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EDIT: Yes, I'm totally rezzing this thread in the light of the fact that now we have not only a stable full of NEW colorists, but color-only colorists (which means I foreee more unedited flatsales/breedings/etc). Which is AWESOME, but having more items to play with makes it easier for the colorists and the customers to really get creative and make their unedited pet really personal and special.


Happy Monday everyone!

Just something that I've been mulling in my head for a WHILE now, might as well test the waters, eh?

I would like to see a BIG shop event, sometime (no specific season, timeframe, etc) with ONLY unedited ponies. Flatsales, raffle, auctions - everything unedited. I think this would be beneficial for a couple of reasons:

* It would give the colorists maybe a chance to color more Soquili for the event with less stress than having to edit a whole bunch of ponies

* It would showcase how many beautiful and creative ponies can be without having to have any edits at all. I think some people (not all) get stuck in the mindset that in order for your Soquili to be special or unique or different it has to be edited. And there's nothing wrong with edited ponies at all - but I do think its important to realize that unedited should be the standard and that unedited doesn't mean your pony is cheap, boring, or rushed by the colorist.

Additionally:

I have noticed that (in general) when people get customs and they are already shelling out a lot of gold for the rarer breeds they tend to tack on a lot of edits on them - and I can completely understand the mindset. Yeah, when you're already paying millions of gold for a Soquili adding a few hundred K for unique edits seems like a good return on investment. But because of that, there's a vast lack of unedited rare ponies (and super rares) compared to the amount of the more common breeds. I think this might subconsciously be lending the the false generalization that unedited Soquili aren't special or unique. I think using this event as an excuse to get some beautiful unedited rare/super rare breeds out there would be awesome

So....


...that being said. Another way to maybe "kick off" this event and make it exciting and new would maybe be to add more items to the Trading Post!

I completely understand making and templating items can take a lot of time and work - but at the same time, once a colorist makes it once they are there forever for future Soquili to love and appreciate. Again, since there is no set date/season this event would have to take place in, the colorists could take as much time as needed to come up with a few new, great items.

I think more trading post items could only be a positive. It allows Soquili to take on a bit of personalization - especially if there are IC backgrounds to the items. For example, one of my Soquili is blind, so I'm looking very forward to being able to get a blindfold when he grows up. Also, it would be cute to maybe be able to buy items during the holidays for other ponies - like gifts given ICly ( I think a few colorists did something similar to this this last Christmas or Valentines Day)

Also, I think more trading post items can only add to the variety of unedited Soquili that could be done for this big event or events in the future. For example, with a more robust array of Trading Post item options (added to the hairstyles and trading post items that we already have) you could take a "plain" chestnut bay base and make probably a dozen wildly different looking ponies.

EDITED Feb 2014 - I'll go back over this list as many of these how have now been made, because the colorists are awesome


Trading Post Item Ideas
These are simply some brainstorming ideas, and not a 'list of demands' of course
Please feel free to add your suggestions!

Wing Decor
Bandages
Shoulder and Joint "clips"

Tack
Western-style saddle (basic riding saddle)
Bridles
Carousel-like parade saddle
Harness - suggested by JetAlmeara
English-style saddle - suggested by CheshireKttty
Turnout Blanket - suggested by CheshireKttty
Lead Ropes - suggested by CheshireKttty

Armour and Barding
Small pieces of plate over the head/face (not a full helmet)
Cuffs, Bracers
Wing Clips

Piercings
Maybe more than the ears? Nose, lip, or eyebrow options
Wing piercings - For leathery (kalona or dragon) style wings only

Scars
These would be a set, old, healed scars that should just be able to be "cut and pasted" onto the Soq, maybe have just a few color options like light/white, grey, or brown/flesh. Could come in a couple of different sizes/shapes like skinwalker claw damage, over the eye, etc.

New necklaces
Bottles
feathers
small animal skulls
gems/stones
lei-style (made entirely of flowers) suggested by Phail Ninja Lei Necklace made by Darkmoon Dancer
----- Another type of Flower necklace by Neza

shark-tooth necklace suggested by Phail Ninja
totem charm based on real Native American totems suggested by Phail Ninja (note by Kamiki -love- this)
Chinese style collars - suggested by Andranis
Dog & Cat style collars
Puka shells (could also be bracelets) -suggested by Andranis

Hats & Face
Lolita or steampunk styled mini-hats (meant to be pinned onto the mane, not "fitted over" their head)
Native American Headdresses - suggested by LOLTERNATIVE
Circlets
Daisy Chains (could be bracelets, too) suggested by .Tortured. .Pumpkin.
glasses suggested by Phail Ninja
Forehead Jewels
Masquerade-style masks - suggested by Andranis

Mane/Tail Accessories/effets
Roses or Other flower types
--- Plumeria's have been added by Mindsend
---

Seashells - suggested by CheshireKttty
Stars - suggested by CheshireKttty
Water Droplets - suggested by CheshireKttty
Jewels - suggested by CheshireKttty
Long feathers (like peacock feathers) that could be tied into the base of tail - suggested by Sabin Duvert
Hair extensions/Hair Wraps/Braids - tied in behind the ear or at the base of tail

Mouth items - being held in the Soq's mouth
baskets
lanterns
long stemmed rose
pipes

Critters, etc- NOT familiars, but small little guys that come in a set selection of colors.
Butterflies
Fireflies
Dragonflies
Small fishies (aquatic breeds only)
Small plashes (smaller than the CYO ones) - suggested by StarieMichie

Body Chains
Similar (but not exactly of course) to the harpy-style chains that drape over the body

War Paint/Body Paint
These used to the Trading Post but they kind of went by the wayside because it got confusing. Originally war-paint added to a Soquili wasn't considered part of its coat pattern and couldn't be passed onto children and it got hard to keep track of. However, I think we should revisit this - if clothes and other trading post items can be passed onto breeding babies, why couldn't warpaint?

Bone/Skull Items - suggested by LOLTERNATIVE

Cuffs/Leg Accessories
Manacles or Ball and Chain
Warhorse-like Armored Cuffs with claws and/or wings - suggested by Sabin Duvert
Beaded bracelets for males
Pearls - suggested by .Tortured. .Pumpkin.
Leg Wraps - suggested by CheshireKttty

Gifts - suggested by LydaLynn
Like present boxes, or small baskets with bows on them, heart shaped boxes of candy, neckties [I so totally could see a soq getting it's father a necktie for father's day - it makes me laugh], necktie that is draped over back instead of around neck, Mugs that say 'world's greatest . . .', Expanding on the plushy idea - small teddy bears, Balloons, bouquet of flowers [can do carnations and roses and daffodils and such], awareness ribbons [could be attached to necklace or 'pinned' on shoulder or chest], box of candy cigars with a 'congratulations on your baskets' [could be blue or pink or mixed].

Basically - stuff that could be 'gifted' - maybe even a way for someone to purchase a 'item certificate' for someone else to show that their Soq gave another's Soq and item - the certificate could then be used to 'pay' for the item when that person won a slot in the trading post.

Yup, open smile

And totally want to hear people's suggestions! I'll add them to the post, too heart

Great ideas guys! I think this would be awesome, especially appreciating the non-edits...

I shall be stalking this and throw out idea when they come to me!

I'd like to see some of the newer templates get used in an event to show them off, and get them more widespread out there. I don't know how up to date the custom information thread is because sometimes it seems like Soq with new templated wings just pop up from time to time.

For items to add to the trading post, on the note of critters, small plushes could be added. Not like the plushes we color for holidays, but smaller ones.

I know quite a few people like to custom up Soq to look like horses they have known or owned in RL, It might be cool to have some regular horse items, like halters or bridles and whatnot.

Unedited doesn't have to mean natural colored or natural looking (which does tend to be a trend). And I don't think there necessarily has to be a set "theme" other than "Unedited" - There are several shops... Wishful Thinking comes to mind, that have thousands of beautiful, colorful, unique pets and 99.9999% of them are 100% unedited.

Edit: I guess what I'm saying it - I would like to see both customers and colorists have the chanced to really blow us away with their creativity/talent and making pets that are unique without relying on just adding edits to them. It's a (fun) challenge to make a beautiful, memorable pet that doesn't use edits.

And I wouldn't expect the auctions would go as high, either, but that's kind of good in its own way. I still think they would go for more than customs, but might give a different set of people a chance at the auctions?

I really like the uneditted event idea, especially the thought of including the rarer breeds. I think it even could be extended to minor edit hairstyles without compromising the idea.

I also think it is a good idea to expand the trading post, but I am not sure some of those items you have would work for trading post. For example, hats do not sit the same on every breed/hair style. But the ideas are great!