2023 gift pile [OPEN]

[skinstealer]

welcome...to the 2023 gift pile. we'll see if this goes well this year, but basically:

in past years, we have maintained making character design gifts for people we're close to for the holidays. this has gotten increasingly more difficult as we've branched out and expanded our friend circles, especially when going beyond the Morbit/HD community. we'd love to make something super personalized for everyone we talk to on a personal basis, but we do not have the efficiency or endurance to do that anymore, and we must now improvise.

in this thread, you can request one character. this character will use one of our many bases available (listed below in a spoiler box), and will have markings + colors made with the help of the utility Grandma Simulator- a program made by Molasses and updated by Mraof that works with a color palette generator and image masks based on assets we've purchased and edited. these masks can range from patchy markings to more deliberate patterns, and come in a wide variety of vibes.



[image description: there are three images, all of TCP bases edited with the utility "grandma simulator".
1) a puppy love type TCP with a gray, black, white and pink color palette. it has black heart shaped markings and an antique pattern on its body. its eyes are pink.
2) a masque type TCP with a dusty brown, black, and gray color palette. its body is spotted and mottled with gray and black, and the majority of its fur is dusty brown. its paws are a dull tan.
3) a wolf type TCP with a yellow and black striped body, teal countershading, a red nose, and green eyes/freckles.]

"grandma characters" as we call them are very simple designs, and meant to be expanded on in whatever ways you like! as with all of our designs, you can edit whatever you get as much as you want, and interpret their weird markings in whatever way makes you happy. this utility was originally made to help us make quick designs while still working with our style and design sense, so please feel free to make what you get your own!

when requesting your gift character, you will be able to pick the base you want used and a theme to go with it. if you're not sure what to choose, "surprise me" is always an option. you can also optionally request a little character blurb to go with it- this blurb will give you a little personality or interest detail to work with.

if you do not have/want a HD forums account but still want a Creature™ of your very own and have been sent this forum thread either directly or in a discord server we're in, please feel free to DM us on Discord itself. we'll be happy to answer any questions you have or clarify what kind of stuff is available, just let us know!


this will run from november 23rd 2023 to december 31st 2023. if it ends up being too much for us, we'll close it early. please be patient about receiving your gift, it's free and for fun!

onto what's available...

tiny cat people, aka TCPs, are one of the main species that we work with. These TCPs can come in different "types", based on nouns, that determine their appearance and abilities. you can see a list of types available here, though be aware that for the sake of ease, we only want to work with types we've personally created. if it has mortis anywhere in the credits, you're golden.

critters are species from the friendzoo project, and can also be adapted into petz hexes (provided we have the critter/howler itself made up already as a base). if you want something you can play with in petz, this is the way to go. they are little guys that live on your computer, and can be found here.

toys, for a lack of a better word, are a part of our plaything worldbuild. these have less "species structure" and are more just different kinds of people you can see in the setting. no need to use them in the plaything worldbuild itself- you can just keep it as a toy furry if you like. examples of specific bases can be found here.

 

THE FORM
Species: (TCP, critter, toy)
Morph/Type: (if applicable)
Theme: (can be a word, a phrase, a moodboard, or a song- keep in mind that the more abstract you go, the more artistic liberty we'll take)
Character Prompt/Blurb? (y/n)

we hope you enjoy your new friends!

[Wilds]

Howdy. We haven't been particularly active in Morbit/Homebrew stuff lately, so we don't mind whatsoever if our 'order' is pushed back a little or doesn't make it, etc etc. Good of you to offer this, it's a sweet idea.

Species: Toy
Morph/Type: VPet (Devil)
Theme: When seeking vengeance, dig two graves.
Character Prompt/Blurb? Y (provided we're allowed to edit/keep/discard it as we see fit)

[skinstealer]

@Wilds

congrats since you were first in line and we are just sitting in bed doing nothing we were able to get you your gift right away. enjoy!


[image description: an anthro virtual pet from the plaything universe, inspired by devilgotchis. it has striated limbs, buttons on its chest, wings on its back, a chain tail, and horns on its head, which also sports a screen. its color palette is dull and rusty, with distress marks along its limbs and tail.]

[astariaisagoner]

Species: toy
Morph/Type: vpet (devil)
Theme: this is gonna be a bit wordy I apologize. so for this character i was kinda thinking about pulling vibes from this song.

https://youtu.be/u15tEo0wsQI?si=sFgbocrZwSPRhHNv

the reds and pinks vibe hard. for their overall character, they're trapped in their head, always feeling like they fuck up and struggle keep up with the weight of the world. they think they've hit rock bottom, and they just keep on digging. they're cold and calculated as a result of their grief, perhaps more jagged markings could show that? 

Character Prompt/Blurb? yes!

[skinstealer]

@astariaisagoner



[image description: an anthro virtual pet from the plaything universe, inspired by devilgotchis. it has striated limbs, buttons on its chest, wings on its back, a chain tail, and horns on its head, which also sports a screen. its color palette is a nearly black shade of magenta, along with vibrant magenta and light pink accents. it has a futuristic, geometric pattern on its limbs and tail.]

here you go! ftr we mainly want to take shorter prompts but this one worked well enough for this.

blurb: "This virtual pet finds themself at death's door more than they'd like...but they always have a plan, right?"

[AceOfNothing]

Species: Toy
Morph/Type: Surprise Me! No plushies though please 
Theme:
this ended up v orange
Character Prompt/Blurb? Yes but dont stress about it if you cant

[Ignispark]

Species: Surprise Me.
Morph/Type: Surprise Me.
Theme: (Kind of a Blood CW, but not really.)

Show ContentTheme: Moodboard: Title: Execution by Twilight:

Character Prompt/Blurb? Yeah, that sounds fun.

[skinstealer]

@AceOfNothing


[image description: an anthro tamagotchi-style virtual pet with a floral pattern on their body, chain tail, and limbs. they have striations on their phone-like antennae and limbs, buttons on their chest, and a screen on their face. their main torso color is varying shades of very dark orange (near black), and their limbs are two shades of pumpkin-y orange. their face is a light green.]

"This virtual pet lives a simple life, with simple pleasures and simple goals...but still, something always seems to lurk in their shadow..."

[Nairebistac]

Species: TCP
Morph/Type: Whalefall
Theme: The ocean was quiet and the sky was blue. The lighthouse was in the ruins. The monster? It never came back. It returned back to the Deep. It learned you can’t love anything too much in this world.
(The Fog Horn, Ray Bradbury.)
Character Prompt/Blurb? Yes

Thank you!!

[knux400]

Species: Toy
Morph/Type: Stickbugz
Theme: https://open.spotify.com/track/4PFEtm7oT...511ed74fc1 (please DM me if the link doesn't work)
Character Prompt/Blurb? Yes

Thanks! feel free to take your time if you need to

[gyiyg]

Species: Critter
Morph/Type: Surprise me
Theme:
Character Prompt/Blurb? yes

[starsystemerror]

Species: Toy
Morph/Type: Water Wiggler
Theme:
Character Prompt/Blurb? No need, thank you!

Thank you for doing this! And do take your time, of course ^^

[skinstealer]

@Ignispark


[image description: a red, bloodstained space type TCP with a swirling green galaxy accents and light green planets.]
"This space type has a brutal job, with a brutal set of rules..."

[skinstealer]

@Nairebistac

[image description: a blue whalefall type TCP with a lighter underbelly, white bones, and black innards]
"This whalefall type TCP feels the call of something it cannot decipher..."

@gyiyg

[image description: a carnitreat with a pink checkerboard pattern on its body, lime green checkerboard pattern on its caramel portions, and a blue stem.]
"This carnitreat can't help but get lost, no matter where it ends up!"


@knux400
[image description: a pale purple stickbugz with a darker purple head, both its cube head and body covered in a mottled pattern, almost like a galaxy. its face and wings are pale yellow.]
"He cannot help but wish to hear something from beyond the stars..."


@starsystemerror
[image description: a black swirled water wiggler with bright pink hearts, yellow stars, and blue confetti in its body.]

[Mel]

Species: TCP
Morph/Type: Surprise Me!
Theme: 
"And o'er the plain, where the dead age / Did its now silent warfare wage— / O'er that wide plain, now wrapt in gloom, / Where many a splendour finds its tomb, / Many spent fames and fallen mights— The one or two immortal lights / Rise slowly up into the sky / To shine there everlastingly, / Like stars over the bounding hill. / The epoch ends, the world is still."
(Bacchanalia, Matthew Arnold)
Character Prompt/Blurb?: Y

[Pichi2214]

i know i asked about this a good few days ago on call so i dunno if the offer is still valid, but i figured i might as well try,,

Species: toy
Morph/Type: the new horse one
Theme: honey

Character Prompt/Blurb? sure!

[skinstealer]

@Mel
[img][/img]
[image description: a pet type TCP with a swirling purplish-black body, star-like gold accents, and a golden collar.]

"This pet type honors those lost before it, keeping an archive of TCPs long since past."

@Pichi2214



"Never without a bag of sweets, this toy can't get enough of making any meal into a dessert."