Monster Masquerade NPC Statement🔗

05/10/24, 1:35 am

Hi everyone,

I'm the Mod who has brought the Monster Masquerade Mascots to life as NPCs for the past five years.

The NPCs were originally made solely to give love to, and donate items to the Giving Tree, at most giving a heads up in Live Chat. Hoping to help alleviate some work, I took over that job from Krisgoat during the year of Vampirella and Mothman, and it was my idea to turn them into actual characters that members could say hi to or ask questions to.

What started off as that small idea to do in my free time turned into something that a lot of people looked forward to every Monster Masquerade. It was a lot of fun, and I have tons of great memories of it.

Eventually, however, it became a very heavy workload. On top of my normal site work and the additional task of approving entries for Monster Masquerade, I was playing as characters for hours at a time, 3 times a week. As fun as it was, it was also very exhausting to do. Answering questions and staying in character wasn't all there was. I started to receive many questions or be the focus of conversations that made me very uncomfortable. I'd receive many flirtatious remarks while in character from members. Members would also verbally berate the characters in order to see how they'd react. It became very taxing on me mentally to play as the mascots, but I continued because it brought the community so much joy.

When it was brought to my attention that the mascots were no longer enjoyable, however, I knew it was time to say goodbye. I know that there are many who are upset by this decision, or would like us to rework the mascots, and believe me when I say that no one is as saddened by the end of NPC Interactions as I am. The truth is, the mascots have become more than I can handle, and this decision has come after three years of deliberation. There is not one sole reason for the decision, but rather many reasons that have finally become enough that a decision had to be made.

I'd like to address some of the concerns of Big Bad Red as a character. Big Bad Red was intended to be a gloomier character like Graveyard Groom, who many people seemed to enjoy. She was intended to be shy, lack confidence and struggle with her new status of 'monster'. Overtime, she was meant to blossom and become more confident and realize how loved she was by both the community and her friends, as well as accept herself. Many of the mascots I portrayed tended to have character arcs, such as Vampirella loosening up, or Phantom Maestro and Deathly Growler rekindling their friendship, and these first two NPC meetups were only the beginning of hers.

Big Bad Red's struggles were never intended to be taken as an allegory for mental illness, DID or any other real world situation. Red's struggles with being a werewolf were always intended as just that, a struggle with a fictional scenario. As a person with mental illnesses that are often vilified myself, I take great care to handle discussions of mental illness with respect, and I would like to apologize for the confusion and hurt at Red's portrayal.

As of right now, NPC Interactions will not be making a return, not this year nor next. I want to thank everyone who made these Live Chat visits so fun. It has been an honor to be your Mascots.

From myself, Vampirella, Mothman, Pumpkin Pirate, Sweet Bat, Ribbon Mummy, Graveyard Groom, Phantom Maestro, Deathly Growler and of course Abyssal and Big Bad Red: Thank you all, and have a wonderful Monster Masquerade.

217 likes

Monster Masquerade Mascots🔗

04/10/24, 7:06 pm

Due to the negative response to this year's Mascot interactions in Live Chat, we will be postponing the rest of Mascot interactions this year. Mascot Tree drops will be announced here in the Dev Log.

30 likes

Monster Masquerade Mascots🔗

04/10/24, 4:26 pm

Monster Masquerade Mascots are currently visiting the Live Chat for a fun interactive experience.

Please treat the Mascots with respect and be sure to follow our Live Chat/Site rules as you chat with them!

Thank you and have fun!

26 likes

Abyssal Mascot Box loot sneak peek!🔗

02/10/24, 8:10 am

Official staff design by r00p.

Coming soon to Monster Masquerade

95 likes

Big Bad Red Mascot Box loot sneak peek!🔗

02/10/24, 7:33 am

Official staff design by Berrymilk, and staff redraw by r00p.

Coming soon to Monster Masquerade

104 likes

Join the new Discord - Round 4!🔗

01/10/24, 11:21 pm

To stay organized, 100 members will be added at a time, until the initial opening rush is over.

After filling out and posting your intro, please keep an eye on your Goat Mail on-site. A Discord moderator will contact you for account confirmation before giving you access to the full server. This is so we can ensure everyone who joins the server is who they list in their introduction, and are not attempting to impersonate another player. Please make sure to take the time to read our newly organized Discord rules as well.

Our current Discord moderators are: BerryMilk, chizumaki, Herd, Lizardxlizard, Puff, salinas, Shrine, and Snow.

To join the new official Discord, please follow this link to be invited:

[Click Here to join the official Goatlings.com Discord]

This is the last invite wave for the day, additional invite links and updates will be posted here in the Dev Log.

12 likes

Monster Masquerade Redraw Status!🔗

01/10/24, 7:17 pm

Hi! This is r00p from the art team! Here's where we currently stand on the art for the Monster Masquerade:

MASCOTS AND MONSTER BOX:

Abyssal: finished

Big Bad Red: finished

Snap Trap (previously Carnivorous Plant): finished

Doppleganger: in progress

Fairy Ghostmother: finished

Gourd Ghast: finished

Haunted Hostess: finished

Monster Tracker: finished

Skelboi: finished

Zombee: finished

OTHER AREAS OF THE EVENT:

Team badges: in progress

Event explore area: goat finished; items in progress

Event shop: finished

October battle center: finished

Once the remaining art is finished, the uploading process can begin - followed by the events, which will open gradually over the course of a few days!

I know everyone's excited for the event to start - and we're excited to share our hard work with you all!

90 likes

Monster Masquerade Mascots!🔗

02/10/24, 1:20 am

Abyssal highres, official staff design by r00p

and Big Bad Red highres, official staff design by Berrymilk, and staff redrawn by r00p.

Coming soon to Monster Masquerade

89 likes

Join the new Discord - Round 3!🔗

30/09/24, 9:58 pm

To stay organized, 100 members will be added at a time, until the initial opening rush is over.

After filling out and posting your intro, please keep an eye on your Goat Mail on-site. A Discord moderator will contact you for account confirmation before giving you access to the full server. This is so we can ensure everyone who joins the server is who they list in their introduction, and are not attempting to impersonate another player. Please make sure to take the time to read our newly organized Discord rules as well.

Our current Discord moderators are: BerryMilk, chizumaki, Herd, Lizardxlizard, Puff, salinas, Shrine, and Snow.

To join the new official Discord, please follow this link to be invited:

[Click Here to join the official Goatlings.com Discord]

This is the last invite wave for the day, additional invite links and updates will be posted here in the Dev Log.

11 likes

Monster Masquerade Team Sign Ups!🔗

30/09/24, 7:11 pm

Last window for Monster Masquerade Team Sign Ups will open in about 1 hour!

14 likes