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August 2020 Newsletter

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THE FOLLOWING:

Many changes that are happening are happening in order to make way for future gifts and events within the group. We understand the member base’s frustrations at slow changes and wait times, but setting up events does take time so we urge all members to hold this in mind when expressing their thoughts. Complaints are not suggestions; please make sure any future suggestions offer solutions that will ultimately benefit the group as a whole and that do not bring down any individual members.

An Important Letter from Fargo & Team

Dearest Equus Ballator Community,

I hope that this announcement finds you all healthy and safe; these are very uncertain times, and we hope that you all are finding your way through them. I’m writing you all today to bring some news that many will find saddening and upsetting, but it is my intention, and the team’s intention, to be as open and honest with you – the community – as we can.

As you all know, the recent release of Eclipse  on DeviantART sent EquusBallator and many other HARPG/ARPG’s through a loop. Though Eclipse brings many wonderful updates and features, just as many essential features for HARPG Group use were removed, making admin work and member experience harder and less enjoyable – on both sides. With the release of Eclipse we also released EquusBallator.com, which we have been hard at work streamlining for your enjoyment and ease of use. However, straddling two websites is not ideal for our member base and our admin team; I will speak a little more on this later on.

In addition to the struggles with the two websites, the admin team has, unfortunately, taken several unforeseen hits and we are now grievously understaffed– especially in the Design and Breeding areas of the group. Unfortunately, we do not have the time or resources to train new interns or admins due to many of our current admin team having extremely busy real lives and limited time on their hands already. 

Due to these factors, it is with a heavy heart that I am announcing the temporary closure of Breedings, the Design Hub, the Slot Center, and the Group Horse center. Import Claims will be restricted, as well, of which we will discuss below. The above systems will be closed on the dates below with the following regulations applied:

  • Breedings: Normal amount of 3 breedings per month; all three breedings must be used by August 15th. If you have any extra breeding slots on your account, you may use them but it must be before the deadline. This will allow us to finish up the breeding note backlog and get current notes answered before the Design deadline.
  • Design Hub: Normal amount of 3 designs a week applied for this month; no exceptions. All designs within the limit must be submitted to the Design Hub on DeviantArt by August 31st. All designs currently in the design hub will be reviewed normally. 
  • Slot Center: Will be closed, effective immediately
  • Group Horse Center: Will be closed, effective immediately. If you have a slot to a group horse that you have marked in your name but you do not have a mate yet, you must note the group to get your slow marked and you must use it before August 15th.
  • Import Claiming: You must stick to the allotted 3 Imports Per month rule. 

The following systems will remain open and functional unless otherwise mentioned at a later date:

  • Highlord Hub
  • Denarii Hub
  • Stats
  • Ownership Transfers/Decease Notes/Old Group Registration Notes
  • Regale’s Quests
  • Hunting
  • Monthly Quests / The running Red Star Storyline

Alongside the closure of the systems mentioned previously, after much discussion, deliberation, and insight, it is with tears that we also announce that the group will be closing temporarily at the conclusion of the Red Star Rising storyline, approx. December 2020, with hopes of re-opening in early to mid 2021 with a completed, fully-coded and operational website nearly wholly separate from DeviantArt, which no longer suits our needs as a group. This is not a decision that was made lightly or on a whim, but rather over weeks of talking, meetings, and discussion on what is best as a whole for the team, the group, and above all, the community.

Please understand that the group is not closing forever; the breed is not going away forever, and we will not, unless circumstances outside of our control may arise, be ‘killing off’ the breed. This breed is very dear to my heart and it’s presence and community have grown in ways that I could never have imagined. Seeing the joy it spreads is something that I take joy in myself – I have agonized, as have the rest of the admin team, over these decisions, but it is with certainty that I express to you all that these hiatuses are needed to ensure that the group can function later.

Please, I ask, be patient with us during this very hard time. We are doing all that we can, as quickly as we can, for you the community. Your support means the world to us, and while we willingly accept constructive criticism, please remember that the key word is constructive

We hope you all understand why these decisions were made and can bear with us as we make the changes needed to ensure the survival of the Breed; we hope you all stay safe, healthy, and continue to enjoy and use your Ballators!
Much love, 

Fargo & The Equus Ballator Admin Team

Updates & Announcements

  • Please continue to check out the weekly Changelog!
    • This will cover any small member requested updates not worthy of the newsletter! 
  • A couple of updates to The Stat System will go into effect on August 1st, 2020.
    • Stat Grids must be accepted to the group’s artwork folder before their stats can be added to a Ballator’s Stat Tracker and confirmed.
    • The Olympian Rank prize of “One Mythical Companion” must have a Mythical Companion picked from the list found HERE if you would like to claim a specific companion.Listing “Mythical Companion” will generate a random companion that cannot be changed after confirmation. If you do not list a specified companion or “Mythical Companion” then that prize will be forfeited.
  • A reminder that ALL prompts must be linked to back to in your submissions! This rule applies to any and all official prompts but a specific emphasis is added to the following activities:
    • Monthly Quests & Mini Monthly Quests
    • Regale’s Quests
    • Foal Prompts

The Monthly Quest

Ballator of the Month

Admin Spotlight

Our admin feature for August 2020 is skellri! Please see below to learn a little about them!

  • Name: Skellri
  • Admin Job: Gatekeeper and Plaque Admin, also Design helper!
  • First Ballator: Magnus!
  • Favorite Ballator & Why: Its so hard to pick, all my kids have a really special place in my heart! Sagitta is probably my top favorite though, I’ve had her pretty much since Poecilia was first introduced. I remember Enharmonia raffling off a breeding slot to her starter, Picasso! I happened to have won a slot, and that’s how I got Sagitta! She’s got a simple design and she’s packed full of personality! Meraki and Wampa  are also favorites of mine as they were not only fun to design, but also take on part of my personality so I feel very attached to them!
  • Favorite Ballator Mutation: Archetain! It has such an awesome variety and I love all the creativity I see with it!
  • Favorite Highlord: Hannibal
  • How did you discover Ballators: Through Tintedgreen! They were posting lots of designs for ballators back in the day and it piqued my curiosity! I’ve been hooked ever since!
  • Random Fact: Archery and dirtbiking are two of my favorite hobbies!

Your Equus Ballator Admin Team

Interested in joining the admin team? Please click HERE.