Fundraiser Update!
Hello everyone and happy weekend!
🐎 Beebe Ranch Fundraiser Update!
Since releasing the Chincoteague Pony Coins as part of our fundraiser for the Beebe Ranch, we have raised…
Since our last post, the Museum of Chincoteague Island announced their new total is $317,000 with a donor now matching all donations up to $100,000. This means any donations sent will be doubled! If you wish to donate to the Beebe Ranch fundraiser directly, you can visit their GoFundMe here or donate to the Museum of Chincoteague Island here.
Our fundraiser through the sale of Chincoteague Pony Coins is still ongoing with coins on sale from now until April 28th at 11:59 PM EST/ game time. All proceeds from the sale of these coins go toward the Beebe Ranch fundraiser. The Chincoteague Pony is a limited edition rare breed that is only available for purchase via Chincoteague Pony Coins for $5 for 2 in the Ingot Store. After the sale, Chincoteague Ponies will only be found in the wilds.
As a note, Chincoteague Ponies had grey and silver in the custom generator due to incorrect ref images. These have been removed until we confirm these genes.
📜 A Note from the Team
As some may know based on replies on our previous news post, Solo is no longer producing our breed artwork. Both Bedouin and I had planned to announce Solo’s departure at a time that would not eclipse the Chincoteague fundraiser, coincided with a bug update, and allowed us to publicly post as eloquently and honorably as possible our absolute sadness to see Solo go. It is disheartening to us that such information was released without our consent and became public in a fashion in which we never would have liked Solos’s departure to come to light. So, let’s explain.
Solo has been our breed artist since both Bedouin and I began working on the game in early 2019. Her style, work ethic, and mentorship have been invaluable to HoFa’s success and we are immensely proud of where both Solo and the game are today. Because of Solo’s efforts, Bedouin and I have always had peace of mind pertaining to new breed releases and breed redos and always knew we had someone to go to when we had our toughest decisions to make. Solo is a once-in-a-lifetime artist who we are so, so, proud to have called our own. We have had the privilege of seeing Solo transform her style over the years which has evolved into the breed artwork HoFa gladly sports today. Solo, there are so many more words we wish we could use to express how much we cherish you, but they cannot do justice to the feelings we all have.
Solo is leaving HoFa as our breed artist to pursue her dreams, of which we are beyond supportive. She is not leaving us without us being prepared and has graciously offered her mentorship to me (Curly) by teaching me all aspects of breed art creation and has given feedback as we have been pursuing possible new artists. We are forever thankful to Solo for helping us transition to someone else and allowing us to continue to ask her for help when needed.
Our artist search has currently not netted any new artists to join our team. Solo’s style is exceptionally unique and losing that style is not something we see as an option. In order to keep Solo’s style and continue breed releases and redos, I (Curly) have been training myself with Solo's help on how to manipulate bases, color greyscales, and create markings to closely mimic Solo’s style. Currently, there is only one breed in-game where this has occurred, Chincoteague Ponies.
Our intent on releasing the Chincoteague Ponies was to quickly get out the breed before the end-of-month deadline for fundraising. This meant creating the base, markings, colors, tack, and special code for the breed in a matter of 13 days. During such time our focus was on the fundraiser and announcing Solo’s departure never crossed our mind to do so during the fundraiser post. Some may view this as “deceptive” however, our intent was never to do so.
From here on out, we will continue to use the same workflow as we did for Chincoteague Ponies until we find a new artist. All new breed art and redos will be done by me using Solo’s previous work. Given the artist search has netted no one in the several months and multiple artist onboarding trainings I have done, in situations like these, you continue on with the best that you have. Otherwise, we will never have another breed art release.
We hope you all have an excellent rest of the weekend!
Cheers,
Bedouin & Curly
That's definitely a lot of work for you, Curly! Wishing Solo the very best in her future!
I for one and excited for the Chinco and love Solo's art. I am sad to see her go, and home she gets to persue all her dreams. You are all doing a find job with HoFa
Last news post was a mess and that never should have happened. Its not a big deal and I would have never noticed if that comment never happened. I am so sorry you had to go through that.
The good news is the majority of us love the Chincos and we are raising money to help save Beebe Ranch.
As far as Silver gene goes, I see Riptide called silver but also flaxen chestnut. Doesn't look a bit flaxen chestnut to me (maybe liver chestnut if anything) and I would argue he is silver
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I'm so sorry to hear that! How would someone apply to be considered for new art? I would love to help in any way I could.
I would have posted before this, but honestly, wasn't sure if I should due to comments (not knocking anyone, just saying I wasn't sure I should post something when important discussions were taking place. Thank you for being transparent with Solo's departure! I'm excited to hear that someone is pursuing their dreams...I know how difficult it can be as an artist in this world...I've lived it most my life, but Solo is well loved here and to hear that everyone parted on good terms is so reassuring! So often that is not the case...
THAT said....now on to the pony updates XD
its Funny...because more recently my mind found its way to thinking about Misty and the Ponies more recently...I have not been keeping abreast of anything to do with the ponies since my youth (my grandma and I loved them), but recently had been wondering how the population is doing. I got back into my interest in horses only a couple of years ago, as I live in a very urban area, where horses are a rarity, and horse people even more so...but in my older age have been very interested in both populations of rare "wild" horse breeds and old old breeds...so I was thrilled when I saw the pony breed being added...it just felt right. Of course we live in a world where many of the last wild places are being bought up for development, which makes me very sad, but I suppose that's the way it goes here...despite my personal protest. I have so far bought 8 coins, and should my budget allow, will likely buy a handful more! This fundraiser has seemingly put a fire in my belly...
let us all try our best to keep this land for the horses so that our progeny can grow up and be able to experience for themselves the stories we all grew up enchanted by!
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Thank you for the announcement, and I wish Solo good luck too on pursuing her dreams!
For the future of breed art though, maybe a poll might be prudent?
I know that I, personally, would rather have no new breed art updates or art redos rather than frankenhorse art. Not to knock your work, it genuinely looks really good, it's more the fact that I personally want to see new breeds get their own art, drawn just for them.
It also creates a ton of extra work for you, when you already have so many responsibilities on the site.
I wouldn't mind a pause on new breeds and breed redos until a new artist is found. I'm sure that everyone would be very understanding about the wait.
Good luck in your pursuits, Solo <3
I also agree with waiting for new art until a new artist is found instead of morphing old art. It seems like an unfair amount of weight on your shoulders, Curly.
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Solo has always done amazing work and it's truly a loss to see Solo go, but I wish only the best for their new path.
In regards to art and finding a new artist, maybe this would be the ideal time to slow down on new breeds and push out some quality of life updates and changes? I know for me, I'd value those changes and bug fixes while I could wait for new breeds and new art. Hopefully Curly that would give you a bit of a break too!
Thank you for the update, so glad the fundraiser is doing well!
I will have to agree with Fluffy Horror and Damar though, I think it would be a good idea to pause the new breed art releases to uphold quality standards and make each horse unique. There are so many more things I think can happen in the mean time to keep up player excitement...quests, game hosted contests, ect.
Just purchased my pair!
Went to Chincoteague as a kid and had quite the bunch of memories made there.. happy to support this fundraiser!
Just a side note- the Stud I got looks totally different than the stud I created in the Lab-- though I did end up somehow getting a Calico gene thrown in the mix so I guess I'll take that! Just wasn't the KIT variation that I selected. *shrug*
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