Announcements & News

[center][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/wotw6.png[/img][/center] Greetings and welcome to the July 2014 edition of [i]Words on the Wind. [/i] Due to the size of this month's [i]Words[/i], we have a [b]Table of Contents[/b] for you to reference. [br] [b][size=3]Table of Contents[/size][/b] [LIST] [*]Community Update [*]Communication [*]Terms of Use/Site Rules & Guidelines [*]Akiri's Recovery [*]Employment [*]Volunteer Moderators [*]A Note on the Suggestions Forum [*]Familiar Coloring Contest Results [*]Primary Gene Poll Results [*]Quality of Life Improvements [*]Community Spotlights [/LIST] [br] [center][b][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=mb&board=ann&id=1148617]Click here to read more.[/url][/b][/center] [more] [center][b][size=5]Community Update: Senior Moderator![/size][/b][/center] Please give a warm welcome to your new Senior Moderator, @Mayana! We are thrilled to have her step up and into this position; her experience, leadership, and knowledge of [i]Flight Rising[/i] have been great assets to the site and we are very excited for her to lend those skills towards helping and guiding our volunteer moderator team! Congratulations, and thank you, @Mayana! [center][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/mayana_seniormod.png[/img][/center] [br][br] ----- [br][br] [center][b][size=5]Communication[/size][/b][/center] We heard your feedback about the last edition of [i]Words on the Wind[/i], and we wanted to offer our apologies to those of you who felt it was disappointing or lacking. We understand that it was light as far as content, but we'd also like to take a moment to clarify a few things, and why some editions of Words will be lighter than others. While we want to share as much as we can, there are some areas where that's just not possible. Our security happenings, finances, and scheduling -and the many ways that new priorities can come up and shuffle that scheduling- remain internal. Flight Rising is a business, and it's not possible or practical to share all internal workings. There may sometimes be months where we, as a team, need to refrain from sharing information that is either A) not ready yet, or B) needs to be implemented before being announced. This is usually a combination of managing expectations and maintaining/safeguarding site integrity. When this happens, some particular editions of [i]Words on the Wind[/i] will be lighter. Even in lighter months we will always try to commit to is rolling out our Community Spotlights (such as our latest features on cosplay, the Toothy Tidelord, and the many ways that you as a community helped to make this month awesome!) We want to keep the community in the loop as much as possible, and in that regard there are some specific areas we want to clarify or improve upon:[br][br] [indent][b]Smaller Updates to Compilation Posts[/b] [list][*][b]Clarification:[/b] [i]Flight Rising[/i] may implement a variety of small changes and updates before a news post goes live. We prefer not to make a dozen small news posts to accompany these, as this can tend to bury larger, more focal updates; because not all players check the front page of the site daily, we maintain large news posts that contain the collection of small updates we've made so that they're collated in one spot for players to easily read through and reference. Example: Familiars, Coliseum Items, bug fixes, or Lore pages may appear a day or two before a newspost. This is fine with us. [*][b]Improvements in Small Change Documentation[/b]: Specific changes as "[i]Item X[/i] has had its stock quantity increased/decreased" or "[i]Specific Item Y[/i] has had its sell value/star value changed" have frequently gone undocumented. We will be diligent about including these in the "Additional Updates & Changes" portion at the bottom of each news update so that every change, no matter how small, can be read in our news posts.[/list] [b]How We Communicate During Downtime[/b] [list][*][b]Clarification[/b]: As we all know, websites go down from time to time, and [i]Flight Rising[/i] is no stranger to this. If [i]Flight Rising[/i] needs to enter a period of maintenance, we will always do our utmost to update the front page as soon as possible. For those that are unfamiliar, maintenance periods do not allow players to log in, but many of the site's pages are still available in read-only mode. [*]Sometimes, if the website goes down in such a way where it may not be accessed at all (i.e. a total webhost service interruption) it is obviously not possible to update or view the front page. In the event of this type of occurrence, the following are official social media pages where you can go for news while [i]Flight Rising[/i] itself is not accessible: [br] [LIST] [*][url=http://flightrising.tumblr.com/][img]http://flightrising.com/images/layout/tumblr.png[/img] Flight Rising Tumblr[/url] [*][url=http://www.twitter.com/FlightRising][img]http://flightrising.com/images/layout/twitter.png[/img] Flight Rising Twitter[/url] [*][url=http://www.facebook.com/pages/Flight-Rising/107181322642508][img]http://flightrising.com/images/layout/facebook.png[/img] Flight Rising Facebook[/url] [/LIST][br] [*][b]Improvement[/b]: When the website is completely down, our top priority is going to be getting it back online, but during this time, we will sometimes make changes to compensate for that downtime. An example of this was the several hour service outage that occurred during the last day of the Brightshine Jubiliee. Our server company had an outage at its data center, and once we returned, we made a change to tablet drops and skin stock rates. While this change was noted on social media, it was not on the main page. This is something that should have been posted, and you have our sincere apologies for that. We dropped the ball, and need to do better in communicating these types of changes when they occur. [/list] [b]Bug Reports & Progress[/b] [list][*][b]Improvement[/b]: We will be working to update the [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=mb&board=bug&id=20942]Known Issues Thread[/url] on a more frequent basis. This thread is for known bugs that we are able to reproduce and the programmers are tracking. Once an issue is moved to this thread, it is something that goes on our to-fix list and is prioritized by how critical the issue is, how many players it affects, and how easy it is to fix. (A bug that is easy to diagnose and takes 5 minutes may be resolved much quicker than a more elusive issue, not because it is more important. It was just something we could resolve immediately.)[/list][/indent] ----- [br][br] [center][b][size=5]Terms of Use/Site Rules & Guidelines[/size][/b][/center] The [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=tos]Terms of Use[/url] is a document which covers what you agree to as players in order to use [i]Flight Rising[/i]. The [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?board=frd&id=749441&p=mb]Site Rules & Guidelines[/url] covers our expectations, in detail, for how we expect players interact with each other and the site. This has been in place since July 23, 2013 and we call attention to it regularly when moderating threads and [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?board=ann&id=1094475&p=mb]whenever we open registration[/url]. A copy of it is stickied to the top of every forum board. Ignorance of the rules is not an excuse, especially in regards to harassment, bullying, vulgarities, and general inappropriate or offensive behavior. For clearer communication about both of these documents, we have added a link to the Site Rules & Guidelines in the Terms of Use itself and included a link to it at the bottom of every site page. We hope that this additional feature on our Rules & Guidelines will make it more accessible to our community. ----- [center][b][size=5]Akiri's Recovery[/size][/b][/center] We are pleased to say that @Akiri is doing much better. The road to recovery from an accident can be long and requires dedication and patience. While he's not yet at 100%, Akiri has been making great progress in his physical therapy - in fact, we'd go so far as to say he's kicking PT's butt! We are overjoyed that our friend and colleague is alive and well after this experience. He has been able to take time to focus on his health and recovery, and is now in a place where he can shift some of that focus to [i]Flight Rising[/i] once again. He's currently working on addressing bug fixes, user interface updates, and quality of life improvements we've been collecting for him; many a direct result of your feedback. You'll be able to view these smaller changes in the "Additional Updates & Changes" portion at the bottom of each update post. In addition, Akiri's been cooking up some new features. While we have nothing to announce yet, we're very excited to see them in action! Thanks for all your hard work, @Akiri. We're glad to have you back with us! [br][br] ----- [br][br] [center][b][size=5]Working for Flight Rising[/size][/b][/center] [i]"How do I apply to work for Flight Rising?"[/i] - we are asked this question frequently. To apply, please feel free to submit your resume via the [url=http://flightrising.com/index.php?p=contact]Contact Us form[/url]. You must be at least 18 years of age. If you are not located within the USA, you must be able to accept Paypal or Google Wallet as a payment method. Please include your full name, contact e-mail address, a link to a portfolio if you are an artist (please do not mail us images.), a link to a portfolio if you are a programmer (please do not send us code at this stage), a resume, and a list of professional references with appropriate contact information. The last item is particularly important if you want to do any customer service or programming work for us. We would like to emphasize that at this time [b][u]we are not actively hiring[/u][/b]. We are a small company and are growing and hiring as much as is possible, but there are limits to how quickly we can add people responsibly. The above information is how you send your credientials to us, as we have been asked this frequently. We will reply saying thank you, and then save your information for a time when we are looking for someone to fill a particular position. [br][br] ----- [br][br] [center][b][size=5]Applying to be a Moderator[/size][/b][/center] Do you want to help contribute to the [i]Flight Rising[/i] community? Moderators are [b]volunteer[/b] positions, and duties include answering questions, moving threads to appropriate sub-forums, locking duplicate threads, and reporting critical issues to the administration and moderator team. Moderators must possess an extremely cool-headed objective demeanor, protect the interests and concerns of all players, have an excellent grasp of the site's TOU, Rules, & Guidelines, and overall enjoy being a community figure and role model. If you are interested in becoming a part of the volunteer [i]Flight Rising[/i] moderation team, please submit to [url=http://flightrising.com/index.php?p=contact]Contact Us[/url] with the subject "[i]Moderator Application[/i]" and answer the following: [list][*]What is your Flight Rising username? [*]Are you over 18? [*]Why do you want to join the volunteer mod squad? [*]What is your experience with in moderation and communities like Flight Rising’s? [*]Any other skills or previous activities that might lend well towards community and forum moderation are huge pluses![/list] [b]I submitted an application previously - Can I submit again?[/b] [i]Absolutely. We hang onto [u]all[/u] moderator applications, but sending us a fresh one will lets us know you are still interested, particularly if the application you sent is 6+ months old. If you recently submitted an application (within the last 6 months), sending up a second app is unnecessary - we have your application safely filed away![/i] [br][br] ----- [br][br] [center][b][size=5]A Note About the Suggestions Forum[/size][/b][/center] We love this forum and the creativity that is consistently coming from it. Your dedication to new ideas and passion for Flight Rising are always a joy to read. We'd like to clear up a little bit of a misconception about the relationship between these posts and what we implement into the game. As much as we try for it, we're not going to be able to add everything that is being asked for. The purpose of this board is for people to get ideas down on paper that they think might be a good fit for [i]Flight Rising[/i], and it is something we read through daily for inspiration. Ultimately, however, there are some ideas that--while awesome in their own right--may not necessarily fit with the style or direction [i]Flight Rising[/i] is going. Feedback is continually welcome! Many of the site's updates and features have used player suggestions as a baseline for inspiration, and fuel for some great inclusions. While some of these weren't exactly how they were depicted in respective threads, they were created to fit into the world and backend framework for [i]Flight Rising[/i]. Don't ever stop letting us know how you feel, because without you, we can't grow and evolve. We'd just like everyone to understand that not everything can make it in, so that everyone can maintain realistic expectations about the Suggestions forum board in regards to site development. [br][br] ----- [br][br] [center][b][size=5]Familiar Contest Results [/size][/b][/center] The results of the [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=mb&board=cc&id=1113580]familiar coloring[/url] contest are in! The skill and artistry of FR's players is always a treat to behold. This contest was particularly incredible for the participation it garnered - we were just shy of 800 entrants. It was an incredibly difficult to narrow down such an amazing bunch - so difficult, that we went from 4 winners to 8. Congratulations to our winners: @kickingshoes @akitamonster @Skelizard @slothbug @Nubs @Grovey @Hund and @Oxygene! 4 of these amazing familiars will be available through [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=wiki&article=24]Swipp[/url] (click to see which ones), while the remaining 4 will be available through the marketplace, Pinkerton, and Gilded chests. [center][item=snowsquall floracat][item=harvest floracat][item=velvet floracat][item=tuxedo floracat] [item=swallowtail buttersnake][item=colorburst buttersnake][item=mimic buttersnake][item=mottled buttersnake][/center] [br][br] ----- [br][br] [center][b][size=5]Primary Gene Poll: [/size][/b][/center] The [url=https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RBXCQGF]vote for the next primary gene[/url] has completed, and [b]Bar[/b] will be the next primary gene released! Thank you so much for your feedback.[br][br] [center][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/bar.png[/img][/center] [br][br] ----- [br][br] [center][b][size=5]Update: Quality of Life Improvements[/size][/b][/center] [LIST] [*][b] Color Search (Auction House): [/b]The [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=ah&tab=dragons]Auction House[/url] dragon search now has colored dropdowns for the primary/secondary/tertiary color fields.[br][br] [*][b]Element Added to Predict Morphology: [/b]The [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=scrying&view=morphintime]Scrying Workshop[/url] now has options for element selection.[br][br] [*][b]Skins Directory:[/b] A [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=wiki&article=30]Retired Skins[/url] directory is now available on the wiki. We hope that this allows everyone to track down some of the site-skins that you may be missing![br][br] [*][b]Additional Encyclopedia Updates:[/b] [list][*]The [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=wiki&article=27]Retired Familiars[/url] page is now up-to-date with all currently retired familiars. [*]The [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=wiki&article=28]Retired Apparel[/url] page is now up-to-date with all currently retired apparel. [*]The [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=wiki&article=11]Genes[/url] page in the wiki is now up-to-date with all currently available genes.[/list] [/LIST] [br][br] ----- [br][br] [center][b][size=5]Community Spotlights[/size][/b][/center] Your response to the creepy side of the [b][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=wiki&article=29]Imperial Lore[/url][/b] generated some really fantastic fanart for these ruinous monstrosities. Here are a few selections from the amazing tide of awesome works that started popping up after that article went live. The creativity here blew us away! [center][url=http://inperialis.tumblr.com/post/90663700714/went-a-little-overboard-with-this-but-hey-hey][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/preview_alacrity.png[/img][/url] [url=http://awihan.tumblr.com/image/90786753887][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/preview_awihan.png[/img][/url] [url=http://basiliskfree.tumblr.com/image/90687876920][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/preview_basiliskfree.png[/img][/url] [url=http://rivendown.tumblr.com/image/91320707515][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/preview_choo.png[/img][/url] [url=http://kaljaia.deviantart.com/art/Flight-Rising-Emperor-465703651][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/preview_kaljaia.png[/img][/url] [url=http://fishontree.tumblr.com/image/90967785944][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/preview_osiem.png[/img][/url] [url=http://pencilcat.tumblr.com/post/90815604088/boss-fight-alert-emperor-dragon-has-entered-the][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/preview_pencilcat.png[/img][/url] [url=http://raltsrising.tumblr.com/post/90798394316/g-o][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/preview_raltsrising.png[/img][/url][/center] Additionally, you showed off some great dragons in our theme week; here are a few! [center]@Silcoon 's [b]Lycoris[/b]! [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=243044] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/2431/243044_350.png[/img] [/url] @OrderedChaos ' [b]Luna[/b]! [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=952328] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/9524/952328_350.png[/img] [/url] and @Melete 's [b]Blight[/b]! [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=3010484] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/30105/3010484_350.png[/img] [/url][/center]