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Introducing Non-Binary Creatures, With Gender Chances

September 13, 2022 at 3:00 PM

Introducing The Non-Binary Gender

All creatures can now be the Non-Binary gender on Egg Cave. This is represented by the circle symbol on their creature image.

As part of this update, gender icons on all creature images have been updated with the new gray circle icon representing the non-binary gender.

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Species Now Have A Gender Profile

Obtaining a creature of a certain gender now has a weighted, random chance on Egg Cave. It is different for each species. You can view which gender profile a species has in the Archives and find an individual species.

Gender Profile Chances

  • Standard: 48% male, 48% female, 4% non-binary
  • Masculine: 85% male, 10% female, 5% non-binary
  • Feminine: 85% female, 10% male, 5% non-binary
  • Genderless: 94% non-binary, 3% male, 3% female

Gender profiles have been set based on what might make the most sense for that type of creature. The Genderless gender profile typically applies to object-like creatures that don't suggest the presence of gender. Gender profiles and their chances are now published in the Cave & Adopting area of the Player Guide.

SAR Center, Cash Shop, Event Prize Shops Updated

In places around Egg Cave where you have the ability to select a creature's gender in advance, you can now select Non-Binary as a gender. This applies to places like the Creature Labs, Cash Shop, and future site event Prize Shops (among many other places such as The VEND Machine). Non-binary is now another gender option. Random is still an option if you're feeling fiesty—selecting "Random" has a 33% for male vs female vs non-binary.

The Non-Binary Stone

Like the Mars Stone and Venus Stone, there is the brand-new Non-Binary Stone that can transform any creature to Non-Binary. Like the other stones it's 100 CC. Looking to have a specific type of collection? This is how.

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Gender profile for a species not looking right?

This is the very beginning of our new gender profile system. If a species looks wildly off to you for its set gender profile, please submit a ticket with your feedback.

Comments: 95

dragrawr • 13 Sep 2022, 11:36 PM

Thank you @Ian and team, y’all are the best. It’s super helpful and inclusive and has made many of us extremely happy! Eggcaves members thank you, for all your hard work and continuously growing inclusive site !! Keep it up 🙇‍♀️💕🌸

saturna • 13 Sep 2022, 11:36 PM

Oooh cool!! 😃 Though I wonder-- It says gender profiles are based on "what might make the most sense", but what kinds of things may be considered for a species to lean more towards masc. or fem. rather than standard? Other than if it is explained directly on their page, ofc.

heatherm19 • 13 Sep 2022, 11:59 PM

@saturna I'm curious about this too, I've been looking at some of the new info for some of my favorite breeds and I do wonder how their gender profile is decided if their description doesn't give clues. Wynerls and Rebonnes, for instance, are masculine but I can't figure out why.

ida92 • 14 Sep 2022, 2:12 AM

Oooh, the colours are back! Thank you. ❤️ @heatherm19 - I agree. It would make sense for, for example, lion-based cretures to be feminine, as there is usually only one male in the herd. Or some bird-based creeatures to be masculine~~

ida92 • 14 Sep 2022, 2:13 AM

~~a lot of birds have more males than females, for example the mallard. Most of the time, there are no clues in the description.

mrsgiggles • 14 Sep 2022, 5:15 AM

Some pets shouldn't even have genders. Like that blocks of letters pet, Wordy - how on earth do you gender it? Is it even alive? LOL.

luv • 14 Sep 2022, 6:06 AM

Love this concept! Though the CC I have to earn definitely just increased :') I also like the colours and am glad to see them back, although wouldn't mind seeing non-binary in that bright yellow... that's just a nitpicky thing though, I know changing it is probably a lot of work!

luv • 14 Sep 2022, 6:16 AM

Also, another thought that just popped into my mind - will we be able to pick non-binary when purchasing CSPs from now on as an option as well, like how you can pick male or female?

sparklefox • 14 Sep 2022, 7:40 AM

@luv - The blog post mentions that it's a selectable option for bought creatures. (Though I just checked the CSP and I can see a "Non-Binary" option for the September monthlies, but not for the re-released creatures. Potentially an oversight?)

cheetah • 14 Sep 2022, 7:44 AM

@luv "In places around Egg Cave where you have the ability to select a creature's gender in advance, you can now select Non-Binary as a gender." 3rd section of the post

uzag • 14 Sep 2022, 7:46 AM

Hmm... The addition of non-binary is great, but... why skew the ratios like that? It's pink and cute, must be a sweet girl. It looks mean and cool, must be a rowdy boy. It's a -thing-, must be a blank non-binary. >>>

uzag • 14 Sep 2022, 7:57 AM

>>> I... hate that. A lot. Enforcing stereotypes. Please note that I don't think this your intention. But from my view it looks... not-nice. I'm sorry. It simply rubs me the wrong way, making me feel pretty uncomfortable. Just my opinion tho.

uzag • 14 Sep 2022, 8:01 AM

(Love the idea of grey icons, but I noticed I'm so out-voted that I didn't even get to see it in action, heh.)

cheetah • 14 Sep 2022, 8:17 AM

I've been hoping for an update like this. 😃 (Now if only other games would follow suit.) I like the idea of the ratios and think it adds some interesting realism to the game, but some species' outcomes are a bit confusing. Not that it's a huge deal, just something I noticed.

cheetah • 14 Sep 2022, 8:38 AM

Based on aesthetics alone, I would think the vast majority would be "standard", followed by a smaller group that skews "genderless", and finally a small group that skews M/F made up of mostly critters with humanoid traits (like the bolgfir and goolime). Ratios that reflect--

cheetah • 14 Sep 2022, 8:38 AM

--real-life animals that tend to have more females than males (like bees) or vice versa is a cool idea in theory, but since that isn't common knowledge about most animals (bees are one exception I can think of) it's hard to tell why some of the ratios are the way they are.

ofmontreal • 14 Sep 2022, 9:26 AM

I think the update is nice, though I wish users got a free stone or 100cc, since past creatures can't be nonbinary without a stone.

elsvveyr • 14 Sep 2022, 10:44 AM

i'm generally not too concerned with the gender of the pets i catch but as a nonbinary person myself this does make me so happy! i now have to go collect as many enby pets as i can 😃

mindwhiper • 14 Sep 2022, 10:45 AM

Well, nice update for most of the users (I have nothing against, just think that biology and nature is completely don't care what ppl think, anyway), but make money on something that reflects vogue, fashion and demands of society - I'm sorry but this is so hypocritical from you.

mindwhiper • 14 Sep 2022, 10:54 AM

No offence, just thoughts, view from another point. You give users opportunity expand in creature's gender but it's look a bit wierd, if make some reflections on this - bi-gender. Where is it on site? Or assexuals? If you want *representation* and - make them all.

mindwhiper • 14 Sep 2022, 11:11 AM

But no personal - if majority crying in delight it's definitely good. I'm just think it's odd and insincere function (for CC OF COURSE FOR CC). I'm interested also when they will fasten their badges to different gender in the user profile. Maybe never - site options is for free.

Meteoroid • 14 Sep 2022, 11:23 AM

As this new feature is ironed out over time, gender profiles are subject to change for an individual species as none of them are necessarily set in stone. Your feedback is appreciated and tweaks will continue to be made!

ofmontreal • 14 Sep 2022, 11:42 AM

Asexual isn't a gender, it's a sexuality. I think the addition is a gesture of goodwill, would you rather they denounce the idea altogether? Not to mention, nonbinary is an umbrella term, many genders fall under it.

jlya • 14 Sep 2022, 12:57 PM

I kind of like the idea of genderless creatures for non-human, non-animal, and object-like creatures. Like certain mythical beings and wordle could be cool as genderless. However, I am not ecstatic about this update for several reasons and would prefer we had kept blue and pink.

heatherm19 • 14 Sep 2022, 1:47 PM

@jlya The blue and pink are still there, all symbols were changed to grey at first but then the blue/pink was brought back for the male/female symbols.

Ian • 14 Sep 2022, 1:53 PM

Fixed an issue in the Cave where the gender wasn't displaying correctly for your Cave attempts. Now fixed :0

heatherm19 • 14 Sep 2022, 1:55 PM

@uzag I understand what you are saying, but I don't think the designations lean too heavily that way. Rebonne are certainly 'pink and cute', but they are listed as masculine. Same with Ryahako. (I don't have many 'mean and cool' creatures so can't easily check those.)

kataclysm • 14 Sep 2022, 2:07 PM

There's another conversation to be had about pink/blue colours being used to show genders - it's a little outdated, but it remains concise and easy to understand from a UI perspective. The grey circle is a little harder to grasp, but it's clean/cohesive with existing themes.

kataclysm • 14 Sep 2022, 2:09 PM

As for the rest of you having the nerve to stir up discourse over fictional pets having whatever genders we want to give them, shame on you all. You each need to take a long hard look at yourselves and reassess your priorities.

xxcouchxx • 14 Sep 2022, 2:12 PM

Not for me!

mindwhiper • 14 Sep 2022, 2:45 PM

@ofmontreal have you found something to cling to? Okay, that's about what I've been waiting for. In fact, I'm not against the new feature, I'm against everything progressive being paid. Also. Has anyone here ever looked at the owners of the site as at good marketers?

asmodeus • 14 Sep 2022, 4:05 PM

No one said it’s mandatory to have non-binary creatures. It’s available for those who appreciate having that option. I will never understand those who have to cloud up a blue sky just because something doesn’t fit into their own perspective.

heatherm19 • 14 Sep 2022, 4:39 PM

@ian_hives Well, I've spent hundreds of real dollars on this game and it's the only online game I've ever liked enough to spend any money on at all, so I certainly think they are doing something right, whether 'marketing' or not.

heatherm19 • 14 Sep 2022, 4:41 PM

(I hate that we can't edit these comments) I meant to say liked *and* respected... I feel okay putting real money into this game because it's obvious the staff is receptive and communicative with the users, and (unfortunately) that's a rare thing online nowadays.

kataclysm • 14 Sep 2022, 4:43 PM

@asmodeus very well said!

uzag • 14 Sep 2022, 6:09 PM

@heatherm19 I've gotten a different impression so far, but I hope your observations are right! While I'd still find the askew-ratios strange, I'd feel a bit better about it if they're not stereotype-based after all.

nut • 14 Sep 2022, 8:22 PM

I think implementing non-binary is super cool but I agree the chances are a little weird, personally I think 33% for male, female, and nonbinary for everything would be enough 😊 never thought NB would even be a choice though so v excited!

luv • 14 Sep 2022, 9:22 PM

@sparklefox @cheetah Gotcha, it was the re-released creatures I was looking at (was hoping to be an enby vattone) hence why I didn't see!

luv • 14 Sep 2022, 9:29 PM

Also parts of this comment section are... depressing. Not sure why non-binary creatures seem to negatively affect some of you personally, but it costs zero dollars to keep that opinion to yourself. Whatever, more non-binary creatures for the rest of us to adopt, then.

metaphor • 15 Sep 2022, 10:10 PM

This is awesome. So much potential here.

veritaspunk • 17 Sep 2022, 9:53 AM

@luv I think "non-binary" is not inclusive enough ... especially for one choosing to vacate any concepts of reality for a more imaginative/roleplay one ... I'm of the prerogative that no matter the form users should be allowed to customize what "identity" they want.

frankenstein • 17 Sep 2022, 9:14 PM

I like this. It's a nice step, more than most hatching sites have.

kleineprinz • 18 Sep 2022, 2:05 AM

It's unbearable... I find more than that in the cave. What untold misery

rabbitwanter • 18 Sep 2022, 6:04 PM

lets go eggcaveeee ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ one love

raccoon • 19 Sep 2022, 10:00 PM

As someone nonbinary, I love to see this in the game! However the gender ratios being anything other than 33% each really upsets me? I understand where you're coming from with fem vs masc creatures but skewing the ratios rubs me the wrong way. I hope you consider changing that.

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