TWWM POINTS SYSTEM

ThoseWhoWentMissing has a dual-scoring system. Players earn points for submitting to the group and esk earn points for being portrayed in those submissions.

Aura Points (AP) are given to players
You will receive AP every time you contribute artwork or writing for the group regardless of whether you own an esk or not. AP is your reward for expanding the esk lore and collaborating on the game's world-building.
Earn Aura Points to unlock features in the game such as MYO slots!
Growth Points (GP) are given to esk
Esk receive GP every time they are depicted in a piece of artwork or writing that you or other players create for ThoseWhoWentMissing. Whenever your character wants to change its form, gain powers, or create a new esk it must use up some of its GP.
Earn Growth Points to buy mods in the Energy Exchange and perform Transformations!

QUICK LINKS

basics | base scores | roleplay scores
sketches | flat color | shaded | icons and small works | crafts and 3d | writing
additional points | full body | backgrounds | animations
bonus points | content bonuses | prompts | community and gifting  | additional information 

points calculator

Base Scores

Sketches / Line Art - 1AP  1GP

  • Quick, simple, loose doodles, silhouettes, and lineart fall into this category
  • Can be in color or just black and white
  • This category is very flexible and is based on self evaluation
  • Sketches and lineart may receive the abstract / minimal background bonus if background elements have been included
  • Sketches do not get any additional bonuses apart from full body and animation.
Examples (click to expand)

Flat Color - 5AP 2GP

  • Colored illustration without any shading or highlights
  • Detailed greyscale artwork can also fit this category
  • This bonus applies to the esk, not the background; flat colored esk on a shaded background still earns the flat color score.
EXAMPLES

Shaded - 10AP 4GP

  • Illustrations that have shadows and highlights
  • Shading must be clearly visible and easy to see
  • The esk always needs to be shaded for this bonus to apply
  • Very detailed and shaded greyscale illustrations can also fall into this category
EXAMPLES

Icons - 5AP 2GP 

  • Artwork that is 100px or smaller
  • Pixel art larger than 100px can be scored as normal artwork
  • Artwork smaller than 20px in either dimension receives half the score (total AP/GP divided by 2)
Examples
Picture
© dinstraction
Picture
© dinstraction
Picture
© TayaRavena
Picture
© dinstraction
Picture
© dinstraction
Picture
© dinstraction
Picture
© aHorseForEverySeason
Picture
© dinstraction
Picture
© TayaRavena

Crafts / 3D - 15-25AP 5-15GP

  • Sculptures, carvings, 3D models, dolls, plush, mosaics, food art, works using physical material, etc, all fall into this category.
  • Projects are scored on a sliding scale
  • Projects you invested a lot of time and work into may receive a higher scoring. If you believe your project might fall into this category, send us a group note for individual scoring help.
Examples

Writing - 1AP 0.5GP per 50 words

  • You earn 1AP / 0.5GP for every 50 words written
  • All forms of writing are allowed; poetry, song lyrics, short stories, etc
  • 100 words must be written to receive additional bonuses
  • Short poems such as haikus can be combined in a  batch to reach the needed 50 word minimum
  • In order to earn an elemental or community familiars bonus, 50 words must be written about the them being included
  • In order to receive the NPC bonus, 100 words must be written about the NPC being included
  • Esk can only earn points for writing that they actually appear in (if you write a 1000 word story, but the esk only appears for 300 words, then the esk gets 300 words worth of GP, not 1000)
  • Poetry that is over 100 words long receives an additional single one-time bonus of 20AP / 6GP
  • For every 800 words you write you receive a storyteller bonus of 8AP / 6 GP
  • For every 10 000 words you write of a long, continuous story, you receive a wordsmith bonus of 100AP / 50GP
Examples

Roleplay Writing - 1AP 0.5GP per 50 words

  • Written roleplays need to read as a narrative story
  • Each participant in the roleplay may only take points for their own word count, not the whole word count of the RP
  • Esk can only earn GP for the parts they actually appear in
  • In order to earn an elemental or community familiars bonus, 50 words must be written about the them being included
  • In order to receive the NPC bonus, 100 words must be written about the NPC being included
  • You must document your own contributions to the RP, either by color-coding your parts or by keeping a log on a separate document
Examples

Additional Points

Full Body - 5AP 2GP

  • Add this bonus if 75% or more of your esk's body is portrayed
  • This bonus does not stack; it applies only once per piece regardless of how many esk are portrayed in the submission
  • Portraying only certain body parts (feet, legs, chest, tail) of your esk does not qualify for any points
  • If multiple esk are depicted in an image, only those who fulfill the full body requirement will receive this bonus. 
  • The esk's nature features must always be depicted when drawing a full body image that does not include a background.
Picture
© KaijuRomance
  • If less than 75% of your esk is portrayed, it counts as a headshot and will require either a minimal background or the nature features of the esk to be displayed in order to earn points.
  • For the purpose of showing an esk's out-of-biome appearance on references and Masterlist artwork, you can draw an esk without their nature features and earn points for the depiction.
full body examples
Headshot Examples

Backgrounds

All backgrounds must be original works. You can re-use a background but it will only earn points for the first time you use it.

Abstract / Minimal - 5AP 2GP

  • Decorative, non-scenic, minimally detailed backgrounds that may consist of patterns or splashes of color.
  • Backgrounds that depict minimalistic horizons (sky and water) fall into this category.
  • Photographed backgrounds you have taken yourself fall into this category if there is a clear effort to include the esk into the background (please see the additional scoring information section below for more details regarding photographs in your submission)
  • Solid colors, gradients, geometric shapes, and text do not receive any background scores.
Examples

Simple / Vignette - 10AP 4GP

  • Backgrounds that show a limited amount of depth and/or detail
  • Does not need to fill the whole canvas
  • Esk does not need to be placed into the scene depicted; they can be placed in front of the background
  • Portraying your esk with an object (an esk sitting on an object, being inside an object, etc) falls into this category.
Examples

Full / Scenic - 30AP 10GP

  • Depicts a clear environment with a fore-, mid-, and background
  • Places the esk into the setting with a sense of space and depth
  • Narrative artworks that depict the esk in a fleshed out location
examples

Animation

Simple Animation - 1AP 1GP

  • Animation that has very few frames, like bouncing up and down slightly, twinkling, glowing effects, etc.
Examples
Picture
© dinstraction
Picture
© dinstraction
Picture
© aHorseForEverySeason

Moderate Animation - 5AP 3GP

  • Animation that requires more frames due to more effects and movements such as turning heads, lifting a paw, hopping, or multiple characters moving.
examples
Picture
© dinstraction
Picture
© dinstraction
Picture
© aHorseForEverySeason
Picture
© dinstraction
Picture
© aHorseForEverySeason
Picture
© aHorseForEverySeason

Complex Animation - suggested sliding scale 10-50AP 5-45GP

  • Animation that requires lots of frames due to showing complicated movements like walking, flying, or movement that involves animating the whole body of the esk and/or its surroundings.
  • The GP for this category works on a sliding scale and you can decide the amount that best reflects your effort and work.
  • Larger animated works or animations where you believe you deserve a higher score for the amount of effort or time put into them can receive individual scoring. Please contact us via group note for these situations.
examples

Bonus Points

Content Bonuses

These bonus points apply to art and writing and can be stacked. Artwork needs to be at least flat colored to be able to earn this bonus. For writing, there needs to be a minimum of 50 words for the elemental and community familiar bonuses to be earned, and a minimum of 100 words for the NPC bonus to be earned. 
The GP bonus only goes to the esk that owns the accessory, familiar, enchantment or elemental.

Small familiar - 1AP 1GP

This bonus applies for each small familiar depicted.

Small swarm familiar - 2AP ​2GP

This bonus applies for each small swarm familiar depicted. At least 3 members of the swarm must be shown.

Large familiar - 2AP 2GP

This bonus applies for each large familiar depicted.

Large swarm familiar - 3AP 3GP

This bonus applies for each large swarm familiar depicted. At least 3 members of the swarm must be shown.

Community familiar - 5AP 5GP

This bonus applies for each community of familiars depicted. At least 3 members of the community familiar must be shown.

Accessory - 1AP 1GP

This bonus applies for each accessory depicted.

Enchantment - 1AP 1GP

This bonus applies for each enchantment depicted. If the character has an enchanted familiar or accessory, you will claim this bonus in addition to those other bonuses.

Elemental - 5AP 5GP

This bonus applies for each elemental power depicted. If the character has an elemental familiar or accessory, you will claim this bonus in addition to those other bonuses.

Prompt Bonuses

These bonuses do not stack! Your submissions should only go into one gallery folder and claim one bonus.

Monthly Prompts - 10AP 1GP

Collect this bonus for all submissions that are responding to Monthly Prompts, past or present.

Origin Prompts - 50AP 15GP

Collect this bonus for all submissions that are responding to Origin Prompts. All esk depicted in the origin prompt will receive the GP bonus.
This scoring was updated in Feb 2022 and may be retroactively applied to origin prompts submitted before this change.

Conservatory - 20AP 5GP

Collect this bonus for all submissions that take place in the Conservatory. To get this bonus for artworks, there must be clear evidence of the Conservatory shown in the background. This includes everything that makes the place look like no normal location on Earth. More info and examples can be found on the Conservatory page.

Community Bonuses

Community bonuses reward you for spending personal time on your artwork and writing, and for giving back to the community. Thank you for contributing to TWWM!

Personal work - 5AP

Does not stack! Collect this bonus once for any piece that is created for your own personal enjoyment without any form of compensation (money, assets, bartering, etc).
This bonus applies to art-for-art trades but not to trades that exchange assets or goods.

Other esk - 10AP

 This bonus stacks! Add 10AP to your submission for every esk in the artwork that belongs to another player.
This bonus is limited to 20 esk in a single image. Esk added after that will not earn this bonus.
This bonus does not apply to NPC esk.

Esk Interaction Bonus - 10AP

This bonus stacks!
Add 10AP to your submission for every esk in the artwork that is interacting with other esk in a shared space.
This applies to esk you own and those that belong to other players.
This bonus is limited to 20 esk in a single image. Interactions after that point will not earn this bonus.
This bonus does not apply to NPCs. (i.e. Ikkit and your esk would only count for 1 interaction, not 2)

NPC Bonuses

NPC - 20AP

Does not stack! Add 20AP once to your piece if it features at least one NPC. This must be a clear depiction, and show at least 75% of that NPC for artworks and 100 words for writings. Can apply to individual submissions in a batch or panels in a comic.
NPCs do not receive the other esk or interaction bonus!
NPC information can be found on the Wanderers page.

Wanderer Prompt - 10AP

Complete a Wanderer Prompt to earn this bonus. Information can be found on the Wanderers page.

Additional Scoring Information

Basics

You may use our scoring system to score your artwork based on what you decide best reflects the work, effort and time you put into a piece. You can score a less detailed background as scenic, even if it does not fulfill the actual requirements, in situations where you may have tried a new style or scenery you aren’t used to drawing and therefore invested more time into the piece. When using flexible scoring, please include a note in the description of your artwork to explain the scoring so that staff reviewing the work know this was deliberate.

Please note that you can’t score higher than the max AP/GP of each category (e.g. you can’t score a scenic piece for more than 30AP/10GP as that is the max amount you can earn in that category)

You can also downscore your artwork if you feel it would better reflect the time and work you put into it (taking only 5AP for a shaded illustration instead of 10AP because the shading is very minimal and was done quickly, or scoring pixelart that is under 40px lower due to the small size of the submission for example). For more information about flexible scoring and why this is encouraged, please read the TWWM Game Mission here.
​
Other things to note:
  • Esk need to be present in the artwork for it to be eligible for scoring. Backgrounds or panels in comics that do not have an esk present cannot earn any points. The only exception to this is when you are portraying the Conservatory; you can depict it without esk being present.
  • Batch submissions are allowed. Each artwork in the batch must qualify as a standalone artwork that can be cropped and treated as a complete illustration. There is a maximum of 20 pieces allowed per batch submission.
  • Depictions of your esk in its previous form can be scored normally.
  • Aside from prompts and event art, which are required to be submitted to their specific folders, all other artwork can be hosted on sites other than deviantart as long as you have it clearly listed and easily accessible in your player/character trackers.
  • Memes do not receive any points but can be submitted to the miscellaneous folder.
  • Submissions created or partially created with the use of AI tools are not tolerated in the group.

Managing your points

  • ​We highly recommend adding scoring breakdowns to the descriptions of your submissions, this way staff can quickly check over your scoring and reach out to you should points be missing or adjustments needed.
  • Remember to always log your scoring on your player and character trackers!
  • You can always reach out to staff for scoring assistance and advisement!

Collaborations

  • Collabs are allowed and can receive the full amount of points.
  • Players are expected to self-evaluate and score based on the work they put into the collab. If you only did the sketch for the collaboration, then please only score based on that. In case all players added the same amount of work to the collab, all players may receive the full points for the finished piece.
  • Please remember to score the collab from your perspective. That means that if you collaborate on a piece that only features your esk, you would not earn the other esk bonus, but the other players who worked on the piece with you would as they drew your esk, which do not belong to them.

Commissions

  • Both the buyer and the artist receive AP.
  • The personal work bonus does not apply to commissions.
  • Please make sure to always score from your perspective; for example the artist may receive the Other esk bonus but the buyer will not since it is their own esk.
  • We highly recommend that artists add the scoring breakdown to commissions so that the buyer isn't put into a position of needing to evaluate someone else's artwork.

Your Character Here / YCH

  • Scoring depends on the type of YCH. There are single YCHs or group YCHs.
  • For single YCHs, the art is scored like a normal commission.
  • For group YCHs, the art is scored based only on the slots you have purchased as a buyer. 
  • The esk interaction bonus can apply when multiple esk are in the image, and the buyer can receive this bonus only for the slots they purchased in the YCH. 
  • If you purchase a slot for an esk that you do not own, you may also receive the Other Esk bonus.
  • Artists that reuse a YCH base with the same background may only score that background once, but each buyer of the YCH can take the background bonus.
  • If you need assistance with scoring your YCH, you can always reach out to staff for help.

Trades

  • Trades are considered gift art unless they are a part of bartering. If the trade is part of bartering, the personal work bonus will not apply.
  • Bartering includes trading for adoptables (esk and non-esk), and/or non-twwm related assets.

Comics

  • Comics are scored as batch submissions. Each panel that features an esk can be scored as an individual standalone submission.
  • Comics are not limited to the 20 submissions per batch rule, so they may feature more than 20 panels per page.
  • If your comic features writing (speech/narrative bubbles), you can score the writing by counting all of the words that appear in your comic and applying the writing score to it. Please note that the 50 word minimum still applies.

Using Photographs in your Artwork

  • Photographed backgrounds you have taken yourself count as abstract or minimal. This includes edits done to the photo (color changes, filters, etc). CC or free-to-use photographs that have not been edited do not receive any background scoring.
  • Please make sure you are only using photos that you have taken yourself or which are CC licensed and free-to-use. Make sure to always credit the original photographer by including a link to the source (click here for more information on crediting and attribution.) If the original photograph is your own, please let us know in the description.
  • There must be a clear effort to include the esk into the background  as part of the environment, without making it feel like it is pasted on.
  • If you create photo-manipulations or use photographs in other creative ways, please contact the team for case-by-case scoring suggestions.
  • Please make note that with scoring reductions use of photography may not be applicable towards Prompts with minimum requirements, such as Origin Prompts. If you want to make sure your work can be used for these features, don't hesitate to contact staff for advisement.

Using Tracing in your Artwork

  • Tracing is permitted in TWWM, but depending on how tracing is used scoring reductions may apply in order to keep the game fair for all participants.
  • Tracing is only allowed for photographs and artwork you have taken or made yourself or that are CC licensed and free-to-use. Make sure to always credit the original photographer or artist by including a link to the source (click here for more information on crediting and attribution.) If the original work is your own, please let us know in the description.
  • Please make note that with scoring reductions tracing may not be applicable towards Prompts with minimum requirements, such as Origin Prompts. If you want to make sure your work can be used for these features, don't hesitate to contact staff for advisement.

Below are some visual examples for how we review and score tracing for TWWM purposes. Please refer to this guide or ask a staff member for individual scoring advice if you're not sure how to score your traced artwork!
examples
These examples are all traced from the same source image. Examples one and two would be recommended to take half the total score as little has been changed about the traced elements. Since the last example adds significantly to the traced base with artistic rendering and some detail changes, this example could get a smaller reduction, for example by removing the fullbody bonus or personal bonus.
In this example, the esk's body is drawn by hand but the wings are traced from the source image. This would result in a smaller scoring reduction, or depending on if enough was changed about or added to the traced element, could be viable for full scoring.
In this example, the traced element is a smaller part in a non-traced composition. These instaces are judged on a case-by-case basis and may receive reduced scoring or full scoring depending on how large the traced element is in the artwork and how much has been added to it or changed by the artist.
In this example, the source image (a personal photograph) was used in the initial sketching stage but the resulting image has been significantly changed from the original both in detail, rendering choices, color scheme and environment, and this image would be viable for full scoring.

Non-Canon Artwork

  • Artwork and writing that crosses over into other fandoms, franchises, fantasy worlds, sci-fi, or CS/ARPGs does not receive scoring.
  • Artwork or writing that depicts unofficial esk that aren't on the Masterlist does not receive any scoring and also violates the group rules which do not allow the creation of esk without permission.
  • Artwork that depicts official esk in non-canon for-fun settings does not earn points but can be added to the Misc. Folder in the group.

Masterlist Artwork

  • Masterlist artwork is scored normally.
  • Updating existing Masterlist artwork with new additions or modifications (adding an accessory, familiar, or new markings for example) earns you 5AP flat without any additional bonuses.
The Points system archive is now publicly available. Players who wish to check the scoring of older pieces may do so following this archive. Please note that old versions cannot be used for scoring pieces after the change date.

Additionally, it is now allowed to update scoring for all pieces to the most recent scoring system. For those who want their scoring to be all under one system, have an esk with untracked older artwork, or just want to see if they can get a few extra AP/GP from the current system, feel free to update your old scores.
The TWWM team is available by group note to provide personalized scoring advice. Remember, this points system is flexible and should be adapted to your needs and goals as an artist or writer. Please send questions about specific submissions directly to the team.
Big thanks to all of the artists and writers who let us feature their work here!