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ThoseWhoWentMissing has a dual-scoring system. Players earn points for submitting to the group and characters earn points for being portrayed in those submissions. This guide was updated January 13th, 2019.
Aura Points (AP) are given to players
You will receive AP every time you contribute artwork or writing to the group regardless of whether you own an esk or not. AP is your reward for expanding the esk lore and collaborating on the game's world-building.Earn Aura Points to unlock features in the game and earn MYO slots!
Growth Points (GP) are given to characters
Esk characters receive GP every time they are depicted in a piece of artwork or writing that you or other players submit to the ThoseWhoWentMissing group. Whenever your character wants to change its form, gain powers, or create a new esk it must use up some of its GP.Earn Growth Points to buy Energy Exchange mods and Transformations.
QUICK LINKS
sketches | flat color | shaded | icons and small works | crafts and 3D | writing
additional points | full body | backgrounds | animations
bonus points | content bonuses | prompts | community and gifting | esk interaction | word count bonus
additional points | full body | backgrounds | animations
bonus points | content bonuses | prompts | community and gifting | esk interaction | word count bonus
Points Calculator
Before you begin
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Scoring Basics
Players have the power to determine the scoring that best fits their efforts. Try to use the scoring guide in a flexible manner that adjust to your skill level, gameplay, and personal goals. More information is in the TWWM Game Mission page.
Basics:
In order for a submission to receive points there must be esk present in the artwork/writing unless otherwise specified. Conservatory submissions can depict the Conservatory without esk and still earn points, certain events may include prompts that do not require esk in them, and art/writing of original forms (including objects or plants) is still eligible for scoring.
You can submit artwork in batches (maximum 12 artworks per submission). Each artwork in the batch must qualify as a standalone artwork that can be cropped and treated as a complete illustration.
You receive full points for artwork and writing about an esk's previous form.
May submit artwork or writing off-site or to sta.sh as long as you include a link in your trackers. If you like you may also post summaries of writing to the group galleries and include a link to the full piece if you decide to keep it off-site.Managing your points:
Putting your scoring breakdown in your art/writing log or in the descriptions of your submissions is very helpful, we highly recommend keeping detailed logs of your work to ensure you don't miss out on any bonuses!
Please keep a log of your artwork and writing submissions. This includes off-site uploads or sta.sh uploads. This is very helpful to the TWWM staff when checking work for game requests or offering scoring assistance. You must include scoring information with your logs (totals or breakdowns).
You can always contact the TWWM team for personalized scoring assistance. We are here to help!Headshots:
Headshots must have a nature feature or include some form of background. Nature features can be used as decorative elements if the are not normally visible on the head area.Collabs, Commissions and YCHs:
Collaborations are allowed and receive full points. Collaborators are encouraged to self-evaluate their efforts and score accordingly — sometimes this may mean taking the full submission score, sometimes it means taking a reduced score, we trust players to make fair assessments. Please remember to score "from your perspective," for example: if you collaborate on a piece with multiple esk, only the collaborators who do not own those esk will claim the other esk bonus. Please keep scoring breakdowns visible for these entries, it will help keep things clear and organized. Writers in collaboration or RP are asked to only score their own word count, but are however allowed to take points for the epilogue/prologue and chapter summaries. We are relying on collaborators to work together as a team to ensure fair work division and scoring, but the TWWM team is here to help if you need scoring assistance — just send in a group note for advice.
All collaborators can take the full score, take reductions (such as reducing or dropping bonuses), or divide the full score evenly amongst themselves.
Both buyer and artist get AP for submitting commissioned artwork. Both must score it from their perspective, so the buyer and artist may not have the same score. We recommend that commissioned artists do the scoring breakdowns for their buyers so they can make their own self-evaluations of their work without the buyer feeling pressured to evaluate artwork that they did not create themselves. If you buy a commission as a gift for a friend then you and the artist will get the AP, your friend will only get the GP for their esk.
YCHs receive full points and are scored like normal artwork.
YCH scoring for artists: If you reuse an existing background it only gets scored for background points the first time you use it. Esk interaction bonuses will apply to any YCHs with multiple characters in them. Reuse of YCH bases should show an effort to make each submission unique and go beyond coloring in line art.
YCH scoring for buyers You will score for the slots you pay for and not for the overall artwork, so your score may differ from what the artist is claiming. If you buy a slot in a single-character artwork it will be scored like a normal commission. Purchased slots from group YCHs will only earn you the bonuses that apply to the characters you have purchased for, not the bonuses for characters you did not purchase slots for. If you purchase a slot for an esk you own you will claim the esk interaction bonus for having your character interacting with others; if you purchase slots for esk that you do not own you will claim the other esk and esk interaction bonuses for each of them. Buyers get to claim background scoring even if the artist has reused the background from an earlier work. Buying multiple slots in a single group YCH counts as one single commission, you will not score each slot separately with separate background or full body AP.Scoring purchased YCH slots is tough! We are working on building a calculator to help buyers score their YCH purchases more easily. In the meantime you can always send us a group note for assistance with scoring these types of submissions — thanks!
Trades:
Art trades are scored the same as gifts. You receive points for your own half of the trade only.
Trades that are bartering are scored as commissions. Bartering includes trading for non-TWWM assets and adoptables (both esk and non-esk characters).Comics:
Comics are to be scored as batch submissions. Score each panel that features an esk as an individual illustration. You are not limited to the 12-per-upload batch rule.Add the word count of your comic's writing into your score. After you score all of your panels you may count all of the words in your comic submission and add that word count score to your submission as a whole. The writing score will not count as a separate batch submission and won't earn its own bonuses, it is simply added on to your submission's total. If the word count within a single submission exceeds 800 words you may claim the storyteller bonus. You still need to meet the minimum word count requirements in order to earn points for your comic's writing. This update to the scoring system applies retroactively! You can revise past comic submissions to reflect this change, thank you.
Non-canon:
Artwork and writing that crosses over into other fandoms, franchises, or CS/ARPGs do not receive scoring. TWWM's point system was created as a reward for contributing to a collaborative canon for the esk species and world, artwork and writing that are not contributing to this purpose is considered "just for fun" and do not receive AP or GP.
Artwork or writing about unofficial esk do not receive scoring. Only esk that are registered in the Esk-Masterlist can be used as characters for artwork/writing. Sketches and brainstorming for future characters do not receive points.
You are allowed to create writing that is about the general esk lore without featuring any specific characters in it. Examples that are eligible for scoring: a poem about what it feels like to be transformed, an urban legend about the plant-covered beasts in the woods, etc. This primarily applies to writing, but if you have an art idea with this theme please send a group note and we will help you score it accordingly.
For more information on what is canon and non-canon please visit the TWWM canon page.Masterlist artwork:
Masterlist artwork for new MYOs now receive full scoring! The initial design artwork you submit for the creation of the masterlist entry can now be scored as a normal submission.
Updating existing masterlist artwork also is eligible for scoring. Read the Spirit Renewal page for specific guidelines.
This is the giant-mega-comprehensive scoring guide for TWWM!
This page is quite long and has very detailed instructions for your scoring methods. Once you have a basic understanding of this guide we recommend using the Quick Reference as the go-to spot for your scoring needs. We do not expect people to memorize this entire page, use it as an in-depth resource to come back to whenever you need guidance. Use the navigation links at the top to quickly jump to the section you need when you come back here for more information in the future.Scoring Process
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Base scores Additional Points Bonus Points
Choose ONE base score that best suits your submission, then you are able to add on the additional points and bonus points. Base scores do not stack (except for writing by word count), but some additional points and bonus points do!
Start here: BASE SCORES
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1AP
1GP
• Sketches and lines
Sketches are simple drawings that do not qualify as finished illustrations.
Loose gestural drawings, lightly shaded pencil work, and unfilled line art are all examples in this category.
Colored drawings in a rough style can be scored in other categories or be scored as a sketch depending on your self-evaluation. You can decide whether the effort you gave was more of a sketch or counts as a finished piece.
Quick little doodles, even if in color, are best categorized as sketches.
Complex line art, stippling, hatching, or other forms of ink work may be eligible for a higher base score if they show a level of finished detail and shading. Contact the TWWM for individual scoring for these types of works. More info and examples here
Submissions in the sketch or line art category do not receive bonuses.
They receive all additional points other than background points.
5AP
Flat color means the illustration has been colored in but does not have lighting or shadows added to give it an effect of 3-dimensional form.Can be lineless blocks of color or be colored line art in any rough or clean style. Grayscale art is acceptable as long as it is clearly a finished artwork and not a sketch.
It is up to you to decide whether your cel-shading falls into this category or into the shaded category based on your self-evaluation. Same goes for shading that is light/soft or lacking detail, you have some flexibility in determining which base score is the best fit for you.
Gradient overlays do not count as shading and should always go in the flat color category.
10AP
Shaded illustrations have been fully colored and have lighting and shadows or textures applied to give the subject form and depth.Can be rough or clean, lined or lineless, cel-shaded or fully shaded, or use painting techniques. This category is open to many styles. Grayscale art is acceptable as long as it is clearly a finished artwork and not a sketch.If you want to challenge yourself you can use flexible scoring for artwork that fits somewhere in between flat color and shaded. You are welcome to give a base score of 6AP-9AP for illustrations that have shading but are perhaps not at your highest level of effort or detail. Please label these scoring reductions accordingly.
5AP
Tiny pixel art receives 50% of the normal icon scoring. Calculate the full score, additional points, and bonuses as normal and then divide in half to get your final score. This applies to both AP and GP and will also affect commissioners.
This score applies to all artworks that do not exceed 100px in either dimension.
Pixel art larger than 100px can be scored as normal illustrations using the other scoring tiers.All icons/avatars/drawings that are this size or smaller fall into this category, whether they are for DeviantArt or not.
If you like to do lots of small artworks (300px or smaller) it is often more appropriate to score those in this category, even if they are shaded. You can determine this in your own self-evaluation.You can determine yourself what you consider to be a tiny pixel vs a normal pixel, if your submission is under 40px in either dimension you may want to consider this scoring option depending on the resulting size and complexity of the artwork. Super small pixels that are under 20px in either dimension should always take 50% scoring.
15-25AP
The crafts and 3D category includes all forms of sculpture and digital 3D modeling as well as any creative works made using physical materials.Textiles, mosaics, culinary, assemblage, and dolls are all acceptable forms of crafts. This category is very open-ended.If you have worked for a long time on a project and feel that your work deserves a higher AP and/or GP base score please contact the TWWM team for individual scoring. The 15AP and 5GP represents the minimum amount of AP awarded for these types of works.
The AP and GP for this category are judged on a sliding scale. Give the artwork a score between 15-25AP and the character a score between 5-15GP that is a fair reflection of your efforts. If you were commissioned please calculate these scores for your buyer.
1AP
This score stacks! You will earn 1AP and 0.5GP for every 50 words in your writing submissions.Can be any style of writing including poetry, storytelling, and song lyrics.
To earn points for short poems that are under 50 words you must bundle them together until they reach the 50 word minimum, then score them as a single submission for 1AP and 0.5GP. You will apply bonuses to the bundle as a whole, not to the individual short poems.
Esk only earn GP for scenes they are included in. If an esk is only depicted for a portion of a story, use the word count from only that portion to calculate GP. For example, an esk that appears in 300 words of a 1000 word story should use the 300 words for determining GP.
In order to receive the NPC bonus, you must write 100 words about the featured NPC. To earn the elemental bonus, you must write 50 words about the esk's elemental.
ROLEPLAY SCORING
You can submit roleplay in the form of creative writing as long as it reads as a narrative story. Each participant in the RP group only takes points for their own word counts, not the total word count.
Participants can all share word counts from text such as prologues/epilogues or chapter summaries.
Participants can take certain bonuses from the RP if they interact in a significant way. Example: Player A roleplays an esk with a rain elemental that is in use and Player B roleplays an esk that is interacting with the elemental in a significant way. Player B can still get the Elemental bonus because they were part of a story that involved the Elemental.
The Storyteller bonus will only apply if an individual's word count equals 800 or more. It cannot be taken from the RP as a whole.
For RP's it is required that every participant keeps a log of their exact contributions to the RP either on the submission or in a separate document. This is to make it easier on staff for score checks.
If the results of calculations seem unusually low or unusually high for any collab participants, you can contact staff and we will help with adjustments. For shorter RP's we recommend taking reduced scoring.
ADDITIONAL POINTS
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full body
+5APAdd this bonus if 75% or more of the esk's body is depicted. This does not have to include the nature feature.Does not stack! Apply once per piece.
BACKGROUNDS
These do not stack! Add one to your base score.
These do not apply to sketches!
All backgrounds must be original works. If you reuse an existing background it only gets scored in the first use.
+5AP
Abstract or minimalAbstract backgrounds are decorative or non-scenic backdrops that may include patterns or splashes of color.Minimal backgrounds are very simple backgrounds that give a small or no suggestion of where the esk may be.
A sky, water, or simple horizon background falls into this category.
Photographed backgrounds you have taken yourself count as abstract or minimal. This includes edits done to the photo (color changes, filters, etc). CC or free to use photos that have not been edited, do not receive any background score. Please make sure you are only using photos that you have either taken yourself or are CC licensed and free to use. Make sure to always credit the original photographer by including a link to the source (click here for more information on crediting and attribution). There must be a clear effort to include the esk into the background without making it appear merely pasted on. If you create photomanipulations or use photographs in other creative ways in your artwork, such as matte painting or photobashing, please contact the team for case-by-case scoring suggestions.
Solid colors or gradients with no other details do not count as backgrounds and do not earn any additional points.
+10AP
Simple or vignetteSimple backgrounds show a limited amount of depth or detail. This category is a middle-ground to apply to backgrounds that are somewhere in-between minimal and full scenic.Vignette backgrounds show some amount of background or context around the character. For example, drawing an esk standing on an object without any other background counts as a vignette.
Vignette backgrounds can fade into negative space or be a transparent cut-out.
+20AP
Full or scenicFull or scenic backgrounds place an esk in a clearly defined environment with a sense of space and depth. Macro is accepted as long as there is sufficient detailing.Full backgrounds do not have to fill the whole picture plane or reach the edges of your artwork as long as they show a clear effort to create depth and space.
Scenic backgrounds are narrative artworks that show a character in a fully fleshed-out location and have the background fill the entire illustration.
ANIMATIONs
These do not stack! Add one to your base score.
Choose the scoring tier that best describes your work, or you can contact the TWWM team for individualized scoring.
Contacting us for custom staff scoring is strongly recommended for complex animations!
+1AP
Simple AnimationSimple animation includes blinking, bouncing, or any movement that only requires a couple of frames.
Effects like glowing where the character itself does not move also count as simple animations, even if there are numerous frames.
+5AP
Moderate AnimationModerate animation includes small movements such as lifting a paw, hopping, or turning their head.
Effects and movement should use more frames than the simple animation tier.
+10AP
Complex AnimationComplex animations show a complicated movement or action like walking or fighting. These types of animations have lots of individually drawn frames.
The GP for this category is a sliding scale. Give the character a score between 5-15GP that is a fair reflection of your efforts.
If you feel that your animation requires a higher AP or GP score please contact the TWWM team for individual scoring.
![[G] Evrende - Esk 343 by UniverseDeer](https://orig00.deviantart.net/b65f/f/2017/354/d/f/df36734bfa30085ca87885d38cbee3d6-dbxb48x.gif)
BONUS POINTS
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Content Bonuses
These bonuses stack!
Content bonuses apply to creative writing as long as the content has been clearly described. These bonuses only go to the esk that owns the familiar, accessory, or magical ability. The "unit" of a familiar, accessory, or enchantment is determined by what is listed in their ID info or Energy Exchange purchases. For example: if your accessory is a set of multiple pieces it still counts as a single accessory if you purchased it that way.
There is no minimum for the number of swarm familiars you need to include to earn the bonus.+5AP
Community familiarThis bonus applies for each community of familiars depicted.
At least 3 members of the community familiar must be shown.
Prompt Bonuses
These bonuses do not stack!
Your submissions should only go into one gallery folder and claim one bonus.
+10AP
Monthly Prompts
+50AP
Origin PromptsCollect this bonus for all submissions that are responding to Origin Prompts.
All esk depicted in the origin prompt will receive the GP bonus.
+20AP
ConservatoryCollect this bonus for all submissions that take place in the Conservatory. To get this bonus for artworks, there must be clear evidence of the Conservatory shown in the background. This includes everything that makes the place look like no normal location on Earth. More info and examples can be found on the Conservatory page.
Community Bonuses
Community bonuses reward you for spending personal time on your artwork and writing and for giving back to the community. Thank you for contributing to TWWM!
+5AP
Personal workDoes not stack! Collect this bonus once for any piece that is created for your own personal enjoyment without any form of compensation (money, assets, bartering, etc).
This bonus applies to art-for-art trades but not to trades that exchange assets or goods.
+10AP
Other eskThis bonus stacks! Add 10AP to your submission for every esk in the artwork that belongs to anotherplayer.
This bonus is limited to 20 esk in a single image. Esk added after that will not earn this bonus.
This bonus does not apply to NPC esk.
NPC BONUSES
These bonuses do not stack!+20AP
NPC eskDoes not stack! Add 20AP once to your piece if it features at least one NPC. This must be a clear depiction and show at least 75% of that NPC. Can apply to individual submissions in a batch or panels in a comic.
NPCs do not receive the other esk and interaction bonus!
NPC information can be found at the Wanderers page.+10AP
Wanderer Prompt
Interaction Bonuses
These bonuses stack!
+10AP
Esk interactionAdd 10AP to your submission for every esk in the artwork that is interacting with other esk in a shared space.
This applies to esk you own and those that belong to other players.
This bonus is limited to 20 esk in a single image. Interactions after that point will not earn this bonus.
This bonus does not apply to NPCs. (i.e. Ikkit and your esk would only count for 1 interaction, not 2)
Writing BONUSes
These bonuses apply to writing only.
+8AP
StorytellerThis bonus stacks! Collect this bonus for every 800 words of creative writing.
+4GP
PoetryDoes not stack! This bonus applies to works of poetry. Short poems, such has haikus, must follow a 100 word minimum guideline in order to apply this bonus.
The Points system archive is now publicly available. Players who wish to check the scoring of older pieces may do so following this archive. Please note that old versions cannot be used for scoring pieces after the change date.Additionally, it is now allowed to update scoring for all pieces to the most recent scoring system. For those who want their scoring to be all under one system, have an esk with untracked older artwork, or just want to see if they can get a few extra AP/GP from the current system, feel free to update your old scores.
The TWWM team is available by group note to provide personalized scoring advice. Remember, this points system is flexible and should be adapted to your needs and goals as an artist or writer. You can comment on this entry with general scoring questions but please send questions about specific submissions directly to the team.
Big thanks to all of the artists and writers who let us feature their work here!
Big thanks to all of the artists and writers who let us feature their work here!
if anybody knows where it is, could you please direct me to it :P