A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR:

Hey guys. Got a bit of stuff I want to talk about. I'll be hitting them up as I go...

To begin......

I've been working on Penguin Piracy since roughly December 16th, 2016. (Could have started a few days prior... but I don't remember. All I know is that's the
date the mod (Called The Penguin Race Mod at the time) was published to the Chucklefish Forums.)

Anyone who was around at that time knew the mod was kinda... "lacking". It was about pretty much on the same level as the penguin enablers and mock-ups that
predate it. I hardly knew what I was doing... and honestly? My original gameplan was to just make a proof of concept with the improvements to penguins (a
lot had changed with them from the beta days, to post-1.0), and hope an "actual" modder would pick it up and turn it into something amazing.

Little did I know the modder I was looking for would turn out to be myself......

I just couldn't put the project down. I ended my core vanilla playthrough prematurely. (Funfact: I've never actually technically "finished" this game... The mod
pretty much completely grabbed my attention XD) I started experimenting, and tweaking. I started to actually get an idea of how modding actually worked.

Next thing you know, we're at present day. It has stuff I thought it would never have. Tiered armor, cosmetics... a UFO ship (One that makes Dreadwing's
look like a dog's frisbee XD)... Penguin Piracy has evolved into something I never anticipated.


I have been working on this mod almost every day. In my free time? Penguin Piracy. Do something on the PC? Penguin Piracy. I've funneled ideas and
concepts into the mod almost constantly since I started (Some updates coming almost within weeks of one another. )

Now, however, I'm starting to finally feel some burnout. My ideas are drying up, and motivation's starting to dwindle. I've kept my enthusiasm alive by working
at the mod off an on... But now, that tactic's starting to weaken.


WHERE'S PENGUIN PIRACY HEADING?

Just like in the previous, short hiatus I took, I am NOT abandoning the mod. I have looked at several resources that had great potential, but suffered from
the dreaded Vanishing Author Syndrome. I refuse to let the mod slide down that route.

Instead, I'm taking another hiatus. I'm going on another break. That said though......


WHAT ABOUT PENGUIN PIRACY V11?

Penguin Piracy V11 is still happening. I have a version that's in the works with an addition for that. The update's likely just going to be coming slower.


And that brings me into a little announcement. I've had a concept for what I've wanted Penguin Piracy to be for quite some time. To tell you the truth?

I don't want this mod to be another one of those closed off mods that this one dude works on for however long, then eventually abandons, leaving all the
assets locked behind a legal door.


SO WHAT'S NEXT?

You see, I don't want Penguin Piracy to just be "That big mod revolving around penguins"... I mean that's kinda what it is, but you get the point. XD
I desire for Penguin Piracy to be a Community Mod, that other users can contribute to. That's right. I don't just want your ideas or suggestions, I want
you guys to actually do stuff. Are you a modder/familiar with modding, but not working on any particular project? Make something for Penguin Piracy!
Not a modder, but a good spriter? Make something! I've opened up the mod's assets for a reason...

Extract my stuff! Crack it open! Make something!

So here's the briefing on this:

If you're interested in this idea, head here: https://discord.gg/EQ5GrVA

I can always communicate through the forums and what not.. but that's slower. I'm not always able to notice notifications from these places. (Not like
I have a penguin honking in my ear!)

For suggestions and ideas? I'll make note of em. Contributions? They could make it into the mod too!

Now of course, there needs to be some quality control... I won't accept "everything". Obviously, contributions need to fit within the mod's lore. It needs
to feel like something that fits in with the rest of the content. Bare this in mind please!

Now, here's the areas Penguin Piracy could use some strengthening in:

Penguin Races - If you decide to make a new race, make sure it actually does something. Make sure it's set apart from the rest of the crew. Good pixelart
is all well and good, but if it's just a vanilla penguin with a different lick of paint?... Not really much to scream at.


Penguin Cosmetics - Now here's a big one. Penguins generally look identical, so cosmetics REALLY help set them apart. They are used by both penguin players,
and NPCs. When making cosmetics, please mind the walk/run animation. Make sure the sprites for the wearable "moves" with these animations. (If you need
an example, just look at some of the cosmetics in the mod.)


Penguin Furniture - Can't go wrong with furniture sets. If you can make something that looks cool, and fits in with the theme (Pirates? Military? Mafia?
Whatever you can think of. Heck if there's something you think could fit in the Beakeasy bar theme, do that! I don't care! XD)


Penguin Dungeons - Now here's something BIG. If there's any of you out there good with Tiled, this would ESPECIALLY be a good contribution. Penguins don't
really have any core settlements... (I'm thinking there would probably be some hidden in large asteroids and other nooks and crannies of the universe...
when they're not just living off their own ships that is)

But penguin dungeons, or even missions would be awesome! If you create a quality, good penguin exclusive mission? That would be deeply appreciated.


If there's anything else you can contribute (Weapons, sprites for food, etc), those would be appreciated too. Heck, the mod's in need of patch work
for vanilla objects (Since there's like several penguin races in my mod, it can be quite something getting stuff set up...) If you can do that? Do that!



All that said, here's what Contributors will get:

-Credit. That's an obvious one. Remember, you have to make something "yourself". Do NOT steal someone else's work. If another modder calls me out for
something in the mod, and it's from one of the contributors? I will be a very unhappy camper...

Credit will be given on the mod's main pages (Both on the forums, and the workshop), as well as in the file in the archive.)

-Credit in the Penguin Archives (An object in-game, in the mod itself)

-A Contributor role on the Discord (If that grows that is... rofl. This one's a maybe.)



That said, that's about it. I know this was a bit of a text wall... but it needed to be said. Once again, I'd like to thank all of you for playing
Starbound with Penguin Piracy, as well as for all the feedback and suggestions you've given me since I started. You guys helped make this mod
what it is! (And maybe, some of you may help make it even bigger?... Who knows.)

Even if no contributions end up happening at all, I will try to do some stuff in the next update...... Maybe I'll have my mojo back by then? Who knows XD


All of that said: See you guys around!