Suggestions

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/2qZybJX.png[/img][/center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/3EiB4GD.png[/img] With the recent release of the Banescale, we were given an amazing new breed, and several genes (new and old) to come along with them. I personally love the new ancient, and I they're a breed I hope to use much more in the future! But the same release also brought up something that, personally, I think needs to be addressed: [center][size=4][b]If art errors occur during new gene releases, they should be publicly announced as soon as possible.[/b][/size][/center] Banescales were introduced on December 9th, with several genes, both pre-existing and new alike. In specific, there were three that caught my attention:[b] Metallic, Alloy, and Squiggle[/b], and I used them on my dragons. Squiggle was different between male and female dragons, with many players (including myself), interpreted as dimorphism. [b]On the 7th of January, these genes were altered inexplicably, without warning.[/b] [center] Some changes were not very drastic, and irked me more on a aesthetic level: [img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/378207856824025093/664068952946769920/before_after2.png[/img] [size=2][i]Before vs After[/i][/size] [img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/378207856824025093/664068955501101076/before_after.png[/img] ... others, not so much. [/center] During the [b]month span [/b]of these genes existing with "pre-fixed" designs, people bought them, paying money to apply them to dragons. Metallic and Alloy are both Gem Genes, bought with premium currency, and are 750 gems and 600 gems respectively. Squiggle, a Swipp Swap Stand gene, currently goes for 500-600 gems on the Auction House. This is not cheap for many players. I'm not asking to revert these genes back to how they were. They were art errors, and any error should and will be fixed. I'm not suggesting anything other than this: If genes are released, but are [i]known[/i] to have art errors that will be fixed in a month, or two months, or sometime in the future: [center][b]A public announcement should be made, or some sort of extra notification included on the gene's tooltip, that signifies that the gene is Not Correct or is Erroneous in some way, and that it [i]will change in appearance[/i] on dragons in the near or far future.[/b][/center] Buying Metallic, Alloy, or Squiggle (on males) was a waste of player's money during this month span, as we were not given the product we expected to have. I am, personally, not so upset that my dragons have a different look. The gene changed—there will be more genes in the future I can use. What I can't get back are the gems, the currency, and the resources I spent to get a gene that was changed with no forewarning, and if I do not like the look of the new design, I have to pay more to get something I like again. I was not the only person who thought these genes were fine and used them on my dragons. [b]It should not be up to the player's discretion to determine what genes are "broken", or if they will be safe to use and remain unchanged[/b]. What I have learned from the banescale is to not purchase any gene that seems slightly different—as there is a good chance it will be modified without warning.

YES. I got lucky, and out of my two Banescale projects, the one that required Metallic and Squiggle on males hasn't gone forward yet, which is good because it would've been TOTALLY spoiled by this. I knew that Squiggle was probably going to be changed in one gender or the other, but I didn't know which (and I tried asking!), since both versions had some really weird accent colors. I had no idea Metallic was going to change, the lighter-colored version was quite pretty and I miss it already. The project I luckily didn't manage to finish in time used to look like this, and now it'd look like the second one instead - look at that disaster! [img]https://images.plurk.com/4edGRaailX3yMEYHqvqZOz.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/dgen/preview/dragon?age=1&body=22&bodygene=49&breed=18&element=6&eyetype=0&gender=0&tert=2&tertgene=42&winggene=47&wings=23&auth=dfd042730a5fb2c892a9960855c71b5bcabc6008&dummyext=prev.png[/img]

Agreed, bugs on genes should be announced, so that people can know for certain if something is not right. There doesn't even need to be a due-date or estimate for when it's going to be fixed, if scheduling it is a problem for the devs. It's enough that people know for sure the look is not as was intended.

Because no matter how obvious the bug may seem, players can never know the intent of the devs unless they come out and say it. Speculation can happen both ways when there's no certainty. It's also not a good practice to assume all players are either familiar with the look of all genes, or think to cross-check the look between different breeds and colors to confirm they look the same, and then deduce it's a bug if they don't. If devs put out an item and don't say it's bugged, there will be people who assume it's not, and will be disappointed when it gets fixed.

@Greyjoy, the unfortunate truth is, this fact was not obvious to everybody. New, returning, or even casual players might not have been familiar with what a certain color of metalloy looks on every breed, ancient or otherwise. That is why people still purchased these genes—it was never specified anywhere if those changes we saw were incorrect or not. So, the thought process some of us took is that the changes were intentional, otherwise, why would they be there, or the genes be released?

Which is why I think it's necessary for such a notification or announcement to exist, for new genes or transferred ones: without communication, it is still possible for people to not understand that a gene may not be in its correct form, and several people will take a release at face value, which is unfortunately why myself and many others are in the position we are today.

I agree, I would very much appreciate a sleek, saturated gene like the old banescale metalloy was. I don't commonly use the metal or alloy because how dark they are, so these lighter, less intense versions were quite welcome in my lair :'D

@kavalkade i wholeheartedly agree with your suggestion and its contents. There have been many users who find themselves having bought products that turned out to be that which they didn’t purchase, and though the current state of these genes/products is probably best left unchanged now, I too do hope for announcements if there happen to be any future errors so this mistake won’t be repeated.