News on the Hour
Tuesday, November 28, 2023
Written by Alleine Dragonfyre | Reported by Asclepius | PC Games by Drizz Dragonfyre
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NEWS ON THE HOUR November 28 2023
Local News
It’s the Avatars Radio 🛍️Sonic Shop Grand Opening, and all station merch is 20% off until December 8th, including limited edition Avatars Radio Holiday Ornaments and Beer Steins. Our most popular items are back, too: Chaotic Radio T-shirts, eco-friendly soy candles, a gorgeous mousepad, a waterproof Bluetooth speaker, and more. Visit www.avatarsradio.rocks/shop right now, and remember, shopping at Sonic Shop supports independent in-game Radio!
The Robot Overlords have announced a sheet music hunt event in Shroud of the Avatar that commenced on November 13th and will continue until a winner is found. Participants search for music sheets with a twist. Ten specific sheets of music are now listed on the official forums. Finding one makes you eligible for the grand prize. Discovering five or more earns an additional special reward. Players must post a screenshot of the sheet on the forum thread and its drop to claim victory. Happy hunting!
Download the FREE MMORPG Shroud of the Avatar today.
In Haven Ridge, an exciting month-long fishing event is happening until November 30th. Participants have a chance to win big in multiple categories, including a Grand Prize for the Largest Lava and Saltwater Fish with a combined length of 2000 COTO's, 200k Gold, an in-game Gold Fishing Trophy & a sealed Shroud of the Avatar Video Game Box Set! There are prizes for the Largest Lava and Saltwater fish as well. Submit catches via In-Game Mail to Lebu Lionheart or use the Turn-In Chest near the main dock. Haven Ridge is just beyond Castle Atos in Shroud of the Avatar. Best of luck to all participants!
Developers, friends & fellow Avatars, please honor the residents of Immortal City with your attendance at The Deca-Yule Ball celebrating 10 years of Shroud of the Avatar. The party, celebrating past and present SOTA Developers, will be toasting their hard work in bringing monthly updates to the game. Our celebration is about the SOTA community, too, for without Avatars, there would be no Novia! The Ball is on Friday, December 15th, in Immortal City and will be timed to commence shortly after the official Developer Twitch Livestream. DJ Alleine Dragonfyre of Avatars Radio is emceeing the Ball that will be simulcasted on TV at www.twitch.tv/avatarsradiorocks. Formal or fantasy attire is required. Visit the official Shroud of the Avatar forums for updates.
General Player Event Info:
For more information about player-run events, developer game updates and more happenings in Shroud of the Avatar, or to have your events broadcasted during NEWS ON THE HOUR for free, visit the official Shroud of the Avatar forums and the Avatars Radio Discord at www.avatarsradio.rocks/discord
For information about advertising your in-game business, guild or gaming-related products and services on Avatars Radio, visit avatarsradio.rocks/patron.
Metaverse News
Survey Reveals Kids Prefer Game Subscriptions for Christmas
In a recent Entertainment Software Association (ESA) survey, 72% of US kids aged 10 to 17 hope for gaming-related holiday gifts. Game subscriptions take the top spot at 39%, surpassing physical games at 22%. The interest in in-game currency (29%) reflects the impact of live service games like Fortnite and Roblox among younger players. This trend signals a preference shift, with subscription services' popularity bringing a touch of holiday joy to the gaming industry.
Destiny 2: The Final Shape Expansion Delayed to June
Destiny 2 faces a setback as its highly anticipated expansion, "The Final Shape," gets delayed to June 4, 2024. The developer, Bungie, cites a need for a more substantial and innovative vision following layoffs and player dissatisfaction with the previous Lightfall release.
The expansion promises an epic conclusion to Destiny's light and darkness saga, featuring a journey into the mysterious Traveler and a new linear destination called the Pale Heart. Despite the delay, Bungie assures players of additional content with Season of the Wish and a new content update, "Into the Light," launching in April. Stay tuned for a sneak peek of The Final Shape in April as the development team strives to deliver a memorable gaming experience.
CCP Games: Project Awakening Playtest Announced
CCP Games, the brains behind EVE Online, gears up for the Phase II playtest of Project Awakening, a blockchain-based game set in the EVE Universe. Seeking testers, the playtest kicks off on December 6th. CCP Games, backed by $40M in external funding, emphasizes third-party development and an inclusive business model. CEO Hilmar Pétursson highlights their commitment to daring experiments, focusing on tools for societal building. Project Awakening aims to deliver a full AAA blockchain experience, marking CCP's venture into new realms of gaming innovation.
New World Implements Server Merges for Optimal Population Balance
Amazon's New World initiates server merges post-Rise of the Angry Earth expansion to balance populations in Central EU, US-West, and South America. Excluding US-East and Asia-Pacific servers, Amazon responds to player feedback. Affected servers consolidate, addressing post-expansion population dips. Server access closes today, facilitating automatic character and company transfers. Refunds apply for closing server territory owners. Amazon adapts past expansion strategies, ensuring a smoother gaming experience by aligning with player dynamics.
Fallout 4's Popular Affinity Mod Now Boosts Starfield Experience!
Nexus Mods user CDante has recently ported the Visible Companion Affinity mod from Fallout 4 to Starfield. Originally released in March 2016, the Fallout 4 version gained popularity with over 825,000 downloads. Now available for Starfield, this mod enhances affinity tracking for companions, offering detailed notifications, the ability to check affinity during dialogue, and an Affinity Terminal with granular settings and an event log.
CDante, known for 32 mods expanding Bethesda games, requires Plugins.txt Enabler and Starfield Script Extender for Starfield compatibility, also accessible for PC Game Pass users through SFSE ASI Loader.
The Game Awards Sparks Controversy with Indie Game Nomination
The Game Awards' "Best Independent Game" category sparked heated discussion after the nomination of Dave the Diver, a popular adventure game with a Lofi aesthetic. Host Geoff Keighley addressed the controversy in a November 26 Q&A, acknowledging the ambiguity of the term "independent." Keighley considered factors like budget, team size, and financing source. Dave the Diver, developed by Mintrocket, is part of Nexon, a large publisher, leading to debates on its true independence. Keighley defended the inclusion, emphasizing the jury's role in selecting top independent games. The debate continues, highlighting the complexity of defining indie status in the gaming industry.
Dungeons & Dragons Unveils Overhaul: One D&D Edition Changes
Big news for D&D fans! The upcoming One D&D edition, dropping in 2024, is shaking things up with a playtest in full swing. Brace yourselves for major changes to character creation. "Race" is out, and in comes "Species," with Ability Score bonuses now linked to Backgrounds. Feats have three parts now: Prerequisite, Level, and Repeatability, aiming for better balance.
Classes are getting a facelift – Monks get new features, Barbarians' Rage gets a boost, and all classes pick their subclass at level 3 for smoother progression. Dungeon Master’s Guide is also getting revamped, introducing the Bastion System. It's playtest time, and D&D is rocking version seven.