Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Shroud of the Avatar: Release 1 Hits the Airwaves
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
Portalarium has announced that Release 1 for Shroud of the Avatar is now available for backers to download and try out. Release 1 is a single-player only look at SotA and gives players the opportunity to check out the Owl's Head, take possession of a home, interact with NPCs, equip armor and costumes and much more.
In Release 1, players will also be able to converse with non-player characters (NPCs) and try out the game's dialog system. Players will also be able to equip their avatars with different clothing, armor and weapons and they'll be able to select a house from the entire list of player houses, even the vast Lord of the Manor estate. There will also be chests of furniture and decorations all over Owl's Head for players to pick up and outfit their newly established homes. This early release is single player online only. In later releases, the Shroud of the Avatar team will roll out multiplayer online modes.
"These early systems are ready for players to try out and test for us," said Executive Producer Starr Long. "We hope the community understands how critical they are to helping us make Shroud of the Avatar the game that we all want it to be. Throughout 2014, we'll be rolling out even more features and systems on a monthly basis for players to try out including crafting, combat, questing, multiplayer and of course many other towns, dungeons and lands to explore."
Find out how to get started on the Shroud of the Avatar forum.
Comments
Somebody hit the ` key instead of the 1 key up there.
**
Dang it! Stop fixing stuff so fast!
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
Much of my interest in this game has been lost.
I don't agree with the philosophy behind funding (pay-to-win items, with clear favoritism for the highest investors, excessive sales pitching). The Card-based combat is mostly luck-based, awkward, and unless changed will be a colossal flop in my eyes. The skill system, unlike UO, does not train skills based on their associated actions.
Overall very disappointed. It's not even about the relatively small chunk of money I put into this (explorer-level).
Shroud of the Avatar is open for early gameplay and feedback. Backers get beta access, plus many will get "tax free" property ownership. Because SotA does NOT require as heavy of servers as most MMO's, we do not plan on a monthly fee. Even a base membership will give you long term access to the multiplayer content!
Anyone else here feel that Garriot's post (above) was actually an automated robot spamming advertisements for the game?
That's sort of the same feeling I get with the tone of the update e-mails for SotA, similar to what Ikonic wrote in his commentary above
Autobot or no, no monthly fee is good to hear. :-)
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
You truly do not understand how crowd funding works.
You stay sassy!
How about some tax-free property for ALL backers, even the lower-lever tiers, after launch?
Because who cares about the backers who believed in you enough to monetarily support you in the best way they could based only on an idea, right? It's common knowledge that such backers don't deserve to be in the same league as the "Lords" of the manor, and that they are supposed to feel dejected and unimportant, right?
Not only do you not understand what crowd funding is, you don't know how the game is being made. This isn't some normal MMO alpha/beta. They have given backers the tools the developers are using and you can create content for their contests, if you win you get prizes but you are also learning the tools to produce items for the game shop where you will get money if people buy them.
Its a modders dream and, they are also actually asking for input on the game, and taking some advice.
"People who tell you youre awesome are useless. No, dangerous.
They are worse than useless because you want to believe them. They will defend you against critiques that are valid. They will seduce you into believing you are done learning, or into thinking that your work is better than it actually is." ~Raph Koster
http://www.raphkoster.com/2013/10/14/on-getting-criticism/
Let's see, download this 'snippet' of a game involving a part I'll never be able to participate in online (because I'm sane and don't want to spend $500 for a virtual house)... OR
Play the long-awaited Wasteland 2 beta, the full version of which won't restrict content or be pay-to-win. Gee, let me think about that...
Up yours, Garriott. Fargo has never done me wrong.
AN' DERE AIN'T NO SUCH FING AS ENUFF DAKKA, YA GROT! Enuff'z more than ya got an' less than too much an' there ain't no such fing as too much dakka. Say dere is, and me Squiggoff'z eatin' tonight!
We are born of the blood. Made men by the blood. Undone by the blood. Our eyes are yet to open. FEAR THE OLD BLOOD.
#IStandWithVic
Come on bud, you must know they'd never charge so much for in-game housing. The homes they were showing off were just the unique ones that backers who gave them around $500 would be getting as a perk. They'll have plenty of housing that will be available to buy with in-game currency and, yes, I'm sure you can spend real money for a house as well but it will likely be closer to $10-$15 if you want to pay for a shortcut.
I'm not thrilled with the game and I'm no fan of micro-transactions but this is just common sense stuff here.
/headdesk
Tax free only if you pledge $550 or above. Anything below that will still be paying the in game taxes for property ownership.
Asbo
That's not true at all. If housing is all bought up by the rich who can afford to pay $500 for a house, the ones who didn't pay still have a chance to get a tiny crappy plot (if they weren't all taken up by the "Lords" of this scam of a P2W game).
This game is being dictated by the rich people and those who are middle class are basically out of luck. And yes I consider someone who pays $500 for a virtual house as being very well off. A normal person with bills and mouths to feed can't afford that.
I'm sure the rich people are going to enjoy their own game though because I honestly can't see anyone else playing it. Why would anyone want to play a game where the economy is more than likely going to be controlled by the fat cats?
People play games to escape real life and this game's economy and social structure resembles real life way too much for my tastes.
Any respect I had for Richard Garriott has been completely lost.
Smile
Well Mr. Garriott since your developers don't know the difference between a bladed axe and a hammer I'd say that's a pretty bad sign for your game. An axe is bladed school not bludgeon.
What a load of mouth breathers. The subtlety that will be offered by this game is far beyond that of nearly any other game. Come enjoy real Role Play experience. Come to a place where the developers care about your input, and want to immerse you in an original world that will have meaning beyond paltry gold pieces. We're building a world together, and we'll be there if you ever want to stop by and say hi.
I suggest you read some actual information, or else go eat a bag of silver serpents.
$45 is a nice price for pre-ordering a game and getting alpha/beta testing.
$150 is a great price for 10 years of gaming (the level of pledge where you get all 5 planned expansions)
Or just wait and buy the game when it comes out for $40 or $60 bucks or whatever list price is. But don't knock it til you try it - you'll be surprised at what we have to offer.
Lately I'm reading such comments in forums etc and I find it incredible how people don't understand anything.
First you should learn to have a little humilty and respect for the people doing their job. Not only Richard Garriot, all the team behind.
It is true that lately micro-payments are trendy but it has nothing to do with what we have here. I invested over $100 and honestly, I don't remember the half of rewards.
If I'm supporting the project is because it makes me really happy and I don't intend to pay for being the "first" of something but to be part of something I've been waiting over 10 years. And sincerily, I don't see the big advantage.
I hate this culture of free stuff. Everyone wants free games, free music... Seems like the people who made this don't pay for food, bills etc. *ahem*
Just enjoy the game and don't be jealous.
While I pledged $150 for this game, and it's the first time I ever backed a Kickstarter. I am starting to worry a little bit about the direction. It seems like there is an extreme focus on housing and I almost feel like I wasted my money by not going high enough to get one of these premium houses tax free.
For one, after pledging $150 theres a good chance I won't ever be able to get a plot of land in the game. Two, if I ever do manage to I better not take a break for a month or I will lapse on the taxes and lose it. And let's face it, if there is any housing available for in game currency it's probably gonna be sucked up by the uber hardcore people who can play 16 hours a day.
I still think it could be a cool game, but sad to see really cool housing that's reserved for the really rich or really hardcore.
If the most pressing issue for you right now is the possible miscategorization of a weapon, then either Shroud of the Avatar is frackin amazing so far or your priorities are a bit left of center.
I mean, you have the attention of Richard Garriott, the highest ranking person that can affect a change, and THAT is what you chose to use your moment to relay.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
This is why the West is a complete joke when it comes to mmos. If it was not for WoW it would be laughable. Why are we now seeing mmos releasing everywhere before they come to the West? Developers and publishers are seeing feedback like what we are getting here and they are simply starting to not care about gamers in the West. Couple years ago people were crying for something different and look at how they talk about games like SOTA and ArcheAge. Pathetic:-)