Your Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any questions feel free to ask me. I look forward to hearing from you!
"Why are you making this project?"
For a few reasons!
- Two previous TCC clients asked me how to design colourful animals, so I made two infographics explaining how: one about the possibilities of colour in animals and one about 'special effects' - bioluminescence, iridescence, and other effects. Then, because many animals are colourful due to living in a colourful environment, I decided to make a colourful environment - and Kaleida was born!
- I care passionately about the environment and have been hearing depressing stories about climate change for so long that I thought I'd make an idyllic world of my own. Kaleida was originally intended never to be found by space-faring aliens, and I don't intend to develop the resident sapient species beyond their mesolithic stage so I never have to watch them destroy their planet like we're destroying ours.
- People enjoyed seeing Kaleida-related artwork so much, and enjoyed watching the ecosystem come together, that I decided to adjust Kaleida's lore so that other people could get involved too. Now you can insert your characters into it if you wish (within certain limits - I still want to keep the world pristine)!
- Building Kaleida helps me practice worldbuilding without encroaching on TCC clients' projects, and showcases what I can do.
"This looks like fun! How can I get involved?"
I like to trade with artists. I'll do some consultation, No Frills, asynch work, or ghostwriting in return for art. Please ask first, though - I can only accept a certain number of trades as opposed to paid commissions at a time.
Here's a list of artworks that I'm looking for, if you're interested!
I also welcome people writing stories based on Kaleida.
Whether you're drawing, writing, or making anything else, the rules are as follows:
- ✔️ You may present yourself/your character as any one of the sapient species of Kaleida, or as an "offworlder".
- ✔️ Please make your work uplifting or at least neutral. The premise for offworlders visiting Kaleida is that the offworlders are friendly and managing the difficulties of a peaceful, necessary occupation with the greatest respect for the natives and care for the environment. It may not always be easy, but they have care and expertise on their side.
- ❌ Therefore, no stories about malevolent races sneaking onto Kaleida to exploit or destroy it, please!
- ❌ Please do not write grimdark, or any edgy material in the Kaleida universe. It's meant to be a feel-good place! I recognise that I am presenting an early-stage setting here where everyone in-universe is still adjusting to a new status-quo, and that systems can eventually decay or be inherently broken, but I'm looking for uplifting content, not dark material about how everything's going to go terribly wrong.
- ❌ Please do not write porn in the Kaleida universe.
In the future I plan to work with established YCH artists so that people can have their characters written into scenes on Kaleida. Keep your eyes open for that, and if you want your favourite YCH artist to do this, why not ask? I'll be glad to see Kaleida be seen!
"Can you make a world like this for me?"
Definitely! Ask me for a species or worldbuilding questionnaire, fill it in to tell me what you have established about your world, and then send it to me when you're done. Then I'll get started! I offer two varieties of worldbuilding, one that's hands-on, where you get to be closely involved, and one that's hands-off, where you leave me to work on aspects of your world and let you know when it's done.