Start Time: Friday, August 26th at 12:00 PM
End Time: Sunday, September 18th at 11:59 PM


This is the official Announcement Thread for the 2016 Summer Festival, which will begin on Friday, August 26th! Please be sure to read over everything carefully before asking any questions. The Summer Festival marks the return of the Fabled Lighira. It is also the time of year Sylestians take time to relax and have fun before the annual fall harvest. So Happy Summer Festival to all!

This year's festival comes a little later than usual and will largely contain the same features as last year's festival, but with a few improvements based on feedback. We are still very busy with the MegaZone and Ny'vene revamp, the latter of which should be released either when the Summer Festival begins or shortly after.




Festival Exploration Zone
https://www.sylestia.com/explore/newzone/?zone=esiorsfieldssummerfestival
This zone is recommended for players using pets of Level 10 and above!

This year's Festival Exploration Zone has a lot stuffed into it. There are currently a total of 32 Themed Pets available to find while exploring. Additionally, there are 3 Static Named available who drop a set of unique Avatar Items each.

While exploring and battling, you will also have the opportunity to find Fishing Poles, Beach Shovels, and Clams, all of which are used for Sylesti Seeking. You can also collect Sun Tokens that can be spent in the Festival Shop.

Lastly, there is the Majestic Maze of Amazements. You can access this feature by talking to Justinia Aurorelius near the entrance of the Zone. This feature is discussed in more detail down below.




Sylesti Seeking
https://www.sylestia.com/festival/festival_summer/sylesti_seeking/

Sylesti Seeking will return from its debut from last year. It is comparable to the Spring Festival's Sylesti Garden and the Winter Festival's Sylesti Baking; only with a different twist. In order to seek, you must obtain either a Fishing Pole or a Beach Shovel. Once you have either, click on a tile on the beach image to search for hidden treasures. You can obtain Fishing Poles and Beach Shovels by exploring the Festival Zone, participating in the Summer Contests, or by purchasing them directly from both the Diamond Shop and Festival Shop.

Sylesti Seeking has been largely improved from last year. We have adjusted all of the drop tables, dramatically reduced 'fail rates', and dramatically increased the lower tier prizes.

As you seek, you will collect various supplies. You can find Pearls, Pure Water, Pure Clay, or one of twenty-one various beach creatures. Each creature is tied to a specific pet species and is required to create a Themed Pet of that species. Additionally, Pearls are used to add traits to that Themed Pet when you create it. Lastly, every pet requires 5 Vials of Pure Water and 5 Bricks of Pure Clay.

There are a total of 21 Seeking Pets available, 7 of which are Fabled. Fabled Seeking Pets can also be obtained from the Majestic Maze of Amazements and by placing in the Summer Contests.

In addition to collecting Seeking Supplies, you can also find other rewards from Seeking. They include the Beach Outfit Avatar Set, the Sand Crab set, the Toy Squirt Gun set, and the lovely Pearlescent and Snail Spriteling sets. You can also find Philters of Trait Disruption (Themed), Perfumes of Themed Attraction, Greater Genetic Mutators, Greater Pet Dyes, Prismatic Philters, Magical Pies, Lesser Genetic Mutators, and Lesser Pet Dyes.

Last, but not least, you can also find extremely sought after Maze of Amazements Tickets!

Sylesti Seeking is definitely a feature that you do not want to miss out on! Be sure to seek as much treasure as you can before the festival ends!

Pro Tips
-Keep an eye out for bonus objects (Boosts) on the map as they will offer a massive boost to your chances at the top tier prizes!
-Majestic Tools are much better than Iron Tools and Iron Tools are much better than Wooden Tools.
-Always try to use your best available Tool to seek on a tile with a Boost.

List of Improvements From Last Year
-Reduced chances to fail with Tools by at least half per tool. Additionally, Majestic Tools can no longer fail at all.
-Boosts are now incredibly more valuable. They significantly increase the chances of obtaining the top tier prizes and, for some tools, completely eliminate the chances of obtaining the lower tier prizes.
-Excess Water and Clay can now be combined to create Silver Pearls.
-Prize tables completely overhauled. Majestic Tools offer dramatically better prizes. Iron Tools offer much better prizes. Wooden Tools offer better prizes.




Summer Contests
https://www.sylestia.com/festival/festival_summer/sylesti_contests/

Throughout the duration of the Festival, there will be a total of 84 Contests running; 2 Contests per Species and two intervals of Contests. There are 2 types of Contests: Enemies Defeated and Pets Nurtured. The 1st Place winner of each Contest will receive a 3-Visible Seeking Pet of that Species. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Place finishers of each Contest will receive a 2-Visible Seeking Pet of that Species.

Enemies Defeated Contest: In order to earn points for this Contest, you must defeat enemies inside the Festival Zone with pets of that Species. Having multiple Pets of the same Species counts as multiple points. Additionally, having various Pets in your Party counts for each of their respective Contests.

Pets Nurtured: In order to earn points for this Contest, you must nurture Pets of that Species. There are no other restrictions.

Lastly, all players can earn [Contest Reward Pouches] by earning so many points per Contest. There is no limit to the amount of pouches a player can earn. So the more you participate, the more that you'll receive!

Times for First Interval of Contests:
Begin: Saturday, August 27th at 12:00 PM
Ends: Saturday, September 3rd at 11:59 AM

Times for Second Interval of Contests:
Begin: Sunday, September 4th at 12:00 PM
Ends: Sunday, September 11th at 11:59 AM




Majestic Maze of Amazements
https://www.sylestia.com/explore/newzone/?zone=esiorsfieldssummerfestival

The Majestic Maze of Amazements will make its return. It is accessible by talking to Justinia Aurorelius in the Festival Zone. She is located in the fenced in area near the start of the Zone.

Entering the Majestic Maze requires one [Majestic Maze of Amazements Ticket]. Tickets can be purchased from the Diamond Shop for Diamonds, the Festival Shop for Sun Tokens, or found from Sylesti Seeking.

Once inside the Majestic Maze, you will have the option of taking one of two paths. One path, the Path of Dreams, is a risk taking path where the rewards can be significantly higher, but less prizes are guaranteed. Whereas the other path, the Path of Destiny, is a much more stable path but the top prizes are rarer.




Summer Festival Shop
https://www.sylestia.com/shops/holidayshop/

Throughout participating in this year's festival, you will earn [Sun Tokens]. You can spend these Sun Tokens in the Festival Shop. In addition to new Avatar Items available, you can also purchase Majestic Maze of Amazements Tickets, Retired Summer Festival Avatar Items, and Seeking Supplies.


Official Summer Festival Forum Games
https://www.sylestia.com/forums/?forum=24#forumtop

Be sure to participate in as many Summer Festival Forum Games that you can! Many great prizes await you and some contests just simply require you to participate. And besides the prizes, it's also just plain fun to participate! So don't miss out!

Oh wow you actually decided to go for it! Awesome and thank you once more Krin, Fai, and all of the wonderful artists involved!

Too bad I can't do my multiple splurges anymore, but I might be able to work in at least one throughout the festival. ;)

I am very happy to see the improvements to fishing as it was a bit unfair last year. Hopefully, everyone will have a chance creating at least one of these wonderful fishes on their own.

Can't wait for it to begin! It'll be my first festival!

I'm so excited! I've been waiting for the Summer Festival! c: In fact, I just earlier today I was wondering when it would begin, lol.

Two-and-a-half cheers!

Had to dock you half a cheer because the Festival squarely encompasses the 8 days that I will have little to no 'Net access. But hey, every festival is going to line up with some folks' RL obligations--no help for it.

Oh yay! Summer Festival after all, thanks so much!

Yay! I was so bummed at the prospect of skipping it this year! <3

So here's a question:

Are all of the themes going to be repeats from last year or will we see some new ones? Need to know if I should make some stable space while I've got the chance. :D

At this time, they are the same as last year.

We may add/change some, but atm, they are the same.

Whoa, super-quick response! Thanks for the answer! ^^