Release Features 2023

SotA Developers added many features and content to the SotA game in 2023 (Release 110 through 121). These enhanced the game experience for players. This page consolidates these features that were published in the individual main Release articles.

Release 110 (January 26, 2023)

Main article: Release 110

New Lava-Fishing Trophies

To add to last month’s treasure-hunting trophies, Ravalox has made a shiny new set of trophies for lava-fishing contests! Details on requesting them for your events are here. (Thanks, Diablotine!)

See Category:Lava Fishing

Release 111 (February 23, 2023)

Main article: Release 111

Go Fish and Catch a New Friend!

A large rectangular floor-standing fishtank, a large round floor-standing fishtank, and a table with a rectangular tabletop fishtank and several fish bowls, all filled with goldfish

Devilcult has created a set of fish tanks that can house several species of new pet fish which Sannio has scattered throughout New Britannia. A craftable fish bowl is a magical watery habitat perfect for one fish and three larger tanks in the Crown Store can each host multiple fish as well as one of a pair of decorative accessories to give them an appealing underwater world. More tanks, accessories, and fish are planned for future releases!

New Bug Brigade Rewards

Ravalox has created a set of new rewards for the Bug Brigade which, together with this month’s new subscription reward item, will allow delivery of rewards to those who’d blown through all the previously-scheduled ones. These plaque-mounted insects are of a size to scare off any of their more-lively cousins! Each can be placed on horizontal or vertical surfaces seperately or in an upcoming display case.

A selection of the new insects shown wall-mounted on five wooden plaques

See: Fish Tank

See: Community:Bug Brigade

Release 112 (March 30, 2023)

Main article: Release 112

Sneak Preview: Port Harmony

Port Harmony is not yet open to Outlanders, but Sannio has provided a few preview images.

See: Port Harmony

Release 113 (April 27th, 2023)

Main article: Release 113

New Scene: Port Harmony

The Ministers of Port Harmony welcome all outlanders to their growing seaside community!

With direct access by galleon from both Novia and Hidden Vale, and acting as a cultural hub for all of Mistrendur, Port Harmony is a thriving New Britannian colony with something for everyone. Shop in our bustling dockside marketplace, stroll past the fountain in the nearby town square, wander into our charming residential neighborhoods, chat with our friendly residents, or just relax on a lazy gondola ride in the canals. Our Virtuous city offers many of the amenities of the largest southern communities, including a hospital, a New You pavilion, and a militia that keeps everyone safe both inside our borders and out in the surrounding territory.

So what are you waiting for? Come to Port Harmony, your home in Mistrendur!

Port Harmony is a new Tier 8 adventure scene, available to Episode 2 players, featuring a large city with merchants, crafting stations, and quests.

The Great New Britannian Mapping Project

Progress with creating the last missing scene maps has been slow as of late. Recently there have been posts in the forums on this topic, and it was (rightfully) pointed out that some of the remaining missing maps are part of the main storyline. Up until now, I have been working on the maps in order of scenes most visited. Starting with this release I have pushed the priority up on map making overall and have changed the approach slightly, whereas I am now weighting the effort by in game region, and if the scene is part of the main story line.

Region one (The Perennial Coast) has been completed with this release. This next Release I will concentrate on Region7 (Longfall) first and then on to Region6 (South Paladis) and beyond.

As a reminder, Adventure Dungeons, Player Dungeons and Basements, along with a few other interior scenes will not have maps under our current mapping system. These scenes will have a “map card” with a (sometimes) witty note. Overall, providing a map that allows players to scroll through an entire dungeon provides an unfair advantage, and the various unions and caucuses ranging from the Kobolds against Outlanders to Undead forever (local 42) have lodged their concerns and indicated that if maps were provided that unprecedented events would certainly follow.

Maps for these areas will be reconsidered when a sufficient fog of war system can be implemented. Fog of War is a method where in which only the area of the map that is visible to the player is the current surrounding area or areas that have been discovered by way of progress. At this time, the tech to implement either of these methods is not present and will need to be designed and a test implementation done. We will discuss this internally toward the end of 2023 for consideration for the 2024 roadmap plan.

– Ravalox

New Pets: Reef Spiders

Four reef spiders on a Vikland beach: the smallest aqua, a larger red, a larger orange, and the largest purple

Prepared visitors to the beaches of Vikland can now abscond with the wildlife: the local reef spiders have become used to human presence enough that they can now be tamed. Like their wild counterparts, tamed reef spiders are (currently) visual variants of red spiders and have no unique skills of their own.

See: Port Harmony

See: Map Names

See: Reef Spider

Release 114 (May 25, 2023)

Main article: Release 114

The Great New Britannia Mapping Project Continues

All of Novia Region Seven (the Longfall region, including Aerie) should now have in-game maps. Next up is Region Six (South Paladis, including Resolute). Region Six is missing a bunch of maps (twelve in total), so this region may spill over into R115. Once Region Six is complete, I will be moving on to Region Nine (North Paladis).

– Ravalox

See: Map Names

Release 115 (June 29, 2023)

Main article: Release 115

The Great New Britannia Mapping Project Update

This month our team of cartographers has completed maps in South Paladis, bringing ten maps online. Next, we are sending our team into Quel and possibly mounting an expedition into the vastness of Verdantis. Though we have lost personnel there before, we will yet again attempt to document these lands.

See: Map Names

Release 116 (July 27, 2023)

Main article: Release 116

Something is Amok in Port Harmony Cistern!

Port Harmony’s underground cistern is at the heart of the Port Harmony water system. There are numerous pipes that run underground and all of them intersect within the cistern. It filters debris from their water, distributes clean water to certain locations, manages waste, and can even convert salt to fresh water. Its functions are a combination of small miracles! Lately, though, the water pressure has not been at the expected strength.

As the city’s Watersmith, Annora Jenkins maintains the canals and water management systems. If you’ve already completed all the tasks in Port Harmony that Jenkins needs help with, she will send you into the cistern to do repairs and find the cause of the low pressure. It might be sabotage! Who would do such a terrible thing?

New Creatures Spotted in Swampy Areas!

The warm spring has awakened some unusual creatures in East Sanctus Forest, East Veiled Swamp, Midras Ruins, and Tanglemire. The smallest of them seem harmless enough, but the larger ones are quite territorial!

From all reports, most frogs are green, but a few sightings of Red Poison Dart Frogs and Brown or Pale Frog Goliaths have been confirmed. It is even rumored that there are Blue Poison Dart Frogs, but that has not been verified as of this writing. Perhaps some hapless wanderer intrepid adventurer will stumble across track them down them in the coming months.

The tamers of New Britannia have managed to break Poison Dart Frogs to their will, but Frog Goliaths seem to be just too stubborn. Fortunately the chefs of New Britannia have stepped up and made alternate plans for them: general merchants in Tanglemire and Solania and a wandering merchant in Mistrendur now sell a recipe for fried frog legs.

At this rate, they’ll invade more wet areas soon! Perhaps someone should start a Cult of Anura just in case… not the chefs, though.

See: Port Harmony Cistern

See: Category:Frogs

Release 117 (August 31, 2023)

Main article: Release 117

Courage Club: New Arena, New Challengers, New Rewards

Courage Club has gotten a series of improvements! Note that some of these were suggested and encouraged by players, but things got a little out of hand and we added some extra bells and whistles.

Courage Club is a secret fight club where avatars can prove their mettle by fighting several enemies, one at a time, in a small, private arena. There are Courage Clubs in Aerie, Central Brittany, Mud, Resolute, Valhold, and Westend; talk to the local guards to get a Courage Club Key and find a hatch to enter, generally near the guard offices.

After some heavy excavation, the Club has expanded its small boxy fighting pit into a bigger, rounder arena. This improved space has attracted more and tougher participants:

Previously, players would fight five enemies of random capabilities and ever-increasing threat and the last enemy was a champion with a unique name. Now, that’s Bracket 1! (You only need to complete Bracket 1 to receive the Banner of Valor. Also, completing or slinking away from Bracket 1 will now modify your virtue once a day, rather than only the first time.)

The NEXT three enemies, Bracket 2, are tougher, with a named and possibly uniquely-styled champion as the third opponent. Then there’s Bracket 3: three of the toughest competitors, with the final being a champion with a unique name AND appearance.

Remember to ransack the fallen: the defeated of Bracket 1 drop Courage Club Bronze Coins, Bracket 2 drops Courage Club Silver Coins, and Bracket 3 drops Courage Club Gold Coins. Make sure you collect them for a bonus reward! The referee will trade ten Bronze Coins, seven Silver Coins, and/or seven Gold Coins for a reward.

You can choose to trade the coins in for gold and experience once a day, as three separate daily quests, OR trade them for decorative versions of the same coins as often as you have enough: a Commemorative Courage Club Bronze Coin, Silver Coin, and Gold Coin. These coins are always slowly spinning on their edges and have a visual effect glow (but are not a light source).

(Known issue: for now, you’ll need ten each of gold and silver coins to trigger the turn-in for these commemorative coins, even though you only need to hand in seven.)

There are four new leaderboards to track these underground feats: a main one for Courage Club fight totals but also ones tracking fights against the final champions of each bracket.

Perhaps this is why the Oracle knows about Courage Club! If you participate in Courage Club and then ask the Oracle about courage, she might have some feedback on your performance. Who doesn’t like to watch a good fight? I wonder who she roots for…

See: Courage Club

Release 118 (September 28, 2023)

Main article: Release 118

Support Breast Cancer Research with New Make a Difference Items

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and, going live October 1st, our Make a Difference Store is having a few items added to its breast cancer charity section. Catnip Games donates 20% of the net purchase price of items in this section to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Starting on the first of the month, a Pink Fireflies 3-Pack will be added!

October 1st also heralds the return of the Pink Katana, which was removed from the in-game store when the Make a Difference store relaunched; a new Pink Katana Pattern 6-Pack has been created to go with it.

Our own reminder, as the month is about awareness, not just donations: despite all the pink, breast cancer is not ONLY a woman’s disease. Men have vestigial breast tissue and can develop cancer as well. It’s rare, but they tend to have worse outcomes because it’s not something they are routinely screened for and so it’s generally caught later in the disease process. If you’re a man who’s noticed any odd changes to your chest, please don’t ignore them!

Improvements to the Vendor Listings in Zone Window

The Vendor Listings in Zone window has seen some performance and usage improvements from DevilCult this month:

The window will no longer be destroyed when closing it; it will now just be hidden. A message will appear in chat upon opening the list informing you that you may close the window and let it load in background. While the list continues loading, it might still affect the game a little depending on how many vendors and items are being loaded. Once the list finishes loading, another chat message will appear showing the number of items loaded and the number of vendors in the town, letting you know that it’s ready for use.

Data caching for the vendors (though not the listed items) has been added: when leaving a town and then returning within an hour, that list will still be downloaded but will need to repopulate the items, which can still take some time.

The scroll bar will now resize correctly with the window. Finally, the dark ‘loading’ overlay has been enlarged so players can’t click the columns to sort or the refresh button until the whole list is loaded, which was delaying its completion.

We hope these changes help you search for that rare conversation piece or deadly dagger!

A New Helm in the Jotungrund Ice Crevasse

Some far-ranging members of the Ice Bear clan that inhabit the ice crevasse in Jotungrund have noticed the fierce giant occassionally found far to their south and have decided that he’s a stylish dude. They’ve been making helms to mimic his iconic headgear and you can get one too! They even have patterns, should you have the skill for it. As these barbarians refuse to put their wares for sale on vendors despite the recent UI improvements, may we suggest violence?

See: Make-A-Difference Store, SotA Breast Cancer Charity store:

Pink Fireflies purchase

Pink Electric Sword purchase

See: Jotungrund

Release 119 (October 26, 2023)

Main article: Release 119

Find a Treasure Map and Set Off for Adventure

A hopeful quester digs on a tropical beach.In the coming days, you may find a mysterious map along your travels: perhaps on an enemy, in a chest, listed on a player vendor, or given to you by some kind and/or baffled guild-mate. Junior Treasure Hunters across Novia all know to go to Selleck, to be found along the Port Harmony docks, to learn about seeking what it leads to! There’s a guy who really knows where his shovel is. He’ll make sure you know how to use one before sending you out with some helpful hints. There may be valuables ne’er seen before! There may be guardians to battle! It’s a good thing that explorer’s shovel is a weapon…

This first round added to the game includes decrepit maps that will lead you into low-tier zones accessible to players of every level and blood-stained maps that will lead you into zones frequented by players hunting other players. Be sure you trust your party members!

Be Transported to a New Tutorial Encounter

Helpful Automatons now have an inventory-themed tutorial they can provide to any Avatar.

The tutorial is a series of one-on-one lessons in a solo scene which any Helpful Automaton can teleport you to upon request. It’s primarily informational, but there are some basic activities which shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. If needed, though, a teleporter at the site will allow you to return to town at any time, even before the tutorial is concluded, and you can always return to the tutorial scene and continue where you left off. Students who complete the tutorial are given a reward.

Helpful Automatons can be found in Soltown, Castle Atos, Kingsport, Port Harmony, and other NPC towns around the world, and more units will be added to other cities over time.

Build Diverse Neighborhoods with New Row Markers

An unclaimed row lot in a player-owned town has always displayed a two-story wood-and-plaster row home, which doesn’t make for much visual variety until residents start claiming them and replacing them with other homes. From now on, however, Governors and Stewards can place an assortment of alternative row markers which display one of eleven additional two-story home options, allowing themed neighborhoods or a lively cacophony! These homes retain their variant appearances when claimed, giving the resident access to a variety of home styles they’d otherwise have to purchase. They may still wish to purchase their own, as none of these markers are for taller homes with more space.

Most of these homes are normally available in the Crown Store and the associated new markers are priced accordingly, but a few homes whose stand-alone versions have been available for in-game-gold are also to be had in the Crown Store for a minor price so any Governor should be able to create some variety.

See the full set in Crown Store Updates!

See: Treasure Map

See: Tutorial/The Battle of Solace Bridge

See: Row Property Marker

Release 120 (November 16, 2023)

Main article: Release 120

None

Release 121 (December 14, 2023)

Main article: Release 121

Mysterious Portal Appears in Novia

There have been reports of a portal that has started to appear at random locations all over Novia. We have sent Wladziu, our Senior Field Investigator, to explore and report on what this phenomenon is. Word is that the portals have been seen in every region of Novia, but only in one location at a time. The portal does not seem very stable and we suspect it will not be accessible for long. If any courageous adventurers happen upon this portal, please look for signs of our dear Wladziu and the team; we have not heard back from them since they set out to investigate.

Sneak Scene Preview

In some taverns, rumors are shared of a place where specialists in stealth hone their craft. Drunken whispers have overshared that those frequenting this “sneak scene” will claim avoiding combat is more important than direct confrontation. Some people might suggest this place is neutral ground, with both assassins and spies putting aside their differences in order to make use of these elaborate training facilities, but you didn’t hear it from me!

See: R121 Patch2: Completion of the 10th Anniversary Chicken Room Event

See: Release 1 - 10th Anniversary Plaque Delivery

See: Remnant of the Past

See Also

• Release Features 2022
• Release Features 2023
• Release Features 2024
• Category:Shroud of the Avatar - links to all the Release articles.
• Release - Release main page on SotAWiki.
• Official SotA All Updates web page.