Altador Cup XVI

[RielCZ]

This year was the year I learned there are "ranks" above 20.

Apparently I hit rank 32. Fascinating.

[Liou]

Hello hi it is the weekend, I am home from my worky-job! Boy oh boy am I glad to have some time to play now. Let me log in to the Neopets and play some Altador and maybe rank some ups!

(hi press F for folks who only have time at weekend)

[doctortomoe]

I only made it to rank 8. I hope I got enough points for the stamp.

[Breakingchains]

I'm so mad. I got confused about dates and thought there was at least one more day, so I was about 200 shosho games short of all-star this year. Broke my eight-year streak. *headdesk*

[doctortomoe]

Well, if there are any ties, there will be one last day to earn points.

[Kat]

I hit all-star but after that my motivation went plop even though I told myself I wanted 10,000 prize points. (I only have 9,000+ now.)

Ah well, that's a new record.

[Duke Pikachu]

Well, with the final Staff Tourney Round results posted, time for my traditional math fun:

Picked best players each round: 48,869
* Gutterfoot always a top Forward. Agog was the other For first three rounds, MissRainbow for Round 4.
* van Doodle always a top Defender. Scrappy was the other for Round 1, Clammyhand for Round 2, & Aesop for last two.
* Binary Supagoo was top Goalie for first two rounds, Ehlo Froyo for Round 2, and both tied for Round 4.

Picked worst players each round: 23,818

If you stuck with one team:
* Best would be: (F) Gutterfoot, Agog; (D) van Doodle, Aesop; (G) Binary Supagoo
** Points: 48,089
* Points for worst: 24,646

Average Scores (rounded up to nearest whole number):
* Forwards: Round 1 (1,263), Round 2 (1,384), Round 3 (1,504), Round 4 (1,678), Overall (5,828)
* Defenders: Round 1 (1,702), Round 2 (2,266), Round 3 (2,343), Round 4 (2,342), Overall (8,652)
* Goalies: Round 1 (1,651), Round 2 (2,030), Round 3 (1,886), Round 4 (2,030), Overall (7,597)
* Overall Average Total (2 F + 2 D + 1 G): 36,557

[Allison]

I intended to do better. But... I played a whole three games. Maybe 4. Sorry, Roo Island. I did NOT do my part.

Staff tourney, I did much better.

Round 1: 9069
Round 2: 9299
Round 3: 11560
Round 4: 12150
Total: 42078

[Duke Pikachu]

And now the Final Results and in and the prizes are out! So, might as well also give my thought on this year's Altador Cup:

OVERALL: It was bad. They REALLY should have skipped this year. The HTML5 games were not ready, and the old system to try and catch cheaters wasn't active so the ACGs had a run of the cup as we saw with Lost Desert. Just, wow. They just didn't drop the ball, they then kicked it into the yard on the other side of the block, Old Man McGrouch's yard; you ain't ever seeing that ball again! I think we really need to go over each game to point out the specific problems with them:

* YOOYUBALL: So, halfway through the cup they "changed" some things so that it SORT of played better (and even then they still needed to make tweaks), but it's still a downgrade from last year's (which was a downgrade from a previous version, HOW DO YOU DO THAT?). I need to go into an indepth rant about how badly they've messed up Yooyuball, so I'm going to put them in list form in a spoiler tag:

New Problems:

SPOILER: Click to show

Random Yooyu Each Round: Before, every other round starting with the first was a Normal Yooyu so you had some control over the game. Making it so it's a random Yooyu every round after the first means you never know whether it's going to be a Yooyu you can easily control of its going to be a "trick" Yooyu (basically Faerie, Mutant, & DARIGAN) you're going to struggle for multiple rounds in a row. And yes, I have gotten several games where I got the Darigan Yooyu 3 or even 4 times in a row, why the fail (BTW the "F" stands for "Fyora")? CHANGE: Every other round should be a Normal Yooyu.

Unable To Shoot Up Into Goal: Due to what I'm assuming is an incorrect hitbox, you can no longer shoot up into a goal. This is bad as it pretty much means after the first few "easy" goals you can only score with diagonal shots with the straight shooting Yooyu and those you have to do in the right position, which is sometimes hard to do when the computer is on your tail. This is also especially notable for the Darigan Yooyu, if you want to try to score with it one method many players used to rely on was going into the corner hoping it eventually shoots up; now it's just better to get it into your own goal to move onto a hopefully more controllable Yooyu. CHANGE: Fix the goal hitbox so we can shoot up into it again.

Teammates Picking Up Power-Ups: As if it's not bad enough them running around randomly means they're not where I want them and the computer might auto-switch me to them (I prefer keyboard controls over mouse, I shouldn't be punished for that). Now whenever ANY of your players run into a Power-Up it activates them. Wanting to save a Power-Up for later use? Hope the AI doesn't have it in there random path decisions. I've had plenty of times when I was about to make a shot that would have gone in, but OFF-SCREEN one of my other players activated either a Speed Wings or Super Glove and that messed up my throw! CHANGE: Only the activate player should be able to activate Power-Ups.

Same Power-Up Stacking: So, don't know if this was intentional or not, but you can now stack the effects of the Speed Wings and Super Glove. The more Speed Wings you get the faster your players become to the point it becomes impossible to play as you're zipping across the screen in a blur unable to see what's going on. The more Super Gloves you get the bigger your players grow to the point they're blocking view of your opponents (so they can more easily steal dash from you) and it's hard to line-up a shot correctly. CHANGE: Make it so you can only be under the effects of one Speed Wing or Super Glove at a time, and if you collect another one it just resets/adds onto the timer for how long you're affected.

Steal Dash: It doesn't work for you most of the time, but the computer seems to have no problem using it all the time. CHANGE: Fix the Steal Dash so it works for you and lessen to how much the computer can use it.

Super Glove Can Be Stolen From: And on top of the above two, one of the aspects of the Super Glove Power-Up was broken: the opponents aren't supposed to be able to Steal Dash the Yooyu from you when you're in Super Glove mode, but something broke and they could for this year. CHANGE: Fix the Super Glove so that opponent's can't Steal Dash from you. Heck, if I could also make another suggestion, how about when in Super Glove mode have all Yooyus be thrown straight the direction you want them to go, including for Faerie, Mutant, & Darigan. 

Player Positions: I don't know why this happened as it wasn't an issue at the start of the cup, but please put my players back in the right positions, notably my main Forward. I like to score most of my goals with my main Forward to help increase his GPG. CHANGE: Fix the positions to how they were originally.

Incorrect Player Sprite: Also, can I have the correct roster of players. I don't know how, but I think each team had at least one retired/traded player on their team instead of the roster the team was said to have. Like, how did that happen, were you not using the most recent version of Yooyuball for some reason when building the HTML5 version? CHANGE: Give me the correct roster of players (and in the right positions!). 

Problems Which Were "Fixed" But Want To Comment On:

SPOILER: Click to show

Super Goalie: NEVER AGAIN.

Slow Block Power-Up: So, was it working the way you intended? Was it only supposed to slow down the computer (and also maybe the clock) but not your players or the cutscenes? Well, if it was, I still say get rid of it. When we have the Freeze Ice Power-Up I don't see a need for one that slows down the opponent (and slowing down the clock I feel is asking for trouble). SUGGESTION: If you want to add a new Power-Up, how about one that helps your goalie? Block Shields, two shields appear on eitherside of your goalie, essentially doubling/tripling their sprite. If you want to have one that throws a bit of chaos into the mix, how about a Rainbow Yooyu which instantly changes the Yooyu in play to a different Colour. Want something that hinders the opponent even more? Tasty Treat, makes it so that, if you're in the path, the Yooyu curves toward you when your opponent throws it & that the opponent can't steal dash the Yooyu. I could make more suggestions, but I think you got the idea; we don't need an inferior version of a Power-Up we already have.

Old Problems That Are Still There:

SPOILER: Click to show

Darigan Yooyu: It's not fun. Going a random direction when you throw it is not fun, it's not even clever, it's annoying on a detrimental level to the gameplay. There was nothing wrong with it going the opposite direction of where you threw it (aka you throw it diagonally forward up, it goes diagonally forward down; if you throw if straight forward/up, it goes straight backwards/down; and vice versa); that's manageable. CHANGE: Make it play as it did before where it went the opposite direction, as I explained above.

Auto-Switching: It's not helpful. If the Yooyu gets taken from me and they run past a batch of my players, I now have to figure out which one I'm playing as giving the computer plenty of time to set-up and score a goal. If you're worried about the active player going off screen, instead of auto switching make it so the nearest player has like a "Press X" appear above them to let us know that's the nearest player we can switch to. CHANGE: Let us turn it off Auto-Switching at the very least. Let ME decide if I want to switch over to another player.

Computer Controlling Your Players: This adds onto the above Auto-Switching issue. I don't need my players running around on their own to who-knows-where; I want them to be where I last left them. That way I can plan out plays and defenses, use the players I want to use, and if above problems aren't fixed at least know who I'm going to switch to or my players aren't going to activate a Power-Up I wasn't ready to use. CHANGE: Like about, let us turn it off at the very least. I know where I want my players to be, and it's not wandering around.

* MAKE SOME NOISE:

SPOILER: Click to show

Problem With New Version: At first MSN looks like it still works as it used to, but it doesn't. Instead of tapping as fast as you can to keep your score up, now each correct "tap" gives you 25 points. At first this doesn't seem much different, still gotta tap as fast as you can, and now you can't lose points, but it does have its drawbacks. Now if you want to always send the top score you have to play the full 30 seconds whereas before you usually reached your "max" around 20 seconds. Now you still built up points upon reaching the "max", but you gotta really keep on tapping fast and it's only a few hundred more points at most. This was good for people short on time, they could just reach the "max" 20 seconds and quit there while those more dedicate could try and get more points. But now you pretty much have to play it the full 30 seconds since you're always building points.

Suggestion For Better Version: Change it back to the way it was, BUT decrease the timer to 15 seconds (and make it so players can't quit until the played the full 15 seconds). Maybe also adjust it so that it reaches "max" score faster. This and Shootout Showdown are games meant to be played fast, almost like mini-games.

* SLUSHIE SLINGER:

SPOILER: Click to show

Problem With New Version: It's the game that's the least changed (aside from eating button presses) but still has some notable gameplay and visual problems. For gameplay, first it doesn't get "faster" the higher your level goes, it's now always at the same pace. Second, the requested Slushie is sometimes "wrong" which means if you give them it instead of 5 points you'll only earn 2 points as if you gave them the wrong Slushie. For visuals, first the room is no longer designed after your team (unless you played for Altador). Second, the Slushie Cups has "V" on them when they should have the current AC's roman numeral number on it (so in this case should have been "XVI"). Third, for some reason the entrance pillars has the wrong one layered on top of the other.

Suggestion For Better Version: Change it back to the way it was, BUT give it a timer of 1 minute & 30 seconds & get rid of lives (and make it so players can't quit until the played the full 1 minute & 30 seconds). A major issue with Slushie Slinger is that it can go on for a few minutes, possibly even longer than Yooyuball even though it's worth half the points. So, I say make it last half as long as a game of Yooyuball (3 minutes) and have it be the point is to make as much points as possible within that timeframe. Also, maybe instead of levels, make it so that every 10 seconds the customers come in faster & faster. The only punishment for missing a return cup, sliding a slushie down an empty aisle, or a customer reaching the end of the counter is not getting any points for them.

* SHOOTOUT SHOWDOWN:

SPOILER: Click to show

Problem With New Version: Possibly the worst affected. Who decided on the random sliding goalie who can stop and suddenly change direction needs to be fired or fined. That was a TERRIBLE decision.

Suggestion For Better Version: Obviously change it back to the way it was, BUT decrease the timer to 15 seconds & get rid of the "reach 5 goals" limit (and make it so players can't quit until the played the full 15 seconds). Instead, make it so that the player has 15 seconds to score as many goals as possible.

* STAFF TOURNEY:

SPOILER: Click to show

Star Player: Get rid of it. It adds nothing and it's completely a random guess who gets "picked" because we don't know what they're getting picked for (and even if we did sometimes the choice doesn't make sense). Also you need to have the Star Player on your team in the first place to even pick them, and when you're picking players not based on their performance that's not good. Just get rid of it, the Staff Tourney was alright without it.

Suggestion For Additional Feature: But, if TNT wants to add a new feature for the Staff Tourney, how about do what JN does with their Staff Tourney. Match-up two or more players against each other, ask which player you'll think win a match against each other or which one will best fit a certain "title", and then after each round just award bonus points to those who got correct answers. We don't need unique item or any item rewards from this, just give us more points and that'll be fine.

And that's it for my thoughts. I think I'll also update my Fire Lupe's petpage (finally) with these and make a post on the Neoboards for more eyes to see (maybe even TNT).

So you probably not want to know my opinion of the Prize Shop. Well, I already spent probably longer than I wanted on this post, so I'll quickly go through the ones I think are worth mentioning start top prize down:

• Snow Yooyu Dress: Up to you. Even if I could afford it, to me it's just not worth it. It's just a dress, a plain looking one at that, I would be shocked if there weren't dresses that looked just as plain or better.
• Gigantic Yooyu Plushie: I guess if you want? Not worth it to me.
• Commentator Set Background: This is just the "Yooyuball Commentator Box" from AC13 but with a background in addition to the desk (and no glass screen in front of it). Like, I suppose if you don't have that or want one with the AC logo background this is your chance.
• Water Yooyu: Back for another year, if you didn't get it then, have the points, and don't want to spend 3.5 mil I can think of worse investments; notably the above prizes.
• Water Paint Brush: Water PB is worth 1.1 mil on the TP, so I would suggest buying it from there then spending prize points here unless you REALLY want it and see NOTHING else you'd like or want to stash in your SDB to sell later.
• Velour Track Suit: It's alright, I think its better than the Snow Yooyu Dress and Commentator Background at the very least. Points are still a bit steep, at least for me, but I don't think you'd go wrong picking it.
• Disgruntled Janitors Bucket & Mop: It's a weapons that does 5 Physical and 8.5 Water. At 6k it's not worth it. The Void Blade you got from this years Negg Hunt is better than this and either you got at least one for free OR you can buy them cheaply.
  
• Stamp: Can never go wrong with the stamp!
• Goalie Net: Eh, it's cute. Not sure if worth 3k but if you can see a use for it like you have a Yooyuball/Soccer custom idea then go for it.
• (Books): I'm putting all the books in one category and saying, if you're willing to wait, I think it's a good investment. At with the most expensive starting at 2k you can get quite a nice amount of them (though don't forget to grab at least one stamp).
• Pennant Garland: If you have an Altador Cup custom sure, but otherwise I don't see it getting much use.
• Tulay Ada Plushie: Um, where's the Whimsi Dia's item? Like, I would understand why Tualy Ada got one if Whimsi also got one or something, celebrating that we finally got new players, but it's only Ada for some reason. And I don't recall Ada being like on the Top Goal Scorer list so this is very odd. Heck, Being Dia is a Vandagyre I would think if any new player was just going to get a solo item it would be them. Well, oddness aside, if your a Mystery Island, Cybunny, or Plushie collector you got a new plush right here for ya!
• Poke Cellars Action Figure:
  WHAT!!! THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE WINDELLE!
  The Action Figure is based on the Top Goal Scorer from last year, going by how it worked (either the top goal scorer got an Action Figure or, if they already got one, they'd go down to the next player that didn't have an Action Figure and this was the case for Windelle who was second place to a player that already had an Action Figure). That's the only point in having the Top Goal Scorer as otherwise it affects nothing else. Don't care if it's my bias is showing, giving this a hard DON'T BUY. #JusticeForMeridell
• Jersey: Oh, Meridell got a jersey, whoopy-a-doo. Actually, why does Meridell have a jersey? Only winning teams get a Jersey? And I think Brightvale's Jersey is new too. Are they changing the rules yet again and now the Jerseys are based on podium placement? Well, if that's what they're doing now, might be worth getting them, or at least Meridell's as Meridell didn't podium this year. Heck, Brightvale is the cheapest so doesn't hurt getting that one either. Though Kiko Lake you may just want to buy from the Shop Wiz.
• Team Coolers: So this year are coolers, huh? Alright, good for a beach or picnic custom. They're only 70 points.
  
• Lowest is 10 Point Item: And with no prize having a "5" in their costs singles digit I hope you don't end up with like 7, 8 or 9 leftover points. Personally I'm going to have 2 but that's no big deal. 

For the Staff Tourney Prize Shop:

• Discarded Magical Blue Grundo Plushie of Prosperity Monitor: After one search I already found one for 60k on the Shop Wiz. Buy it if you want.
• Miniature Money Tree: Gift item, worthless. But its a cute idea.
• Office Puppyblew: Like with the Monitor, can get it cheap on Shop Wiz but if you got the points and nothing else interest you go for it.
  
• Staff Plushies: Probably what you'll be spending most of your points on, not like there's a cheap 1, 5, or even 10 point item this year. Man, TNT must have not liked people buying all those Comfort Rocks for Charity Corner last year.
• And after you have less than 3500 points get whatever else you want. They actually have some neat little items here like the Tormund Pen Holder (going straight into my Gallery), Siyana Desk Lamp, Esophagor Cookie Jar, and of course the Mr. Coconut Cradle Desk Toy, lol.

That's it for me!

[Ian Wolf-Park]

If it wasn't for the atrocious lag, I probably would have ranked higher.

[doctortomoe]

I didn't mind the glove power up stacking (I once got six in a single round) but the point of the glove was that the opponent can't steal from you if you have it.

In this, they can. That needs to be fixed badly.

[charming thievery]

Duke Pikachu - Okay, I first read your post on the Tapatalk app, which does not show formatting, so when I logged in on my laptop and saw the huge "WHAT!!! THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE WINDELLE!", I laughed. But just because I can understand your disappointment and frustration. I remember last year that you were really excited about the prospect of getting an action figure for him this Cup, and I was happy for you. I know I'd feel the same way if Kakoni were similarly shafted. :/

And speaking of FL players not getting recognition... I would have LOVED a Whimsi Dia plushie! D:

SPOILER: Click to show

I mean, based on her reception, it seemed Tulay Ada was the more popular of the two new players, so in that regard, I guess I understand why she got the plush instead. (Whimsi *is* featured on the brochure, but *grumble grumble* after seeing the Tulay plushie, it suddenly didn't seem good enough, lol.) Especially after reading your reasoning for a Whimsi plushie (I guess I'm still addressing you, Duke Pikachu ?), I wish it had happened even more. They're both new players after *how* many years?? So I think they both deserved [equal] recognition for that. :/  

Also, Faerieland doesn't usually have much hope for any special representation in the Prize Shop (unless you count Faerie Yooyus, I guess), as we're never contenders at all for the podium/high tier or top goal scorer (except when boosted by unwanted "help" or glitches). So having a Whimsi plushie (or anything that specifically singled her out) would have been *really* nice and kind of a big deal. :/ I mean, it might've been the *only* thing we'd ever get. OTZ

And since I'm approaching rant/vent mode...Can JS *PLEASE* put more effort into low-tier teams' trophies?

SPOILER: Click to show

Good Fyora, the only thing I can say about this year's is that at least it actually has a Yooyu on it, unlike last year's. But it's otherwise just a plain, sad, pathetic cup. I finally reached (and surpassed) All-Star this and last year, and it really sucks to see that the years I've done my best are rewarded with the two worst/most low-effort designs in the whole history of the AC. Obviously not expecting elaborate designs, but geez. Is it too much to ask for just a little more detail for our trophies?? It just feels like a slap in the face after you see how nice the other trophy designs are.

Is there anything else I should add after this disastrous Cup except that I hope people still come back next year? I swear, I didn't mean to make this post turn out so negatively, but that trophy thing riled me up more than I thought, lol.

For the record, I still love the AC, but that is 100% more to do with FLUFF than anything else.

Still, as a person who values collecting over selling, I do love a bunch of the prizes. I really appreciated the nod to several Neopian characters in the Staff Tourney prize shop (but it's mr.coconut!! Not Mr Coconut! Other than that, I am pleased about another tribute item to him).

As for the main Prize Shop - I really like most of the wearables and the first several of the cheaper trinkets. A sticker book and a pin lanyard?? LOVE. The cotton candy yooyu wearable? Absolutely adorable (except I still lament that baby pets can't wear it, as this would fit my baby Bruce the most). Jelly Chia Gummy and Treat Day Milkshake? Cute!

SPOILER: Click to show

I intentionally renamed the milkshake because having an AC item with the word "cheat" in it, considering how much a problem the ACG has been for years...is a little tone-deaf, I think? I had to look up if "cheat day" is actually a thing, and it is. But still...For the AC in particular? Especially during a year when that issue was especially bad? Not a good look even if it wasn't meant that way. Well, I guess it'd be even worse if it *was* meant that way. ^^;

I'm always excited for the team wearables, and I'm just grateful whenever they look better than that hat with the weird braids.

SPOILER: Click to show

But not gonna lie, I'm always a bit disappointed when FL's uses the old purple and pink colors. I know plenty of FL members who would be thrilled about that, but I've only ever known the new green and...I never know whether to consider it pink or purple, lol. So my face kind of fell when I saw the cooler. I think it's just that those colors are a callback to a time when I wasn't a part of the Faerieland community or its history, so I guess it makes me feel a little alienated because I wish I had been? I know that's kind of ridiculous. But I think that's why I've never quite taken to any of the old AC FL items (though that doesn't stop me from collecting them all the same, especially if they're gifted to me). ^^; Besides. I joined FL because of TFR, and the color change is a *direct result* of that. xD Also, my favorite color is green.  So I just want new wearables in the new colors. :3

Suggestion for next year's team wearables? (It would probably be used in the NC Mall though, ugh.) Team sashes! I noticed the strap on the uniforms has a cute nod to something from its respective land on its shoulder pad. FL's old one had a piece of cloud attached; the new one a bunch of leaves; the Jelly World team a piece of jelly... So wouldn't that be cute?

[Kat]

I was so annoyed that we didn't get the Windelle Action Figure. I would've snapped that one up in a heartbeat. I consoled myself by picking up the MD jersey.

I bought the Tulay plushie (I didn't want to think anymore and just dropped my last 1,500 points on it so I am totally outta prize points, also did you know "tulay" means bridge in Filipino hahahaha I can't look at her name without my mind going "BRIDGE BRIDGE BRIDGE") but I agree that Whimsi should've gotten some love too. First Vandagyre player, a new face on Team FL, just as adorable. Hopefully next year?

While I'm proud of myself for getting All-Star, it just stinks that it was only enough to give me a little over 9000 points. Certainly enough for the stamp and all the books (dang it the scrapbook isn't readable AND I BOUGHT IT) but then I just throw the rest of my points into the other cheaper prizes I just think are neat.

ANYWAY yes my biggest gripe about the giant powerup was that the opposing team could still steal so easily from you. I like using the powerup for a souped-up straight shot into the other goal, but when you're late in the game with the other players going much faster you kinda just go "alsfjlasjflds" as you try to grab the Yooyu back.

NC EDIT: I got some items from the Coastline Gala. Not everything is nice and the bonuses for picking up all the items are underwhelming but the first two bonuses were what I wanted (the crystal suncatcher garland and the pedestal BG)

[doctortomoe]

By any chance, is it still possible to get those team pins?

[RielCZ]

Jul 14, 2021 15:26:51 GMT -5 doctortomoe said:

By any chance, is it still possible to get those team pins?

Looks like it!