QA Server

Starting with Release 45, access to the QA server is available to everyone who has purchased access to the game, not just members with Developer+ access. Note that access to the QA server does not include trial accounts.

Each month, a forum section is posted that hosts discussion of topics related to the QA server. This section has previously been added to the Dev+ forum section, but is now set up the QA forums immediately below the current Live release forums.

QA server testing periods are usually about a week before the build goes to the live server. On the day of the release on the Live server, the QA forums will be archived, just like the previous Live release forums are archived on these days.

Accessing the QA Server

You can play by downloading a SotA Launcher(QA) installer to download a separate QA copy of the game. It exists independently from the regular live version of the game and installs to a separate folder. The links to the installer will be posted when the QA Server goes live.

Installer download

Here are links to download the QA installer:

• Windows: https://d2sx9mrt4zumaq.cloudfront.net/Installers/SotAInstaller(QA).exe
• Linux: https://d2sx9mrt4zumaq.cloudfront.net/Installers/shroud-of-the-avatar-launcher-qa_1.0.0_amd64.deb
• Mac: https://d2sx9mrt4zumaq.cloudfront.net/Installers/Shroud%20of%20the%20Avatar%20-%20Installer(QA).pkg

Playing through Steam

WARNING: Playing both the normal and QA versions through Steam could use up to 8 GB+ of data download via steam each time you move back and forth between versions.

To install the QA client via Steam, follow these instructions:

• Right click on the game in your game library
• Go to Properties
• Click on the tab at the top that says BETAS
• Enter the beta access code "SotAQATesting" and hit Check Code.
• Select "qaclient" from the dropdown menu
• Steam will switch the install to the new branch
• To return to playing the normal client, follow these instructions:

• Go back to the properties beta tab and select "none - opt out of all beta programs" and it will switch you back to the normal install.

Testing Notes

Those of you new to testing on the QA Server please note the following:

• Do not post screenshots or video outside of the QA forums (or QA on Discord) of anything from the QA server.
• The same Rules of Conduct apply on the QA server as they do on Live.
• The QA server is an early snapshot of the upcoming release, which means the build on that server is going to be broken and incomplete. That is why we need your help!
• We usually copy over data (your character for example) from the Live server to the QA server, which means when you login you will see your Live character. Any changes or progress made on the QA server will NOT affect your Live server character.
• To report bugs for QA, please use the /devbug chat command, which will link you to the appropriate QA bug forum. While the Bug button and /Bug chat command still work, they will direct you to the Live bug forums for the previous Live release.
• The draft of the instructions (posted in the QA Feedback forum by Starr) you will see early on may include items that won’t actually make the release or conversely it won’t included items that will make the release. In other words the early draft of the instructions will be an early draft.