Getting an upload approved

What reviewers check for, so your heads, bodies, shields and swords pass the first time.

Uploads to GraalOnline Classic are reviewed by hand before they go public, and they can be denied. Almost every denial comes down to a short list of fixable issues. Here is what each one means and how to clear it.

Transparency: a visible background

Usually the background just was not removed. If you downloaded the file and it was a JPEG, compression leaves stray pixels around the edges that no longer match the background, so they stay behind when transparency is set. Save as a PNG, and if you are working with an indexed body, make sure it is indexed correctly.

Transparency: solid black or white

Pure black and pure white are read as transparent, so stray pixels of either punch holes in your image. Eyes on heads and shoes on bodies are the usual culprits. Some editors also snap near-black or near-white to pure values, so check the file after you export it.

Inappropriate content

Anything vulgar, suggestive, or tied to drugs or alcohol is denied.

Bodies need two working arms and legs

A body cannot be missing limbs, use stick-thin or stand-in shapes like fins or wings, or have arms that stay still in the carrying and attacking frames. Arms can be mostly covered or in pockets, that is fine.

No shields that act as bodies

A shield cannot cover the whole player. Make it smaller or move it so the character still shows.

No ripped hats, accessories, or full-face masks

Hats and accessories pulled straight from the game are denied. These are allowed: horns or animal ears that are not ripped, headbands worked into the hair so part of it is covered, and subtle glasses, bandages, tape or an eye patch. Shields may include a scabbard or a sword.

These are not: shoulder pads, bows that are not made of hair, scarves or bandanas over the mouth or neck, backpacks, wings, sword or gun accessories on a body, and shields that are just scarves.

Wrong size or dimensions

Use the correct template and check your file against it. The wrong dimensions are an automatic denial.

File over 128 KB

The limit per file is 128 KB. Shrink the image or cut down the number of colors to get under it.

Too many frames

Animations are capped at 500 frames, which is about 25 seconds. Each frame plays for 0.05 seconds, so divide your animation length in seconds by 0.05 to find the frame count.

Rapid flashing or color changes

No fast flashing or sudden color swaps. This also covers bodies that change color as they move. Any color change has to be gradual.

Frames in the wrong place or not matching

If part of a head or body shows up in the wrong frame, it was misaligned. Overlay your work on the template you built it from and line everything up.

Missing sprites or frames

Use the whole template. Heads and bodies need a sprite for every frame, including ones like the dead frame, or the in-game animations break. This matters less for shields and swords.

Copyright

Inspired work is fine, direct copies are not, and company logos are denied. To stay on the inspired side, leave out signature details, change the hair or eye colors, and keep the face generic.

Do not resubmit

A catch-all for translucent images, memes, direct rips from a photo, art taken from the tileset or other server images, and pieces that are too small or badly proportioned. Spamming the same upload many times lands here too.

FAQ

How long can I get a full refund on an upload?

One hour from the time you accept and pay for it.

I was refunded less than I paid. Why?

You probably uploaded during a sale. The refund is automatic, so it matches the sale price you actually paid.

I was upload banned. What now?

Appeals go through official support, the same as other bans. You can also ask staff in the community Discord.