Experience Points
Only referenced colonists (those with an ID like 0100 or Natives who have joined colonies ) may gain experience points.
Experience Points, or XP, is the way that colonists keep track of life experiences and how many more Experience Points must be earned for a colonist to reach the next Level.
Levels are categories to show the life stage a colonist is in. They can give bonuses and unlock additional pathways of gameplay. Learn more.
Submissions are the on-site method to earn Experience Points. Learn more.
Notice on AI
Be aware that Xiunus does not allow the use of AI-generated art except in the cases of starting points or referencing. You cannot use AI work here unless at least a rough 90% of it has been painted over with clear effort to make it your own. AI generation uses real artists' work and effectively picks bits and pieces and mashes them together with no regard to the original artists' consent or credit.
If you're having trouble with a composition or background and really want to use AI, consider throwing a heavy gaussian blur over it and painting on top. That way, you get colours and placements, but you've put the effort in to make it your own.
Every piece of art or literature that colonists are depicted in counts for experience points. While literature word count is the same, not all art is created equal. There is a guide below to show how many Levels art counts for. To earn experience points, you must submit the piece via a submission.
If you are not the creator of the submission but you are submitting for it, you cannot receive the RP for it in the Submission! If the artist/writer is a member of the ARPG and the site, you should link to their profile so they can be awarded, or you can request that they submit the Submission instead, to make things easier for everyone.
Natives earn a flat 3 XP when included in submissions and this is be counted into the RP for the submission.
Experience Point breakdown is required for each colonist present. The total for each colonist should be counted as the Experience reward for that colonist. If you don't include a colonist, we may easily miss it and presume that a depicted creature is a NPC you included for flavour.
If you are the creator of a piece or contributed towards the creation of it, you earn Research Points. These are equal to the Experience earned, prior to any special prompt bonuses. If the work was made by someone who is not a member of Xiunus, you may earn only half the RP rounded down, and only if they give written permission.
You should make sure to mention any bonuses or modifiers, such as equipment that allows more rolls in activities or the Benefit of Age, detailed on the Research Points page.
Instead of having specific requirements for art activities, such as fullbody with shading and a background, we have adjusted to an Experience Based system. Art activities and actions require a certain amount of experience per colonist to count individually for each. This allows creativity in expression, including things such as comic strips.
— 8 XP, including at least one background if art.
— At least 300px by 300px for an image.
— Literature needs a colonist mentioned by name or nickname (specified in comments) at least once per every 200 word block.
— Comic page with two panels. Each has a half-body (2 XP,) both of which are coloured (4 XP) and shaded (2 XP). There's one total background (2 XP). The total is 10 XP.
— Comic page with three panels. One half-body (1 XP) that is coloured (2 XP). One coloured (3 XP) full-body (2 XP) that has a background (2 XP.) The total is 10 XP.
Notice on Effort
The goal of art should be always to improve yourself! Here at Xiunus we want you to expand out of your comfort zone and always improve your art. We won't judge your style or what experience point of art you're at, but works with clearly less effort put in compared to the rest of your gallery may result in halved points. This includes things such as overly simplistic drawings or point sheets that contain very similar or almost identical poses repeated. For things like headshots/busts, you'd be surprised at how much of a difference just noticeably changing the facial expression or arm positions can have!
The colonist's markings should be distinctive enough to be recognizable.
+2 XP — HIGH QUALITY
Previously "Painted." This shows a high amount of effort and quality versus the user's gallery. Please include a comment about a particular part of your piece you were focusing on improving.
Examples: Tsabhua hand anatomy, trees, composition, backgrounds, etc.
+2 XP — COLOURED
Greyscale counts as long as the markings are destinctive in their appropriate values.
+1 XP — SHADED
Shading requires some attention to the physical form of the colonist. A gradient or flat shade doesn't count.
+2 XP — BACKGROUND (Art only)
Requires at least 3 types of background element.
They should not be entirely blurred or obscured and should have some detail beyond solid colours or gradients. At least two colours/shades required per element for them to count. This does not mean that you should have multiple single-colour shapes and try to count them as different.
The colonist's markings should be distinctive enough to be recognizable.
+3 XP — HIGH QUALITY
Previously "Painted." This shows a high amount of effort and quality versus the user's gallery. Please include a comment about a particular part of your piece you were focusing on improving.
Examples: Tsabhua hand anatomy, trees, composition, backgrounds, etc.
+3 XP — COLOURED
Greyscale counts as long as the markings are destinctive in their appropriate values.
+2 XP — SHADED
Shading requires some attention to the physical form of the colonist. A gradient or flat shade doesn't count.
+2 XP — BACKGROUND (Art only)
Requires at least 3 types of background element.
They should not be entirely blurred or obscured and should have some detail beyond solid colours or gradients. At least two colours/shades required per element for them to count. This does not mean that you should have multiple single-colour shapes and try to count them as different.
+5-15 XP — ANIMATION — This scale is based on complexity and visible effort.
+1 XP — RESEARCHER — Include a coloured and/or shaded Researcher. (Max 1)
+1 XP — FOREIGN COLONIST — Include coloured and/or shaded colonists from other colonies. (Max 5)
+1 XP — PRIME FRIEND — Include a coloured and/or shaded colonist who is confirmed Level Two. Does not apply to the Level Two colonist itself. (Max 2)
+3 XP — TRIBAL VISITOR — Include a currently unclaimed coloured and/or shaded Native from the Xiunus account. (Max 2)
+1 XP — Home REGION — Depict the region the colonist's colony lives in currently.
+1 XP — AFFILIATED ARPG — Depict any coloured and/or shaded creature from an affiliated ARPG species. (Max 2)
+1 XP — BONDED PET — Depict a coloured and/or shaded pet that is currently attached to this colonist. (Max 2)