Tag: poptropica

Community Creations

Community Creations: June 2021

Spotted Dragon
community-creations-logo

Hello once again everyone! Spotted Dragon here bringing you the June recap for Community Creations! June’s theme was LGBTQ+ (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

Ace by Midnightoilstudios

Kicking things off with a theatrical Ringmaster Raven is perfect for pride month! The asexual community is largely underrepresented, so I love seeing it in the spotlight here. The gradient on the cape is beautiful and provides lots of movement in the scene. That dynamic pose paired with the bright background shapes makes for a really fun design! Find her DeviantArt here.

Beach Date by GEAR

So cute and wholesome! What more could you ask for? Dr. Hare and Dr. Beev are fan favorites, and it’s always fun to see them in more casual outfits. That beach setting is absolutely stunning and I love the positive energy of the scene! Lovely design that features the less dramatic side of pride. Find their Instagram here.

Rumpelstiltskin by pinklightningmc

Recognize this piece from our LGBT info post? It’s a fantastic addition to pride month. The bisexual flag gradients in the background, hair, eyelids, and earring are stunning. And the colors pair so well with the genderfluid flag in the shirt, tail, and ring! Not only is this a colorful masterpiece, but it also shows great personality. Fans have really embraced Rumpelstiltskin as a new Pop villain, and I love the punk aesthetic he brings to the table. And it just makes sense that a shapeshifter would be genderfluid, right? Find their Instagram here.

Gonna be Ace at Being an AroAce by Cool Star

Okay, you guys know by now that I am a sucker for puns. And that title? They aced it. I love the colors in this drawing and the use of painterly brushstrokes. Those rainbow kicks are so cool! I definitely picked them up in-game too. The inclusion of the “ace” playing card symbol is also a great addition, both in the flag and the flag post. And the stars really allow the Poptropican’s personality to shine through! Cool Star is pretty cool, huh? Chat with them on the PHC.

Pride Month by BrittScarlet

Another wonderfully colorful submission! Did you really think we could get through pride month without a ton of color? I love the bold gradient of the hair and eyelid. The colors’ soft transition contrasts the sharp rainbow of the background quite nicely. And the white dress makes the colors pop that much more! Who doesn’t love a drag queen, anyway? The design just screams pride. Find her Instagram here.

Honorable Mentions

  • E.Vile & Dr. Cumulonimbus by BrittScarlet
  • Flying Together in the Sky by PegaKidTheArtist2012
  • Pride Month by Purple Paw
  • Non-Bi-nary Bard by Purple Paw
  • Ace Copy Cat by Purple Paw
  • Lesbian Moreau by Purple Paw
  • Pride Month 2021 by AdventurersNHunters

I’m so proud of all your submissions this month! Even though Pride Month has come to an end, I hope that you will all continue to spread positivity and kindness. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and to love themselves for who they are. ❤️💛💚💙💜

July: 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 July’s theme? July’s theme is…

FANCY!

As we enter the month of July, many of you may know that the Poppies will soon be upon us. The annual PHB event is a favorite within the Poptropica community. And you know what comes along with that event? Fancy outfits of course! I’m talking award-winning tuxes and gowns.

So, extending the celebration of the Poppies into Community Creations, let’s get even more fancy! Perhaps make a drawing of your favorite Poptropica royalty? Or give your favorite villains a fancy makeover via your painting skills? A scene of Black Widow amidst her fancy stolen paintings, or Captain Crawfish amidst lots of a fancy stolen treasure could do the trick too. Maybe write a fan-fiction of the Fairy Tale Island characters all attending a fancy ball? Or just submit your fanciest in-game outfit!

Whatever you come up with, I’m sure it will be great as long as it glitters, is made of the finest silk, or is in any way expensive looking. Just remember to keep those pinkies up when you’re drawing!

  • Comment below with a link to whatever you’ve created, email it to the PHB team on our Contact page, 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 some honorable mentions.
  • Limitations: Nothing NSFW, and make sure you relate to both the theme and Poptropica.
  • 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

PHB Specials

The ABCs of LGBT with the PHB 🏳️‍🌈

Spotted Dragon

Our header features artwork from Criaha.

Happy Pride Month, Poptropicans! 🏳️‍🌈

June is a month of celebration for the LGBTQ+ community, and the PHB is bringing that celebration to Poptropica. But we recognize that not everyone is familiar with what this is all about, so we wanted to make this post to explain the ABCs of LGBT in a kid-friendly way (with brief mentions of mature forms of attraction).

This post will be using the terms “LGBTQ+,” “LGBT,” and “queer” interchangeably, though it’s worth noting that “queer” has historically been used as an insult and only recently been reclaimed as a positive catch-all term. We’ll be going over some basic concepts and common LGBT identities — and tying them to the world of Poptropica!

Please remember that everyone is different, and identities are complicated, but we are all deserving of acceptance, love, and support. If you feel uneasy about the topic of LGBTQ+ identities, I encourage you to be open-minded and patient. Though you may not currently understand the perspective of a queer individual, they are important people nonetheless. And if you are LGBTQ+ and feeling misunderstood by people who don’t quite get it, I encourage you to demonstrate patience even when it is challenging, because the PHB aims to be an accepting place for all viewers. All that being said, let’s unpack this!

Continue reading “The ABCs of LGBT with the PHB 🏳️‍🌈” →
Clubhouse, Pets, Store

Brand new screen with character and a Costumizer controversy

Spotted Dragon

Hey there, Poptropicans! Yesterday, the Creators gave us a sneak peek of a new “Character Screen” coming to Poptropica, and it is officially here!

With this update, you can mix and match individual costume elements from any costume. Though this may seem similar to how costumes already worked, this new feature allows it all to happen in one place without having to find a new costume each time.

There are three tabs that you can browse: your costumes/items, your closet (members can save up to 30 outfits), and your pets.

Have a lot of items? You can also sort through those items by outfits, powers, pranks, followers, misc, prizes, and gifts if you don’t want to see them all at once. A similar sorting system for your pet includes pet, body, eyes, facial, and hat.

More than that, the Colorizer is now easily accessible on the same page! With it, you can change your hair and skin color without the extra hassle. And it even works on your pet!

The character screen can be found in your drop down in the top right, just above your map. And, as you can see, the items option has been removed.

Messing around with the new features so far, I will say it is nice to have everything in one location. People generally seem to view this update in a positive light, particularly regarding the return of the Colorizer, but it is not without flaws.

First off, the character screen has already been very glitchy for me. For example, most of my closet items beyond the first page are inaccessible, despite them showing up as available when first loading. The screen has also frozen for me numerous times already, and some of my items are totally blank. Was this update rushed like other projects have been in the past? Has anyone had similar issues?

It is also frustrating that some of my most recently purchased items appear at the very bottom/last screen of my inventory, making them difficult to find.

Another grievance I have is the lack of a “cancel” button when choosing accessories. Often times, I will accidentally click on an outfit part or dislike how it looks, but when I take it off I am also missing the accessory I was previously wearing. This wasn’t a big problem for me in the past.

That brings me to another big concern for fans: What about the Costumizer? Will we ever get it back? Unfortunately, chances are looking slim. In their announcement post, the Creators explain that they “were receiving many complaints about the feature,” so it will not be returning. Here’s why:

Older players had to spend the credits to purchase a costume or they may have had a discontinued outfit from the early days that is unavailable in the store. Meanwhile, a new player would be able to instantly copy and wear the same items from any older profile, sidestepping the other player’s efforts.

Alas, some fans are not content with this explanation…

It is true that this reasoning doesn’t feel fully justified. Even when the Costumizer was available in the past, some items were still not fully customizable (such as store costumes that cost other players credits). Was this failsafe not enough? Similarly, what if they just made NPCs customizable and not other players?

Either way, the Costumizer has always been a fan favorite despite whatever drawbacks the Creators may see regarding fairness, so I am sad to see it left behind.

Pop HQ also claims to have “a few special projects in the works,” so maybe we can look forward to other updates in the near future.

In other news, the Creators also announced two new costumes available in store. They include Loose Twirl (250 credits) and Soccer Champ (200 credits with membership, in yellow, green, and blue).

Oddly enough though, these aren’t the only two new outfits I see in the store. On my end, there’s also an Acidic Dinosaur, Volleyball Allstar (in teal, grey, and red), Overall Shorts, Striped Romper, Choose Love Shirt, and Hedgehog Head Rider: all for 0 credits! Is this a mistake on their end?

I also wonder if the “choose love” shirt a subtle nod to Pride Month. Though that’s what comes to mind when I hear that phrase, the shirt is not the colorful spectacle I would expect if that was their intention. Am I reading too much into that?

I also see some returning outfits, and a glitch where the Slice of Pizza Tee and King & Queen Hoodies appear much larger than the rest of the costumes. Moreover, the 5th screen appears completely empty for me aside from a Zomberry character peeking out on the right side.

Such glitches leave me unsatisfied with these rushed updates, but maybe that’s just me.

Lastly, we have a few new clubhouse items to share. For non-members: a hammock chair, instant camera, LED bonsai tree, and LED photo clip. Looks like the Overall Shorts outfit is in this picture too? For members: a Popcorn Maker, Indoor Tent, Egg Chair, Punching Bag, Figure Display, and Salt Lamp.

Not gonna lie, these items do look super cute. I’m totally jealous of the members-only figure display! Who wouldn’t want a little Rumpelstiltskin in their home?

And with that long post, our updates come to an end. How do you feel about this new feature? Do you miss the Costumizer as much as I do? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

~SD

Community Creations

Community Creations: May 2021

Spotted Dragon
community-creations-logo

Hello once again everyone! Spotted Dragon here bringing you the May recap for Community Creations! May’s theme was Robots (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

RoBard by AJ Box

This fresh take on our beloved boy Binary Bard is certainly a unique one. The robotic elements incorporated with the space elements make for a really interesting design! And yet the patterns in the torso and legs still clearly demonstrate this character’s identity. I especially appreciate the inclusion of the different planets around his head. Overall, this is an excellently executed and creative submission that fully embraces the robot theme! Find their Instagram here.

Vanquish E.Vile by Fierce Flyer

Of course, we can’t talk about robots in Poptropica without bringing up E.Vile from Legendary Swords, right? I love the smooth coloring and composition of this work, as well as the backlit lighting. It contrasts this dramatic setting with the cool, calm, and collected look on Fierce Flyer’s face! There is also a wonderful contrast between striking red of the robot against the cool blues of the sky and FF’s outfit. There’s even a blimp in the background! Find him here on the PHB and on the PHC Discord.

Friday Night Domination by AdventurersNHunters

Any Friday Night Funkin’ fans in the comment section? If so, you’re gonna love this submission. In this round, Holmes challenges Dr. Holmes Langley, but he’s not the only robot to be seen in this composition. From Sprocket, to Quippy, to Merlin, and other Game Show characters, this scene is full of metallic miscreants and silver sidekicks. Way to knock this theme out of the park! Find her DeviantArt here and her Instagram here.

Quippy by BrittScarlet

Quippy looks so cute here! Though this may be a relatively simple design, I can’t get over just how adorable our little robotic friend appears. Just look at that happy face! That, paired with the smooth coloring and nicely placed shine details, pulls it all together. Anyone else kinda wanna see more Quippy fan art now? Find her Instagram here.

Legendary Sword Fight by Invisible Ring

Right away, this video submission stands out. Not only is it a super creative format but you can also easily see how much effort went into its production. From handmade costumes and props to the prepared scripts and acting, you have to admire the work put in here! It was made during the Dimension Bros Poptropica Month event and certainly stands up today. What an epic Legendary Swords battle! Find her YouTube channel here.

Honorable Mentions

  • Mordred & Merlin by Sporty Boa
  • Robots Have Feelings by Dangerous Dragon
  • Dopey the Treasure Chest Man by Silver Horse
  • Smart Icicle’s Experience with FNAF by Smart Icicle
    (*jumpscare warning* see this video and this video for more)

Excellent submissions all around this month! It’s almost like you all were programmed for artistic genius. And as a proud member of the Nanobots tribe, I have to say that this theme was super fun.

June: 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 June’s theme? June’s theme is…

LGBTQ+!

June is Pride Month, which makes this the perfect time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ members of our community as well as themes in Poptropica! In past years, we’ve celebrated with Monochromatic and Pride art themes, and the PHB has even hosted Pride parties. This year, we’re also honoring the occasion with a Pride design on the PHB!

Pride is something that we constantly have to work towards and embrace, so why not celebrate it yet again? The PHB hopes that everyone can feel welcome in our community, even if that takes a bit of patience and understanding.

Though Poptropica hasn’t been known to include openly queer characters in their islands, fans do not shy away from their own headcanons, theories, and original characters. So whether you are in the LGBTQ+ community or simply an ally, anyone can still participate this month! Perhaps HfEvra’s guest post on minority representation in Poptropica could help inspire you. And on that note, I hope you guys can remain positive and be proud of what you create this month!

  • “Pride Month Doodles #1”
  • “Pride Month Doodles #2”
Art by ArtisticAsianBunny
  • Comment below with a link to whatever you’ve created, email it to the PHB team on our Contact page, 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 some honorable mentions.
  • Limitations: Nothing NSFW, and make sure you relate to both the theme and Poptropica.
  • 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: March 2021

Spotted Dragon
community-creations-logo

Hello once again everyone! Spotted Dragon here bringing you the March recap for Community Creations! March’s theme was Ancient Egypt (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

Grave Robbing by Midnightoilstudios

Kicking things off with Copy Cat, Moreau, Director D., Black Widow, Octavian, and the Booted Bandit! An unlikely group perhaps, but maybe just the team needed for this dangerous sort of job… or perhaps just the team to spell future betrayal. The setting in unmistakably Egyptian, perfect for our theme, and the lighting is wonderfully dramatic. I really appreciate the attention not only put towards the characters, but the environment as well. I feel like everyone could fall into a trap at any moment! I’d love to see where this story goes. Find the artist on DeviantArt.

The Lost Pyramid of Wawa-‘aww (Woo-oo!) : Duck Tails 2017 Tribute by Barefoot Knuckle

Ooooh! Or, should I say, woo-oo! Any DuckTales fans in the comment section? If you aren’t familiar with the show, its series finale recently aired, so this submission is the perfect tribute. Though Poptropicans may look a little bug-eyed at first from the perspective of the McDucks, I think both groups of adventurers would get along just fine. And just think of the adventures that would be had! This cartoon is no stranger to visiting Ancient Egypt, and I think that Annie Perkins from the Cryptid Island novel is a perfect match. Next to Annie is “Samir Badawi,” the main character of Barefoot Knuckle’s own Arabian Nights fan-novel. You can really tell how much thought and love was put into this idea! Excellent work. Find the artist in the comment section.

Pop Creators in Egypt by Smart Icicle

One thing I like about this submission is its representation of different Ancient Egyptian occupations. And it turns out that they correspond pretty well with three of our favorite Poptropica villains! Dr. Hare being a carrot farmer makes perfect sense, along with Captain Crawfish as a solider and Black Widow as our artistic scribe. Hmmm… I wonder what Binary Bard’s role would be? Anyway, this is a pretty neat submission! Find the artist on DeviantArt.

Egyptian Villains by AdventurersNHunters

In this submission, we have a classic display of Poptropica’s four biggest villains. But with an Egyptian twist, of course! I love that this design isn’t just about dressing these Poptropicans up in Egyptian clothes, but instead has a little more story to it. AdventurersNHunters says that “Dr. Hare, Binary Bard, Black Widow, and Captain Crawfish impersonate Egyptian royalty and grab the diamonds!” That simple description makes it all make sense, just like that. Quite the clever composition! Find the artist on DeviantArt.

Egypt by Dangerous Dragon

Alright, I think we all knew that we couldn’t get through our Ancient Egypt theme without showcasing the Pyramids, right? Out of mummies, tombs, pharaohs, and hieroglyphs, pyramids is definitely the next association on the list. Though this composition is fairly simple, it matches our theme well and utilizes a great color scheme. The yellow orange of the sandstone and the blazing red of the sun give off lots of visual heat, and it’s interesting to see those colors continue in the Poptropican in the foreground. I also like how the rough texture of the pyramid is balanced by the soft texture of the sky/background. Neat work! Find the artist in the comments section.

Honorable Mentions

  • Egypt by White Fox
  • Revenge of the Hare by Emu
  • Joe Puddy as Anubis by thehypercutter
  • angry vince by PegaKidTheArtist2012

Aaaaand, as a mummy would now say, that’s a wrap! You guys had fantastic submissions as always, so I’m excited to see what you’ll to next!

April: 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 April’s theme? April’s theme is…

Bugs!

Last month, we celebrated the upcoming Secret of the Jade Scarab Island with our Ancient Egypt theme. Why not continue the trend? Let’s take the “scarab” part of the Dream Island contest winner a bit literally, with the theme of bugs! Though creepy crawlies can be a bit, well, creepy, they don’t necessarily have to be! However you decide to incorporate them is up to you.

Obviously Poptropica’s Nightcrawlers Tribe has already taken our theme to heart, but they’re not the only ones getting the spotlight. Aside from the aforementioned Jade Scarab, there are actually plenty of bugs in Poptropica! Er, well, there are also plenty of bugs in Mocktropica too, now that I think about it! Dr. Hare’s nightmare about ants comes to mind, for one. And yes, we are counting things like spiders because we’re dealing with bugs, not necessarily insects! That makes Black Widow fair game. If only we got to encounter Moth Man on Cryptids Island, huh? Anyway, I’ll stop bugging you so you can get to creating!

  • Comment below with a link to whatever you’ve created, email it to the PHB team on our Contact page, 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 some 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