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Starr Long Joins Shroud of the Avatar Development Team at Portalarium

Discussion in 'Announcements' started by FireLotus, Jul 5, 2013.

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  1. FireLotus

    FireLotus Royal Bard & Master Dabbler Dev Emeritus

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    AUSTIN, Texas, July 5, 2013 — The last time Starr Long and Richard Garriott teamed up to create a fantasy role playing game (RPG) was 1997. That game, Ultima Online, quickly became the first commercially successful massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) and many credit the duo with reinventing the RPG with that ground breaking product. Now Garriott and Long are preparing for yet another collaboration to reinvent the genre, this time on Portalarium’s™ Shroud of the Avatar™ PC based game. Starr Long was announced today as the project’s executive producer.

    Starr is a 20-year veteran of the gaming industry. He started his career at Austin’s legendary Origin Systems studio where he worked directly with Garriott to produce and create Ultima Online, which continues its position today as the longest running massively multiplayer online game ever. In 2010, Ultima Online was inducted into the Online Game Developers Conference Hall of Fame, becoming the first MMO to be so honored. Starr later helped co-found Destination Games with Richard and Robert Garriott (the company was soon acquired by NCsoft) and as producer he again collaborated with Richard Garriott on the futuristic MMO game, Tabula Rasa. In 2008 Beckett’s Massive Online Gamer magazine named Starr Long as one of the Top 20 Most Influential People in the massively multiplayer online industry.

    You can read the full Press Release here.

    And you can also read a great article on Starr's return at Polygon.
     
    Fain, By-Tor, Baron_EKiN and 13 others like this.
  2. Lord British

    Lord British Lord British SOTA Developer

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    Let me be the first to officially welcome “Darkstarr” to New Britannia! Starr is a longtime friend and colleague and I am delighted to have him on the team. Starr is a visionary when it comes to game development and I know he’s ready to roll up his sleeves and jump right in to help us make the Shroud of the Avatar the epic adventure you have all been waiting for!
     
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  3. DarkStarr

    DarkStarr Executive Producer SOTA Developer

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    I am thrilled to be back in Austin and joining with Richard as we embark on this amazing adventure. When I saw what Richard and the team are doing with Shroud of the Avatar, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. We’re pushing the boundaries of what it means to develop video games with Shroud in terms of technology and design while holding fast to the principles that made the Ultima series the success that is was. But what I am most looking forward to is working directly with you, the community, to make the game you have been wanting to play, which I believe is the real power of crowd funding.
     
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  4. Umbrae

    Umbrae Avatar

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    Welcome, DarkStarr! Good to see the team continue to get stronger and stronger!
     
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  5. Ome

    Ome Avatar

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    Awesome
     
  6. Eternal Knight

    Eternal Knight Avatar

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    Great News. Welcome!
     
  7. knoxiTV

    knoxiTV Avatar

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    STARR!!! Omg omg omg omg omg. Missed you!
     
  8. Rixel

    Rixel Avatar

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    Welcome Starr! So nice to see you on the team!!!!
     
  9. Duke Ironman

    Duke Ironman Avatar

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    Welcome DarkStarr. I really like the "roots" of the development of this game.
     
  10. Sargon

    Sargon Avatar

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    Welcome Starr. It is nice to see the band getting back together!
     
  11. Dorham Isycle

    Dorham Isycle Avatar

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    It just keeps getting better.
     
  12. Sergorn

    Sergorn Avatar

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    This is so awesome seeing you back working with Lord British! Having you on SOTA is like the greatest news ever! Welcome aboard!

    -Sergorn
     
  13. Alexander

    Alexander Avatar

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    Awesome news!!! Glad to see you back with Richard working on SOTA.
     
  14. High Baron O`Sullivan

    High Baron O`Sullivan Avatar

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    is everything.
  15. Fireangel

    Fireangel Avatar

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    Yay! Welcome home, Starr! :)
     
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  16. timedilation

    timedilation Avatar

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    Great announcement, Welcome Starr! Now your job is to keep Richard on his toes at all times ;)
    But just curious how much convincing did it take?

    Nice to know I'm getting the Darkstarr Metronome given my musical background.
     
  17. stile

    stile Avatar

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    Every time i reach a point where i don't think ill be surprised anymore by this project and the people behind it, WHAM, hit over the head with a 2x4.

    This is fantastic news!!

    Welcome aboard sir!
     
  18. G Din

    G Din Avatar

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    What area, exactly, will Starr be involved in? Overall development?
     
  19. stile

    stile Avatar

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  20. stile

    stile Avatar

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