have been able to partake in a live stream with the folks at LegionofMyth.com! LoM is a wonderful gamers community for anything tabletop to video game. Quite the exciting opportunity for me, and their host, Al "Garthon" Marsh, who'll likely be joining us here in the SotA Community sometime in the coming months if not sooner, posed a wonderful array of questions and topics for me to answer. Check it out! The live stream is linked right in the Vids Module at RPOTA! You'll notice that the Memorial Day Edition featured a special guest star (returning co-host MaxLiao) to challenge my love for Shroud of the Avatar. We'll see how he does

MAIA CREATION CONTEST! Here ye! Here ye! Biographers, Historians, Diplomats, Journalists, Story Writers, Quest Designers, Videographers and Musicians! RPOTA is in dire need of your amazing talents! Role-Players of the Avatar is hosting a monthly contest to award those most famous with their quill, camera, piano or lute!

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MAIA CREATION CONTEST WINNERS have been selected! Please take some time to congratulate our winners below and show some appreciation for their fine work and creativity!

• "Baron Drocis Fondorlatos", Winning Character Entry ($25 Add-On Store Credit)
• No Eligible Factions Submitted ($25 Add-On Store Credit Unclaimed)
• "Rats Nest", Winning Location Entry ($25 Add-On Store Credit)
• "Church of the Dark Star Received a Standing", Winning Standing Entry ($10 Add-On Store Credit)
• "Noblesse Oblige", Winning Journal Entry ($10 Add-On Store Credit)
• "They Call Her Lady Warrior", Winning Storyline Entry ($25 Add-On Store Credit)
• "Founding of Rats Nest", Winning Timeline Entry ($10 Add-On Store Credit)
• No Eligible Quest Entry Submitted ($10 Add-On Store Credit Unclaimed)
• "Regulations", Winning Story Vid Entry ($25 Add-On Store Credit)
• "Partition of Virtuous Pretense", Winning ABC Entry ($10 Add-On Store Credit)
• GRAND PRIZE WINNER? "They Call Her Lady Warrior", Winning Storyline Entry ($70 Art Commission from Tortoise & Hare Creations!)

Congratulations to the winners for Maia! I look forward to seeing more exciting content in the months to come!

Well my friends, please please sit back and enjoy the new content at RPOTA! I very much look forward to your submissions, and I hope much happiness comes your way in the month of Apru! I'll have the contest winners announced likely around Maia 10th or thereabouts.

Take care, friends!
Rick/Duke Elgarion De'Kahli
Dedicated SOTA Fan #1,257,532

 

Don't forget, we're now in a new contest month, Juno's Creation Contests are upon us!
Head on over to RPOTA.COM to participate!

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Congratulations to all the other winners! I just read through all the entries and I am so honored to be part of this group. We have so much creative talent in this community, it's pretty amazing.

P.S. @Baron Drocis Fondorlatos, I believe Cianna may have to visit Rats Nest one day to search for some of the scoundrels who murdered her mother.

 

After reading her story, I'm surprised she has not taken up residence there. Well done!

 

She may end up there yet. One never knows.

Thanks for taking the time to read the story and your kind remark. I'm in awe of your backstory and planning for Rats Nest.

 

Just a quick update (and because of a gentle nudge from@Cianna):

• When you add a chapter to one of your storylines, it will populate the activity stream with a notification on the main Info Page. I might need to devise a way for the stream not to be spammed though if someone is loading a new story plus many chapters simultaneously (to come later).
• I noticed folks were going towards Discord, so I created a Discord Channel for in and out-of-character communication. Feel free to use the server for RP and RP/Story type discussions You'll find the link to the server on the Info drop down menu.

Be sure to head on over to look at some of the new content. Of late, @Cianna has added a chapter to her latest story. @WrathPhoenix posted a video of his vow renewal with Jenny from HoBLothIII, and @Baron Drocis Fondorlatos also has a new story posted which is a fantastic read.

Thanks all!

 

Oh... and of note: Major changes to the contest system coming--not for Juno's contest, which has already been announced, but you'll see the changes in Julius' contest advertisement.

I'll be toning back the total prize amount slightly and reformatting the criteria and categories.

1st: $50 add-on store credit
2nd: $25 add-on store credit
3rd: $10 add-on store credit
Grand Prize: $70 Tortoise & Hare Art Commission

Things to consider:

1. Now the prizes are cross-category. So before, a standing could only win a maximum of $5 add-on store credit. Now, however, a well written standing might garner the first place prize, which is $50 -- a huge difference.
2. Before, the largest add-on store credit prize was $25 - so now there is a chance your work could garner $50 as an individual entry!
3. I'll be revamping the criteria for the contest entries to be cross-category friendly when the change does come! (Broader, less specific).
4. In the past, many prizes went unclaimed each month (just scroll down in the event thread to see how often that occurred) but now since the prizes are cross-category, I will always be giving away the full amount of $85 add-on store credit with a $70 art commission, $155 guaranteed each month to be donated into the RP community of SotA
5. Now hopefully Elgarion will be able to save more money so he can go to DragonCon among other things.
6. Also, it takes considerable amounts of time to run/process the contest each month if it has 11 categories. 4 categories is going to really streamline things for me and might turn my 2-3 day monthly processing time down to just 1-2 days hopefully

Alrighty -- just a reminder, this does not affect the Juno contest, which will still utilize the old rules and prizes So get those entries in there! And if you wanna hold off until Julius in hopes to get that $50 add-on credit instead, go for it my friends!

Thanks for all the support folks. It's an honor to provide the site to the community, and I'm deeply touched by the reception it has received.

~Elgarion / Rick

PS: I know I've been neglecting the updates to the Themes Module! Arrrrgh! So sorry -- not immediately, but I WILL get those daily and weekly changes occurring routinely very soon!

 

I find it absolutely commendable how much money you're throwing at this to help the community!

 

Many thanks, Ender! It's an honor, a privilege and super SUPER fun to be involved this way!

 

Here, here! So much work goes into what you are doing, @Elgarion. The whole site and your efforts are phenomenal and much appreciated!

 

Another contest month is upon us, and with the coming of Julius comes the new contest format!
Head on over to RPOTA.COM to participate!

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Juno 2016 in Retrospect...
Welcome to this month's RPOTA news update! Now with Juno setting sail and the contest for Julius on our horizon, let's get those creative juices flowing for some more contest love! The theme for Julius is Honoring Benevolent Lords and the Deposing of Tyrants! Contest deadlines are always on the last hour and minute and day of the month, so get them in quick or miss out on a chance for some wonderful prizes! If you have ideas for the site or wish to read through all the updates which have ensued since last month, be sure to read about them at our Suggestions & Updates forum!

Storyline chapters were updated! For a long time I've neglected the fact that Chapters do not post to the activity stream. So many great authors have added new chapters to their work, and the only thing to notify us was the fact the story would sort to the top of the list. Well, it's finally working! New chapters to storylines now successfully post to the activity stream. So keep an eye out for new content!

Also, you might notice the advertisement for the Julius contest is in a slightly different format. I'll be toning back the total prize amount slightly and reformatting the criteria and categories. This might seem limiting at first, but please read on -- you might find it actually beneficial, especially if you look at it from the perspective of a single entry.

1st: $50 add-on store credit
2nd: $25 add-on store credit
3rd: $10 add-on store credit
Grand Prize: $70 Tortoise & Hare Art Commission

Things to consider for the contest changes:

• Now the prizes are cross-category. So before, a standing could only win a maximum of $5 add-on store credit. Now, however, a well written standing might garner the first place prize, which is $50 -- a huge difference.
• Before, the largest add-on store credit prize was $25 - so now there is a chance your work could garner $50 as an individual entry!
• I'll be revamping the criteria for the contest entries to be cross-category friendly when the change does come! (Broader, less specific).
• In the past, many prizes went unclaimed each month (just scroll down this news plage to see how often that occurred) but now since the prizes are cross-category, I will always be giving away the full amount of $85 add-on store credit with a $70 art commission, $155 guaranteed each month to be donated into the RP community of SotA
• Now hopefully Elgarion will be able to save more money so he can go to DragonCon among other things.
• Also, it takes considerable amounts of time to run/process the contest each month if it has 11 categories. 4 categories is going to really streamline things for me and might turn my 2-3 day monthly processing time down to just 1-2 days hopefully

Legion of Myth Livestream... I still have been able to partake in a weekly live stream with the folks at LegionofMyth.com! Unfortunately I've missed the last 2 shows, but regardless of my insignificant showing habits -- LoM is a wonderful gamers community for anything tabletop to video game! If you like games and comics and all things Role-Playing? Check it out! The live stream airs live every Saturday at 8PM Central on Twitch, airs as a rerun on Avatars Radio every Wednesday at 4pm Central, and the YouTube recordings are linked right in the Vids Module at RPOTA!

Juno Creation Contest Winners... have been selected! Please take some time to congratulate our winners below and show some appreciation for their fine work and creativity!

• "Kvow Triumvir", Winning Character Entry ($25 Add-On Store Credit)
• No Eligible Factions Submitted ($25 Add-On Store Credit Unclaimed)
• "Aelasar's Forest", Winning Location Entry ($25 Add-On Store Credit)
• No Eligible Standings Submitted ($5 Add-On Store Credit Unclaimed)
• "The History of Rift's End", Winning Journal Entry ($10 Add-On Store Credit)
• "Shards of Truth", Winning Storyline Entry ($25 Add-On Store Credit)
• No Eligible Timeline Submitted ($10 Add-On Store Credit Unclaimed)
• No Eligible Quest Entry Submitted ($10 Add-On Store Credit Unclaimed)
• "The Phoenixfyre's Renew Their Vows", Winning Story Vid Entry ($25 Add-On Store Credit)
• "Rasputin", Winning ABC Entry ($10 Add-On Store Credit)
• GRAND PRIZE WINNER? "Shards of Truth", Winning Storyline Entry ($70 Art Commission from Tortoise & Hare Creations!)

Congratulations to the winners for Juno! I look forward to seeing more exciting content in the months to come!

Well my friends... please please sit back and enjoy the new content at RPOTA! I very much look forward to your submissions, and I hope much happiness comes your way in the month of Julius! I'll have the contest winners announced likely around Augus 10th or thereabouts.

Take care, friends!
Rick/Duke Elgarion De'Kahli
Dedicated SOTA Fan #1,257,532

 

Congratulations to all the winners for June! @Baron Drocis Fondorlatos, loved your "Shards of Truth" piece! And a huge thank you for all the work you put into this contest and the RPOTA site, @Elgarion.

 

Another contest month is upon us, and with the coming of Augus brings the second run of the new contest format!
Head on over to RPOTA.COM to participate!

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Julius Creation Contest Winners... congrats to the following content creators! I hope your work comes to inspire others to take up their quill and ink!

• 1st Place Prize ($50 Add-on Credit) is awarded to Womby for his amazing story video, "Incident at Skrekk!"
• 2nd Place Prize ($25 Add-on Credit) is awarded to The High Priestess for the intriguing first chapter of the storyline, "Welcome to the Hanged Man!"
• 3rd Place Prize ($10 Add-on Credit) is awarded to Erik O'Connor/Ender Andrew for the wonderful 2 chapter tale, "The Mug of Baldrick!"
• Grand Prize (Art Commission from Tortoise & Hare Creations, $70 Value) is awarded to Erik O'Connor/Ender Andrew! His work, "The Mug of Baldrick" fit the monthly creation theme for Julius very well -- Honoring Benevolent Lords, Deposing of Tyrants!

Good luck to the contributors for the month of August!

 

So! You might notice I'm quite a bit behind on judging the August contest plus posting September's contest ad. I just got back from DragonCon last night so the new info is coming soon! Just give me some time to get settled and back in action. I hope to have the new ad and contest results done by the end of the weekend.

Thanks guys for all your support thus far!