Back Lot Island

Logo-motive: Back Lot Island

Slanted Fish

We’ve probably all seen the iconic clapboard for Back Lot Island (and if not, it’s in the current header and sidebar, which also lists our Back Lot Island Guide if you need it). Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process of making the island logo from the artists at Poptropica:

Pretty cool! The finished product is a mix of the first few, but personally I like the film reel design – maybe #6, but perhaps with an outline on the circles like #7, though the font on #5 is also interesting. Which ones do you guys like (or dislike)? 🙂

In other news: the LEGO CUUSOO project is getting close to 6,000 supporters (for which we’re promised a new Dr. Hare wallpaper), and the Island Creator Kit is coming on August 1, as the PHB previously reported. May the 4th be with you! ;D

Monster Carnival Island

The Mystery Revisited

Brave Tomato

Not everybody knows it by name, but a lot of long-time players know it very well. It’s a something.

It’s a forgotten something. It’s a wonderful something. It’s a curious something. It’s a spooky something. It’s a festive something. It’s a mysterious something. It’s a whimsical something. It’s an amusing something. It’s a monsterous something.

It’s the carnival. Of monsters. Monster Carnival. Yup. A ringmaster to lead them all in a circus. It would’ve been dazzling! It would’ve been wonderous! It would’ve been all this…

… if it wasn’t taken off the map. (Okay, I’ll stop talking like a ringleader now.)

Monster Carnival had always been one of the greatest mysteries in Poptropica. It was an island that was put on the map back when Time Tangled (back then called Time Twisted) Island had a coming soon sign. I heard old tales of this mysterious island, although I never was a witness to the events. One day, Monster Carnival mysteriously vanished from the map, replaced by 24 Carrot Island. If you want to read more about this mystery, check out the PHB’s Mystery of Monster Carnival page!

However, Captain Crawfish made a curious post today about some old notes he found in his notebook:

One from the archives 

Digging through my desk today, I found an old notebook. Inside I saw some long-forgotten ideas for a Poptropica Island.

This is probably from late 2007 or 2008, right after Poptropica got started. As we developed it a little more, the “Haunted Amusement Park” took on a slightly different form (and name), but it didn’t end up becoming a real Island.

You never know, I guess.

avatar image
CAPTAIN CRAWFISH

The Creators seem to be recognizing that us Poptropica fans are curious about this never-released island, and now we know that the original title of this island, before Monster Carnival, was Haunted Amusement Park.

Also, there’s some interesting notes on here- the column on the left talks about some of the things that would’ve been in the island (both circus and amusement park related), and the right side seems to talk about other things, information.

“Ringmaster has cursed/enslaved zombie carnival workers.”

Is that a good or bad thing? To me, that doesn’t sound very good. 😐

“Scare him into a cage? Make him eat cotton candy?”

“Horror-themed park infiltrated by real zombies.”

Wait… so Monster Carnival might have not started out as real monster-infiltrated? 😐

“The ringmaster has lost prized possession and is withdrawn, moody. Prized possession is bullhorn.”

Wow. This is some pretty good information that the Creators slipped to us. And Captain Crawfish’s last words sound a little strange to me:

You never know, I guess.

That sounds… like… could it be? Could the Creators be taking a closer look at this? Could they have realized our true curiosity of Monster Carnival? Could, if even possible, it be that they might be planning to go back to it?

We’ll never know- until we know for sure.

BT out!

Daily Pop Sneak Peeks, Virus Hunter Island

A Contagious Prediction

AW

Hey, everyone; it’s me again! I’m sure when you’re flipping through the sneak peeks on the Daily Pop, all you’re seeing is stomachs, livers, and all sorts of stuff inside the body. But occasionally you see something like this:

popvh

This is the kind of stuff that tells you all about an island. So now stay tuned while I make a short list of…

Angry Wing’s Bold Predictions!

  • There is a man named Joe Stockman
  • Joe lives on Virus Hunter Island (the cards say so)
  • He won a trip abroad (travel rating card) and (You Won! envelope)
  • On his trip abroad, he acquired a foreign disease
  • It is our job to cure that disease
  • The common room could be Bob’s Place Barbeque (coupon)
  • Lastly, maybe the disease isn’t a real disease… what if it’s… nanobots?

popvh3

popvh2

popvh4

And we do know what Joe Stockman’s house looks like:

popvh5

Notice the caption, “A Spartan existence for an average Joe.” Clever wordplay, Creators… Clever Wordplay.

Then there are the character drawings by Nasan Hardcastle.

Now that we know there’s a Video Store Clerk, we can connect that to this Sneak Peek.

popvh6

By the way, Green Square is a reference to Redbox, and “Bust the Block” is a reference to Blockbuster.

Soooo…

Let the dramatic music play!

(We’ll check my predictions after the island is released.)

Goodbye everyone! *takes a bow*

Back Lot Island

The Many-Splendored Back Lot: now open to all

Slanted Fish

It’s time to make some movie magic, ’cause Back Lot Island is now available for everyone to play! As promised on the PHB header, we’ve got your back with the Back Lot Island Guide and other resources.

Back Lot Island

EDIT: The first ten public finishers list is now out! Congrats to these top ten! (Also, there’s a typo on #7 – it’s Pathfinders, not Pathfinder. And no Flying Squids this time, sadly… D: )

Whether you’ve already seen world premiere of The Many-Splendored Zephyr or if you’re just getting started but have already picked out a name for your sweet ride (ie. the cart you get to drive around), you may find our Back Lot Island trivia interesting. Obiwan2324 told us about this fun fact:

At Soundstage 2, outside of the recording studio, there’s a stage prop of a moon with a rocket in its eye. This is a reference to French director Georges Méliès’s movie “A Trip to the Moon” which is one of the earliest movies ever created.

One more thing: you get to go inside Kirk Strayer’s trailer! Don’t miss it. Anyway, that’s the big news for today – now go enjoy some film fun out in the back lot.

Back Lot Island, Store

Back Lot Island for everyone this Thursday? Me likey!

Slanted Fish

Hey everyone! Just a friendly reminder that Back Lot Island is coming out for the public this Thursday, April 25th at 2pm EST, so non-members don’t have long to wait!

You may want to keep our Back Lot Island Guide handy, whether you’re going for one of the non-member top-ten spots or just need a bit of help. There’s even pictures!

Our Back Lot Island discussion page is the place to go for Back Lot trivia, album photos like the one on the right, and links to island goodies such as the Map!

Finally, if you’re a member, don’t forget to collect your members-only goods for this island in the Store. There’s the Silent Treatment power and the Clapboard item, but the Director Costume will be gone by Thursday after early access is over.