Spotted Dragon

Pop Places IRL: Game Show 🤖

August 26, 2020August 27, 2020 Spotted Dragon

Welcome back to “Pop Places IRL,” Poptropicans! SD here to take you on a trip to Game Show Island, which coincidentally takes place all over the world! Liking this series? Be sure to check out other Pop Places IRL posts.

Even though Game Show Island primarily consists of, well, game shows, each competition does take place in a distinct, very real city. So, despite the constant immersion in mini games, pay closer attention and you’ll notice some world destinations!

Let’s start off with Tokyo, home to the big baddie of the adventure: Mr. Yoshi’s Game Show. The city, located in Japan, is actually one we’ve visited before in this series! Remember Red Dragon Island? Familiarity aside, however, Game Show Island takes place in a much more modern version of the city. We can clearly see the inspiration for this location as far back as the concept art! The city is clearly known for its bright advertisements, technology, animation, and much more!

Moving on, why don’t we head to Miami next? Located in Florida (USA), this city is home to the Spin for Riches Game Show. While the state does have a lot of retirement homes, I think the area is more well known for its bustling beaches! I think the coastal colors translate well in-game.

A Retirement Community: Old circuits never fry, they just fade away.

What’s next, you may ask? None other than Istanbul (~~not Constantinople~~)! In Poptropica, this is where we get to play the Scaredy Pants Game Show, but fear not! IRL, we’re just taking a trip to Turkey. Look at that remarkable architecture!

Still Not Constantinople: Why they changed it, I can’t say.

Next up on our list, Moscow! Here we will find the Brainiacs Game Show, in the capital of Russia! Isn’t it kinda cool that you can even see the resemblance of the city in the simplest of concept art? It’s pretty interesting to see the unique architecture of each city translated into Poptropica, that’s for sure.

See the Motherland: Necessity is, of course, the mother of invention.

Turning back round to our last big city, we have Buenos Aires! This one is the capital of Argentina, but in Poptropica it’s known for the Kerplunk Game Show! Perhaps not as flashy as some of the other tourism hot-spots on our list, but noteworthy nonetheless.

The Air Is Good: The robots, well, they’re not so good.

Wow, who knew you traveled so much on Game Show Island? It’s like trying to fit the whole globe into one island! And that’s not even considering Main Street, Club Nouveau Riche, the Factory, Holmes’ Lair, and—oh! The Museum!

Before I adjourn our travels for the day, I will leave you with one more fun comparison from the Museum we see on Main Street. Remember that robot statue? Fun fact: it’s based on “The Thinker,” a sculpture by Auguste Rodin.

Deep Thought: Putting processing power to good use.

And with that, I think our trip is just about coming to an end. What did you think of the journey? Do you think Poptropica captured the real nature of these cities? What other islands do you want to see in this series? Be sure to leave a comment with your thoughts below!

So long, Poptropicans! Keep on traveling!

~SD

Arabian Nights Island, Pop Places IRL

Pop Places IRL: Arabian Nights 🐪

August 20, 2020August 21, 2020 Spotted Dragon

Welcome back to “Pop Places IRL,” Poptropicans! Miss the series? I know I did! This time around, we’ll be traveling to Arabian Nights Island! Like this series? Be sure to check out other Pop Places IRL posts.

As you might already know, Arabian Nights was the winning idea from Poptropica’s “Create Your Dream Island” contest back in 2013. The pitch? “On Arabian Nights Island, Poptropicans go on a quest across the desert to rescue a sultan’s genie from the Forty Thieves.” And it turned out to be quite the tale!

The adventure, like Disney’s “Aladdin,” takes place in Arabia (hence the name). This Middle Eastern peninsula is certainly a distinct location, and it definitely shines through in the island! Don’t believe me? Let’s take a closer look.

Right away on our Poptropicans’ adventure, we are greeted with “Episode 1: How Bazaar.” The title itself is a pun, playing off the term “bazaar” to sound like “how bizarre.” A bazaar, if you were unaware, is a type of Middle Eastern marketplace, which (not coincidentally) is a prominent location on the island.

photo: The Souk – A Middle Eastern Bazaar (zoharproductions)

Pretty cool, right? The colorful fabrics, clothing, and items for sale certainly catch the eye. But perhaps even more impressive, we have the palace to visit!

I personally find the architecture of the Middle East to be a particularly remarkable characteristic of the area, but maybe that’s just my inner art history nerd coming out? Either way, the design in Poptropica seems to match up pretty well to its inspiration, so let’s take a look on the inside as well!

photo: Middle Eastern Palace (worldarchitecturenews)

Poptropica’s palace atrium (left) is busier than our reference photo (right), but it sure does add interest to the adventure! I think that the game really did stay true to its inspiration, even with their color/detail additions. What do you think?

Stepping further away from the bustling market, however, we could also take a look at the less populated areas of the island. Even if a huge Lair of Thieves is tough to find IRL, there are definitely still cave systems we could investigate. And, like in Poptropica, maybe we can find some salt and other minerals to trade!

photo: Caving Vacations in Africa & the Middle East (iexplore)

Why don’t we take a camel and keep traveling away from the market, further into the desert next? And now we happen upon an oasis!

Even in this largely desert landscape, it’s cool to see the pops of color that show up. The Poptropica Creators really took advantage of their inspiration when designing this island, huh?

But what do you guys think? Have you ever been to the Middle East? Does the comparison match up to your expectations? What other islands do you want to see in this series? Be sure to leave a comment with your thoughts below!

Farewell, fellow travelers, and good night!

~SD

Community Creations

Community Creations: July 2020

August 1, 2020August 2, 2020 Spotted Dragon

Hello once again everyone! Spotted Dragon here bringing you the July recap for Community Creations! July’s theme was Classic Islands (and the featured work is not in any particular order). Be sure to check out all the featured artists!

No clue what’s going on? Go see our intro post.

TOP 5 PICKS

Cowgirl Return by Nongmind

Though this piece was not made in time for our Wild West theme, it certainly still fits among the classic islands! The blurry effect adds a lot of hilarious motion to the scene, perfectly capturing a great photo from the island. It has a lovely composition and demonstrates wonderful craftsmanship! Very well made! Find her DeviantArt here.

The 4 Knights by BlazingAngel123

Wowza, what a heroic looking scene! Astro-Knights won “OG Island We’ll Miss the Most” in the Poppies this year, so it is obviously a fan favorite adventure. The symmetrical composition is excellent and I love the strong contrast between colors. Each knight is showing off their unique set of powers, but certainly remaining strong and unified. It really captures the atmosphere of the island! Find her DeviantArt here.

Here Comes a Giant Fist by WitchyArtistGal

Although Shrink Ray eventually got its own sound update, I think it’s fair to say that it’s still a classic considering its initial release. So this submission deserves a spotlight all the same! Comics are always a refreshing format, and a challenging one at that. Luckily, the framing and humor in this one turned out excellent! The dialogue and build up are great, bringing together the perfect little story. Keep up the great work! Find her DeviantArt here.

Spy Island by MissEligon

Oooh, another very interesting composition! Though busy, all the figures are portrayed in such a way that they are not lost within the frame. I love the subtle effect of Director D.’s hair, the incorporation of background scenery, and even the inclusion of the spy in the trashcan! This piece really acts as a summary of the whole island without giving too much away. There’s a great variety of emotion, poses, shades within a unified color scheme, and a wonderful sense of mystery! Find her Twitter here (where she has also recently posted art of some other classics).

Game Show Island by AdventurersNHunters

Hmmm, intriguing! As I previously mentioned, the format of a comic is always refreshing! And the added challenge of having no dialogue is very interesting. This long visual story really builds a world, and draws the viewer’s eye all down the page. The detail is fantastic, the shading is quite dramatic, and the diagonal lines of the frames create a great sense of action! You can really see the effort poured into the work. Find her DeviantArt here.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Gosh guys, all this amazing work is really making miss the classics! These adventures have really been immortalized by your submissions this month.

AUGUST: HOW DO I PARTICIPATE?

Community Creations is a cool series for anyone in the Poptropica community to join in on. To sum up what it’s about, it’s basically a chance to show off your artwork, creepy fan-fics, Pop clubhouses, costumes, and anything else that pops into your mind.

If we really like the piece you submit, we will feature it here on the PHB! As long as it relates to that month’s theme. So what is August’s theme? August’s theme is…

Poptropolis Games Tribes!

Although the summer Olympics have been postponed until next year, why can’t we still celebrate with some fun “athletic” competition, right? That’s why we have the internet in times like these! We all have witnessed the sinking of Poptropolis and the mystery that surrounds it, but we have also gotten to experience the excitement of the games! Let’s revisit those games in this month’s theme, shall we?

No matter what tribe you’re a part of, we want to see your artwork! We want to see your stories! Your costumes! And all the crafts in between! So show us your tribal pride this month, and I promise that I won’t be biased in favor of the Nanobots ~~(or at least I’ll try)~~.

Comment below with a link to whatever you’ve created OR share it with me (SydVC aka Spotted Dragon) on DeviantArt, Twitter, or Discord.
Results: I will feature 5 of the submissions as well as 3 honorable mentions.
Limitations: Nothing NSFW, and make sure you relate to the theme.
Due Date: I will take any entries before the end of this month. Submit as many things as you’d like!

I will be sure to let you know I have seen your creation. While quality counts, I’m mainly looking for something to simply catch my eye, so don’t be afraid to join in!

So what are you waiting for? Go make something awesome!

~SD

Community Creations

Community Creations: June 2020

July 1, 2020June 30, 2020 Spotted Dragon

Hello once again everyone! Spotted Dragon here bringing you the June recap for Community Creations! June’s theme was Monochromatic (and the featured work is not in any particular order). Be sure to check out all the featured artists!

No clue what’s going on? Go see our intro post.

Top 5 Picks

Fruit Series Part 1: Orange by MissEligon

Kicking off our feature set with a bright orange color scheme! Though we usually think of pink when we picture the villainous Dr. Hare, I’m sure the color of carrots is close to his heart as well. But more on the theme of fruit here, this piece really pops! The angled limbs of the character paired with the geometric patterns of the background make for a sharp scene. I love the flat coloring and smooth line art. Really impressive composition! Find her DeviantArt here.

Yellow Star Music by AdventurersNHunters

What a fun yellow color scheme! The poses of these characters, along with their expressions, are very dynamic. That, along with the curved musical notes and bubbly background create a strong sense of movement in the scene. Just looking at it, I almost want to get up and dance! The connotation of the color certainly works well with the theme too! Find her DeviantArt here.

Blue Joe by thehypercutter

Blue seems like an perfect match to our friend Joe from Zomberry island, huh? Too perfect not to be paired! And after an experience like the blueberry zombie apocalypse, who can really blame Joe from still having worries? With the color scheme and character expression, this piece displays clear emotion. Makes me feel… blue? Excuse the pun, but great work! Find her DeviantArt here.

Chat on the Rooftop by BlazingAngel123

Ooooh, I am in love with this indigo color scheme! The blue/purple tones match the night sky very well, creating a deep and rich atmosphere. The expressions of the characters look effortless, bringing a sense of casual/natural emotion to the scene. The lineart is super smooth too. Well made! Find her DeviantArt here.

Monochromatic Moreau by Midnightoilstudios

Pink color schemes (and Moreau in particular) seem to be a fan favorite this month, but rightly so, looking at the wonderful submissions we received! The pink tones definitely match the character’s aesthetic, and the shading here is super soft. I love the eyes of this art style especially. Moreau is looking fantastic! Find her DeviantArt here.

Honorable Mentions

Hey, we almost made a full rainbow with the submissions this month! I loved seeing how creative you guys could get with color. And on that note, Happy Pride month to all! Though 2020 has been a crazy year, I hope everyone was able to enjoy pride. ❤

July: How do I Participate?

If we really like the piece you submit, we will feature it here on the PHB! As long as it relates to that month’s theme. So what is July’s theme? July’s theme is…

Classic Islands

With Flash Player coming to an end, the fate of Poptropica Islands is a bit uncertain these days. Will we ever get to see our favorite classics return to the map, or will we only be able to revisit them in our memories and through backdoor access? Are member the only few that will get to experience these adventures one last time as we transition to Haxe? Either way, perhaps now is a time to celebrate these islands yet again through our artwork and other creative pursuits!

So what islands are considered classics? Well, that’s pretty much any non-sound updated island (included 24 Carrot, despite its renovation). But the further back, the better! Early Poptropica, Time Tangled, Spy, Super Power, and other old-school experiences deserve the spotlight this month, so be sure to share your best work with us!

Comment below with a link to whatever you’ve created OR share it with me (SydVC aka Spotted Dragon) on DeviantArt, Twitter, or Discord.
Results: I will feature 5 of the submissions as well as 3 honorable mentions.
Limitations: Nothing NSFW, and make sure you relate to the theme.
Due Date: I will take any entries before the end of this month. Submit as many things as you’d like!

I will be sure to let you know I have seen your creation. While quality counts, I’m mainly looking for something to simply catch my eye, so don’t be afraid to join in!

So what are you waiting for? Go make something awesome!

~SD

Community Creations

Community Creations: May 2020

June 1, 2020June 1, 2020 Spotted Dragon

Hello once again everyone! Spotted Dragon here bringing you the May recap for Community Creations! May’s theme was Wild West (and the featured work is not in any particular order). Be sure to check out all the featured artists!

No clue what’s going on? Go see our intro post.

TOP 5 PICKS

In the Desert by happyclonetrooper

Wow, right off the bat I love the ambiance of this work. The warm hues and brilliant lighting really add to the western atmosphere. The composition is well arranged and there are lots of details that fill up the scene! Finding that sort of variety in an otherwise plain landscape can sometimes be a difficult task, but the textures here were nailed. And the presentation leaves me wanting more! Will our hero find her way home, or succumb to the harsh temperatures of her environment? Very smooth execution! Find her DeviantArt here.

Snake Oil Salesman by Gentle Dolphin (aka JordynGowens)

Oooh, now this is an interesting take on our theme! While most of us think of El Mustachio Grande when we imagine the Wild West, that’s not the only villain of the desert! Hardcore Poptropica fans will certainly remember R.J. Earl, the infamous salesman of Wild West Island. The tonics and mixtures that he offers may seem “too good to be true,” but… what do you think? Anyway, the attention to detail in this piece is wonderful, making for another vividly atmospheric scene. The lighting is gorgeous, the lineart is smooth and crisp, the items in the shop add great easter eggs, and the colors are brilliant! A truly unique entry with an intriguingly symmetrical composition! Find her DeviantArt here.

Lone Coyote’s Fond Memories by Perfect Fish (aka jaekelopterus3)

Lots of detail in this submission too! The busy composition here presents a lot of information, but truly represents the fun of Wild West Island! With the changes in Poptropica we’re all facing right now, this piece definitely reflects the nostalgia and perhaps worry that we are all feeling. The work has a ton of brilliant energy, making for a whimsical, childlike mood (perfect for Poptropica of course). I love the elements of text, the bold colors, and the vivid texture. Plus, we don’t often get to see Poptropicans portrayed with fingers! Attention can be found in every inch of the paper, for sure! Find the artists in the comment section and on Discord.

Staring Down the Barrel of a Gun by ray-of-flight

Ah, yet another piece with brilliant lighting! The warm hues, once again, are very appropriate for this month’s theme and make for a particularly interesting color palette. I love the drama found within this scene, especially given the angled lighting and the perspective of the viewer. The foreshortening required in the pose is a difficult one to pull off, but the view of the gun certainly makes the effort worth it. The composition is more straightforward, but that certainly adds to the drama! Excellent work! Find their DeviantArt here.

Ready for the Showdown by AdventurersNHunters

Here, we see “Sheriff Jackson ‘Red Hunt’ Smith and Deputy Darcy ‘Yellow Stone’ Stone Versus El Mustachio Grande and The Grande Gang.” How exciting! According to the artist, “Red was just visiting his home island while Yellow went there due to what is happening there. Suddenly, Yellow and Red run into eachother and have no choice but to work together, they still hate eachother. Jackson only did to hunt down El Mustachio and claim his reward.” Dun dun duh!!! This piece is definitely filled with drama and excitement, perfectly showcasing a true western showdown. It’s as if it were a movie poster for an old western film! I love all the different characters, the colored blocking within the composition, and the dark shading. Wonderful! Find her DeviantArt here.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Lots of Grande fan art this month, which was super cool!

JUNE: HOW DO I PARTICIPATE?

If we really like the piece you submit, we will feature it here on the PHB! As long as it relates to that month’s theme. So what is June’s theme? June’s theme is…

Monochromatic

With June kicking off Pride month and the continued fight for equality, the significance of color never ceases to be prominent. Luckily in art, color is an element for self expression and pride rather than something that divides us. So this month, let’s showcase some color in our amazing community, but with an added challenge!

Monochromatic, if you aren’t familiar, means “one color.” Therefore, I challenge you to submit work that you make using only one color! Remember that different shades and tints of that color, as well as neutrals are allowed. So get creative, and maybe we will be able to feature work from EVERY COLOR OF THE RAINBOW! And if you aren’t into drawing, remember that you can still participate. Perhaps write a story with one color being particularly important, write a poem about all your favorite purple things in Poptropica maybe, or even put together an outfit in Poptropica that’s all one color. It’s all up to you, so let your color shine with pride!

Comment below with a link to whatever you’ve created OR share it with me (SydVC aka Spotted Dragon) on DeviantArt, Twitter, or Discord.
Results: I will feature 5 of the submissions as well as 3 honorable mentions.
Limitations: Nothing NSFW, and make sure you relate to the theme.
Due Date: I will take any entries before the end of this month. Submit as many things as you’d like!

I will be sure to let you know I have seen your creation. While quality counts, I’m mainly looking for something to simply catch my eye, so don’t be afraid to join in!

So what are you waiting for? Go make something awesome!

~SD