THE ICON QUEST - Info and Rules
The Icon Quest is a graphics-based game where you fulfill a series of challenges and tasks, in order to BECOME THE ULTIMATE ICON MASTER/win the game, and gain absolutely nothing else beyond the satisfaction of completing it, putting your name in the hall of fame, and make lots of graphics. FUN!
All the information might seem a bit daunting at first, but you don't need to care about most of it if you don't want to. Just enter the challenges and enjoy yourself!
Gameplay
It works roughly like a role playing game. Players participate in a main quest (linked challenges) and various side quests (mostly stand-alone challenges). They'll be given different challenges worth points, and by completing each challenge they qualify for others, according to the number of points gained. The main quest challenges are worth the most points. There's no voting in the main quest, the players need only to complete the challenge to earn points. You can begin and complete yours at any given time.
Side quests will also open regularly, and may be completed at any given moment in the game (except for those that require voting or some special challenge), once the pre-requisites are fulfilled. They're worth less points but are also a bit simpler. To partake in a side quest, the player must fit the requirements: adequate number of points, class, or completing some other task.
You can participate in a challenge by commenting with your icons directly in the challenge post, or leaving a link to a post in your own community where you've posted the icons. Unfortunately we can't use the direct posting method, as it could get very messy very quickly. However, you can pimp your posts/comments containing icons made for Icon Quest challenges in the Kaleidoskope Fair (iq_thefair)
Any challenge can be entered and finished multiple times, but you only get the points for the first 5 (five) times you enter and you can enter only once per week. The challenges DO NOT CLOSE, unless there's voting. Meaning you can enter/start at any time, even if the challenge is already halfway through for other players. It's an individual quest to take, you make it by yourself on your own pace, and you choose what and when to do it. There's a social aspect as well, much like a "land" community, but you're not required to be a part of it.
The game is huge, there are many challenges going on at the same time and many ways to participate. You're in no way required to complete all of them - think of it as a MMORPG, where you can go anywhere in any way you please, and participate only on the things that cater to your tastes. You can enter only the main quest, you can enter every side quest ever, you can play in the battle zone only, you can do your own thang with no interaction at all. No one is forced or even expected to do everything - we only want you to have fun! :)
Experience Points
All players have four attributes, Power, Magic, Charm and Agility, each corresponding to one class, Hero, Wizard, Bard and Rogue. Upon completing a challenge, you earn points in one (or more) of these attributes, depending on the challenge. Some challenges can also give you a chance to choose which attribute you want to increase with the earned points. By picking and choosing the challenges you enter, you can either aim for a specific class or try to equilibrate them all: make your own adventure!
i.e. Completing challenge X gives you 10 Agility points, completing challenge Z gives you 20 Magic points, completing challenge Y gives you 20 Power points and 10 Magic points, completing challenge K gives you 5 points in all attributes.
The attribute in which you have more points will define your class. This means you can change classes during the game, depending in which kind of challenges you complete and how you complete them.
Your total score will be the sum of your points in each attribute. Please keep in mind that your amount of points DOES NOT reflect your quality as a maker, but rather your participation in the challenges. However, we hope that participating more will help you become a better (or at least more prolific) maker, since we try to challenge you in a wide range of skills.
If you earn points but doesn't say specifically in which attribute you want them to be alloted, they will go to a random one, according to a randomizer. Be careful to always inform, because you won't be asked twice.
Lots of points will also get you in the leaderboards! If ranking doesn't interest you, you can also use your points to buy things at the shops, change your title or guild, buy handicaps, or do other things that come up during the game. In those occasions, you'll be able to choose from which class you’ll have points taken.
Rankings
The ranking will show your progress through the games, featuring the all-around top scorers, weekly top scorers, top scorers in each attribute, and the guild ranking. Great way to show off and pimp yourself as you work your way up the leaderboards! :D
Rankings will be updated on Mondays and Thursdays.
Classes
Every maker in The Icon Quest belongs in one of four classes, Hero, Wizard, Bard and Rogue.
Challenges have class-oriented themes, but you can complete any of them, not only those corresponding to your class. Completing challenges from different classes is actually what makes you get into that class, so you can pick yours by entering the respective challenges!
Each class focuses in one sort of style:
HERO: specialize in coloring (not necessarily extremely colorful or vibrant, but rather coloring as the element that pulls it apart from the others) as the focal point of their icons. You're a Hero if Power is the attribute where you have most points. | Heroes make a statement.
WIZARD: specialize in complexity/composition as the main feature of their icons. You're a Wizard, Harry if Magic is the attribute where you have most points. | Wizards do complex magic.
BARD: specialize in text and emotional/inspirational aspects as huge elements of their icons. You're a Bard if Charm is the attribute where you have most points. | Bards tell a story. [ ? ]
ROGUE: specialize in simple-looking icons (crop as a main feature, negative space, not many visible textures). You're a Rogue if Agility is the attribute where you have most points. | Rogues are subtle and fatal.
The examples provided are the main/foremost elements and principles of the classes, you are at liberty to interpet them in other ways within reason (i.e. for Bards: iconning an emotional scene would not require text as it would fall under "emotional aspects"). If you need even more examples, please head to IconQuest classes: Volume II
Please be aware that even on the challenges were you can pick which class you want points in, you'll need to follow their style. i.e. if you enter a challenge and pick Magic points, your icons will need to be complex; if you enter a challenge and choose Agility points, your icons must be simpler-looking. However, do note that many classes may overlap at which point you can decide where your points will go. You are allowed to have text on icons that you don't want towards Bard, or you may include more complex themes but still allocate the icon towards Hero because of the coloring. If you need help in classifying any icons, please do not hesitate to ask here, or ask your fellow guildmates as that is what they are there for.
Choose what you're good at or what you want to improve on, and go for it! :)
1) Challenges can be entered up to 5 (five) times for points, but only once a week, each.
This means you can enter a challenge once a week. Period. A maker who wants to enter all five times will have to do it over the course of five weeks.
The maker can, however, enter more than one challenge per week. In a way that if there are four open challenges, the maker can enter all four challenges, but only once each, posting a total of four batches in that week.
New weeks start a fresh after every Ichronicle posted at iq_thefair which takes place (usually) on Saturdays. So once that post goes up, the previous week has closed and the new one begins. In regards to the week of 7th to the 13th, the new week has begun as of THIS POST.
This Questmaster hopes that having to look at their batches for a longer time will encourage makers to work more carefully on each icon, and even revisit old batches and improve their own work. If they're able to make five fantastic batches in one week, great for them! But they'll have to wait five weeks to post, nonetheless. It also give slower makers a fair change to catch up. Let's make it more about improving and making good icons and less about ranking.
2) Variations are not counted for points.
By "variations" are meant icons coming from the same base/cap, with only slight alterations in coloring and including or not text. Makers can, of course, enter different icons from the same cap, but they must start from scratch at each remake.
You can of course post your variations as well, they're still your work, but you can't ask for points due them. I only ask of you to post them below the icons designated for the challenge, and clearly label them as variations. If this Quest Master notices you're trying to pass a variation as a legit icon, you won't be given points for it and points might even be deducted, according to the "penalty" section below.
[Click for examples]VARIATIONS IN WHICH YOU'D EARN POINTS FOR BOTH ICONS
VARIATIONS IN WHICH YOU'D EARN POINTS FOR ONE ICON
3) Remaking old icons and counting them as new isn't allowed.
As stated above, using the same cap twice or more is allowed, but makers must start from scratch each time. Simply editing old icons is frowned upon.
4) Icons posted to the Icon Quest must be made for the Icon Quest
You can't enter icons you made for other challenges as IQ icons. I may not follow every community in existance, but other people are watching and will bring it to this Quest Master's attention sooner or later.
5) Maker's can't post other's work as their own.
It is stealing and will cost you 10% of your total points PER STOLEN ICON, right off the bat. Slightly altered work also fits into this category.
6) Textless Bard icons are allowed only in 100% Bard batches.
Working with text is probably one of the most difficult skills for most icon makers, so Bards will get a little leeway here. 100% Bard batches can have 25% textless icons, but ONLY IF said textless icons reflect strong emotions, on a storytelling perspective.
This is to avoid throwing one or two emotional icons in a batch and calling them Bard for the sake of earning a couple of Charm points. If you're making a mix-match batch, all your Bard icons must have text.
7) There will be penalties for rule breaking.
Rules are made because rules are broken, and acting against them will result in penalties, in the following manner:
1st offence: a warning. You're being closely watched.
2nd offence: participant loses 10% of their total points (equally divided between classes)
2nd offence: participant loses 30% of their total points (equally divided between classes)
3rd offence: participant loses 50% of their total points (equally divided between classes)
4th offence: participant is DISQUALIFIED from the Quest.
This won't be automatic, however: this Questmaster will talk individually to each offender, and only if not convinced the points will be docked. This Questmaster is a very understanding person, but they won't shy away from harshness if need be. One person's fun cannot get in the way of another's, and this master is doing their best to ensure everyone plays happily, but also fairly.
You're encouraged to look through other maker's post and comment on their good work, but also to bring to attention any cases of rule-breaking. Letter to the King allows anonymous posting, so don't worry about being singled out for it. Of course, not every case will be treated the way you want it to be. The final word is and will always be mine. But this Quest Master will do his best to ensure all of you are treated as fairly and as less judgementally as possible, adequating penalty to injury and on the best intentions of the realm as a whole.
Prereqs
Pre-requisites are statuses or conditions you must fulfill to be able to enter a challenge.
In the main quest, the prerequisites will be solely completing the previous challenge and maybe completing a couple of sidequests.
In the side quests, prerequisites might be of level, class, or fulfill some other task.
You can check if you're eligible for the sidequest through your profile and/or reading the challenge itself.
Shops
You can set up a shop in the Fair, where people will buy things from you: icons, textures, help in a challenge, whatever you can do, game related or not. It works as a trading system, since the points they use when buying something will go to you, upon completing the sale. You choose the price, it's your shop after all. Our only requirement is that you keep your prices the same for everyone, please. :)
The market doesn't want stale shops, so there's a 50pt buy-in fee to open a shop in the market, and a 25pt rent to keep it open.
Title
Your super awesome and unique title! Will be given to you by your peers at the Naming Ceremony, show up in your profile and besides your name on the ranking. There's really no point to them other than being awesome.
Guilds
Guilds are groups of players who band together to participate in group activities/group versions of the sidequests, and help each other out in many aspects during the game. You're not at all required to participate and you won't fall behind if you don't.
- Entering a guild
If you want to be a part of a Guild, say it upon signing up or leave a comment on the guild sign-up post and you'll be assigned one by the mods. You can't choose the Guild you'll enter, they'll be picked randomly or according to number of active members.
- Changing guilds
There will be periodic posts for those who'd like to change guilds, and also for equilibrating the number of participants. When a spot opens in a guild, there will be an announcement at the iq_thefair's Ichronicles. Those interested in filling the place can answer to it, and there'll be a draw to decide who enters if there's more than one. If you want to change guilds immediately, the change will depend on someone being willing to switch places with you. When you change guilds, you don't take the points you earned with you, only the points earned from then on are counted.
- Guild rankings
There will be a ranking for guilds as well. A Guild's total scores will be the sum of the individual points of each member and group challenges/battles points. The points earned by the guild in group challenges don't interfere on their members individual scores.
Battles
Battles can be had at the Iconliseum. You can have them with a peer, challenge someone, or ask to have someone assigned to battle you. Battles are also worth points, depending on the number of icons made on them. You can choose if it's a win/lose battle (participation points + extra pointsfor the winner) or participation only. There will be organized tournaments/matches as well, worth even more points :)
Battle points depend on the number of resulting icons. Every icon is worth a point, so a battle with 5 caps and 2 people is worth 10 points for each of the parties involved, for participation. If it's a win/lose battle, the winner gets that half the total number of points for winning. In the above example, the winner would get 15 points, and the other, 10 points.
Badges
You win badges by completing specific quests or tasks (i.e. finishing "The Wizard Path" side quest). They'll go into your profile to prove you did it and to keep track of your awesomeness.
Profile
Every player has a profile with information in the Castle, to make it easier for the mods to keep track of everything and also for you to show off your achievements. Please track it: it'll be used for game-related communication!
Your profile will show your progress through the game: points you've earned, your class, your level, challenges and battles you've participated in, challenges you qualify for, your badges and achievements, a link to your shop, and a free blurb where you can put whatever you want :)
Communities
The Icon Quest is formed by the following communities
theiconquest - Main community, where the new challenges will be posted. Watch it!
iq_thecastle - The Castle of a Hundred Square Pixels - Maker profiles and information. Management comm, not for watching.
iq_marketplace - The Roy B. Giv Market - Set up shop here, not for watching, unless you really want to.
iq_thefair - Kaleidoscope Fair - Social comm and weekly updates/digest, watch it!
iq_coliseum - The Iconliseum - Battle and battle-related posts, watch it!
Sign up!
Like what you see? Sign up here!
Questions, concerns, suggestions, concrit, etc, can be left here, and will be carefully discussed and attended to.
tl; dr: ENTER CHALLENGES. MAKE ICONS. EARN POINTS. HAVE FUN!