Albion Online News

In our last two Dev Talks on the Roads of Avalon, Game Director Robin Henkys introduced this major feature, discussed travel and transport in the Roads, and gave a brief rundown of what you'll find in the Wilderness outside the road network. In this third and final Dev Talk on the subject, he discusses living within the Roads of Avalon, an exciting new opportunity for guilds looking for a Hideout of their own. (For more on the Roads of Avalon, check out Part 1 and Part 2.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rij2UFVmwfo
No time to watch, or prefer a written summary? Then read on...
[h3]Placing and Defending Hideouts[/h3]
While most zones within the Roads of Avalon consist of the road network itself, some are almost completely Wilderness. In these special zones, you can find energy crystals that keep the mists at bay and allow placement of Hideouts. Guilds can place Hideouts at these crystals during the prime time visible on the zone map. As always, unfinished Hideouts are vulnerable during the first and the last minutes of construction.

Once established, a Hideout will be protected just like in the open world. However, since there are no territories in the Avalonian wilderness, any guild with the required amount of Siphoned Energy can break a Hideout’s defenses at the beginning of the zone’s prime time. They can then attempt to attack the Hideout, but as usual, once a Hideout loses a defense point it will become invulnerable until the next day’s prime time.

This is significant, because no gateway connection to the zone will remain for a whole day, meaning the attacking side must stay in the zone to continue their attack. And as each gateway only lets in a few players at once, even initial attacks are challenging. Other guilds can of course place their own Hideouts in the region, but these will have to be built and defended as usual.

In short, destroying a Hideout in Avalon is significantly more challenging than it might be in the Outlands, making it an attractive option for smaller guilds who want a Hideout of their own.


[h3]Challenges of Living in Avalon[/h3]
1. Limited resources and PvE content

Players will have to explore the surrounding Roads to find gateways to the open world to bring in resources and gear, or to export goods they produce with the crafting bonuses of their Avalon Hideout. Each Avalon Wilderness region has its own unique set of crafting bonuses, and while none of them outcompete the deep Outlands, they can still be very attractive for crafters.

2. Limited capacity and shifting nature of Avalonian gateways

If your guild has too many members, you will be competing for the capacity of the gateways, and if your players are not careful, you may get stranded somewhere in Avalon with no easy way back to your Hideout.

3. Lack of territories for Season Point generation

While you can of course still compete in the Crystal League, complete the Guild challenge, and raid territory mages from your Hideout, you will find it hard to claim and hold territories.

That may be a good thing, however, as it means your Avalon Hideout is not likely to become a target of guilds competing for power in the Outlands.


[h3]In Conclusion[/h3]
There's no lack of action for guilds living in Avalon. The constantly shifting gateways bring opportunities for exploration and conflict to your front door, especially when a gateway opens to another Wilderness region with an active guild living in it, and we're very excited to see how players adapt to this unique environment

This concludes our series of videos on the Roads of Avalon. Thanks for watching, and we'll see you ingame when the Rise of Avalon update goes live on August 12!

On August 12, 2020, the Rise of Avalon update will bring massive new features including the Roads of Avalon, Corrupted Dungeons, Avalonian Weapons, and more.


[h3]Enter a Mysterious New Realm[/h3]
The Roads of Avalon are a massive, shifting network of ancient pathways, entered via gateways that spawn in the open world. They present a wealth of new options for travel, transport, trade, and launching (or escaping) attacks. Outside the roads themselves, the immense Wilderness of Avalon offers a whole new realm to explore, with treasures, resource sites, and new creatures and Avalonian enemies to conquer. And smaller guilds looking for a home away from the politics of the Outlands can even place Hideouts and live in the Roads of Avalon.


[h3]Face Your Demons[/h3]
Corrupted Dungeons allow single players to take on challenging solo PvE in a fiery realm populated with demons, traps, and corrupted beings. Defeat hordes of enemies for treasure and Infamy, or invade other players' dungeons and engage in 1v1 combat to gain Infamy and loot and rise through the leaderboards.


[h3]Wield the Power of Avalon[/h3]
A new line of Avalonian Weapons, each with their own unique skills, brings new dimensions to combat in Albion Online. These weapons can be crafted with new artifacts and Avalonian Shards, and include skills such as:

• Lucent Hawk (Bow): shoot up to four high-impact, long-range skillshots in a row
• Majestic Smash (Two-Handed Sword): knock all enemies around you into the air, then follow with a heavy vertical attack
• Soul Link (Nature Staff): temporarily link two targets together, with effects based on targets' alignments relative to the caster

Additionally, the Destiny Board has been expanded and PvE progression has been overhauled and updated.


[h3]UI Improvements, New Vanity Bundle, and Much More[/h3]
Additional features include numerous major UI quality-of-life improvements, an all-new Rogue Adventurer Skin bundle, reduced crafting times, further mobile optimizations, and much, much more.

For further details, check out the Official Update Page.

It's been three years since Albion's official launch on July 17, 2017. Since then, the game, game world, and community have grown in ways we never could have imagined. Over the past months, the game world has undergone massive changes, the player base has reached its highest level yet, and there's much more to come with the massive new Rise of Avalon update releasing next month.

Of course, there are also various ingame events taking place to celebrate the occasion, including a Fame Boost and a limited-time classic Keeper dungeon. For more details on these events, click here.

Let's look at some of the major events and happenings of the past year:
[h3]Introducing the Avalonians[/h3]
Last fall, as Guild Season 7 drew to a close, a new presence began stirring in the Outlands. A mysterious teaser trailer hinted at the form and scale of this new threat, and soon after, its true nature became clear: an ancient force known as the Avalonians had returned to Albion.



The Avalonians were introduced in stages during a unique Standalone Guild Season that brought Avalonian World Bosses, new tools and foods crafted with powerful Avalonian Energy, and even a new mount, the Avalonian Basilisk. As the strength of the Avalonians grew, their intent became clear: to invade Caerleon and reclaim all of Albion for themselves. The season culminated in the chaotic Battle of Caerleon, in which Avalonian Mages and Constructs laid siege to the city before ultimately being driven back.

Check out Equart's video summary of the event:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t184VajpRKY
[h3]The Queen Update[/h3]
The end of the Avalonian Invasion corresponded to the launch of the Queen Update in January 2020, Albion's largest content update since launch. First and foremost, the update brought a completely new Outlands continent, shaped by the magic of the Avalonians. Where the old Outlands spread lower- and higher-tier zones across the whole continent, resources and rewards in the new Outlands increased towards the center. Guilds could build their own open-world homes in the form of Hideouts, self-contained underground bases that allowed guilds to claim their own corner of the new Outlands.



With Queen, those looking for a new type of high-level challenge could seek out Elite Randomized Dungeons, where larger groups could face off against mighty Avalonian enemies and claim artifacts needed to craft powerful Avalonian Armors. The update also brought a whole new guild warfare system, where territory control was now determined via massive open-world battles. And those looking for 5v5 combat could battle it out in the new Crystal League, with victors able to claim valuable rewards and boost their territory's tower level.
[h3]Reaching a Milestone[/h3]
The Queen Update was by far the most successful Albion Online content update since launch, confirmed by consistent population growth since launching in January, and a record-high of over 500,000 monthly users in April 2020. Nearly six months in the making, Queen was nothing less than a complete revisioning of Albion's high-level endgame, although the new features and systems it introduced affected players of all levels and playstyles.



For us, as the developers of the game, increased player numbers meant increased responsibility to all our players. In addition to creating a dedicated team for performance optimizations, as well as adding new talent to our ever-growing development team.
[h3]COVID-19: The Albion Community Responds[/h3]
In April 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic raging and countless members of both the Albion community and greater worldwide community affected, we launched the Staff of Hermes Charity Pack. Included in this limited-time pack were a unique healing-themed offhand costume item and avatar ring, with 100% of the money collected going to the COVID Solidarity Fund.



The response was tremendous: in the four weeks this special pack was available, the Albion Online community came together and raised an incredible €42,644.94. The outpouring of support for this cause was truly inspiring, and the "staffies" sent in by those who had bought the pack contributed to the overall feeling of community and goodwill.
[h3]A Whole New Mobile Experience[/h3]
The Season 9 Patch, launched in May, brought far-reaching mobile improvements to the world of Albion. Systems that had previously been designed only for larger screens were completely reworked for mobile devices, and mobile gameplay was improved with everything from context-based cursors to customizable HUDs to drag-cast spells.



In the months since these major changes were implemented, our team has focused on optimizing mobile performance, with a major Android stability fix launched with Queen Patch 16 and further improvements on the way. Mobile optimizations will continue for the foreseeable future, with the eventual goal of releasing Albion Online in both the Apple and Google Play Stores.
[h3]Looking to the Future[/h3]
With each passing year, the story of Albion gains new depth and complexity. If you're in the mood to reminisce further, you can always revisit our Second and First Anniversary retrospectives for a look at the major events of the first two years.

And finally, as we celebrate another year in the world of Albion, we want to give our most heartfelt thanks to you, the Albion Online community, for your support. We can't wait to see what the coming year (and beyond) will bring to the world of Albion – we'll have more exciting news and previews of upcoming features very soon, and we'll see you ingame when the Rise of Avalon update goes live in August!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJh0W3_sIis

It's been three years since Albion Online's official launch... and while it's certainly a good time to take a look back at everything that's happened since then, it's an even better time to celebrate! Log in now and enjoy a week-long Fame Boost, free fireworks, and a classic Keeper Dungeon from Albion's beta.
[h3]The Mists of Albion Are Back[/h3]
What better way to celebrate another year in the world of Albion than a Fame Boost? Between now and maintenance on July 24, get 25% additional Fame for all ingame activities.

Here are the details:

• At the end of maintenance on Friday, July 17, the Mists of Albion buff will be automatically enabled for all players
• This buff automatically grants an additional 25% Fame for all activities
• The buff does not apply to Fame earned via PvP kills and Tomes of Insight, and does not boost the rate at which Challenge Points are earned
• The Fame boost ends at 10:00 UTC on Friday, July 24

With the Rise of Avalon update coming in August, now is the perfect time to level up your combat, crafting, and gathering!


[h3]A Classic Returns[/h3]
From now until July 31, you'll have a chance to revisit the Defenders of the Past dungeon, a classic Keeper dungeon from Albion's beta. This dungeon has retained its classic terrain and enemy layout, and has been updated with current shrines, loot, and rewards. In addition, those who complete this dungeon will have a chance to score the brand-new Red Anniversary Banner.

Here are all the details:

• Defenders of the Past will spawn randomly in T4-8 zones in both the Royal Continent and the Outlands
• The dungeon will spawn in both solo (green) and group (blue) versions, with enemies and loot balanced accordingly
• The dungeon entrance will appear as a portal flanked by Anniversary Banners
• The final boss chest will give a chance to receive the Red Anniversary Banner along with other loot

This limited-time dungeon will only be playable until July 31 at 10:00 UTC, so head out into the open world and revisit a unique piece of Albion's past!


[h3]Decorations, Fireworks, and a Forum Contest[/h3]
Albion's cities have been decked out with special anniversary decorations – and to help celebrate, we've sent red, blue, and yellow Anniversary Fireworks to all players. Just log in between now and July 31 at 10:00 UTC to receive an in-game mail with your rewards. (Note: the mail will only be sent to characters created before July 17.)

And last but not least, we're running a "Strike a Pose" contest over on the forum. Get decked out in your best armor and costumes, find your favorite ingame spot, and get creative, and you could win fabulous prizes! Prizes will be given for the best solo, group, and guild entries.

Remember, the Fame Boost and forum contest end on July 24 and the classic dungeon and free fireworks end on July 31, so log in today and join the celebration!

In our last Dev Talk, Game Director Robin Henkys introduced the Roads of Avalon, a massive new system coming with the next update. In this video, he discusses what you'll find when you leave the Roads and head into the Wilderness. (To watch Part 1, click here.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKoORR1oyJE
No time to watch, or prefer a written summary? Then read on...
[h3]Beyond the Roads[/h3]
A zone map of Avalon shows that the Roads form a very distinct rune / symbol shape. This makes it easier to recognize areas you've already visited and helps you find your way through the ever-shifting network. There are also paths outside of the Roads, which are called the Wilderness of Avalon.

The Wilderness hosts a variety of different locations:

• Forest paths
• Resource sites
• Avalonian camps
• Randomized Dungeon entrances

[h3]Location Details[/h3]
Forest Paths
These simple paths wind through the forests and ruins of Avalon. You can use them as shortcuts, or to avoid the main roads if you're concerned about encountering other explorers.
[h3][/h3]
Resource Sites
These locations have a high concentration of resources as well as elemental spirits guarding them. Unlike in the open world, elemental spirits in Avalon also appear in Veteran and Elite versions that are harder to defeat but give much more raw material. You may even encounter new Tier 7-8 Aspects and Guardians, which yield extremely valuable resources and may be enchanted all the way to level 3.

Resource sites are marked on the map, but it is up to you to discover their Tier and the strength of the spirits protecting them.

Avalonian Camps
In certain locations, Avalonians and their constructs are collecting artifacts and treasure from the deserted ruins. Players can attempt to take these treasures, but the chests will only open once all enemies at the site have been defeated. These camps appear from Tier 4-8 in the following difficulties:

• Regular (solo players)
• Veteran (small groups)
• Elite (groups of about ten players)

Avalonian Camps are also marked on the map, but again, you will have to explore them to discover their Tier and what sort of treasure they hold.

Randomized Dungeon Entrances
These entrances lead to the same Randomized Solo, Group, and Elite dungeons as you'll find in the open world, but with a significant buff to Fame and loot. They are also significantly rarer than those that spawn in the open world.


[h3]Solo or Small Group?[/h3]
There’s a lot of valuable treasure and Fame to be found in the Wilderness of Avalon. Some can be claimed on your own, but some is so valuable and difficult to acquire that you may want to tell your friends or guild about it. As the path you found to get there will probably disappear within a few hours, you'll have to be quick to tell others, and if you claim valuable treasure or resources you'll still have to safely bring them home or to the Marketplace.
[h3]Next Up: Living in the Wilderness[/h3]
That's all for today – in our next Dev Talk we’ll discuss how you can build your own Hideout in Avalon and what it takes to live in a constantly-shifting labyrinth of ancient gateways and paths. Thanks for watching!