Announcements & News

[center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/ann/3397560][img alt="The overlaid text reads - Enchanting Effects - Dragons come to life with the launch of our new Effects System! The image depicts a two-headed, maned, Aberration dragon that has been made green, glowing, and translucent, like a ghost by an Effect. There is an Effects icon with a magic wand in the corner."]https://flightrising.com/dropbox/updates/enchanting.png[/img][/url][/center] We’re thrilled to introduce [b]Effects[/b], a brand-new system of [b]optional, animated cosmetic enhancements[/b] that let you add a touch of magic, mystery, or majesty to your dragons. Players sensitive to motion can also turn off these effects in a new accessibility setting [b][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/settings]found in Account Settings here[/url][/b]. [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/ann/3397560][b]Click here to read more about this update.[/b][/url][/center] [more] ------------ [size=5][b]A New Dimension of Creativity[/b][/size] [emoji=effect size=1] Dragons all over Sornieth come to life like never before! Whether you’re dreaming of a dragon surrounded by fluttering butterflies, glowing with an ethereal aura, or shimmering with holographic brilliance, Effects open up a whole new world of customization possibilities. Effects are designed to complement your dragons’ existing genes, skins, and apparel, giving you even more tools to bring your creative visions to life. We’re pleased to say, that as of this posting, they’re available to [b]all players[/b]! These new item are available in the [b][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/market/gem/specialty]Gem[/url][/b] and [b][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/market/treasure/specialty]Treasure[/url][/b] Marketplace under the Specialty categories: [center][item=Effect: Beryl Plunge][item=Effect: Dearly Departed][item=Effect: Flecks o' Foil][item=Effect: Flutterby][item=Effect: Glitz][item=Effect: Pastel Pulse][item=Effect: Possessed Possessions][item=Effect: Sheen][item=Effect: Shimmerscale][item=Effect: Sunrise, Moonrise][item=Effect: The Void Stares Back][/center] [info][center] [b][size=6]STOP[/size][/b] [emoji=block size=1] [emoji=block size=1] [emoji=block size=1][/center] The rest of this post contains [b]previews of the new Effects[/b] options released today. [b]If moving images, colors, or lights are an accessibility concern[/b] for you, please navigate to your [b] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/settings]Account Settings[/url] now[/b] and [b]turn off[/b] the ability for the animations to run. [center][img alt= "A screenshot from Account Settings. The category of Dragon Effects is vertically centered and slightly left of horizontal center. Under those words is a blue circle next to the word Animated, and an empty circle next to the word Static. To the right of Dragon Effects is the dark red button with the word Set on it. Just below Dragon Effects are the words Banner Location."]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/media/Effects_Settings_Location.png[/img][/center] You can also [b]set your browser to reduce motion[/b] on websites that respect the [I]prefers-reduced-motion[/I] setting inside your operating system: [LIST] [*]Windows 10: Start > Settings > Ease of Access > Display > Show Animations in Windows [*]MacOS: System Preferences > Accessibility > Display> Reduce Motion [*]iOS: Settings > Accessibility > Motion> Reduce Motion [*]Android: Settings > Accessibility > Remove Animations [/LIST] [b]Effects respects this flag, even when you aren't logged into your account.[/b] [/info] ------------------------ [size=5][b]How Effects Work[/b][/size] [emoji=aether confused size=1] Effects are a new type of cosmetic item, similar to [b]apparel[/b], [b]skins[/b], and [b]familiars[/b]. You can equip them or remove them from your dragon by way of expanded options on their dedicated [b]Customize[/b] pages. Here’s what you need to know: [LIST] [*][b]All-Over Effects:[/b] Transform your entire dragon sprite (body [i]and[/i] apparel) with immersive themes like underwater bubbles, spooky hauntings, or waves of pastel color. [*][b]Dragon-Only Effects:[/b] Add beautiful new details only to your dragon’s body (under their apparel, but above their skins and genes) like shimmering scales, holographic foil, or glitzy sequins that catch the light. [*][b]Apparel-Only Effects:[/b] Enhance your dragon’s outfit with dazzling details (NOTE: the normal restrictions still apply to Ancient breeds and all hatchlings, who cannot currently equip apparel). [/LIST] [size=4][b]Easy to Use[/b][/size] Simply navigate to your dragon’s Customize page, tap the Effects button, and choose the perfect animation to match your dragon’s personality. Like apparel, every effect item is a unique instance to itself and to its wearer. (eg. If you would like to display the same effect on two dragons, you will need to acquire two copies of it) ------------------------ [size=5][b]A Wide Variety to Show Off[/b][/size] [emoji=firework size=1] Because Effects are optional and don’t affect breeding mechanics, they really can be as diverse as your imagination! We’re launching with a wide range of fun options today, just to elaborate on a few. Some include: [size=4][b]Bold and Immersive[/b][/size] [LIST] [*][gamedb item=61934]: ([i]All-Over[/i] Effect) Submerge your dragon in an underwater scene, complete with light refractions and bubbles. [*][gamedb item=61930] & [gamedb item=61932]: ([i]Dragon-Only[/i] Effect & [i]Apparel-Only[/i] Effect) Turn your dragon (or their armaments!) into a haunting spirit with eerie, ghostly visuals. [*][gamedb item=61936]: ([i]Dragon-Only[/i] Effect) Surround your dragon with waves of rich, pastel colors that slowly pan across their sprite. [/LIST] [size=4][b]Subtle and Elegant[/b][/size] [LIST] [*][gamedb item=61926]: ([i]Dragon-Only[/i] Effect) Add a delicate shimmer to your dragon’s scales, reflecting a spectrum of hues. [*][gamedb item=61927]: ([i]Dragon-Only[/i] Effect) Create a dazzling holographic effect that glimmers as light moves across your dragon. [*][gamedb item=61925]: ([i]Dragon-Only[/i] Effect): Sprinkle your dragon with tiny, glittering sequins for a touch of glamour. [/LIST] [size=4][b]Augmenting and Playful[/b][/size] [LIST] [*][gamedb item=61928]: ([i]All-Over[/i] Effect) Let a friendly swarm of butterflies flutter around your dragon. [*][gamedb item=61938]: ([i]Dragon-Only[/i] Effect) The days just fly by as your dragon experiences sunrise and sunset. [/LIST] Behind the scenes, Effects are powered by [b]webGL shaders[/b], a growing web-based technology that allows for stunning animations and visual effects. Shaders have been used in game and film development for years, making them a great option for us to explore as a powerful tool for evolving [i]Flight Rising’s[/i] illustrative art. While this marks a fairly new technical milestone for us, we’ve also worked hard to ensure the system is as accessible as possible. ------------------------ [size=5][b]Technical Notes & Accessibility[/b][/size] [emoji=gear size=1] As exciting as today’s release is, and even though we’ve designed Effects to be as compatible and user-friendly as possible, there are a few things to keep in mind: [LIST] [*][b]Performance Considerations:[/b] Effects are built using webGL shaders, which may not be supported on very old devices. That being said, if your device doesn’t support webGL, don’t worry—your dragons will simply render as static images instead. [*][b]Animation Toggle:[/b] To accommodate players with visual sensitivities or performance concerns, you can disable animations in your [b]Account Settings[/b]. When animations are toggled off, Effects will appear “paused” by default. While in this mode, you still can manually preview individual Effects without toggling them all on. [*][b]Restrictions:[/b] Technical constraints in sprite size and the graphic-heavy nature of our game prevent us from rendering Effects in [i]every[/i] area (e.g., Coliseum battles, Auction House listings, Crossroads trades, Search results, Lair/Hibernal Den indexes, and forum avatars). However, we’re actively exploring ways to optimize and expand support for Effects in the future. [*][b]Page Limit:[/b] To avoid overtaxing older devices, only a limited number of effects on a single forum page will render. We have manually limited this to 16, but this may change in the future as we gain a better understanding of the feature’s performance. Additionally, some browsers may impose an even lower limit. [/LIST] ------------------------ [size=5][b]Gleaming Gifts[/b][/size] [emoji=treasure chest size=1] From now until [b]February 19, 2025 at 6:00 server[/b], [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/trading/gift][b]Galore has a Glorious Gift[/b][/url] for every dragon clan! [center][item=Effect: Sheen][item=Labradorite][item=shiny anole][/center] ------------------------ [size=5][b]Pretty, Pretty Previews[/b][/size] [emoji=crystal ball size=1] To give you a sneak peek at what’s possible, we've prepared a preview of every effect we've launched today. Check them out below! [center] [b]Glitz[/b] [admin_effect dragon=46823734 effect=2] [b]Shimmerscale[/b] [admin_effect dragon=46823734 effect=3] [b]Flecks o’ Foil[/b] [admin_effect dragon=46823734 effect=4] [b]Flutterby[/b] [admin_effect dragon=46823734 effect=5] [b]Dearly Departed [/b] [admin_effect dragon=46823734 effect=6] [b]Possessed Possessions[/b] [admin_effect dragon=46823734 effect=7] [b]Beryl Plunge[/b] [admin_effect dragon=46823734 effect=8] [b]Pastel Pulse[/b] [admin_effect dragon=46823734 effect=9] [b]Sunrise, Moonrise[/b] [admin_effect dragon=46823734 effect=10] [b]The Void Stares Back[/b] [admin_effect dragon=46823734 effect=11] [b]Sheen[/b] [admin_effect dragon=46823734 effect=12] [/center] ------------------------ [size=5][b]Show Us What You’ve Got![/b][/size] [emoji=fathom love size=1] We can’t wait to see how you use Effects to bring your dragons to life - here are a few ways we can all celebrate the launch: [LIST] [*][b]Share Your Dragons:[/b] Use the new [b]BBCode widget[/b] to showcase your dragon’s Effects in forum threads. Please keep in mind the page limit mentioned above. [code][effect dragon=#][/code] [*][b]Dragon Share Theme Week:[/b] The next theme for our weekly Dragon Share thread will focus on Effects — start planning your dragons now! [/LIST] ------------------------ [size=4][b]Looking Ahead[/b][/size] [emoji=crystal ball size=1] We’re excited to see how you’ll use this system to express your creativity, and we’re already brainstorming even more ways to customize your dragons in the future. Got an idea for a new Effect? Let us know in the [b]Suggestions forum[/b]—we’d love to hear from you! ------------------------ [b][size=5]Trickmurk Circus Skin Contest[/size][/b] [emoji=shadow rune size=1] The twelfth annual Trickmurk Circus will begin on February 23, 2025, and we're running a skin and accent contest in celebration! Please note that the contest [b]ends on a Tuesday,[/b] as we announced in [b][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/ann/3378654]a prior update![/url][/b][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/skin/3394002] [b]Click here for more information![/b][/url] [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/skin/3394002][img alt="Trickmurk text logo and purple moon runes on a parchment background."]https://flightrising.com/dropbox/shadow_contest.png[/img][/url][/center] ------------------------ [b][size=5]Miscellaneous[/size][/b][emoji=information size=1] [item=Effect: Sunrise, Moonrise] was incorrectly labeled as an "All-Over" effect. It is actually a "Dragon-Only" effect. This has been corrected in the announcement post and the Game Database. An update the the item icon is in the works. Follow the [b][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/bug/3397599]Official Effects Bugs Megathread[/url][/b] for the latest information as we iron out any issues with this new feature.