NT April Fools 2024

[Themeguy]

Here were the two ideas I had:

Idea 1: The Newer New Era

After the success of 2023's new Era, TNT has announced a second, newer era which is far more literal. Neopia will be plunged many years into the future, each land has changed and shifted in some drastic way over the course of the era, becoming far more technologically advanced, or having its climate shift.

It seems like similar ideas with a changed Neopia, or characters being drastically different seem to be circulating in the thread, and I think this is a fun way to do it while also making it a fun joke bouncing off of the site itself. To me the joke of a newer new era feels tonally similar to something that TNT themselves would announce for a day: Grounded in an idea relevant to the site but silly enough of a premise to not be totally believed.

Idea 2: 25th Anniversary New Neopet

This is much more of a prank idea like Lutari Island or Wraith Land. The general narrative is that in celebration of the actual big Y25, TNT is releasing a new Neopet much like the Vandagyre. We spend some of the lead up time doing a mini contest and vote of designing a new neopet. Once we pick the design, we can then further collaborate a little bit with the background of the pet, the land it's from, quirks about it, etc for the writers to work with. Everyone has to use this new pet in their comics/articles/short stories.

I think this one is fun and silly, but it might actually make TNT start sweating a bit lol.

[Coaster]

- That plot that was teased at the end of Faerie Festival? It's started! The first steps are out! Or worse, all the steps are out, the solutions are revealed, and the prize shop is open with so many overpowered prizes that the poor reader missed out on! (Rehash of Goldrun but with extra believability, but only works if the plot doesn't actually start by then, or if it does and we come up with fake steps or story beats that are sufficiently out-there to not actually happen.) "Top 10 Battledome 3.0 Rewards from Drakara's Revenge" For folks who are more into their own story universes or specific Neopian worlds, it could tie in more generally with Vira or Drakara, or the void-looking paint brush from that comic.

- TNT staff members are now all non-human objects/creatures, not just Stone and (in some art) Goldfish. Might be hard to fit overtly into some continuities, but could be something oblique like swearing that willow tree over there just talked to that ivy-covered wall.

- In an effort to combat bots (possibly literal robots), earning Neopoints has become so hard that backbreaking wage labour at McTaggart's obsidian company is the new best option, but the working conditions are awful. (Maybe a bit too on-the-nose.)

Also seconding the new pet prank idea. The stream already mentioned it was likely to be some kind of cat-dragon, so there's already a plausible design starting point, and giving it an obtuse unlock method would be icing on the cake. Wyrmeow? Furninator? Sky's the limit.

[Stephanie (swordlilly)]

Nov 28, 2023 21:16:28 GMT -5 Coaster said:

- In an effort to combat bots (possibly literal robots), earning Neopoints has become so hard that backbreaking wage labour at McTaggart's obsidian company is the new best option, but the working conditions are awful. (Maybe a bit too on-the-nose.)

One of the worst cheaters - who ran thousands of bot accounts to harvest neopoints from Food Club, and is referred to as "the arachnid" or "our favorite spider" - got his main account frozen today actually. I've also noticed the Food Club hiscores and Wishing Well winners lists looking much less suspicious. So it appears that the new management is indeed taking the botting issue seriously and working on it.

Which means there's probably less need for such a joke, but if people want to do it then I'd still be on board with the idea, since the botting issue is not likely to be eradicated completely. It's sort of like fighting forest fires lol.

[Liou]

Usuki/Quiguki:
thinking more, in order to make it happen, I think it could be expanded on. With MORE doll lines! Usuki and Quiguki are old news, it's time to release... Aishuki! Blumaruki! Gnorbuki! Kachuki! Tonuki! Vandaguki! (take your pick)

Together they are the hero squad that our dear Usuki-chan needs to help her fight uuuuh the new bot swarm or something!

Usuki of course has many different forms that come with different outfits and powerups whenever the Power of Friendship helps her level up with her friendsquad. Fans can debate which of Usuki's forms/outfits/powerups was the best, which of her attacks and catchphrases ruled, and which Squaduki member really saved the day.

Wow the Usuki movie was so good wasn't it? Or not? Let's review it as well as all the on-site tie-ins

Nov 28, 2023 21:16:28 GMT -5 Coaster said:

- That plot that was teased at the end of Faerie Festival? It's started! The first steps are out! Or worse, all the steps are out, the solutions are revealed, and the prize shop is open with so many overpowered prizes that the poor reader missed out on! (Rehash of Goldrun but with extra believability, but only works if the plot doesn't actually start by then, or if it does and we come up with fake steps or story beats that are sufficiently out-there to not actually happen.) "Top 10 Battledome 3.0 Rewards from Drakara's Revenge" For folks who are more into their own story universes or specific Neopian worlds, it could tie in more generally with Vira or Drakara, or the void-looking paint brush from that comic.

"Y'all missed out on the thing" is one of my favourite prank types!
It requires having in-depth knowledge of the thing that didn't happen to make it look real while only making references to it.
I think the prize shop is key here, I dream of a front page article about how best to use your prize points from a plot that didn't happen, now that is a prank!
Comics could be going over the most epic story beats from the plot for gags and/or extra feels.
What do you have in mind for how the plot went? What characters involved?
My gut says the plot wouldn't actually have started by then. The only danger here is to accidentally spoil the plot by being trope savvy and revealing some predictable elements, lol.

Nov 28, 2023 21:07:26 GMT -5 Themeguy said:

Idea 1: The Newer New Era

After the success of 2023's new Era, TNT has announced a second, newer era which is far more literal. Neopia will be plunged many years into the future, each land has changed and shifted in some drastic way over the course of the era, becoming far more technologically advanced, or having its climate shift.

It seems like similar ideas with a changed Neopia, or characters being drastically different seem to be circulating in the thread, and I think this is a fun way to do it while also making it a fun joke bouncing off of the site itself. To me the joke of a newer new era feels tonally similar to something that TNT themselves would announce for a day: Grounded in an idea relevant to the site but silly enough of a premise to not be totally believed.

Oh wow I do love this one.
It's like a major Timeskip over Neopia! Neopia Fast Forward?

A retro-futuristic aesthetic can be brought in like old scifi movies or old Black Eyed Peas videos.

It would leave room for all the Alternate Versions of characters we could want! Like Pizza Delivery Jeran xD

If this was done unironically by the site I could see the educational environmental theme sticking, like the aftermath of this Faerie Festival leading to a big solarpunk magitech city.

Xandra getting depetrified in this future could make a great point of view character if someone wants to go Futurama style.

Do you think a jump into the future would have happened in-world? Or did time progress naturally with a long in-between history we can make references to, and only the users / humans returning to Neopia would discover the timeskip?

Nov 28, 2023 21:07:26 GMT -5 Themeguy said:

Idea 2: 25th Anniversary New Neopet

This is much more of a prank idea like Lutari Island or Wraith Land. The general narrative is that in celebration of the actual big Y25, TNT is releasing a new Neopet much like the Vandagyre. We spend some of the lead up time doing a mini contest and vote of designing a new neopet. Once we pick the design, we can then further collaborate a little bit with the background of the pet, the land it's from, quirks about it, etc for the writers to work with. Everyone has to use this new pet in their comics/articles/short stories.

*tents fingers*
Very good, but very, *very* ambitious. We can do it... if everyone puts in the work. And then, it would be a legendary memorable historical prank *o*

Can be done if the decision is made early enough to pull off the prep. Bearing in mind that the New Neopet should stay under wraps until the actual reveal issue - I presume?

Would the New Neopet have a Catch? Like, it looks cute but there is a Problem or something that makes it cringe or something that makes people go wait a minute, we don't want this, is this really supposed to be the new pet, what the heck?

Were you thinking of going along with the catdragon pet rumour, or drastically different?

[Kengplant]

I quite like the fake pet idea!

Tons of people have been making new neopet designs since the birthday AMA but I didn't feel inspired to join in but I'd love to create some ideas for this one!

I do like the idea that there's something not quite right with the design. But every time I try to think of something off I'm like "wait.. I could make that charming!"

Talking about it in discord I had the additional idea that it could be part of the prank that there's a special unlock mechanic to the pet like for draiks and krawks.

[Twillie]

I'm also a big fan of the new pet idea! In true Neopets poll fashion, perhaps there's one design that's clearly a troll option and too grotesque to be a serious candidate that could fulfill the "something not quite right" idea.

Also, with a potential special unlock, that gave me the devious idea of tying it into the Faerie Festival, like some people are randomly getting pop ups awarding them access to this new species due to their Festival participation, but no one can figure out the exact combo of festival achievements that did this xD;

If we wanted to be less savage/controversial, maybe it could tie into the new land of Dacardia, and this species is native to the island and only those who visit can create one? (but keep it vague on how you're able to visit Dacardia)

But I think it could definitely be doable to host a mini poll on here for the pet design we'd want to use, so long as we have enough people willing to create a design within a certain time! (I'd definitely volunteer myself as tribute >w>) Official pet polls have had between 3-7 options before, so I think we could get away with just 3 or 4 designs to pick from, depending on who may be interested.

[Kengplant]

I'm itching to put some ideas down for fake pets but need to finish other projects first!

I am willing to go bananas on this one (no pun from last april intended) and make some fake new pet thumbnails.

But I do think it's one we'd have to get TNT's blessing on before committing if it wins the poll.

[Liou]

We'll be rounding up theme candidates and starting a poll by the end of this week, so if you had more ideas to pitch, now is the time to get them in!



If we do the fake plot, do we go all out with things for people to miss out on, puzzles and battledome and avatars?
Could we have a new original character for this plot, to feature in several entries as a new Neopian Times meme perhaps?


For the Newer New Era futuristic Neopia concept, I have the same qualm I sometimes have about spending a perfectly good Great Collab theme on a prank. From smooth sleek scifi cities ruled by billionaires with everything you need coming out of walls and everyone dressed in tin foil jumpsuits, to cyberpunk desert raiders... I'm seeing it awesome instead of silly!
What are some ideas for this theme that would make it silly?
Neopian things I could see being involved: Zylphia's time machine, Boochi, some kind of new paintbrush to join the future.
(For a moment I wondered if this could be a separate world like a reverse Meridell, but it might be redundant with Virtupets)


I like the idea of giving the new pet a special unlock mechanic - all the inconveniences.
Maybe also special feeding/grooming requirements.

[June Scarlet]

The Theme poll is up! Vote on what you want to happen this upcoming year!

[Stephanie (swordlilly)]

Dec 12, 2023 5:41:07 GMT -5 Liou said:

If we do the fake plot, do we go all out with things for people to miss out on, puzzles and battledome and avatars?

The fake plot could be combined with Games Master Altador Cup, I think. (I voted for both.) I could envision doing a review of the new overpowered Battledome weapons out in the prize shop, like Abigail's Hairdryer (20 icons of physical damage + 100% air reflection) and other stuff I'd make up. xd

We could even direct people to a prize shop link like this one that says

Oh no, it looks like the Games Master Challenge is over! It's a shame you weren't able to join a team this year.

For fake avatars, there are these old buddy icons we could use. We wouldn't necessarily need to draw/design any avatars, unless of course people here want to!

This existing asset in particular looks like it could be an avatar for beating AAA's score in Eye of the Storm:


This one could be for Rink Runner:

[June Scarlet]

Whew, that was a close race, but a winner has been decided for April Fools 2024! Our theme is:

25th Anniversary New Neopet!

[Duke Pikachu]

So there's a few ways this can go:

1. We have a second poll to decide on what the "new Neopet" exactly is (Species' name, animal basis, special traits) and everyone is pretty much on the same page.

2. If we don't want to go that much into detail, we can decide on just the species' name (the story would be TNT revealed the name via a cryptic puzzle post on their Twitter) and let everyone work off from there.

3. And if you want to be really hands off, have the story be that over the past few weeks/month TNT been dropping cryptic hints both on and off site that a new Neopet is coming and what is could possibly be. Everyone can then write whatever they want without worry of being inconsistent with others (not that I think anyone would).

I would personally at least push for the 2nd option, having an additional unifying theme aside from there being a new Neopet. My proposed name: Qwyvjxz.

[June Scarlet]

I know there was some discussion about possible new neopet designs on the NTWF discord, with even some sketches done.

I'm not sure if we were thinking of voting and just choosing one single design, or making it like a new species poll where many species are thrown out there in the issue itself.

[Lex]

I like the idea of there being multiple desings =) Several people have some really fun ideas and I think it'd be nice if everyone got to use them, if they want to.

One unifying name might be fun, though. Adds an additional prank vibe if everyone is talking about "new pet X" but descriptions and artwork are all wildly different.

[Duke Pikachu]

Dec 24, 2023 22:08:58 GMT -5 June Scarlet said:

I know there was some discussion about possible new neopet designs on the NTWF discord, with even some sketches done.

I'm not sure if we were thinking of voting and just choosing one single design, or making it like a new species poll where many species are thrown out there in the issue itself.

Here's the thing: I don't think we should ever show an image of the "new Neopet".

I feel actually making a design, even if it looks ridiculous and obviously a joke, is overreaching the boundary between "this is a(n April Fool's) joke" and "this is a fan project/submission". To me, the jokes of a new feature should always be based off hearsay; the author was given/found info on of the new feature before the reader and is now translating what they "saw/heard" as a second hand source. And, like any true "leak" of these natures, despite their sounding like there should be an image connected to these claims there (frustratedly) isn't. Articles and stories will write descriptions, comics may even show an artistic depiction (or keep the new feature off frame or covered up), but there is no singular image that "justifies" the rumor.

Part of the fun with the articles, stories, and comics is both working within the limitation but also thinking outside the box. For a new Neopet, we may not have an image, but if we have at the very least a name that can be looked upon to meaning something that I feel offers plenty of creative avenues on what the new species looks like and can do. Even moreso if there is a generic descriptor such as "mammalian", "bird-like but (...)", "hybrid of bug & reptile", etc.. A sneak peak into a special trait can further allow the writer/artist to obfuscate things but give them more wiggle room on what they can write about.

And finally meta-wise, it sells this is a joke and not some secret "testing of the water" or "fan submission". Without a clear design it'll mean all authors will likely add in their own details which others lack, thus creating a muddled image on what exactly it is. Because that what it all needs to be, a vague mental image, because it's a joke; it'll never become a Neopet species thus not give players anything that makes them think "actually that does look neat, I want one".