Shroud of the Avatar - Single Player Features

Portalarium finally released information about the single player offline version of Shroud of the Avatar. Lets all give thanks to Rune for sending in the link with the information.

This post is intended to be a quick update on some future plans for how we will handle Single Player Offline and how it will differ from the Online modes of play. None of this is set in stone but it is our current thinking so, as always, feedback is welcome!

As you review this remember that Offline Mode is completely separate from Online Modes. Characters cannot move between these modes.

As we have stated elsewhere we have to build the sandbox first and then layer the narrative on top of that. It will totally fail if we try to do that in reverse. Please be patient and know we are as committed to the Single Player Offline mode of play as we are to online, we just have not gotten to it yet.

1. Save Games: One of the benefits to our distributed server model is that even though we are a client-server game we offload some of the server work to the local machines of our users. For offline mode the server (including all data) will be entirely client side so we can relatively easily provide the ability for users to restore their game from backups, aka Save Games. For Episode 1 launch we are planning to give players the ability to have multiple Save Games!
2. Companions: In Online modes companions will appear to the players from time to time along the story but they will not travel with the players. We did it this way for the Online modes because we did not want clones of these key NPCs in the same party of players. For offline mode we don’t have to worry about this though! This is, by far, the most requested feature and we intend to provide a small set of Ultima like companions that will journey with you. They will still periodically go off to do “their thing” as part of their virtual lives but for the most part they will indeed be companions. We intend for them to each have robust conversation and AI so that they truly feel like individuals (as they did in the linear Ultimas). In combat they will have commands similar to the pet commands we have now. For Episode 1 we have a long wishlist of features that are probably outside scope but
3. Spawn Rules: Some scenes will never respawn (creatures and resources) in offline mode (clearing a dungeon for example). The scenes that do respawn may do so on a very slow timer or only if there is a game state change that requires them to respawn (ex. a Town Siege by the Undead). We will balance this to make sure the game feels like it is reacting to the player but it is also providing enough resources for crafting.
4. Content: There are a few items that we are not going to sell in game in Online mode including the Castle and Keep sized lots. However we do plan to make those available in Offline mode along with a handful of other items yet to be finalized.

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More information.

Its good to finally get more information about the offline version as that's all I'm interested in playing. So thank you Rune for sending me the link.

No prob.

I encourage any of you who may be interested in this to make an account and ask questions in that thread. They have been answering a lot of questions there.

Also, they recently released an update on the graphics for the overland map, which look fantastic in my opinion.

https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/f...rafting-of-novia-overworld.21856/#post-325919

I have been pretty hard on them to come forward with a lot of these features, so I'm pretty stoked on the info they gave out so far. If you have any other questions I will try an answer them.

Thanks couch, I'm hoping this will get some positivity going.

Please be patient and know we are as committed to the Single Player Offline mode of play as we are to online, we just have not gotten to it yet.

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Good news, they haven't completely forgotten about single player…
Bad news, it's a low priority and they haven't gotten to it yet… but plan to if time and funding permits.

For Episode 1 launch we are planning to give players the ability to have multiple Save Games!

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Gee, save games. And more than one! How generous…

Just the fact they wrote that shows how out of touch they are with single-player gaming. But that's been evident for a long time.

Stingray said:

Gee, save games. And more than one! How generous…

Just the fact they wrote that shows how out of touch they are with single-player gaming. But that's been evident for a long time.

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I don't see it as being out of touch but more about how they're building SotA. As explained in the official forum post, they are working on the sandbox first but remain committed to the single player (offline) experience. It's just something we'll have to wait a bit longer to see come to fruition. Folks like rune_74 and others have continued to rally for that and will continue to do so to ensure we get an awesome cRPG when the game is launched.

Wake me when the SP is available and I'll reconsider my attitude. Until then there are plenty of other fish in the sea!!

Like others, I have no interest whatsoever in the multiplayer version of this game, but I'll be playing the single player for sure at some point. At least it looks like they do care about that version.

Carnifex said:

Like others, I have no interest whatsoever in the multiplayer version of this game, but I'll be playing the single player for sure at some point. At least it looks like they do care about that version.

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As a side...there are some benefits playing the online single player side...you get to see all the player houses and interact with player vendors to buy crafted items and what not. Negative, you can't save anywhere...so hard mode...and no companions....

Stingray said:

Gee, save games. And more than one! How generous…

Just the fact they wrote that shows how out of touch they are with single-player gaming. But that's been evident for a long time.

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Or....there is no saves in the online version so they were letting players know they would have the ability offline....

It's a glimmer of hope.

Thank you Rune for posting the info… I know you've had to deal with a lot of negativity here about this game.

I backed this project early on. I admit I got turned off by the huge swing in focus to all things MMO. But I did not back out of my contribution. I sort of put this game out of my mind and I'm hoping that a good offline mode will emerge at some point.

Anyway, there's nothing there about the offline mode that I didn't like hearing about. Hopefully offline mode will result with a very good single player game that has that long-missed Ultima-ish (4,5,6,7) vibe.

First good news I guess but I'm still skeptical that they can pull it off with such a limited and focus on mmo side. Thanks for sharing rune.

So will single player online be just like the mmo world but solo?

@ MadGamer I was in the exact same boat as you, I had pretty much written it off as a MMO only with the ability to avoid other players in the SP online mode. I got in for like $25 so wasn't heart broken or any thing but I was bored during the holidays so I gave it a test run and if they can get a good story line to follow this game could be a pile of fun.

Ultimately only time will tell.

There is a new interview with Starr Long (SoTA exec producer):

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/art...out-the-Ultima-Series-and-Shroud-of-the-Avata

Its an interesting and good read.

rune_74 said:

As a side…there are some benefits playing the online single player side…you get to see all the player houses and interact with player vendors to buy crafted items and what not. Negative, you can't save anywhere…so hard mode…and no companions….

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How is that a benefit in anyway to someone that doesn't want to interact with other people and could care less about housing.

Some of all we do all day long is interact with people so interacting with people during my downtime isn't something I really want to do.

CelticFrost said:

How is that a benefit in anyway to someone that doesn't want to interact with other people and could care less about housing.

Some of all we do all day long is interact with people so interacting with people during my downtime isn't something I really want to do.

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He did not mean that (read the interview that posted above): in single player online mode there are no other online players, but you will be able to use other people's 'creations' including NPC vendors, crafted items (i.e. buying them) .. etc.

The interview still seems to be focused mainly on the MP aspects of the game. Very little was said about SP. I really don't see how it can be released this year when they have yet to begin work on the SP component. After all, what state will it be in? I fear it will be a tacked on after thought!!

Corwin said:

The interview still seems to be focused mainly on the MP aspects of the game. Very little was said about SP. I really don't see how it can be released this year when they have yet to begin work on the SP component. After all, what state will it be in? I fear it will be a tacked on after thought!!

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That is what I hated about their campaign from the beginning, the overall focus on online and multiplayer aspects and did ask for clarification on their forum. Starr Long did reply and 'implied' that this route (along with player housing, pets, cloths .. etc.) were to maintain funding after the kickstarter ended.

That makes me think that the single player offline part can not be an after thought since it is the second feature on their kickstarter and Steam page after the episodic content feature and before the online and multiplayer feature, they have designed the architecture to implement complete offline content on the client side, and that their sandbox is already in development and waiting for the offline content.

So I don't think it is a tacked on feature, but the questions is how good the first episode is going to be? They should also put more information about the offline content development and road map in their regular updates (instead of these intimidating player housing and trinket adverts).

SpoonFULL said:

That is what I hated about their campaign from the beginning, the overall focus on online and multiplayer aspects and did ask for clarification on their forum. Starr Long did reply and 'implied' that this route (along with player housing, pets, cloths .. etc.) were to maintain funding after the kickstarter ended.

That makes me think that the single player offline part can not be an after thought since it is the second feature on their kickstarter and Steam page after the episodic content feature and before the online and multiplayer feature, they have designed the architecture to implement complete offline content on the client side, and that their sandbox is already in development and waiting for the offline content.

So I don't think it is a tacked on feature, but the questions is how good the first episode is going to be? They should also put more information about the offline content development and road map in their regular updates (instead of these intimidating player housing and trinket adverts).

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I got frustrated awhile back and asked if it was on the back burner during a video chat, was told Richard Garriot would not allow that....he's on them constantly for it.

The online story/offline story should play out the same(they both can be played solo.) The interesting part is if they can really get companions working. They are very dedicated though, and they do seem to be working hard towards it. If I had to hazard a guess if it would release this year? I would say no, early next year most likely.

I will say that I have been online a bit more this release to test a few things out like killing animals and harvesting their skins and just generally trying to get more involved. I went to a online welcome quest and I actually had a lot of fun. It's strange but even the MMO side feels more like an rpg then a mmo.

Now, celtic, why would you want to see peoples houses? Because some of these guys do a phenomenal job decorating and making them feel like a real house, there is the other side where some just don't but more do then don't. Also, online brings you all the changing parts of the world to your single player side....you can go to scenes in single player and be the only character there.

I didn't mention this before but I have a tax free lot, and I had a chance to put up a house this release. It was surprisingly fun! I found a candle maker and bought a few candles...just for fun. The neat thing when you place these you get to see the ligh radius and you can decide how far up the wall or where on the wall you want them. I think the potential to feel like a real living world a long with a strong storyline will keep me in the online version. Note, you can switch between online modes at log in so if you feel like being more sociable you can.

Long story short, this feels like a step forward to me, to a game that can satisfy my many moods....which I have a lot