Site News

2024 Important Updates!

Posted 2 months ago :: Last edited 2 months ago by NeonSlushie



It's a new year and we have a huge new update!

Since ProjectXero began in 2021, our team has prided ourselves in our capacity to learn, innovate, and bring our community joy through our game. We are so grateful for your continued love and support for Xeros over these 3 years. We have grown so much alongside the community and moving into 2024 would like to address updating the website for a better experience overall.

At the beginning of this year, we invited a group of individuals from our community to provide us with feedback on changes we wished to make to the game. These changes have been carefully curated, by our staff team and the community alike, to make things better for the future of ProjectXero.

Below you can find a brief overview, with more details under the click bar.

❗  These updates are not rolling out immediately!  ❗

We are giving everyone a 3-week heads up before we begin launching these updates in early February. We wanted January to be a buffer month for players to collect their MYOs or any desired items at their current availability before we implement these changes.

The Trait Update will go live on February 1st, while the Economy Update will go live on February 5th!
orbnewyear.png

2024 Update Summary!


:prestige: The Prestige economy is getting a major overhaul! Shifting from a system of 100s of Prestige to one of 1,000s of Prestige. This will give us more wiggle room with rewards and pricing going forward, allowing us to do things like add more activities or sale prices to common forageables.

:orb_standard: We're adding a new free MYO option! All players will now have the opportunity to earn a 1-time, account-bound MYO for 1/3rd the price of the yearly Prestige MYO.

🎁 We're adding a new free gift to the shops! Every player, new or old, can claim this 1-time free gift in Jackpot Planet!

17-image.png Many traits are getting overhauled, streamlined, or expanded for greater consistency and character customization options.

We are closing up our MYO/Redesign tickets, as well as the Questions channel temporarily at the end of the month to give us some time to put these changes into effect!


Check out the details below for more information!

Click for all the details!


Economy Update!

The economy in Project Xero has been largely unchanged since the game was introduced in June of 2021. We are planning on reworking scaling for currency, items, MYOs, rewards,  and more. This change is being made because we have found our current system based around 300 Prestige too restrictive. Rebalancing this system will ensure users will have much more to do and that items obtained through site activities can be sold for appropriate amounts.

Essentially, the issue is that the biggest item available for purchase with Prestige (the 300 P MYO) dictates our "Prestige ceiling". Because this number was so low, it means that any currency users can earn from site activities (prompts, selling forageables, upcoming game features, etc.) must be much lower than this number in order to allow users to 'save up' for the big reward.

This poses a problem when setting resale prices on certain items, such as common items like stones. The minimum amount of Prestige an item can have set for resale is 1, but if someone has 100 stones in their inventory, suddenly they can be 1/3rd of the way to a MYO. This low ceiling also makes it difficult for us to add new game features (Some of which are nearly ready to be implemented!) because we want MYOs to be something players can look forward to saving up for, not something you can get instantaneously.






To summarize, the 300 :prestige: MYO is too low of a ceiling currently and makes it too difficult to properly divide prompt or game rewards and item resale prices within it. We are scaling up the system entirely, including costs of items, resale prices for items, and rewards for prompts.

KEY POINTS:
  • Prestige will be increased from a scale of 100s to a scale of 1,000s.
  • Almost all items will be able to have a resale value, with a minimum of 1 P
  • Prompt rewards will be increased to reflect the new scale.
  • Trait item prices have been increased from their original price to reflect the new scale.
  • Prestige MYO price has been increased to reflect the new scale.
  • We are ready to add several new game/site features to help give users more ways to earn currency with this economic change and use the items they have gathered.

We believe for the future of the site and species, these changes will improve QoL for both our new and established players. As Project Xero enters its third year, we have always made a point to communicate with the community that things they are used to may change and scale as time goes on. This is a substantial change compared to the proposed update last year, but we are certain that users will be able to adapt quickly.


NUMBERS BREAKDOWN:
Before you look at these large numbers and panic, Prestige earned from prompts & activities are being scaled up as well.

This number increase is PURELY to have a higher Prestige ceiling. Our goal is to keep the process of earning your MYO(s) roughly about the same as current, just with an overall better economic system for the rest of the games and items. Hopefully, this makes sense to you all!

Current MYO Price: 300 Prestige
Proposed MYO: 30,000 Prestige

Current Standard Trait: 5 Prestige
Proposed Standard: 500 Prestige

Current Unusual Trait: 10 Prestige
Proposed Unusual: 1000 Prestige

Current Notable Trait: 15 Prestige
Proposed Notable: 3000 Prestige

Current Anomaly Trait: 25 Prestige
Proposed Anomaly: 5000 Prestige

Seasonal Trait: Limit of 1 per person in-store, additional free ones can be earned for a limited time in decent amounts by participating in event activities.
Current Seasonal: 25 Prestige
Proposed Seasonal: 7500 Prestige


In addition to the scale changing, there is also a bit of an increase in some of the trait’s rarity. Standard and Unusual trait items will remain very common and fairly easy to get by playing the game normally. However Notable, Anomaly, and Seasonal traits will now be more rare and will require frequent engagement/effort/time to obtain. Just like in Neopets or other similar games, part of the appeal of playing is to save up to get the rarer customization options. We feel if all options remain fairly equal in rarity and obtained in abundance, interest in continued interaction tends to drop a lot.

Currently, MYOs and most trait items are extremely abundant. Part of this is because of the current scale being so low, but the other part of this comes down to the need for more ways to spend Prestige. These are issues we are aware of and actively working on rectifying! We understand these changes may sound intimidating at first, but we have put in tremendous effort to ensure our changes are balanced to the best of our ability, including reaching out to community members for feedback. 

We are certain this economic update is the best way forward for ProjectXero at large. 

 

❗  THIS UPDATE WILL GO LIVE ON February 5th  ❗

Feel free to do prompts, activities, and purchase any items or MYO slots with the current system before this economic update goes live!



New Starter MYO!


We are adding a new  MYO option: An easier-to-get MYO that is only available one time per account, available for 10,000 Prestige. This ‘starter’ MYO should be achievable for a new member with 1-2 months of playing the game, depending on activity level. This MYO does not refresh yearly like the others, it is available one time only. This MYO will be available to ALL accounts once released, not just FTOs, though its primary purpose is to allow new players an easier entry into the game.

This 1-time MYO will be account-bound meaning the item, slot, and final character are bound to the owner’s account. This MYO is primarily to help provide players with a ‘starter character’, if they want additional characters or MYO slots to trade, they can earn/purchase more! We believe having these more easily obtained ones be account-bound will also help cut back on potential issues of multi-accounting.

If an account-bound ‘starter character’ is no longer desired by the owner, it can be voided or donated to the Admin Account to be raffled off as a prize in the future. Users who donated their starter MYOs will be given 5 Orbits for Jackpot Planet. If a user (new or old player) decides they are not interested in having an account-bound character, they are free to save up for the other MYOs or trade/purchase other characters instead, they don’t have to get the account-bound MYO. Other than the cheaper price and easier obtainability and the account-bound status, the MYO is the same as any other basic MYO and can have any traits added to it.

The other yearly Prestige and Wish Shard MYOs will still be available to everyone and will refresh every year, but they will require more time/effort to get, which should help increase the desirability of MYOs and Xeros in general.
The new Starter MYO will be available starting on February 5th!


new Welcome Gift!


We will also be adding a new ‘AREZ Welcome Gift' item that can be retrieved for free in Jackpot Planet, once per account. All members will receive the opportunity to claim this 1-time gift. For new players, this is essentially a starter package; for old players, this is a little gift to thank you all for sticking with us!

Creating side accounts or asking friends to make accounts to claim gifts for you is strictly against the rules and will result in a ban for all parties.

The AREZ Welcome Gift will contain the following:
This free gift will be available starting on February 5th!

Trait Overhaul!

A handful of traits will be getting their rarities swapped around, a few traits are getting combined, and some traits will be removed completely. The primary purpose of this is better balancing, but also more logical choices. When Nico made the species in 2021, they had very few trait ideas solidified at the beginning which resulted in some traits in rarity tiers that don't necessarily make sense for the species. 

"What I mean by this is that Xeros are an arboreal species that live in trees with a climbing lifestyle. A trait like a prehensile tail should be more common than a short, useless bobtail that would actually hinder a Xeros ability to climb and navigate in branches." ~Nico

Some traits are fully moving categories, such as moving from ‘Event Traits’ to regular tiers. Some traits may also be separated out further (such as folded puppy ears and fully hanging 'lopped' rabbit ears) in order to make the traits’ usage further defined.

SUMMARY
  • Plume Tail is being removed as a seasonal trait (changing to Unusual rarity) and will be replaced by a different future Seasonal trait. Seasonal traits are also being divided up into actual seasons now, with the idea of hosting 3 separate holiday events each year, with each event having 3 seasonal trait items available during it; Instead of Twilight Carnival being very trait-heavy at the end of the year.
  • Patterned Skin & Bioluminescent are swapping places. Patterned Skin will become Anomaly Rarity, and Bioluminescent will become a Premium trait alongside Split & Dazzle. Bioluminescent will still be plenty available, as it will be able to be purchased with Orbits in Jackpot Planet, obtained randomly through Mysterious Orbs, obtained through charity donation drives, and earned for free with the yearly Lantern Fruit carving prompt! We believe this will suit the usage and desirability of these traits better.
  • Venomous will be updated so that darker markings bordering neon/high-contrast fur markings are optional; the main purpose of the trait is the neon-colored skin. To reflect this change we are also renaming this trait from Venomous to Aposematic, which is defined as an animal that displays bright colors to communicate toxicity.

  • Curly Tail is being combined into Prehensile Tail due to redundancy; Xeros with this trait will either have the trait changed to Prehensile Tail if the Xero features a tightly curled tail, or refunded with a grant of a Helix Bean item if Prehensile Tail is not applicable to their character's design.
  • Pigment Mutations are getting a large overhaul. The traits Albino, Leucistic, and Melanistic are being combined into one trait that may be called “No Countershading” - this would encapsulate a Xero of any color (light, dark, or in between) that lacks the typical countershaded belly that is required on all Xeros otherwise.

 

There are multiple reasons for these trait changes including:
  • The original traits were widely considered too confusing to many, from users and staff alike.

  • The change will allow for increased character customization. Currently, there is no way to have a solid-green Xero with no countershading, for example.

  • In addition, it was brought to our attention how these traits may be seen as anthropomorphizing real human conditions such as Albinism. We recognized through discussion that while we aimed to educate about conditions that apply to animals in nature, these conditions occur in humans as well, and we do not wish to reduce those conditions to rare traits as we feel this is not being respectful of those individuals.
  • Similar to the above reasons, Piebald is also being removed as a trait. In addition to the reasons stated above, it does not make sense for us to only have restrictions on white splotches as a ‘special trait’, when splotches of any other color are not traited, nor are markings of any other kind (Outside of the species required countershading). We also do not wish to put a paywall on a trait for people who may have a similar-looking condition, such as vitiligo, from creating a Xero that reflects themselves. Owners of all Xeros with the piebald trait will receive a refund of the Sky Melon item since the trait is being completely removed.
  • Additionally, the ‘heterochromia’ (different eye colors) part of the Split and Piebald trait is being removed. Split will only be about different areas of skin color, different eye colors will now be un-traited.

In the places of the previous Pigment Mutation traits, we are introducing several ‘new’ traits, some of which were previously locked in as features of other traits:

  • Mela Mela Drupe, which previously made a Xero melanistic, will now give a Xero Dark Scleras, allowing the Xero’s scleras to be darker than the iris color. This will be in the Notable tier for rarity.

  • Blanch Berry, which previously made a Xero leucistic, will now give the Xero the new combined Bright Pupils trait, allowing a Xero's pupils to be lighter than the iris. This will be in the Notable tier for rarity.

  • Sky Melon, which previously made a Xero piebald, will now give a Xero Reverse Countershading, allowing the Xero’s underside to be darker than the surrounding fur. This will be in the Anomaly tier for rarity.
  • Sweetsap Pod, which previously made a Xero albino, will now give a Xero No Countershading, allowing the Xero to bypass the countershading restrictions. This will be in the Anomaly tier for rarity.

these trait updates will go into effect on February 1st!

This update is going out a bit earlier to get everyone back into the flow of these changes! February 1st is also when our Questions and MYO Approvals will come back, so this allows a small buffer to not feel like all these changes are coming at once!

 

Prestige Ornament Pre-Orders!

Posted 3 months ago :: Last edited 2 months ago by NeonSlushie
 

:prestige: Prestige Ornament Pre-Orders :prestige:

Click here for the order form!

After a brief bit of downtime while the machine was being repaired, Prestige Ornaments are back open for pre-order! We should still be able to guarantee Holiday delivery for USA orders! :boolew_heart: 🎁

 

🌲 Our very own ScrapTeeth has been working hard on prototyping another fun little Xero Item for you all! This time it’s a Prestige Ornament! :prestige:

🪐 These 2.5 inch ornaments are hand made from poplar wood, hand-stained with a green water-based stain, and sealed with polyurethane, so they should not discolor/get sun damaged over time. Each one is tied with a small rope to hang on your object of choice!

🌲 We’re so excited to share these with you for the holiday season! Each Ornament is 20 USD and shipping for your specific area is shown on the form! :prestige:

🪐 We hope to get these shipped out very soon for the holiday season! We’re very confident in USA shipping but there may be delays out of our control when it comes to international, fingers crossed for easy shipping across the globe! 🤞

❗️ THE ORDER FORM WILL CLOSE in 8 days, Saturday December 16th at 12:00 AM EST (site time), so get your orders in before then! ❗️

:prestige: https://forms.gle/MCKYF8vjUMYNAtSS7:prestige:

12 2023 Updates!

Posted 3 months ago :: Last edited 3 months ago by NeonSlushie

Team Fruit is declared the winner!

The winter chill indicates prime growing season has passed, so you’re very happy that the interior of the greenhouse is humidity and temperature controlled. Walking in, you can loosen your scarf.

You spot Tilly, who is talking to some other workers quite excitedly. When they spot you she turns and waves you over.

“Oh my sun and stars! You have absolutely perfect timing! Have you seen the news?” You shake your head and she takes it as an opportunity to summarize.

“We won!! But I never doubted you! Us Korso have known for millennium the true nature of the lantern fruit. And now? Everyone else knows too!”

She’s beaming, positively soaking in the satisfaction of being right like the soil soaks in the rain. She pulls a folded piece of paper from her overall pocket and hands it to you.

“Here’s the official letter from ARC confirming the lantern fruit's classification, have a look for yourself!”

One of her coworkers pulls her attention as you skim over the letter; the sounds of happy chatter fade into the background as you intensely focus. It dawns on you that public opinion has seemed to impact science in a very surprising way.

 

team_fruit_8.png

Team Fruit
1st Place

5990 Points

team_veggie_7.png

Team Veggie
2nd Place

5829 Points



Click for all the details!


Team Fruit vs Team Veggie: Results!

Congratulations TEAM FRUIT With a final score of 5990 points!
 
What an amazing show! This solidifies the Lantern Fruit was classified in the correct way to begin with according to public opinion. Thank you all so much for participating!


:teamveggie:Chin up, team Veggie! It was a very close race, with the final score being 5829 points on your end! Although the Lantern Fruit is classified officially as a fruit, no science can confirm it would be tasty in most baked goods. Let’s stick to stews and salads, culinarily!

:teamfruit: With the event coming to a close that also means all Team Fruit members received an extra 10 tickets each into our Mega Raffle, which has now concluded! Congrats to our winners! You will be contacted shortly to inform you of your win and asked to choose a specific prize for those who won things like vials and beakers!


You may also notice that your Twilight Carnival 2023 badge has had its art updated to reflect the final results; enjoy your badge of honor for this incredibly important debate!



❗️ Important Updates for 2024 ❗️

 
This is the very last month of 2023, and what a year it has been! We are proud of what we have achieved this year and we cannot wait to plan a fun-filled 2024 for all of you!

At the beginning of this year, we introduced Wish Shards to allow our users to gain 2 free MYO slots per year. We’re very pleased with the reception this has had and we cannot wait to continue in 2024 with some more changes for the next year to make our economy stronger!
 
This month, we will be reaching out to a few community members directly to discuss our plans and receive proper feedback before we move forward with any large sweeping changes to our entire userbase; we are only so many people after all! If you are reached out to for feedback and choose to give us any, we thank you very much for your time and effort!
 
We want only the best for our game and community, so we're taking these changes and feedback extremely seriously to ensure that anything we update will be fair for all players.
 
With any changes, we will give all of you a heads up on exactly our plans before they go into effect. This may mean that the rollover yearly Basic MYO’s may be delayed in the beginning of next year or given a “grace period” before anything changes. We will to come to you all with a clear plan as soon as we finalize our ideas. Thank you so much for the support we have been given!
 


A note on Crafting


We also thank you for the incredibly warm reception to our soft launch of our Crafting feature!


With all the testing and feedback we have received over the month, we now have a much better idea of what needs to be done to improve this activity going forward!

We cannot wait to beef up crafting once we have the resources to do so. We will keep you all posted once we have a more solidified ETA!

Crafting is not going anywhere for the recipes we currently have and please, if you happen to have any fertilizer still left over, no need to toss it! We have plans for that item and many more once Crafting becomes more robust! Keep foraging and collecting materials, you never know how they may be used!



Season of Giving

A tradition at this point is coming back for the holiday season; the Galactic Gift prompt has had its rewards doubled for the month of December! This is your chance to recoup a bit of Prestige from our event and give a gift to a friend at the same time!

This prompt can be submitted 4 times per user!

THe Reward Bonus will END on Sunday, December 31st AT 11:59 PM EST / 8:59 PM PST

 

Returning Seasonal Fruit

Image example of Xero Trait 'Fur Pads'

A seasonal fruit is back in fashion! The Astera Thistle, a fruit that allows your Xero to have fluffy paw pads, is available in the Greenhouse for the month of December! Snatch it up before it is gone!




REGULAR Monthly Prompts

Finally, as always, we still have our monthly repeating prompts, XOTM & ARC Survey!

xotm122023.png

12 2023 XOTM: ZytoMega's  X-678


What is XOTM? Each month, a new Xero will be picked at random to receive a plethora of gifts from the community! Draw, write, or create some mixed media crafts for the featured Xero and win a Mysterious ORB and a chance for your Xero to be featured next month!
Learn more about XOTM
arcsurvey.png

ARC Survey: 019


Do Xeros have specific traditions they follow in the winter months? Notably, many societies develop gift giving and family oriented holidays and traditions during the colder months, do Xeros follow suit? What does that look like for them?

Participate in ARC's Survey

 

 

Twilight Carnival 2023

Posted 4 months ago :: Last edited 4 months ago by NeonSlushie

a sizzling debate breaks out the eve before twilight carnival!

 

On their long journey to the bountiful shore which would later become the Harbor, the first Korso settlers traveled across the vast steppes with little more than the clothes on their back. Along the way, they were sustained by the humble Lantern Fruit. During the first blackouts, the fruit’s bioluminescence guided travelers through the darkness and to safety and served as a source of comforting light to families huddling in their newly built homes. The fruit’s husk came in handy as the travelers constructed their new dwellings, and could be fashioned into various tools and containers. And of course, its pulp was simmered into savory stews and all sorts of dishes—when the fruit wasn’t simply being eaten raw, that is. Some scholars argue that without this useful and easy-to-grow food source, the fledgling civilization of Harbor would have succumbed to famine in those first few harrowing years. With the availability of other materials, many practical uses for the gourd have since fallen out of common practice.

However, the Lantern Fruit is still one of Owai-6’s most recognizable staple plants, and Alurizians still commemorate its importance by carving the gourd into decorative works, which hang cheerfully in the streets of Harbor, B’haddu, Torini, and the like. However, the Lantern Fruit has recently become the topic of discussion for another reason: its impending recategorization. Owai-6’s beloved “fruit” may not be a fruit at all. The recent public debate began when one notable voice in the culinary world, Chef Sapid Sizzle, took to Chatter to offer up a different perspective—with a side of salt! In a seemingly casual recipe post, Sizzle wrote: 



"Ah, the humble Lantern Fruit. While we may not rely on it as totally as we once did, this ingredient still finds its way into many of Owai's signature dishes. No Korso fine dining restaurant worth its five-star rating would be caught without Lantern Fruit bisque, and no street vendor worth their salt would neglect to carry Lantern Fruit slush in the hot summer months. But I’ve always thought it odd that though the Lantern Fruit is such a popular staple of our home, many people just simply get it wrong. Through my many years of experience in both the kitchen and garden, I can tell you that not once have I looked at one of these and thought “fruit.” It’s a vegetable."

In the rest of the post, Sizzle went on to describe a labor-intensive dish that involved fermenting, simmering, and flambé-ing Lantern Fruit peel, with a final result that barely tasted of Lantern Fruit at all. But although his recipe never quite garnered much attention, his assertion about the true nature of Lantern Fruit blew up overnight, prompting even the ARC Greenhouse’s official Chatter account to comment: “It’s a fruit. Trust us, we’re scientists.”

The matter was later complicated when many Chatter users pointed out certain botanical features of the Lantern Fruit plant: such as the fact the gourds lack true seeds! A win for Team Veggie, which was also bolstered when users dug up a research paper that seemed to outline further inconsistencies with standard botanical classification guidelines. The resulting scrutiny prompted the paper’s author to comment: “Guys, I was a grad student when I wrote this and I finished it literally overnight so I wouldn’t fail BIO 20010, so please stop showing up at my house with microphones because I truly have no comment.”

But it seems the people of Owai-6 do in fact want a final answer when it comes to our favorite gourd, and with the Twilight Carnival fast approaching, there is no denying this topic will be become dinner table talk for hundreds of thousands of Alurizans. With pressure mounting to get to the bottom of this mystery, the ARC Greenhouse has announced, in collaboration with Sizzle’s Café, a competition open to the public!


Popular opinion will determine: is it Lantern Fruit or Veggie?

Join a Team!

Fill out the team assignment prompt to get added to one of the event teams!

Click for all the details!


Team Fruit vs Team Veggie


Join a team and prove once and for all (totally scientifically definitive) that Owai-6's most infamous gourd is a FRUIT!?  VEGETABLE!? 

Once you've joined a team, you'll be directed by Tilly the Korso or Vas'Amargo the Varox to help grow your team's Lantern Fruit by participating in prompts or crafting fertilizer to earn Kilos! At the end of the month, the team with the biggest Lantern Fruit will be declared the winner! But that's not all! Individuals will find a leaderboard and rank system tied to how many Kilos you contribute!

Those who go above and beyond to earn 200 or more points for their team will earn the Super Fruit rank title & 5 extra Raffle Tickets!

Joining a team grants you your team's badge, 1 Orbit, and 1 Raffle Ticket.



Help out your team by crafting!

Crafting Fertilizer and Premium Fertilizer will yield 1 point and 5 points respectively for your team! The recipes for these items are completely free and can be crafted as many times as you have materials for. Let's get crafting!

This contest ENDs on Tuesday, November 30th AT 11:59 PM EST / 8:59 PM PST


Free Gifts, Crafting, & Foraging!

Each week, all users will be able to grab one free Carnival Gift from Jackpot Planet with a chance at Astatine, Prestige, Orbits and more! Log in for the weekly turnover to claim your gift! Remember, if you forget to claim your gift before the weekly reset you will miss out!

Each Gift Bag always contains:
Each Bag will also contain 1 of the following:

Crafting New Baskets

With the new Crafting Systemwe're excited to announce three basket blueprints! Blueprints allow you to assemble your foraged items into bigger, better prizes using ARC Lab's MAKR Machine. In each basket you will find various items, such as limited-time Seasonal Produce, rarer gemstones, and everyone's favourite element: Astatine! Start crafting your baskets and see how luck rewards you!

Blueprints can be obtained for free in each weekly Carnival Gift. A limited number of additional blueprints can be purchased in Jackpot Planet, and baskets themselves can be earned from certain prompts, won as prizes, or even foraged!

❗️ Before you start crafting! ❗️

Some of the new recipes take multiple ingredient varieties, such as any produce item. Please make sure you are using the items you wish to use before you click 'craft' so you do not lose out on an item you want to hold on to! The crafting system will automatically select random items for these multi-item ingredient recipes, so you must double check to make sure it selects the ones you want to use and deselect the ones you do not want to use.
 
We will not be able to restore items for those who use them mistakenly, so please be careful when crafting.
New Foraging Location!
To help you find the items you'll need to craft Fertilizer & Baskets, we have a temporary Foraging location: Autumn Path!
This location only drops items needed for the crafting recipes, as well as a rare chance for Baskets, Orbits, or last year's Foraging Mushrooms, for those who wish to collect them or simply sell them for some extra Prestige.

Free gifts, blueprints, and the Autumn Path location will no longer be available after Tuesday, November 30th AT 11:59 PM EST / 8:59 PM PST


Seasonal Prompts

Returning prompts are back for the month of November!
Do these two autumn-themed prompts to gain Orbits, points for your team, and extra raffle tickets for our Mega Raffle! 

Leaf Press

forage_leaf.png?ex=654d95b8&is=653b20b8&hm=d2eb0324ab676751237e27e3bed3debb7e33c4605f2788a0bb2e2935eec72671&=

Commemorate the wonderful colors of the season by collecting fallen leaves. These are usually gathered around Carnival time and often pressed and used as decorations around the home. Strung together or pressed for display, it’s a wonderful tradition to preserve a little bit of autumn.

Collect some plants to press (Fresh flowers and leaves work best) OR collect mushrooms to grab their spore prints! Remember to collect your materials sustainably and respectfully. 

Link to the prompt

Jam Making

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It is a widespread custom during the Twilight Carnival to make home-cooked foods. It is said exchanging cultural food helps us all come together; food transcends even the most arduous of borders. Not all of us are fantastic cooks, however- so this simple jam recipe is popular among many Alurizan residents.

Cook a delicious jam made from whatever you would like! We even have a recipe for you to follow along. Be safe and careful when preparing hot jam!

Link to the prompt

Each prompt may only be submitted once per user!

THese prompts END on Tuesday, November 30th AT 11:59 PM EST / 8:59 PM PST

a previously discovered fungus gains a new use!

This curious cap oozes with potent pigments. Dyes made from Sugar Drop leave deep, lasting stains on many surfaces, so the mushroom has found early popularity in the cosmetics and fashion industries.

Recently, though, this funky fungus has risen to new heights of popularity throughout Owai-6 as a new fad has been discovered - dyed teeth! Biting into a Sugar Drop will sink that stain deep into the teeth of an intrepid gastronomer, leaving them indefinitely visually adjusted. Rumor has it this unusual property was first discovered by an ARC intern, who boldly chomped down on the fungus mere seconds after having been told that it wasn't poisonous.

Despite the name, however, Sugar Drop isn’t exactly easy on the taste buds - though harmless, the pigment is sticky, bitter, and astringent, with a tendency to linger on the tongue for hours after. Such is the price we pay for fashion…

Image example of Xero Trait 'Colored Teeth'

a new trait: Colored Teeth!

Braving the astringent Sugar Drop allows a Xero to stain their teeth any color they desire! The enamel-stained color can also be as subtle or vivid as the Xero wants. Curiously, the Sugar Drop dyes every tooth in the consumer's mouth. This means that the Xero must commit to the same color on each of their teeth and may not mismatch colors. Go all in!

returning seasonal fruit:

Available all month in the Greenhouse and Jackpot Planet!

 

 
Hake Nut, Mult Fruit, Goodroop Berry, Spikul Fruit, and Harvest Fairy all make a return!

Users can purchase 1 of each fruit in the Greenhouse. Additional fruits can be won at Jackpot Planet or found in Baskets!


Games & Prizes

To celebrate Twilight Carnival, we have some pretty spectacular prizes available this month; you don't want to miss out on this!

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It's Xingo time again! Join us in our Discord (18+) for Xingo - a Xero-themed Bingo game that lasts all month!

Every day new words are called and when you get 5 in a row, you get a prize! This time, we're introducing a few new ways to earn prizes: Patterns & Secret Words!
Each line, pattern, or secret word will earn you 1 Orbit & 1 ticket to our Mega Raffle! You can learn all about it in our brand new prompt, which is where you'll go to claim your prizes!
Xingo sign-ups are now closed, but be sure to join our Discord to join next time!

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A new peculiar location has opened in the bustling shopping district of Harbor: Jackpot Planet!

With the introduction of this shop comes a new currency as well: Orbits! These are a new event-only currency that may be used at Jackpot Planet to redeem special prizes! You can earn these through Xingo, our Seasonal Prompts, and sometimes in our Free Weekly Goodie Bag!

Additionally, you may hold on to your Orbits for the next event if you would like to save up for something bigger, the choice is entirely up to you!

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Twilight Carnival Mega Raffle

The Twilight Carnival Mega Raffle will run the entire month! There will be 26 winners with different prizes! Raffle tickets can be earned by participating in the Event Prompts and getting Xingos in our Discord!
❗️ all members of The winning Fruit or Veggie team gain 10 extra raffle tickets! ❗️


Note: The MYO prizes will be given as already-opened slots with a sale value of $0.



REGULAR Monthly Prompts

Finally, as always, we still have our monthly repeating prompts, XOTM & ARC Survey!

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11 2023 XOTM: queijac's  X-647!


What is XOTM? Each month, a new Xero will be picked at random to receive a plethora of gifts from the community! Draw, write, or create some mixed media crafts for the featured Xero and win a Mysterious ORB and a chance for your Xero to be featured next month!
Learn more about XOTM
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ARC Survey: 018


How do Xeros dress? Do they follow trends? Have a specific fashion sense? Or maybe a majority of them use their fur to show off their fashion! We want to know how your Xero likes to express themselves through clothes and accessories!

Participate in ARC's Survey

 

 

10 2023 Updates!

Posted 5 months ago :: Last edited 5 months ago by NeonSlushie

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10 2023 Activity Summary!

🎃 Join us at the end of the month to count down our 13 days of Halloween! This time around there will be both GA and Staff made Halloweeny designs every day of the event.

🧪 We have one new glitch trait available to be added to Xeros! Embrace your spooky side with the diaphonized trait!

🎨 Don't forget our Monthly Prompts! Additionally to the regulars, we're also bringing back the seasonal Lantern Fruit Carving Prompt for this month only!

Check out the details below for more information!

Click for all the details!


join us October 19-31st for a new xero design every day!

Featuring designs from BeeSoda, FineThingsInLife, grannypix, JollyMutt, MakiNirudi, NeonSlushie, PandaParfait, paradoxxpalms, Pastel_Mayo, queijac, ScarlettWolf24, starbovnd, and wallabytea!

We’ve collected a big group of guest artists and staff artists to design you all some frightening and spooky designs to be posted at the end of the month: from October 19th through the 31st! 🎃
Every one of these will be done via a raffle here on the site, which gives everyone an equal chance to go after a Xero they love! Get into the groove with us each day anticipating which Xero will pop out next!

 A new Xero will be revealed each day at 8:00 AM PST / 11:00 AM EST every day and every raffle will be open until 8:00 PM PST / 11:00 PM EST! That gives you 12 hours to enter each day! Each design will be posted on our Sale Tab, so be sure to check it out!

  Aaaand… wink wink nudge nudge- if you want to see each design early, consider joining our Project Xero Kofi! If you are Unusual Orb :orb_unusual: or up, you get previews of each design a day early! And also, one of the designs will be Kofi Exclusive for Notable Orb :orb_notable: members! Wow!

 


 

New Glitch Trait!

With ARC's release of a new Prototype Xero, this unnatural trait is now availble to be added to any Glitched Xero!

The Curator has informed us that this new trait is now available to be added to any Xero who wishes to have a permanent X-ray!

 
 
a new glitch trait: Diaphonized
Diaphonization is a bizarre mutation in which the skin of the affected area contains no melanoctyes, rendering it semi-translucent to visible light. Organs, veins, and muscles, having the same refraction index, would also appear transparent, but bones, being a denser tissue, remain visible.
Although the effect is fascinating, Xeros with any amount of diaphonization cannot grow fur in those areas and thus their skin is extra sensitive to UV light; nothing a bit of sunscreen can't fix though!


You can find out all about how to use and apply this trait to your Xero on the trait's encyclopedia entry.

 




 

Lantern Fruit Carving

 
 
 
It's time again; the Lantern Fruit Carving prompt is here for 2023!
Fall is here, and Xeros have a ton of ways of celebrating it - some of which may feel very familiar to you! For this prompt, carve or decorate a pumpkin or gourd with a Project Xero related theme to win Prestige and a Lantern Fruit of your very own! Make an edible dish with your pumpkin, gourd, or melon for a bonus prize!


This prompt may only be submitted once per user!

THIS prompt ENDS Tuesday, October 31st AT 11:59 PM EST / 8:59 PM PST

 



REGULAR Monthly Prompts

Finally, as always, we still have our monthly repeating prompts, XOTM & ARC Survey!

 

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10 2023 XOTM: PandaParfait 's X-028!


What is XOTM? Each month, a new Xero will be picked at random to receive a plethora of gifts from the community! Draw, write, or create some mixed media crafts for the featured Xero and win a Mysterious ORB and a chance for your Xero to be featured next month!
Learn more about XOTM
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ARC Survey: 017


What do Xeros think about the mysterious "Glitched" phenomenon? Would your Xero embrace this interesting way of self-expression or avoid it? We want to know the public opinion on this so we can continue to learn more about it!

Participate in ARC's Survey

Each prompt may only be submitted once per user!

THeSe prompts END Thursday, October 26th AT 11:59 PM EST / 8:59 PM PST

Autumn Equinox Giveaway!

Posted 6 months ago :: Last edited 6 months ago by NeonSlushie
 

Autumn Equinox Giveaway!
Join our Discord to enter!

Design by NeonSlushie !

Click for more info!

🍂 It’s the Autumn Equinox! Today in the northern hemisphere, we observe the change of seasons with a night & day of equal length before we shift into the cooler fall weather and long nights. 🍁
 
🍄 What better way to celebrate the shift of the seasons but with a new Free Raffle Xero?
 
🍂 This special giveaway is open for First Time Owners (those who have not yet owned a Xero)!
 
🍄 To enter, please join our Discord! There is a thread to enter in the Announcements channel. You must have a site account or be willing to make an account to enter! 
 
🍂 We will be rolling this Xero 24 hours from now, September 24th @ 3:00 PM EST!
 
🍄 Good luck everyone! Please tell your friends and spread the word!

Welcome To The Savannah!

Posted 9 months ago :: Last edited 9 months ago by Blair

 

A new subtype has been discovered!

New Savannah Subtype!

With the Summer Solstice coming to an end the Arc lab discovered a new Xero subtype and now shares their findings with everyone!

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a warm welcome to the grassland-running savannah subtype!
Savannah Xeros are specially adapted to run fast in their native grasslands and protect themselves from the elements of that environment. Notable features include a mane to protect their backs from UV damage caused by the hot sun and Hooves that help them navigate the rocky hills and sweeping stretches of land. In addition, Savannah Xeros feature longer limbs to allow them to run faster and see over tall grass easier. 

 

The Savannah Subtype features 3 new subtype-specific traits!
Savannah Mane

Savannah Mane

A long fluffy mane that can cover part or all of a Xero’s back, or even go onto their tail! The primary purpose of the mane is to protect the Xero’s back from UV damage from the sun, since there is not a lot of shade on the open grasslands this trait evolved on. Plus, it also serves as a fashion statement.
Savannah Hooves

Savannah Hooves

An adaptation for moving swiftly on wide-open grasslands. These hooves are rounded, modified claws whose purpose is to protect the Xeros feet from rocks and difficult terrain while running. Since these hooves can see some extra wear and tear it is recommended to clean them out daily. 
Long Limbs

Long Limbs

This subspecies-exclusive trait allows a Savannah Xero to run faster than their non-savannah cousins and see over tall grass. While a Standard Xero would have stockier limbs that form rounded hands and paws, a Savannah Xero has longer skinnier limbs that taper near the ends to form a digitigrade look while they are standing up.

All three of these traits can be obtained by making a Savannah Xero with a Notable Xero Orb! If you wish to add these traits to your existing Xero please visit the Atelier to use the brand new Savannah Vial and Savannah Beaker!

Thank you all for supporting us for two amazing years, we simply cannot wait for the future and what is in store for this project, Happy Anniversary Project Xero! Here is to many more years to come!

Summer Solstice Giveaway!

Posted 9 months ago :: Last edited 9 months ago by NeonSlushie
 

Summer Solstice Giveaway!
Join our Discord to enter!

Design by NeonSlushie !

Click for more info!

☀️ Summer Solstice is here! It's the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and we love to celebrate these special days that only happen a few times a year!
 
🌊 What better way to celebrate the shift of the seasons but with a new Free Raffle Xero?
 
☀️ That’s right! This adorable Marine Xero is a free raffle open to ANYONE! If you want a chance to win this Xero, be sure to enter yourself into the raffle!
 
🌊 To enter, please join our Discord! We will have a raffle bot you can click to enter, easy as can be! You must have an account or be willing to make an account to enter! 
 
☀️ We will be rolling this Xero 24 hours from now, June 22nd @ 3:00 PM EST!
 
🌊 Good luck everyone! Please tell your friends and spread the word!

Expedition Redux!

Posted 9 months ago :: Last edited 9 months ago by NeonSlushie

 
It has been roughly a year since ARC's Expeditionary Service constructed respite points in the forests of Kiah and the seas of Tidix-c II.

There has been much growth since that time, and the ecosystem seems to be recovering well. We now have ample, consistent data of the biosphere, but there is always room for more! We would like to task you with a voyage to either the lush forest or to the vast sea, ensuring the ecosystem is on the right track.
For some of you, this may mean your second time exploring these areas, but we assure you that it may look rather different from the last time you were here! As for the new faces, we hope this opportunity allows you to receive your safety certification in a controlled way, so that you may accompany ARC's Expeditionary Service in the future on a planet that may be... less hospitable.

If you feel this task is to your interests, please fill out the proper paperwork and report to the ES HQ to be briefed on the specifics.
 

Expedition Redux!

Ensuring long term success in ARC's Expeditionary Services means preparing and enacting follow-up surveys to ensure that our efforts are maintaining a thriving environment.

In pursuit of this, we've scheduled newcomer-friendly review expeditions of ocean moon Tidix-c II and the jungles of Kiah! Public applications are opening alongside this announcement - please review the summaries below before you apply.
 

The Oceans of Tidix-c II
While Tidix-c is a dead planet, its ocean moon Tidix-c II has a thriving aquatic ecosystem. On our first expedition, we catalogued an incredible diversity of life!

Tidix-c has since seen the construction of a large mining facility and an orbital refueling station, and this expedition aims to record what impact (if any) those structures might have on the denizens of the moon. Their comfort comes first, so we're prepared to consider changes to the orbital station based on what we learn here.
 
 
The Jungles of Kiah
Kiah as a planet was absolutely ravaged by the Blight, with scarring visible even from outer orbit. Before the Blight's defeat, Kiah was on the verge of total ecological collapse; post-Blight Kiah is still a challenging environment to live in, and likely would have faced mass extinctions if not for our restoration efforts. The Kiah Restoration Project was established to restore Kiah to its former glory while studying and preserving the unique life found there - the evolutionary pressures created by the Blight have produced shockingly resilient forms of life that we have much to learn from.

While the restoration project has been successful in stabilizing the planet through proactive terraforming and autonomous monitoring, Kiah still needs help to become self-sufficient. That's where this expedition comes in! On Kiah, you will be on four-week rotations with a stationed team, helping to care for the local environment and reporting on the progress and challenges you encounter.
 

Now that you have some background for each expedition, please fill out an application if you wish to help - your local Ranger facility will take submissions! We here at ARC thank you for your overwhelming support and enthusiasm, and look forward to a brighter future together!



 

Limited Time Event Prompts


Fauna Field Study

In this prompt, you are tasked with depicting Project Xero's existing fauna in your own style! Will you draw them as a field guide study, sculpt a model of a creature in their environment, write a more "realistic" approach to the species, or something else entirely?

This prompt may include a broad spectrum of media. Consider the images and descriptions of the fauna currently in the Index, and put your own spin on them.

Participating in this prompt awards 1 Astatine, 1 Redux ORB, and 2 tickets to our Mega Raffle!
Join the ES Today!


Follow-Up Survey

In this prompt, draw or write about your Xero participating in an expedition to the jungles of Kiah or the waters of Tidix-c II.

How does your Xero interact with or observe the flora and fauna? What is your Xero's task in helping with the Expedition? How would they safely do so while preserving the natural ecosystem of these areas? Do they bring special tools to assist them with this task? Clothing or gear?


Participating in this prompt awards 1 Astatine, 10 Prestige, 1 Redux ORB, and 3 tickets to our Mega Raffle!

Adventure Awaits!

 

Expedition Volunteers - Research Note Exchange!

 
Attention ARC volunteer researchers!
First of all, thank you!  We’ve received so many applications that these expeditions are already looking like a great success before we’ve even reached the starting line.

As you conduct your surveys, some of you may find yourselves gathering redundant or particularly esoteric data from repeated observations of the same species.  Feedback from prior volunteer expeditions frequently includes concerns that these notes are less valuable.  On the contrary, niche observations are of particular interest to us at ARC, and we’d like to get our hands on that data sooner rather than later!
 

To that end, we’re introducing the Research Note Exchange:
Submit your extra data to the Exchange, and in return, we’ll provide baseline information on another species of interest.  The particular data you receive is up to you to choose from our database - perhaps you’ve been tracking Volans and would like to know where you might spot an Ascadon, or maybe you’re positively swimming in Boolew and are wondering what our jungle teams have learned about those Teropitas!
 
Our hope is that the Exchange will encourage and facilitate both breadth and depth of observations during your surveys.  Thank you again for expressing so much interest in this project; with all of your help, we’re sure these expeditions will both see spectacular success!

 
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To summarize: if you went through all the effort of going on a second expedition only to study the same animal as last time, if desired, you can exchange your duplicate Research Notes  in the Exchange "Shop" to get a different creature!


1. First click on the duplicate Indexed animal from your inventory
2. Click the checkbox for the one you wish to exchange
3. Click "Sell Item" to exchange it for 1 Research Note.
4. Head to the Research Note Exchange & pick out a different animal to study!


Be careful when selling the items from your inventory and only sell those that you'd like to exchange for a different one; we cannot provide refunds if you change your mind and the Research Notes have no purpose outside of an easy system to trade in duplicates.

Important to note is that Research Notes or Indexed Animals cannot be traded between users; animals collected in the Index are meant to represent animals that your Xero has studied rather than animals that they actually posess. They are not pets or collectables and cannot be traded! Each account's Index is a log of the animals you have researched and this Index will come into play for future game elements on the site. The Research Note Exchange shop has been added to this event to help alleviate the concern of getting a duplicate of something that cannot be traded.

Finally, only common animals can be exchanged for Research Notes, the rare varieties and color mutations can only be studied in the wild!

 

 

Project Xero 2 Year Anniversary!

Posted 9 months ago :: Last edited 9 months ago by NeonSlushie

June 26th Is Project Xero's second anniversary!

We have grown a lot since then and we still have a long way to go! To thank you all for supporting us and sticking with us, this month is extra special! We have a few small things and a few big things planned; one of the bigger being another Gachapon Xero Sale to be sold on the anniversary date! Look forward to a few special designs made by our ARC Staff! In addition, releasing next week we will have some special limited time prompts to participate in! Please look forward to it this month and collect the special prizes that come with it!

 
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We have been hard at work learning about where Xeros and others from Owai-6 like to habitate, and we have found a new area for you to explore and eventually forage from! Please welcome the lush grassland, Zae’ka! Learn more below!

Event Activity Summary!

🎊 It’s Project Xeros Second Anniversary on June 26th! Time flies! We have a few secrets planned that will be released later this month, stay tuned! 

🎲 Xingo is happening this month! For all those with the role, the first word goes up today in the Discord!

🎫 In celebration of our anniversary we are holding a Mega Raffle! You can earn tickets by participating in Xingo or some special prompts, prizes are detailed in the newsletter!

🧪 We have TWO new glitch traits available to be added to Xeros! Breathe underwater with Gills or embrace your snail side with Eye Stalks!

🎨 Don't forget our Monthly Prompts! As a reminder they now end on the 26th of each month!

Click for all the details!


New Location!

Zae'Ka Steppes
 
Once the accessorial homeland of the Korso, the Zae'Ka Steppes remain a lush and fertile ecosystem, a testament to their respect for their environment. Across the rolling hills and lush treebelts, the Zae'Ka region supports some of the greatest biodiversity of large animal species on all of Owai-6!

An amazing variety of fruits and other plants are produced across the temperate grassland farms of Zae'Ka. This diversity of edibles naturally leads to a diversity of cuisine, luring cultivators from all across AREZ to sample the famous Korso fruit pies! Alongside agricultural pursuits, the open plains have long been utilized as an effective, sustainable energy source via large wind farms and cultivation of numerous ethical biofuels.
 
 
Stay tuned - Zae'ka will eventually become a new foraging location and will continue to be fleshed out as we develop the world of Owai-6 and the Korso people further!
 

 



New Glitch Traits!

With ARC's release of two new Prototype Xeros, these unnatural traits are now availble to be added to any Glitched Xero!

We have been in contact with the Curator and they have informed us that these new traits are now available to be added to any Xero who wishes to brave them; eye stalks and gills!



Eye stalks are classified as two protrusions from the head of a Xero that have a cone-like base and two round eyes on top. These stalk eyes are simple ocelli and are primarily used to detect light, dark, and movement all around the Xero, rather than complex shapes or colors. Sneaking up on a Xero with this trait would be very difficult!



Gills are respiratory organs that are located on the neck or rib area and allow the Xero to breathe underwater. A Xero with this trait has both a set of gills and a set of lungs and can “turn off” function for one or the other depending on their body state. Gill-having Xeros who spend a lot of time outside of the water are recommended to find ways to rehydrate often to avoid drying out the area.

 
These traits can be added to a Glitched Xero by using a Glitch Vial!


 

Games & Prizes

To celebrate our anniversary, we have some pretty spectacular prizes available this month; you don't want to miss out on this!

 

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Join us in our Discord for our second Bingo Xingo - a Xero-themed Bingo game that lasts all month! Every day new words are called and when you get 5 in a row, you get a prize! Prizes include Prestige, Astatine, fruit of choice, and tickets to the Mega Raffle!


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The Anniversary Mega Raffle will run the entire month! There will be 20 winners with 20 different prizes! Raffle tickets can be earned by participating in the Event Prompts and getting Xingos in our Discord!



Anniversary Mega Raffle


Note: The MYO prizes will be given as already-opened slots with a sale value of $0.

 

RAFFLE PRIZES

   

New Team Members!

With Xeros growing and changing rapidly, we sometimes pick up new help in order to reduce wait times and have an extra hand on new ideas and website coding! Please give a warm welcome to two new members of the ARC Staff team; Drac0rex and Kirill ! They will be focusing on things like behind-the-scenes coding, newsletters, site pages, as well as general help in the Discord!

 



Monthly Prompts

Finally, as always, we still have our monthly repeating prompts, XOTM & ARC Survey!

 

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06 2023 XOTM: toonaniac's  X-641!


What is XOTM? Each month, a new Xero will be picked at random to receive a plethora of gifts from the community! Draw, write, or create some mixed media crafts for the featured Xero and win a Mysterious ORB and a chance for your Xero to be featured next month!
Learn more about XOTM
arcsurvey.png

ARC Survey: 013


Have you ever tried to grow and care for your own plant or garden? Tell us about it! Did you enjoy it, what you found particularly easy or challenging, why you picked the plants that you did… anything you’d like to share about your experiences in plant parenting!

Participate in ARC's Survey