Category: Web Development

Whether it’s the PHB or Poptropica.com, these websites get updated from time to time, and these posts are here to document those developments.

Guest Posts, Pop Protips, Web Development

Announcing Poptropica Legacy ๐Ÿ๏ธ๐Ÿ’™ (Download for Windows, Mac, Linux)

Slanted Fish

This guest post from HPuterpop/Andrew Wiles offers an alternative way to experience Poptropica. Introducing: Poptropica Legacy!

Hey fellow Poptropicans! In response to the slow fade of Poptropica, Iโ€™m super excited to announce the next step in Poptropicaโ€™s history: Poptropica Legacy, a fan-made desktop version of our favorite game.

โš ๏ธ Note: Poptropica Legacy is in active beta development, and there are still many bugs. If you find any, you can report them in-game via the menu. ๐Ÿชฒ Not all islands are finishable yet, with progress noted on the website.

Like the Flashpoint curation of Poptropica, Legacy is a download where you can enjoy the old islands of the game, including both AS2 (earlier) and AS3 (later) islands, plus the sandbox game Realms โ€” but with some major changes and improvements. This includes:

  • ๐ŸŽต Sound & music for AS2 โ€” The earliest Poptropica islands (AS2, pre-2013) were not made with sound, but Legacy has retroactively implemented sound (including some previously unused music from Poptropica’s files) for an enhanced experience. Have a listen:
Yes, that’s Amelia in Early Poptropica! Just an example of a unique twist found in Legacy.

  • ๐Ÿ–ผ๏ธ Visual improvements โ€” AS2 originally had a smaller screen size (viewport) and was built for 31 FPS (frames per second), but Legacy has expanded the viewport for a cinematic experience that allows you to see much more in a frame at a time, and has bumped it up to 60 FPS to match the AS3 version. Plus, the resolution from the original game has been upscaled to full HD (high definition) for crisp visuals that match modern gaming standards.
  • โžก๏ธ Account import โ€” You can login to (import) your original Poptropica account directly into Legacy using your original username and password! Your island progress, inventory, and costume are preserved. Flashpoint curation save files are also compatible.
  • ๐ŸŒ€ Ad Preservation โ€” Thanks to Pop veteran Evtema3 (aka 64mcy, the original creator of the Poptropica Ad Transporter), Legacy houses over 140 ad campaigns from Poptropica’s almost two decades of history. Sadly, many are incomplete, but you can still play through many of them, and get the original rewards.
  • ๐Ÿ›๏ธ Original Store โ€” Access all the original costumes and item cards from the OG Poptropica Store for free, without membership limits.

…and there are plenty of exciting extras, including a fully preserved Creatorsโ€™ Blog archive, functioning Avatar Studio, Daily Pop (with games, comics, sneak peeks, and celebrity clips), an interactive explorer of Dr. Hareโ€™s Travels, and a costumizable Look Book. โœจ

More extra content is planned for the future, including archives of the Island Tours, Mews Foundation website, and Funbrain (Mom & Kids Playground & the Funbrain Arcade). Staying tuned is easy โ€” Legacy will auto-update to the latest version on startup (you can opt out in settings, but it means missing future updates!).

Ready to play? ๐Ÿฅณ Download the game now at PoptropicaLegacy.com โ€” available for Windows, Mac, and Linux computers! (For Mac users: If blocked, go to System Settings > Privacy & Security, and click Open Anyway.)

You can also join the Poptropica Legacy Discord server (for ages 13+) to receive the latest news and be part of the discussion. ๐Ÿ’™

P.S. Pop Legends is still in development, but itโ€™s on hold for now so we can get Legacy up and running. Excited to share more with you all soon!

Hope you enjoyed thisย guest postย by HPuterpop/Andrew Wiles. If you did, you might also enjoy the Poptropica curation on Flashpoint, an alternative Poptropica preservation with features closer to the original game.

The Poptropica Help Blog welcomes interesting Poptropica insights from anyone in the Poptropica community with thoughts to share. Interested in writing for the PHB? Weโ€™d love to hear from you!

Uncategorized, Web Development

Blimp Journey: Passing the baton for a Poptropica-inspired game ๐Ÿ‘จ๐Ÿพโ€๐Ÿ’ป๐Ÿซ†

Slanted Fish

Hey Poptropicans! Several months ago, an aspiring game developer began working on a Poptropica-inspired game that came to be known as Blimp Journey. Though progress was promising, sadly the project has since been halted. Now you’re invited to continue this work!

Allen Dawodu, also known as Looks to the Moon or mysystemlagz on Discord, along with a small team, has so far released a tutorial and two simple islands which can still be played on BlimpJourney.com for now. Check out screenshots below from the adventure Scorched Complex, which includes Poptropica-like elements such as point-and-click movement, collecting items, and puzzles:

The tutorial, as well as another quest called Dragon’s Claw Volcano, are accessible by going to the map via the hamburger menu in the corner. The latter features more colored artwork and puzzles:

Credit also goes to era for story development, Antonio Raymond for music, Snoopypilots for artwork, and the (now gone) Blimp Journey Discord community for playtesting and offering feedback.

Though Allen has stopped working on Blimp Journey due to limited time and resources, he’s inviting anyone with game development skills and passion to continue his work (built with the Godot engine) using the source code and assets for the project, now publicly available on GitHub. This repository, he says, has everything you’ll need to create character designs and islands relatively quickly. And if you do end up creating something with it, we at the PHB would love to hear about it!

While we’re sad to see the end of Blimp Journey, it’s definitely left an impact for Poptropica fan game development, as there are currently a couple other games in the works that have been encouraged by this project. ๐Ÿ’ฅ Poptropica Legends, led by HPuterpop, is aiming for a demo release in June, while NewTropica, led by FoundOasis, aims to recreate a Poptropica launcher like Flashpoint. We’re keeping our eyes peeled for updates, so stay tuned with us! ๐Ÿ‘€

~๐Ÿ 

Blast from the Past, PHB Specials, Web Development

A Lifetime of Headers, Part III ๐Ÿคฉ

LJ

Happy New Year, Poptropicanos! ๐Ÿฅณ We’ve made it a quarter of a century into the new millennium! Woah. ๐Ÿคฏ

2๏ธโƒฃ0๏ธโƒฃ2๏ธโƒฃ5๏ธโƒฃ

Speaking of being shook, can you believe the Poptropica Help Blog has been around for an incredible 16 years, and is now on its way to the 17-year mark this summer? Itโ€™s without a doubt that the PHB has made a significant impact on readers from all around the world during its time in the blogosphere, and I personally think that calls for some sort of recognition. ๐Ÿซถ

It’s been nearly 8 years since Fishy commemorated the many styles of headers past, and double that time since veteran former author, Codien, did it first. With that in mind, I thought a fun way to celebrate yet another 8 years of awesomeness would be to take a stroll down memory lane once again and revisit some of the old headers (2017-present day) that have graced the top of our homepage.

Most of these designs were crafted by our founder, Slanted Fish, but a few were created by other PHB staffers as well. During special occasions like Halloween, April Fools, and The Poppies, we sometimes find it extra fun to whip up some themed banners for merry measure. We even held a contest once! Without further ado, I hope you enjoy this trip back to 2017 (where we last left off) in…

โœจA Lifetime of Headers, Part 3โœจ

(Hover over each image for more details & click to see them in full-size glory!)

November 2024, by me LJ
October 2024 (Halloween), by Smart Icicle
July 2024 (PHB Poppies 2024), by Gentle Dolphin
April 1, 2024 (Mount Olympus/Zeus’s reign of terror prank)
August 2023-2024, by Slanted Fish
July 2023 (PHB Poppies 2023), by Purple Paw
August 2022, by Slanted Fish
July 2022 (PHB Poppies 2022), by Smart Bubbles
April 1, 2022 (Poptropica Hate Blog prank), by Purple Paw
July 2021 (PHB Poppies 2021), by Purple Paw
June 2021, by Slanted Fish
April 1, 2021 (Poptropica Dating Sim Fan Blog prank), by Smart Bubbles aka MarayannTheConqueror
February 2021, by Slanted Fish
September 2020, by Slanted Fish
August 2020 (PHB Tribal Tournament 2020), by Gentle Dolphin
October 2019 (Halloween), by Slanted Fish
July 2019, by Slanted Fish
October 2018, by Slanted Fish
September 2018 (PHB Header Contest winner), by Gentle Dolphin
July 2018, by Slanted Fish
July 2018 (PHB Poppies 2018), by Slanted Fish
January 2018, by Slanted Fish
October 2017 (Halloween), by Slanted Fish
August 2017, by Slanted Fish

As you might notice, our method for designing headers over the last eight years has largely involved using illustrations instead of piecing together assets from in the game.

What began as an innovative approach in 2016 has now evolved into the norm, and I feel that the blog is even more unique and captivating as a result. It really demonstrates the remarkable talent of our community, don’t you think? ๐Ÿ˜

Which ones do you remember from back in the day and which ones are your favorite? I really like the one Gentle Dolphin created for the header contest held in 2018. The Poppies headers are always a hit for me as well. Share your opinions and memories down in the comment section below!

(Donโ€™t forget to check out parts 1 & 2 for even more nostalgia!)

Thank you so much for reading as always and I hope you continue to hang around for more moons to come. Pop on y’all! ๐Ÿพ

Advertisements, Creators, StoryArc Media, Uncategorized

Poptropica the Company shuts down, staying alive on Cool Math Games

Slanted Fish
ROI: We’re all about sound investments here.

BREAKING NEWS: Poptropica, the company, is out of business.

Last month, we reported on the apparent End of Poptropica, as reported by one Poptropica ex-employee on LinkedIn, and backed up by several “looking for work” updates from other former employees on the job-focused platform. Though there still has yet to be an official announcement from Poptropica itself, the news was recently confirmed on X/Twitter by another ex-Pop Creator, Jonathan Pitcher.

We reached out to Jon, former Art Director at Poptropica and its spin-off Roblox studio Suit Up Games (which has also closed), whom we’ve had the pleasure of interviewing before. Graciously, Jon was happy to share more information surrounding the company closure. Below is our Q&A:

PHB: Has Poptropica officially closed, and will there be an official announcement? What does this mean for the future of Poptropica?

Jon: The company that made Poptropica and Suit Up Games is now closed down โ€” Sandbox is the parent company for Poptropica & Suit Up Games. They also are for Cool Math Games and that will continue.

Poptropica will continue to live on at Cool Math Games.

Landfall: We’re establishing a beachhead.

PHB: Why and how has this happened?

Jon: The decline in Poptropicaโ€™s traffic made the company not able to secure clients for advertising to bring in enough revenue. Without regular paying clients for advertising the company could not continue.

Old Growth: It’s a jungle out there.

PHB: Is anyone is still working on Poptropica, and if so who?

Jon: The employees at Cool Math Games have the power to keep Poptropica going. I donโ€™t know what their plans are for new content at this stage.

PHB: How is the rest of Sandbox doing? Can they support Poptropica’s futureย development? Anyone else from Sandbox who can share?

Jon: The plan is for Poptropica to keep going on Cool Math Games. The employees at Cool Math Games have the latest perspective on Poptropica but letโ€™s give them time to decide how they would like to proceed.

Aces High: We’re baron our souls on this one.

PHB: Anything else you can shareย with Poptropica fans about this situation?

Jon: As I look for a new job as an art manager and animator Iโ€™ll continue my support with Poptropica and the Poptropica Help Blog. Thanks for keeping the torch lit.

We’re super grateful to Jon for shining some light on this situation, especially while Poptropica itself continues to leave us in the dark! Speaking of whom, Jon Pitcher is currently available for hire as a director or animator, and we think he’d be an amazing asset to any company or project. ๐Ÿ™Œ Check out his animation demo reel below which showcases many of the Poptropica ad mini-games he’s worked on:

We’ve also featured some of Jon’s work here on the PHB, which are now featured on his LinkedIn page! Enjoy a look at the design process of a monster worm, Q&A about the future of Poptropica, and his Poptropica Portfolio of artwork. Thanks for the spotlights, Jon!

Last month, we also took a dive into Poptropica’s financial statements, where we found losses noted and Sandbox lumping in Pop’s finances with their other subsidiaries. Now on their page in the Companies House of the UK government, where Poptropica Limited is registered, it shows that their accounts are overdue as of 30 September 2024 โ€” another sign that the company is not operating normally.

Meanwhile, a new filing from Sandbox International Holdings Limited dated 28 September makes note of a “slowing global spend on digital advertising” affecting their businesses, reflecting Jon’s comment that a lack of advertising clients for Poptropica affected its ability to continue.

But hey, the legacy of Poptropica lives on! Popular rising girl group KATSEYE, in response to a fan’s question on X, recently mentioned Poptropica among a list of video games they played. ๐Ÿ”ฅ

Despite the closure of Poptropica the company, the game still lives on officially through Cool Math Games, though whether it will ever receive updates remains to be seen. More of the game, including its older content, can also be unofficially accessed via Flashpoint. And we the PHB aren’t going anywhere โ€” we’ll continue to be here as a gathering space for the Poptropica fandom. See you around! ๐Ÿ‘‹

Top of the Heap: One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

P.S. Poptropica just had its 17th birthday this past September! See how we celebrated with our community art collab here. ๐ŸŽ‰

Web Development

An Alternative, Chinese Poptropica: BoKe Travelogใ€Šๅœๅ…‹็Žฏๆธธ่ฎฐใ€‹ ๐Ÿ•น๏ธ๐Ÿ๏ธ

Slanted Fish

Hold onto your blimps, Poptropicansโ€”we’re about to take a deep dive into an alternative universe. You’re looking at a Chinese Poptropica!

Shout-out to Pink (popping-tropics on Tumblr) for the discovery.

ใ€Šๅœๅ…‹็Žฏๆธธ่ฎฐใ€‹โ€” which translates to BoKe Travelog โ€” was a PC browser game made by TaoMee Inc, a Chinese company creating children’s entertainment. The game ran from 2011โ€“2013, though it was only recently discovered by Poptropica fans now, over a decade later!

Though this Poptropica-inspired game is no longer playable, it was once hosted online at boke.61.com. We used the Internet Archive to explore what the site used to look like and grabbed some screenshots:

Prizes for joining game beta
Islands
Login
Homepage with news and forum links

Unlike Poptropica, BoKe Travelog came with a background story, as found in this Chinese wiki. The lore goes that due to climate change, human life gradually moved from land to sea. As water levels rose, cities were submerged, and mountains turned into islands.

People known as BoKe lived happily on the islands, each with their own unique styles. One day, a mysterious black fog appeared on the southeast side of the ocean. As it continued to thicken, the islands faced various troubles, with people disappearing and economies collapsing.

The attacks came from the evil and highly intelligent Dr. Hedra, whose face no one had ever seen, and who wanted to rule over the world. But the brave BoKe people chose to unite to solve the crises of each island.

Welcome screen
Balloon travel, like Poptropica’s blimp

Inside BoKe Travelog are many visual similarities to Poptropica, as documented by Simon Cai ่”กๆ€ๆ•, who played both games in 2011. While BoKe Travelog puts its own spin on designs, many of the mechanisms such as the map layout and island adventures are clearly inspired.

Island map on Chinese Poptropica
Island map on OG Poptropica
Cave on Octopus Island
Cave on Shark Tooth Island

BoKe Travelog had eight islands that closely followed many of Poptropica’s classic adventures, as outlined and documented in videos which you can watch by clicking on the BoKe island names below.

Confronting the villain on Potato Island, who resembles Dr. Eggman Robotnik from Sonic, as noted by Pop fan Sleepy Biker
Confronting Dr. Hare on 24 Carrot Island
Ned Noodlehead (left) in BoKe Travelog
Ned Noodlehead (right) in Poptropica
Party room at the end of BoKe Travelog’s Haunted House (peep the Chinese fai chun)
Party room in Poptropica’s Haunted House

Also like Poptropica, BoKe Travelog released a book series with more stories unrelated to the in-game islands. They were called Mystery Island Adventures (่ฐœๅฒ›ๅคงๅ†’้™ฉ) and some details are on Amazon.

What an interesting glimpse into an alternative version of the game we know! Though this green Chinese Poptropica is now lost media, its existence is a testament to the inspiring power of Poptropica. ๐ŸŒด

Did you know that there’s another alternative Poptropica? Check out our exploration of Our Discovery Island (Orange Poptropica)! ๐Ÿฅ•

What do you think of BoKe Travelog ใ€Šๅœๅ…‹็Žฏๆธธ่ฎฐใ€‹? Would you play it if you could? Share with us in the comments! ๐Ÿ‘€

~๐Ÿ