Rank Points (Rp) are earned when you or another person draws or writes about your Algolope. Rank points determine the Rank of your Algolope and come with multiple bonuses and benefits the higher ranking that Algolope is. This includes more Breeding Slots, more Health, higher Stats, and access to new activities.

Members are responsible for tracking their Rank Points per Algolope on a [Tracker]. When requesting Rank Up, Admins will confirm points are accurate or adequate for rank up. The group provides a template Google Sheet,  there should be one tab per Algolope. (If you see #Ref! error, select one of the boxes and choose Allow Fetch Data.)

Item and Activity trackers may be individually tracked per Algo or you may have a single place to redeem activity loot via deviant Journal, Deviation, or Toyhou.se bulletin.

Information on Ranks can be found HERE!

Submissions accepted to the group should not have their Rank Points counts edited or updated after approval. If you wish to add missed points or characters, you must remove the submission from the group and submit to our Activity Corrections for re-evaluation.

Algolopes has a quality standard.
Artworks must be unique and show effort.
We do not allow grids, strips or Artwork  that generally has a continuous background, reused assets, with characters that are sticker-like, floating on the background, or not interacting with the scenery and which may be depicted with or without gravity. Grids and strips are often  cropped and uploaded separately or uploaded as one submission with divider lines. We do not allow either. 

Images that are too similar will be rejected for lack of effort.

We do not allow Rank point farming or loot grinding artwork. Each work should tell a story or show the Algolopes actively participating in the activity and not just be made to quickly progress in the game! Literature must actively feature the Algolopes present and not just a mere sentence or mention.

You may make miscellaneous or 'daily' artwork that does not meet activity requirements, such as reference images, doodles of your Algolopes, for fun or practice, but we limit the number of fullbodies, partials and headshots to 2 of each type in the image for points, unless they are visually unique and redrawn. See Comic Guidelines for exceptions!

Note*
All artwork should have the following features: Toes, eyes, ears, limbs with volume (no stick legs).

Artwork must accurately depict the imports’ markings and physical traits, but allows for stylistic variation, as long as the depicted trait does not look like either another mutation or a physical trait the import does not have.

Misc Artwork should have the following form in the description:

[Import Link] (List the name and link the import to the text)

[Tracker Link]

Total: +# RP

Notes: (add links to breakdowns or anything else, remove if not applicable)

Activities have their own forms and can be found on the respective pages or via [Submission Forms].

Calculating Rank Points:
For most submissions, we use the spreadsheet tracker to calculate the Rank Points automatically, simply choose the highest completion level for your artwork, or enter the word count and applicable bonuses.

Admins verify these points when we process rank ups.

Definitions:
Elements - Uniquely drawn items in the background, such as trees, rock features, animals, insects, flowers, bushes, etc. Elements at minimum must be flat colored with at least 2-3 colors.  Adding shading is required for complex+ backgrounds, but optional for simple.

Stamp brushes for details do not count as elements unless painted over to add details and variations. (Often found in tree, grass or foliage brushes.)

*Note Elements can be disregarded for effort put into the background details,  such as detailed rendering of a background element or ground.
[rendered example]

Ground - Levels of ground or plains in an image that show depth to some degree.
Foreground is usually where a character stands, but there is also middle ground, background (distant features), and sky. The sky itself does not count as a ground or element.

Element Exceptions:
Celestial Bodies - Clouds, stars, sun, moon, simple meteors and shooting stars, simple auroras, etc do not count as elements. However detailing or hand painting a cloud or aurora could count as an element  due to effort. 

Ground Cover - Grass blades, grass texture, vague flower splotches or single colored shapes and ambiguous foliage do not count as elements. A hand-drawn flower could count as an element.

Chibi- Simplified features,  stylized proportions, or reduced details. All markings must be present and character should remain identifiable with accurate physical traits such as coat type and antlers on males. Eyes, Toes, Ears, and Limbs should be depicted in some manner and with volume.

Backgrounds:

Choose one.

Simple:  1 RP 

2 levels of ground, 2 elements, optionally shaded.

Complex:  4 RP 

3 levels of ground, 3 or more elements, at least simple shaded.
Painted:  8 RP*

Everything about the background is fully rendered with attention to detail and care given to element of the image. Should at minimum have 3+ levels of  ground, 3+ elements but often goes above and beyond minimums. Complex shading, lighting, atmosphere and painted details, or rendered and detailed elements in place of minimum requirements.

You may list this if you feel your work meets the requirements, but staff will evaluate and determine the final Rank Point Count. (This is considered above and beyond normal effort, think fine art realistic paintings)

 - See bottom of Page for examples.

Note* Elements and Ground Levels can be omitted if reasonable effort is put into the background details, such as hand rendering the bark on a tree, blades of grass at the roots, or the distant clouds.  See Rendered Example at the top of this page.

All backgrounds must express a clear scene and setting. No points are awarded for the following background types: Solid colors, gradients, photos, photo-manipulations, screenshots, or abstract backgrounds.

Additionally, rough sketches or unfinished backgrounds will award only Simple Background bonus regardless of if the background would otherwise meet ground minimums or element counts.

If a background does not meet all requirements for that type of background, the work will be downgraded to the next level of background. You may always correct artwork and resubmit to claim points.

Background Minimums:
All backgrounds for Ranked Activities (Dungeons,  Delving, Racing, and tba) should be Complex. This means they must have at least 3 levels of ground, not including the sky, celestial bodies, or ground cover, at least 3 elements, and at least simple shaded.

Training, Healing, Basic Activities (Hunting, Fishing, Scavenging) and Explorations must have at least a Simple Background, 

Creating a background - Ground Levels:

The first step of backgrounds is determining the ground levels, the two images below detail the minimums for simple background.
Simple background requires 2 levels of ground, minus the Sky. 

Complex Background requires at least 3 or more levels of ground, not including the sky. 

Creating Backgrounds - Elements:

After you've got your ground levels set, backgrounds require Elements. Elements must be at least 2 colors before shading to count, but we recommend using more for clarity. All elements must meet a backgrounds requirements in order to count. Elements should be uniquely drawn and not copy pasted or a stamp on from a brush. 

Simple Background Elements:
Simple Background should have at least 2 elements. In the examples below we have 4 shown.

Complex Background Elements:
Complex  Background should have at least 3 elements as well as simple shading. In the examples below we have 4 elements shown.
Note* All parts of a background should be shaded to meet Complex BG requirements. 

Note* Characters may be colored or shaded in a manner that does not match the background, as long as each part of the work meets individual activity requirements.
Backgrounds may be complex with simple shaded characters for example. 

Other Bonuses:
Other bonuses are applied once per submission, per bonus type, with the exception of listed caps for stackable bonuses.

Complete Fullbody: +1 RP

-  Stacks up to 3x per entire algolope shown.  Must show the entire or Complete Algo, including all feet and tail. 

Event: +2 RP
Activity: +1 RP
- Hunting, Fishing, Scavenging, Training, Rite, Exploration, Dungeons, etc

Personal: +1 RP

Gift: +1 RP
Other ARPG Creature: +1 RP
- Applied once per ARPG critter, must link official imports. Max +3

Extra Algolope: +2 RP
- Feature another uploaded import, your own, a starter or group algo, or another members algo. Must be at minimum partial body (4 sections) with color and simple shading. Max of 3 algolope per submission (4 with guide). Every additional algo  aside from the first gives a +2. 

Algolope of the Month (AOM): +2 RP
- Anytime an Algolope  of the Month,(AoM) even an old winner is depicted, all algolopes featured earn +2 Rp.  Max 1 AoM per submission. 

Monthly Prompt // Theme// Weather: +2 RP
Depicting the [Monthly Prompt], or [Weather] adds this bonus. Theme/Prompt and Weather can change daily, weekly, monthly or seasonally. See the respective pages for prompts and forecasts. Weather can be depicted as the current ‘Conditions’ which are an all month prompt,  or as that specific day’s weather (must be uploaded that day).

Note* Extra algolope, ARPG Creatures, Riders, or Handlers must be recognizable with details, max 3 of each type per image. Vague or overly small representations will not be counted for RP.


Riders//Handlers:
Riders follow a similar system as Algolopes Base Artwork Points, choose the highest options for your artwork. Riders should be at least halfbody, or drawn from the waist up.

Note* Riders must be accepted into the Riders Folder in order to apply points! Please submit a colored visual reference, at least half or fullbody, with basic information such as name, age, species.

Partial Rider : 1 RP
Partial Rider Colored: 2 RP

Partial Rider Colored  Simple Shaded: 3 RP
Partial Rider Colored Complex Shaded: 4 RP

Fullbody Rider: 4 RP
Fullbody Rider Colored: 6 RP
Fullbody Rider Simple Shaded: 8 RP
Fullbody Rider Complex Shaded: 10 RP

Rider Complex Bonus: 2 RP

- For multicolored, patterned or complex layered clothing, excluding using brushes or stamps to add patterns. Includes drawing sets of armor if at least 2 pieces of armor are depicted. May stack up to 3x for 3 riders.

100 words = +1 RP
Note*
The first Algolope in writing should meet the 800 wc minimum to count RP. If the submission is MISC artwork, the first algolope does not have a word count minimum. If more than one algolope is featured in MISC artwork, the total wordcount is divided by the total number of algolope, rounded down. Ie: If you write 820 words and have 2 algolope, each would get +4 RP.

For ANY Activities: Additional Algolope MUST be featured for a minimum of +400 words per algolope in order to be eligible for any RP counts. When meeting this requirement you also become eligible to count the +4 Extra Algolope bonus, for a total of 8 RP. This rule is in place to balance with artwork minimums.

Literature Bonuses:
Descriptive Setting: +2 RP
- Clear description of an area, such as an exploration area, wherever the characters are, such as ruins, etc. Must be at least 100 words, in addition to wc featuring the characters.

Roleplay: +1 RP

Personal: +1 RP

Gift: +1 RP

Event: +2 RP
Activity: +1 RP
- Hunting, Fishing, Scavenging, Training, Rite, Exploration, Dungeons, etc

Other ARPG Creature: +1 RP
- Applied once per ARPG critter, must link official imports. Max +3

Extra Algolope: +4 RP
- Feature another uploaded import, your own, a starter or group algo, or another members algo. Must be at minimum 400 words added to the total word count, per addition.

Single Rider/Handler: +1 RP per 100 words

- Rider/handler must be actively featured in the literature.

Multiple Rider/Handlers: Total Rider Wordcount / Number of Riders.
ie 4 riders featured for 400 words, each rider would get +1 RP bonus applied to their Algolope.
Riders are counted as a rider/algolope pair. Multiple riders do not apply their bonuses to a single Algolope.  

Note* Other ARPG creatures, Extra algolope and Rider bonuses may be added as long as the other algolope, creature, or rider are featured in a main part of the story and not simply mentioned or cameo'd. Each additional Algolope should add +400 words to the activity minimum. Riders do not add to the minimum wordcount, but must be featured for at least 100 words to earn the bonus. In addition, clear Split POV such as in roleplays may have Single Rider Wordcounts for each applicable rider vs Multiple Rider Bonus. Multiple Rider is meant for stories and literature where riders are equally present and interacting, and often owned by the same player.

Algolope of the Month (AOM): +2 RP
- Anytime an Algolope  of the Month,(AoM) even an old winner is depicted, all algolopes featured earn +2 Rp.  Max 1 AoM per submission. 

Monthly Prompt // Theme// Weather: +2 RP
Depicting the [Monthly Prompt] or [Weather] adds this bonus. Theme and Weather can change daily, weekly, monthly or seasonally. See the respective pages for prompts and forecast. Weather can be depicted as the current ‘Conditions’ which are an all month prompt,  or as that specific day’s weather (must be uploaded that day).

Prompts, Themes and Weather should be mentioned or referred to throughout the literature.

Lore Specific: +1 RP
- The story or scene directly engages with the current storyline, story prompt, event or setting lore in a meaningful way. 

Character Development: +2 RP
Your Algolope reaches a goal, epiphany, life milestone or event in their life that affects them, their worldview,  or their circumstances permanently. Can be applied to flashbacks of events that were important to your character's development.

Story Arc: +1 RP
- The literature is a direct continuation of a prior or ongoing plotline for your character, rather than a one-shot that is disconnected from any narrative.  This bonus is applied once per literature, but may be applied to all pieces that can be connected in the narrative, such as another literature, roleplay, or event, until the end of the associated arc.

Note* You must link related stories, with previous, current, next identifiers until the specified arc is complete. This bonus can apply to explorations while completing encounters or events that require response until that event or encounter is concluded.

*Literature bonuses may also be applied to artwork that includes short stories in the description to accompany the piece, as long as it meets the 100 word minimum or other listed minimums.

These bonuses are added on to your base art points.

Sculpture - 3D model or clay
Simple Sculpture (smoothed, simplified, low poly) : +5 RP
Detailed Sculpture of Model: +10 RP

Physical Crafts: +5 RP
- Physical crafts include fabric and paper dolls, Perlers, cross stitch, embroidery, crochet, etc.

Animation:
Simple Animation: +1 RP

- Includes small movements such as blinking, floating, bobbing, tail or leg movements.

Animation:  +3 RP per unique frame
- Must show frames individually such as  a sprite sheet or  keyframes timelines for evaluation.

Tweening animation and animations in Live2d or similar programs may only count unique keyframes and not the tweened animation effect.

Other Situations:
Reused Assets: Specifically for 3D models, drawn bases, physical crafts, anything that is reused, such as shading layers, lineart, patterns, or 3D models does not get the base art points, but any new additions, such as coloring like the specific import earn points.

Examples: Someone makes a Your Character Here, or YCH fullbody base with shading. The premade aspects of the base, such as fullbody and shading do not get points, but the unique coloring can.

On 3D models this would be the UV Map, which would earn the color bonus.

Additionally, animating with premade but reskinned models, would get the animation points per unique keyframe, but not the initial points for fullbody.

Dolls and physical crafts may use the same pattern but can only count color points, along with the general physical craft bonus. 

To calculate ‘Color’ bonus, subtract the Size category from the base art category.

Ex: Fullbody colored (8 RP) - Fullbody (4 RP). The word would only earn 4 RP + applicable other bonuses.

Animations require Admin review for final RP totals.

Comics must be minimum 3 panels, max 6 panels per page. They must have clear or recognizable splits or borders.

Comics are counted per panel, minus reused elements such as a similar headshot but changed expression, or reused backgrounds. When counting comics on your tracker, notate the panel and count each panel as a separate image.

Panels that meet activity requirements can get activity rolls, max 3 per comic page.
There may be a maximum of  3 algolopes featured per page that earn Rank Points, 4 with guide.

Artwork Examples:

Painted Backgrounds:

Everything about the background is fully rendered with attention to detail and care given to element of the image. Should at minimum have 3+ levels of  ground, 3+ elements but often goes above and beyond minimums. Complex shading, lighting, atmosphere and painted details, or rendered and detailed elements in place of minimum requirements.

You may list this if you feel your work meets the requirements, but staff will evaluate and determine the final Rank Point Count. (This is considered above and beyond normal effort, think fine art realistic paintings)