How to Make A New Species [7/18/11]

[Artemis]

So, you want to make a new species for Wonder Why? This guide will explain step by step the intensive process you will need to go through to create a species. Please read all the steps below and make sure you follow each one, as this will save valuable editing time in the end if you follow the directions precisely.

Step 1. Read through all the rules and species already existing on WW. You should have already done this when you joined but it is good to refresh yourself when you are creating something as big as a species. One of the things staff will be looking for with new species is that not only do they fit the site but that they have unique characteristics. You want to make sure that your character is something that we have not seen before, but will find a place within the wonder why species universe.
Some examples of what to avoid are:

• Since humans have never lived on WW, there is no way a species could have interacted with humans.
  
• To make a new species with horns would not be approved as we already have the yagi.

Step 2. Brainstorm an idea. It helps to talk to a few other players, including staff. Just start with a basic concept like, "water wolf [cael]." From there use your resources like talking to members, web searches for concepts you want to include, ect. This information can help you can expand on your initial idea. Sometimes it helps to look into old mythology or get feedback from people close to you. Remember however, that staff takes a serious offense to any copyright infringement and if you are caught taking someone else's idea or information you will be punished. Wonder Why members and staff are a great source of information, they have been on the site, roleplayed and can give good information about where your species can go, where they could live, and what are the positives and negatives of your ideas. Remember any and all criticisms are not meant to be mean but to remind you of what probably will not work out in the WW world.

Step 3. In addition to a history, or legend and defining characteristics you will also need to define what your species looks like based on your ideas. Try to choose unique ideas again. A warm colored, small wolf is going to need some editing since we already have the lyxxus. This is where you really have the chance to be creative, and show the staff how unique you can be, try to choose colors and patterns that would appeal to a broad base of players. (Choosing one color or one set of appearance traits does not allow for player individuality.) The lyxxus are warm colors, that is unique to them but it allows for each player to make them a unique set of warm colors.

Step 4. Make sure your concept is unique and not overpowered. A wolf with razor sharp fangs, the ability to run super fast and super strength will need to be less powerful. Read over it once or twice before posting it for the staff to review it. In the rules it clearly states what is considered power playing and god modding, and while we certainly do not want to limit creativity we cannot have all powerful, or all evasive species walking around. Truly creative, adaptable and flexible characters have flaws of some sort, they are too bulky to be fast, or too light to be powerful - Think realistic.

Step 5. Wait for the staff to review it. I guarantee we will have some edits that we want you to change. Each species will probably go through a series of several edits. When you have finished the edits, make a post to alert the staff. If you are unwilling to make the change, the species may be discarded. We will not accept species if they do not match the site. We will try to keep the integrity of the idea but sometimes it just would not work. Please do not take the staff's suggestions of edits personally. These suggestions are what the staff feel are necessary to make the species not only playable and enjoyable but also able to fit into the over all scheme of wonder why.

Step 6. Once your species has gone through several revisions, the staff will tell you it is accepted. If it is still not acceptable for the site we will alert you, but hopefully through the editing process it will be able to maintain the integrity of WW and be a playable species. Then you must go and pay for the right to make the species. You can either make the image yourself or ask someone else to make it. (Either way they need to be approved by staff.) If one species idea gets discouraged don't give up! Feel free to try again with another well developed idea. As stated before there are no personal bias, if you create a fantastic species, and go through all the work to create and edit it, and it fits into the WW realm, we will be happy to accept it.

Step 7. Ta-da! You have your new species. If it is an LE species, you may have one free pass to make it, making you the effective first owner of your species. Please remember not all characters can be LE characters, some will have to be rare and some will have to be common. This keeps the options open to the members to give everyone a chance at new species.

Please note, in order to keep Wonderwhy species choices diverse without being overwhelming, no more than 10 total common and rare species will be available to play at once. Should WW's total species amount exceed 10, the species will be periodically rotated out and made completely unavailable to give other species a chance to be created. If a species you wish to play is not currently available, fret not. Chances are in a few months it will be open to the public again.