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Shroud of the Avatar
Keith currently works on Shroud of the Avatar as Lead Quest and Level Designer.
Sneak Scene
January 25, 2024
Although Shroud of the Avatar doesn't have true "sneak" mechanics (as of this writing, non-player characters (NPCs) have full 360 awareness and will always see a player character when within range), Keith used the conversation system within Sneak Scene... (Read more)
Tags: Catnip Games, livestream, multiplayer, Portalarium, puzzle, quest design, single-player, worldbuilding
Inventory Tutorial
October 26, 2023
Shroud of the Avatar is a complicated game. It's tutorial and starting scenes have been updated and revitalized several times over the years. However, while it's important to not overload players with an excessive amount of instructions too soon,... (Read more)
Tags: Catnip Games, Portalarium, quest design, single-player, tutorial, worldbuilding
Courage Club Improvements
August 31, 2023
Like many role-playing games (RPGs), combat is a major focus of Shroud of the Avatar. As an alternative to pitting one's skills against enemies in dangerous locations, Courage Club offers a relatively safe space for one to test their... (Read more)
Tags: Catnip Games, Portalarium, quest design, single-player, wave battle, worldbuilding
Port Harmony Cistern
July 27, 2023
Underneath Port Harmony is a cistern that's critical to that city's water management. Players with access to Shroud of the Avatar's Episode 2 region may accept a quest from a "watersmith" NPC that tasks them with venturing through several... (Read more)
Tags: boss fight, Catnip Games, multiplayer, Portalarium, puzzle, quest design, single-player, wave battle, worldbuilding
Port Harmony
April 26, 2023
There are many reasons that Port Harmony is an important location in Mistrendur, not the least of which is that it's the first NPC town and adventure scene players encounter when they arrive in Shroud of the Avatar's Episode... (Read more)
Tags: Catnip Games, multiplayer, Portalarium, quest design, single-player, worldbuilding
Vikland's Obsidian Valley
December 15, 2022
Keith created the Vikland region as very large, a long coastal forest with many mountains, several ruins, a village, and a secret valley inaccessible to players until after they begin a certain quest. The quest starts in the village... (Read more)
Tags: boss fight, Catnip Games, multiplayer, Portalarium, puzzle, quest design, single-player, wave battle, worldbuilding
Vikland
October 27, 2022
Vikland is a large adventure scene that Keith created within Shroud of the Avatar's Episode 2 region, complete with woodlands teeming with wildlife and resources, islands with shipwrecks and undead pirates, dangerous rare monsters, puzzles, and quests. Keith wanted... (Read more)
Tags: Catnip Games, multiplayer, Portalarium, puzzle, quest design, single-player, wave battle, worldbuilding
Grusk Factory
June 29, 2022
Many scenes in Mistrendur, the new region available with the Shroud of the Avatar's Episode 2 expansion, include a secondary area with tougher enemies, optional puzzles, wave battles, special rewards for those who make it all the way to... (Read more)
Tags: boss fight, Catnip Games, multiplayer, Portalarium, puzzle, quest design, single-player, wave battle, worldbuilding
Grusk
March 31, 2022
Grusk, an industrial port and the largest NPC city in Mistrendur (the continent at the heart of Shroud of the Avatar's Episode 2 content), is built and populated by kobolds, a civilized race of people with draconian features often... (Read more)
Tags: Catnip Games, multiplayer, Portalarium, quest design, single-player, worldbuilding
The Outlaw's Run
August 26, 2021
The Outlaws' Run is an early adventure scene in Shroud of the Avatar's Episode 2 region, just north of the main entry location. It's this woodlands are home to a variety of critters and threats, a hedge maze with... (Read more)
Tags: Catnip Games, multiplayer, Portalarium, puzzle, quest design, single-player, wave battle, worldbuilding
The Obsidian Panopticon
April 29, 2021
In the coldest region of Mistrendur (the continent at the heart of Shroud of the Avatar's Episode 2 content), the evil Obsidian elves have built an inescapable prison for high value prisoners. For this prison, Keith avoided the stereotypes... (Read more)
Tags: Catnip Games, multiplayer, Portalarium, puzzle, quest design, single-player, worldbuilding
Lord British's Castle
September 24, 2020
Lord British's Castle is a challenge dungeon that Keith created for Shroud of the Avatar's Episode 2. Located near the main access point for the Episode 2 lands, this scene is easily accessible and allows players to test themselves... (Read more)
Tags: boss fight, Catnip Games, multiplayer, Portalarium, puzzle, quest design, single-player, wave battle, worldbuilding
Bunker C
April 30, 2020
Shroud of the Avatar fiction implies there are several ancient bunkers in the world, hidden to all but the most experienced adventurers. Release 77 brought Bunker C to the game as a new underground scene that players could access from... (Read more)
Tags: Catnip Games, multiplayer, Portalarium, puzzle, quest design, single-player, wave battle, worldbuilding
Ulfheim Reimagined
September 26, 2019
Keith recreated a scene named Ulfheim intended for veteran players in Shroud of the Avatar that included recreating the scene from the ground-up, including terrain editing and other world building, enemy spawning, resource spawning, creating three wave battles, and... (Read more)
Tags: Catnip Games, livestream, multiplayer, Portalarium, puzzle, quest design, single-player, wave battle, worldbuilding
Dragon Wave Battle
April 25, 2019
Just before a new release went live, a simple fight with a dragon (high-threat/good reward) was identified as a possible exploit situation. The dragon was always available when the players entered the area and he normally took 8 minute... (Read more)
Tags: boss fight, Catnip Games, livestream, multiplayer, Portalarium, quest design, single-player, wave battle, worldbuilding
Krampus, Seasonal Boss Fight
December 13, 2018
Krampus is one of several seasonal boss monsters that players can encounter in Shroud of the Avatar. Each seasonal boss monster is available for two months and then goes dormant, although their bases of operations remain populated by their... (Read more)
Tags: boss fight, Catnip Games, livestream, multiplayer, Portalarium, quest design, single-player, wave battle, worldbuilding
SotaCon 2018
October 11, 2018
Keith participated in multiple panels at SotA Con 2018, a community-organized convention celebrating the Shroud of the Avatar game and its players. His "World Building, Deco, Houses, Towns, and the Community" panel was on October 12 and his "Storyline... (Read more)
Tags: appearance, Catnip Games, Portalarium
SotaCon 2017
October 13, 2017
Keith led the "What the Puzzle?" panel at SotA Con 2017, a community-organized convention celebrating the Shroud of the Avatar game and its players. The panel focused on puzzles within Shroud of the Avatar and he was joined by... (Read more)
Tags: appearance, Catnip Games, Portalarium
Brittany Sewers, Boss Fight
July 28, 2016
A great evil lurks deep in the heart of the Brittany Sewers. Exploring deep into this massive underground scene reveals greater and greater challenge, culminating in a unique boss fight. When the players drop into boss fight room, they'll... (Read more)
Tags: boss fight, Catnip Games, multiplayer, Portalarium, quest design, single-player, wave battle, worldbuilding
Brittany Sewers, Dockside
June 30, 2016
The capital city of Brittany in Shroud of the Avatar was conceived as a single scene but became several neighborhoods by the time it went live, each with its own separate scene and personality. Underneath the city is Brittany... (Read more)
Tags: Catnip Games, multiplayer, Portalarium, puzzle, quest design, single-player, worldbuilding
Balloons as Teleporters
May 26, 2016
The world of Shroud of the Avatar is divided into many adventure, town, and story scenes. Exiting a scene can be as simple as walking to the edge of the play area, but SotA also includes many interactive teleporters.... (Read more)
Tags: ancillary design, Catnip Games, multiplayer, Portalarium, single-player, worldbuilding
Control Point Perks
April 28, 2016
In Shroud of the Avatar, Control Points mark contested locations where players are pitted against waves of non-player enemies. Each wave of enemies is more powerful than the last, and waves come with ever-increasing frequency. It's a high-level activity... (Read more)
Tags: Catnip Games, multiplayer, Portalarium, single-player, wave battle, worldbuilding
Underground Passages
April 28, 2016
The Shroud of the Avatar team wanted to interconnect all of its underground scenes in a vast network. A few of SotA's dungeons, sewers, and mines were already interconnected, but a primary goal was to allow players to cross... (Read more)
Tags: Catnip Games, multiplayer, Portalarium, quest design, single-player, worldbuilding
Tier Markers
September 24, 2015
Players should have indications that they scenes they're adventuring within are appropriate for their abilities and experience. Many games display the power-level of enemies with a combination of level numbers, icons, and colors. However, Shroud of the Avatar downplays... (Read more)
Tags: ancillary design, Catnip Games, multiplayer, Portalarium, single-player, worldbuilding