F.A.Q + Guide to the Website Changes

There have been multiple questions coming into Feral-Heart Staffs' inboxes and the Feral-Heart-Art 's inbox since we have began renovations of the website/forum. While there are many threads lying about on the official Feral Heart forum that contain most of the basic information that you should know about the update (you may find this thread most helpful). We thought it would be best to compile that info and post it here also, so that anyone who is either not able to create an account or has a problematic account can ask questions, or just breeze up on some of the recent changes and frequently asked questions.

We have had many questions specifically from our watchers, so we hope that this will help clear up any confusion that you may have. This journal is a help guide to the new website changes only, and any other information about the game or website can be found on the official Feral Heart forum . We encourage you to visit there if you have any questions that aren't related to the website changes. You will be informed when the changes are complete in the News and Updates board on the forum. But what exactly has changed, and how might that affect your gameplay? Let's take a look, shall we?


WHAT HAS BEEN CHANGED/ADDED:

• We have a new forum look! The old website version that we had been using was quite outdated, and we weren't able to update things because it wouldn't allow certain changes to be made. This new version will allow us to make changes to the forum that were not possible, previously. It has a new chocolate-y color, too.

• We've added some profile add-ons! You can now select what species of animal your character is on your profile. There is only one option for this at the moment, and we only have a few selections of species, but we are open to adding more if this is something you all enjoy. Other profile add-ons include the option to add more social media and gaming profile links, such as Skype and Steam. We have also added the option to add a bio to your profile; you can now tell everyone a bit more about yourself when someone views your profile page.

• Fewer forum glitches! Depending on how many issues you have faced on the website before, the new website should be a bit more clean in terms of forum glitches, although you may still notice a few broken links and other kinks that need to be straightened out. You may notice that some of the links won't work when clicked on, but we are looking to fix this.

• Usernames changes! You can now edit/change your username on both the game and forum (if you change your in-game username this will automatically become your name on the forum).

• Account Registration is back! The Registration for the Feral Heart website is now finished and ready for new users to make accounts. How often does the Registration open? Look here for details.

• E-mail changes are now available! You can now edit/change the e-mail address connected to your account.

• Full in-game account reset is now possible! While keeping your username, it is now possible for users to erase all of their data on a game account (includes but is not limited to friends and characters).

• Preset Sync is back and easier than ever to use! You no longer have to download a separate installer for the Sync. You can now directly download the version of Feral Heart that includes the Preset Sync download. For information on how the new Preset Sync works, look here.

• The BIG Help Thread updated! You can view a detailed guide on common FH-related issues here.

• WHAT HAS BEEN REMOVED:
  
  • You can no longer use TinyPic to upload images to the forum. We have banned TinyPic from showing their images on the website because there is an issue with their site that can allow any links that are posted to link to an entirely different image-- one that is not intended by the poster. While this is a seemingly harmless concern, TinyPic does not have a filter for inappropriate and NSFW content from being linked to, and thus, to keep our website safe and appropriate for all viewers, we have decided to ban any links that are posted with TinyPic. Need an alternative? We suggest Imgur.
  • Forum nicknames are not available. Your profile name will show as your in-game username. We may change this later on, but we haven't made any plans to do so, yet.
  • Minor text operations, such as the spoiler tag. The new website did not come with all of the same add-ons that we had before, but we look into adding many back when we can. A few options around the forum such as being able to view who is viewing the same thread as you are may be changed in the future, as well.
  • Inactive accounts.
  
  WHAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED:
  We're going to work our way through the updating process, which may take a while. It is not a speedy undertaking, and we only have one person conducting and implementing the actual changes (thanks to our lovely server master, Razmirz). We are hoping to fix any text problems that the website is encountering, continue resolving issues regarding account usage (such as a re-activation system), and hopefully add new sparkly things to make the website a bit more fun. This will all take time so please have patience with us. Even when it does not seem like we are working on the changes, we are constantly looking to improve the website.
  
  
  

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  F.A.Q -- Frequently Asked Questions (regarding the recent changes and issues)

  
  
  
  I'm having trouble logging into my account on the forum. What can I do?
  Well, you could be having trouble logging in for a few reasons. The first step is to identify why you aren't able to log in. Is it because you have forgotten account details, such your username or password? Is it because your account has been deleted? More on that below.
  
  Why am I not able to change my password on the website? I've tried using the "Forgot your Password?" function, but I didn't get the e-mail/the code sent to my e-mail does nothing.
  Some of the changes made to the website and Registration have affected how the password and e-mail recovery systems work. While we aren't sure specifically what is causing this issue, our best guess is that it used to have much to do with the Registration being disabled and some parts of the website being unpredictable and needing to be updated to fit the new website. If you aren't able to use the "Forgot your Password" function to change your password, can you still change your password? As far as we know, no.
  
  What if I've forgotten my e-mail address?
  Your e-mail address is usually found in the "Profile" tab of your account, if you are logged in. You may have it enabled to show your e-mail even if you aren't logged in, but if you have it hidden, you won't be able to see your e-mail unless you are logged in. If you would like to know your e-mail address, though, you can always message a staff member, and we will be able to help you. If you would like to change the e-mail connected to your account, this can now be done by going to the User Panel section on the main/front page of the Feral Heart website, scrolling down to the e-mail change section, and proceeding with the instructions listed for you.
  
  I think my account has been deleted. Why, and what can I do to fix it?
  If your account has been deleted, it is because of one of a few reasons:
  
  
  
      1). Your account is inactive and hasn't been logged into within 18 months. When accounts are not touched for quite a while, they are what we consider inactive and will automatically be emptied by the server. You usually will not be able to log in if this happens. Logging into the forum does NOT count as accessing the game account, so your account on the website may be working just fine, while you cannot log into the game.
      2). Your account was removed when we updated the website. Our site updater and server master has removed any inactive or unactivated accounts lying around twice so far, so if you have only recently attempted to log in, you may be trying to access an account that has been deleted.
      3). Your account hasn't been deleted-- it was just never activated. Activation is done by confirming a link sent to your e-mail when you first create an account. Sometimes you are able to log onto the game without actually confirming your account, but this can cause problems later on. Because of the web updates, there is currently not a working option for you to reactivate an account. Creating a new account is the only way to fix this issue, however...
  
  
  Why can't I create a new account? Is the Registration offline?
  The Registration was brought off some time ago while we were renovating the website, but you should now be able to create an account. Keep an eye on our forum for updates on the Registration if things change.
  
  I'm able to log into my account in the game but not on the forum. Why is that?
  If you have been active in-game but not on the forum, it could be that your account on the forum was emptied out. If you're trying to log in with a nickname, as well, this could be preventing you from logging in. Your account may not be activated, either. Make sure that you are logging in with the letters in your username capitalized, if you have any.
  
  Links aren't working, and some of the HTML code that I was using before doesn't work the way that it used to (such as linking videos)!
  Don't worry! We'll be fixing that, too. While we're going through changes, it's normal for links to act wonky and not work in the way that you are used to them working.
  
  Will the changes to the website be permanent?
  This is a so-so question. Some things will stay, others we aren't sure about. The general layout of the website will stay the same unless we want to add changes to it. Site functions such as how you will be able to customize your profile (nicknames, passwords, other fun stuff like links added to your profile) may be up to change and improvement, although much of this is still in discussion. The "additional" changes are not our main focus right now, so these changes will likely come later, if changes are made.
  
  What can I do to speed up the process of the update?
  Patience is all we ask from you. We understand that it is frustrating to not know why you can't log into the game or why you aren't able to join your friends in the fun. We're working on changes for the better of the community, and that means things will be working a bit differently while we conduct these changes. It's our hope that the good that comes from this will exceed any of the troubles that you are experiencing with your account right now.
  
  
  

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  If you have any additional questions, feel free to ask, and we will do our best to answer your question. If you are experiencing any issues and have a working account on the website, please PM staff through the Staff Page rather than on Deviantart. We will be able to assist you there much more quickly and you will have a larger selection of staff to message. If you CANNOT log into the forum, or you are not yet a member and you still have questions, please reply to THIS JOURNAL and a Staff member will be able to assist you. For your own security, please do not post private information such as e-mail addresses or passwords in the comments below!