The MMORPG Shroud of the Avatar has launched and wants to offer players, just like Ultima Online, many freedoms to express themselves in player cities.
Shroud of the Avatar offers not only a story, but also a sandbox where players can do whatever they want in the world and manage the economy.
It is even possible to buy entire cities (which cost between 900 and 6,000 dollars depending on size), where fellow players can settle. Ultima creator Richard Garriott is proud of what some players have created in these cities.
Players establish their own cities
For example, Pax Lair, one of the first player cities and one of the most active. Currently, there are over 300 such cities in the MMO, although most are deserted due to the low player count. But not Pax Lair.
Here, fans have built a vibrant community. Pax Lair was one of the most popular cities in Ultima Online, and the players there have now settled in Shroud of the Avatar.
Players unleash their creativity in their cities
In Pax Lair, parties take place, players host events, and with one of the upcoming updates, fans will have the opportunity to develop their own quests. The player cities will benefit from this, as real adventures can then take place here.
The opportunity to write and publish their own books in the game world is actively used. You often find a book with an interesting story and don’t know if it was written by players or the developers of the MMO.
Player cities offer fans of SotA many opportunities to express themselves:
- The city can be freely decorated
- Players get their own house that they can furnish according to their ideas
- Cities can serve as guild bases
- There are regularly player-hosted events, including concerts and theater performances
- The “Teletype” as decoration allows playing a pen & paper role-playing game on a machine
- There is a player-operated radio station that plays music (the GEMA will surely be pleased)
- Regular sieges occur that players can break together
Shroud of the Avatar may not be perfect in many ways, as the many negative reviews on Steam show. Nevertheless, sandbox fans are offered plenty of freedom and interaction opportunities with other players.
On March 27, SotA officially launched, and maybe you would like to join in.
