Just curious since this website has went threw many changes over the years. Do players who payed gems back in the day to have our designs added to the game get anything for them?

I'm not asking for anything as they gave us the created pieces for free, but I remember art contest winners getting a paintbrush avatar item and wondered if that is a thing for those of us who did the feature way back when.

If not no problem I don't mind just curious!

Lol, that sounds cool, but I don't think that's available now, if you're asking that.. I guess customs are still accessible to people who ordered them back when there were still custom items.

I'm not sure as I did them around 2013 I believe. I don't get the ability for free access to the mutations I did but I did get the avatar part sets. It would be cool to have a avatar item to show you helped the site grow way back when xD. Cool but not necessary.

I only remembered cause I came across the art I did xD then found the forum post about it being added. *inhales* Good ol days. <3

I have no idea what "free access to mutations" even means? I assume you mean pet traits? how would that even work?
The prize for the pet trait contests if you get your trait picked is being able to pick two mystical essences and the participation prize
(apparently starting with this most recent trait design contest, it's Peerless Avatar Token] x1, 3-Visible Spring Festival Themed Pet of Choice (2-Visible if Majestic) x1, Mystical Essence of Choice x2, with participation prize being Prizes: [Fabled Seed Pouch] x1, [Mystery Seed Pouch] x2, [Premium Fertilizer] x3, [Box of Gardening Supplies] x1, [Large Basket of Enrichments] x12, [Legendary Avatar Item (Spring - Retired)] x1, [Decorated Egg] x1,000)
(previously it's been mystical essence of species the trait design was utilized on, then it changed to a mystical essence of choice, then to two mysticals of choice, over the years)

for avatar item design i'm less familiar, but you definitely always got like, a free set of the recolourable version of the set, and I think your pick of one of the precoloured versions?
this time it's Prizes: [Peerless Avatar Token] x1, 3-Visible Spring Festival Themed Pet of Choice (2-Visible if Majestic) x1, Re-Colorable Avatar Items of Winner's Entries if applicable, Pre-Colored Avatar Item Set of Choice of Winner's Entries if applicable
All Participants
Prizes: [Fabled Seed Pouch] x1, [Mystery Seed Pouch] x2, [Premium Fertilizer] x3, [Box of Gardening Supplies] x1, [Large Basket of Enrichments] x12, [Legendary Avatar Item (Spring - Retired)] x1, [Decorated Egg] x1,000)

I am aware of all the old ways for the most part ish...back then the avatar items you got as a recolorable set yes. And for getting your traits/mutations added you got essence to make a creature with said traits.

In the old days you payed money to get Traits and items added. I'm not looking for special treatment, just asking of things have changed and they gave out things or so like art winners. Was mostly wondering if the formula on rewards stayed the same or if they gave out like a avatar item that showed you won or idk like they did with the paintbrush for art contest winners.

As I said not looking for anything just curious how things have changed over the course of 9 years.

Oh and to your how would that work question, im afraid my wording got misinterpreted since I was responding to a prior message xD. The "free mutation" meant as in you got an essence to create the pet and give it the traits/mutations you made of desired. I wasn't aware the terminology changed so much, then again it has been 9 years and I've been a bit absent lol.

Cool to see how well this site has grown though!

Im really not the best at coveying my thoughts or meanings so forgive me of Im miss reading somethings as it is hard to see this on mobile atm. PROB DEFO MISSREAD so sorry >.<

yeah, there's no paying to get traits or avatar items* added anymore, just the trait design contests and avatar item contests.
"free mutation" is a very strange way to say 'essence'! Never heard them referred to that way, and I've been here since late 2014, so I guess the usage must have died out between 2013 and then?

*There are however on occasion like, special diamond events and such that happen to have the chance at getting custom-colour versions of things- thus far it's some pet companions (if you've been away a long time and didn't know since they're fairly new, a type of pet costume that is a lil buddy for the pet rather than clothing for them- example of a custom one here) and one avatar item, the Vytrius, Prince of Bargains aspect item (examples here, here)

Again the "free mutation" wasn't the terminology I was referring to. Mutation was and it was refering to traits like differences in appearances in irl is considered mutations idk it that explains better.

The free mutation thing was me trying to explain that you didn't get free mutations. I don't think I can explain that better sorry.

Yeah the clothing and buddy thing is new to me.

Tldr: mutations is traits I guess. I know essence is what you use to make pets. I was trying to explain what free mutations could be understood as since it wasn't an option that was always open but in fact they just gave you free essence.

I know what the correct meanings are and terms but I can't formulate it in a way others can understand crystal clear.

Anyway I was just wondered if there was or wasn't rewards for this thing now.

I'm honestly feeling dumb since I can't explain to save my life. I tend to avoid posting due to this sorry but i was curious on the system as i couldnt find sloid info on it.

Got my answer and feeling like a idiot lol but I'm done with this post it can be closed I got the answer I needed!

I have discovered the issue in the miscommunication- my brain looked at this sentence in one of your posts "I don't get the ability for free access to the mutations" and just, you know.
skipped on registering the "don't".
Would have helped if it hadn't done that, but brains really just Be Like That sometimes. So, the cause of miscommunication and confusion falls on my end because my brain Failed at word registering

(Traits is the overarching term for all genes and mutations)

Ah okay so it covers it all, got it. Thank you for the help, seems we both had slip ups hehe