Design Notes
March 21, 2024
Battleon Barbae Contest Winners!
Announcing the Winners of our #NationalBarbieDay Screenshot Contest
Happiest of days, heroes! We had over 100 amaaaaazing entries in our “Battleon Barbae” Screenshot Contest to celebrate #NationalBarbieDay. Each entry showcased creativity, style, and a true passion for fashion, so it was hard narrowing down our winners. Luckily, “narrowing down” means we could ONLY choose like 40+ players 🤣
Since we have so many winners, head on over to the Battleon Barbae Contest Winners design notes post on Artix.com to see all the winning screenshots! Fair warning though: slow page load speeds ahead 🐌
Barbae on,
Beleen, the judges, and the AQW team :D
March 07, 2024
#NationalBarbieDay Screenshot Contest
OMG I’m totally not making this up! #NationalBarbieDay is legitimately a thing, and it’s happening Saturday, March 9! So duh of course WE MUST celebrate. Carefully. Since we don’t wanna get sued by Barbie or Mattel.
Get ready to celebrate #NationalBarbieDay with style – and with 0 copyright infringements! – in our Battleon Barbae Screenshot Contest! Channel your inner fashionista to create the most glamorous and creative looks in all of Lore. Strike a pose, capture the moment, and harness the power of Battleon Barbae. AdventureCoins await the winners!
National Barbie Day Screenshot Contest Rules
Theme:
- Dress up your AQW character(s) in outfits inspired by Barbie. Whether it’s chic or splendid, noble or nostalgic, let your wonderful imagination run wild 🦄
- See the “Categories” below to get your sensational screenshot-senses tingling!
Timeframe:
- Begins Friday, March 8, 2024
- Ends Sunday, March 10, 2024 at 11:59 pm EST
Categories:
These categories are just some fabulous suggestions to get your creativity flowing, since it certainly got me excited thinking about the possibilities! Eeeeep!
- 💝 Best Battleon Barbae or Barbro:
Show off your AQW character’s style with the most amazing ensemble that’s totally 200% Barbie-approved. - 🪄 Character Class Barbae:
If Barbie was in AQWorlds, what Class would she choose? IRL Barbies can be Astronauts or Veterinarians… but not Vampires, Paladins, or Necromancers! What’s up with that?! With over 100 Classes in AQW to choose from… how does your Battleon Barbae do battle? - 🏡 Barbae Dream House:
Get ready to create a Barbie-tastic abode! If you were designing Battleon Barbae’s Dream Home, what would it look like? - 🐎 Barbae Riding Club:
True story folks: “Barbie Riding Club” was me and my sister’s favorite PC game growing up (feel free to message me on Twitter to relive nostalgic memories of that game. OMG it’s Sky Racer… and she has a foal! *squeeee!!*). So um, yeah, that being said… there’s just gotta be a horse-themed category for this contest, otherwise 10-year-old me is gonna freak the freak out! (I think dragons should also be accepted into the Battleon Riding Club, since dragons can also be ridden by the bravest Barbaes and Barbros.) - 💀 Dage’s Undead… Dolls?
Dark Lord Dage of the Undead Legion just celebrated his birthday – and he’s got loads of Legion gear just waiting for you! But who says Battleon Barbaes and Barbros can’t be Malibu Minions for Dage’s Undead Army? Yeah! Party on, skeletons! - 🤩 Maybe more categories?!
We’ll just have to see what our community dishes out! Feel free to submit any screenshots you think will really wow the judges (and Barbie too, JIC she is watching… which we secretly hope she is).
Prizes:
- The Grand Prize Winner in each category will receive 1,000 AdventureCoins!
- Our 2nd Place Winner(s) will win 500 ACs.
- 3rd Place Winners(s) will get 250 ACs.
- Runner Ups will get 100 ACs each.
- As always, we reserve the right to award additional prizes!
Additional Information that you probably won’t read but it’s important nonetheless:
- Multiple entries are absolutely allowed, but each participant can only win once.
- Screenshots should not be edited or altered outside of AQW.
- Your AQW account must be in good standing in order to win a prize.
- By submitting your entry, you agree to allow us to showcase your screenshot on our websites and social media platforms.
- Artix Entertainment is in no way affiliated with Barbie or Mattel, but since March 9 is National Barbie Day, we wanted to do something fun and creative to celebrate!
How to Enter:
- Log into your AQWorlds account
- Take screenshots of your character showcasing their Barbie-inspired look
- Up to 4 screenshots allowed per player (but each participant can only win once)
- No editing, altering, or cropping screenies, please
- Upload screenshot(s) in the Artix.com post comments, or on socials
@AE_Contests on Twitter
@AQWorldsMMO on Facebook - Use the hashtags
#NationalBarbieDay, #ScreenshotSaturday, and #AQW - Don’t forget to write your AQW character name in your post!
- Submit your entry no later than Sunday night (knight?) at 11:59pm EST
So what are you waiting for, my fantasy fashionistas? Let's make this National Barbie Day one to remember! Get your creativity flowing, strike a pose, and show us your iconic style in AQWorlds!
Battle on, Barbaes and Barbros!
Beleen, the judges, maybe someone from Mattel if they wanna do a collab, and the amazing AQW team
#NationalBarbieDay #ScreenshotSaturday #AQW
PS: Do you play AQ3D? Surprise! We will be hosting a Screenshot Saturday contest for Dage the Evil starting tomorrow, but we are also welcoming Battleon Barbae screenies as well! So if you wanna up your chances at winning a prize… why not enter both contests ^__^
February 22, 2024
Challenges of Hosting a Contest in Today’s Tumultuous Internet
It was a tidal wave of challenges in the Dage vs Nulgath Weapon Contest. Now that we’ve announced the winners, it’s time to reveal the nitty-gritty behind-the-scenes secrets of what went down amongst the sea of 500 entries.
Hiya heroes! A few days ago we announced the winners of the Dage vs Nulgath Weapon contest! With over 250 participants submitting 500 entries, our judges faced a challenge of epic proportions, casting 7500 votes in order to *uh-hem* “narrow down” the contestants. What we assumed would be like 10 winners tops turned out to be… 55 🤩
Every entry displayed a dazzling array of artistic passion and brilliance, so choosing winners amidst this typhoon of talent was no easy feat. And if that wasn’t already challenging enough, wait ‘til you see the troubled waters ahead 🌊
Navigating the Sea of Art Theft
The art world is a space for inspiration, collaboration, and, most importantly, donuts respect. Unfortunately, we encountered a hefty handful of contestants who decided to stray from these principles. Art theft, AI-generated art, and commissioned art pieces infiltrated this contest – a contest meant to celebrate individual creativity, artistic passion, and love for AQWorlds.
Thankfully, we have wonderful players who reached out and let us know if they saw suspicious entries. Additionally, our panel of judges, which included 10 Artix artists, are expertly armed with keen eyes. They know what to look for since they have decades of combined professional experience in everything art related. Our judges took on the arduous task of distinguishing authentic creations from those that betrayed fair play – and of course the contest rules. It was very disheartening to witness such breaches of trust, but rest assured we stand firm in upholding the integrity of our contests and our community. Cheaters never win – not in our contests, and not in real life – and were therefore disqualified.
Technical Twitter Woes
So. As if judging 500 entries and parsing through possible stolen art wasn't overwhelming enough, we also faced unexpected technical hiccups. Some entries on Twitter mysteriously vanished due to previously collected links leading to an empty page that said, “Hmm...this page doesn’t exist. Try searching for something else.” Naively assuming these Tweets had been deleted by the users (because this happens all the time), our judges moved on to the hundreds of other entries. While I have personally hosted numerous contests on Twitter before (and trust me, I’ve seen my fair share of crazy things on that platform), never once had I encountered links playing hide-and-seek 🙈
Although something like this was totally out of anyone’s control, I take full responsibility for these unforeseen obstacles. Our misplaced entries caused a momentary panic among our participants, and I sincerely hope we've recovered all the entries 🤞 I must give a shoutout to Darkon for having the brilliant idea of posting all collected contestants in order to double (and triple) check that everyone was included.
I had NO idea this contest would explode THAT MUCH in popularity, and I was woefully unprepared. However, this contest has been a wonderful learning experience! That being said: for future contests of this magnitude, we'll be using Google Forms as our primary collection for entries. Posting on socials like Twitter and Facebook will still be allowed (and totally encouraged!) but your entry will also have to be uploaded to the Google Form, which will only take like 15 extra seconds :)
Thank you for being the greatest gaming community ever!
Despite all the challenges we faced, this was undeniably one of the BEST contests I have ever had the pleasure of being part of! Thank you all for joining us on this contest journey – even if it was stressful at times 😵💫 But ya know what: it’s often the things in life that “go awry” that make for the best, most memorable memories... aaand lots of lengthy Design Notes, too. Tehehehe!
On behalf of everyone at Artix Entertainment, we couldn’t be more proud of you all who played fairly. It is awe-inspiring to witness hundreds of honest artists showcasing their talent with passion and integrity – and THAT right there is what makes someone a good artist AND a great human being.
Keep being amazing, heroes, and I cannot wait to see what you dish out in our next contest! 💕
Battle on!
Beleen, our judges, and the AQW team
February 19, 2024
Unveiling the Winners: Draw Your Weapon Contest
Over 250 contestants submitted 500 entries, making this one of our most amazing contests ever!
Hey there, heroes! The moment we have all been eagerly awaiting is finally here! We are thrilled to announce the winners of the Dage vs Nulgath Draw Your Weapon Contest 🏆💀😈
With over 250 talented participants submitting a whopping 500 entries, our judges faced an overwhelming challenge unlike any I have ever experienced. Every entry displayed a unique blend of passion, creativity, and artistic brilliance, so narrowing down the winners was no easy feat – even with the help of 15 judges!
Now that 7500 votes have been cast and tallied… it’s time to reveal our wonderful winners!
Feast your eyes on our winners at Artix.com
Battle on!
Beleen, our amazing panel of judges who are most certainly tuckered out, and the AQW team
February 02, 2024
Dage vs Nulgath Art Extravaganza… and Exposé
Over 250 players entered the Draw Your Weapon Contest, which means we’ve got 500 entries to judge! That's amazing!! However, something sinister emerged that was darker than the deepest depths of the underworld…
Hey there aspiring artists and doodle-doers! We've just wrapped up the Draw Your Weapon Contest, and let me tell you: it was absolutely overwhelming in the best way possible!🎨✨We are thrilled to announce that 250+ players entered the contest, showcasing their artistic abilities and allegiance to Dark Lord Dage and/or the ArchFiend Nulgath. What's even more mind-blowing is that most contestants submitted not one but TWO weapon entries each! That means our judging panel has the mega monumental task of evaluating 500 artistic endeavors!😱🥵🤩
The A(rtist)-Team
To tackle this colossal task, To tackle this colossal task, we've assembled a dream team of 15 judges, including 10 of our game artists plus moderators and testers. These dedicated and highly skilled beings are armed with keen artistic eyes and are actively delving the depths of our community’s creativity. We HAD to employ this many judges because the contest turnout is legit blowing our minds, and having 15 members is a good strategy JIC of accidental brain-explody. Safety first, right? 😜
Needless to say, our judges are buzzing with excitement as they witness how incredibly talented our gaming community truly is!
The Dark Side of… the dark side
However *deep sigh* here comes the truly not-so-exciting part. In the midst of this creative jubilee, our judges are encountering a handful of players who decided to let the dark side win – aka dishonesty and flat-out cheating 😢 There's nothing sadder than seeing art theft, AI-generated art, or even commissioned art pieces in a contest explicitly meant to celebrate individual artistic expression and genuine passion for their craft. It's disheartening to witness the betrayal of these core values that make the Artix community a vibrant – and authentic – space for imagination, inspiration, and mutual respect, because, well, you know what they say:
Cheaters NEVER win
This is an important life lesson for everyone: cheaters might *think* they’ve outsmarted the competition, but in the end, cheaters NEVER win. The contest rules (and common courtesy) state that "Your art MUST be made by you (so no copying / stealing / using someone else’s work)" and "Using someone else’s work or using AI art will lead to automatic disqualification."
Our vigilant judges, equipped with superhuman artistic-detection skills, are scrutinizing every entry to ensure fairness and integrity throughout the contest. They're spotting “little details” in some players’ submissions that the untrained eye – or a sneaky contest cheater – would otherwise miss. Kudos to our fantastic judging team for their dedication, perseverance, and commitment to upholding the spirit of fair play in our community 👏👏👏
Happy times ahead!
On a much brighter note, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the honest, dedicated, and talented artists who poured their hearts into their genuine creations! Your passion for art – and devotion to the ArchFiend Nulgath and Dark Lord Dage – shows so amazingly well! The sheer variety of styles and weapon concepts left the entire Artix team in awe, and we can't wait to unveil the winners in order to showcase the exceptional talent within our community.
To all our participants (who played fairly, of course), thank YOU for making the Draw Your Weapon Contest an unforgettable experience! We are so amazed over how talented you all are, and we are honored to have heroes like you by our side. Stay tuned my friends, for sometime later this month we’ll announce the contest winners and celebrate the incredible world of Dage vs Nulgath weapon art! 🏆💀😈
Battle on!
Beleen, our amazing judges, and the AQW team
January 12, 2024
Draw Your Weapon Contest: Dage vs Nulgath
Draw your sword… literally! Full contest details below.
Welcome to the ultimate clash of clans! To celebrate the upcoming birthdays of our beloved overlords, we are hosting an exciting contest for Nulgath and Dage devotees:
Draw Your Weapon Contest!
Prove your allegiance to Dage’s Undead Legion… or pledge your loyalty to Nulgath’s Nation… through the power of artistic endeavors! This contest allows you to draw any weapon you see fit to be forged for the Nation or the Legion. Winners will have their weapons made by the Artix devs and transformed into game items for everyone in the AQWorld to enjoy!
TL;DR
- 2 weapon designs per player
- Sketch AND finished art required
- Your art MUST be created by you
- 2 categories: Dage or Nulgath
- 3 winners in each category
- Winners chosen & announced in February
- Winning weapons released in March as 0 AC rewards
Full Contest Guidelines
Eligibility & Rules:
- All players and all artists welcome, no matter your skill level or faction affiliation
- Open to Humans only – meaning no AI art allowed
- Your art MUST be made by you (so no copying / stealing / using someone else’s work)
- Sketch, line art, or concept art also required with your entry to prove you’re awesome
- Your AQW account must be in good standing in order to place
- Up to 2 weapon entries allowed per player
- While you CAN submit older weapons you designed in the past, you MUST have a sketch proving that you indeed designed that weapon
- Using someone else’s work or using AI art will lead to an automatic disqualification
Theme:
Craft, draw, or doodle diabolical weapons that highlight the essence of
💀 Dark Lord Dage and the Undead Legion
~ or ~
😈 ArchFiend Nulgath and his Nation
Art Medium:
- Submissions can be in any visual art, including digital illustration, traditional drawing, or hecc, even sculptures! Be as creative as you want!
- No AI art allowed whatsoever. You don’t wanna make Dage AND Nulgath angry. Yiiikes 👀
Submission Period:
- Begins January 12, 2024
- Ends Sunday, January 28, 2024 at 11:59pm EST
- Winners will be announced in February, and all items will be released in March for everyone to farm because March is the MONTH OF EVIL! MWAHAHA! Although, what is not evil is the fact that these weapons will be marked as 0 AC rewards so every AQW player can enjoy!
How to Enter:
- Dream your weapon design; draw, illustrate, sculpt, or creatively create your weapon(s)
- Take a picture of your sketch, work-in-progress, or concept art
- Take a pic of your finished weapon design
- Up to 2 weapon entries allowed per player
- Sign your AQW Character Name on your art
- Submit entries in the comments section of this Artix.com post, and/or on socials:
- And don’t forget to type your AQW Character Name in your comment / tweet, too!
Judging Criteria:
🤩 Entries will be judged based on creativity, originality, and adherence to the theme.
💪 Artistic skill doesn’t guarantee a win; we are also looking for weapon designs that have a great concept or potential.
Prizes & Winnings:
- The judges will select 3 winning weapons for Nulgath and 3 winning weapons for Dage.
- Each winner will get their weapon created in AQW, the Birthday Collection Chest belonging to the overlord they salute, 2000 AdventureCoins, and the Contest Winner Character Page Badge!
- The winning weapons will be made into AQW items for everyone to wield, and the artist will be credited in the weapon description – and ofc on the DNs when we announce the winners :) Winners will obviously get their curated weapon sent straight to their inventory once it’s forged in AQW!
- Honorable Mentions will also be selected since our community is just too darn talented; these runner ups will receive 1,000 ACs and a Character Page Badge.
Important Note:
This contest is like our ‘player-inspired items’ we did back in the early days of the game. A fan favorite for sure, and personally some of my fondest memories! And I know this contest will create amazing memories as well 🤩 So once the judges have chosen the winners, the AQW team will get to work creating the winning weapons. Our artists will try their best to keep true to the artist’s design, but some details might have to get omitted or altered a bit to work within the game. Just throwing that out there as a disclaimer and a heads-up!
Now… let the faction feud begin
The time has come, heroes and villains and overlord minions: choose your side, pick your artistic arsenal, and let the colors collide! They say the Wacom Pen is mightier than the sword… and now’s your chance to prove it.
Doodle on!
Beleen, the judges, and the birthday bois Nulgath & Dage
December 04, 2023
HeroMart Poster Winners Announced! 🎉 🎨
The HeroMart Poster Contest was a HUGE success!
The time has finally come to unveil the extraordinary talent within our amazing community. Drumroll, please...
We are thrilled to announce the incredible winners of the HeroMart Poster Design Contest! The level of talent displayed in all the entries was truly outstanding, making the judging process challenging yet awe-inspiring. We are blown away by the incredible talent that poured into each submission, and we cannot believe how exceptionally gifted you all are 🤩
Without further ado, let's celebrate our amazingly talented artists!
🥇 1st Place Winner: Rod_X
!!! This is absolutely incredible, Rod_X! Your art brought back so many nostalgic memories of playing AQWorlds for the first time. Seeing those classic Class trainers illustrated so beautifully on a big poster like that landed you the coveted 1st Place prize! Congratulations, Rod_X! Not only will you receive 10,000 Artix Points and the “Contest Winner” character badge in AQW, but your art will also be made into a glorious 24” x 36” Poster for everyone to enjoy at HeroMart.com. Oh, and of course we’ll be mailing you a stack of your posters since you’re going to be famous someday soon!! Amaaaaaaaazing work, Rod_X!
Head on over to Artix.com to see all our other amazing winners (and a super slow page load speed because we have like 25 winners)!
Battle on,
Beleen and the entire Artix Entertainment team who are still reeling over how incredible our community is <3
November 22, 2023
Announcing Winners Next Week
The Design a HeroMart Poster Contest was a resounding success! The winning entries are testament to the talent within our amazing community… and will also make wonderful gifts to share with the world!
Hiya heroes! We were overwhelmed by the incredible talent that poured into each submission for the HeroMart Poster Design Contest. A heartfelt thank you to all participants who turned their canvas into a kaleidoscope of creativity! We cannot believe how incredibly talented you all are! The diversity and originality of the entries left our judging panel in awe; even Dage himself was SUPER impressed.
With soooo many outstanding submissions, narrowing down the winners was no easy task. From vibrant designs that caught the eye to emotionally powerful pieces, each poster told a unique story. This is a mere testament to the rich tapestry of talent within our gaming community!
All these artistic endeavors have set the stage (and raised the bar) for a festive indulgence: the winner’s poster will be released just in time for the holidays, AND the runner-ups will have their art pieces made into prints!
We will begin emailing our winners early next week to privately discuss getting their art up on HeroMart. Later that week, we will publicly announce all our winners and special mentions, so stay tuned for that!
A sincere thank you to every participant who poured their hearts and souls into the HeroMart Poster Design Contest. You are all so incredibly talented!! Your creativity made this competition a true celebration of art and our beloved community of gamers. The gift of your artistic expression will be one that keeps on giving, and we can't wait to share it with the world just in time for the holiday season 🎁🎄☃️
Get ready to unwrap the magic and stay tuned for the big announcement next week!
Battle on!
Beleen, the awe-struck judges, and the entire Artix Entertainment team including our lovely HeroMart helpers :)
November 14, 2023
AQW GIF Contest Winners Announced!
GIFs are the gifts that keep on giving! Join us in celebrating our 40 winners of AQW's GIF contest!
Greetings, adventurers! The moment we've all been waiting for has arrived! After weeks of fierce competition, creativity, and anticipation, we are thrilled to announce the winners of our "Create a GIF Contest" in honor of AQW’s 15th birthday.
No surprise here, but our community went above and beyond and embraced the challenge, sharing their passion and love for our game through awesome GIFs. These little animated marvels captured the heart and soul of our beloved world (and one entry even brought a tear to our eye!). Although it was hard narrowing down our favorites – since there were over 300 entries, ermahgerd! – the judging panel has tallied all the scores, and now comes the time to reveal the winners at Artix.com ...
... because I can't figure out how to upload GIFs here, lol!
👆 Click to see our amazing winners! 👆
Thank you all for being a part of our incredible community, and thank you for joining us for AQW’s 15th Birthday bash. Fifteen cheers to many more years of unforgettable quests and epic adventures!
Happy Birthday AQW, and battle on!
Beleen, Yoshino, the judges, and the AQW team!
October 20, 2023
HeroMart Poster Design Contest!
Start. Your. Scribbles! In order to celebrate so many game birthdays this month AND Artix Entertainment’s 21st Anniversary, we are inviting you to design a poster for HeroMart!
Greetings, salutations, and welcome to the HeroMart Poster Design Contest! We invite aspiring artists and seasoned illustrators from around the world to showcase their creativity by designing a poster for HeroMart.com. Since we are celebrating many game birthdays this month, and ntm the 21st anniversary of Artix Entertainment, this poster can feature your favorite Artix game… or an Artix Entertainment-themed poster in general! This is your chance to leave your mark on HeroMart and across the Artix gaming realms while also winning exciting prizes.
For this contest, we are looking for the best 🌟 Finished Poster Design 🌟 like something you’d see on HeroMart. Although this contest is open to everyone, it is best suited for artists who have professional tools, art software, and know what 150+ DPI is.
Once our judges have selected the winner(s), our Artix artists will work with the winner(s) to bring the posters to life on HeroMart!
But an important note to address before we get into the contest deets:
Is AI art allowed?
No. While it’s true AI can make some of the raddest looking things with 6 fingers and wonky legs, we want this contest to be fair for everyone. Plus, we want to showcase the true art our community can make with passion, love, and a whole lotta erasers.
For each entry, we will require a work-in-progress (WIP) screenshot / picture to be provided, such as a sketch or lineart to prove this was done by a human – or a vampire, cat girl, dog boy, dragonkin, moglin, or whatever else you identify as :)
All in all: AI art is NOT allowed, and if we find out AI was used, it will disqualify that player from the contest.
Now that’s out of the way… on to the good stuff!
HeroMart Poster Contest Details
⏰ Timeline:
- Contest Start Date: Friday, October 20, 2023
- Submission Deadline: Sunday, November 5, 2023, at 11:59pm ET
- Winner Announcement: Depending on the number of entries received, we will announce the winners on the Design Notes and on social media within 3 weeks after the deadline. Hopefully sooner—but with so many talented heroes in our community, we *know* there’s going to be A LOT of entries to review!
🏆 Prizes:
Our panel of judges will choose one Grand Prize Winner, and award one or more Runner-Ups based on the scores given by the judges.
1. The Grand Prize Winner will receive:
- their poster produced and sold on HeroMart.com*
- 10,000 Artix Points (which can be used in any game)
- a stack of free posters mailed to them anywhere in the world
- a “Contest Winner” Character Badge in AQW
- and of course, infinite bragging rights!
* Whenever we release artwork through HeroMart, we pay artists for the right to use their work and always give appropriate credit. Remember: good heroes give credit where credit is due!
2. Runner Up(s): 5,000 Artix Points and a chance that their poster could be printed by HeroMart at a future date.
3. Honorable Mention(s): 1,000 Artix Points and lots of love <3
✍️️ Rights and Permissions:
By entering the contest, participants grant Artix Entertainment and HeroMart exclusive rights to use, reproduce, and/or modify the submitted artwork for all purposes. The artist will be credited whenever the artwork is used, and a contract will be sent to the winner(s) if their poster will be featured on HeroMart.
📏 Size Requirements:
Dimensions: 24" x 36"
which is 3600 x 5400 pixels at 150 DPI
Please keep in mind that the final product will be converted into CYMK mode since that’s required for printing physical posters.
📝 Submission Rules:
- 1 entry per player.
- Sorry, no collaborations or group submissions will be accepted.
- Participants must create an original poster design based on their favorite Artix game(s), or Artix Entertainment in general.
- Example: you can design a poster depicting an epic battle from AdventureQuest Worlds, or you can make a collage of your favorite Artix NPCs, monsters, or villains from your favorite games!
- Artwork can be in your own style, or it can closely match in-game art. Keep the Artix style as inspiration, but let your own art style shine bright!
- You may use any design software or medium of your choice. But no AI generated art allowed.
- You MUST include a sketch, line art, concept art, etc of your work so that we know you actually created it yourself. (Protip: snap a photo of your work *before* you begin coloring!)
- All artwork must be submitted as a .PNG (preferred) or a .JPEG. High resolution always looks good.
- If working in Photoshop, Illustrator, or other program, be sure to save & keep your work as a .PSD, .AI, or .SVG. You are not required to submit your working file, but make sure to keep it in a safe place in case you’re a winner!
- This goes without saying, but entries must not contain any offensive material, and plagiarism will result in disqualification.
✅ How to Enter:
- Sketch your poster design (and take a pic!)
- Finish your poster design
- Fill out the contest entry form on Google Form here
- Upload your sketch on the Google Form
- Upload your completed artwork on the Google Form
- Submit your artwork on the Google Form by no later than Sunday, November 5, 2023, at 11:59pm ET
🦋 Social media your thing?
Feel free to also submit your entry on Twitter so the world can see your amazing artwork!
- Upload sketch and finished poster to @AE_Contests
- Include your AQW in-game name in your tweet
- Use #HeroMart hashtag so we don’t accidentally miss your entry
- Send tweet and share with your friends :)
❓Questions?
If you have any questions or need further information, please contact @AE_Contests on Twitter so I can easily answer your inquiries!
Ready to enter the HeroMart Poster Design Contest?
Enter here!
On behalf of everyone at Artix Entertainment and HeroMart, we look forward to seeing your imagination shine and your creative designs! We all wish you the best of luck in the HeroMart Poster Design Contest!
Scribble on!
Beleen, the panel of judges, and everyone at Artix Entertainment and HeroMart
October 10, 2023
Birthday GIF Contest!
GIFs are the best gifts ever! Unwrap your creativity with a GIF as we celebrate AQW’s 15th birthday together.
Greetings, heroes! Another year of epic adventures, quests, and battles is here, and we are excited to celebrate AQW’s 15th birthday in style! But what's a birthday celebration without our incredible community of heroes like YOU? That's why we're totally thrilled to announce our "Create a Birthday GIF Contest," giving our beloved community the chance to showcase their creativity while sharing their love for our wonderful world!
Contest Details
🌟 Theme
For this GIF contest, we're diving deep into the heart of our fantasy world… and memes. With 15 years of content to use, we know you’ll have no problem coming up with awesome, amazing, and/or hilarious AQW GIFs. Whether it's a thrilling boss battle, a nostalgic moment, a hilarious meme, or anything in-between, we want your creativity to capture the essence of AQWorlds!
📝 Rules
-
Up to 5 GIFs allowed per player
-
GIFs must be in standard .GIF format
-
Duration cannot exceed 15 seconds (although Giphy recommends 6 seconds max)
-
GIFs must be AQW-themed. GIFs can use in-game art, or art that you created yourself
-
Parodying memes is totally fine, so long as it uses AQW in-game art or art that you created
-
Content must adhere to our game's community guidelines (no offensive or inappropriate material; if you wouldn’t show it to your religious grandmother, don’t show it to us either, lol)
-
Our contest is open to all players from all over the world, regardless of your in-game level or experience!
-
This goes without saying, but anyone caught cheating / stealing someone else’s work will be disqualified.
🏆 Prizes
What's a contest without fantastic prizes? We know it’s AQWorlds’ birthday and all – but we want to give YOU amazing gifts, too! Of course it’s going to be difficult narrowing down our favorites, so that’s why an extensive panel of judges will help us pick the winners!
-
First Place: 5,000 AdventureCoins + Birthday Collection Chest
-
Second Place: 2,500 ACs + Birthday Collection Chest
-
Third Place: 1,000 ACs + Birthday Collection Chest
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Runner Ups: Birthday Collection Chest
In the event a winner has already purchased the Birthday Collection Chest, they can instead gift it to a friend, another AQW account, or receive 10,000 ACs.
But of course the best gift of all is getting to share your amazing GIFs with everyone in the world <3
📥 Submission Process
1. Make a GIF (or up to 5 GIFs!) that are AQW-themed
2. Upload your GIF(s) to one – or more – of the following:
- Tenor *
- Giphy *
- AE Contest twitter @AE_Contests
- In the Comments on the Artix Design Notes
- Want to keep your entry a secret until we announce the winners? Submit it on Google Forms here!
* If posting on Tenor and/or Giphy, be sure to use the tag AQW, but we also recommend using other tags such as AdventureQuest Worlds, Adventure Quest, and AQ, in addition to any other descriptive tags that fit your GIF :) Here’s an example.
3. Include your AQW game name with your submission! So if you post on Tenor and/or Giphy, please type your AQW game name AND link us your entry / entries on the AE Contest Twitter, the Artix Design Notes comments, or the Google Form!
🌟 Don’t forget to type your AQW game name, otherwise we won’t be able to award you if you win! 🌟
⏰ Timeframe
Begins: Tuesday, October 10, 2023
Ends: Tuesday, October 31, at 11:59pm ET
Spread the word, invite your fellow friends, and let's make AQW’s 15th birthday unforgettable!
🤩 Other exciting surprises
Our community has always been the lifeforce of our games, and we have some exciting events planned for the month of October. We’ve got Friday the 13th, a Solar Eclipse on the 14th, and AQW’s 15th anniversary, not to mention everyone’s favorite holiday: Mogloween!
You can now become a 15th Upholder and the proud owner of 15 spectacular Star Swords, all new for 2023 – click here for all the details. Thank you all SO MUCH for supporting AQWorlds; we could have never gotten this far without all your help and support!
As we prepare for another amazing birthday, we can't help but feel grateful for each and every one of you who has been part of our incredible journey. Your passion, dedication, and enthusiasm have made AQWorlds truly come alive these past 15 years and beyond!
And of course we can't wait to see the GIFs you come up with. Let your creativity run wild, and together we'll make this birthday celebration an epic chapter in the history of our fantasy world – and the real world, too!
May your quests be legendary, and may your GIFs even more epic, heroes!
Battle on!
Beleen and the amazing AQW team
June 28, 2023
Exclusive Interview with YouTuber Korey
Man’s got more views than the population of Venezuela!
Why, hello there heroes! It’s Beleen, here to bring you something new – and something pink! – on the Design Notes today. As if the title of this post didn’t already spoil the surprise, allow me to squeal with excitement over getting to interview MMO YouTuber, @Koreyx! Korey’s videos have been watched nearly 30,000,000 times, so there’s a pretty good chance you’ve already seen Korey in action. Speaking of action – let’s jump right into this interview already!
Beleen: Hey Korey! It’s so awesome getting to do this interview with you today. Please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your channel.
Korey: Hi, hello, howdy. My Name is Korey and I have a YouTube Channel where I post news and updates for AQW.
Beleen: So what sparked your interest in MMOs and inspired you to start a YouTube channel?
Korey: I always grew up with video games in the house. My dad was very big into it. He was building his own PC and had a lot of the consoles back in the 90s. I would be more surprised if I was not into games. MMOs in particular just came from being bored and looking for free games to play on PC. Back in 2008, the landscape for free to play games was not anything close to how large it is now. Also, around the same time I started playing AQW, YouTube was becoming more and more popular. My friend in grade school, James, told me about YouTube; he wanted to share some cool Lego stop motion videos. The first few channels I made are probably still out there… somewhere online… when I was way too young to be posting videos.
Beleen: Your secret is safe with me 😋 Now, could you share with us your most memorable moment in AQW and why it stands out?
Korey: Being able to search in my inventory and having a cape with my logo on it is very surreal. Still very crazy to me that I have an item in a MMO I play.
Beleen: I know the feeling! My chinchilla, Chongo, was the first in-game item made for me, so I feel the feels you’re feeling, man! Now, if you could be any character from a video game in real life, who would you choose and why?
Korey: Max from Scribblenauts. He has a book where anything you write in it appears in real life. So if I wanted a talking pink dinosaur, it would just spawn. Cure for cancer, sure, here it is. You would become very overpowered as Max IRL.
Beleen: Oddly enough, a pink dinosaur curing cancer is my spirit animal. And speaking of overpowered things IRL, let's delve into the technical side of YouTubing. What kind of equipment and software do you use for creating your videos?
Korey: You do not need much to start making videos. I started on a really cheap laptop that had a hard time running a browser window and a headset mic that I bought to use voice chat on the Wii. Today, my setup is a lot different but none of it is necessary. If I was starting from scratch, I would prioritize getting a decent mic. The second thing I would get is a second monitor; if you are using a single monitor – even if you are not streaming or making videos – you need to look for a cheap one… it is such a game changer. I offered my brother my old GPU that would have been a large PC upgrade for him, and he gave it back to me after he figured out that he could no longer use his second monitor with it since the monitor was old and did not have the right display connector. All of the Software I use is free except for Photoshop – you need to pay the Adobe tax for that one. I use Shotcut for editing videos and OBS for recording and streaming.
Beleen: I remember my first “gaming PC” was an eMachines computer, and it was the cheapest setup a child could buy after raking pine needles all summer long. I’m like 99% sure they stopped making eMachines when I stopped raking pine needles…
And thanks for the helpful advice on the video editing stuff! Now, let’s delve into seriously helpful stuff: how do you handle negative feedback or criticism? Any advice for content creators (or other human beings) dealing with similar situations?
Korey: My mindset on people that will post something negative online is that they are probably not in a good situation and are looking for an outlet. Responding to that in most situations feeds it. Now, being negative and having criticism can feel similar to the person receiving it, but if it is real criticism, I take it and see if there is anything I can take action on, and I have in the past made changes to my channel and content based on feedback.
Beleen: That's a really great approach, Korey. What other advice would you give to aspiring MMO YouTubers who want to start their own channels?
Korey: DO IT. If you think you can do it, stop thinking and upload something. Keep uploading. Watch videos other people make to learn and upload more. Just like with anything, practice is the only way. Content matters over everything; at the end of the day, if you can convey that content in an entertaining way, your channel will grow.
Beleen: Korey the Motivation Speaker could be your next channel idea :p But you’d definitely need a personal assistant to help you out. So! If any NPC from AQW could be your personal assistant in real life, who would it be and why?
Korey: Safiria. First off, and a **spoiler** this would mean she is no longer dead. Second, vampires now exist in the real world. Growing up I thought vampires were pretty lame, but I played Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines and It completely changed my opinion on them. Third, she is very overqualified to be anyone's personal assistant so I imagine she would do an amazing job.
Beleen: Hahaha! That last line has me in stitches! So what was your favorite AQW event (other than Birds with Arms, hehehe)?
Korey: This is a very easy answer: Throne of Darkness! The whole event felt like it had good direction. If I recall, it started in the summer and ended in the fall so it did not overstay its welcome like some quest lines will do. A ton of classes were released during the event. I think it was like one every 2 weeks which is nuts compared to the one or two that are released a year now. Map art was unique and well made. Cutscenes were great. Just all in all a great event.
Beleen: I actually didn’t play it– but now I have just got to check it out! Hey readers: if you want to play through Throne of Darkness too, just type /join darkthronehub in the in-game chat and head there right now! But before I myself head out, I should probably conclude this interview, huh?
Any future goals or milestones for you and/or your channel, Korey?
Korey: It would be nice to hit 100k on YouTube at some point in the future. YouTube gives you a cool silver play button for that.
Beleen: 100,000 subscribers would be HUGE!! I beleen in you! 🤭 And finally, do you have any special messages or shout-outs you'd like to share with the AQW community?
Korey: If you read all of this, I hope you found some of the answers interesting. Big thanks to all the people who watch my channel. Some have been watching for half a decade or more at this point.
Beleen: The Artix Entertainment community really feels like family, huh? It’s so wonderful to have such great friends surrounding us for so many years – and to think I myself started working on AQW 14 years ago! I guess it’s true what they say: time flies when you’re having pun.
Aaaand that cringe comment concludes our interview with Korey! We've learned so much about his passion for MMO games, the content creation process, and some valuable input on IRL and in-game events. It's been a pleasure having Korey here with us today, and the AE team wishes him continued success on his YouTube channel! Thank you Korey for sharing your adventures with us today and everyday you upload a new AQW video 💖
Keep adventuring, keep gaming, and above all else, keep having fun everyone!
Battle on!
Beleen, Korey, and the AQW team
PS: Many thanks to AdventureQuest Worlds hero + wicked-talented artist, Zeyles, who is the creator of the Korey art + chibi Korey used in the image above! Check out his other work here: Zeyles' Twitter
February 08, 2023
Teasing a new game feature on Friday :o
Friday: Hero's Heart Day returns AND a new feature's foundation arrives :D
Heya heroes! Friday is almost here, so that means a new game release is on the horizon – it was written by me, but made possible by your amaaazing AQW team, and includes the first look at a 🌟 new game feature 🌟 that you will all surely love! I don’t want to ruin any surprises… so imma drop some hints here and see what inevitably gets leaked on Twitter. 😆
Being nice and kind, it's always on our mind,
A smile and a wave, that's how you behave,
With a heart full of love, no matter the darkness above,
You'll make someone's day, with a single display!
When you spread happiness, you light up the room,
With your kind actions and a cheerful tune,
It's so warm and bright, like the morning sun light,
Bringing joy to this rhyme, one kind act at a time!
So be a ray of sunshine, wherever you go,
With a smile on your face, and kindness that glows,
And soon, everyone will be smiling as well,
When they witness the power of your friendship spell!
Feeling the love IRL <3
Heroes Heart Day may be celebrated in-game, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t spread some positivity, kindness, and love in the real world today! I *know* that everyone has the power to make a difference in someone's life, even in the smallest ways. Whether it's holding the door open for someone, offering kind encouragements, complimenting someone on their outfit, or lending a helping hand, every act of kindness counts. We should all work together to create a brighter, friendlier world by being there for one another and spreading kindness wherever we go! 💕
So no matter if you are in-game or in-real-life, go out there and be kind, be helpful, and make someone's day a little brighter. You never know… your act of kindness could be just what someone needs to turn their day – or life – around!
Looking forward to making the world a happier place with my heroes 🥰
xoxo Beleen!
(Alina note: this is the first release to include a new feature the team plans to add onto over time based on your requests and input. We're all excited to see what you think, and very grateful to Beleen for inspiring this latest feature addition!)
October 06, 2022
Happy 20th Birthday, AdventureQuest
They level up so fast, don’t they?
The game that started it all just turned 20 years old! 🥳
Back in the day, the original AdventureQuest (commonly referred to as BattleOn) dominated high school computer labs since it was legitimately one of the two online games available at the time. Sure, there were other Flash-based mini-games out there like Frog in a Blender and Gerbil in a Microwave,* but none of these time-killers compared to the full RPG experience of AQ.
* Gosh, the early 2000s had a sick sense of humor…
Before AQ came along, the only way to play a full RPG video game was to buy a physical game for your PC or console. That. Was. It. You (aka your parents) would have to shell out like $50 to buy a game cartridge or a CD, oooor you’d have to wait weeks for a certain game to become available at Blockbuster.** Of course, there was always the option to play games at your friend’s house, but it wasn’t much fun playing a single player RPG with only one save slot 😭
** I am seriously aging myself with all these archaic references.
But then!! AdventureQuest came along in 2002 and revolutionized the gaming experience! No longer did you have to worry that your eMachines computer wasn’t powerful enough to run the latest CD-ROM; AQ made gaming possible anywhere, so long as your computer was hooked up to the internet (back then, it was called the World Wide Web dial-up connection). High school and middle school computer labs were prime gaming grounds thanks to AQ’s browser-based gameplay, a F2P model that was unheard of at the time, and some of the worst graphics you had ever seen!
Fast forward 20 years, and AQ is still free-to-play with much better graphics than before (except that default character face — goodness gracious!!). If you wanna check out the game that started it all, check out that default face I mentioned, and check out the birthday celebrations happening now in the OG AQ, then tickle this link right here!
Update: AE’s 20th Anniversary in AQW
There are some things in life that are out of our control. Sometimes it’s pimples, sometimes it’s terrible fashion trends, and other times it’s devastating forces of nature. Hurricane Ian wrecked Florida last week; our thoughts, prayers, and positive vibes go out to everyone affected by the storm. Thankfully, all of the AE team and their families were unharmed, although some suffered property damage and went without power & water for many days. *gasp* Does that mean y’all went without coffee too?! *sobbing hugs*
Hard to work on anything — esp computer game stuff — when you don’t have any power. That being said, we have to push back AE’s Anniversary event to the following Friday, October 14, 2022. I knnnnoooww I said it would begin Oct 7, but good luck voicing complaints to a Hurricane 🤷♀️
The 20th Anniversary event is still so enormous (and somehow got even bigger, thanks Artix lol) it will span the course of 2 weeks PLUS we’ve got Mogloween nipping at our heels AND ermahgerd there’s so much going on this month and in this run-on sentence SO here’s the current updated AQW release plan (barring any other force majeure events):
October 7
- seasonal Mogloween events return
- seasonal AQWorlds Birthday maps + gear return
- Artix 20th Anniversary Collection Chest
- 14th Birthday Gift I: Free inventory + bank slots
October 14
- AE 20th Anniversary Event, Part I
- Artix 20th Anniversary Collection Chest update
- 2022 Achievement Tracker gifts
- 14th Birthday Gift II: 500 free AdventureCoins
October 21
- AE 20th Anniversary Event, Part II
- 14th Birthday Class: ArchMage
- 14th Birthday Gift III: Multi turn-in / buy / sell / enhance
October 28
- 2022 Mogloween event
- Wheel of Doom Treasure Chest update
- 14th Birthday Gift IV: Cosmetic / outfit slots
As if all that wasn’t enough, there’s all kinds of other stuff you can do in the meantime, like gettin’ yer gauntlets on the new Star Swords and collecting viscera (uh wut?) during the newest Carnax adventure. I saw somewhere on Reddit that there’s this heccin sweet house item but idk if that is for realsies or is just joke. It was these 2 dragons coming down through the ceiling as if home insurance would be a-okay covering that claim.
“First Hurricane Ian, and now DRAGONS?” No wonder why insurance companies are leaving Florida…
Well just like everyone else at AE, I have got to get back to work! BTW: when I wrote this, it was Wednesday, so that means we should ALL have worn PINK! 💞
xoxo, Beleen :D
July 29, 2015
Chaos Queen Beleen Shop Leaving
Last Chance to Get Chaos Queen Beleen Rares!
If you haven't played through the Chaos Queen Beleen release, then you are missing out! You can begin your war against the pinkification of Lore when you /join drearia! If you are a FAN of the color pink, adorably fiending things, or fan-favorite artist Nulgath, then you want to make sure you don't miss the Chaos Queen Beleen Rares shop!
The Chaos Queen Beleen shop holds:
- Cutie Makai Bank Pet
- Chibi Nulgath Bank Pet
- Chaos Beleen Sparkles
- Purified Axe of Nulgath
- Purified Blade of Nulgath
- Purified Scythe of Nulgath
- Purified Polearm of Nulgath
- Nulgaleen Horns Morph
- Nulgaleen Locks Morph
- Chibi Nulgath Helm
- Icy Chibi Nulgath Helm
- Pinkitron Armor
- Chibi Head Pilot
- Icy Chibi Nulgath Kitty Helm
The items in the July Holiday Rares shop also leave tomorrow night, so be sure to snag anything you want now, before they are gone until next year!
AQ3D
BattleGems
BioBeasts
Dragons
Undead Assault