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[blaurascon-kzk]

KZK Update: It’s been a while

I hope everyone’s doing alright! Apologies for the... year and a half or so lapse in posts, ahah. In honesty, once discord notices started slowing down, I fell out of habit copying them over to here. 

Anyway, news! Finally! We’re migrating to Caspervend! Like right now! The old servers are offline and we’re working on migrating listings and data over to Caspervend, as well as setting up new vendors and all that good jazz. Vendors will probably be offline for a few more days while we continue working, but we’ll post when they’re ready to go!

Also, yes, I know folks will ask - we are still working on avs, there are still updates planned, but the vendor system *needed* to be replaced first. (That, and... *gestures vaguely at the last two years* Things have been WILD IRL.)

We’ve got all the purchase data since 2009(!) backed up and ready to be loaded into the new system. This means your old purchases will get migrated over so you don’t have to worry about that!

Also, Caspervend means redeliveries that behave and don’t flood you with avatars! You can just go in and pick the thing you want sent back!

New vendors will be more spread out - Caspervend doesn’t support category nesting, so every species will be its own vendor now. There are going to be so many. SO MANY. 

I mean, look at this. This is only about half the always-available avatars we had to migrate over, not including LEs / special editions / one-offs. Each box on the left is 1 species (some are split in 2). This is why we’ve been a bit daunted by the task of migrating systems. It’s a MASSIVE job!

ALSO, SPECIAL NOTE: If you happen to have any Vouchers left over from old events, they won’t work anymore. The system they’re trying to talk to literally doesn’t exist now. Contact Sharim Nova to manually redeem a voucher.

Anyway, yeah, we’re working on this for now. Vendors are down for a lil while whilst we work on that. Will let you know when they’re ready again!

[blaurascon-kzk]

KZK Discord Digests: Interim Update

Hey folks! I hope you are all safe and well!

I’ve stopped doing the Discord Digests for quite a while largely because there weren’t very many announcements going on in the Discord. We’re still here!

Just a super, super brief post so you know what we’ve been up to:

Kat’s been neck-deep in contract work (go check out the Mystical Creatures by Amaretto, that’s what he’s been up to!!) and hasn’t had much spare time to work on KZK related stuff. He knows there’s a lot of overdue patches and stuff, especially for the Direwolves - they’ll be addressed as soon as he’s able to!

I’ve been taking a bit of an extended break from SL. I still log in and will still get your messages and be able to help, don’t worry! I’ve just been having to find other things to bury my mind in to keep sane. (Please don’t be afraid to leave an offline IM, I can reply to those via email once I see them!)

I’ll get back to posting announcements once things pick back up. Stay safe out there! Wash your hands!

[blaurascon-kzk]

KZK Discord Digest [Weeks of May 1 - May 21]

SUMMARY: It's been a while since the last notice. We've been up to stuff, just mostly IRL stuff and non-KZK work that took priority. We’re still here <3 Kat's aiming to get the Direwolf plushies out and done by the end of the month, but may need to take a few extra days. They'll be free for folks who preordered the Direwolf, and 800L for everyone else.

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Kat 05/18/2020 @everyone Holy SHIT its been an eternity since I sent a notice.

First off, I'm not dead, I promise! I still try to log into SL daily. Meanwhile RL's been a ride--trying to get my place clean since I finally have some time to pick it up for the first time in a few months.

Oh-oh!! and I got a washing machine!!! Guys you have no idea how good it feels to know I don't have to spend an hour and a half hunched over a bath tub anymore. I'm legit on the brink of tears I'm so happy.

Anyways I know there's still a lot of you asking 'where's my direwolf update! Where's my plushies!' its comin, but remember I'm just 1 dude and I'm doing my best to keep myself from rebounding and crashing again--between the pandemic, real life, ect, I'm doin' my best without pushing myself so hard that I break again.

I want to have the plushies done and out by the end of the month, but I might miss it by a few days, so Please be bear with me. (remember that people who preordered get em free, while others can buy them for around 800L once they're ready.)

Til then.. Please take care of yourselves, and be sure to send your friends some love ok?? We'll get through this together. :heart:

[blaurascon-kzk]

KZK Discord Digest [Week of April 24 - April 30]

SUMMARY: Kat's looking for feedback on how to handle devkits for avs like the Lion (mesh pieces bolted onto the system body). Send him an IM if you have any tips or feedback. PSDs for the Lion are available through the PSD drive link, along with the Raptor and Husky PSDs. The next anthro project will be Owls. More details in the post below. They won't go into production for a few weeks or a month - Kat's got some other projects that take priority - but we wanted to let you guys know. We're as excited as you <3 Once Kat's got rent deposited for the month, he's going to start working on refunds for Direwolf devkits, for those who requested refunds. He'll be going in order of oldest first. Kat's added a channel to the Discord for quick reference on what he's working on, so you don't have to dig through announcements.

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April 24

Kat04/24/2020 @everyone Yo modders--drop me a DM, or post in #devkit-support if you're able--I'd like some opinions/feedback on how I should approach kits for stuff like the Lions, which are just parts bolted onto a body. I'm really not sure how to approach this one. I've no grand illusions people will make a ton of stuff for it.. but I at least want to try.

Also I'll see about making the PSDs(and uvs) available today. get on that early before I forget/move on and forget.

@everyone Also--Once I pay rent at the end of the month(or I know I've got enough to pay rent and bills), I wil begin issuing refunds to Direwolf devkit licensees who wish to be refunded. I'll be starting with the oldest contracts first.

Kat04/24/2020 @everyone Last message for the day, but I wanted to bring it up while its fresh on my mind--My next new project will be owls. These are something I started forever ago in the bygone era of sculpties but ultimately shelved because it wasn't what i'd envisioned.

Planned features: Arm and back wings(with aos for each), zygodactyl feet, 2 head types, barn and great horned. anticipated price, 1600L(I've always charged a bit more for avatars that have extras like wings due to the additional work.)

These won't go into production for a few weeks, potentially a month or so, but you guys know how much I love to tease you :joy:

With the lions done, my next focus is the Direwolf plushies, and some other non kzk projects that have been on the backburner (like the amaretto breedable dragons), that need more love.

yeah I coulda waited to announce the owls, but fuck man I love owls and I was honestly at a loss for what to do next.

Also if you need skins for the Lion, remember you can hit me up! Always happy to help. <3

(no more notices today unless its critical today, I promise!)

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April 25

Kat04/25/2020 @everyone I've made the Lion PSDs/shaders available via a new Drive link posted in #social-media-and-useful-links I've also updated the Husky and Raptor kits to include the detail layers (Scales, fur). Please use these files responsibly.

All files should include their uvs and shaders. Normals are hit or miss--raptor materials are obtainable in the main store.

I've also updated the clothing PSDs for the Direwolf to fix the missing UV layers--if you already have the drive link, just redownload the file and the uvs should be there.

I'm still looking for feedback regarding the Lion and how, if I should even bother, to approach the mesh aspect of the kit for it, but for now the shaders will get you started on personal mods.

Modders: Using the Lion PSDs to make a tiger or leopard will probably not be a good idea (for now) as I will be using these same files to make updates for the Snow/Leopard and Tiger. I've no plans to make any other breeds for now.

All that said, happy modding! Let me know if you run into any issues and remember--these files are for your convenience, and to extend the life of the product in the third party market--Please don't ruin this for everyone.

Edit: Forgot to mention, I've opted to make the UV dummy for the Direwolf available as a proper blender file. This was previous limited to on-request only, but there was very little interest so I opted to just put it out there.

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April 28

Kat04/28/2020 @everyone A new channel has been added to the Welcome and Info tab-- #status-report

This is where I will compile a condensed version of information pertaining to active and planned projects, most recent releases/updates, and other information that isn't quite FAQ type stuff.

hopefully it'll be useful!

[blaurascon-kzk]

KZK Discord Digest [Week of April 17 - April 24]

SUMMARY: Lions are live! Preorders should already be sent out. Hope everyone digs em! I've updated the FAQ some. Added a few new sections, removed some irrelevant sections, etc. Check it out if you haven't yet! https://blaurascon-kzk.tumblr.com/post/71402739026/kinzart-kreetures-faq-n-stuff RE: the Direwolf community showcase: There haven't been any submissions. Not entirely unexpected, but a bit saddening. Still! If you make something new and spiffy with the Dire devkit, show us! We still love seeing stuff you guys make! The Direwolf discounted price will be up for a while still. We had some unexpected downtime a few days ago. It's all resolved now!

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April 18

Blau04/18/2020 @everyone The unscheduled downtime from earlier should be complete and Okarthel is open and ready to go again. If you have any failed purchases or whatnot from last night / earlier today, please contact Sharim Nova / Kat with the transaction information and he'll sort you out.

Kat04/18/2020 @everyone No one's mentioned it, but I do want to address it here: At the start of march, I put out the very belated direwolf devkit, and hoped to incentivize content creators to create content for it, by offering to promote their creations to the group.

Well, sadly, no one really came forward and.. while it disheartened me, I also understand that the direwolf is well over a year old at this point and that I heartily dropped the ball on those. Perhaps my next big venture like that won't be such a trial. I do have more big stuff like that in the works, but I won't announce anything until some sort of update for the Dire has been pushed.

That said, The direwolf's discounted price will remain active for a while longer, not sure how long.

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April 22

Kat04/22/2020 @everyone Hey folks! As many of you know, the Lions should be dropping today but honestly, in the interest of not spending all night trying to get things packed, forgetting stuff, messing shit up, ect(again).. I've opted to just.. get everything reset and loaded tomorrow. I just wrapped up foldering everything, now I just need to load the boxes, set up the unpacker, and reload/edit the server details. its the home stretch, and I'd rather get there without jeopardizing my mental health to do it.

I've spent years pushing myself way too hard, and as things are finally stabilizing for me financially and emotionally, I don't want to get back into the same habits that put me here in the first place.

I hope you will all understand, and I look forward to seeing you all in your spiffy new lions tomorrow!

:heart:

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April 23

KatYesterday at 11:08 PM @everyone Houston, we have liftoff.Lion Redeliveries have begun. :)

Not sure what the  numbers are, so no clue how long it'll take, but suffice to say that everyone should have their lions by morning for sure. I'll be hanging out for the next hour or so monitoring the situation.

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April 24

BlauToday at 1:11 PM @everyone Hi folks, hope everyone is digging the Lions so far :)

I just went through the FAQ and gave it a couple updates. Check it out if you haven't so far, there's a bunch of useful links right at the top! Convenient shortlink: http://bit.ly/kzkfaq Long boi link: https://blaurascon-kzk.tumblr.com/post/71402739026/kinzart-kreetures-faq-n-stuff

[blaurascon-kzk]

KZK Discord Digest [Week of April 10 - April 16]

SUMMARY: Kat's changed his username from sylver.bu to sharim.nova. If you need to get hold of him, please use sharim.nova. Documentation should all be updated with his new name, but if you spot something that's not updated yet, let us know. (EXCEPT notecards in boxes since we can't really update those. they'll be fixed going forward.) Due to popular demand Kat's adding "Prism Light" and "Prism Dark" lions. Preview for the Light color below!

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APR 13

KatMonday at 4:38 PM @everyone From this day on, my SL name has changed! I will henceforth go by the SL username of Sharim Nova! ...I can't tell you how happy I am. I've hated being 'Sylver Bu' for so long. Constant immature jokes at my expense, and plus Sylver is the name of my fursona from when I was 13....16 years ago. It was definitely time to finish shaking off that veil.

..now here's to hoping it doesn't break all my shit in SL :joy:

KatMonday at 4:49 PM @everyone In less celebratory news, allow me to address some technical things:

IF LOOKING FOR HELP, If you have CHANGED your SL name, PLEASE say what your old username was (including .resident if your account predates this change). Our admins are not going to magically know who you are, especially as the viewer will be writing NEW CHATLOGS (So we won't be able to see old chat history unless we manually load the text file on our systems).

IF YOU ARE GIFTING AN AVATAR TO SOMEONE WHO HAS CHANGED THEIR NAME< AND IT FAILS, Please let us know immediately. The ramifications of this change are yet to be known, so we're not yet sure how it will affect things going forward. Keep in mind some areas will take up to 24 hours to update the new name visually, but your UUID will remain unchanged(Our server searches W-hat using name2Key, so this will be wonky within a day or two of name changes, I expect).

If there's any other issues, please let us know--and again, PLEASE include your old handle if you changed! thanks! :heart:

BlauMonday at 5:03 PM I'm slowly going through and updating the KZK documentation that I can to reflect Kat's name change. If you find something that I missed, let me or Kat know. (EXCEPT FOR NOTECARDS IN PRODUCT BOXES. I can't change them. They'll be fixed going forward.) not gonna ping you guys for this, but you get the idea :heart:

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APR 14

KatTuesday at 2:55 PM @everyone By popular demand... (will be used as an overlay to make the shadowblack and snow white lions look 'pearlescent'/rainbowy, since the lion has no stripes or spots to make colorful (like other avatars that get the prismatic treatment.)

KatTuesday at 4:09 PM Prism 'Light' Lion. The Dark will look like the shine you see on oil, but more vibrant/saturated. Hope you rainbow lovers out there enjoy it. 

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APR 15

KatYesterday at 11:34 PM @everyone Its time for another demo!.. this time a bit earlier. Join me now in the sandbox while I demo the Lion, and answer your questions! Will be here for around half an hour or so :slight_smile: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Okarthel/117/137/17

[blaurascon-kzk]

KZK Discord Digest [Week of April 3 - April 9]

SUMMARY: Kat's working on getting the Lion parts optimized, imported, and ready to go. His goal is to have them out by the 20th of this month. I've had a lot of people asking where to preorder the lions, so I put together a picture to show folks. Just pull em up on the shown vendors and pay it like you usually would to buy something. I've added a directory crystal to the main vendor area in Okarthel as well. Click it for a notecard that details which avatars are in which vendors.

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April 6

KatLast Monday at 4:40 PM @everyone So with April fools come and gone, I've begun to see more and more folks asking in chat(SL), and in private IMS when we can expect the Lions... I want to say no later than the 20th, purely out of personal discipline and because I don't want to make folks wait too long. As of right now that's an attainable goal.

As of right now, all of the Lion's static/unrigged parts are ready to export and upload into SL. The rigged/bento stuff doesn't take a lot to do to achieve that so I can say with certainty that i'm making pretty good progress. There will be a rather sizable number of parts to manage, especially with the extra skin, head and mane types, but It shouldn't be much worse than the raptor. On top of that I'm eager to try out this automatic recolor system I commissioned from a buddy more than a year ago.

I'll keep you guys up to date on progress as its made!

BlauLast Monday at 5:34 PM @everyone Been getting a lot of people asking where to preorder the lions, since they don't have a dedicated single-item vendor like the Dires or the LE's. Here's a picture of the vendors you want, and the categories.

BlauLast Monday at 5:44 PM Pick out the color you want & pay the vendor like you would if you were buying the avatar normally. :)

Also, the little blue crystal in the middle of the vendor line there? That's got a directory of which avs are in which vendors, under which categories. it's new and handy!

[blaurascon-kzk]

KZK Discord Digest [Weeks of Mar 20 - April 2]

SUMMARY: Skipped the DD last week because ... I got sidetracked. Bunching it in with this week's! The Fire and Ice kit for the Direwolf is live! This was originally intended to be a preorder bonus / limited-time LE at the Direwolf launch, but since it's so overdue, it's going to be a permanent addition to the store. Folks who preordered the Dires (up to and including December 30, 2018) can get the kits for free by hitting the green crystal below the vendors, and folks who didn't can pick them up for 800L (they come together!). Also, introducing the Retro Western Dragon! Styled after late ps1 / early ps2 games, this "demake" started as a fun de-stressing project and ended up turning into a full avatar, complete with devkit. This is also a permanent addition to the store, you can pick it up for 800L. Additional skins to come! (The Retro Western also served as a BOM test for Kat - he's excited to see if we can apply it to the proper Dragon update. It's still in early planning stages, but exciting!)

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Mar 26

Kat03/26/2020 @everyone Progress has slowed dramatically due to a back injury (only myself to blame), but Im doing my best to push forward on this project nonetheless: One of the promised perks for those who preoered were a set of fire/ice themed skins/accessories. The fire doggo is almost done--just needs new eyes and some cool flame effects (will be borrowed from the fire kirin), and then it'll be on to the icey boy. These parts will come prefitted for all 3 sizes of direwolf, as well as appliers for solid and emissive-compatible versions. Hope you guys are excited!

These will be FREE to those who proerdered, and for sale to everyone else for a lmited time.

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Mar 28

KatLast Saturday at 7:21 PM @everyone Here's a teaser of the Hoarfrost Direwolf. the third pic on the right is during midday (default) to show how the emissive mapping can play with the lighting to look like snow on the surface of glowing ice.

These'll be dropping tonight. There won't be any formal database support for these, but there will be a kiosk for anyone who preordered before the direwolf launched originally.

I wanted to put these and the plushies out at the same time, but I know there's a lot of excitement for these especially. I'll keep you guys up todate as progress is made on the plush stuff. :heart:

KatLast Saturday at 7:31 PM @everyone Last bit o spam for now--the appliers for the hellhound and hoarfrost will come in 2 types: no alpha, and emissive masking. the Hoarfrost shown above is the emissive option. Here's the non emissive option, for folks who don't wish to set of Geiger counters in the next town over.

The Hellhund has a non alpha option as well, but the markings/coloration are the same (This is in case there's some rendering fuckery) but what it lacks in alternate colors, it makes up for with a few extra little decorations, that should make modding a dream.

The adornments on these avatars are rigged, with the exception of the horns and the hellhound shackles, BUT, there will be static versions of all the little tid bits so you can stick it on whatever you want, like all the kirin parts. I can't wait to see what you guys do with em!

KatLast Saturday at 10:43 PM @everyone Sometimes I get to make cool vendor pics like this. Enjoy this little teaser!

Oops I spy a typo. That'll be fixed on the final version :eyes: KatLast Saturday at 11:58 PM @everyone Very please to say that the ice and fire Direwolves are now available in the main store, to the right of the Direwolf vendors.

For those who preordered, purchases made on or before December 30th, 2018, qualify for the free bonuses. Just click the green crystal just below the fire and ice vendor.

Thank you all so far for your patience. I can't wait to see what you all do with these mods.

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Mar 29

KatLast Sunday at 7:26 PM @everyone So I noticed during development that one of the claws for the Hellhound was acting kinda silly. I didn't even think to check if it might've accidently gotten weighted to another bone--seems it did. That's something Ill address tonight and fix asap. These skins aren't in the database, but not too many have sold just yet so fixing it and returning the update shouldn't be a terribly exhausting process. Thank you to @Zoriah for bringing it to my attention. :slight_smile:

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Mar 30

KatLast Monday at 12:59 PM @everyone So some of you have noticed the little teaser I dropped in #teasers-and-wips last night...

Just gunna make sure you all know to reign in your expectations and know that this little project was 'for fun'. Not reinventing the wheel here, just making something for shits and giggles and figured a little teaser might do well. Love you guys :heart:

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Mar 31

KatLast Tuesday at 12:20 PM @everyone I wanted to make an announcement ahead of April Fools.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Right now with the world on the brink of chaos(quite literally), April Fools couldn't come at a better, or potentially worse time.

This April Fools, I will be tripling down on the no shock value links rule, with special attention to April Fools themed posts. Content that could cause panic, worry, or anxiety, is strictly forbidden(aside from legitimate articles with important information regarding this pandemic).

I know it's usually a time for jokes, but please keep them light hearted.

What have been some of your favorite legitimately funny in the best way possible April Fools jokes?

Mine is the first time I stepped foot in the Super Adventure Box in Guild Wars 2. I still have that first song stuck in my head...

Just be kind to each other, always, mk?

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Apr 1

KatYesterday at 2:48 AM @everyone I've teased it, and now its ready...

A new age for all Dragon-kind. I'm pleased to announce Kinzart's newest, most high definition dragon avatar to date, unlike anything SL has ever seen.. These visuals will blow you away. Its got rigged wings. Its got BOM layers.. Its... 1902 tris?.... Huh. That doesn't seem right.

Oh well! Happy april fools day everyone! The Retro Western Dragon is on sale now in the Mainstore, for just 800L!

(I want to point out that I began work on this project around a month ago--a little something to destress amidst crunch on the lions, direwolf devkit stuff, and so on. I LOVE intricately hand painted Pixel textures and low poly models, so I had to bring my love of this dying art form to second life! April fools just seemed like the perfect time! I hope you all don't mind!)

@everyone I know a lot of you saw the teasers and thought 'NEW DERG?!' Well you're half right!...

This av was also a bit of a.. tech test for me--BOM is new territory for me, so this just felt like a fun way to test the tech and make something neat.

Best of all? Its going to be a permanent edition to our lineup--and if there's enough interest, we may expand on this idea, and 'demake' some of your favorite Kinzart avatars!

Just think... what I've learned here will be useful later this year when the dragon updates go into production.

[blaurascon-kzk]

KZK Discord Digest [Week of Mar 13 - Mar 19]

SUMMARY: Before I get into the summary - I hope everyone's staying safe out there! Wash your hands, avoid crowds, practice good social distancing! This is a scary time, but we're gonna make it through! Now - Preorders for the Lions are up! You can grab one by visiting Okarthel. There's a mannequin in the store too so you can get a better look! Preorders are 1100L. After release, the price will increase to 1400L. (Kat was floating around the idea of special preorder LE’s, but those are going to be worked on at a later date as regular LE’s. The Lions will have some LE’s at launch - Foo Dogs) Kat's doing something new for the lions: rather than the classic Male and Female skins, he's including Masculine, Feminine, and Androgynous skins. Lots of progress shots of the Lions in this post, too - from early models to current previews. Kat's currently working on getting the Direwolf preorder bonuses ready. The plushies are almost done, and he's currently working on the first preorder skin, a hellhound. A week or so ago, LL broke something with object rez calls in scripts in the sim code. They're pushing a fix - our two regions are updated already, but if you are having issues with things not working as intended (especially breedables) you may want to contact your sim owner to let them know. (This does not seem to have affected purchases or any database things on our end, thankfully)

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MAR 13

KatLast Friday at 5:27 PM @everyone So in record time, I've finished the retopology for the Lion, and am now at a stage where I'm ready to begin the baking and texturing process, once I do the UV maps for everything (which doesn't take long).

Here's a quick preview of the Lion, as it currently stands. I'm very pleased with the progress.

For the mane: Its not going to be this 'flat'. The final mane is going to employ the same technique as I did for the Direwolves--little spikes of fur that 'copy' the UVs beneath them, as well as normals, so they look like one solid, contiguous object--complete with the ability to be uniquely textured, rather than just generic hair textures on little tubes! (Altho I'm going to make an option like that for people who like that sort of thing, since it won't be hard to do. :slight_smile: )

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MAR 14

KatLast Saturday at 2:35 AM @everyone Initial compositing pass on the textures is done. The skin textures are by no means the final results, so worry not. All that's left to add is the fur detailing, then I clean up and refine areas like around the eyes and mouth, color correct stuff like pawpads, teeth and gums/tongue, and  so forth. Hope you guys are excited!

KatLast Saturday at 3:53 PM @everyone A few days ago, LL changed something with sims during a rolling restart, so now Arcaniss (the sim where I do my work and host my servers), has been acting very strangely.

So we've cleared everything out, and will be consulting with Linden Lab to try and get the region looked at. Until then, some of you may notice my Meeroos and some horses on a platform above the eastern border of the sandbox.

Please do not harass my breedables, but you're more than welcome to take a peek at them. They'll be returned to Arcaniss once the region is stable once more, and properly accepting HTTP requests.

At the moment the servers for kzk seem unaffected by the odd behavior, but should they be affected, they'll be relocated to a secure region, to avoid and potential issues. Please let us know if there are any purchase issues.

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MAR 15

KatLast Sunday at 1:48 AM @everyone Mmm Chugging along and loving the ride! Here's a quick milestone update on the Lions.

I ALSO wan to take this time to announce what the PREORDER Bonus will be.

No previews yet, but Anyone who preorders will get a voucher to redeem for either: HELIOS, the Sun God, or LUMIA, the Moon Goddess--Each will be decked out in awesome gold elegant gold ornamentation, representing their celestial body. I'll try to have some concept teasers available for those soon. Hope everyone's excited!

@everyone Several of you are already voicing your concerns about the already delayed Direwolf Preorder bonuses.

I hear you loud and clear, and Please understand that I take no pride in this, but not putting the lions up for preorder asap means I'll miss my mark for income to make rent AGAIN this month, and unlike last month, I don't have the windfall to borrow from.

I cannot go back to louisiana. Not only will it bankrupt me, and destroy me financially...

It will destroy me emotionally as well. It took me years to escape. I have nightmares of waking up in louisiana again, my life perpetually a dead end with no meaning or purpose.

Please be patient with me. Please. I can't go back there.. I can't..

KatLast Sunday at 9:31 PM @everyone One of the things I want to do for the Lion is properly represent the sexual dimorphism prevalent in the species. To do this I'll be including 2 heads, and two sets of skins. One head features the 'lioness' markings, while the other features darker markings on the body and face to better blend with the mane. Both male and female skins will come with lion and lioness markings--so you can be a feminen shaped Lion with a mane, or a masculine lioness, lacking a mane but sporting the darker colors/markings male lions are known for.

I'm also still tweaking colors, getting a feel for how I want the 'native' colors to look--AND I still need to add the super super subtle 'stripes' to the arms and legs, which keen eyed viewers will notice if they look at pictures of real lions.

There'll also be 2 manes: One mapped as shown, and one mapped/textured to look like more traditional fluff, with each 'tube' being a hair texture. Both options will be rigged, and include static versions.

KatLast Sunday at 9:39 PM @everyone Please forgive the spam, this'll be my last announcement for the evening, so as to prevent nuking your notifications:

This will seem fairly arbitrary to many of you, but I'll be doing away with the 'Male/Female' Binary for my naming in the future. It will be Masculine, Feminine or androgynous--the latter of which will have shading to settle somewhere in the middle, to help fit bodies/characters whose gender is nonbinary or agender.

This isn't major news, but I just wanted to give folks a little heads up.

Have a lovely evening.

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MAR 16

KatLast Monday at 3:02 PM @everyone Been doing some thinking, and I've come to a conclusion that might be more amenable to everyone:

I'm actually going to scrap doing the Solar and Lunar lions as Preorder bonuses, because not only will it limit who will be able to get it, but also further delay my ability to get them ready to preorder, thus delaying the completion of the direwolf preorder bonuses.

So that said, I'm going to push forward with prepping the Lions for preorder, with the goal to have them available as soon as humanly possible. The new 'bonus' will be a discounted preorder price of 1100L, with the final release price being 1400L. As I mentioned in a post a few weeks ago, I am raising my base avatar prices by 200L for all future releases/updates, because of the amount of time and work that goes into avatars these days.

There will be 4 LEs at launch, based on Foo Dogs, but these are unrelated to the previously planned/announced preorder LEs.

As for those 2 designs? Postponing their creation will give me time to properly refine their look in my head, so when they do come out, they feel like finished works of art and not rushed slapdash recolors.

This means that once the Lions are up for preorder here in the next few days, I will IMMEDIATELY pivot to finishing the direwolf bonuses. The plushies are very nearly done, and the ice/fire themed skins won't take too terribly long for me to finish either. I think this course is in the best interest of current concerned parties.

I appreciate everyone's patience and understanding. Have a good afternoon and remember to stay safe, wash your hands, and absolutely avoid going out if you can avoid it!

______

MAR 17

KatLast Tuesday at 1:48 AM @everyone Got everything rigged today (The head isn't rigged, its merely parented to the head bone for posing), so tomorrow I'll be ready to import it, get the previews for preorders done, and hopefully load the server. (Not shown is the striping I mentioned last night, I haven't forgotten, just haven't done it yet.)

A model of these will be available to preview in the mainstore once preorders go live as well!

______

MAR 18

KatYesterday at 4:35 AM @everyone Good evening/Early morning to you all! After.. scrambling to overcome a character limit on the server's config, I was able to load the Lion preorders. They are currently available in the main store  at the moment, as the auto reset on our vendors is a bit borked atm.

Bonus wise, you can take advantage of a discount. The Lions will be available to preorder for 1100L, and their full price will be 1400L.

Please let me know if you run into any purchase issues! Some things are in flux atm, so stuff might break--Just be patient and make sure I'm informed if things do break--I'll be happy to fix em asap!

Till then, be sure to spread the word! :heart:

[blaurascon-kzk]

KZK Discord Digest [Week of Mar 6 - Mar 12]

SUMMARY: The next full avatar will be a Lion - check the post to see a preview picture! As mentioned before, Kat will be using the Lion parts - appropriately modified of course - to upgrade the Tiger and Leopard. So if you've been waiting for updates for those, they'll be coming soon! The Discord server has a channel specifically for WIPs and teasers so as not to clog up announcements - if you wanna see more preview shots, I highly recommend joining! (Also: we haven’t forgotten about the Direwolf community spotlight, we just haven’t gotten any submissions yet. If you’re making something new and nifty for the Direwolf, hit us up and we’ll feature your new stuff!)

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Mar 9

KatLast Monday at 3:33 AM @everyone Lions? Lions!

Today's Progress on the Lion(Please disregard the fact that its a mane on a Feminen body)

KatLast Monday at 3:09 PM @everyone I'm so stoked to see the response to the Lion has been wonderful so far!

To keep from nuking announcements, I want to remind everyone that I've got a place where I deposit teasers and WIP shots over at... you guessed it, #teasers-and-wips! Its where I post more frequent updates, usually for smaller changes, but i will still post major milestones here to announcements.

There's already a cool shot of some of the detailing on the head model, complete with the sculpted teeth. gums, and tongues over in Teasers so be sure to go check it out!

[blaurascon-kzk]

KZK Discord Digest [Week of Feb 28 - Mar 5]

SUMMARY: Shamrock avatars are out! The Raptor, Husky, Lyrekhet, and Ferox got some fancy new themed skins, which also include a rainbow ribbon particle emitter and a rainbow luck mantle (disclaimer: does not actually increase luck stat), all bundled in a fancy pot o'gold box! The Shamrock avatars will be up until the end of this month. (Since the Mardi Gras and Sweetheart avatars were taken down abruptly, please let Kat know directly if you had your eye on one and missed it!) Also, yes, we’ve been heavy on LE content lately - there’s new stuff coming, but it takes a bit longer than LEs, and Kat’s financial situation is still pretty tight. 

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Mar 4

KatYesterday at 4:21 AM @everyone St Patrick's Day is right around the corner and to celebrate, I've just listed four snazzy new LEs up for sale (I've taken down the Valentines and Mardi Gras LEs, but since it was without warning, let me know if there's something you missed.)

Each Shamrock Husky, Raptor, Ferox and Lyrekhet comes with some removable gold shamrock overlays, a snazzy rainbow 'Mantle of Luck' that doesn't actually raise your luck but looks super cute, and a rainbow ribbon streamer that's sure to have everyone seeing gold. Lastly, they're each packed in an adorable Pot of gold, perched atop a fluffy cloud that looks entirely too edible. Makes me almost wish it was. I bet it tastes like cotton candy.

These avatars should be on sale through the end of March.

Also, in case people are wondering why I'm leaning so heavily on LE content as of late, vs new releases--I've got new stuff in progress, but it will take longer to finish and.. many of you are already intimately familiar with my current financial struggles. No one's required to buy this stuff, but your support and patronage are deeply appreciated all the same.

Anyways, here's the vendor pick with all the details and previews!

You can snag em now in the main store: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Okarthel/193/73/17

[blaurascon-kzk]

KZK Discord Digest [Week of Feb 21 - Feb 27]

SUMMARY: The Direwolf devkits are out! These are free, and include pretty much everything you need! No signing, no payments - just drop by Okarthel and hit the orange crystal by the Direwolf vendors. To celebrate the release of the new devkits, we're holding a weekly community spotlight on new Direwolf creations! If you're making something neat for the Direwolf and want to get featured, contact me (blau.rascon) or Kat (sylver.bu) and let us know! We'll be sharing submissions weekly! We’re also running a sale on the Direwolves! Individual sizes are 1900L, and the fatpack is 5000L!  Sale and event will run until March 27!

To more serious news: Kat's older brother passed away unexpectedly Thursday morning. He may be slow to reply for the next few days. Please go hug your loved ones.

_____

Feb 22

KatLast Saturday at 3:31 PM @everyone So, had to go back to the table on the rigging/animation files. It was brought to my attention that because of how far behind the files were behind, version wise, that it was starting to cause issues, so thanks to some help from the find folks over at the Avastar team, I'm getting the files updated and working, to ensure they're compatible with the current stable release (2.79.6). Not sure if I'll get em working with 2.8, but for now this'll keep everything more in line with future content.

______

Feb 24

KatLast Monday at 11:04 PM @everyone It is with great excitement that I announce the Public Direwolf Devkit is NOW AVAILABLE. To obtain it, you must first already OWN a Direwolf of any size. Included in the kit is up-to-date blend files compatible with Avastar 2.79.6, made in Blender 2.79b. The PSDs are included (with all detail and shading layers intact). Included in the Drive is 3 Blend files for the small, medium and large ANIMATION and WEIGHT COPY dummies--Great for making clothing or accessories! (If you need the weighted UV Dummy, Please DM me!)

To celebrate, we're also hosting a SALE on the Direwolf. The individual sizes will be available for 1900L, while the Fatpack is only 5000L.

We're also looking to promote our talented community content creators by rounding up NEW content made for the Direwolf each week to feature HERE in announcements, and in the Kinzart Group in Second Life. We want to see this avatar grow, and we want to see your businesses grow with it!

Just remember to read the EULA included with the Devkit in the Drive folder!

PLEASE Tell your friends, your parents, your siblings, or your neighbor! Help us make this Devkit a huge success!

@everyone Forgot to mention: How do you get the devkit? From the main store of course!

Simply tp in, and poke the orange crystal near the Direwolf vendors. Remember, you MUST already OWN a direwolf, and if you plan to produce content to sell, we STRONGLY ENCOURAGE you to buy the Fatpack! (Or whichever sizes you're missing).

Also, we understand that some of you likely just recently bought a Direwolf. I will happily reimburse any purchases made in the last TWO WEEKS (February 10th to February 24th), if you or a friend paid full price! I like to do this because this sale was not announced, so no one had any way of knowing.

KatLast Monday at 11:38 PM @everyone One last announcement as a final roundup of information for the evening:

Clothing! The basic direwolf clothing I'd teased a bit ago is now on sale on the main store for 250L, includes a link to download the PSDs so you can customize it to your hearts' content!

Preorder bonuses! I'm working on them! The plush has been nearly ready to go for a while now, but a LOT has gotten in the way. I appreciate everyone's patience. Not to worry, I haven't forgotten about the Hellhound and Frosthound skins I promised as well!

Thank you all for your continued patience and understanding. Its been a long, emotionally challenging road. Years of depression and burnout have crippled my motivation and drive, but each day I find myself standing taller and finding the energy to get shit done. I can't thank you all enough for having my back through all of this. I know I say it a lot, but I mean it--seriously.

Let me know if you encounter any issues with the devkit, clothes, or sale prices on the Direwolves. Love you guys! :heart:

______

Feb 26

KatYesterday at 2:38 PM @everyone Been a couple of days since the devkit went live, so I'm curious to see what everyone's been working on! Is it a custom skin to finally capture your fursona, or are you working on a bad ass mod that's gunna be on everyone's must-have list?

If you've been on the fence about picking up the direwolf, now's the time because We've discounted the Single sizes to 1900L(down from 2500L), and the Fatpack** (typoed) down to 5k from 6k.

Once you own the Direwolf in any format, you're immediately given access to the Devkit, which contains an Animation dummy, a weight copy dummy, and the PSDs, with all shaders and detail layers intact. There's also posed UV dummies, so you can preview your progress directly in Blender, and some inworld ones if you want to preview them using local uploads.

Once you've got the devkit, you're golden! You're welcome to sell whatever you make, as long as you're not just reuploading what's in the kit--your creations must be transformative in some way (new colors, markings, heavily modified geometry, ect).

If you make something, be sure to let myself or @Blau know! We'd love to see it! You can also share it in #traders-forum and let everyone know what you've got coming!

I know its a year later than it should of been, but I can't wait to see what everyone creates for the Direwolf. I'd envisioned so much more for it and I'm deeply sorry for how I handled it. It's been a humbling and sobering experience, and I only hope to improve as time goes on.

Each week we'll promote upcoming new direwolf mods, right here, and in the KZK group in SL! Deadline to be included in this week's promotion is March 2nd! (Direwolf sale ends around a month from now, so you've got time to think it over!)

KatYesterday at 10:56 PM @everyone Please forgive this interruption to your evening.

I'm posting this tonight to ask for help--A family friend is currently going through the battle of her life--Her mother-in-law, who is devoutly conservative, has taken advantage of the court system to take custody of her two daughters--claiming that because she's polyamorous, she's unfit to be a mother--which I know personally to be wrong. Kia is one of the most loving, supportive moms I've ever met, and her daughters are her world.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/u5t7a3-help-keep-this-family-together?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link-tip&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

If you're able to spare a few dollars to assist them in retaining a lawyer to fight the court and get her daughters back, It'd mean the world to them.

Thank you all for your time and understanding.

______

Feb 27

KatToday at 2:51 PM @everyone TW// death in the family

Just got word from my father that my older half-brother Ronnie was found dead this morning. No cause of death just yet. Police is investigating and they're still doing the autopsy.

I'll be attending the funeral, when I get word. Ronnie was a huge catalyst in my life, helping to ignite my love of gaming and encourage my art. He was always so uplifting and happy. he had a history with drug abuse and drug related crimes, and would often send me art he drew in prison. and now hes gone.

Just.. take today to call your loved ones. Tell em how much you love them. ok?

I might be slow to answer over the next couple of days, i hope you all will understand.

-kat

[blaurascon-kzk]

KZK Discord Digest [Week of Feb 14 - Feb 20]

SUMMARY: Kat's been practicing with Marvelous Designer and making some quick clothes (t-shirt and pants) for the Direwolf, as an example for the new devkits. The clothes will be available in the mainstore for cheap once the new kits drop. The new kits are nearly done - just working on setting up a kiosk for them and they'll be ready. Keep watch for notices :) Note that the UV'd Blender dummies are not included directly with the kits (the rigging dummies are!!), but are available on request from Kat (no fees or contracts, just ask him). There'll be a free set of 7 posed inworld dummies to use as texture dummies; with a scripted set available for 500L that includes a texture HUD. The latter are meant for if folks would like statues or decorations, mostly -- if you already have some textures of your own, you don't need the paid set. Refunds for the original kit licenses will be going out in waves, as funds become available. If you had an original Direwolf devkit license and would like a refund once the free kits drop, please let Kat know! Kat's considering streaming some of the devkit work via Discord. No plans yet, but we've made a channel specifically for this, so it'll be something to watch for!

______

Feb 14

KatLast Friday at 3:46 AM @everyone Okay so this is too cool not to share. I got marvelous designer on sale a long while back.. and while working on the devkits, I needed some clothing to test to document the process for rigging accescories to the direwolf, then matching it to the scaled avatars.

so today i took a crash course in marvelous and.. I think I'm hooked?? No wonder everyone and their moms crap things out with this program. its a huge amount of fun. I've even got clothing ideas that I want to make IRL, so this has me very very excited. Anyways, enjoy the last afternoon of me fucking around in Marvelous Designer.

______

Feb 15

KatLast Saturday at 5:27 PM @everyone So, with the direwolf devkit going public soon hopefully(tm), Im starting to wonder if I should do some sort of.. stream or video? Stream would be easier, since building up the documentation to do it as a video is kinda stressing, and i'd probably miss viable questions.

Would you guys be interested in seeing me do a stream? I'd likely use Discord because there's no delay and the quality is passable. I don't know if I'd record it, and if I did stream, I'd likely ask that everyone keep their mics muted, and that questions be asked in a special channel that'll run in tandem with the streamed chat.

So, thoughts? :thumbsup: for yes, :thumbsdown: for no, and discuss over in #general To clarify, the stream would be to gover the devkit, answer questions, and show some processes. KatLast Saturday at 6:38 PM @everyone Behold, Boofer clothing, in male and female varieties. The basic set will be on sale in the main store (with the devkit release) for dirt cheap (like 150L or something), and I'll include PSDs.

There are tiny areas of clipping, but a lot of that can be resolved with the alpha tab on the HUD. :)

Again this was just so I could document the process of making accessories for the Direwolf from start to finish for the info document.

______

Feb 19

KatYesterday at 12:36 PM @everyone Just a bit of an update on the devkit progress.. Something many of you will be very happy to hear:

First off: I've finalized the Blend files for the small, medium and large. As it stands, they are ready to go.

I've set up a separate UV dummy (not included with the animation/weight copy rig), which will be available ON REQUEST, but WILL NOT require a signature, or contract, or fee(However donations are accepted!) seeing as how I've been in SL Daily for the last month, and plan to stay that way, assuming nothing catastrophic happens, 'on request' shouldn't be an issue. To prevent exploitation of my content(reupload, permission dodging), I'd ask that people requesting the UV dummy already have some experience with kits of that nature.

Lastly, I'll be passing out a free set of seven posed inworld dummies that'll be pre-configured to work with the Direwolf applier(to compliment the devkit). There'll be a set for sale for 500L as well that'll come with its own texture change HUD(To match the avatar) If you want to have some posed direwolves around your store or home. If you already have your own custom direwolf textures, you don't really need the scripted ones so the paid option is just sorta 'if you want'.

Be sure to head over to #general if you've got any questions or concerns. :)

Also, if you've already signed the contract/have the OG devkit, please feel free to keep using it--just remember not to share it, especially to anyone that doesn't already own the avatar. I won't be taking down that drive file, or revoking anyone's access.

Refunds for the original devkit license will roll out in waves, as funds become available. As many know, I live on a very tight budget right now, so refunds like this hurt me A LOT, but I will make sure everyone that wants one, gets one. Thank you for your continued patience.

[blaurascon-kzk]

KZK Discord Digest [Week of Feb 7 - Feb 13]

SUMMARY: Kat's got a plan for some of the upcoming avatar upates: when the Lion is ready (it'll be a while yet), Kat will be taking those assets, heavily editing them, and using them to update the Leopard and Tiger at the same time. He's been considering doing the same for the Husky to update the Wolf. This does constitute reusing assets, which Kat tries to avoid, but this will help streamline updates and get them out to you guys much more quickly. This doesn't mean that the leopard/tiger updates will just be lion reskins -- they'll have different parts, and the reused assets will be adjusted heavily to make them more in line with their species. In related news, Kat has decided - given the L$ exchange rate is not doing too great - that he'll be increasing prices on new & updated releases. Not a big increase - 200-300L for regular things and ~500L for more complicated things (like the dragon and gryphon). Prices for existing things are NOT changing, just new things and updates. And remember, updates are free! If you buy an older version of an av, you'll get the updated version (even after price increase) for free when it releases.

______

KatToday at 3:11 PM @everyone I wanted to go ahead and condense some things I've mentioned in general chat lately, to make sure everyone's up to date.

After lots of thinking, I've decided I'm going to go thru with a plan I'd been mulling over since the husky update. In addition to the Lion(when its ready), I'll be converting those assets(editing geometry heavily) to update the Leopard and Tiger avatars at the same time. This does constitute 'reusing' assets to some degree, but with enough tweaks, parts like the head especially, along with different tails and ears, will allow for these older avatars to see an update much sooner than normal. Remember that our updates are free--you won't be charged a penny to get the latest versions, however the price of the updated version will go up incrementally. Which brings me to my next announcement:

Due to the rapidly declining value of Linden dollars, the sales I make, even on a good day, just aren't enough to sustain me comfortably. Since moving in in early october, its been a constant uphill battle to keep my bills and rent paid, with me barely coming in under the wire and barely hours to spare before being charged late fees.

Because of this, all future content releases will be released at a slightly higher price--200-300L for more standard avatars (think Husky, lyrekhet, ect), and 500~ for more complex avatars (Think any of the dragons or gryphons.)

OLDER avatars will NOT be going up in price, not until they are updated--so if you'd like to get basically 2 avs for the price of 1 for a cheaper price, just pick em up before the updates go live(dates pending), to lock your purchase in at the lower price.

Thank you to everyone whose been supporting me for so long. Raising prices is not a choice I've made lightly. Not when I consider Kinzart to be one of the most accessible brands out there, especially for lower income residents. let me know if you have any questions. :heart:

[blaurascon-kzk]

KZK Discord Digest [Week of Jan 31 - Feb 6]

SUMMARY: Kat missed pausing Patreon for this month, so patrons were billed - if you are a patron and would like a refund, please contact Kat directly. However, this gave him some drive to get the overdue Patreon rewards finished up and shipped out. Avatar & art rewards are still pending, but physical rewards should be on their way.

______

Feb 1

KatLast Saturday at 3:55 PM @everyone patrons, my deepest sincerest apologies. The end of the month slipped by without me noticing and patreon billed before I could pause it.

If you would like to be refunded, please let me know. If not, i will have your items in the mail asap--thanks to cleaning recently i was able to find all my missing items so i can get these finalized and sent.

I am so sorry, I've bee. On top of it the last few months but i completely dropped the ball on this one. Please forgive me.

______

Feb 3

KatLast Monday at 7:53 PM @everyone it is with a big smile that I can finally report that all physical rewards that have been outstanding for patreon have been SHIPPED. However the included avatars and commissions are still outstanding but one step a time.

I can't think my remaining patrons enough for their continued patience, despite all my failings to get this stuff done in a reasonable amount of time. Its been a long journey to get here, and there's still more to go but I feel myself standing straighter each day I'm in virginia.

No clue when I'll 'relaunch' my patreon--Perhaps once I've got a better handle on my routine. The motivations there, now I just gotta reign it in and not take on so much work at once. Like I said, one step at a time....

[blaurascon-kzk]

KZK Discord Digest [Week of Jan 24 - Jan 30]

SUMMARY: Kat's leaving the LE Kirins up for a little bit longer. I don't know the date he plans to take them down this time - but you've got a little more time now! Kat's opening up for more Posca canvas & small magnet canvas commissions. More details below. Contact him via discord DM or SL IM if you're interested!

______

Jan 27

KatLast Monday at 4:10 PM @everyone Been a bit since you last heard from me. Spent the last few days IRL tackling cleanup, working on contract stuff and just trying to make ends meet.

I'm opening for another round of commissions. Primarily posca canvases for 70$(shipping included), or small 2" magnet canvases for 20$ Each.  I'm also willing to do digital stuff, like sketches or simple shaded/colored linearts. I'm about 650$~ or so shy of making rent at this time, and I'm getting nickel and dimed by this washer and dryer set Im 'buying'(eg borrowing until i can pay bc I can't afford it), because a lot of the parts are worn out but its still cheaper than buying new.

Im just.. I'm tired and I wish I could sleep for a month but I just can't afford to so.. if you're interested in commissions, please let me know. Til then, I'll keep cranking on these devkits (There's not much left to do..)

I joked about it in general, but I am leaving up the LE Kirins for a few more days--after all people are use to me forgetting but this time its intentional because I'm desperate and just want to earn my keep as best I can. I'm sorry I'm such a mess. I'm struggling every day to do better.

[blaurascon-kzk]

KZK Discord Digest [Week of Jan 18 - Jan 23]

SUMMARY: Valentine's and Mardi Gras LE's are live (thru Feb 24), and time's running out to catch the LE Kirins (TOMORROW, Jan 24)! Head to the mainstore and check them out if you haven't! Now that those are out, Kat's working on the Direwolf devkit updates and needs your input - DM/IM him with what kinds of features you're used to receiving in devkits! We're still a bit new with making these, so this input is super helpful. Kat took some time to address some issues -- tl;dr some people were harassing community members with issues that should have been taken directly to Kat.

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Jan 18

KatLast Saturday at 5:42 AM @everyone Phew! the Limited edition wall is getting a bit packed! We've got a lot of stuff going on right now. You've got just around a week left to pick up the Limited Edition Elemental Kirins before they vanish for an undetermined amount of time. But rest easy, the Valentines 'Sweetheart' avatars are here to keep you company from today(Jan 18th) til February 24th. They're special too because if you buy one, you get a voucher to use for yourself, or gift to a friend, for a free avatar!

And of course, we're rapidly approaching the season of Lent. But before Ash Wednesday, many people observe Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, a tradition near and dear to my heart as a native of Louisiana. Since I moved away, I wanted to bring some of that spirit of excess and celebration to Kinzart once again. Those will be on sale until February 28th.

And remember to let the good times roll! :heart:

@everyone http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Okarthel/193/73/17 Here's a handy dandy Slurl to the main store, if you've got a few minutes to spare. I'll be hanging out in the mainstore for a bit to make sure nothing goes pear shaped!

______

Jan 19

KatLast Saturday at 7:59 PM @everyone Gunna take a quick moment to say a little something that's kind of been festering up again lately:

I know I've made a lot of mistakes. I know I've made a lot of promises and failed to keep them. I know I've consistently failed to meet the expectations of the community, because I constantly promise things and fall short.

I've no excuses, but please understand that I am human. I am fallible. I make mistakes. More than most people. There isn't a day that I go by that I'm stunned by the support I've received, despite all this.

Its not been an easy road. Even before the move, I've battled chronic depression--It manifests as burnout, lack of energy, lack of motivation. It spirals out of control until all I can do is lay in bed, trying to keep what little grip I have left on my sanity. Years of stress and depression came to a head in september 2018 where I experienced a severe mental breakdown--I'd forgotten my own name, and my dysphoria got so bad that I recall contemplating self-mutilation. I did not go through with it, thankfully.

Then I moved. I'd saved several thousand dollars, paid back my loans. Moving destroyed all of that. Denial after denial, doors constantly being shut in my face. My fiance's transfer was denied, and even after flying her to VA to interview at Geico(around 400$ for that alone), she didn't get the job and we were out all that money with nothing to show for it. Then came 3 more months of denial after denial, living in our friends' house. Fifteen job interviews later and the only place that hired my fiance is a shitty deli.

I had to start taking medication--anyone who knows me knows that I try not to medicate for anything--, just to keep borderline suicidal thoughts at bay.

So for those of you out there, harassing my supporters, community members, ect.

Leave them alone. Your beef is with me, got it? I get that you're mad, but don't take it out on them. -Kat Add on top of that, my cat dying of organ ailure, having to have her put down and having her die in my arms. Fuck you.

Come at me, you cowards. Leave my friends and supporters out of this. You can come piss at me all you want but do not fuck with my supporters. Its their choice to support me, not your job to gatekeep my work.

KatLast Sunday at 3:42 PM @everyone hey guys. I really appreciate the support and positive feedback. Many of you are encouraging me to take breaks.

Unfortunately I cant afford to. For the last several months, I've barely made enough $ to pay rent, and usually with only a day or two to spare.

The only thing keeping me afloat right now is the seasonals and limited edition. Were it not for the kirins, I would've been evicted, or at the very least up to my neck in fees.

I do try to take breaks--playing dnd with friends, playing Pokemon Go, or running errands.

Truth is I do like what I do. Just sucks that I'm still fighting years of burnout and the side effects of depression.

So for now I just.. gotta stick with it. If I take too long a break, and lose too much momentum, it's even harder for me to pick up the pace again, which is another reason things like the direwolf update and devkit have taken so long.

I appreciate everyone's concern, but sadly longer breaks, as suggested, just... really aren't an option.

KatLast Sunday at 10:50 PM @everyone so since the seasonals are out, I'm pivoting to focus on the direwolf devkit.

So, devkit holders--What kinds of features are you use to receiving from devs?

The full devkit came fully featured, but I know most 'freeby' kits are paired down and simplified. Initial glances at some other kits shows that they're simplified models or decimated for projecting weights.

Please DM me your common experiences with public devkits so I know where to go with these.