Apologies for circling back after the first time. But now that I've slept on it and used the site a little more. I have a more generalized, but clearer piece of feedback. Enough people have repeatedly broken down everything with clear bullet points, so I won't repeat the details.
This update was definitely too much, too fast. Regardless of whether or not this has been in the works for weeks, months, or years, the general user base is not going to see that. We only see what was put in front of us, ans it's natural for the first reaction to be emotional. What I personally feel looking at this update is something that feels rushed, or at least lacking in any Quality Assurance testing. There are multiple things that would have been noted in QA that could have been taken into account and either been fixed, or helped make a choice to delay the update. A rollback would likely be the best option. Take things back to the drawing board with the feedback in mind.
This is a niche site, but not a small one. It does take a lot of work to keep a site like this up and running. I can't even imagine updating the site entirely. Genuinely, everyone is working hard, and at our core we understand that. My final suggestion would be to reverse the changes, and then begin adding smaller, more refined updates.
Apologies for circling back after the first time. But now that I've slept on it and used the site a little more. I have a more generalized, but clearer piece of feedback. Enough people have repeatedly broken down everything with clear bullet points, so I won't repeat the details.
This update was definitely too much, too fast. Regardless of whether or not this has been in the works for weeks, months, or years, the general user base is not going to see that. We only see what was put in front of us, ans it's natural for the first reaction to be emotional. What I personally feel looking at this update is something that feels rushed, or at least lacking in any Quality Assurance testing. There are multiple things that would have been noted in QA that could have been taken into account and either been fixed, or helped make a choice to delay the update. A rollback would likely be the best option. Take things back to the drawing board with the feedback in mind.
This is a niche site, but not a small one. It does take a lot of work to keep a site like this up and running. I can't even imagine updating the site entirely. Genuinely, everyone is working hard, and at our core we understand that. My final suggestion would be to reverse the changes, and then begin adding smaller, more refined updates.
[quote name="Ushirinaki" date="2026-04-23 19:08:29" ]
I honestly don't know how much time I'll be spending on this site anymore. Disregarding my last post about just not liking change, it just looks awful. It doesn't look like a fantasy dragon game anymore. It's too minimalist and modern and there's no character anymore.
A bug I've encountered is the timer in my Baldwin's doesn't actually count down anymore and it'll only give me the time when I refresh the page. Also that text for the time is so small?? I'm genuinely too scared to do my dailies because I know they aren't going to look like what they used to and I don't want to run into more technical errors or "improvements." I know the technical bugs can be ironed out, but I'm begging you to have an option to go back to the old look.
I know I'm being harsh but being neurodivergent is not helping my opinions on this update. I feel like I genuinely need to take a step back from being overwhelmed. I'm sorry for being critical, but I love this game and have loved this game for 11 years, and I want to see it change for the better, but I feel like they took it in the wrong direction :(
[/quote]
@Ushirinaki Don't apologize, I feel the same way. I was on hiatus from FR due to rl stuff and it genuinely hurts my brain and eyes to look at the new site layout.
I honestly don't know how much time I'll be spending on this site anymore. Disregarding my last post about just not liking change, it just looks awful. It doesn't look like a fantasy dragon game anymore. It's too minimalist and modern and there's no character anymore.
A bug I've encountered is the timer in my Baldwin's doesn't actually count down anymore and it'll only give me the time when I refresh the page. Also that text for the time is so small?? I'm genuinely too scared to do my dailies because I know they aren't going to look like what they used to and I don't want to run into more technical errors or "improvements." I know the technical bugs can be ironed out, but I'm begging you to have an option to go back to the old look.
I know I'm being harsh but being neurodivergent is not helping my opinions on this update. I feel like I genuinely need to take a step back from being overwhelmed. I'm sorry for being critical, but I love this game and have loved this game for 11 years, and I want to see it change for the better, but I feel like they took it in the wrong direction :(
@Ushirinaki Don't apologize, I feel the same way. I was on hiatus from FR due to rl stuff and it genuinely hurts my brain and eyes to look at the new site layout.
Under construction!
the more i use the site like this the more i actually really do appreciate the standardization of the font sizes. making it the same across the user badge numbers, the food numbers, and various other things makes it immensibly easier to parse. i'm reading the site so much easier now
the more i use the site like this the more i actually really do appreciate the standardization of the font sizes. making it the same across the user badge numbers, the food numbers, and various other things makes it immensibly easier to parse. i'm reading the site so much easier now
ft. now: asche
◦
Shattered Sword
Holiday Items
A shattered sword found on the field of battle during Warrior's Way. (Warrior's Way Currency Item.)
✧
Ashen Lightning Glass
Minerals & Ores
When lightning hits sand, the result is a new trinket. (Special thanks to brain4puzzles!)
✹
cerb she/he/it
Wow! Love the new look (though its gonna need some getting used to XD). Is it just me or is the site running faster now? Either way A+ ;P
Wow! Love the new look (though its gonna need some getting used to XD). Is it just me or is the site running faster now? Either way A+ ;P
______
While you're at it, why not change the window for selection of brewing ingredients to use the newer window format that's in place when selecting ingredients for sewing..?
I'm sick of having to manually count every instance of every piece of apparel and every instance of every familiar when choosing what to brew into sludge/goop/muck/scrumb/glorp/etc. When sewing, the items show up as stacks, making it much less frustrating.
While you're at it, why not change the window for selection of brewing ingredients to use the newer window format that's in place when selecting ingredients for sewing..?
I'm sick of having to manually count every instance of every piece of apparel and every instance of every familiar when choosing what to brew into sludge/goop/muck/scrumb/glorp/etc. When sewing, the items show up as stacks, making it much less frustrating.
I got so confused by the new design I thought I was experiencing a bug when I came on haha!
But it’s something I can get used to, and if it makes it run better/less eye strain I’m all for it. :D
I got so confused by the new design I thought I was experiencing a bug when I came on haha!
But it’s something I can get used to, and if it makes it run better/less eye strain I’m all for it. :D
it is very surprising to me, reflecting on it, that this change was rolled out with such little testing and feedback beforehand. i don't know if the team is aware of the examples of subeta and neopets going through the same process of "streamlining" their websites with a focus primarily on mobile devices, but it went about the same way.
what happens, consistently, is that you break large chunks of the website and alienate long-time players. though the quickness with the bug-fixes is very much appreciated, the fact there have had to be so many shows why rolling this out all at once was a poor choice.
respectfully, i don't understand why website game developers are under the impression that all websites like this one need to be streamlined and changed for mobile players. games like this will never properly function for people who exclusively play on mobile devices. this website predates the ability to play websites like this on your phone by nearly a decade. the decision to fundamentally alter every aspect of it's design for the benefit of primarily mobile players baffles me.
i also very much agree with the idea that responsiveness did not inherently mean making a lot of these changes. the inconsistent font choices all over the website is particularly confusing to me. i am a web developer, and i understand the value of responsiveness, especially when it comes to accessibility— but this was originally ruled out with very little thought put into accessibility otherwise.
EDIT: i should have forseen mobile players having an issue with me criticizing the choice to fundamentally alter the website for mobile. see the paragraph directly below that statement where i point out that responsiveness does not require a lot of these visual changes. i am not suggesting the website should be hostile to mobile players.
EDIT 2: i promise the team can handle respectful criticism. they are adults, and i have not seen anyone targeting team members instead of the layout itself. additionally, if anyone is incapable of handling respectful criticism of a site-wide decision, they should probably not be making them for their own sake. that would not be on players.
it is very surprising to me, reflecting on it, that this change was rolled out with such little testing and feedback beforehand. i don't know if the team is aware of the examples of subeta and neopets going through the same process of "streamlining" their websites with a focus primarily on mobile devices, but it went about the same way.
what happens, consistently, is that you break large chunks of the website and alienate long-time players. though the quickness with the bug-fixes is very much appreciated, the fact there have had to be so many shows why rolling this out all at once was a poor choice.
respectfully, i don't understand why website game developers are under the impression that all websites like this one need to be streamlined and changed for mobile players. games like this will never properly function for people who exclusively play on mobile devices. this website predates the ability to play websites like this on your phone by nearly a decade. the decision to fundamentally alter every aspect of it's design for the benefit of primarily mobile players baffles me.
i also very much agree with the idea that responsiveness did not inherently mean making a lot of these changes. the inconsistent font choices all over the website is particularly confusing to me. i am a web developer, and i understand the value of responsiveness, especially when it comes to accessibility— but this was originally ruled out with very little thought put into accessibility otherwise.
EDIT: i should have forseen mobile players having an issue with me criticizing the choice to fundamentally alter the website for mobile. see the paragraph directly below that statement where i point out that responsiveness does not require a lot of these visual changes. i am not suggesting the website should be hostile to mobile players.
EDIT 2: i promise the team can handle respectful criticism. they are adults, and i have not seen anyone targeting team members instead of the layout itself. additionally, if anyone is incapable of handling respectful criticism of a site-wide decision, they should probably not be making them for their own sake. that would not be on players.
Nothing will be perfect. It’s probably easier to send it out like this and fix stuff based on feedback than using a simulated version or however they test it. There is bound to be bugs even if it was a near perfect version. It’s hard to account for every single situation.
As a player that plays on mobile and computer. I appreciate the fact that they are trying to improve the website mobile version.
Nothing will be perfect. It’s probably easier to send it out like this and fix stuff based on feedback than using a simulated version or however they test it. There is bound to be bugs even if it was a near perfect version. It’s hard to account for every single situation.
As a player that plays on mobile and computer. I appreciate the fact that they are trying to improve the website mobile version.
I'm here on behalf of my friend @/vernors (they dont comment in the forums, and this update made it more difficult for them to even attempt to do so, for reasons I will explain below)
They are colorblind and struggle to see certain things, and unfortunately, this update made the site mostly one color for them, so they are struggling to navigate around as things are blending together.
Their exact words, aside from the detailed input:
"This site is hard for me to navigate due to most of it looking one color because I'm colorblind."
---
They wanted me to pass on the following input:
The lack of clear, visual indicators such as grayed out buttons (instead being replaced with very tiny, hard to see locks) for crafting makes it difficult to tell if they can make things or not.
The change in the familiar buttons makes it very difficult for them to tell if they have bonded with familiar that day or not (I have also heard this complaint from a friend who isnt colorblind)
It is extremely difficult for them to see the indicator for notifications, if at all. It is also difficult for me, someone who is very much not colorblind and doesnt have issue seeing, to see the notification indicator.
I'm here on behalf of my friend @/vernors (they dont comment in the forums, and this update made it more difficult for them to even attempt to do so, for reasons I will explain below)
They are colorblind and struggle to see certain things, and unfortunately, this update made the site mostly one color for them, so they are struggling to navigate around as things are blending together.
Their exact words, aside from the detailed input:
"This site is hard for me to navigate due to most of it looking one color because I'm colorblind."
---
They wanted me to pass on the following input:
The lack of clear, visual indicators such as grayed out buttons (instead being replaced with very tiny, hard to see locks) for crafting makes it difficult to tell if they can make things or not.
The change in the familiar buttons makes it very difficult for them to tell if they have bonded with familiar that day or not (I have also heard this complaint from a friend who isnt colorblind)
It is extremely difficult for them to see the indicator for notifications, if at all. It is also difficult for me, someone who is very much not colorblind and doesnt have issue seeing, to see the notification indicator.
[quote name="PokeyDuck" date="2026-04-24 13:13:44" ]
Nothing will be perfect. It’s probably easier to send it out like this and fix stuff based on feedback than using a simulated version or however they test it. There is bound to be bugs even if it was a near perfect version. It’s hard to account for every single situation.
[/quote]
there were plenty of other rollout options, and rolling this out universally in a way that wasn't tested for basic readability and accessibility (or even true responsiveness), despite that supposedly being what the update is for, is what i and others are criticizing.
Nothing will be perfect. It’s probably easier to send it out like this and fix stuff based on feedback than using a simulated version or however they test it. There is bound to be bugs even if it was a near perfect version. It’s hard to account for every single situation.
there were plenty of other rollout options, and rolling this out universally in a way that wasn't tested for basic readability and accessibility (or even true responsiveness), despite that supposedly being what the update is for, is what i and others are criticizing.
