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Unity. Unity is a hugely popular game engine for 3D games and apps. It has been used to create games like Kerbal Space Program, Monument Valley, I Am Bread, Crossy Road — the list goes on. It’s a huge 3D indie game engine.

So, why do I bring this up?

Oh.

My Thoughts

So, before I chase this rabbit trail, I’d like to clarify something: Poptropica being 3D is not official information. Is it likely? Yes. Is it certain? No. Unity has been used before to make 2D games, but overall it’s known as a 3D engine. With the Daily Pops we’ve been seeing recently with 3D environments, it seems that this is the path Poptropica has chosen to pursue.

South Pacific: This is some enchanted evening.

Bloon: We feel lighter than air.

Freeze Frame: Getting animated about Poptropica.

With that in mind, this update is bad news, 3D or not. The Unity web player does not work for Google Chrome, which is the main browser of the internet. The main one. Unity was disabled a year ago because of security issues. If Poptropica goes with that, they’re cutting off their audience — big time. With the theme of accessibility that they’ve been pursuing recently, this is a major slap in the face in that regard.

What else is wrong? Perhaps my largest concern about 3D is that Poptropica was founded on 2D grounds. That was their quirk, that’s what made them unique in times when 3D was the online world status quo (and still is). Instead of vague and cheaply made hexagonal 3D models, Poptropica had great art with a distinct and clear style. The controls were fresh, partly because the developers only knew 2D, and it created a unique and rich experience.

Poptropica needs to have that edge. Online worlds have risen and fallen, but Poptropica has stayed constant and fresh because of the unique approach.

If Poptropica goes completely 3D, they lose some of that edge. Let me clarify, however, that from what we’ve seen from the Daily Pops, the “New Poptropica” does not appear to be completely 3D. It shows 2D graphics on a 3D plane, similar to popular indie, Don’t Starve. Don’t Starve perpetuates a storybook atmosphere, and it works for that type of game — but again, Poptropica has been built on 2D and it should stay that way.

Those are my two cents. Along with cutting off a large portion of Poptropica’s audience, the switch to Unity could destroy Poptropica’s unique art style and completely sink the company. What do you think of the change? While 3D might sound cool at first, look at it objectively. What are the gains? What are the losses? Tell me in the comments.

TAFN.

-HPuterpop

UPDATE: Poptropica’s Skinny Moon has left a comment on this post addressing some of our concerns! Here is a snippet:

Hi there Poptropicans! Thanks for your feedback! Let me explain something to ease your minds: We’re confident that we are creating a new game experience that will be accessible to you, our current Pop players, which is our most important consideration. And while we’re not ready to reveal any details yet, rest assured that we’re staying true to the 2D Pop experience you love.

Please know there is SO MUCH going on behind the scenes, and we always have you, our passionate, dedicated players, in mind when we’re working on all things Poptropica. Seriously. (…continued in the comments section!)

While she hasn’t given a lot of detail about what to expect, at least we now know they’re sticking to “the 2D Pop experience”!

Wihi folks!

Yes, I am back at it again with the white vans another Top Five post. This time is focusing a bit on some awesome connections in Poptropica that you more than likely aren’t aware of. Let’s begin!

5. The Costumizer Shirt is wearable… kinda.

The newer (yet still rare) original Rock Star costume had a green shirt, yellow star, and just overall looks incredibly similar to the shirt on the (updated) Costumizer button, and leads me to believe it is intentionally the same one.

4. The Green Hawk

This costume from Masks & Capes on Super Power Island actually belongs to a superhero, the Green Hawk! The Green Hawk comes from one of the Poptropica toys. Also, I totally wore that outfit ironically at PoptropiCon, heh…

ironically.

3. Factual, Furry Monsters

Before Time Tangled became a SUI, most areas had these bubbles for an iconic creature called the Fact Monster, which when clicked would offer factual information related to the area. Although there was never an official Fact Monster character in-game, this costume was leaked around the time Monster Carnival was rumored to come out (before 24 Carrot).

However, as we know, the leaked monster parts were recycled onto a series of monster costumes.  Now that’s a good way to make your hard work not go to waste!

2. Doctor… who?

Doctor SmartyPants – seen on a poster in PoptropiCon – feels almost too similar to our kid-testing doctor in the beloved Poptropica parody island, Mocktropica. Everyone seems to be a parody of someone in that island, so it makes sense the doctor would be as well. Despite the two being of different genders, I do feel this is super awesome if I’m right. 😀

Now it’s time for one connection you wouldn’t believe. We all know the gods of Poptropica only appeared in-game during and after Mythology Island… but what if I told you one god was there from the beginning?

1. Apollo statues

On Time Tangled, an Apollo statue appears in Ancient Greece. Well, it doesn’t say Apollo, but if you click on it, it does. The pose also references an iconic real-life classical Greek sculpture known as Apollo Belvedere, with one obvious difference: the Poptropican version is clothed.

Three years apart from each other, with no consistent storyline by any means, the same character appears again as a statue – on Mythology Island.

Yeh, I know it isn’t as drastic as if Myron Van Buren had first appeared on Early Poptropica (which did not happen), and this Apollo connection is just a popular Greek mythological character who incidentally had a minor role in two islands, but it is super cool… and a connection I doubt you knew. 😛

Wowie Spencey, two Top Five posts in a week, how good do you feel?

Amazing.

Well, until next post comes around!

Wibi!

-Cobalt

Hey folks, Cobalt here!

Poptropicanos, I’ve hopped on my blimp and traveled to the PHC (that’s our Poptropica Help Chat hangout) and beyond for answers… to ask the Poptropica community if they could have any item in Poptropica that doesn’t currently exist, what would it be?

I got some awesome answers, answers that I mostly agreed with, and I decided to compile my favorites right here in a top five list! Here we go!

#5: Boomerang

How awesome would it be to have an item that could knock other things down for you, and immediately come back to your Poptropicano? Sure, you can do something like this with the Realms hammer, but what about one for the rest of Poptropica?

Awesome idea, Draco! 😀

#4: Teleporter

Now trust me, this idea is awesome. Sometimes, walking from place to place just takes way too long, and we’re forced to pass through ads along the way. Islands like Arabian Nights, I would teleport happily. Ad teleporters are cool too, and have been known to exist if you know where to look (though we don’t want them getting patched!).

Regardless, it’s a lovely idea, and at certain times on an island’s quest, I only have to agree. Thanks for the idea, TechWizard! 🙂

#3: Shoes

We’ve all seen the booted bandit, and we’ve all seen how spiffy footwear can look on a Poptropican. While big ones like that may look goofy, an optional shoe feature would be pretty sick. Great thought, SHSLDespair! 😉

#2: Skateboard

This is actually my thought, but a skateboard. It wouldn’t really get in the way of speed, it could be the same pace as walking for all I care, but we need a skateboard, man! You press spacebar and it goes back into your hand. Now, while skateboards do exist, (ex. the teen in Early Poptropica), they aren’t functional for you or anybody else. Change that. Change that right now. 😡

No, I’m just kidding. Though, any kind of travel would be cool in my opinion. 

Here is my absolute favorite that I got, from our own HPuterpop. I was planning on putting this in a top five wanted game features post though to be fair, he interpreted it as an item card, and considering I had the same exact thought, I just had to put it in.

#1: Eye Changing Emotion Card

You mean no more ASG-ing for a specific eye emotion? Or glitching over it in general? Being able to display your eyes’ emotion besides the default actions in common rooms? Only sounds reasonable and logical, I can’t see that happening. 😉

I definitely think all these picks are worth having in-game, what do you think? What’s an item you want in-game? Taco bout it below! 😛