Design slots
Design slots are how you submit original characters into Koegama. Each slot allows you to upload one character into Koegama, letting you use them in the ARPG once approved. There are 4 types of design slots, each with their own acquisition methods and guidelines:
- A general kid slot allows you to create a kid of any species. Kids can grow up into adults after participating in Growth prompts, which are the only prompts they can be used in. This is a slot exclusive for the First Time Owner gift box.
- A species kid slot allows you to create a kid of the species mentioned (Hanasei Kid Slot, Tajira Kid Slot, etc.). These slots come from eggs, with each species having their own egg item which hatches into that species' kid slot. Eggs can be bought from the Great Cradle, crafted or gained from events.
- A species adult slot allows you to create an adult of the species mentioned (Hanasei Adult Slot, Tajira Adult Slot, etc.). Unlike kids, adult characters can participate in all prompts and events in the ARPG. These slots come from Aged Eggs, with each species having their own aged egg item which hatches into that species' adult slot. Aged eggs can be crafted or gained from events, rarely available for purchase at the Great Cradle.
- A general adult slot allows you to create an adult of any species. These slots do not have an associated item, only obtained through events and raffles as rare prizes.
Receiving and using your design slot
In most cases, you'll need to open an egg item to receive your design slot. To do so, go to your inventory and click on the egg you'd like to open. Select the checkbox, and go to "open item". Once you click open, your design slot will be created, and you can check your design slot page for all available design slots you own.
Once you have a design, go to your design slot page and click "submit design". Here are the requirements to submit a design:
- A masterlist image. The design must be readable, and the drawing cannot contain shading or painting. You are free to add multiple drawings in one image if you'd like to maintain painterly or shaded aspects, but a flat drawing is required. Art can be sketchy as long as the design itself is still clear
- If your design has any ink morphs, go to the traits tab in the design submission page, select all inks that apply and write down in the extra info tab what your ink is. Make sure to also add any ink items needed in the add-on tab. Check here for more info on inks.
(example image here)
Once submitted, a mod will approve or reject your design. Rejected designs will come with explanations on what to fix or what is missing, and your submission will not be deleted, so you can come back with edits and resubmit when ready. Approved designs will upload your new character on the masterlist, making them official.
Creating a new design
Each Koegama species has its own species page with biological information and guidelines, with drawings containing different designs and variations. As long as you follow these guidelines, you're free to experiment and interpret their features as you wish.
There are no pattern or color limitations on Koegama designs. While in-lore some markings and colors may be more common in certain species or regions than others, you do not have to follow the lore when designing.
We do impose certain limits and prohibit certain types of designs in Koegama, however. They are as follows:
- Any design stolen from another person. This applies specifically to freelance artists' designs, check Porting media characters for characters based in TV shows, manga, etc.
- Any design which falls under cultural appropriation, racism, bigotry or makes use of dog whistles and similar iconography or terminology. More extreme cases may result into a ban from the site (check our Terms of Service and Rules for more info)
- Any design which attempts to mock, belittle or harass a Koegama user or mod.
Porting media characters
Users are allowed to draw inspiration from popular media characters, but they cannot submit heavily derivative designs. Here's an example of a ported design based on the Pokémon Turtonator:
From left to right:
- This design is too obviously based on the Pokémon, and wouldn't be approved.
- Proportions were edited and certain parts of the design shifted, the design is still too close to its source and wouldn't be approved.
- While there's still inspiration from Turtonator present, the design has been given unique markings, colors and changed enough to fall into a gray area. These designs are more likely to be approved, but edits might still be asked for, depending on how close it threads to the source. If approved, this design would be given a note on the masterlist, pointing which character it was based on.
- The design has been altered greatly, and no longer resembles the source. This character is unique and would not need a note announcing what it's based on.
When submitting a design based on media characters, it is required to state what character(s) you're basing it on. This allows moderators to judge ports even if the source material wasn't known. Trying to bypass this rule will result in an infraction.
Kid characters
Kid characters have different rules than adult characters: They are not allowed to participate in prompts and events other than Growth prompts, and can be grown up into full adults. Most design rules for adult characters apply to kids: there are no color nor marking limits for kid characters, though if you wish to follow lore, most will have fewer colors and markings than their adult forms. We recommend keeping a simpler palette, especially if you're working with the smaller kids.
Kid characters range from toddler, child and teenagers, and you can pick which type of design to submit for your kid slot. You're not bound to one growth stage, and are free to swap between any allowed stage for your prompts, as long as they are still recognizably versions of the masterlist design. Each species page has more information on growth rate and biology of each species' young.
Some growth stages are not allowed as kid characters due to being too premature. Here are the main-allowed ranges for each species:
Hanasei
Youngest allowed are 3 months old larva. All following life stages until adulthood are allowed.
Luminae
Youngest allowed are 4–6 months old. All following life stages until adulthood are allowed.
{add tajira here after}
Note: You can design younger versions of your adult characters. Unlike kid characters, these designs can be used for all prompts due to being linked to an adult design.
Growing your kid
Once you finish all prompts required to grow your kid character, head to your character's page and select "update design". Once there, you'll create a design update submission draft. In the comments, link all your approved growth prompt submissions (you can access them in your character's profile -> submissions) and submit a new image with your adult design. All standard design rules apply. Once approved, your design will be classified as an adult and ready to be used for all aspects of the ARPG.
Note: When growing up your design, you are allowed minor edits to your design.
Redesigning a character
When redesigning a character, there are 3 types of changes you can apply to their design:
Design Tweaks
Design tweaks are small adjustments that can be done anytime. You do not need to update your masterlist to draw your character with them, but we recommend doing so for clarity to other players. Design tweaks include:
- Changing accessories, outfits, and other apparel
- Changing build and physique
- Changing age
- Adding/removing scars and amputating limbs
- Editing physiology--such as ears, tails, horns, etc--that is already present on the design
- Eye and insides
- Very minor marking edits to accommodate physiology and physique changes
- Adding new ink morphs
Note: While adding new ink morphs fall under design tweaks, it is an exception where you must update the masterlist art when doing so.
Minor design edits
Minor design edits are more involved than tweaks, but still maintain the design recognizable from the original. You are free to do one minor design edit per month, and can buy a Small Aesthetic Ink for extra edits if needed. Minor design edits include:
- Editing markings
- Changing out colors
- Swapping out ink morphs of the same time (for example: swapping a Hanasei ink of Hanasei horns into a Hanasei tail) or removing ink morphs.
- Changing species
There's no specific limit of things you can change at once, but a design must still be recognizable as branching off the old design. We understand this can be a bit nebulous, and you're free to reach out to mods to clarify any confusion.
Major design edits
Major design edits allow you to revamp the design as much you want, with no limits on the number and range of changes. You must use Refined Aesthetic Ink to apply these revamps, and they can only be done once per month.
Note: Before buying Refined Aesthetic Ink to create a revamp, consider if the design change doesn't warrant its own slot. You may trade your design for a slot and items needed for it, without spending money for the revamp.