Announcements & News

[center][permalink][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/updates/youvedonesomuch.png[/img][/permalink][/center] [i]Flight Rising[/i] celebrates its [b]10th anniversary[/b] with the relaunch of the Achievements System and the introduction of Pursuits. [permalink][b]10 years is quite an [i]achievement[/i]![/b][/permalink] [more] [size=2][Image Caption: An image depicting the white stone building of the achievements association. Dragon statues adorn the grounds and architecture, and medals and trophies are strewn about. Two large trophies are on the left. Image reads "10 years: A Celebration of Achievements"][/size] ------------------------ [size=5][b]How Far We've Come[/b][/size] [b]Ten successful years[/b] is a milestone that most games or websites only dream about. But [i]Flight Rising[/i] did it. [i]We[/i] did it. We couldn’t be more thrilled to have such an incredible community by our side. Your support, inclusivity, creativity, love of fantasy creatures, and all-around awesomeness have made this journey truly unforgettable. From the early days to now, we’ve witnessed the birth of lifelong [b]friendships[/b], epic [b]battles[/b], wholesome [b]gatherings[/b], and pages upon pages of [b]storytelling[/b], all within our virtual realm. All of [i]that[/i] is the magical glue that brings us together, transcending borders, languages, and even time zones. You’ve turned this pixel dragon website into a vibrant, creative hub of joy and connection. Keep it comin’! We can’t express enough how [i]grateful[/i] we are for your continuous patronage, constructive feedback, and welcoming nature. You’ve been there through thick and thin, helping us level up and become better with each passing day. And as we embark on another chapter of our journey, we promise to keep listening, growing, and bringing you the best experiences we can. Let’s take a look back at some of the awesome things that happened over the last year! [size=5][b]A Year in Summary:[/b][/size] [LIST] [*]We launched [b]2[/b] new ancient breeds: [b]Undertide[/b] and [b]Aether[/b]! [*][b]17 colorful vistas[/b] were launched to allow you to represent yourself loudly and [b]proudly[/b] rainbow. [*]We spent some time openly reflecting on our [b]Beastclan lore[/b] and decided to take a new direction with the [b]Harpies[/b], the first of many new stories to come. [*]Somehow, we found out what [b]Marva[/b] really looks like — [i]or did we…?[/i] [*][b]Arlo’s Ancient Artifacts[/b] opened up the [b]Deepsea Dive[/b] digsite, full of [b]20[/b] new underwater curiosities. [*]Our existing ancient breeds got a slew of expansive [b]new gene options[/b]: [list] [*][b]Banescale Dragons[/b] got [b]18[/b] new genes [*][b]Gaoler Dragons[/b] got [b]25[/b] new genes [*][b]Aberration Dragons[/b] got [b]5[/b] new genes [*][b]Veilspun Dragons[/b] got [b]23[/b] new genes [/list] [*]We incorporated your feedback into a bevy of [b]Quality of Life[/b] improvements and [b]adjustments[/b]: [list] [*]The [b]Grand Exchange[/b] now has [b]better filters[/b], provides clearer feedback for [b]how many items you need for trades[/b], alerts you if you [b]already own[/b] a piece of merchandise, and [b]highlights valuable items[/b] in the Hoard. [*]The [b]Clan Profile[/b] shows [b]additional forum activity[/b], provides better insight into [b]who you have on your friends list[/b], whether someone has sent you a [b]friend request[/b], and allows room to see more [b]comments[/b]. [*]We made some [b]visual improvements[/b] to the [b]Camping[/b] screen in the [b]Coliseum[/b]. [*]We outlined plans for tackling [i]ancient gene “bloat”[/i] by introducing a [b]new Grand Exchange shop[/b] in the future, and by planning to implement a better method for [b]filtering these genes[/b] in the [b]Marketplace[/b], [b]Search[/b], and [b]Scrying Workshop[/b] features. [/list] [*][b]173 new pieces of apparel[/b] were created. Among them we added the stunning new [b]Carousel[/b] set, Deep Sea Cloaks, Enchanted Necklaces, Sailor's Garb, Warrior's Weapons, Heartfelt Offerings, Eclectic [b]Earrings[/b], Elemental Attire, and Seasonal Staves. [*]We put another pair of large dents in our [b]refactor project[/b] by converting the [b]Clan Profile[/b] and [b]Nesting Grounds[/b] [i](both of which [i]needed[/i] to be done for the new [b]Achievements system[/b] to function!)[/i] [*][b]28 New Vistas[/b] were added to make your dragons and forum posts stand out from the crowd [*][b]14 New Scenes[/b] were added for your dragons to visit. [*][b]72 New Familiars[/b] were added for you to befriend. [*][b]Fiona[/b] acquired [b]12[/b] new feats to use in her ever-growing collection [*]We released an additional [b]11[/b] stunning [b]elemental banners[/b] that you can use to [b]customize your lair[/b] and make it really stand out. With many more on the way! [*][b]9[/b] new [b]modern genes[/b] were introduced: [list] [*]Primary Gene: [b]Harlequin[/b] [*]Secondary Gene: [b]Jester[/b] [*]Primary Gene: [b]Fern[/b] [*]Secondary Gene: [b]Paisley[/b] [*]Primary Gene: [b]Tide[/b] [*]Secondary Gene: [b]Foam[/b] [*]Tertiary Gene: [b]Flecks[/b] [*]Tertiary Gene: [b]Soap[/b] [*]Tertiary Gene: [b]Points[/b] [i](Yes, really.)[/i] [/list] [*]We expanded the [b]Hibernal Den[/b] by offering [b]10[/b] new slots, [b]8[/b] of which can be unlocked via tasks. [*]There are [b]12[/b] new [b]Jigsaw[/b] puzzles to piece together. [*]The [b]Grand Exchange[/b] continued its sprawl by welcoming [b]5[/b] new shops: [list] [*][b]Patches’ Pirate Plunder[/b] [*][b]Sage’s Seasonal Sundries[/b] [*][b]Susie’s Sweet Sentiments[/b] [*][b]Higgins’ Haunted Hollow[/b] [*][b]Marva’s Marvelous Marvels[/b] [/list] [*]The [b]Woodland Path[/b] venue of the [b]Coliseum[/b] received an expansion full of new familiars, food, and trinkets. [*][b]Night of the Nocturne[/b] and [b]Warrior’s Way[/b] both introduced over 20 new thematic items to find. [/LIST] ...And did we mention that [i]in addition to all of the above[/i], our team programmed, tested, and deployed [b]over 600(!) achievements[/b] and created a pile of [b]unique new content[/b] for its corresponding [b]Grand Exchange[/b] shop?? [i]Whew![/i] We did stuff! ------------------------ [size=5][b]Achievements for All![/b][/size] As of this posting, [b]we are proud to announce that the long-awaited relaunch of our Achievements system is [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/achievements]now live[/url] for everyone to enjoy[/b]! For those of you who may have missed the Dev Update we posted late last year, let us fill you in on the excitement that awaits you. [emoji=achievement size=1] [b][size=4]Achievements: Track Your Accomplishments[/size][/b] For the past year, every corner of our development team has been hard at work creating, integrating, and testing [b]over 630 achievements[/b] that will be available to all players from the moment they join [i]Flight Rising[/i]. As some of you know, this is a [b]monumental leap forward[/b] from what we had in the past. Our goal was to make these (and future) achievements enjoyable and seamlessly integrated into the activities you're already immersed in. We want every player, regardless of play style, to have ample opportunities to feel a sense of accomplishment. In the past, achievements only awarded you with non-functional points that contributed to an overall score. While it was great to see that score increase, there wasn't much else to interact with, and there were only a handful of objectives. In this relaunch, completing achievements will reward you not only with points, but a potential for [b]treasure & gems[/b]. That's not all, though! We are also introducing [b]a special new currency called [emoji=achievement token size=1] Achievement Tokens[/b], which can be spent in a dedicated [b]Grand Exchange[/b] shop called the [b]Acclaimed Achievements Association[/b]. This new shop will stock a vast array of new and exciting items that can only be acquired from completing achievements and earning tokens. [center][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/preview_achievements.png[/img][/center] [size=2][Image Caption: A screenshot depicting several achievements in the "Collecting" category. The achievements are at various stages of completion.][/size] [emoji=pursuit size=1] [b][size=4]Pursuits: Unlock Continuous Rewards[/size][/b] Because many achievements scale in difficulty or complexity, everyone will eventually reach a point where achievement progression slows down. We understand that hitting the end of the road can be disheartening, so to ensure your journey never loses its momentum, we've introduced a [b]complementary system called [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/achievements/pursuits/daily]Pursuits[/url][/b]. Pursuits can be thought of as [b]repeatable "micro-achievements"[/b] that offer more frequent opportunities achievement tokens. You'll find pursuits in the form of [b]common activities that are easier to complete[/b], such as breeding dragons, exalting dragons, or even converting a specific number or type of food points. Each completed pursuit will contribute to a [b]Rewards Meter[/b], granting you small batches of [emoji=achievement token size=1] [b]achievement tokens[/b] as each segment fills up. Because pursuits are repeatable, you'll always have a supplemental way to earn tokens over time and get you that much closer to items you may be working towards in the [b]Acclaimed Achievements Association[/b] shop. [center][img]http://flightrising.com/dropbox/preview_pursuits.png[/img][/center] [size=2][Image Caption: A screenshot depicting the segmented Rewards Meter and a sampling of possible daily pursuits, the top of which has been completed but not had its rewards claimed.][/size] Pursuits come in [b]three[/b] varieties: [b]daily, weekly, and monthly[/b]. You'll receive unique randomized lists of each, and they will reset as often as their name implies. Each pursuit type has a “meter weight” (e.g. how much it will contribute to filling your Rewards Meter) that corresponds to its difficulty. [b]In general, daily pursuits are really easy and have a lower weight, while monthly pursuits are moderately challenging and have a higher weight.[/b] Despite their varying degrees of challenge, [b]pursuits are intentionally designed to be a laid-back, casual counterpart feature[/b] to achievements that all players have a high chance of completing comfortably by just playing [i]Flight Rising[/i] normally. It should not require arduous time or effort on your part to make meaningful progress! [b][size=4]Retroactive Achievement Progress[/b][/size] Due to the immense size of this feature, our team broke it into chunks, many of which we deployed preemptive integrations for on the website's back-end. This allowed us to stress-test the system incrementally on a production environment and benefit from a consistent flow of live gameplay data ([b][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/frd/3238493]as we outlined in this post[/url][/b]). This had some beneficial side effects, one being that we could start to track some manner of achievement progress slightly ahead of the anniversary. [b]It is likely that most of you will have several achievements that can be turned in right now, and many more that are already in progress![/b] Unfortunately, we couldn't go all the way back. Additionally, any data associated with our legacy achievements system (which we shut off a long time ago) was incompatible with the new one. For posterity, we are keeping that data around, but we're not yet sure how or when we might surface it. We'll update everyone in the future if we have more information to share! ------------------------ [center][img]https://flightrising.com/dropbox/updates/acclaimed-achievements-association.png[/img][/center] [size=2][Image Caption: An image depicting the white stone building of the achievements association. Dragon statues adorn the grounds and architecture, and medals and trophies are strewn about. Two large trophies are on the left.][/size] [size=5][b]The Acclaimed Achievements Association[/b][/size] [emoji=achievement token size=1] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/exchange/acclaimed-achievements-association]The Acclaimed Achievements Association[/url] is a new installation in the [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/exchange]Grand Exchange[/url]. Here dragons can exchange achievements tokens for various rewards to commemorate their accomplishments! This shop will be a year-round fixture in the Grand Exchange, and may receive additional items in the future! [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/exchange/acclaimed-achievements-association][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/custom-shop/backgrounds/custom-shop-background-64766d27d6072.png[/img][/url][/center] [size=2][Image Description: Image is of a cluttered desk with a trophy and a statue on the left with an overwhelmed Wildclaw clutching books and papers on the right. The dragon is wearing round glasses, a scroll case, and neckerchief bowtie while looking worriedly down at the mess of papers on the floor as a skycat peeks out from behind the desk.][/size] [center][item=scene: bleached roots][item=vista: bleached roots][item=mosswood trim][item=Root Dweller] [item=scene: lilypad pool][item=vista: lilypad pool][item=lilypad legion][item=Locomoting Lilypad] [item=scene: cottage garden][item=vista: cottage garden][item=lavender harvest][item=garden gnome] [item=scene: roadside tavern][item=vista: roadside tavern][item=wooden tankard][item=bottlesnake] [item=scene: art studio][item=vista: art studio][item=artist satchel][item=Octavious Colossusbane] [item=scene: crystal shop][item=vista: crystal shop][item=crystal censer][item=crystal collector] [item=Emerald Gas Mask][item=Cobalt Steam Mask][item=Rose Ash Mask][item=Cerulean Vapor Mask] [item=Shackled Book of Myths][item=Shackled Book of Legends][item=Shackled Book of Mysteries][item=Shackled Book of Fairytales] [item=beekeeper's hat][item=beekeeper's honeycomb][item=beekeeper's swarm][item=yarn basket] [item=Black Chicken][item=Rooster][item=White Chicken][item=Silver Chicken] [item=Red Chicken][item=Brown Chicken][item=Silver Hoard][item=Golden Hoard] [item=pink exercise headband][item=pink exercise wristbands][item=pink exercise socks] [item=orange exercise headband][item=orange exercise wristbands][item=orange exercise socks] [item=tertiary gene: firebreather] [item=tertiary aberration gene: carnivore][item=tertiary aether gene: carnivore][item=tertiary Banescale gene: carnivore][item=tertiary gaoler gene: carnivore] [item=tertiary undertide gene: carnivore][item=tertiary veilspun gene: carnivore] [/center] ------------------------ [size=5][b]Gifts Galore![/b][/size] [emoji=mystery bag size=1] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/trading/gift]Galore has a gift [/url]for collectors this Anniversary! [b]Vista: Plush Collection[/b] is gifted free to all players. Players who wish to hang onto a copy of the vista may craft additional copies through [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/trading/baldwin]Baldwin's Bubbling Brew.[/url] The gift and the recipe are available through June 15th at 6:00 server, after which time they will retire. [center][item=vista: plush collection][/center] ------------------------ [size=5][b]The Site Refactor Project[/b][/size] [emoji=gear size=1] It's almost surreal to type these words, but: After many long years and dozens of feature deployments, we are [i]just about there[/i] in terms of completing the site refactor project. [b]It is 97% finished.[/b] Today marks an incredible milestone not only in terms of how long [i]Flight Rising[/i] has been live, but also the fact that all of the forward-facing features that were roadblocking achievements are now complete! As far as what is still left to do: we have a handful of lower-risk pages ([b]Account Settings[/b], the [b]Encyclopedia's table of contents[/b], [b]User Search[/b], etc.) and some backend systems that will likely get refactored soon for the sake of compatibility. Finishing these is still important, as it further helps consolidate our site's analytics operations and search engine optimization efforts under a singular subdomain. And yes, we will still be revamping many of the features that only got 1:1 conversions, so don't worry about that! ------ [size=1]And yes. Adventure Mode is still on. Really. It's not [b]next[/b], it's not [b]soon[/b], but it's [b][i]on[/i][/b].[/size] ------ Happy Anniversary, everyone!

FAQ & Additional Notes

• The Firebreather gene has had fixes applied for some of the breed templates (some layers were staying orange no matter what the color!)
• The isopod familiar has had its name changed from Rooter to Root Dweller
• The lilypad familiar has had its name changed from Lily Loch to Locomoting Lilypad
• The Lily Lochness accidentally stocked in the gem marketplace and has been removed.
• The Blue Orpington Chicken was renamed to Black Chicken
• The Welsummer Chicken was renamed to Rooster
• Silver Pekin Chicken was renamed to Silver Chicken
• Sebright Chicken was renamed to Red Chicken
• White Cochin Chicken was renamed to White Chicken
• Buff Brahma Chicken was renamed to Brown Chicken

Achievement Bug Fixes and Corrections are ongoing in the Bug Reports forum.

Reserved for staff if needed.

Party [emoji=new friend size=1]

[emoji=firework size=1]