Research done by Grapejuice and IvyCat, article written by GalaxyRose

A big hello to all Sylestians! So What Happened? Is an article used to recap what happened so far this month! Here's a quick recap of what has happened in the month of February, and we all know a whole lot has happened!




Week Of Love: Overview
Not long ago, it was the chocolate, love and roses week, and there was really something for all Sylestians!
There were games and contests in the forums, new bosses for the avid fighters, new avatar items for the avi-collectors, the return of three themed puffadores, an exciting round of pick a door, and an amazing week of double experience to get our pets all leveled up for the MegaZone! Additionally, up till February 25th, 2018, diamonds were on a huge sale for 20% discount! Everyone had much fun in this years extra-special week of love.

Week of Love: Games and Contests
This years week of love contests had something for everyone! There was a Sylestia valentine contest(Fig. 1.1, Fig 1.2), a Design a Sylestia Love Pair contest (Fig. 3) and a Candy Sudoku contest (Fig. 2). Each contest had participant prizes and top three prizes as normal, but there was also a raffle for a custom three-visible for the newest species: The ferrikki! This was not all, Krinadon also gave us a surprise Pick A Door Game with amazing prizes, including ones that would help us get through the lost grove! This week was full of activities and fun for all of us!

Fig 1.1

Fig 1.2

Fig 2

Fig 3



Week of Love: Named Bosses
This years week of love were extra special as we had some visiters-Cupids Guardians-roaming throughout our Sweet Blossom Orchard and Astryls tranquility. They would drop an entire set of unique avatar items (Fig. 1.1, 1.2, 1.3) and even some themed puffadores! (Fig. 2.1, 2.2, 2.3) These pets contain the angelic restricted trait set! This includes: Angelic Runes, Angelic Armor, Angelic Halo, and Angelic Wings.

Fig. 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3


Fig. 2.1, 2.2, 2.3



Week of Love: Avatar Items
In this years Week Of Love Avatar items, there were four new Eros avatar Item sets, shown below. These were available in the diamond shop for 400 diamonds and were a limited item!

Eros: Corrupted


Eros: Divine


Eros: Lovely


Eros: Seductive


So that was that for the week of love! An exciting, lovable, fun-filled week!

The Lost Grove: Overview
Everyone has been waiting for this MegaZone to release, all the way from March 3rd 2015! In the MegaZone, users can now level up to level 65 (The final level cap is Level 75!), access some awesome new features like pet training and tracking, and find the new species-The ferrikki! (Fig. 1) There will also be new Zone Themed to collect, the ability to increase encounters of enemies, train pets, craft avatar items and so much more! But if youre not through the storyline yet, this fun needs to wait. In order to access the MegaZone, you must have completed the current storyline all the way through Astryl's Tranquility.

Fig 1.


The Lost Grove: Levels/Stages
Krinadons exact words about the MegaZone were: "So, basically, The Lost Grove will release in 4 separate parts.[The Section 1 (which is base level stuff for levels 60-65), the Section 2 (Base level stuff for levels 66-70), the Section 3 (Base level stuff for level 70-75) and the Dungeon for levels 75.] The upcoming release will make Section 1 available and raise the Level Cap to 65. The community will then work together to progress through the content and story for the first section until it's eventually completed, which will then unlock Section 2, and so forth. New players who may happen to join behind the curve will begin in their own instance of The Lost Grove and progress through the stages and sections at their own pace until they eventually catch up to where the community is at. This ensures everyone a chance to see all of the content provided and to prevent newer players being thrown into content that is way too hard for them.

In other words, The Lost Grove will release in three waves. The first wave will unlock Section One and the Level Cap will be increased to 65. After a certain site-wide accomplishment, Section Two will unlock and the Level Cap will be increased to 70. Again, after another certain site-wide accomplishment, Section Three will unlock and the Level Cap will be increased to 75. At this point, players will be on their own to unlock Section Four which is the Dungeon. Players who did not contribute to Stage 1 or who got to Stage 1 after the site had already progressed to the next Stage, will then have to complete Stage 1 on their own, but with much less significant achievements than the site-wide ones.

An interesting thing about the lost grove is that while Section One will initially be for Levels 61-65, once Section Two has unlocked and a player has progressed to that point, Section One will scale up and will also now be for Levels 66-70. This will provide a nice challenge for everyone and will make sure the grove is always ready for your pets to challenge enemies at their own level.

The Lost Grove: Battling
Just like the normal enemies, the lost grove categorizes their enemies (Fig. 1, an example of a MZ enemy).
-2 Stars: Standard - Just your normal enemy. Not very hard. However, facing three at a time can provide a challenge.
-3 Stars: Superior - A somewhat challenging enemy, such as a Rare or Epic Wild Sylesti. Basically, a Standard enemy with more Health and Stats.
-4 Stars: Elite - A challenging enemy. Uses basic mechanics and powerful abilities.

However, there are two types of 5 star enemies.
There are the Named (Fig. 2) - A very challenging enemy who requires a strong party and a good strategy.
(Each Named enemy will have an elite placeholder and multiple spawn locations)
And there is the Boss (Fig. 3). He's similar to a Named, however with much less forgiving mechanics and way more Health and Stats. These are weakened as more players battle against it and are virtually impossible to solo.

In the megazone, there will be a way to level up your pets like none before...The training grounds (Fig. 4)!
That's right! Your pets can now practice battling! In the training grounds, players can collect materials and turn them into training practice for your pets. As you upgrade the Training Grounds, your pets will get bonuses. There are two types of bonuses: passive and active. Passive Bonuses will permanently be active against any enemy throughout the MegaZone. Activated Bonuses will only be available for limited durations against specific enemies, but can significantly increase your pets' power in battle against those enemies. As Krin puts it, "Utilizing the Training Grounds will be an important component of successfully progressing through the MegaZone."

Fig. 1

Fig.2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4



The Lost Grove: Gear
There are four new tiers of pet equipment (Fig. 1) in the Lost grove!
-Pet Equipment Tier 1 will drop from basically anything.
-Pet Equipment Tier 2 will drop from named.
-Pet Equipment Tier 3 must be crafted. Requires first two sections of MegaZone.
-Pet Equipment Tier 4 must be crafted. Requires all three sections of MegaZone.
So yes, ALL MegaZone Pet Equipment can be upgraded through crafting (Fig 2). So you can do more with your equipment then just selling and collecting it!

Fig. 1

Fig. 2



The Lost Grove: Sylesties
There will be new themed pets for all tamable species throughout the zone, and there will be around fifty, yes, 50 new themed pets to collect! However, sylesties are quite rare in the MegaZone in the beginning, but luckily, the more monsters you defeat, the more sylesties you will encounter. Also, features like pet tracking (Fig. 1) will be implemented to improve your chance of finding pets. Not only can you find sylesties, however, you can also find Nests! An interesting feature Krinadon put in a few days ago, you can find nests (very rare) that can hold egglings of epic sylesties! Even better, the more sylesti adults you release, the more eggs you can encounter. This can hopefully boost pet economy and provide people with a kind reason to release. Three cheers for Krin!

Fig. 1



The Lost Grove: Avatar Items
A ton of new avatar items (Fig. 1) will be available! However, not all of these avatar items (Fig. 2) will be collected through drops. Most of these items have to be crafted by collecting various materials found in the megazone.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2


The Lost Grove: New technology
There are lots of new mechanics in the megazone exploring system!
First, there is new battling and exploring music and it changes depending on the time and difficulty of your enemy! Second of all, you will be able to target enemies by simply using '1', '2', or '3. You can press 'E' or 'C' to close most any window with a "Close button. Finally, you can use 'U' to use an item once you've selected the item and the pet.
This will make exploring and battling a much faster and convenient experience!

The Lost Grove: Tips!
An exclusive interview with Amarok.
Interviewer (Grapejuice): What was your initial reaction to the first time you entered the Lost Grove?
Amarok: My initial reaction was mainly along the lines of: "Ooh, that's a really pretty portal, and oooh look how pretty the trees are." Then it quickly changed to fear because my first enemy was a 4 star Crazed Druid, and that was a pretty hectic fight for my max stat party. The tank nearly got killed, and I had to use an elixir straight up. That was a little bit scary, but also really fun and challenging.
It then settled in, that in order to buy anything, heal my pets up, or switch the battle party, I have to leave the zone entirely, because there are no safe zones here yet. So. Yes. Fear.

Interviewer (Grapejuice): Do you think it was worth waiting this long? Any reasons why?
Amarok: I think the Lost Grove is very much worth the wait. I'm hesitant to say much on the matter, because this is only the beginning, and we haven't really unlocked anything major yet. But I do think it was worth it, already. I'm already finding it much more engaging and dynamic than the previous 3 zones were. And it's just going to get better from here on in, I think. Quality > Speed

Interviewer (Grapejuice): What was your favorite part of the Lost Grove so far and why?
Amarok: I really like the fact that we literally have to build from nothing. It's terrifying, it's engaging. It throws us straight into the deep end. It makes the quests seem more urgent, like they actually mean something. The current quest doesn't just have implications for the in-game story line (like in the previous static zones), but it actually has a real influence on the game-play itself. For example: Right now, if we don't get this barracks completed, we won't have a safe zone to heal our pets in, no way to buy supplies and upgrade armor that we need to survive in here. There is literally no way to move forward without the barracks in place.

This has been only a brief overview of the lost grove! And best of all, the Lost Grove is still being constantly updated! For more information, check out Krinadon's thread on the MegaZone to learn more!

So that was what happened in the month of February! Lots to learn, lots to craft and lots more to explore! Tune in next month to find out what happens in March!

Sincerely, GalaxyRose, IvyCat and Grapejuice!

Breeding Column
By Crow 'Cinder' Fall

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Breeding is a great way to get new pets, mutations and genes can be passed on. Many people have started selective breeding to make certain projects a reality. Many are new to the process, while old players take spotlight. Many projects were created and are still being made to this day. New or old, breeding is for everyone.

Breeding is one of the biggest fundamentals of Sylestia. It is a way to get new pets and the thrill of finding new genes is always exciting. However, what is popular in this realm, is Breeding Projects. These projects are difficult to progress in as it takes time, money, and stable space. Nevertheless, Its a thrill and risk we all enjoy to take.

New or old, there are many Breeding projects. One of the newest projects found on Sylestia is the Star Breather Ryori [Fig.1] project designed by Watercolors.

[Fig.1]



The Star Breather is a great example of a long term breeding project. However, there are a few aspects that still require a players touch. Breeders will ask for other players help in aiding them with their project by giving away offspring of the final project in return for philters, essences, pet dyes, or pets needed to finish the project.

Many breeders start with the genes of the final project. Breeding down genes in two different bloodlines is difficult, but the success of such feats are incredible.

Manipulation of genes and colors is difficult, and those who are new do not have access to new stables, as they require gems to buy. But if you still desire to take on the challenge of becoming a breeder, don't just take my word for it. Here is an interview with Watercolors, the creator or the Star Breather Ryori.



Bold=Crow
Italic=Watercolors

-What inspired you to design the Star Breather Ryori?

I believe I wanted to make a red and gold design for Christmas time, but it has been a long time

-What species do you like designing the most? Why?

Kelpari. I love their shading and the way their colors work in the slots. It is easy to make a kelpari that has an aesthetic appearance

-Why do you like designing?

It is calming and pleasing to the eye. It is another form of art. I am given the option to express my thoughts and emotions through color on a premade base.

-Which design(s) are your favorite? Why?

Designs that use natural colors, or exotic colors in a natural way. Like these:


-Do you have any tips for breeders with projects they wish to or are starting to begin?

Keep every baby at first. Name them for their traits. This will make it easier to breed eggs in the future without going into your stables and looking through them individually. Keep your space clean, release what you don't need. Make sure you are devoted because projects are long and hard and if you don't love your design you might not want to finish it.



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New Code or Old Code?

Though the experiment has ended, Breeding Cooldowns was the talk of the town the past week. Breeding cooldowns is when a male sylesti has three chances to breed within a day. It then takes approximately one-and-a-half days for the male to recover one cooldown. Once the cooldown is recovered, the male can breed again. For female sylesties, the process is a bit more complicated.

Females can have three children with no problem. For every child leading to the tenth child she has, there is a 12 hour recovery time. When she has her tenth and eleventh child have a 24 hour recovery time. Finally, from the twelfth child onward, the recovery time extends to twelve days per child.

The update was permanently removed later on due to the community having a strong opinion. A lot of stress and anxiety rose from the announcement. Rest assured, the code has been removed.

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--That's my report, Crow signing out!--

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Written by: Ingiman1
Edited by: Shayni

The sylestia wiki clearly needs updating and our reports show that that updating is going underway by a group of sylestians. So far we have seen the edition of an explanation of the coloring page (plus some examples of previous winners), an update on the winter festival, it's activities, and the themed sylesti of sylestia.

We managed to snag an exclusive interview with the leader of that group, none other than Rixva!





Reporter: What got you started/brought your attention to working on the wiki?

Rixva: I'm pretty sure there was a conversation about the wiki going on in region chat. The wiki itself was started by the user Rose when the site was still pretty new, but it kind of lost editors as time went on; some of the older users in chat were talking about reviving efforts to keep the wiki updated. I like doing things like digital formatting and organizing, so I volunteered to create a thread to serve as a sort of "base camp!"

Reporter: Any particular reason for starting the group of wiki workers?

Rixva: I just think it's important to have a place to be able to bounce ideas off each other if needed. For the most part, a lot of the work on the wiki can be pretty independent, and people can just chip in whenever they have time; in the event that someone needs help, or just wants a second opinion, the thread can be a resource for that.

Reporter: What in your opinion is the section that is in need of the most work right now and why?

Rixva: Hmm...I think that's kind of hard to say. I think in order to answer, we need more feedback from the community - what do people use the wiki for the most? What would they like to see incorporated? From our perspectives as seasoned Sylestians, it can seem pretty complete. We don't see the holes in our information that new users or less active members do. So to answer your question, the part that needs the most work is our outreach strategy - getting more people to use the wiki and offer their feedback!

Reporter: Do you have anything to say to our readers if so what is it?

Rixva: Sure - go take a look at the wiki and let us know what you think! What is most helpful to you, and what can we improve? The more feedback we get, the better we can cater the wiki to our users' needs!




Thank you Rixva for that insightful look into the thought behind the wiki and it's workings. Speaking of which the wiki workers are wondering what they should work on next! They need your help to decide. So we set up a lovely poll for you dear readers.



What should the wiki team work on next?

1. Focus on the basics of sylestia (Team building, breeding etc.)
2. Focus on the sylesti portion of the wiki (info pages, themed pet list etc.)
3. Focus on the festivals and their activites
4. Focus on the avatar items (origins, fests they come from etc.)

Which do you think is most important and the one they should work on? Cast your votes by PMing Grapejuice with your vote (the number you want) Remember one vote per user. Hurry and get your votes in as the deadline is March 14th!

On that note we end this months wiki news, February has brought the wiki team much more to consider and add to the ever growing wiki and it was full of surprises. Until next issue. Cyo!

Interview by Dragontulip

Aeropawsta

How are you enjoying Sylestia so far?
So far I'm enjoying the site. I like the story line that it has and the creatures that are home to the site all seem very unique.

How did you discover Sylestia?
I came across Sylestia from an ad on another site I was looking into.

What is your favorite part of Sylestia?
Not entirely sure yet, since I've only been playing for 2 days though I'd say the story line, it may be tedious but I find it enjoyable to do for short bursts of time (say an hour or two in one sitting) .

What is your favorite species and why?
I really like the Ryori, not entirely sure why i just like the phantomy feel they have going to them I guess
though Aeridini, Ferriki, Luffox, Lupora, Nephini, Nytekrie, Sylvorpa, and Zolnixi are some of the others that I like.

Have you gotten the help you've needed?
I haven't particularly asked for much help on things, so I'm unable to give a proper answer for this. Though anything I did need I do believe I've been able to find located somewhere in the forums.

What is the easiest thing about Sylestia? The hardest?
Easiest was most likely figuring out the basics to the site, though its helpful that I've played games similar to this, so a lot of things are rather similar (such as how like while drawing using various programs and how each program has some of the basic same features).
and hardest I'm not entirely sure on, if anything id say that i in all actuality have 0 clue how the stats system works here so for the items/the element you align the sylesties to. I'm just going with a guess as to what would fit best.

Battle strategy has become an art in culture today. To win any battle, you have to have strategy. That is how the U.S Civil War and all the other historical wars were won. So how can you apply real life to everyday Sylestian battles?
Well, it is good to stay stocked up on droughts and fairy mushrooms. Then you'll be prepared whenever you need quick healing. Having all your resources before heading out into dangerous territory can help you in a tight spot. That is why when you come across a fairy mushroom, you should pick it. It doesn't matter if you have hundreds of them. You're bound to go through them like water sooner or later.
Another way to ensure that your party is not the one who gets defeated is how Snowcrystal ensures their victory. To them, it is all about what elements you use and what target you focus on first.



Hello, I'm GriffinLokison and I'm just going ask you a few questions, okay?
Sure why not?

What is your most useful tip for battling?
Start with the strongest. Hit it as hard as you can and heal whenever necessary.

Do you have a special strategy? If so, explain what it is.
That depends. For bosses in the Lost Grove i now use a shadow light water combo, since they're all 5 levels above me, and i give ice barrier to my shadow whenever possible. I also switch shadow and water a lot, because i noticed that most bosses in the LG tend to barrel down on the middle pet most, leaving the others above 90%. For multiple enemies i deal with the stronger ones first, and work my way down.

Why do you find it useful?
I decided to use shadow light water due to my light being not enough to heal my wind pet before, so i switched it to water for better defense. For multiple enemies i'm pretty sure it's easy to see why

Do you have any other advice to other Sylestia users?
For those in the umbra forest, and maybe stuck in a group of zombies or whatever, take out the middle one first. That way, the other two weak ones will stay there and the stronger ones will filter out one by one, making it easier to deal with. Plus, if you can't seem to fight your way across LG, there's always a guide somewhere.

Would you be willing to be interviewed again in the future?
Yup.

Im going to be the first to comment xp
Woah~ Its gorgeous!! Thanks so much shayni :DD