Haxe Javascript, Home Island, Store

Customization in the age of Haxe (or lack thereof)

Hey Poptropicans, you need look no further for the news—and this time, it’s all about the looks. Let’s pop in.

First, new store items are here! Poptropica actually missed last week, which is the first time that’s happened since they made the store rotations weekly.

The non-costume categories haven’t changed since the last rotation, so only the store’s costumes are pictured above. This week’s items are:

  • Costumes: Lumberjerk (male and female), Boho Chic*, Furry Monster 4 (two different versions)*, Magician (male and female)*, Friendly Face Masks, Mud Pie, Rockstar, Mech Pilot*, Clown, Pig#, Bottle Cap#, Ringmaster*, Cool Boy Plush#, Shark Plush*, Milk Box#
  • Followers: Deer, Dryad, Dolphin*, Mini Astroknight*
  • Powers: Hypno-Powder, (Cinnamon Fire) PopGum, Raven Swarm*, Fireworks*
  • Pranks: Hypno-Powder, Octo Prank, Silly Streams
  • Misc: (Cinnamon Fire) PopGum, Coconut Drink#, Cool Boy Plush#, Shark Plush*, Colorizer*

As is the norm these days, about half of the store stock is for members only. Still, both non-members and members have the chance to snag some great deals with several items at 75 credits (marked with #): the Pig, Bottle Cap, and Milk Box costumes, plus the Cool Boy Plush and Coconut Drink.

Interesting detail: the handheld plushie of the Shark Tooth Island character previously known as Shark Boy before his erasure is not called “Shark Guy” as he later came to be known, but now, the item is simply “Shark Plush” despite not being a shark but rather a dude in a shark suit. 🦈


If you’re playing in Haxe, you may also notice that a couple of NPCs have gotten makeovers! The person in front of the store is now a golden-haired girl, and the lady by the New You building has gotten a glow-up.

(You can see what they used to look like in our post about summer coming to Home Island on Haxe.)


That’s not all that’s new in looks. If you head over to the home page to create a new character with one of the default picks, you’ll be taken to a screen where you can further customize your character before diving into the game.

We’ve seen this orange customization screen before, back before “pick a character” became a thing. And new players can still access it by speaking to Amelia, the girl on the Home Island bridge. But it’s interesting to now have it show up right after picking a default character design, when it seemed the whole point of that was to skip the step of customization from the beginning.

However, when the “pick a character” update first rolled out, players had commented on how it took away from the fun of carefully crafting one’s character right from the get-go. For them, this reversion may be a welcome update. But having both a simplified selection screen and a customization screen seems odd—what about the new player who carefully selects a default character only to realize it could’ve been altered all along? Will this inclusion of both features be temporary?


Speaking of customization, there’s been a startling development: the beloved Costumizer tool—the green shirt button which allows you to “steal” clothing parts from other characters—has disappeared from most areas in Haxe. Will it return, or are the Creators sabotaging the fun in yet another way? We can only hope this is temporary, but it’s hard to tell…

That’s all for this post. Be sure to check out our previous posts to catch up on other Poptropica news, and see you at the Poppies this weekend! 🏆

~slantedfish 🐠

Contests

PHB’s 9th Annual Sp00py Costume Contest!

phb 9th hallo

Hello, sp00ptropicans! October is here, Halloween is just around the corner, and that means it’s time for the PHB’s Annual Sp00py Halloween Costume Contest!

This is our ninth year doing this, and this time around, we’re going to have two categories: Poptropica Original and Poptropica Worlds!

Traditionally, Poptropicans submit their best Poptropica Halloween costumes in the comments section by giving an Avatar Studio link and/or posting their username. Since the Avatar Studio only works for accounts on Pop Original, the procedure for submitting a Worlds costume will be different — details below.

Tips for a sp00py costume

As you put together your entry (or entries — feel free to submit as many times as you like!), keep in mind the following:

  • 🎃 Be original! Instead of just using all the parts of one costume that already exists, mix and match to create your own unique costume.
  • 🎃 There are some great Halloween costume parts at the ghoul gathering from the end of the Haunted House quest from the Store, as well as the collection of free costumes in the Store, but be creative and search in other places too! We have tools like the Avatar Studio Gift and iPop to help you find just the right parts you need.
  • 🎃 Keep your costume intact until after the winners are announced on October 31 (Halloween). If you change your costume before then, we may not see it! If you don’t want to keep the costume on your main account, you can create a new one and post the link to that instead. Or, send us a screenshot from the Avatar Studio in the same way as you see cropped on our ASG page. (Entries for Worlds will require a screenshot — don’t worry, it’s a simple process!)
  • 🎃 Optional: Give your costume a groovy name. It’ll help your costume stand out even more, and if it wins, we’ll refer to it by the name you’ve given it!

How to enter your costume

  • 🍭 To post your entry for Poptropica Original, go to the Avatar Studio, type in your username, click Load, click on the Link to highlight it, right-click and choose Copy. Then, go to the comments section on this post, right-click and choose Paste, type in your comment (you can include your username if you’d like to) and submit it, so we can view your costume by clicking the link!
  • 🍭 To post your entry for Poptropica Worlds, go to your closet and take a screenshot (see instructions here for screenshotting on any computer or mobile device). Then, upload your screenshot on an image hosting website such as imgur or TinyPic, copy the link to your image, and insert the link into your comment so we see it!

For both games, you can submit as many entries as you like, but if you do, make sure to use multiple accounts so that you don’t overwrite the last costume you put on. Remember, though, you can only win a maximum of one time for each game.

The contest closes on Monday, October 30. Winners will be announced October 31.

Winners & Prizes

  • 👻 On Halloween (October 31), we’ll make a post featuring the winning costumes on the front page of the PHB for all to see, *PLUS* each winner will receive a one-month Poptropica membership, courtesy of the Poptropica Creators!
  • 👻 The winning costumes will also be immortalized on the PHB’s Costumes page, where you can see examples of past Halloween winners.
  • 👻 We’ll have 12 winners total – 6 costumes from each game – as well as some honorary mentions for just the post, but not the page.

🍭👻🎃 Happy Costumizing! 🎃👻🍭

🦇 P.S. If you’re feeling especially artistic in this spooky season, be sure to participate in this month’s Community Creations, which also has a Halloween theme!

Community Creations

Community Creations: September 2017

community-creations-logo

Hello once again everyone! Spotted Dragon here bringing you the September recap for Community Creations! This month’s theme was school 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

Highschool Dr. Hare by Echoingback

Echoingback - Highschool Dr. Hare

This rendition of Dr. Hare as a highschooler is super cute. The sketchy but clean lines make our beloved rabbit look really soft and the expression on his face is positively up to no good! Overall, this is an adorable, simple bust drawing that’s easily pleasing to the eye. Love the hoodie! Find their DeviantArt here.

My Life at School by Dreamer2127 aka Cinnabunny

Dreamer2127 aka Cinnabunny - My Life at School

This cute little comic is something we can all relate to. If you can’t read it, the left panel has our expectations for school, in which the student does their work in class. On the right however is our reality, where the student gets caught playing Poptropica instead! The characters are cute and the humor is perfectly shown. It’s a bit hard to see, especially with sketchy lines, but the dialogue is the main focus and overall this is well executed! Sweet drawing! Find her DeviantArt here.

Even Chickens Need to Learn by ArtisticAsianBunny

ArtisticAsianBunny - Even Chickens Need to Learn

What have we here you ask? Shrunken Mr. Silva is teaching some basic English to Ringmaster Raven while CJ and Edgar watch of course! This drawing is pretty random, but it’s not without its humor. While the situation would never be canon, the simple drawing is still very well executed and I admit, it made me laugh. Education is important kiddos! The image is kinda small, but let’s not forget those sweet easter eggs on the bookshelf… Find her DeviantArt here.

Mr. Silva: Poptropica Worlds Style by SuperGrape1

SuperGrape1 - Mr. Silva Poptropica Worlds Style

This piece not only ties in school, but both original Poptropica and Poptropica Worlds as well! Who knew Poptropicans would look so cute with hands? You might love him or you might hate him, but we all easily recognize Mr. Silva. Body proportions aren’t the best, but the head is super accurate and the simple execution makes for a very clear subject. I love to see artists improving every day! Find her DeviantArt here.

Help Style by Criaha

Criaha - Help

This sketch may not have a lot of detail, but it sure is relatable. With a lot of Poptropicans in high school by now, it can feel like our school work is constantly looming over us. Honestly, it can feel that way in any grade, I know. Almost like the looming glare of infamous Poptropica villains, right? The emotion and simplicity in this sketch is hilarious. Find her DeviantArt here.


Okay, so I have to confess… Why? Welllllll, those are the only submissions we got this month. That means no honorable mentions, sadly. Still, those drawings totally deserve the spotlight! There weren’t that many, but they were still super cool.

School might not me the most exciting theme, but there’s always next month. Leave suggestions for better themes in the comments below! I know with school starting, it can be a lot harder for people to find time to make submissions.

October: 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-fic, realms, 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 October’s theme? October’s theme is…

HALLOWEEN!

I mean, were you really surprised? How could we not pick Halloween as the theme! It’s the spoopiest time of the year! I’m a total sucker for autumn aesthetics. Sadly, there is one catch this month: we will not be accepting any costumes! I know, I know, it’s the main part of the holiday! Don’t worry! We just don’t wanna take the spotlight off of the PHB’s annual Halloween Costume Contest. Check it out, because over on that post is where you really get the chance to show off your spooky style.

Sooo… got any ideas yet? Not allowing costumes does limit your creativity a bit, but it doesn’t totally cut off your options! You could create a cool pic in the Photo Booth of your Poptropican trick-or-treating, all dressed up, or you could draw one of your favorite scenes from the Haunted House mini-quest! You could create a scary Poptropica ghost story or even make an entire haunted house yourself in Realms! And remember to submit any costumes you make specifically into the Costume Contest.

2spoopy4me

  • Submitting: Comment below with a link to whatever you’ve created OR share it with me (SydVC aka Spotted Dragon) on DeviantArtTwitter, 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 always be sure to let you know I have seen your creation. Bonus points if you make a compelling description for your piece! 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: August 2017

community-creations-logo

Hello once again everyone! Spotted Dragon here bringing you the August recap for Community Creations! This month’s theme was fashion 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

She’s Chillin by Napstachill

napstachill - shes chillin

Black Widow is obviously a fan favorite and this modern outfit makes her look even more fabulous! The simple background and sketchy style highlight the importance in the clothes and lighting and not the tiny details. The red really pops, which makes this outfit perfect for everyone’s favorite spider! Naps captured leisure and relaxed movement/emotion very well. Find their DeviantArt here.

Count Bram Portrait by SmileyFaceOrg

SmileyFaceOrg - Count Bram Portrait With Hands

Now this is a drawing style you don’t see very often in the Poptropica community! The wild brushstrokes and impressive use of different colors give off a traditional painting feeling. The proportions and camera angle give Bram a grand, dramatic appearance. He looks totally dapper in that tux too! Find her DeviantArt here.

Ready for Adventure by TigerLily1505

TigerLily1505 - Ready for Adventure

This is super cute, right??? Fashion doesn’t always have to be elegant and expensive to be appealing. Clothes can be stylish and functional! And just like many of our Poptropicans, Friendly Whale here is looking great while being ready to explore new islands. The pastel color scheme is super soft and pleasant to look at. Plus, the extra details in the backpack, earrings, and pants really bring out the character’s personality! Find her DeviantArt here.

Nabooti by LilPoptrystalTemp

LilPoptrystalTemp - Nabooti

One of the best things about Potpropica is that it’s many islands seem to take us all over the world in our adventures! This specific outfit is based off Nabooti Island, which has our Poptropicans fly all over Africa. Not only is this outfit inspired by the quest, but it is also inspired by a play that the artist was in, based off the African fairy-tale “The New Year Drum.” This simple drawing shows a super cool outfit and proves how we can learn about so many different cultures in our travels! This piece was for TechnoBunny16‘s Island Challenge too. Find her DeviantArt here.

Doodle Dump: Fashion by Criaha

Criaha - Doodle Dump Fashion

Another super cute drawing! Even though these are just doodles, you can tell that lots of detail and thought was put into each design. The diverse cast of canon characters as well as original ones is shown in a wide range of cool, stylish, modern outfits. The emphasis is definitely on the clothes, but there is still a touch of shading to really make those clothes stand out. Each costume goes with a totally different personality and brings the characters to life! Is it wrong that I super duper want to wear what Daphne Dreadnaught is wearing??? Find her DeviantArt here.

Honorable Mentions

There were so many super cool outfits to look at this month! It’s always a tough choice to only pick a few features. From long, princess-like dresses, to baggy sweaters… who knew our community was so stylish?

September: 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-fic, realms, 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 September’s theme? September’s theme is…

School!

I know, I know… not something a ton of people love. But, a lot of people have recently been heading back to class, so it’s an appropriate theme! Write about your Poptropican’s experience at the science fair on Shrink Ray Island, draw your OC asleep at their desk, put together an outfit for Dr. Hare if he were in high school, you name it!

Lots of people in the Poptropica community are kids, so the troubles of school is something we can all easily relate to. As for me, I’m already struggling through my first semester… But anyway, there are lots of things that you could fit into this theme, so get creative!

poptropica in class

  • Submitting: Comment below with a link to whatever you’ve created OR share it with me (SydVC aka Spotted Dragon) on DeviantArtTwitter, 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 always be sure to let you know I have seen your creation. Bonus points if you make a compelling description for your piece! 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

Clubhouse, Home Island, Membership, Store

A Little Color In Your Summer: Pop Worlds Updates

Hey everyone! Spotted Dragon here with a Poptropica Worlds summer update! And this one comes with a lot of big additions to the game that we’ve been waiting for.

popworlds summer update 1

I’ll start off with what everyone will be happy to hear about: the colorizer is here! This is a feature that many of us have missed and it’s one that was even listed in our first Pop Petitions post!

With it, you can color your hair and skin any way you see fit! Just like in Original Poptropica. Once you change colors, you won’t be able to go back to the exact tone you had when you first logged in, unless it’s included in the basic palette we’re provided, but either way this is a big step forward for our customizing possibilities.

popworlds summer update 4

The colorizer is located in the closet, but there is one big drawback: only members can pick any color they want. The rest of us can only pick colors from a small color palette. While the addition of the colorizer is great and everything, this puts a damper on the feature for most players.

Talking about changing colors, this isn’t the only update bringing color into our summer (or… not depending on where you live). We also get two new color changing outfits! There is a male and female version, but every player is able to buy both, no matter your gender! That’s great if I do say so myself.

popworlds summer update 5

Sadly, many accessories in these outfits are for members only. But they do look pretty cool! A Poptropican in the a full color changing outfit also shows up on Home Island, right outside your door, to tell you about the new things in the store. In addition to these color changing costumes, there are also new summer themed outfits in store! We’ve seen promises for these outfits before, but they haven’t shown up until now.

popworlds summer update 6

Crop tops and rompers, huh? These 8 brand new costumes have a very modern look to them. Anyway, all outfits are available to players of any gender too, which I’m glad to see is becoming a norm for Poptropica. Sadly, many of these outfits are completely members only.

I am a bit disappointed about all the membership restrictions, but I do like some of the new accessories. If only we could customize lips/mouths at this point too, right?

Lastly, we have one more summer update to share… a House Expansion! We’ve all seen the locked doors in our house and it’s finally time to unlock one of them. What lies behind the door you ask? A beach themed room, fit for summer! My apologies to those living where it’s not summer at the moment.

popworlds summer update 2

Personally, I was expecting these expansions to just be like the main room we already have. I was not expecting an entire theme! Anyway, to get into this room you have to first find the key. No, it’s not hidden somewhere where you’ll have to go on a quest to find it (which is a bit disappointing to be honest). The key is simply located in the Decor Shop, under the (you guessed it) key tab.

After unlocking the room, you also gain access to new beach themed decor! 19 new items should be available to purchase, marked in the store with a blue banner and key symbol. From pineapple wallpaper to windows with a palm tree view, there’s lots of new items to choose from.

popworlds summer update 3

Sadly, expansions are for members only. I saw this coming, but it (like the other membership restrictions) is super disappointing. I understand that Poptropica needs membership to earn money (and that membership needs to be worth buying), but I feel like regular players (like myself) are gonna be missing out on a lot.

With these summer updates, many players have been complaining about missing house decor and house resets. Even before this update, missing items have been a problem. But fear not!

According to Poptropica’s Twitter, this issue shouldn’t be a problem any more.

So how do you guys feel about these updates? Let us know in the comments below.

~SD