Adoption Center
The adoption center is a place for players in the ARPG to create and share designs or concepts for others to enjoy. Pick up a new character, or drop one off if you've lost your connection! Or maybe pick up a concept and breathe some life into it?
![](https://www.merlotarpg.com/files/site_image/merldivider.png)
Slot Types
Concepts are a combination of textual information and reference images/moodboards.
Designs are drawn concepts of adoptable characters that are ready for adoption!
Writers and artists are both encouraged to participate. If you're good at describing personality, but not good at putting it to imagery, consider donating a concept for another user to give it a look.
Similarly, if you've got a knack for art, but struggle with coming up with a concept, you can pick up a concept to design, and get rewarded for it.
![](https://www.merlotarpg.com/files/site_image/merldivider.png)
Adopting
You can adopt a character or concept by clicking on it and accepting to buy it.
Characters:
Are full designs that are ready to be used on the site as usual.
- Users can adopt a character once every week.
- Characters are priced at 100s / 3 AV.
Concepts:
Concepts can be "adopted" from the concept center, and then submitted like normal slots. You don't have to follow the guidelines set for you exactly-- feel free to deviate from what's given.
Submitting a finalized concept as a design will use up one of your monthly design slots for the given species' rarity (scarce or plentiful), and you will get any applicable rewards for your effort!
You can "purchase" a concept for free, then submit a design update at any time. We're adding a cooldown timer between claiming designs, just to keep one person from hogging them all-- though it will be set to 24 hours instead.
If at any time you feel as if you cannot complete an adopted concept, or lose interest with an adopted concept, we ask that you surrender it back to be adopted again, so another user can have a chance at designing it.
These concept slots are for our adoption center, the finished designs made from these concepts will be posted to the adoption center, and are not yours to keep!
Surrender a Character
Characters:
- You may surrender a character at any time.
- Surrendering a character grants 1 AV.
- Users cannot submit many MYOs then surrender them to circumvent the limit of monthly AV.
Concepts:
- Concepts can be surrendered, but as they are not finished designs, and are free to adopt, they reward no benefits!
![](https://www.merlotarpg.com/files/site_image/merldivider.png)
Submission guidelines
General Guidelines
These apply to both design and concept submissions.
You can create a slot to make a design by visiting the Adoption Center and clicking "Create Adopt", or by visiting directly here.
From here, you will have created a MYO slot that you can use. It functions exactly like any other MYO slot, but it's set to common rarity and will be locked into the species that you chose.
When making your design, make sure to follow the guidelines from the MYO guide, and follow your chosen species' trait guidelines!
![wazzap_danger.png](https://www.merlotarpg.com/files/site_image/wazzap_danger.png)
Wait before you submit!
When you make an adopt slot, be cautious, as when the finished design is approved it will automatically be sent to Merladoptions and will be able for other users to purchase.
After your slot has been approved, you will be credited your AV automatically. You must still submit a claim to receive sparkles, if applicable.
Specifications
- All submitted designs must be unique species. (RESETS MONTHLY)
- EX.: You cannot submit 2 ringlings in one month.
- This rule does not apply after the first 2 designs made (if plentiful, but you will not earn more AV as usual)
- This rule does not apply to the current least popular species
- You can make 2 sqwaguls per month, but it must be 1 design, and 1 concept. You can't make 2 sqwaguls in designs only or 2 in concepts only.
- Created designs should be completely common.
- You can submit more than 2 plentiful designs or concepts a month, but can only earn AV for the first 2 submitted each month. Only 2 scarce characters can be created a month, no exceptions.
- Designs submitted that are the current least popular species earn double sparkles when claimed after submission.
Rewards
- 2 AV per concept or design
- Sparkles, if applicable
Submissions
- Please use the Adopt MYO creation page to create and submit your concepts and designs for approval. Make sure you are selecting the right type of slot, design or concept.
- These will let you create your concept or design and submit it like a regular slot. The donated concept or design will be credited to Merladoptions and not your personal account.
Design Guidelines
Guidelines for design submissions.
Users can make 2 plentiful and 2 scarce designs a month, and can earn 2 AV for each submitted design.
Requirements
- 1 colored fullbody art of a character design to donate to our Adoption Center.
Specifications
- Bases and sketches are allowed.
- Art of all skills and types allowed.
- If your art isn't done on a base, you can submit a claim for sparkles on it.
- If you've made your own base to make designs on, you may be able to claim for the first time you used it, as it's your own art and not someone else's.
Concept Guidelines
Guidelines for concept submissions.
Users can make 2 plentiful and 2 scarce concepts a month, and can earn 2 AV for each submitted concept.
Requirements
- 1 full concept of a design to donate to our Concept Center.
- A full concept entails the following:
- Moodboard and or reference images
- Palette
- List of traits and features
- Listed species
- A cohesive list of the appearance of the design, how its markings, traits, and personality would play together.
- (Optional) A snippet of lore or personality to pull the design together.
- (Optional) Sketches or drawings of aspects of the design, such as markings, traits, or body type.
Specifications
- Include a link to your concept sheet or text in the description field of the MYO you are submitting.
- If you are including images, please include permalinks to them that we can link back to. Do not use discord.
- You can submit to the gallery, if need be, under Adoption Center.
- MYO slots are required to have images (Code limitation). For a placeholder for your concept, please use our logo/default MYO icon. Please don't use other images, we will replace them!
- Claims for sparkles are allowed.
Uses of AV
AV is used to adopt certain exclusive characters made by staff, users, or guests. These characters might have rare features.
Standard designs by users are priced at 3 AV / 100S.
Designs by mods or guests are priced solely at 3 AV.