Ivory Newsletter - 05/11/2025
Hey everyone! Admin Eepy here.
It's been quite a while since this website was used, huh? A multitude of reasons for that, but first and foremost, a lot has changed since the last (first, and only) newsletter posted to this site.
For starters, the custom Discord invite has been replaced from discord.gg/ivorymc to discord.gg/ivorysmp. We originally had our hearts set on .gg/ivorysmp but it was taken at the time. Thankfully, we managed to snatch it up in time!
Secondly, a TON has changed on the Minecraft server and Discord server since the last newsletter. I heavily recommend joining our Discord and reading the changelogs for yourselves, but here's a full recap anyway:
- Changed the character creation guideline / whitelisting process.
- Added a new rule forbidding AI art or imagery.
- Fixed an embed in the rules/info channel to add a credits section.
- Re-opened staff applications.
- Fixed the embed themes for all channels in the "general info" category.
- Gaslit everyone for 6+ months into thinking the April 1st update would be big. (We wound up not doing anything at all. Mean prank, yes, but funny nonetheless. Sorry not sorry!)
- Changed the embeds in reaction roles to have new color variants inspired by Minecraft foilage.
- Removed pronoun roles in favor of Discord's profile pronoun feature.
- Changed an incorrect reaction embed in reaction roles to have the fairy emoji instead of the pregnant man emoji. It was a misinput, my bad.
- Fixed an issue revolving around glass bottle models.
- Added custom models for tons of alcohol recipes.
- Implemented a model for gold coins. (Ivory's in-game currency.)
- Changed the Disboard description.
- Changed the invite link on the website to have the new custom invite link.
- Fully implemented a server description and traits for the Discord server card.
- Added Herobrine.
Phew! Quite a lot done since February, huh? There's still so much to do for various future updates, but for now, I can provide a small list. Not everything here is set in stone, and some are subject to change once Season 2 fully releases:
- Custom terrain generation using a mix of terra blender and terralith. (Including the underground sections of the map.)
- Interactable NPCs for various locations, such as the bank and similar admin-run shops.
- Various placeables and decorative plugins. (mostly for furniture and aesthetic items.)
- New custom mobs, food and crops.
- A version update to 1.21.4 and above.
- New and improved ticket system for the Discord.
- Custom-coded website and server wiki.
Quite a chunk left to do still. Even with so much on our plate, I do want to give thorough credit to the volunteers on our staff team for doing all this work. Everything from our models to code is either properly credited or made by those team members, so here's some well-deserved shout-outs!
- Messy (@messybitch) for our alcohol models, coin models and every other custom model. You're the bees knees, Messy, I mean it.
- Will (@willybriggs123) for generalized development, especially revolving around Minecraft server content like the resource pack. Literally how do you do it??
- Moon (@xdmoon) for near-constant work on build team, even during finals and various real-life activities. Please go back on hiatus soon, for the sake of your and our sanity. /hj
- KitsuKe (@kitsuke13) for joining the team and immediately offering to custom-code a wiki. You haven't done any actual work yet but your skillset both amazes and scares me.
- Junie (@jjuniesmoothie) for continuing to hold the reigns on our Media Team. You make a fantastic admin and even better friend to us all.
- Strobic (@strobic) for keeping the grind going over on Creative Team. I'm like 90% sure you're gonna have arthritis by the age of 27, man.
- Every other member of our team who had finals for school, or various real-life road bumps. Thank you so much for focusing on your grades, family and loved ones over a game about building with cubes.
- Kanno (@nightsfavor) for making the server. I know you don't usually enjoy being credited because you don't "do any work," but you're still the leader and a train without a conductor wouldn't move anywhere anyway.
Lastly, I wanted to touch up a bit on why the website stopped being used for quite some time. The main reason being that Ghost is funky and unnecessarily complicated, but the other also being that I myself have had quite a few real-life road bumps.
I actually didn't mention I would go on hiatus prior to disappearing, and while I don't want to go into a rant about everything that happened I will let you all know that I am okay and never was put in any danger at all during that time. Eggs just cost $8 a dozen is all.
This server has continued to inspire me time and time again. It keeps my creative juices going, it gives me something to pour my heart into and every single talented person on and off the team is the reminder I have that not everything continues to stay as bad as it seemingly always gets.
I didn't tell anyone I'd write this newsletter, nor did I even tell Kanno I would. But stepping back to see everything we did and our plans does give me hope. From the bottom of my Eepy soul, thank you all. Let's make Season 2 and then some the best it ever could be.