Sannah

I guess most of us are aware that Neopets has been steadily losing (active) members and hasn't been able to engage many new players for a while.
 
JumpStart introduced the survey of course (I hope we'll hear back from that soon), but that was about what we, the loyal users, wanted to see Neopets become. A mobile app. Plots. More Habitarium levels. Better customer service. My answers to the questionnaire certainly did not include tips on how to win over a new generation to Neopets. But I've been thinking about it for a few days and this is what I've come up with so far:
 
1) Accessibility
 
I have been playing Neopets almost since Day 1 - that is fifteen years. I enjoy all the privileges of a longstanding loyal user. I got to choose whether to convert my pets. I have some pretty retired avatars. If I want something I can usually buy it. I know my way around the site and all its features because I was around when they were introduced bit by bit: treasure maps, guilds, battledome, job centre. A new player would have to play non-stop for at least a year to even have a hope of catching up to me, and I'm a very casual and lazy player. There are accounts and records out there that will never be attainable for a newbie. I imagine that being all kinds of discouraging.
 
Neopets has done a lot to keep its longterm faithful users happy. Allowing for unconverted pets, Hidden Tower, transfers… but also retiring certain super awesome items (of course, they have also done the opposite at times. Like with Pirate Krawks and Draiks).
 
But should Neopets at some point try to level the playing field? For example, another MMORPG I played, Diablo II, had a ladder system. Every so often, all characters would be purged and reset to level one so that resources would never end up in the hands of a privileged few forever and ever.
 
What would work in Neopets? Having Neopets age and die (eek!)? Paying taxes? (ho hum). I have no answer to this yet, but I'm pretty sure something needs to be done… which brings me to part two.
 
2) Interaction
 
Neopets are static, a bunch of stats and pixels, and bonding with them requires some willingness and imagination on the owner's part. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but it's getting outdated. Imagine being able to walk around Neopia central with your pet, queuing for a concert, elbowing people out the way to enter the shops at restock times. When Neopets was first launched, that type of game still seemed impossible. But that hasn't been true for a while. And in its basics, Neopets has not changed since the late 90s: there are more features, yes, but no more interaction.
 
What would help and would be fairly simple technically speaking? Perhaps introduce a basic plot or storyline for all beginning Neopets players where they are gradually introduced to the world of Neopets through the eyes of their newborn pet. I'm thinking of something super simple. For example, Heroes of Might and Magic III (very old school RPG) had various maps to conquer. One map was framed as a Greek mythology map and every new in-game day you'd get a prompt that furthered some mythological storyline (that had very little to do with the game itself, but you can't have everything). It made the map 10x more entertaining to play through than any other and required the programming skills of a ten year old.
 
New users wouldn't feel so lost and by the end of the little plot they'd have a fair idea about the possibilities and features of the site, and the start of a bond with their pet.
 
---
 
I'd love to hear your ideas about how Neopets can survive the 2010s and start engaging a new generation of users! Or perhaps you guys completely disagree about their being any crisis or changes needed at all.
 
Disclaimer: no, I'm not a Neopets employee (though I'd happily consult on the above ideas, Jumpstart. Just drop me a line). ;-)

Sannah I lived in a number of countries while I grew up, and was pretty aware just how subjective and varied most of it is. One of the oddest things about moving to the US was being informed of a long list of things that supposedly defined femininity and masculinity that just left me, depending on the situation, laughing or crying. it may not be possible to totally separate from the constructs, it is imo possible to gauge levels of likely correlation.
 
which, again, is not meant to slight anyones journey. i know we are online and cant see facial expressions and body language, but its meant as a kindly supportive reminder, not a dismissal. theres nothing masculine about not liking makeup, all it means is you dont like makeup.

Yes, I agree with this!
 
Even though I guess it is impossible to perceive anything related to gender identity outside of the social construct that gender is (if that makes sense). It helps to realize, though, that what is considered "feminine" and "masculine" is almost completely arbitrary (well, culturally determined). A popular example is the color pink which was considered a masculine color in the 19th century (as opposed to blue, which was softer and therefore feminine).
 
Gender dysphoria in any case has nothing to do with liking make-up or video games.
 
I'm bisexual cisgender, by the way, and love fashion as well as MMORPGs and dinosaurs, a combination which I consider to be perfectly ordinary.
 
Anyway, happy to see that more and more people are questioning the gender binary, in whatever way :-)

Yes, I agree with this!
 
Even though I guess it is impossible to perceive anything related to gender identity outside of the social construct that gender is (if that makes sense). It helps to realize, though, that what is considered "feminine" and "masculine" is almost completely arbitrary (well, culturally determined). A popular example is the color pink which was considered a masculine color in the 19th century (as opposed to blue, which was softer and therefore feminine).
 
Gender dysphoria in any case has nothing to do with liking make-up or video games.
 
I'm bisexual cisgender, by the way, and love fashion as well as MMORPGs and dinosaurs, a combination which I consider to be perfectly ordinary.
 
Anyway, happy to see that more and more people are questioning the gender binary, in whatever way :-)

Really good news.
 
However, Dr Landelbrot managed to ask me for the exact same items I've been refusing to bring him for two weeks. Guess he really needs those Wheat Flakes.

Really good news.
 
However, Dr Landelbrot managed to ask me for the exact same items I've been refusing to bring him for two weeks. Guess he really needs those Wheat Flakes.

Really good news.
 
However, Dr Landelbrot managed to ask me for the exact same items I've been refusing to bring him for two weeks. Guess he really needs those Wheat Flakes.

Am I the only one who thinks the new daily is quite fun? It seems to be extremely random, which is cool. :D
 
I also don't understand why people are so upset about the (super)rare chance of getting an avatar. I spent 12 million on a Pirate Paint Brush for my Shoyru. Five years of savings that was for me. Now they're hardly worth half a million. I don't think Rhaegen looks any less cool. Luck and chance have always been a big part of Neopets (and life, you know).

Am I the only one who thinks the new daily is quite fun? It seems to be extremely random, which is cool. :D
 
I also don't understand why people are so upset about the (super)rare chance of getting an avatar. I spent 12 million on a Pirate Paint Brush for my Shoyru. Five years of savings that was for me. Now they're hardly worth half a million. I don't think Rhaegen looks any less cool. Luck and chance have always been a big part of Neopets (and life, you know).

Am I the only one who thinks the new daily is quite fun? It seems to be extremely random, which is cool. :D
 
I also don't understand why people are so upset about the (super)rare chance of getting an avatar. I spent 12 million on a Pirate Paint Brush for my Shoyru. Five years of savings that was for me. Now they're hardly worth half a million. I don't think Rhaegen looks any less cool. Luck and chance have always been a big part of Neopets (and life, you know).

Am I the only one who thinks the new daily is quite fun? It seems to be extremely random, which is cool. :D
 
I also don't understand why people are so upset about the (super)rare chance of getting an avatar. I spent 12 million on a Pirate Paint Brush for my Shoyru. Five years of savings that was for me. Now they're hardly worth half a million. I don't think Rhaegen looks any less cool. Luck and chance have always been a big part of Neopets (and life, you know).

The inflation has been crazy today with items becoming hyper expensive for anywhere between 5 minutes and an hour. Waiting a little while might help in case there aren't enough people giving away stuff.

Only one unfortunately, but it should be headed your way. :-)

The inflation has been crazy today with items becoming hyper expensive for anywhere between 5 minutes and an hour. Waiting a little while might help in case there aren't enough people giving away stuff.

You have given Thermal Explosive Device to User 'buffyfanno13'. Click the button below to continue.
 
I had only one. If you already have them, please pass mine on to ravensrequiem27.

For me physical beauty only starts to matter when I find someone genuinely unattractive or ugly. I could not fall for such a person, no matter how nice they might be, because, well, unattractive basically already says that you are the opposite of drawn to these people. It's hard for me even to be friends because of the pity factor. However, I have only known a handful of people whom I consider ugly (seriously). Most people have at least a few things to recommend them, and when they have a certain sparkle that is enough. That sparkle has a lot to do with intelligence.
 
So unless appearance is distracting in a negative way I couldn't care less about it. Intellectual beauty, all the way.
 
(I'm actually quite picky, but physical beauty is not part of my selection procedure - even though I am a model myself. I actually think most people only think they are attracted to someone's appearance when in reality it is much more complicated than that)

autumn8717 2 429 NP redemption_by_grace 4 440 NP  
 
buy_swap_or_sell 6 21,998 NP  
 
debbiemn 4 2,488 NP heqiqi 2 2,600 NP  
 
gaddi213 2 1,000 NP eileeile 2 1,000 NP ejspice2003 2 1,000 NP  
 
birdtrainer 1 3,878 NP raser789 5 3,879 NP

Today has been a good day for avatars! First I got this one:
 
 
Something Has Happened! You are now eligible to use 'Meowclops' as an avatar on the NeoBoards!  
(Yay! Thank you, ALP people, for all your hard work! This is awesome.)
 
And then I received a neomail from TNT:
 
Dear Sannah,

Congratulations! You have guessed correctly in the Lenny Conundrum game (round 493). You have won 2880 NP!

Because you were in the first 250 to guess correctly, you also have been awarded a Strawberry and Vanilla Ice Lolly, and receive a trophy and the Lenny Conundrum avatar!

Yours Sincerely,
The Neopets Team!
 
 
Hurrah, so proud!

Today has been a good day for avatars! First I got this one:
 
 
Something Has Happened! You are now eligible to use 'Meowclops' as an avatar on the NeoBoards!  
(Yay! Thank you, ALP people, for all your hard work! This is awesome.)
 
And then I received a neomail from TNT:
 
Dear Sannah,

Congratulations! You have guessed correctly in the Lenny Conundrum game (round 493). You have won 2880 NP!

Because you were in the first 250 to guess correctly, you also have been awarded a Strawberry and Vanilla Ice Lolly, and receive a trophy and the Lenny Conundrum avatar!

Yours Sincerely,
The Neopets Team!
 
 
Hurrah, so proud!

NEW BATTLEDOME CHALLENGER!!!
The Black Pteri will be waiting for you in theBATTLEDOME!!!
He sits and watches the world, and knows that THEY are coming soon...

Something has happened! The Black Pteri sits on a fence post howling doom and misery for all to hear...  
Finally, after like 8,5 years on the site! Beating him was easy-peasy - and another avatar. :D

NEW BATTLEDOME CHALLENGER!!!
The Black Pteri will be waiting for you in theBATTLEDOME!!!
He sits and watches the world, and knows that THEY are coming soon...

Something has happened! The Black Pteri sits on a fence post howling doom and misery for all to hear...  
Finally, after like 8,5 years on the site! Beating him was easy-peasy - and another avatar. :D

NEW BATTLEDOME CHALLENGER!!!
The Black Pteri will be waiting for you in theBATTLEDOME!!!
He sits and watches the world, and knows that THEY are coming soon...

Something has happened! The Black Pteri sits on a fence post howling doom and misery for all to hear...  
Finally, after like 8,5 years on the site! Beating him was easy-peasy - and another avatar. :D

Something Has Happened! You are now eligible to use 'Buzzin'' as an avatar on the NeoBoards!
 
Hurrah!
 
Cheshunt needs to age a bit and will then be moving in with Dynohawk!
 

Something Has Happened! You are now eligible to use 'Buzzin'' as an avatar on the NeoBoards!
 
Hurrah!
 
Cheshunt needs to age a bit and will then be moving in with Dynohawk!
 

Wow, this event has been so awesome to me this year. Yesterday I got a Fountain Faerie Quest (and the item cost me only 6,000), and today the Battle Faerie asked me for a Ghostkerbomb Charm, which was basically free. I'm really, really pleased :D Even if I get nothing but Delina quests after this!