Overview
Welcome to the Otterpelago Design Guide! This guide will walk you through the process of designing your Ottagi, either with a MYO slot or by redesigning an existing character.
Ottagi are a closed species! To create an official character, you must have an official MYO slot. You can learn more about how to get one in our Getting Started Guide.
How do I submit a character design?
The general process for creating or redesigning a character is:
1. Choose your path
Determine if you are creating a new character from a MYO slot in your inventory or redesigning an existing character you own.
2. Design your character
Obtain the visual design for your character, either by creating the artwork yourself or commissioning an artist. Make sure the design follows the species guidelines and trait descriptions!
3. Gather your items
Gather any required items needed to achieve your final design, like trait items or redesign tickets. These items will be deducted from your inventory upon submission and will be returned if your design is sent back for edits.
4. Submit the design
Once you submit, your design will go into the queue for moderator review. You can cancel your submission at any time to edit and resubmit, or save a draft and come back later. Design approvals typically take X days - thanks for your patience!
General Guidelines
All characters should adhere to the following guidelines to help the approval process go as smoothly as possible.
All designs must...
- Follow species guidelines: The design must include all core species features and applied traits must be clearly identifiable.
- Demonstrate effort: The artwork should be clean and complete, and show care and attention to detail.
- Be original: The artwork must be your own or commissioned by you. For imports, you must also own the rights to the design itself.
- Meet minimum standards: The artwork must be a full-body, colored image with a transparent background. Shading is optional.
- Adhere to size constraints: Artwork should be ???x???, 300mb.
What is allowed in designs?
✅ Allowed:
- Creative and unique color palettes and marking patterns.
- Designs inspired by animals, concepts, or general themes.
- Most accessories and some clothing (no shoes or pants), as long as they don't obscure key features or traits.
- Scars, wounds, or minor disfigurement. Limit gore to a non-graphic, 'cutesy' aesthetic.
- Character-based characters (CBCs), as long as the design is transformative and not a direct copy.
❌ Not Allowed:
- NSFW content or other violations of our ToS
- Copyright infringement, including direct copies or traced artwork
- AI-generated or AI-assisted works
Unsure about your design? Reach out to staff on Discord for clarification or guidance. We're always happy to help!
Design Standards
This guide will walk you through using a MYO slot to create a brand new Otterpelago character from scratch. A key part of the design process is ensuring you have the rights to use your chosen design. This is especially important for "imports"—characters that already exist outside of Otterpelago. Whether you designed the character yourself or acquired it from another artist, you are responsible for ensuring its use as an Ottagi is permitted. For full details on ownership, imports, and transferring linked designs, please review our ToS.
Understanding your MYO slots
Finding your MYO slot: Your available MYO slots are located in My MYO Slots. If you have a slot but My MYO Slots is empty, you may need to 'Open' the item from your inventory first.
About slot types: Not all slots are the same. Check your slot's description for any limitations or special allowances. The starter MYO slot is account-bound, and comes with 2 free Uncommon traits.
Starting the submission: When you're ready, navigate to My Characters > My MYO Slots. From there, select 'Manage Character' and choose 'Submit Design' from the dropdown.
Designing your character
Core anatomy: Every Ottagi shares a few key anatomical features. Your design must include these core elements to be approved. For a more detailed breakdown of the species' physical build and lore, check out the Species Guide.
Applying traits: All MYO slots include any Common traits for free. If you want to upgrade your slot with different trait rarities, you'll need to own the corresponding trait item. Browse Traits for all available traits and guidance on how to apply them.
Accessorizing: Feel free to add accessories and clothing to give your character personality! Just make sure they don't hide key features, and remember that Ottagi do not wear shoes or pants.
We welcome all skill levels! When creating an official character, you can either draw your own Ottagi, commission another artist, or you can use one of our official F2U bases!
Coming soon!