Play Release 142!

Greetings Fellow Avatars!

Release 142 goes live September 29th at 10:30 AM CDT.

Welcome! The Catnip Games development team marks this monthly release of Shroud of the Avatar with new content and improvements. For Release 142 (R142), we offer ghosts and goblets.

For those wishing to participate in any community activities, upcoming one-time and recurring community events have been announced! Be sure to also review the Player Guide and Known Issues for additional information on recent changes and upcoming fixes.

News Announcements

Community Updates

Sam Who?

Samhain is upon us! For most all of the team this is our favourite time of the year! Well, maybe next to the egg hunt when we get to murder players, or April Fool’s day… Samhain is an ancient Celtic festival which was a pagan holiday celebrating the end of the harvest season and the Celtic New Year. Over the eons it has become Halloween as celebrated today.

There are some really gruesome cool things in this release! I have my favourites, but I am very curious to see what you all think is the best!

This month was a rough one for me. I finally caught Covid and was forced to take a week off to rest. Even after that I was a bit foggy for the next week. This means I didn’t get to stream as much as I wanted this month, and I lost the head start I got on all the things for R142 and R143. Even with that, we got a lot done, and are continuing on into October with a bunch more stuff.

The Blackblade Player Dungeon Room got updates this month. I had this great idea to fix a long-standing issue of people getting burned by lava when they were nowhere near it by creating a mesh that conformed to the lava pools themselves. I did a work stream on this and it looked like it was going to work really well. Sadly I found at the very end that the mesh could not be set as a trigger unless it was set to be convex. Which effectively changed the mesh back into a box collider, which would still set players aflame from a far.

In the end I found that I could use a mixture of Spheres and Cylinders to better hug the edges of the various pools. (I also found that other adjustments needed to be made to better manage the layers required for Lava Fishing (or any fishing to be honest). While I was there I adjusted the “swim height” so the character does not look like they are wading in the lava. I will backfill these fixes into the other lava grotto rooms that have curvy pool edges.

The Blackblade room is also the first room that I have put a mesh deco surface method in place. Usually, we attach a script box colliders to cover the areas we estimate that players should decorate on. The Blackblade room (and the upcoming Lava Lake room) are so large and have so many meshes that is makes more sense to optimize and create decoration meshes.

This means instead of what easily could have been 20 scripts running for Deco, we will have three; floor, wall, and ceiling. I am sure that there will need to be adjustments to some of the surfaces to increase usability along with further reduction of the number of mesh quads. This is similar to what I was trying to accomplish with the lava damage areas (and is the new method we are using for decorations in the new houses we are making).

Still on my list to get done before we shift into the end of the year (planning for 2026, infrastructure stuff, and coding) are the (massive) Lava Lake room, spawning versions of all the lava grotto rooms, and getting ‘the Well’ dungeon in place (at least for beta).

Looking forward to streaming a bunch this month and seeing you all there!

- Ravalox

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Make a Difference!

We have a section of the cash shop on our website with items that represent various charities. Catnip Games donates 20% of the net purchase price of these items to the designated charities. We have collected over $50,000 for various charities including Water.org, Autism Awareness, Breast Cancer, Movember, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, and Doctors Without Borders.

At player request, we are adding a new Glowing Magic Mug into the Breast Cancer section this month to help support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The mug pictured here honors those we have lost.

Most of us know or know of someone affected by breast cancer: not only those diagnosed but also their families, friends, and communities. Supporting the effort to cure and prevent breast cancer is something we can all do.

By supporting the fight against breast cancer, we honor the stories of survivors, remember those we have lost, and protect generations to come. Each donation, each voice raised in awareness, and each moment spent spreading knowledge makes a difference. We hope this brings us closer to a world where breast cancer can be prevented, treated, and ultimately cured.

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Release 142 Patch Notes

Below are a list of the updates that are live as of Release 142 in the game of Shroud of the Avatar! Polish, additional improvements, and bug fixes are inbound for R143 next month. We hope you enjoy the changes that are live today as of Release 142!

Crafting, Decoration, Gear, & Inventory Item Changes:

User Interface, Store Information, Inky, & Lua Changes:

World and Quest Changes:

Player-Owned Town Changes:

Player-Owned Dungeon and Basement Changes:

Latest News and Q&A in the October Livestream

The post-release Community Livestream is Friday, October 3rd at 4PM CT on Twitch! Join Stephen “Ravalox” Reinen and other members of the development team for a 1-hour community livestream!

To enter the prize drawings, type “go Octoberserk” into any in-game chat channel OR make a purchase on the website Add-On Store before the live drawings at any time on the day of the stream; that is to say, after midnight CT.

Please submit questions using in-game universal chat by typing “askadev” before your question. We’ll do our best to answer these questions live on the stream. Watch on Twitch, Saturday at 4PM CT!

Members of the Shroud of the Avatar development team stream on twitch.tv/shroudoftheavatar — be sure to get the channel on follow for notifications so you can join us right as we go live! Also, if you’ve missed our latest streams, check out our archive of content at our YouTube Channel. Like! Follow! Subscribe! Prizes!!!

Don’t forget to also join the Shroud of the Avatar team and community over on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ShroudoftheAvatar/ and on Discord at https://discord.gg/shroudoftheavatar.

Sale Events

From September 29th through October 6th:

Release 142 Subscriber Login Rewards

Give who whatever is stuck in front of the sink something nice to look at as it works. The Rewards Program login items for Release 142 are a Sunflower Patch Set, a Fancy Kitchen Sink II, and a Painted Magic Sigil Set (Choose One).

Play Release 142!

Play Release 142!

Each magic school set contains two sigils of each of the three sizes. Individual pictures of each set can be found below.

Play Release 142!

Subscribers to the Rewards Program must log in during Release 142 to receive these special login items.

The Shroud of the Avatar Rewards Program lets you earn the best rate on purchasing Crowns AND receive monthly reward items! For a low monthly price, you will receive the following:

Tier 1  $9 (plus tax)  900 COTOs and 3 Obsidian potions monthly Tier 2 $18 (plus tax) 2000 COTOs and 6 Obsidian potions monthly Tier 3 $27 (plus tax) 3500 COTOs and 9 Obsidian potions monthly

October Login Reward

Each account that logs in during the month of October will receive a one-time gift of a Dyeable Balloon with which to decorate an event space or run around carrying in the last remnants of warmth before winter.

Play Release 142!

Crown Store Updates

New in the crown store for today’s release:

While ghosts are often indifferent to the living world, fearful ghosts will flee when approached.

Spawner, Fearful Ghost with Tombstone Play Release 142! Spawner, Fearful Ghost with Bone Pile Play Release 142! Cherrywood New You Pavillion (NPC Building) and NPCs This bundle comes with a POT NPC Building and one each of male and female New You Beautician POT NPCs. An NPC is needed for the New You functionality. Play Release 142! Dyeable Balloon Cluster Play Release 142! Plain Kitchen Sink Play Release 142!

for October 1st:

…and for October 10th:

The Spooky Seasonal store items will be available through Monday November 3rd:

List of Spooky Seasonal items:

The Fall Holidays store items will be available through Monday December 8th:

List of Fall Holidays items:

Bug Brigade & Testing Directives!

Play Release 142!

The Bug Brigade was established to improve how the community and the development team work together to improve the game. Since the Brigade’s inception, the program has gone through a number of changes and was eventually placed on hold. The stability of the game is as important to the development team as it is to the players, therefore the program was revamped and was relaunched.

The Brigade has been up and running and the volunteers (Alley Oop, Echondas, Flair Minamoto, and Justyn) are in a good rhythm for verifying and submitting bugs to the developers. If you have reported a bug that has not yet been addressed, please be patient while the backlog is being worked. The Brigade is working diligently to clean up the backlog of bug reports posted by players on the forums.

Every month, a considerable amount of development time will be spent working many of the verified bugs which have been submitted to the team by the Bug Brigade. This focused effort on bug fixes would not be possible without the recent efforts of the Bug Brigade. Please take the time to thank these bug hunting aficionados when you encounter them in your travels!

In turn, the development team would like to express a big thank you to the Bug Hunters! These community members are doing a fantastic job bringing so many bug reports to the team, and they’re doing it in a way which makes the process smooth and efficient. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Much improvement has been noticed by the development team and we’re so very excited to see the program’s continued success!

The development team would also like to thank all of those who take time to participate in QA Testing Directives. Thanks to your hard work and dedication, many issues and bugs can be identified and fixed prior to content going to the Live Server! Keep up the great work! For those that wish to participate in future bug hunting endeavors, please check the forums regularly for upcoming QA Testing Directives.

Don’t forget, the Bug Brigade is open to all players in good standing and bug rewards are SWEET! They will be awarded on a monthly progression basis with only minimal requirements to qualify. The available rewards to receive in progression via qualifying participation are as follows:

If you’ve come to think of Shroud of the Avatar as your home, sign up and help make New Britannia a better place to live! To learn more about joining the Bug Brigade, please read the announcement thread by Ravalox in the main Bug/Feedback forums.

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Streaming Program Play Release 142!

Streamers of Shroud of the Avatar can participate in a program to showcase the game and be rewarded for their efforts. Any player in good standing who wishes to be included in the Streaming Program can contact Laney via in-game mail with their Character Name and Twitch Channel information. If you have already signed up for the program in the past, fear not: you’re on the list and you don’t need to reapply.

Streaming Rewards Program participants must adhere to our Terms of Service (TOS) and Community Rules while Streaming Shroud of the Avatar.

Streaming Rewards Program participants must stream at least 10 hours of Shroud of the Avatar ACTIVE game play to remain in the program with reward accrual.

Streamers will receive a one-time digital reward of in-game items after meeting the program’s requirements: Streamer’s Cloak, Streamer’s Camera, and the LIVESTREAMING title.

Rules:

Monthly Streaming Bundles:

On the 1st of each month, qualifying streamers will be eligible to receive 50 Streaming Bundles. Bundles will be sent out to Streamers via in-game mail.

A few things you need to know:

Other Items of Note:

Upcoming Release Dates

Play Release 142!

Be sure to check out the Upcoming Events page for spotlighted events plus links to various areas to post or find events on our forums. The upcoming 2025 Release Schedule is as follows:

Community Events & Resources

Play Release 142!

Greetings event holders and event attendees! So many fun and exciting events are available in the upcoming weeks. Be sure to get out there and participate, make some new friends, perhaps make some great emote, recipe, or gear trades, or get some adventuring and role-playing into your mix! Here are spotlighted events or updated community resources that we’ve noticed popping up lately on the official forums.

Recurring Events:

Community Calendars:

Community Event Resources: Here are some fantastic resources for tracking down community events or posting your own events. Become involved! Create! Explore! Make friends! But most of all, have fun!

So many options to stay tuned-in with fellow community members. Please take advantage of all these wonderful options. Happy adventures, Avatars!

Project to Support: Ma Vie en Rogue

Sorceress Dragon of the team behind the Ultima Dragons’ 25th Anniversary Bash is creating a new, narrative-driven Roguelike RPG, Ma Vie en Rogue! The game will feature fun, engaging gameplay, many varied worlds, unlimited character customization, dozens of unique NPCs, pets, and monsters, sweet pixel art, and so much more. Richard Garriott has given his official endorsement, so watch for the Lord British character and Ultima-inspired Easter eggs! The Kickstarter is complete and early access release is now open. Check it out on Steam here!

Play Release 142!

Project to Support: Inside a Kid’s Mind

Play Release 142!Chris Spears’ daughter Maxine has, for a school project, opened a webstore of various items printed with her artwork. Go have a look Inside a Kid’s Mind!

Project to Support: Shard RPG

Play Release 142!

Shard Studios invites you to enter the fantastic world Dárdünah, the vast shard of a shattered realm, as presented in the colorful pages of the SHARD RPG! Many years in the making, this system allows players to choose from a wide variety of animal people who are the main cast of the many adventures this otherworldly setting offers. Skyships glide through shimmering clouds past majestic crystal peaks. Giant insects prowl alien jungles or lurk in the sparkling emerald seas. Warriors with blades of diamond and amber duel across crimson sands. And mystics chant in shadowy chambers as their spirits wander abroad.

So if you’re ready to experience a gaming world like no other, check out what Shard Studios has created for tabletop role-players on the Shard RPG official website! You’ll most certainly be immersed and amazed by the offerings of the Shard RPG!

Play Release 142!

Project to Support: Embers Adrift!

Help support one of our team members’ other projects, Embers Adrift! Check out their official trailer here.

Resources: Players Helping Players

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The official SotA New Player Welcome Forum and the Player Created Resources Forum have the best player created resources for Shroud of the Avatar, whether it’s a Player Written Guide, a Video Walk-through, or a Wiki-type Website.

Visit the official Community Resources page for a complete listing of all things community.

Link nội dung: https://www.sachhayonline.com/avatar-con-ma-a43176.html