Shroud of the Avatar Articles
Today, Shroud of the Avatar: Forsaken Virtues, looks to continue the epic-in-scope tradition of Ultima VII, but the world has changed and many RPGs do the things Ultima once laid claim to. So now, just weeks from launch, how is Portalarium’s MMO/single-player RPG shaping up?
The latest Shroud of the Avatar newsletter has been published with lots of news including the March 27th release of Update 52 well underway. In addition, backers who should be receiving physical goods pertinent to their backer level have until March 9th to fill out the required forms to ensure their items arrive on time.
Shroud of the Avatar developer Portalarium is charging hard at their release date, and Red Thomas made a run to Austin and sat down with the team to get caught up. Backers will still see the normal development pace right up to go-time, so Red explains some of what they should see over the next couple months.
With Release 50, Portalarium is offering a new free trial option for Shroud of the Avatar. Those taking part can choose one of three paths: Truth, Love or Courage. This brings the core game feature of "choice in all things" to bear.
The latest Shroud of the Avatar newsletter has arrived hot in our mailbox with the most recent news. Developers have provided several gorgeous screenshots taken of the Elven city of Yew, as well as a lengthy post that details a number of changes coming to the Map feature in the game. The letter wraps up with the latest telethon post mortem, news about items now on sale and a bit of holiday cheer to wrap things up.
An early version of Release 49 for Shroud of the Avatar have been published with a brief mention of the free trial experience possibly becoming a permanent fixture for the game starting on December 20th. If it makes the final patch, free trial players will play on the Courage Path as developers consider starting off with a sword is simpler than starting with a bow. Free Trial players will be able to advance each skill to level 50.
Another in a string of free trial events for Shroud of the Avatar has kicked off. This time, you can play for free from November 1st through November 15th. During the event, there are a number of restrictions in place. Progress will be saved, however, should you choose to invest in purchasing the game.
Shroud of the Avatar developer Portalarium signed a publishing deal with European publisher Travian Games. Red Thomas stops by the offices in Austin, TX to find out what impact the deal has on the game.
Thanks to Shroud of the Avatar community member "Vooch", we have learned about a recent project to bring an interactive Haunted House tour to light.
The Shroud of the Avatar site has been updated with the latest weekly newsletter that shows off a long list of client improvements in the new build as well provides a look at what the team has been working on most recently. You'll see tons of screenshots from the creation of the Blackblade Foothills, Midmaer Way, and North Quel Way. In addition, for those who are attending SotA Con in Austin later this month, the event schedule is now available.
The Shroud of the Avatar site has been updated with a lengthy post by Executive Producer Starr Long that details what players can expect throughout the balance of 2017. Most notably, there will be three new release clients, each with its own particular focus. While no Steam EA release date is specified, Long wrote, "While we feel we are definitely getting closer to launch readiness each month, we do not believe that launching before the end of the year is going to be the right thing."
If you've still not had a chance to dive into Shroud of the Avatar, you have an opportunity to do so thanks to the arrival of the latest Free Trial. It is currently underway and will run through September 27th. There are limitations on the experience, though you can journey through the scenes, talk with players and try out the opening quests. Any progress made will be saved should you decide to back the game in Early Access.
If you're STILL on the fence about Shroud of the Avatar, you will have another opportunity to check out the game from today through August 30th. Of course the caveat is that there are more than a few restrictions on the trial account, but the silver lining is that all progress is saved should you choose to invest in the game.
With Shroud of the Avatar ready to officially launch Episode 1 in the relatively near future, the team is beginning to look at the future. In a new post on the official forums, Starr Long has revealed the long term plan for SotA that includes four new episodes, ships that will include ship-to-ship combat, Elven race, player-owned dungeons, Discord integration, more character customization, a companion mobile app, map improvements, animal husbandry and much more.
The first round of the Portalarium crowdfunding initiative via Seed Invest will be closing in a few hours after exceeding its initial goal. To date, investors have raised over $675k with just over seven hours to go.