mINOR uPDATES & hALLOWEEN mINI eVENT

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Hey, everyone!! We know it's been pretty quiet around here since the anniversary event, but we're working hard behind the scenes to bring you something amazing for New Years. That said, we didn't want to go the entire rest of the year without anything going on at all, so we took some time to throw together a little something for Halloween. It's nothing major - just a collection of smallish updates and some simple spooky season activities, but hopefully it will be enough to hold everyone's attention for a the next week or two, at least! We may do a little extra something something on Halloween night, but due to time constraints and overall lack of availability for us and the mods/guest artists/etc, we're not going to promise anything. But if we manage to pull it together on time, you'll hear about it sometime on the 31st! As always, thank you for your patience! We appreciate all of the people who make up this community more than words could ever express!

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➤ General uPDATES

We don't have too much for you guys in the way of updates this time around, but there are a few things we're going to take a moment to address collectively in this news post - mostly so that we can avoid any further news/update posts (unless absolutely necessary!) until our big update on New Years - since the less work we have to do in the meantime means the more time we get to spend on the big stuff!!

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➤ SECRET SANTA SIGN-UPS

It's a little bit earlier than usual, but we figured we'd assimilate it into our current update rather than posting an additional update in what would ultimately end up being just a few more days away anyway. But our annual Secret Santa is back once again for 2024! You all probably know the drill by now, but for those of you who have only just recently joined up with Glowchus, every year we (try to) host a Secret Santa exchange where users draw each others' characters! Who gets gets assigned to who is a complete mystery until the art pieces are posted during the month of December. But in addition to suprise art, members who participate can submit their entries on site for special ARPG rewards and entries to our yearly premium voucher giveaway! If you're interested in signing up, simply click the link below and fill out the form. Assignments will go out on November 15th! That leaves a little over 2 weeks for the sign-up period.

>> Secret Santa 2024 Sign-ups <<

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➤ DONATION SALES

Those of you who have been with us for a little while, you may remember that, at one point, we had a character trade-in system, where users could trade in offcial and unofficial luminarians that they no longer wanted in exchance for radiance and other ARPG items. We've been working to bring that system back (and it will hopefully be up in its entirety by New Years).  While it's not currently up to date, we still have a handful of designs from back when the system was up and running. And in preparation for the updates we have coming on New Years, we've decided to sell a batch of the characters we've accumulated since then in our very first donation sale batch! The sale should have gone live as of this news post (but if not, you can expect it to pop up here very shortly) and can be accessed by clicking the link below!

>> Donation Sale #1 <<

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➤ ADDRESSING ISSUES, FEEDBACK, & SUGGESTIONS

We know this has been a long time coming, and we appreciate your patience when it comes to this matter specifically. Vesp and I finally took some time this past week to go through all the suggestions/feedback/etc that have been piling up in both our Discord suggestions channel and our annonymous feedback form. This section of the update is dedicated to our response to those suggestions (in addition to general feedback and issues that need addressing in general). The important bulk of this was meant to be covered in a discord announcement, but it ended up getting too long for that. If anything that was previously suggested hasn't been addressed here, it's because we haven't discussed the matter fully yet or the situation was addressed elsewhere. From this point forward, we will be closing discord posts in the suggestions channel with matters that have already been addressed to help us keep better track of the suggestions and feedback we still need to go through!

• General Feedback & Suggestions
  • Allowing sketches for prompt submissions
    • While there is still the possibility that sketches will be allowed for certain gallery folders and certain prompt types in the future, we want submissions made to the Glowchus on site gallery to adhere to a certain level of finish. Because sketches don't meet the requirements for that level of finish, it's very, very unlikely that they will ever be allowed again for the sake of (most) prompt submissions in the Glowchus community. We are still working on devising prompts/galleries that require less effort in terms of their submission, but it's something that's on the back burner as we have a lot of other systems/events/etc we're working on getting out first.
  • Anomalous Dire & Dwarf
    • This is something that we've been asked about a few times and that we've even discussed prior to it being brought up in the first place. After some lengthy discussion on the matter, we have decided that, for the forseeable future, at the very least, Dire and Dwarf will not have anomalous forms - our reasoning for this being that Dire and Dwarf are already essentially the anomalous variants of Alpha/Runt repsectively and the drastic differences in size that these mutations result in make character sizes difficult and awkward enough to portray as it is. That said, it's not entirely off the table as a thing that could happen in the future, but it's not something we can see ourselves looking into further at this point in time.

• Discord Feedback & Suggestions/Issues
  • Additional channels for the discord
    • Highlights - This was something we did consider, but after reading some feedback from other members, specifically members requesting that their messages and such were NOT shared in this channel if one were to be provided, we ultimately decided against it. But you're more than welcome to share chat highlights throughout the discord in general when they occur - there just won't be a specific channel for it.
    • Positivity - This is something that has been requested a lot in the past so that members didn't need to post their positivity in the vent channel, but the thing is, if it's not a vent, users don't have to post it in the vent channel. We're not entirely sure where the trend of posting positivity in the vent channel came from, but it was never something that was explicitly required or stated to do and users are free (and encouraged!) to spread positivity throughout the discord whenever the urge strikes them - there doesn't need to be a specific channel for it!
    • Art Tips - One thing we want to avoid when it comes to the discord is clutter through means of providing channels that won't be used regularly. That's not to say that an art tips channel wouldn't be used at all - we're sure people would find something like that very helpful! But if it's not going to be something that people are posting in on a regular basis, then it's something we'd prefer not to have. That said, however, the sharing channel would be a good place to share art tips without having a channel purely dedicated specifically to art tips!
    • Writing - In line with the reasoning above, we don't have many users in GC that are strictly writers or that write super often in general. That, of course, is not to say we don't have them at all, but if we're going to create a channel in our discord server, we do so only under the assumption that it will be utilized regularly. Because of the lack of writers in GC, we feel that a channel dedicated specifically to writing is unnecessary, especially when we already have two artwork channels where users are free to share their creations of all media (writing included!).
    • Spoiler Toggle  & Gaming Channel - Your wish is our command 🫴
  • Sharing photos/personal information for anyone other than yourself (especially minors)
    • Previously, we had requested that any pictures of others, especially minors, not be posted anywhere in the discord without the explicit consent of the individuals included in the photos. Because consent is not something that we can verify, we are revoking the "with consent" rule and asking that people no longer post photos of anyone other than themselves. This can extend to family members as well since we're going to assume that people would never do anything against their family's wishes and would always have those peoples' best interest at heart, but we ask that users no longer share photos of friends, coworkers, or anyone else - with or without permission because again, permission is not something we can verify. We are also extending that rule to include more personal information as well, specifically medical information. If someone you know is dealing with a medical condition, please refrain from talking about it here. Very surface level comments such as "my partner has the flu" or something similar is alright, but medical history is a protected class of information and should be treated as such! Anything more specific than "sick" should not be shared. If you want to talk in-depth about your own medical status (again, more than talking about simply having covid or not feeling well) please keep it to the vent channel. Further details on what is and is not okay for the that channel will be posted there moving forward - which brings us to our next topic.
  • Inappropriate or NSFW content in the vent channel
    • Users have probably noticed by now that the vent channel disappeared briefly (if it hasn't reappeared by now, you can expect it back shortly!). This was due to the nature of things people had been discussing - it had gotten to the point where things being discussed were completely inappropriate and borderline, if not entirely, nsfw in nature which is not okay given the rating of our discord. The fact that it's a vent channel does not cancel out the community rating and things discussed there should fall within that rating. We removed the channel so that we could take some time to write out some proper guidelines for its use, which users will be able to find in the channel's pinned messages whenever it goes live again. Please be mindful of what you share there and the amount of detail you go into when participating in this channel moving forward.
  • Venting outside of the vent channel
    • There's been a large lapse in moderation when it comes to venting outside the vent channel, and we apologize for this! It's mostly due to how busy Vesp and I have been and how little time we've had to actually read through messages, especially the past couple of months or so, but we are formally addressing this issue here and now - users may not post vent related topics outside of the vent channel. Doing so is extremely disrespectful toward your fellow community members, as you're essentially forcing people - people who have problems of their own and who come to the chat to relax and unwind - to deal with your problems. Life is is challenging for everyone at times, and you're not alone. But the general community channels are not the place to discuss it. Whether or not the vent channel is actively available, this is not allowed under any circumstances and it's something that users can expect to be actively enforced from this point forward.
  • Consideration and respect for fellow community members
    • There's been an influx of design sales in the community discord (both officially and unofficially) and make no mistake, we love to see it! However, we've noticed that sometimes members don't always tread carefully when it comes to whether or not they necessarily like a design they've received. So we're taking this as an opportunity to remind users to please treat each other kindly and respectfully! If you get a design from someone that you're not happy with, it's entirely unnecessary to make a show out of how much you dislike the design. Regardless of whether or not you like it, someone put their heart into making it and when users make comments like "it's not really my cup of tea" or "ngl I don't really like this," that can be really hurtful to the artist!
    • In that same vein, not everyone's designs are always going to sell. It happens to us too, and we know how deflated it can make you feel, especially when you worked hard on the design. That is not an excuse, however, to guilt people into buying your designs. People don't always have the money to spend on adopts and they aren't always going to jive with absolutely every design someone makes. Some designs flop, no matter how much work you put into them, and accepting that is just part of what it means to be an artist selling their artwork on the internet. We're not telling you not to be upset about it - something like that would make anyone upset. But taking it out on others and trying to guilt people into buying something they're not interested in buying isn't acceptable!

    • We've received some feedback regarding the art channels and wanted to touch on the etiquette surrounding them. While we don't want to force people to comment on each other's art, we ask that if you go to post something in an art channel and notice that someone else has posted something that has yet to receive any comments about it... please say something nice! We know that everyone in this community is a family and no one is intentionally trying to be hurtful, but it can be very disheartening for someone to post art that they're proud of and receive no feedback only to have someone else post over them. If you don't have anything to say about the art posted before you, you can check the other art channel to post in instead or simply wait until someone else makes comments first. This is not meant to be micromanaging, but simply a way to further instill and encourage positivity in all areas of the discord! As always, we appreciate everyone's willingness to make GC as amazing a community as it can possibly be.

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➤ mINI eVENT: sPOOKY sHENANIGANS

We didn't have anything major planned for Halloween this year, but we didn't want the holiday to go uncelebrated entirely within the Glowchus community! So we scrambled a bit last minute to get some smaller scale activities posted for everyone to participate in before the season was officially over. There's a bit of a shorter duration on these events than usual - members can partcipate from the moment this news post goes live until November 10th @ 11:59PM PST.

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➤ HALLOWEEN GUEST SALES

You can expect some surprises to knock on your door Halloween night at 6PM PST! We originally weren't really planning on having any sort of design sale this Halloween, but our recently recruited GAs really stepped up to the plate and completely knocked it out of the part with these! We won't be revealing the designs until the sale actually goes live, but here are some previews in the meantime!

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➤ HALLOWEEN FREEBIES

For the duration of the event, each user will be able to pick up a single goodie bag from the general store for free! These can be opened for Radiance, Festival Tickets, Seasonal Cosmetic Items, Potions, Eggs, and more! Keep an eye on the donation shop, too, for the potential for some extra spooky surprises!

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➤ THE POTION MASTER'S TRIAL

Oh? What's this? It seems like someone has set up some kind of activity for any brave enough to test their luck. Eight potions are laid out before you, each of them with a different effect. From fortune to misfortune, these potions can grant it all, but it seems that one among them is particular special, as it will grant a super spooky subtype to anyone who happens to pick it out correctly from amist its peers. Are you ready to test your luck? This activity isn't meant to be particularly difficult [if it is, I'm so sorry] - it's more of a race than anything. Users will only be able to make one guess for the duration of the event and first user to make the correct guess will get the Undead Subtype for their character. Anyone who makes a correct guess following the first person will still get a consolation prize though! And each potion has a different effect, so even if you guess incorrectly, you may still get something...

In a line they sit, all eight in a row,
So many colors and scents, what a magical show.
One glass phial will grant the prize that you're after,
Who among you's on par with the true potion master?

The first thing to note is that most range in sizes,
It's these potions you want, if what you're after is prizes.
When it comes to size matches, there's a few choices to foster
The middle's neighbor grants fortune, but its twin's an imposter.
If it's thrills that you seek though, this spooky season,
The leftmost's your friend, while the rightmost holds treason.
That isn't to say that only one grants this power,
In fact there's another that lies on three left's third hour.
Two potions hold treasure, they're one in the same,
You'll find each to the right of a thrill seeker's claim.
If by now you're confused, don't worry - all is not lost,
Of those that remain, one has a most ghastly cost.
Identified only by it's own special neighbor,
That neighbor's unique in that it grants foraging favor.

You hold the key now, let your cleverness guide,
For the one that remains holds your treasure inside.

How to Participate:

1. When you're ready to make your guess, open up the new claims page.
2. Title your claim "Potion Master's Trial" and fill out this form in the comments:
   • Chosen Potion:
     • Please list your chosen potion by its corresponding number!
   • Character Masterlist Entry:
     • You'll need to link the character you want to use to receive the effects of the potion, but choose wisely! If you guess incorrectly, any resulting consequences will be hard to undo!
3. Click the blue "Submit" button and you're done!

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➤ A SUPER SPOOKY EGG HUNT

Despite already having released a Autumn themed novelty pet during our anniversary event, we decided to be a little extra and do another - this one being limited and available only to the user who finds it until it's full, official release (which will probably be next year). This novelty pet is the Hellfire Companion! These companions are entirely skeletal with green flamey accents - you can expect an encyclopedia post for them soon! We've hidden the egg for one of these fiery beasts somewhere on site - the first person to find it can claim the prize inside [note that there may still be eggs hidden around site from the easter event. The egg that you're looking for is specifically a novelty egg - it has black spots, not green ones!]. Your only clue is that the egg is hidden on a page that's completely accessible through the site's currently active navigation pages (aka, it's not hidden on a page that there's no active site link to, such as the tutorial pages, questline pages, etc etc).

If you find the egg, submit a claim to, well.. claim it!

Snatched at the speed of sound......

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➤ TRICK OR TREATING

For the duration of this event, users can submit an image of their character wearing a costume to the Glowchus on-site gallery (just the general gallery is fine!) and then comment below with a thumbnail of the image in order to receive a treat... or a trick! Treats will be granted to the user, but tricks will be locked to the character participating. Be careful what you wish for - tricks are not easily removed from characters afflicted! This can be done as many times as desired per user and the user is free to use the same character in a different costume each time, or a unique character each time if they prefer.

Note that G1 characters can't be used!

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➤ COSTUME CONTEST

And last but not least, tying in with the activity above, once the event is over, Vesp and I will gather together the images submitted for trick or treating and decide who wore it best, so to speak! The owner of the character with the best costume will receive their very own spooky potion! The decision for the winner will be based on a number of factors from the amount of effort put into the art piece (ie. whether it was fully rendered or simply flatcolored) as well as the overall complexity, uniqueness, and creativity of the costume itself.