Solstice Sprites

[Sir Barton]

If that is what you intended then that should be an end of it. We are lucky to have an artist who created such a lovely thing. I think both are absolutely beautiful, so no quarrels from me

 

I am very sorry to see the rather unpleasant things being said here. Please accept my whole hearted support.

Second this.

 

I appreciate the frustration of people who have been planning their lineages, but I think this was a pretty cool idea. It makes the dragon quite unique.

 

Now that we know this isn't a glitch, wouldn't it be more productive to start planning new lineage ideas instead of becoming down right rude over something that was done with good intentions?

[Guillotine]

Good intentions or not, the way they went about it was crass and deceitful. This isn't a nice Christmas gift, it's another layer of needless opacity and exclusivity in the site and one that derailed a lot of people's enjoyment of the sprite. :/ I'd rather see one of the colors removed completely than have an exclusive-to-CBs holiday sprite, and I like both versions.

[Pestilence420]

I don't mind it I actully prefer the one without the reddish hue but I have both so I guess my opinion doesn't really matter? >.>

[pinkgothic]

Second this.

 

I appreciate the frustration of people who have been planning their lineages, but I think this was a pretty cool idea. It makes the dragon quite unique.

 

Now that we know this isn't a glitch, wouldn't it be more productive to start planning new lineage ideas instead of becoming down right rude over something that was done with good intentions?

 

Please keep in mind very few people are being rude. Voicing frustration is not inherently the same thing as rudeness.

 

I'm on the other side of this - I was not the biggest fan of the CB sprites, whereas I adore the blue wing ones - but what is positive surprise for me must necessarily be negative surprise for those for whom this is the other way around. Just like I wasn't able to anticipate this and bred my Solstices for someone else at the start of the reason, since I had no reason to make breeding plans for a sprite I wasn't super excited by, others had no reason to suspect their breeding plans would be foiled. So I definitely understand the frustration, even if I (definitely) don't share it.

 

I think this is a really interesting game mechanic (it reminds me of the avatars - the CBs will always be different), but I do agree a prior announcement might have smoothed this over.

 

That being said!

 

*sends Odeen hugs* I love the blue-winged sprite you made. @_@ It's so pretty. So pretty. Hnngh.

Edited December 24, 2014 by pinkgothic

[Piano]

I don't mind it I actully prefer the one without the reddish hue but I have both so I guess my opinion doesn't really matter? >.>

Whoever said that?

[dragontamer44722]

While I would have liked a red version, I'm happy to get a blue wing one. I intend to continue the lineage of the 2 I got, so it gives me a project for next year. I do hope that the reds do become available at some point but I won't be upset if they ultimately don't.

[lollipop00]

I do not mind it, just a little warning beforehand though sounds nice. So I am thinking this was the "present" TJ was talking about, took us by surprise it did.

[BlindWolf]

The thing is exclusiveness happens. It is unavoidable. That aside though I understand not everyone wants them removed. Which is why I stated only those who want one or two or all their blue winged babies changed can. Otherwise eithe ra BSA to change them from blue to sunsetty or alternating sunset/blue wing releases every other year.

 

I'm not entirely saying "Suck it up." But.... if it is a permanent change and no plan is made to offer the CB version to those without it then, I'm sorry... but Oh well. It's TJ's game and if he wants to make certain breeds exclusive despite some disagreement he has every right to. If you don't like it but like the game then that is unfortunate and there is really nothing that can be done. Sadly if TJ does not want to or does not feel like changing it, he is not obligated to. You can cry to your local channel news but it does not mean his decision will change.

 

I do not agree with some decision but seeing as I do not invest in the site directly, nor do I own it, The best I can do is suggest a change. If it is shot down or not changed, then the best I can do is roll with it.

Exclusiveness is avoidable in a videogame format, though. There's nothing saying that it had to be or that it has to stay this way.

 

If it's a permanent change then yes, there's nothing that can be done, but like angelicdragonpuppy said, bringing up our issues with things has had them changed before, and for the better. So there's no harm in voicing our discontent. This sort of thing is important for a gamedev to be aware of, to understand how the community feels and to see what issues there might be with the game. If people didn't complain, then problems and the like would never change, and that ultimately hurts the game. Not so much with the sprites alone, but with the mechanics as well. Player feedback leads to an improved experience. TJ's decisions are not always set in stone, he has changed his mind about things before.

 

It's just a bad precedent here, and regardless, a dev needs to hear player feedback. Players also need to voice their issues in the hopes of improving their game experience and that of their peers. It's an important part of that relationship. Am I going to stomp my feet about this forever? No, but in this thread meant for discussion, I am going to voice my issues with this.

[LadyAmlaruil2]

I say this, by the way, NOT merely as a DC player, but as someone who was head admin of a similar game for a couple of years. I have less experience than you do as a game designer, perhaps, but I know a bad player relations choice when I see it.

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with your perspective here... This may be a different choice than perhaps you would have made, but I don't think it is right to suggest that en mass this was a bad player relations choice! Each person has their own perspective, just like some people don't like inbred lineages - while others don't care at all about lineages - only the sprite on their scroll. Just because it wasn't expected doesn't make it bad - just different. Perhaps we could turn the negative energy into a positive - maybe a more challenging lineage - for example. It is almost Christmas, after all!

[Kaini]

If that is what you intended then that should be an end of it. We are lucky to have an artist who created such a lovely thing. I think both are absolutely beautiful, so no quarrels from me

 

I am very sorry to see the rather unpleasant things being said here. Please accept my whole hearted support.

This.

 

In the end, guys, it is the spriters, the ARTIST'S (and TJ's) decision, and we should respect that.

[KaelaBoo24]

I'll admit, this does put a little kink in my Heartseeker x Solstice breeding plans, but both sprites are still absolutely beautiful. I understand people's frustration but at the end of the day I don't think it's a huge deal. :/

[TJ09]

Please keep in mind very few people are being rude. Voicing frustration is not inherently the same thing as rudeness.

Using words with negative connotations like "crass," or assuming that the purpose is to disappoint or deceive are rude. All of these wordings assume some form of malicious intent. On the contrary, few of the comments are simply voicing frustration in a manner which I would not consider offensive, as if insulting everyone behind the decision will somehow shame us into changing things.

 

But, such is the way of the internet; this is really par for the course as far as disagreeing with DC decisions goes.

[missy20201]

I'm a bit saddened because I love the sunrise-y colors of the cb with that in mind, I also like the blue one a lot. The only actually upsetting bit is that I'll never have the original just for collection's sake don't mind me I'm being a butthurt baby over getting my least favorite snow angel sprite

[Guillotine]

Using words with negative connotations like "crass," or assuming that the purpose is to disappoint or deceive are rude. All of these wordings assume some form of malicious intent. On the contrary, few of the comments are simply voicing frustration in a manner which I would not consider offensive, as if insulting everyone behind the decision will somehow shame us into changing things.

 

But, such is the way of the internet; this is really par for the course as far as disagreeing with DC decisions goes.

If someone does something deceitful and crass, it doesn't matter if the intent was good: they acted in a way that was deceitful and crass, and I'm not taking back the statement that the way you went about this decision was crass and deceitful. At the very least we should have been told about this before an entire year of planning was done, or been offered a way to keep the redwings.

 

e: Also, i'm pretty sure that i'm the only one using that wording, because i was always taught that calling someone's actions something is different from calling the person themselves something.

Edited December 24, 2014 by Guillotine

[BlindWolf]

Using words with negative connotations like "crass," or assuming that the purpose is to disappoint or deceive are rude. All of these wordings assume some form of malicious intent. On the contrary, few of the comments are simply voicing frustration in a manner which I would not consider offensive, as if insulting everyone behind the decision will somehow shame us into changing things.

 

But, such is the way of the internet; this is really par for the course as far as disagreeing with DC decisions goes.

Comments using that wording are in the minority. I've seen maybe three posts that go that far with it. Nobody is trying to use shame as a tactic, either. If anything, comments containing no arguments and that language are just venting.

 

What if the purpose, I should ask? If this is meant to be a 'gift' to older players, then the mirror, of it being a disadvantage to new players, is also true. Giving something special to one person over another works out the same way.

[lollipop00]

Well since it seems no point in arguing, I'm done, just next time a warning beforehand before most people do a whole year of planning.

 

Basically it ruins Things for some and others not.

 

Gotta go replan again

[Asketil]

I love both sprites, It would be amazing if they alternated back and forth, but either way is great :3 I never got a cb, but the sprite is just as amazing either way so I'm not sure what all the fuss is about.

[seshat1407]

Using words with negative connotations like "crass," or assuming that the purpose is to disappoint or deceive are rude. All of these wordings assume some form of malicious intent. On the contrary, few of the comments are simply voicing frustration in a manner which I would not consider offensive, as if insulting everyone behind the decision will somehow shame us into changing things.

 

But, such is the way of the internet; this is really par for the course as far as disagreeing with DC decisions goes.

We have to assume, seeing as you decided sometime during the past twelve months not to tell us anything.

 

Did it even cross your mind when you saw threads devoted to Solstice breeding to maybe mention this little fact?

 

Did you stop to think how players might feel having this sprung on them?

 

This isn't a decision, it's an underhanded move you've known about and planned for apparently a year and have chosen to play out in a thoroughly disappointing and unpleasant way. A little forethought about the feelings of your players -- as opposed to a handful of spriters -- may have behooved you.

 

You may not like terms like crass, deceitful, petty, thoughtless, but that's the consequence of your 'decision' to treat your players this way. Moves like this were forgiveable when you began the site as a teenager, but now? Not so much.

[nextavengers]

I love both sprites, It would be amazing if they alternated back and forth, but either way is great :3 I never got a cb, but the sprite is just as amazing either way so I'm not sure what all the fuss is about.

Can we just have alternating please O>O

[Tazzay]

I knew I should've grabbed more Solstice eggs from the ap....

 

But as for me, I don't mind the different sprites. I have my two CB's from last year, anyway.

[loftiicry]

I can't say that I dislike the blue wings - they on their own are absolutely gorgeous, and I definitely appreciate the work that went into spriting them. But in my opinion, the pink wings are a much more pleasing design to look at - when looking at the side by side comparison, I can't help but think the contrast in the wing colour helps to bring out the colours and shading in other parts of the sprite, particularly the chest. However, the blue one just looks a bit more...flat, to me. There's not as much contrast, and that doesn't mean it doesn't look stunning, I just find it a bit of a strange change compared to the lovely hues of the CB's. I would have preferred if there had been a way of choosing whether we want to keep the pink wings versus adding blues, or at the very least have a way to obtain both - I'm a bit saddened to know I likely won't be able to gather more of what is arguably one of my favourite sprites on this website. Not to mention the exclusivity; I can't really say much considering I do own two CB's, but one of the main reasons I enjoy dragon cave is because almost everything is available to everyone. But such is life - if the artists prefer it this way, then there's not much than can be done, and the new sprite is still drop-dead gorgeous to look at regardless.

[Sir Barton]

Good intentions or not, the way they went about it was crass and deceitful. This isn't a nice Christmas gift, it's another layer of needless opacity and exclusivity in the site and one that derailed a lot of people's enjoyment of the sprite. :/ I'd rather see one of the colors removed completely than have an exclusive-to-CBs holiday sprite, and I like both versions.

Can you prove deceit? Do you have some power that allows you to read Odeen or TJ's minds, that makes you so certain that they sat there plotting this out as a way to ruin your 2014 holiday breeding/catching experience?

 

Have you even stopped for a second to consider that this was a simple case of miscommunication between the spriter and admin? TJ clearly stated that he thought we had been given the information. It's no stretch of the imagination to think Odeen was under the same assumption. It's more likely a oversight. Just because people discussed their breeding plans, that doesn't mean either one of these people frequented those threads and had any idea that we didn't know they didn't breed true.

 

There are always changes that derail enjoyment. Sprite updates have killed my enjoyment of quite a few dragons. You work around such things and move on.

[Guillotine]

Honestly, annoyed by this as I am I'd go back to my baseline chill if it changed to alternating years. It'd still be annoying, but only because of how it was introduced. It would no longer cause the current divide between people who could be around during the holidays and those who couldn't, and it would allow for redwing lineages, so those issue at least would be alleviated.

[missy20201]

People are getting awfully snippy with TJ... Give the guy a break; I highly doubt this was done with vice just to ruin breeding plans.

[OtomeKristinOtaku]

While I think the sprites are both pretty, and understands that exclusiveness is part of the game, I wished that TJ had told us about this beforehand. Even though this was meant as a gift, the reception shows that not everyone liked the gift. So for those of us who wants to collect both sprites, I wish there was some sort of option to get both, one way or another.