Update // StarStickers 2.0 is live (Patreon)

Happy tidings to you all- I come bearing good news: after much, much planning and preambling, we’re finally pleased to announce the official launch of the new version of StarStickers! [ Insert confetti ]

I already ran over the bulk of the updates to the system in this mega post here so please read that first if you’re not entirely sure about what’s going on here. This update will cover the abridged version of the changes, particular circumstances for this month and some further updates coming up. Let’s get to it.

General Updates

At its core, the system largely operates the same. Service rewards (merchandise, mentorship and tokens) haven’t changed, other than cosmetically. Illustration rewards (custom art) have been overhauled to integrate a fairer booking system that will allow people a wider chance to book, as well as a fairer process to allocate said rewards. Below is an overview of these key changes:

This new system is largely based on traditional commission systems used by most artists. As such, availability for illustrated rewards will also be based on my existing workload, capacity and personal circumstances. This means that some months might not have illustration reward openings, while other months might see only certain rewards become available.

Should that be the case, it’ll be announced in my regular updates via Patreon and Discord, so please keep an eye on those.

Additional changes

- To fall in line with the new application window (5th to 10th of the month when available), monthly points will now be allocated to everyone’s accounts on the 4th of the month (instead of the 1st)

- The FAQ document on StarStickers has now been re-written to be a StarStickers Guide. You can find this any time via the button at the top of the StarStickers homepage (you must be logged in). Please read this document thoroughly, as all the relevant information about applying and booking rewards is outlined there.

- Most of the copy across the site, including reward specifications, emails and booking prompts, has been rewritten to be clearer and more accessible. Please read all of these thoroughly, as they will include critical information to avoid confusion and/or disappointment.

- The UI and visuals have been updated across the site to better represent key information and current reward types.

Availability in February

As the system took a little while to prep and launch, this month will serve as a test to pressure the bugs out of the system. As such, conditions for this month’s bookings will be as follows:

• Applications will be open on all rewards, but the total number of rewards allocated will be 4-5 tops.
• The application window will be shorter this month - running from today, 15th to Friday 17th. This will allow us to compile all the relevant data to make further changes over the weekend.

It’s entirely likely that we’ll experience some teething issues on release, as the system took over 100 hours to put together with just a team of two (and one of us can barely do enough CSS to bold a font). We kindly ask for your patience, as well as your keen eye to report any bugs, issues, typos or concerns you might have in the StarStickers channel in Discord or via Patreon DM.

Please note that both myself and my dev partner live in the UK and might not be able to respond to enquiries out of hours.

Upcoming changes

Overall, the changes in the system so far have been tailored to make things fairer and more sustainable for everyone. Although the largest, this is just the first step in that process, with further tweaks coming down the line. Here’s a brief recap of what to expect (which I’ll expand on in future updates).

- The cost of many rewards will be rebalanced sometime in April-May.

This will include illustration and merchandise rewards, with some points costs increasing and others decreasing based on popularity and demand. More information about these adjustments will be shared in an update next month.

- The point reset on unpledged accounts will be reinstated in May.

Back when we launched StarStickers, there was a clause that established that unpledged accounts would have their points reset after 60 days of the account being deactivated. This was halted during the pandemic as a gesture of goodwill.

Now, with the creation of this new application based system that aims to favour those who’ve been pledging and waiting for their chance, as well as the hard cap on all tiers to prevent more growth than the system can handle, it makes sense to bring this forced reset back in order to prevent collapsing the system.

As a compromise this reset will be brought back with a wider timescale - 180 days instead of 60 from the point of deactivation. This will also be implemented in May - 2 months from now - in order to give anyone wishing to retain their points a chance to repledge before then.

Once the reset is implemented in May, do note that all accounts that have been unpledged for longer than 6 months at that point will be automatically reset without notice.

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I won’t lie - it’s been a colossal, and not unstressful, amount of work to get these changes implemented and I truly hope it reflects how much my patrons mean to me. While the system might not be perfect on launch, with a little bit of help we’ll refine it into something balanced, fair and sustainable for everyone.

I would like to thank you all for your patience during this time and I look forward to hearing your thoughts and feedback!

And with that, have some quick access links:

QUICK LINKS:

• StarStickers
• StarStickers Guide (please note you must be logged in to access this link)
• Masterpost guide to this Patreon
• Workflow board (all booked rewards and current batch commissions)
• Commission list
• Mentorship calendar

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[ Last Updated: Feb 15, 2023  - 11:00GMT ]