Shroud of the Avatar: Forsaken Virtues is a new type of third person fantasy RPG that combines a single player narrative with a sandbox MMO. It is being created by a team that includes: Richard "Lord British" Garriott the creator of the Ultima series, Starr Long the original Director of Ultima Online, and Tracy Hickman the author of the beloved Dragonlance Novels and Dungeons & Dragons modules.
Key features:
- Dual Scale Map: Explore the world by walking across a map (aka The Overworld) like old school RPGs with random and roving encounters mixed among named points of interest.
- Combat and Magic Skills: We have over 100 skills in a wide variety of combat and magic schools including Blades, Fire, Water, Life, Polearms, Shields, etc.
- Multiple Online Modes: Play how you want in one of two modes: Single Player Online or Open Multiplayer Online.
- Character Customization: Customize your character's facial features, hair style, hair color, facial hair, skin tone, and gender. Also express yourself with a vast array of different gear that when equipped shows on your character. (cloaks, armor, weapons, hats, tools, torches, etc.)
- AI Behaviors: Archers will try to maintain distance, warriors will try to surround you, Liches will summon skeletal allies, and villagers will turn on lights when night falls.
- Advancement: As you gain experience fighting and questing you gain levels which give you skill points that you can use with a trainer to purchase new skills or to raise your attributes.
- Hint System: Each time you attempt something for the first time a hint will appear with basic instructions (this can be disabled in options)
- Fully Interactive World: Every attempt is made to make the world respond to you. All the lights you see can be turned on and off, doors can be opened/closed/locked/unlocked, objects can be taken from shelves/tables/etc.
- Dynamic Lighting: Time of day changes as you play along with all light sources casting light in a realistic fashion.
- Summoned Allies: Certain schools of magic can summon allies including Ice Elementals, Fire Elementals, Liches, and Skeletons.
- Control Points: Grab control of Vertas Pass and see how long you can hold it against ever increasing waves of Dark Elves.
- Emotes: Express yourself with a wide variety of emotes including dances, bows, laughs, bows, yawns, etc.
- Guilds: You can form or join a guild
- Crowd Sourcing Create content for the game (music, sound effects, and art) and be paid for it.
