Neopets With Adam+Donna v. Without them

[el_blubo]

How do you'll feel about neopets since the founders left?

[Angeló]

i really miss Adam and Donna

 

the site wasn't as big , but it wasn't a corporate-run money-hungry place either

[Rebecca~]

i really miss Adam and Donna

 

the site wasn't as big , but it wasn't a corporate-run money-hungry place either

I feel the same way.

I joined when the site was only two years old. The art was bad, there weren't as many lands, fewer games, and much harder to make NP (I had a daily minimum I would have to make off games- currently it's at least 10k, but with Habi it's more like 50k. Then... it was 1.5k.). But I enjoyed it.

I have a pretty new computer, but it lags on everything. I can't play some of the shockwave games. Habi, my love, lags like nobodies business. I have to close it to play any other game- same with Key Quest, I can't have anything else going. There are so many abandoned accounts, and so few active players. People seemed to get silenced and frozen for things that seem like no reason at all - granted, I don't know the whole stories, just what I'm told of them.

And most of all, I don't like the ads everywhere. I have an adblocker on, but I dislike the grey video that tries to play before games, etc. I don't like the pushing of NC.

[Welcome Back Apathy]

I don't think it's better, but I definitely don't think it's worse.

 

Sometimes, I feel like they're changing things for the sake of changing things. But remember, we didn't actually get to dress our pets until after the founders left. And I don't think NC is pushed too hard--you don't get trophies or avatars for anything NC-related, only clothes. After too much NC, you kind of feel like you have too many clothes...

 

Oh, yes, and it wasn't Adam and Donna who made it so you can transfer pets. That's another positive thing that the new people put in. That's one where they actually LISTENED to site users, too.

 

I don't think the site is more freeze-happy these days. People got frozen all the time back in the olden days. You would get frozen for having a high score in a game even if you didn't cheat.

[hrtbrk]

I don't remember much if Adam/Donna but if Treasure Keeperseses abrupt end is any kind of sign of what may have happened to Neopets, I'm glad they knew when it was the right time to leave.

[lilshadowdweller]

I've been around Neopets for 10 1/2 years, and I never corresponded with the staff nor really kept track. *shrugs* I definitely appreciated the lack of ads, though. And it was still addicting. In the past, before it got bought out, they had a sponsor event where if you signed up, you could paint your pet ANY colour at the Fountain, which was cool and will never happen again. I remember sometimes looking at the staff members switch their Neopets between accounts - as jokes on each other. They'd talk about dung and stuff.

 

I kind of thought it was more personal, but I guess it's better this way. Things aren't unfair when the staff happen to be professional. Biases occurred (I hear) in the past. *shrugs*

 

But it's nice now with all of the art work. It's just annoying that they cater more to paying members, but it's understandable. They need to make money, as did Donna and Adam. It's just their ads were more discreet.

[youngrace]

i think it's tempting to put on rose-colored glasses and be nostalgic for the old neo, but i actually prefer the current website. there are a lot more events, the artwork is cleaner, and there are a lot more things to do.

 

when i started playing in 2001 i could sign in, spend 20 minutes on the site, and literally be done for the entire day. sure there were less ads, but those don't really bother me since i just use an ad blocker, which works like a charm.

 

when i re-started neo 3 years ago, i was amazed at all the new stuff they had around. i deffo don't miss the old days of playing 20 games of pyramids a day to earn np, lol.

 

plus snarkie, viola, dragona, etc. all stayed around, so it's not like they replaced the whole team. C:

[el_blubo]

Personally when NC came out I was utterly dissapointed that people could now buy a way for their pets to look good instead of earning NP and getting paintbrushes like the site originally intended

[Emily]

I've been playing for almost 10 years and A+D left during a period when I was away from the site for a few years. I think it's really hard to compare them because the site is SO much bigger now with SO many users. I agree with Lindsey in that they may not have wanted the responsibility or have even had the means to support the site as interest in it grew so much. I'd rather have them sell when they did than shut the site down. Now with a corporation running it, they can devote more staff to it developing more and more things for us to do (HELLO event every month since the new year).

 

And for people hating on NC, remember that the neopets plushies (the ones you could buy in stores with the KQ codes, etc) and some other toys are not being sold anymore. Since some RL money-making merch was discontinued, NC is a good way to fill the void of that income. Just think about all the costs that goes into running a site like this. The server costs alone... *shudder*

[emmz_emmz_]

I was really quite young when I first joined, and just liked the idea of having pets and the games, I never really got into all of the politics of it, as it were. There were definitely noticable changes to the site once I got back though (after A&D had left) but nothing to the extent where I didn't want to carry on playing.

[el_blubo]

And for people hating on NC, remember that the neopets plushies (the ones you could buy in stores with the KQ codes, etc) and some other toys are not being sold anymore. Since some RL money-making merch was discontinued, NC is a good way to fill the void of that income. Just think about all the costs that goes into running a site like this. The server costs alone... *shudder*

 

Well honestly I liked the irl merch better than NC because with the irl merch you would just get an extra item that was most of the time worthless but with the NC recently they created cookies available for perchance that let you have extra uses to the lab ray, whats next a doughnut that lets you use coltzans shrine or other dailies more?

[Kaana]

[...] recently they created cookies available for perchance that let you have extra uses to the lab ray, whats next a doughnut that lets you use coltzans shrine or other dailies more?

 

The lab cookies are the first NC thing I've looked at and thought "too far"... to me, it's too close to painting pets. But it's not really about Donna and Adam, more general NC discussion.

 

Aside from the obvious "we can't compare because we could never know how the site could've turn out" I don't really think there's that much to say one is particularly better than the other. The personal touch and "more reasonable" mods (i.e. more relaxed because it's not aiming for a kids demographic) versus the pretty pages and more events. Meh. Not really much point in dragging it up again, imho.

[el_blubo]

well i'd like to see everyone's reactions to this poll now with the whole game cookie "scandal?"

[Lady Lyuba]

I hate TNT right now. Really really, strongly hate them. Things were better when we had Adam, Donna, and Ollie. Now whoever is running it is some greedy Kadoatie who wants nothing but money and will release all kinds of stupid NC items that will only prompt us all to quit Neopets and move to Subeta.

 

After reading Karina's post, I do realize we do have some nice things that were never around during the founders's time, such as customisation and transfers. They still don't listen very well, regardless of time, however....>.>

[ravendusk]

i started on the site pretty much just a little bit after it came into existence. i remember the game cabinet and all that. everyone talks about "it started out as a site for college students" and it most definitely did, i was told to sign up by a college student because everyone at her school was playing it. you could buy wine and beer for your pets. :P

 

there are things i definitely like a lot about the current neopets. i like that events and plots happen a lot more often, there is definitely more to do to keep your interest level up. i like that you can transfer pets in a safe manner. i like that you can customize your pets (though i hate that they all have the same basic pose).

 

there are things i definitely dislike a lot about the current neopets. i really, really hate the way the forums and neomails are moderated. i get that it's more or less become a "kids site" now, but still the forums are so much less fun than they used to be. you literally have to watch everything you say in order to not get warned. some things, okay, i understand, no talking about booze or whatever, but you can't even mention off site places that entirely devoted to neopets? that's just stupid. and the users who go around trying to find things to report just because they can? yeah, that's great. yeah, people got frozen back in the old days too, but there was definitely a "more free" feeling to the place that is long, long gone. though, a lot of the blame for that does have to be placed on the users themselves. anyone else remember what general chat was like circa 2002 or so?

 

so ultimately there was good stuff back then and there is good stuff now, but for me, it was just a whole lot more fun back then.

 

oh and the game cookie (and the lab cookie too for that matter)? hate it, quite a lot.

[Rebecca~]

i started on the site pretty much just a little bit after it came into existence. i remember the game cabinet and all that. everyone talks about "it started out as a site for college students" and it most definitely did, i was told to sign up by a college student because everyone at her school was playing it. you could buy wine and beer for your pets. :P

 

there are things i definitely like a lot about the current neopets. i like that events and plots happen a lot more often, there is definitely more to do to keep your interest level up. i like that you can transfer pets in a safe manner. i like that you can customize your pets (though i hate that they all have the same basic pose).

 

there are things i definitely dislike a lot about the current neopets. i really, really hate the way the forums and neomails are moderated. i get that it's more or less become a "kids site" now, but still the forums are so much less fun than they used to be. you literally have to watch everything you say in order to not get warned. some things, okay, i understand, no talking about booze or whatever, but you can't even mention off site places that entirely devoted to neopets? that's just stupid. and the users who go around trying to find things to report just because they can? yeah, that's great. yeah, people got frozen back in the old days too, but there was definitely a "more free" feeling to the place that is long, long gone. though, a lot of the blame for that does have to be placed on the users themselves. anyone else remember what general chat was like circa 2002 or so?

 

so ultimately there was good stuff back then and there is good stuff now, but for me, it was just a whole lot more fun back then.

 

oh and the game cookie (and the lab cookie too for that matter)? hate it, quite a lot.

Yeah, I kind of want to just quote for truth. I was just a kid when I joined back in 2001- but I remember having a lot more fun on the site, and the only thing I remember thinking "Oh wow, this isn't a kids site" was with that one neogreeting where a grarrl ate a cybunny and there was blood splatter everywhere (or something? It's been a while since I've seen it!). I was a typical kid though- I thought it was hilarious. I donno, I kind of miss that stuff about Neopets now. :(

[SuperAttackPea]

I started in 2006. so idk about how donna and adam ran the site. However, I can say neo was more interesting before they converted all the pets and focused more of their attention on nc. I really enjoyed plots (especially those that involve bd) however I feel tnt has put all that effort aside to come up with more ways to scam $$$ from people, doing things they said they won't do.

[el_blubo]

I want a war! Particularly DC v Meridel III! that will subdue my anger against them atleast

[idriya]

I think a better debate would be "Pre-Customization Neopets vs. Post-Customization Neopets." That seems to be what you're aiming at, and that's what I'm referring to in this post.

 

I'd give it a 50/50. There are things I prefered about the old site and things I prefer about the new site. However, I do agree with younggrace. I think people tend to see the old Neo t

through rose-tinted glasses and get nostalgic about it. Also, I notice that a lot of the people who prefer the old Neo visited it as children. Here's the thing, though: EVERYTHING seems better when you're a child. :/ There's a lot I want to say about this topic, but I think TV Tropes explains it well: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NostalgiaFilter

 

One thing I do like about pre-customization Neo is that there was more emphasis on plots and the Battledome, important since people love fighting, and people seem to consider plots to be the heart and soul of Neopets (a notion I disagree with, but that's another story for another time). I was there for a lot of the best plots - the first Meridell-Darigan war, CoM, LDP, ToW, etc. Those plots were some of the most fun I've ever had on Neopets. I loved the comics and the puzzles especially. :) And the prizes were great, too (well... except ToW). This is something I think is lacking in post-customization Neo. I'd say the only good plot made after customization came around was TFR (and perhaps RoDS, to a lesser extent). But to be fair, I would imagine it was easier for them to do plots back then, because a lot of the older plots were based on the TCG. Since the TCG is kaput, they probably have to take more time to write an original story with original characters.

 

But that emphasis has a weakness, and that is less emphasis on other parts of the site. I definitely remember a lot of people complaining about there being nothing to do back in the day, and that is something I think post-customization Neo has succeeded in. I know a lot of people despise the monthly events, because "they take up plot time," but I don't. Many of them are fun, and I like how TNT mixes up the annual ones so that no two Daily Dares or Altador Cups are ever the same. Throw in more games, customization, KeyQuest, the Habitarium, more new avatars (although I definitely remember pre-customization Neo released more avatars, nearly all of them were clickables released on pet days. All of the avatars released today actually take some effort to get), and a few new worlds, and you can easily see there's definitely a lot more to do.

 

Art... don't think I need to go there. xD The old art may have had a certain charm that the new art couldn't possibly capture, but there's no denying the new art is much more polished and prettier.

 

Somebody also mentioned pre-customization Neo had a more laid-back staff. I definitely agree with that, although I don't think you have to be as cautious while posting that people make it out to be. Maybe I just don't talk about risky things all that often, but I've never gotten in trouble for anything I've posted on the boards. However, TNT did seem to do a better job of listening to users in the past than in the present, especially in the really early days of Neo (I definitely remember people complaining in 2005 about how unfair TNT is and everything was so much better in like 2001), likely due to the fact that corporations tend to put money before everything else.

 

Probably the thing that annoyed me the most about pre-customization Neo was the fact that the site went down nearly every day for several hours at a time (this is back in like 2001 btw). How often do you see that today? That's one advantage of having a corporate owner - they actually have the money to prevent something like that from happening.

 

Regarding NC: I know a lot of people hate NC, but I personally don't mind it. In fact, the Game Cookie is probably the only thing I don't like about it. I'm fine with everything else. Yes, it is annoying that they're focusing more on it than people want them to, but I understand why they have to. Besides, that seems to be where the Internet in general has been headed for years. Seriously, name a successful game site that doesn't have some sort of system where you have to pay real money for something. And I've heard it's a lot worse on most other sites. The things my brother told me about MapleStory... *shudders*

 

And now that I've written a novel, I'll leave it off at that. I don't prefer either one, because they both pretty much even each other out. xD

[Lady Lyuba]

I think a better debate would be "Pre-Customization Neopets vs. Post-Customization Neopets." That seems to be what you're aiming at, and that's what I'm referring to in this post.

 

I'd give it a 50/50. There are things I prefered about the old site and things I prefer about the new site. However, I do agree with younggrace. I think people tend to see the old Neo t

through rose-tinted glasses and get nostalgic about it. Also, I notice that a lot of the people who prefer the old Neo visited it as children. Here's the thing, though: EVERYTHING seems better when you're a child. :/ There's a lot I want to say about this topic, but I think TV Tropes explains it well: http://tvtropes.org/...NostalgiaFilter

 

One thing I do like about pre-customization Neo is that there was more emphasis on plots and the Battledome, important since people love fighting, and people seem to consider plots to be the heart and soul of Neopets (a notion I disagree with, but that's another story for another time). I was there for a lot of the best plots - the first Meridell-Darigan war, CoM, LDP, ToW, etc. Those plots were some of the most fun I've ever had on Neopets. I loved the comics and the puzzles especially. :) And the prizes were great, too (well... except ToW). This is something I think is lacking in post-customization Neo. I'd say the only good plot made after customization came around was TFR (and perhaps RoDS, to a lesser extent). But to be fair, I would imagine it was easier for them to do plots back then, because a lot of the older plots were based on the TCG. Since the TCG is kaput, they probably have to take more time to write an original story with original characters.

 

But that emphasis has a weakness, and that is less emphasis on other parts of the site. I definitely remember a lot of people complaining about there being nothing to do back in the day, and that is something I think post-customization Neo has succeeded in. I know a lot of people despise the monthly events, because "they take up plot time," but I don't. Many of them are fun, and I like how TNT mixes up the annual ones so that no two Daily Dares or Altador Cups are ever the same. Throw in more games, customization, KeyQuest, the Habitarium, more new avatars (although I definitely remember pre-customization Neo released more avatars, nearly all of them were clickables released on pet days. All of the avatars released today actually take some effort to get), and a few new worlds, and you can easily see there's definitely a lot more to do.

 

Art... don't think I need to go there. xD The old art may have had a certain charm that the new art couldn't possibly capture, but there's no denying the new art is much more polished and prettier.

 

Somebody also mentioned pre-customization Neo had a more laid-back staff. I definitely agree with that, although I don't think you have to be as cautious while posting that people make it out to be. Maybe I just don't talk about risky things all that often, but I've never gotten in trouble for anything I've posted on the boards. However, TNT did seem to do a better job of listening to users in the past than in the present, especially in the really early days of Neo (I definitely remember people complaining in 2005 about how unfair TNT is and everything was so much better in like 2001), likely due to the fact that corporations tend to put money before everything else.

 

Probably the thing that annoyed me the most about pre-customization Neo was the fact that the site went down nearly every day for several hours at a time (this is back in like 2001 btw). How often do you see that today? That's one advantage of having a corporate owner - they actually have the money to prevent something like that from happening.

 

Regarding NC: I know a lot of people hate NC, but I personally don't mind it. In fact, the Game Cookie is probably the only thing I don't like about it. I'm fine with everything else. Yes, it is annoying that they're focusing more on it than people want them to, but I understand why they have to. Besides, that seems to be where the Internet in general has been headed for years. Seriously, name a successful game site that doesn't have some sort of system where you have to pay real money for something. And I've heard it's a lot worse on most other sites. The things my brother told me about MapleStory... *shudders*

 

And now that I've written a novel, I'll leave it off at that. I don't prefer either one, because they both pretty much even each other out. xD

 

I agree with everything you've said, very well thought out. :) I also am kinda split down the middle as well. I'm not very happy with TNT at the moment, but I do like some of the things we can do now, such as safely transfer our pets to a different account without fear of losing the pet. I also like the idea of customization for a new, creative way of displaying our pet's character, something we couldn't do pre-2007. True, I've grown kind of bitter about the NC Mall lately, but I still love the beautiful wearables like I did before the cookie scandal.

 

I would like to see more plots, I do agree. The best one we've had in a long time WAS TFR - I'd love another one soon, maybe one like CoM where we could choose sides, and how we wanted to participate (Those who like fighting can be a warrior, those who don't can be asupporter and participate by solving puzzles).

[idriya]

Thanks for reading that mini-novel. xD And I do agree, about the Game Cookie? I don't like it either. :(

 

I have another thought, regarding customization. I see a lot of people complain about how the NC items are so much better than the NP items. I would have agreed with that in 2009, when there weren't a lot of wearables. Now, however, I disagree. I think TNT has done an excellent job making better quality NP stuff, especially backgrounds. The species-specific wearables released on pet days have gotten better over the last year, too. So while I do think NC Mall items are better, I think the difference is slight and not nearly as significant as it was back in the 2007-2009 time period. But I know that's a matter of personal preference, and besides, I do think the NC stuff should be a little better, because no one would be buying it if it wasn't.

[Lady Lyuba]

Thanks for reading that mini-novel. xD And I do agree, about the Game Cookie? I don't like it either. :(

 

I have another thought, regarding customization. I see a lot of people complain about how the NC items are so much better than the NP items. I would have agreed with that in 2009, when there weren't a lot of wearables. Now, however, I disagree. I think TNT has done an excellent job making better quality NP stuff, especially backgrounds. The species-specific wearables released on pet days have gotten better over the last year, too. So while I do think NC Mall items are better, I think the difference is slight and not nearly as significant as it was back in the 2007-2009 time period. But I know that's a matter of personal preference, and besides, I do think the NC stuff should be a little better, because no one would be buying it if it wasn't.

 

I do agree there are many good NP wearables out there too - some are so nice they cost as much as a Draik MP! (I must have those underwater backgrounds. <3 ) Though with NC items, I don't like the constant retirement of items these days. I really wish the Maraquan Maiden Superpack was made pernament, it did not start with a star bseide it so we all thought it was a permanent addition before TNT changed their minds... >.< Why must everything related to Maraqua and the ocen be limited time only? Some of us have Maraquan pets we want to customise and if they keep doing this it is a REAL pain.

[ashleagh]

I liked how personal the site was with Adam and Donna. It didn't take so long for customer service to respond, players had much more input into site changes and events (i.e. polls regarding new paintbrush colours or new lands to be discovered etc.), and staff members used to post on the boards all the time!

[LUNACHARM1037]

I never had to deal with support when Adam and Donna was there so I don't know what it was like back then, but the support now is disappointing. My pet was frozen for my protection after my password was I assume "cookie grabbed" back in November, after I submitted the ticket they were fast to freeze the account which is fine, but then they said they would investigate and get back to me, that was back in November I try submitting a ticket every couple of months and all I get is the canned email response. I imagine that back in the Donna and Adam days there was more personal attention towards users.

[rcticsun]

I definitely miss the old sidebar, the old pets, and the lack of ads.