Larian Studios Forums General Chat RPG Chat Shroud of the Avatar

I discovered the Divinity series recently and backed the Divinity: Originl Sin Kickstarter because it was promoted by the Ultima fans as a spiritual successor to Ultima VII in many ways. Ultima VII is one of my favorite games of all time, and apparently a few of the Larian devs cite the Ultima series as a major inspiration for the Divinity series. I wonder now if the Divinity fan community will return the favor.

Richard Garriott has his own crowd funded game as a spiritual successor to the Ultima series. They were successfully funded, but they're making a second push for funding right now to improve the game.

There are a few reasons to be really excited about this game.

It appears to be one of the rare games with selective multiplayer. You can play it offline like a solo RPG. You can play in your own hosted game with friends online. Or you can play it completely online like an MMORPG where everyone shares a world. People hacked NWN for persistent worlds, but this game does it out of the box.

Like Ultima Online (this is made by Richard Garriot and a bunch of UO vets), the gameplay is meant to be organic and emergent. You can steal from a player, but get a bounty on your head. If an NPC describes an artifact in conversation, you have to actually ask other people about that artifact to get info by typing in keywords. There are no quest markers. The game aims to have minimalist UI.

Ultima VII is one of my favorite games of all time. Ultima Online was fantastic (aside from griefers). The idea of a game that merges the best of single and multi player in an RPG is pretty exciting.

Tracy Hickman and Richard Garriott are doing story. Starr Long is producing.

You pre-order the game for $45, get beta access included, and game play online or offline for free.

https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com

If you end up backing it, please consider putting my email address down as a referrer - enderandrew@gmail.com

Ill be keeping an eye on this. It would be interesting to see how the solo campaign will work with multiplayer. With Tracy Hickman and Richard Garriot behind it I have added it to the list of RPG's to probably buy next year.

I've got it slightly on my radar. Haven't backed it though but I'm curious to see how it'll turn out.

Games I look forward to: DOS, Sui Generis, Witcher 3, Mount and Blade: Bannerlord, Metal Gear Solid V. I think those are the most important ones to me I think (unless I'mleaving some obvious ones out)

I know everyone is busy (rightfully so) playing DOS beta this weekend. But I wanted to remind people that there are only 2 days left to get the Early Founder rewards for Shroud of the Avatar. As DOS is a spiritual successor to Ultima in a sense, I think SotA will appeal to many Divinity fans.

If you were to back SotA on your own right now, it would cost $45 and you wouldn't get many extra rewards since you missed the initial Kickstarter. But there have a promotion with only 2 days left where existing Early Founders can gift you a copy. You'd pay less and right now you can get all these extras included for only $40 total.

* The Replenishing Snowball Box - This is a magical box of 50 snowballs that regenerates annually during the holiday season.
* Exclusive Title - Available only to pre-launch backers, your in-game avatar will receive the honorific title of "Benefactor" to be proudly displayed for all to see (title visibility controlled by player).
* Episode I - DRM-Free Digital Download of Episode I
* Early Access - Exclusive Early Bird Alpha + Beta Access (estimated Alpha delivery in December 2013)
* Star Citizen Vanduul Polearm: Benefactor Edition
* Immortality Fruit - Available only to backers, you will receive one Immortality Fruit seed. With the Farming Craft you can plant the Immortality Fruit seed, which will bear a single fruit. When eaten, this fruit will fully heal you, and leave you with a single seed which can be planted and harvested, over and over, for all eternity. The Immortality Fruit seed can be transferred between players.
* Early Skill Access - Be the envy of all the other players when they see you wielding new skills they don't have access to! You will have 2-weeks, Early Skill Access to some new skills as they are added to the game.
* Ankh of Virtue Necklace (Digital) - The Ankh of Virtue Necklace. The mystical Ankh has been the symbol of spiritual rebirth and eternal life in many cultures. Those on the path of virtue may elect to wear this necklace as an outward sign of their choice to live a life of exemplary virtue!
* "The Story of Mondain in the World of Sosaria" (Digital) - High quality scanned images of Richard "Lord British" Garriott's, original typewritten, high school English class essay of "The Story of Mondain in the World of Sosaria". This is the original story that was the foundation of Richard's Ultima games.
* Akallabeth D&D Campaign (Digital) - High quality scanned images of Richard "Lord British" Garriott's, original handwritten notes for the "Akallabeth!" (yes, the original spelling included two "L's" in the title) Dungeons & Dragons campaign he designed as a teenager, and that became the foundation of his first commercial RPG, "Akalabeth."
* Exclusive Title - Your in-game avatar will receive the honorific title of "Adventurer" to be proudly displayed for all to see (title visibility controlled by player).

* Exclusive Title - Your in-game avatar will receive the honorific title of "Pioneer" to be proudly displayed in gold colored font for all to see (title visibility controlled by player).
* Founder Shield - One (1) starter shield, uniquely identifiable as a Founder shield
* Teachable Emote - Get ready to show off (and teach) your unique Adventurer emote!
* Blade of the Avatar (Digital Download) - Exclusive serialized, Shroud of the Avatar novel by Tracy Hickman (Digital Download)
* Founder Cloak - Special cloak for your in-game avatar to wear, proudly displaying unique symbology identifying you as an early Founder of the game.
* Royal Elderberry - You will receive one Royal Elderberry seed. Planting the Royal Elderberry seed will yield a Royal Elderberry which is necessary for crafting the unique, Royal Purple Founder's Dye. There will be no other source, ever, for creating the Royal Purple Founder's Dye. Utilizing the Royal Elderberry to craft the dye will also bear a single seed which can be planted and harvested, over and over, for all eternity. The Royal Elderberry seed can be transferred between players.
* Last Name - Get your last name early! Experience in battle leads to Notoriety, but unlike ordinary adventurers, Immortal Adventurers will have the right to select and display both a first and last name right from the get-go!
* Star Citizen Vanduul Polearm: Founder Edition - "It has long been known, that the lands of Lord British were on a planet found far from the earth. Few have known, but many suspected, that artifacts, if not living visitors, from technologically advanced civilizations, periodically find their way to New Britannia..."
A special Star Citizen cross-promotional weapon, designed by Chris Roberts, that is truly out of this world. Uniquely identifiable as a Founder item.
* Exclusive Title - Your in-game avatar will receive the honorific title of "Immortal Adventurer" to be proudly displayed in gold colored font for all to see (title visibility controlled by player)
* Teachable Emote: Flex - Show off those biceps and impress the crowd!
* Crystal Sword - Kill almost any enemy you encounter with a single blow using your Crystal Sword! The Crystal Sword, uniquely identifiable as a Founder's sword, shatters after a single use. (Let it be known that Lord British is impervious to the Crystal Sword!)
* Founder Tunic - Special tunic for your in-game avatar to wear, proudly displaying unique symbology identifying you as an early Founder of the game.
* Exclusive Starter Melee Weapons - Start the game with 2 starter melee weapons, uniquely identifiable as Founder weapons
* Exclusive Title - Your in-game avatar will receive the honorific title of "Founder" to be proudly displayed in gold colored font for all to see (title visibility controlled by player).
* Teachable Emote: Dust Off - Hard day's adventuring? That's nothing. Show off how easy it is with this teachable emote.

You can contact me via a PM on the forums, or email me at enderandrew (at) gmail (dot) com if you're interested.