Beanbag NPC Contest Winner

August 21, 2017, 11:19 am by

Congrats Ursa! I'm pleased Shanti won. It was a tough vote. My son has autism so the characters like him appealed to me but I have chronic pain and migraines (though not nearly so bad as to use a wheel chair) so Shanti was a natural choice. It was fun to see all of the unique creativity!

August 21, 2017, 11:11 am by

I honestly have lost so much respect for the subeta community. Everyone bitches and whines when contests are about who can spend the most money, or that there are TOO many choices and it should've been put down to just a few to vote on, yet when staff do a contest EXACTLY like people have been saying they should, people get all bent out of shape. Shanti was an amazing character, so were the others.

Shanti got the most votes. That means the majority of users wanted her as the NPC over the other characters. If you don't like her, that's fine. But there is NO need AT ALL to attack Ursa for making a character that she has indeed based on things that she has said happen very close to where she is.

You don't like the back story because you think its too sad and depressing? I'm sorry that you want to live in a rose colored glasses type of world where everything and everyone is supposed to ignore the bad around them.

For everyone bitching about child trafficking, she LEFT IT OUT of the characters story because she didn't think it would work well on Subeta but you're STILL bitching about it?

Honestly I see a lot of comments here from certain people and am shocked at the sheer negativity and senseless attacks.

Yes Shanti was a sketch, so what? The contest was about the CHARACTER and NOT the art. Subeta Staff are going to draw the character how they see it, so why does it matter if she made just a sketch? No where was it stated that things had to be in full color!

It's sad to see that when Subeta tries to bring more diversity to the site, because hey we actually have MANY disabled people on this site, myself included, people bitch and moan that it's pandering. I'm sorry that you feel those of us who are disabled shouldn't be represented and anytime someone tries to represent us, its pandering. Kindly wise up and realize that there are a LOT more disabled people on this site than you realize and ALL of them deserve to be represented just as much as anyone else.

August 21, 2017, 11:04 am by

They are smol and cute. I love them already.

August 21, 2017, 11:02 am by

I wanted to add in support for this design: I also LOVED the connection of "person with chronic pain" + beanbag chairs. As someone with a chronically miserable back problem, I'd love to have beanbag chairs to lounge on all the time. Dream job honestly.

August 21, 2017, 10:59 am by

On one hand I'm frustrated by the constant portrayal of disabled people as meek babies, and also characters that are obnoxiously selfless etc

But on the other hand it's a shopkeeper on Subeta and I can't bring myself to care enough to waste my time getting super mad. People making characters win "minority checklist" attitudes is nothing new (not even saying it's particularly the case here) but I'd prefer representation like this over the attitude of "don't put disabled people anywhere that's real life this is subeta" or whatever weird-ass arguments like that pop up.

I'm happy a cute drawing won a contest! I can't draw for shit so I'm always happy to see peoples' nice artwork, especially if it leads to something becoming official on a site. Can't imagine how great that must feel, and then how terrible a lot of mean-spirited comments must feel right afterwards... of course not all criticisms are, and dismissal of valid criticisms because "don't be mean!" is a little much.

August 21, 2017, 10:57 am by

kudos to the winner/runner-ups & good job on all your entries.

August 21, 2017, 10:38 am by

Congrats, Ursa! I didn't actually vote for her, but it was a really tough choice, I thought all of the finalists deserved to win <3

August 21, 2017, 10:30 am by

I'm genuinely curious why very few people directly criticise any specific character in the comment section (and by this I mean naming them specifically and direct criticisms toward them rather than bundling them up in a more generic critical comment that can apply to more than one character at once) when the voting is going on, but many would choose to lash out when a winner is chosen. Is there a reason why direct criticism is generally held back during the voting process but is okay to be voiced, sometimes quite harshly, when the final result is announced? If you want to persuade someone to vote or not to vote for a character for reasons you feel are strong enough, isn't it best to do the persuading during the voting process and not after?

I'm sure staff will find a way to include whoever is chosen into the site lore so their story will fit into the site as a whole. Although human trafficking is Shanti's background story that might be subject to change to fit in with the Subetan world. Anyway Shanti is just one character in a world occupied by many other characters, and there are always other characters that we can engage with if we care more for them, that's all.

August 21, 2017, 10:27 am by

I am SO glad she won - congratulations I loved this design so much!! :D I am disabled, so this makes me so happy - really excited actually!!

I also really wanted the girl (who's name I forgot) who had woken up to a new modern era from Shengui Guo to win because I thought her backstory was SO DARN unique and clever and tied so well into Subeta-lore. However, I hope that will somehow tie this type of character story into our storyline with a different character set.

August 21, 2017, 10:23 am by

Personally I think the character is adorable. I didn't get to vote in the contest but c'mon look at that sketch.

I do however also understand people's gripes to an extent - positive discrimination is indeed a thing.

But at the end of the day it got the most votes, it's hella cute and let's be honest I don't think the Beanbag Shop is suddenly going to become some sort of anti-trafficking organisation that will upset the people who think it's ~~too sad~~ and ~~not realistic~~ (has anyone of you read the news, like, ever?)

Congrats .

August 21, 2017, 10:22 am by

Yay! That's who I voted for!

August 21, 2017, 10:20 am by

WHY are people butthurt over a shop graphic? Seriously? It doesn't change the content of the shop FFS You can also block the image if its that offensive to your sensibilities 9_9

August 21, 2017, 10:11 am by

I like how both of us drew our characters with Jollin beanbags. I didn't notice until now amd I'm weirdly delighted by the coincidence. Congratulations on winning, your character is super cute and I'm happy to have her here!

August 21, 2017, 10:01 am by

I see where you're going with what you said in your post. I have a relative who's disabled, but it's not easily seen by most people. She recently got ordained as a minister. And I watch MLP, and I love Fluttershy as well! Such a sweetie! ❤

August 21, 2017, 9:49 am by

Congratulations! All background story's are great. I have voted for Santhi because I like the style she was draw. I hope the subetateam will keep her regnozible. She is now so adorable! ❤

August 21, 2017, 9:47 am by

Congratulations to ! I did love your entry, as I have a friend with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (that results in chronic pain) who has to use a wheelchair a lot now, and she crafts to keep busy. She also volunteers a lot - I suppose because she's faced such pain, it brings her joy to alleviate the pain of others. I could see that in your character design. I'm pleased to be able to bring somebody like this onto Subeta.

I think she's going to fit into our world quite nicely. The human-trafficking aspect was not included in the submitted backstory, it's unlikely to be included in our version. As to being too 'Mary-Sue' or 'just a sketch' - this is actually perfect for our team. It's just the template we can work well with, and our Shanti will now be fleshed out! (More so if she's used in any sort of plot/site event. As it is, she's mostly going to be an image on the beanbag shop page)

I'm not really of the opinion that whenever we include any kind of minority it's 'pandering'. I seem to hear that every time somebody wants to be more representative, and it feels rather ridiculous to me. We asked for underrepresented character designs, and the submissions we had I could easily agree fit that bill. As to playing to an audience - I'm actually a little surprised that a full colour design DIDN'T win. From past competitions, the best drawn images are usually the ones to win.

We're happy with the direction this ended in, and looking forward to introducing our Shanti into Subeta!

August 21, 2017, 9:46 am by

Do some of you not know that disabled people actually exist and play Subeta? Part of the reason I voted for Shanti is because my best friend (who isn't on Subeta right now partly BECAUSE of their disabilities) has severe chronic pain AND loves beanbags on Subeta. They had all but like 5 beanbags a couple years ago, so they were a pretty serious collector here, and I'm sure they will be again if they get the chance to come back to Subeta.

Sometimes they have needed a wheelchair or other mobility aid due to various aspects of their illness - someone might not need to use a wheelchair due to the pain itself, but due to whatever is causing the pain. For instance, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a connective tissue disorder. One thing it can cause is joint dislocations. (That's actually one of the less bad things...)

Like, I'm autistic so I was drawn to the autistic characters too, but the coincidence of beanbag + chronic pain was just too much like my friend to pass up. Especially because my friend is also super sweet and kind like Shanti. Sometimes people who are that kind, caring, unselfish etc really do exist. I'm lucky enough to know one of them.

I'm disabled too, even though I don't need a wheelchair. Something like 1 in 5 people in the US are disabled. It's not exactly rare. I imagine that the percentage of people on Subeta who are disabled might be even higher, because it's a type of activity that is more accessible to disabled and/or chronically ill people.

I didn't really get a Mary Sue vibe off Shanti. I also imagine her kind of like Fluttershy from MLP:FiM. If I imagine her talking I hear Fluttershy's voice.

August 21, 2017, 9:32 am by

Sorry not only did I love her story, I thought the art was adorable, sketch or not. The art was never going to go straight into the system, it was an idea, one that would be redrawn by Subeta artists. Giving them a cute sketch that outlined what she is supposed to be is all anyone should have done. If others went beyond that, that was their choice, but if that is the only reason people are salty of the winner, I just don't get it. She is adorable, Great job!!

August 21, 2017, 9:24 am by

You have any idea how hypocritical you are being? Calling people ableist and God knows what else is going through your mind because they didn't like a fictional character. If I don't like the personality of a black character, let's say, or think they were badly written I'm a racist? Also, yes, it's pandering. There's a difference between a character being a woman or gay or whatever simply because and when it's clear as day they are what they are for the sake of inclusion, what is the case of Shanti. And yes, I know Subeta wanted this, what I don't agree either. Inclusion isn't inclusion of it's forced.

August 21, 2017, 9:23 am by

This is awesome. Congrats, Ursa!

August 21, 2017, 9:22 am by

imo i feel like folks are projecting the "mary-sue" quality onto her more than she deserves; i voted for shanti because (to me) she read as a character who overcame trauma and went on to pay forward kindness in her life that she didn't receive. someone like her wasn't there for her when she was a child-- and so she is that someone for children now that she is grown. there are a LOT of charity groups that have folks at their core who suffered, and then went on to work the rest of their life to try and end that suffering. this isn't a "goody-good-good" concept, at least to me; it's human. maybe i missed more to it than that? but it feels as tho ppl with gripes about her see this character as an unrealistic do-gooder when she's just a gal doing her best.

i also voted for shanti for two other reasons: PoC with disabilities are severely underrepresented even in their own communities, and chronic pain/illness are absolutely not understood or recognized by the vast majority of abled folks. i'm extremely biased tho bc i have chronic pain which leaves me with mobility issues; the only difference between shanti & myself in that respect is that my illness is invisible (on some really bad days i'll use a cane but honestly if it's that bad i just don't go out normally which isn't productive but).

August 21, 2017, 9:12 am by

Congrats Ursa! :)

August 21, 2017, 9:08 am by

To those who are leaving because some NPCs are being added that don't reflect the American "default" (able-bodied, straight, cis, white): good! I'm glad you're leaving and so is everyone else who isn't an awful person. How DARE people complain about "pandering" and other nonsense?? A "very small community of minorities"? Between people spouting homophobic nonsense during Emma and Esther's wedding and now this, I'm shocked that so many regressives are playing Subeta. Have some self awareness at least, bigots. Oh and never speak again.

August 21, 2017, 9:08 am by

Congratulations Ursa! And to all the other finalists too - I had a hard time voting!

I myself live with severe chronic pain, was a full-time wheelchair user at one point and now only part-time. For that and other reasons Shanti was probably the most relatable character /for me/. So although I voted for a different entry, in the end I was pretty happy to see this character win. I should have known better than to read the comments. In real life, The Forces That Be don't look down and say "Oh whoops, that person ticked too many minority boxes! Better tone it down a notch. Only 1.5 minority traits per person." That's absurd, but that's something mainstream media creators seem to believe, and what critics yelp about if creators dare to not follow that idea. "It's not realistic!!11!," ffs there are talking fantasy animals and zombies and aliens and an angry sea goddess here. Yet there are actual living people very similar to Shanti. I assume that no matter who won, the Subeta Team would tweak them to fit within the established Subeta narrative. I don't think Shanti's backstory is too far out of place with some of the heavier/darker themes Subeta has brought up before, but we'll have to wait and see what the canon story for her becomes. In the mean time, she's an adorable girl who is a wheeler user and POC. Nothing about that should be objectionable.

August 21, 2017, 9:05 am by

Also staff had said before the contest that they were most interested in characters representing people who are not really represented on the site currently, so I'm not really sure what some of you expected in terms of entries...

August 21, 2017, 9:03 am by

Oh and for people who've been saying Shanti and the other proposed NPCs are "pandering", I'm going to drop some truth bombs on you: people like Shanti exist. Are they "pandering"? If a little girl in a wheelchair is too much for you to handle know that YOU are the problem. Ableists need to stop talking forever.

August 21, 2017, 9:01 am by

Congrats!! Shanti is super adorable and the perfect NPC for the Beanbag Shop! :)

August 21, 2017, 8:59 am by

Congrats! So happy she won! :)

Remember, users of the site voted for her the most, so please don't be bitter. All the entries were great, and maybe we will see the characters elsewhere.

August 21, 2017, 8:57 am by

Subeta has always been a more "adult" version of a petsite, it's technically supposed to be PG-13 and not just G or PG like a lot of the others. There's a wide range of thematic and violent elements that can be included under the PG-13 banner that are more on the adult or young adult side of things without being graphic enough to warrant an R or X rating. We have a character that exists solely for the purpose of making dick jokes, but a girl in a wheelchair is too grown up for the site? Come on, guys.

Anyway, it was a tough choice between all of the entries. I like the idea of using the Shengui Guo character in the future or something though, the "tries to adopt the new modern customs and slang but doesn't really get it right" thing is such a cute idea.

August 21, 2017, 8:56 am by

Where can we see the runner ups? Please let us know.

Congratz, Shanti, predictible Subeta, voted other, knowing who the winner would be from the start. And I'll stop my comments here...

August 21, 2017, 8:53 am by

Quote

I have been in the top 10 of beanbag collectors for years. Today I stop collecting. The choices were from a very narrow new direction. Subeta will end up being a very small community of minorities and the silent majority will go. I was just made aware of a 7 year player who has left. I predict there will be more.

... over a new shop keeper?

._____________. oh dear, more beanbags for everyone else??

August 21, 2017, 8:50 am by

Seriously... some of the comments about Shanti are disheartening.

About the "she's a Mary Sue" argument: Yes, she has a "tragic" backstory, but it's not unrealistic. Human trafficking is a real issue, whether you want to believe it or not. People are disabled and wheelchair bound in real life too. Shanti's experiences have driven her to be charitable and kind. This is also realistic, as some people are fortunate enough to get past their tragic background and move on to be better people. (This is something I'm trying to do myself.)

Nothing about her character screams "look at how different and special I am, please love me". It seems like she wants to be seen as an individual like everyone else, not as a statistic in a wheelchair or as a human trafficking victim. If you see her that way, then maybe you need to reconsider how you view people.

About the "incomplete art" argument: Really people? People hesitate to enter these sorts of contests, because they feel like their art isn't good enough. Now that someone won who's art isn't up to your "standard" and you're complaining about it, people are going to be more hesitant to enter next time. For contests like this, it should be the concept that counts... not the execution.

Anyway, I'm very happy Shanti won and I'm looking forward to seeing her as an NPC. Congratulations ! :)

August 21, 2017, 8:47 am by

I love how people are complaining about how "human trafficking has no place here," but are completely ignoring the fact that a few years back the subetateam KILLED off a CHILD NPC.

Note: Have been to SE Asia and it is a much bigger problem than what people may want to believe, esp someone from a Western country where they have had child labor laws for atleast 3-4 generations.

August 21, 2017, 8:34 am by

I'd like to see the entries again, I forgot who she was (and the rest of them).

August 21, 2017, 8:33 am by

this was a wild read

August 21, 2017, 8:25 am by

Congrats on the win, Ursa! While she wasn't who I voted for, she does have a lovely design. I considered every angle for my vote (personality, appropriate for the shopkeeper, backstory) and while she wasn't my top vote, she came a close second - I wasn't expecting to see a clear 'you must vote for me' while voting since you can't please everyone and there will always be things that will irk you. For me, I'll admit I found it hard to relate to her personality and backstory. While we do share one ... aspect? trait? area? (I'm not sure what word to use here, please excuse if I upset anyone) in chronic pain, the backstory was so far out of my world that I had nothing to latch onto and say 'I understand'. The seemingly lack of flaws threw me a little too, there was nothing for me to silently agree with and have a 'gosh, me too!' moment with, but this is something I'm sure can be worked on if need be, I trust the staff and Ursa with this. She didn't really come across as 'too nice' or anything to me, I know people who think the same way as her and donate to charity and volunteer when they can, etc. I honestly wish I had the courage and confidence in myself to do that too! The things I listed are certaintly not a bad thing by any means, things I have not experienced is always a learning opportunity, just in this case there was an entry I related to more, but honestly, there is no need to rag on Ursa over this. At the end of the day, it's just a competition about a fiction character in a fictional world, and remember, not everything can be perfect and please everyone.

Again, congrats on the win, Ursa. Please try not to let the negative get to you too much.

August 21, 2017, 8:03 am by

Congrats to Shanti! If I hadn't made finalists I probably would've voted for her. Congrats to my other finalists as well, I hope you had as much fun with your characters as me!

August 21, 2017, 7:56 am by

[B]This is why the world is the way it is, everyone has something negative to say about everyone and everything - even a game.....[/b] [I]What happened to love? Is it too cliche???[/i]

August 21, 2017, 7:55 am by

Discourse is always going to occur, no matter what. We feel something first, and don't acknowledge it until later when it becomes relevant again. That's how the human brain tends to work; emotions and thoughts come up from every stimulus, but we don't always realize or recognize those right away. Or we don't say anything until later because our brain was still trying to make heads or tails of why we feel the way we feel about something. It's a complicated thing, and that's why we have discourse.

How we go about it though, is obviously wherein lies the problem. Some handle it better than others. You have people at both extremes (in this case, they love the character despite any flaws because they can overlook it; or you hate the character because the flaws are too outstanding to ignore), and people somewhere in between (either indifferent to this character 100%, or are swayed to one side over the other). Unfortunately, discourse must include everybody, even the opinions we don't like or agree with. That is how the world is supposed to work.

August 21, 2017, 7:52 am by

You are freaking awesome! I think people are blowing up about the human trafficking thing because they don't want to acknowledge that it exists. The same with Shanti having "so many" problems. Hello, it happens. Raises hand

August 21, 2017, 7:49 am by

I know better than to comment before I've finished my coffee. ahem Allow me to retry that.

Melian_Alcarime 08/21/17 7:43 am -fixed I'm so glad she won! The design is cute, and I loved her reason for being the beanbag shop owner. This wasn't an art contest, it was a design contest. Just because some entries misunderstood that doesn't mean that we should rag on those who didn't. Her design is complete. And hey, I'm still mourning Amy, so I don't really think she's all that dark. Subeta has always been a bit heavier. I do agree though that her wheelchair should be upgraded to one that's more designed for permanent use (UNLESS she's always testing out her creations 😉 ). Also loved the something soft for her tush comment!

August 21, 2017, 7:48 am by

tbh: mary sue on levels i havent seen since 2012

August 21, 2017, 7:46 am by

hi, thank you for choosing Shanti and for all the congratulatory posts! i too, would like to share a wall of text, directed to all schools of thought. i hope this answers some things, and im sorry if they dont.

firstly, i saw Shanti as a character of her own. when people insulted her, i didnt feel bitter for myself (its true that my own writing was bulleted, knowing my audience, bad art/sketch, etc, i could deal with). but that Shanti does hit a lot of checkboxes, and that invalidates her from being a person? i had a close friend from a terrible abusive background who developed mental issues and physical health problems. hes East Asian. he became a police, helping people for many cases. he hates dealing with abuse cases, but he does. seeing Shanti being called out felt like a shot through my heart for my friend and for her. even though she was just "hitting checkboxes".

secondly, her dark background happens in countries like MINE. regions near me, barely 2 hours by flight, have children taken away. in a developing region like mine, trafficking is a REAL SOCIAL ISSUE. just because it doesnt happen in a country like yours and it seems too "tragic", it doesnt make it fake. if Subeta chooses to drop that part, i wouldnt blame them. i purposely left it out, but it was a very real interpretation of Shanti and of my place.

thirdly, i personally dont feel entitled to win. or more like, it didnt matter. i wanted the Subeta community to benefit in the end, no matter who won. i loved Calliope - she represented me so well. i saw the creator of Kanyin proud of the character they had created, and was overjoyed that they had found confidence, but seeing them turn around to bite my choice because it was "marketable" shook me hard. what was the point of this? to win? is that what the competition is for? victory would have felt hollow if Shanti represented nothing but winning.

lastly, im very very grateful to the staff for narrowing down the entries and everyone who voted for Shanti. again, i see Shanti as her own character, and i hope that she won because of who she is, not because i am. in all honestly, when i saw the news, i became really terrified because of the backlash she would receive. but in a win, i came to realise too that there were a lot more people backing her, and i thank every single one of you. im looking forward to Shanti blessing the Subeta community, or at least, whoever will accept her into their heart.

August 21, 2017, 7:43 am by

I'm so glad she won! The design is cute, and I loved her reason for being the beanbag shop owner. This wasn't an art contest, it was a design contest. Just because some entries misunderstood that doesn't mean that we should rag on those who did. And hey, I'm still mourning Amy, so I don't really think she's all that dark. I do agree though that her wheelchair should be upgraded to one that's more designed for permanent use (UNLESS she's always testing out her creations ;) ).

August 21, 2017, 7:41 am by

That wasn't hostile in the least hun. I could just as well ask you not to get defensive. But that's silly.

August 21, 2017, 7:39 am by

It's honestly really disgusting to see some of these comments. Shit like this is what causes neat events like this to end up ceasing to exist.

Grats on the win! I really liked this one. All of the entire did a great job.

August 21, 2017, 7:37 am by

no need to be hostile if you feel differently about these things.

August 21, 2017, 7:30 am by

not only has this site dealt with racism before (there was an entire WAR between zombies and humans so zombies could be recognized as actual people, for crying out loud), but this is not a PG site, it is PG-13 coming darn close to R in areas where snowflakes can't handle their delicate sensibilities being shaken (read: disagreed with) If you want PG, you can head on over to Neopets and feel much better about the state of the pretend world.

August 21, 2017, 7:22 am by

Quote

Sad back story, the typical "good girl from a bad situation" and then the aesthetics to appeal to as many minorities as possible and by this I mean pointing it out when we can clearly see some of them, but it shouldn&;t of been the focus.

This. I friggin hate this trope, and it was so clear from looking at the sketch that it was going to be that trope. sure enough, I was right. Gag me, that's not realistic in the slightest and it always irks me. This site may be fictional, but come on peeps, learn to write better than this.

And then the whole "human trafficking" background is just unnecessary garbage that doesn't fit in with the Subetan world. It adds unnecessary information and actually makes me want to know less of or even care about Shanti now that I'm aware of this background intention by the artist. Unless you've had experience with this sort of thing irl (and this goes for practically any topic of interest)--and I mean by getting to actually know numerous people who have recovered from this horrific lifestyle outside of simply reading cases and articles online or even in books; people who grew up around this lifestyle and saw it firsthand; hell, even those who USED to be the actual traffickers (you need to get all sides on the matter, not just the victims' perspective)--don't fucking write about it like you're suddenly an expert because you simply read something by another author. It comes off as pretentious and obnoxious. Do your own research and investigation if you ever intend to write a character with a tragic backstory like this. If you want to make an impact, then do it right and not half-assed.

August 21, 2017, 7:11 am by

I knew this one was gunna win the second I looked at her and read the description lol subeta you're so predictable. On the other hand I also threw her a vote because I appreciate the cute design and all the work that went into the character building (plus her hair is amazing)

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Beanbag NPC Contest Winner

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