CCSF 2012 Day 14: A Final Thanks & Survey

As we close out the Creatures Community Spirit Festival this year, I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone once again! It was a pleasure to have so much going on this year, and to see the community so active is always wonderful. Great job to everyone! We had a ton of submissions this year: It was difficult to live up to the CCSF 2011, but hopefully everyone enjoyed themselves! Here is a list of everyone who helped out or contributed in some way:

C-Rex | Don | Doringo | Generalflame | Ghosthande | GirlySatan | Grendel Man | Kitty Tikara
Laura | Lauren | Liam | Malkin | Marvolo323 | Mea | MK-Grendel | Moe
Nirax | Papriko | Pirate-Rob | Sam999 | SpringRain | Steve Grand | TAB | Terra | Ylukyun

If that doesn't show how strong our community still is, I don't know what does! Thanks again for voting me in as the coordinator this year. I hope I lived up to expectations and made the last two weeks exciting for all sorts of Creatures fans! And so ends another wonderful festival, though I hope the community spirit continues to live strongly until the next CCSF! See everyone next year at the CCSF 2013!

CCSF 2012 Day 14: Activity Winners

We had some great contest polls over the last few days, with some excellent entries to many of the activities! After many votes, it's time to announce the winners of each activity, as well as the prizes!

Caption Contest Winner: Sam999

Prize: Harlequin Norn Doll

Congratulations to Sam999, who won with 20/30 votes (66%)!

Logic Puzzle Winners

Prizes: Unique Norns Distributed After the CCSF

First Place: Ghosthande
Second Place: Silvak
Third Place: Steelfoot
Fourth Place: Malkin

Shee Design Contest Winner: Nirax

Prize: Bondi Norn Doll

Congratulations to Nirax, who won with 43/53 votes (81%)!

Space Travel Contest Winner: Nirax

Prize: CCSF Globe

Congratulations to Nirax, who won with 25/50 votes (50%)!
This special globe changes its appearance as it spins around, showing off all different sorts of worlds that will hopefully always remind one of the CCSF 2012!

Wolfing Run Challenge Winner: Silvak

Prize: Genie Lamp

First Place: Minnie (Silvak)
Second Place: Nirax (Youki)
Third Place: Sam999 (Zack)
Fourth Place: SpringRain (Silaeca)

Greatest Participation Winners: Nirax and Sam999

Prize: Rubriks Cheese

Congratulations to Nirax and Sam999, who entered and participated in the most activities during the CCSF 2012!

IMPORTANT: Winners are welcome to do whatever they like with their prizes! They may be hoarded, shared with a few, or made available for all. Just make sure to give Ghosthande credit for creating them!

CCSF 2012 Day 14: Prizes for All

As a special thanks to everyone who took part in the CCSF 2012 in some way, here are a couple of wonderful prizes to enjoy! Both are C3/DS agents created by the generous and talented Ghosthande. Enjoy!

Download the Norn Nip (5 KB RAR File) | Download the Purple Mountain Norn Doll (72 KB RAR File)

CCSF 2012 Day 14: Chione

Created by Mea for C3/DS (Metaroom)

What better way to celebrate a frozen world than to actually bring one to your game? Chione is a gigantic icy-themed metaroom that has been discussed at Creatures Caves for a long time, with the original idea coming from Sam999. Many have helped with this project, and this initial version should give those cold weather Creatures something to enjoy and claim as their brand new home, with plenty of space!

Download Chione (12.4 MB RAR File)

From Mea: "This is just the very basic version of the room without the teleporters and door. There will probably be an add-on pack later that will include the teleporters and door for getting around and into Chione."

CCSF 2012 Day 14: Coloring Contest Entries

SpringRain drew a wonderful image to be used for a coloring contest, and two artists brought the original black and white image to life! Have a look at these two entries from Nirax and Ylukyun. Perhaps SpringRain will be able to draw some custom art for both! Thanks again for an interesting contest during the CCSF 2012! Always nice to have a diverse basis of activities for fans to choose to take part in. Nice job!

Nirax's Entry

Ylukyun's Entry

CCSF 2012 Day 14: Writing Prompt Entry

One of the CCSF activities centered around a writing prompt. Only one entry was submitted, but enjoy reading through this wonderful piece of Creatures fan fiction! Can you imagine just what's going on on this Shee world?

Written by SpringRain

PROMPT: “The home world of the Shee, established thousands of years ago, has finally crumbled. The species has fled from the derelict world, leaving very few behind. At the last working space port, a pieced together mess of a ship lies in wait. Abandoned crates litter the area, left to crumble in the last places where they were dropped during the last mass exodus. Dust has already begun to creep into every crevice, but there is a newly marked trail of timid footprints from the entrance to the spaceport. The lonely sound of the wind rushing through the empty corridors sends an eerie emptiness hurtling through the air. Yet something stirs among the rubble..."

A pair of shimmering grey eyes peered out from behind the pile of rubble at the remains of the dilapidated ship lying in wait. Shards of broken eggshell of an unassuming dusty grey were all that remained of the owner’s former home. Perhaps that was why it had been overlooked and left behind when the mass exodus had occurred.

Tiny paw prints led from a broken crate near the entrance to the port, the only sign of life pressed into the thin film of dust which layered everything like old icing sugar in an abandoned bakery. From the moment it hatched, it was led by an urge…an instinct stronger than any other emotion; to seek out energy sources to absorb. That was the way it would feed. Delicate filaments like waving threads of spider silk fluttered either side of its translucent greyish skin, sending signals back to the brain, much like a bat’s sonar system, creating images. It could pinpoint faint energy sources, marked out by differing colours depending on their potency.

Pale, dragonfly styled wings rustled and flitted upon its back as it stumbled out from where it had been foraging, too weak to lift its own weight by hovering just yet. A long, tattered and distinctly leafy tail drew a wavering line in the dust between the footprints, undulating in the cold wind that whistled in ghostly howls through the empty corridors.

Falling upon an old piece of machinery, it clawed off the hatch concealing an ancient battery and pulled out the contents with a sigh as energy was drawn into its palm, glimmers of bluish light cascading through the veins networking its body and wings. Licking its lips hungrily, it gave a noise of disappointment when the scant supply all too quickly faded out.

Large batlike ears swivelled atop its head and the creature closed light silver optics to detect another food source, sensing hints of dormant energy in the mass of broken ship that had drawn it here. It wavered towards the structure on wobbling legs, scrambling, wings flitting weakly so that sometimes it half-hovered, half crawled, continuing in this way until it fell against the rickety door that led into the structure with a soft thwump that disturbed a cloud of dust. “T-chih!” A sharp sneeze ricocheted off the silence that lingered in the absences of the wind’s moanings. The creature shook its head, rubbing at the bluish grey pad with a paw and a sniffle.

Gnawing instinct drove it to perseverance. In the gloomy half-light, it lifted its spectral body and placed padded palms against the slightly rusting, warped door, leaning into it with desperation, willing itself to pass through into the empty space behind, to somehow get in.

The wind picked up again and shrieked around the puny form, rippling the short, downy fur and fluttering the scarf-like tail, making the thready whiskers dance. It let out a tinny sounding cry and began hammering upon the unyielding portal which barred access to the vital energy. The sounds of its pummeling were swallowed up by the thick metal and invisible gusts. An inexplicable panic set in.

It had to get through, it had to get to the source, it had to, it HAD to! – all at once it felt itself falling forwards, tumbling onto a hard surface with an unexpected jolt and a searing pain in one arm.

Sitting up with a whimper, the creature cradled one elbow in its free hand and slowly opened wide eyes to see itself within new surroundings, cast in a faint light from the eerie glow its own body gave off. It stuttered to its feet again, almost able to taste the hidden energy in the air. Following the signals tingling through its whiskers, it let its paws lead it through empty corridors, cluttered jumbles, giant rooms and hollow spaces, across bridges over unseen depths and strange terrains…

Finally, it stopped, deep into the bowels of the ancient vessel, a pea sized figure before a puzzling complexion of buttons and gadgets. Its fur frizzled out with the static electricity that clung to the cold atmosphere as it looked up at the panels, ears quivering expectantly. There was some way to get to the idle food source, but how?

Fluttering its wings, it stretched on tip-toe, reaching out one splayed hand for all it was worth and making sounds of effort as it hopped up and down, trying to reach the coloured bumps and switches. It tripped, falling back on its lengthy tail with a crackled squeak of dismay much like an out of tune radio. Hot liquid stung at its eyelids.

Rolling onto its belly, the creature took a couple of steps back until it was about in the middle of the room, just far enough for a running start. Its wings whirred with renewed passion as it started a shaky jog towards its target. With a spark of glee and a swoop in its stomach, it launched successfully off the ground at the last meter, wings whirring loudly, tail acting as a rudder. The searing ache that shot through the tender appendages could not have been expected. Crush! It lost momentum as the flimsy insectoid wings gave out, dropping it forcefully onto the slanted, knobbly panel where it rolled over them in a painful tumble and bounced off, spiraling across the floor before crashing into a machine in the middle of the room with an injured cry. Head ringing, blackness closed in on it for a moment, while scrambled messages were sent through its brain.

Eventually, it realized the ringing sounds were being joined by other noises, alien bleeps, boops and mechanical whining…a pale lilac grew in its image maps, blossoming steadily into an electrifying blue. Slowly, the creature cracked open its eyes, gasping in breaths of air. Its entire body felt the surges. Tingling, buzzing energy was circulating through the area, spreading outwards, filling the environment. Old parts creaked and bioengineered techno-organisms began to stir. Licking its lips in excitement, it turned and scratched frantically, almost madly at the covering panel of the machine that had smacked its head only moments ago. It had to get in…it had to get the energy…it HAD to – Pwoop! It’s paw phased through the hatch without warning, disappearing up to the elbow. Grasping the components and wires within as instinct told it, the creature felt an explosion of blissful joy at the flow of blue light pouring into its palm, fizzling throughout its body in sparking, glimmering blue networks. Wings outspread, it looked like it was in pure heaven.

Closing its eyes, it began to feel, to sense…other things outside its own body; the shape of the ship, every part, every wire, every tiny movement as the beast awakened and began to heal. It could feel the crunchy ground under its belly, the layers of dust powdering the windows and outer shell, the jammed doors. The energy lit up everything in its mind, showing where it was strongest, where it flowed to and from. Essentially, it now was the ship.

In the empty Shee spaceport, the sound of powerful engines roared to life.

CCSF 2012 Day 14: Ferret Ettins

Drawn and Written by Lauren

A frozen world would never be complete without some living beings in it. The Ferret Ettins are a new breed concept, and their lifestyle makes them perfect for living in cold, icy conditions!

From Lauren: "Anyone is free to make this into a real breed.

Living in the mountainous ranges of tundra and rock, the Ferret Ettins are an ancient breed that live deep underground in tunnels and only come above ground to search for their food.

Although mostly solitary, some Ferret Ettins have been found to live happily in tight knit family groups that help care for each other's young.

Their pale coats keep them warm in the frost and provide excellent cover from anything looking to eat these Ettins. Although technically predators themselves, that doesn't stop other critters looking at them like snacks.

Food: Their natural diet usually consists of critters, critter eggs, bugs and sometimes even fish if they are able to catch them, although upon capture we have found they will eat a normal diet but this is at the expense of them having less nutrition.

Movement: Movement is fairly easy for these Ettins, as they are lithe and quick and have no problem at all chasing down prey.

Reproduction: These Ettins are photo-receptive breeders, meaning that they come into season based on the amount of light that they absorb into their bodies just like plants do for photosynthisis. They are good breeders.

Aggression: Not much is known about their aggression, as they can be fairly solitary, but tests have shown that by waking them up from naps they do get pretty grumpy... Other then that they are pretty friendly, but have problems with overcrowdedness.

Evolutionary History: Blood tests have shown a distant link from the Ettins of the swamp in Albia but how they got here is a bit of a mystery. It is thought that their ancestors were brought here after a long journey and escaped off the Shee ship into the wilderness and became what we see today.

Immunity: They seem to suffer from a lot of sneezing.

Recovery: Recovery of this species on board the ship was relatively easy although they have a habit to play which kept the crew busy before we could set off again. They are settling in well and more tests will be carried out over the course of the journey."

CCSF 2012 Day 14: Frozen in Time

Written by Jessica as Part of the Shee Journey Series

Our only chance was a frozen planet in the same star system: The institute had always had a great deal of interest in one like this, since ancient life could have been perfectly preserved. I quickly jumped into action, and told the Shee of this possible discovery. Though they kept control of the spaceship, they were eager to not miss out on this world. I jumped to action, guiding everyone into the emergency vehicle. It was a tight squeeze, and some of the Grendels were ready to eat the nearest Norns. If this plan was to work, I had little time left. And one shot. One very long shot... I returned to brew my best cup of tea since the voyage had begun. I sipped it slowly, as a lone tear trickled to my lips and offered a salty note to the otherwise perfect cup of tea. I took a deep breath as we drew closer.

I passed by the group of Norns, Grendels, and Ettins jammed into the tiny ship. There was enough room for a good amount of food, and lots of seeds. My assistants looked at me with a mix of fear and anticipation. I gave them my usual stern look, but followed it up with a genuine smile. Again, we needed no words to communicate our thoughts and feelings. They knew what had to be done, whether or not I made it in time. As I boarded the exploratory vessel, I started my timer. Though this vessel was more of an enemy, I needed it for this final journey. The Shee Intergalactic Research Institute would be watching closely, but I was confident. I had to be.

Everything was rather surreal as I approached this mysterious frozen world. Ice and snow swirled far into its atmosphere, and I was immediately blinded. Perfect. Fortunately, this was not a world with any life. No chance of the vessel collecting any samples, which was better than I expected. As the ground finally came into view, I spotted exactly what I was looking for: A small mountain range. I glanced at my timer: It was just about time. With a flick of my fingers, I input a complex sequence I had known by heart from the start of this journey. It was the manual override for a collision course. Only I had modified it, ever so slightly. The vessel would never know.

I transmitted a signal back to the institute warning of hostile enemies who were in full pursuit. With a wry smile, I set the course and headed to the back of the vessel. In a moment, the escape hatch opened, though it did so unwittingly. The Shee who were listening merely heard a recording of my voice, which would transmit until the crash. This had to work... I checked the timer just as it finished its countdown. Almost in slow motion, I jumped. The icy air was a muddle of bright pain, but I met it with excitement. I knew the emergency ship was on its way: There was no way the institute could turn it back from a rescue mission. Only they had no idea what it was rescuing...

In the distance, I watched the vessel turn into a glowing ball of fire for little more than a few seconds. Its demise was the end of its treachery. I could scarcely breath the freezing air, though, and I disappeared into the blackness of unconsciousness long before I could know if my assistants had located me. No matter what happened to me, these Creatures would forever be safe from the prying hands of the Shee from the institute. Research was what this journey was based upon, but I discovered something much more important than anything that could be found in a lab. I had found life: Not just new life, but my own life, as well. And that was worth it all.

From Jessica: "Can you believe it? Today marks the final day of the CCSF 2012! This has been an amazing two weeks, and we finish off with a frozen world. The main storyline has now come full circle... Or is it really finished? Check back throughout the day for the final releases, along with the announcement of the activity winners! Thank you again to everyone who has made this year's CCSF a wonderful one!"