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Post by Geodude 🌻 on Jul 4, 2015 21:06:39 GMT -5
TFR was the last great plot. I still glean story ideas from that one.
Kickstarter to bring a new TNT project to life would be amazing. I think some of TNT already have other jobs now. Perhaps one day, once everyone is relatively stable, they can decide to start a spiritual successor. My other thought is they might be bound by a non-compete clause for at least 5 years so they would have to wait to start something.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2015 22:26:03 GMT -5
TFR was the last great plot. I still glean story ideas from that one. TFR is the last TRUE plot to me, all the other stuff (Battle for the Obelisk and Spooky Food Eating Contest) are more like events to me than anything. I know some people call 'em "Plevents". |
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Post by Duke Pikachu on Jul 6, 2015 2:32:34 GMT -5
Sorry for being late, got busy with July 4th and a bit of stuff after it: Altador Rising (NC Accompaniment):AC9 brought us a rather interesting NC Accompaniment called Hidden Altador which "gave access" to secret places in Altador. It was well received so naturally JS copied its style. While the idea of Altador Rising is also interesting, seeing the very beginnings of the Altador Cup in ancient times, its the execution which is where they stumble. I'm mainly going to be talking about the area ideas and the artwork for that area. I don't really have much experience in what makes for a good NC item and from what I heard some of them are actually quite good. I may talk about a few which stand out, but mostly I'll be talking about the area themselves. Playtime in Altador:![]()  Not a bad start. It just shows the ancient Neopians playing probably the earliest version of Yooyuball, pretty straight forward. As you expect it looks like people playing a game of soccer in a field, nothing fancy but has a certain nice & simple feel giving it some charm. The art though... it looks a rough draft of what the image is suppose to look like. I don't know, there's just something about the art which sort of makes it feel amateurish and not in a way that its suppose to be stylized. Actually the background art looks perfectly fine, it's the Neopets themselves which look off (especially that Grarrl). I'm wondering if its this difficutly drawing the Neopets that led them to tracing characters in the next area. ![]()  Pretty much the games were good for social gatherings, especially for players. I'd say this is probably the weakest of the areas as its just a part between the players. Oh, but how do I know these are meant to be players and not some other socialites? Because the party goers are traced art of actual AC players! Going from left to right we have Bertie Shurtz (Kougra, MI), Lilo Blumario (Blumaroo, RI), Foltaggio (Mynci, SK/AL), Salayne Ritad (Elephante, AL), Harlis Neyhbol (Grarrl, TY/MT), Loryche (Chomby, TY), Montecito (BV), and "Scrap" Taggert (Moehog, TY). But it doesn't end there, if you look in the background you'll see the Neopets playing Yooyuball from the first area (now had they gone for a "one area lead to another" thing this wouldn't be and maybe even a neat idea, but this is the only time it happens so it was either an abandoned idea of JS felt like sticking something in the background). Even the area they're in is traced from a Background which it gives out, "Ancient Festival Background", which in some way is a neat idea if I didn't think they did it only out of laziness. So there was sort of some neat ideas here, however I have a feeling these neat ideas were either abandoned or just a happy accident. ![]()  Now things are getting interesting. We've moved from Neopets playing Yooyuball just in a wide open field to there being a drawn field, nets, and even uniforms (one which look like proto-Team Altador uniforms). This is something I kind of wished they went with, us seeing how the game of Yooyuball evolved from being just a game played by kids on an open field to the professional sport we know it as played in modern Neopia. Anyway, more tracing! Now while not all the Neopets are traced, there are still some I recognize. The Mynci is MI's Volgoth, Wocky is AL's Winberto Seliz, Ixi is MD's Ilsa Ellits, and Cybunny is VP's Keetra Deile. Also I'm pretty sure the Grundo and and Mynci is sketched but I'm not sure from where. That said the two goalies are newly drawn (though based on existing AC players, at least the Kau is being based on LD's Leera Heggle) as well as the backs of the Elephante and Poogle(?) player (though once again I think they might be based on existing AC players, specifically the Poogle probably based on AL's "Trapper" Remis). Also the background is a bit of a twist of what I was talking about with the previous area. While Festivals of Altador was a clear trace copy of a background it gave, The Game Begins gives out a background of a Yooyuball field but its of a different angle of it. In the image above we're seeing the field from the side while the given out background, Yooyu Field Background, has us seeing the field from the point of view of one of the goalies. It's a neat touch, though too bad the versions of the uniforms in the pic aren't only not accurate to what was depicted but also look lazily drawn and flat. ![]()  A scene of the opening ceremony... which isn't really the same thing as a kickoff but whatever. The point of this area is I guess showing the Altador Cup reaching the reputation of professional sport. No tracing here, but the players are still based on existing players. Now to be fair for the most part you can just say that Gelert doesn't technically have to be AL's Lyvon Cibaire or the Ogrin have to be KD/KI's Coco Metrone (and those players who have multiple members of their species as players are obviously unidentifiable). That said, there is still some noticeable exceptions. That Mynci in the back is based on MI's Volgoth since there's no other Mynci as gorilla-like as he is and that Grundo in the back looks like a Mutant Grundo which would make him VP's Weldar Xupenfarb. Now, with all that said this is still new art of them (can't really trace back art if there isn't any to trace), but the thing is this is suppose to be ANCIENT Altador and all the players here are assumingly all Altadorians. While it possibly makes sense for the current Team Altador players to be there, no so much for everyone else. I guess I should also mention that the background is sort of a mix of traced and seeing a background at a different angle. While the pillars are possibly traced directly off the "Opening Ceremony Background" which is given out, the stage isn't as its drawn at a different angle. Also a nice bonus the stage is given as its own foreground. That said I do want to say "Delicate Silver Mask" looks a bit too realistic and I can't see the animation for "Waterfall Fireworks Effect" on JN's Wardrobe Preview. So with all that said what do I think of ACX's NC Accompaniment? Well while it isn't as good as Hidden Altador I do think it was treated with a bit more care (probably because it was the paid feature). While there was some obvious tracing going on, I wouldn't say that's exactly a bad thing since we are dealing with new artists here. If TNT did this I would be WAY more critical, but if the first image is any indication of their first attempts to draw the Neopets freehand I'd actually rather they AT FIRST trace TNT artwork so they can get a firm understanding of the Neopets anatomy. And it seems like it works as by the third image they're giving some of the players newly drawn positions (they seem to have drawing their backs down). Hopefully now that they've done this (and maybe on their spare time traced other images of species) they may be able to draw the Neopets as good as TNT. Anyway, anything else I had to say I already said it, especially when it comes to the ideas presented to us (that said, maybe they could have added something with Narinus the Athletic, considering he's the one who made the rules for Yooyuball). Hopefully this NC Accompaniment have taught them how to do future NC Accompaniments. Final Thoughts:With everything said and done, what are my final thoughts of ACX. First off I want to say its impressive this event had lasted for 10 YEARS. Even though its a yearly event that goes on for one month, there are plenty of other things which never get up to the 10th iteration of it. The AC had its ups and downs over the years, but I'm glad I could be there to see all those 10 years... though maybe now they should put the AC on hiatus. If the AC began showing signs of from stagnation from AC8 and AC9 it's now showing it with ACX. Heck, we possibly weren't even suppose to have it this year, but JS backed themselves in a corner by laying off TNT leaving them without an event to do for the Summer. It's also a bit sad to see this that for the AC's tenth anniversary this is what it has to show for it. a Tenth Anniversary should be something big and celebrated for going on to reach two digits, but poor decisions have resulted in AC's tenth anniversary to be a copy of AC9 with only small things switched here and there. The problems that existed with previous ACs still were present, the Staff Tourney only reminded everyone what had happen a month or two before, the prizes are a disappointment due to JS not understanding the site's features and economy, and the NC is the only nicely down (but still a copy) thing. The AC needs a break, and if it comes back it needs to come back changed. I've listed all the problems with possible solutions on my Fire Lupe's petpage for those interested. Hopefully now that they have one event done under their belt (well, two, but how much of the Easter event was done before TNT were let go?) JS will learn what they did right and wrong and try to make the next event better. Of course every is different so we'll just have to see. And by the off chance if anyone part of JS is reading this, it wouldn't hurt to have the Neopets community (which includes us on these forums and the staff of the fansites such as Jellyneo) help you by giving suggestions. With most of TNT gone I think I can safely say the players now know the site more than the people running it. |
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Post by Geodude 🌻 on Jul 6, 2015 9:01:59 GMT -5
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Post by Duke Pikachu on Jul 6, 2015 17:06:14 GMT -5
WOW... on the news they just announced Kiko Lake won ACX... yet the team image they used is from AC2. Instead of Erli Quinnock & Holbie Pinnock they have Helmo Timm & Moni Vyshan (Moni having only played in AC2). I can maybe understand them getting Helmo Timm confused with Erli Quinnock since they just recolored Helmo Timm's stock art, but Moni Vyshan is Island whereas Holbie Pinnock is Blue. They look different enough to know they're not the same player. I don't understand why they even used the old art and not the are used on the team profile during ACX.
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Post by Geodude 🌻 on Jul 6, 2015 22:22:39 GMT -5
WOW... on the news they just announced Kiko Lake won ACX... yet the team image they used is from AC2. Instead of Erli Quinnock & Holbie Pinnock they have Helmo Timm & Moni Vyshan (Moni having only played in AC2). I can maybe understand them getting Helmo Timm confused with Erli Quinnock since they just recolored Helmo Timm's stock art, but Moni Vyshan is Island whereas Holbie Pinnock is Blue. They look different enough to know they're not the same player. I don't understand why they even used the old art and not the are used on the team profile during ACX. Why do you sound so surprised? xD. A surprise would be using the correct art. |
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Post by Patjade on Jul 6, 2015 23:35:36 GMT -5
I see they haven't taken down the AC Cup games yet. If you look at the new features, you'll find Yooyuball as a "new" game, which takes you to the AC game against a practice team in standard mode and access to the other games on the bottom.
I thought the games were removed after the AC tournament was over with until next year. Maybe I am just mis-remembering?
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Post by Duke Pikachu on Jul 6, 2015 23:38:19 GMT -5
I see they haven't taken down the AC Cup games yet. If you look at the new features, you'll find Yooyuball as a "new" game, which takes you to the AC game against a practice team in standard mode and access to the other games on the bottom. I thought the games were removed after the AC tournament was over with until next year. Maybe I am just mis-remembering? I think they're always available to play, you just need the link to them. |
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Post by Herdy on Jul 7, 2015 9:01:43 GMT -5
I see they haven't taken down the AC Cup games yet. If you look at the new features, you'll find Yooyuball as a "new" game, which takes you to the AC game against a practice team in standard mode and access to the other games on the bottom. I thought the games were removed after the AC tournament was over with until next year. Maybe I am just mis-remembering? They are normally taken off the new features page - though JS don't appear to know how to update the page, scroll down and the current event section will tell you the Faerie Quest event is still happening  |
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Post by Patjade on Jul 7, 2015 9:16:01 GMT -5
OK. I guess I figured that once the AC was over with, they took down the games until next year is all.
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Post by Chao on Jul 7, 2015 11:37:11 GMT -5
They are usually available for a few weeks after the cup, but eventually TNT in previous years remembered to deactivate the link to the games till next cup. I was always sad when I could no longer get the easy NP of SoSD
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Post by Duke Pikachu on Jul 7, 2015 12:15:32 GMT -5
They are usually available for a few weeks after the cup, but eventually TNT in previous years remembered to deactivate the link to the games till next cup. I was always sad when I could no longer get the easy NP of SoSD Oh, I thought it was always up. Usually I stop playing after the AC because I'm worried a glitch would happen or something. Anyway, Trophies are appearing now!  Not only that, but at least my missing points have returned! Oddly the Trophy is behind the 2014 GMC and for Team Meridell our gold trophy looks like the same one from last year. These are minor things though something they might want to address once everyone have their trophy and points. |
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Post by Duke Pikachu on Jul 7, 2015 17:18:54 GMT -5
Well, I just found out Rising Altador wasn't the only part of the Altador Cup that had tracing: Altador Cup Tricycle  King Altador Valentine Tricycle  And guess what, people are already trying to scam. *sigh* |
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Not only that, but at least my missing points have returned! Oddly the Trophy is behind the 2014 GMC and for Team Meridell our gold trophy looks like the same one from last year. These are minor things though something they might want to address once everyone have their trophy and points.