The selective multiplayer RPG Shroud of the Avatar received a new update and gives an outlook on what is to come by the end of the year.
Release 34 brings a lot of changes and innovations. This includes support for DirectX 11. Switching to DirectX 11 is intended to allow for more graphical effects and to positively influence performance. Additionally, the combat system has been revised again to ensure better balancing. The game economy has also been adjusted. Previously, 90 percent of the gold was hoarded by 10 percent of the players, making it particularly difficult for casual players to keep up.
Changes to the economy
After all, you need gold to buy better equipment if you want to progress in the story. Now you receive money when you confess to the Oracle daily, and there is more gold and experience points for quests as well. The crafting system has also been tinkered with, new recipes have been introduced, and it is now possible to create bone armor. Food has become important now, as health regeneration has been reduced. By eating different foods, you regenerate faster.
In addition, the love storyline has been revised and is now in a nearly final status. Here, the focus was especially on the Dungeon Necropolis. It used to be too difficult. Now you get help from an NPC, and the monsters are not as strong anymore. The city of Ardoris has also been overhauled. Halloween items have now been introduced in the shop, allowing players to decorate their houses accordingly and dress up spooky.
What’s coming this year
It is also clear what will be addressed by the end of the year. Here, the story is in the foreground. The love quest series will be further revised, just like the courage quest series. The NPCs in the capitals will be visually adjusted to give them a unique look. The overworld map will feature wandering NPCs and monsters, the combat system will be further refined, and a cover system will be introduced, along with ongoing revisions to crafting. A PvP zone relevant to the story, including dungeons, is also set to be introduced, and cities can be besieged by evil forces.
Shroud of the Avatar is therefore taking more and more shape, although this shape still does not correspond to what was originally announced. The focus on single-player is lacking, and the offline mode seems to be receding more into the background. Also, it is currently unclear how they want to represent consequences for decisions. So far, nothing is happening. For example, if you apprehend an arsonist, they are not removed from the scene to go to prison; they simply remain in place. There is still much to refine in the narrative structure.
