poptropica – Page 16 – 🏝 Poptropica Help Blog 🗺

Community Creations: December 2020

January 1, 2021 Spotted Dragon

Hello once again everyone! Spotted Dragon here bringing you the December recap for Community Creations! December’s theme was Fire & Ice (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

Fighting Ice With Fire by PegaKidTheArtist2012

Kicking things off with quite the nICE submission, eh? I love the chilling cool colors and the action pose that we see here. Plus, that touch of glowing fire is super cool. Er… should I say hot? The blizzard sure looks tough, but my money is still on Muddy Kid’s fire punch! Find her DeviantArt here.

Fire & Ice Photos by GEAR

I love the two themes here! Though the elements of fire and ice are opposing, a sense of love and gentle warmth are still found in both. The photograph composition is a sweet choice as well, along with the subtle textures in the snow, firepit, trees, etc. AND those characters look super fun. Find their Instagram here.

The Meltdown Cave by Purple Paw

Oooh, now here we have a hot one! The striking warm colors are cold and captivating, right off the bat. Even the slight curve of the chains provide a nice sense of energy and movement! The bright green of the beast perfectly complements the red as well! Find the artist on Discord and right here on the PHB.

Winter Camping by AdventurersNHunters

Let’s jump back to the icey side of submissions, shall we? This camping scene definitely gives me Survival Island vibes, but hopefully CJ is having a better time in the outdoors than we were on that particular adventure. Again, the use of cool colors here is fantastic, and even goes well with CJ’s character design. Plus, the touch of warmth in the fire adds great contrast! Find her DeviantArt here.

Molten Medicine Man by Sporty Boa

Lastly, we have one final piece that leans into the “fire” portion of our theme. The monochromatic color scheme is super duper cool, but, er- still super hot too! The bright red really pops against the grey, and the flat plains work well in this style. Don’t you think that the Medicine Man is just the perfect character to feature here? Find the artist on Discord and right here on the PHB.

Honorable Mentions

Wow, what COOL submissions this month! Seriously, you guys were on FIRE! Keep it up for months to come!!!

January: 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 January’s theme? January’s theme is…

Doctors!

Not only have doctors played a vital role in real life over the past year, but doctors in the world of Poptropica are also certainly noteworthy. Heck, we had an entire party celebrating one “medical professional” in particular… So, let’s kick off the new year with this important theme!

Whether you take inspiration from Dr. Hare, Dr. Lange, or even Dr. Beev… all your doctor related creations are welcome this month! Who’s your favorite PhD Poptropican?

Comment below with a link to whatever you’ve created 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

Guest Posts

Branding do’s and don’ts, explained through Poptropica icons 🤔👩‍🎤

December 22, 2020December 17, 2020 Slanted Fish

Hey Poptropicans, this is a guest post by Mud Bub, who’ll be diving into some do’s and don’ts of personal branding from a Poptropica perspective. Enjoy!

Whether through local shops or worldwide figureheads, Poptropica is riddled with examples of personal and brand designs.

Brand design can be used in many ways. Businesses use them in order to stand out against competitors and to attract consumers—that’s corporate branding. Even other entities can use corporate branding to stand out, like schools and sports teams. And people can use personal branding if they want to stand out as an influencer or on a resumé.

But how do Poptropica icons use branding, and what can we learn from them? Let’s take a look…

Don’t: Set a bad example

Who could forget Sir Rebral’s clever moniker or Gretchen Grimlock’s pink spunk? Memorable names and imagery are key to gathering an audience. However, while lovable villains may get publicity, they can’t reap the benefits behind bars. Be humble, instead. Like Ned Noodlehead.

Do: Appeal to the masses

Talk about knowing your audience! These logos for the Tribes of Poptropica are all alluring in their own ways that is bound to attract players. Not only can players excitedly pick their own teams, but the designs certainly bring about a sense of identity with community.

Don’t: Be a cliché

We love Black Widow, especially that hair! But, really? She couldn’t have thought of a more unique gimmick? Been there, done that.

Do: Be consistent, memorable and applicable

These icons representing Poseidon (trident), Zeus (lightning bolt), and Hades (skull) from Mythology Island are so well applied! They’re found on the mirror, island logo, and even on the medallion and merchandise. On the other hand, while they aren’t the most original, they are still easily recognizable to all Poptropicans and make the trio of gods truly memorable.

Don’t: Be afraid to expand your horizons

Because of Elf Archer’s persona and multi-media presence, she is beloved by many Poptropican geeks and is recognized as one of the biggest faces of PoptropiCon Island. She prevails not just on paper, but on cardboard, plaques, and theaters.

Do: Pop EVERYWHERE

Not to preach to the choir here, but Poptropica does this best. The very vessel of transportation for the player — the yellow Poptropica blimp — is a giant free ad of Poptropica in and of itself. We don’t just recognize Poptropica from its logo, but from its other iconography as well, from unique character designs to the tropical blue patterns and yes, the yellow blimp. These designs have truly stood the test of time.

Don’t: Communicate a bad message

Sheesh, who would write something like that? Anyway, healthy competition is fine and all, but it is never appropriate to put others down or get a big ego in the process.

Do: Advocate for yourself

CJ on Shrink Ray Island is known for more than just being a science genius. She thought quickly on her feet and helped you return to normal size, fighting against evil! CJ’s noble character makes her the literal face of the island, on par with Big Nate and Greg Heffley on their respective islands. While CJ is not an overt example of branding like the other two, being the face of an attraction is certainly comparable and commendable.

Additional tip: Be inspired

There’s so much to see on Poptropica — have a look around, and you’re bound to find some inspiration for how you want to portray yourself. Be inspired, but be uniquely you!

–Mud Bub

Hope you enjoyed this guest post by Mud Bub. If you did, you might also like her other posts, Museum of masks, Poptropica-style and Pop 5: Islands From an Artist’s Perspective.

The Poptropica Help Blog welcomes interesting Poptropica insights from anyone in the Poptropica community with thoughts to share. You can find some tips and guidelines on our page on how to Write for the PHB, and share blog posts on the PHC, our Discord server.

📰 If you have an idea for a PHB post, send it in! ✨

Community Creations

Community Creations: June 2020

July 1, 2020June 30, 2020 Spotted Dragon

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

Fruit Series Part 1: Orange by MissEligon

Kicking off our feature set with a bright orange color scheme! Though we usually think of pink when we picture the villainous Dr. Hare, I’m sure the color of carrots is close to his heart as well. But more on the theme of fruit here, this piece really pops! The angled limbs of the character paired with the geometric patterns of the background make for a sharp scene. I love the flat coloring and smooth line art. Really impressive composition! Find her DeviantArt here.

Yellow Star Music by AdventurersNHunters

What a fun yellow color scheme! The poses of these characters, along with their expressions, are very dynamic. That, along with the curved musical notes and bubbly background create a strong sense of movement in the scene. Just looking at it, I almost want to get up and dance! The connotation of the color certainly works well with the theme too! Find her DeviantArt here.

Blue Joe by thehypercutter

Blue seems like an perfect match to our friend Joe from Zomberry island, huh? Too perfect not to be paired! And after an experience like the blueberry zombie apocalypse, who can really blame Joe from still having worries? With the color scheme and character expression, this piece displays clear emotion. Makes me feel… blue? Excuse the pun, but great work! Find her DeviantArt here.

Chat on the Rooftop by BlazingAngel123

Ooooh, I am in love with this indigo color scheme! The blue/purple tones match the night sky very well, creating a deep and rich atmosphere. The expressions of the characters look effortless, bringing a sense of casual/natural emotion to the scene. The lineart is super smooth too. Well made! Find her DeviantArt here.

Monochromatic Moreau by Midnightoilstudios

Pink color schemes (and Moreau in particular) seem to be a fan favorite this month, but rightly so, looking at the wonderful submissions we received! The pink tones definitely match the character’s aesthetic, and the shading here is super soft. I love the eyes of this art style especially. Moreau is looking fantastic! Find her DeviantArt here.

Honorable Mentions

Hey, we almost made a full rainbow with the submissions this month! I loved seeing how creative you guys could get with color. And on that note, Happy Pride month to all! Though 2020 has been a crazy year, I hope everyone was able to enjoy pride. ❤

July: How do I Participate?

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…

Classic Islands

With Flash Player coming to an end, the fate of Poptropica Islands is a bit uncertain these days. Will we ever get to see our favorite classics return to the map, or will we only be able to revisit them in our memories and through backdoor access? Are member the only few that will get to experience these adventures one last time as we transition to Haxe? Either way, perhaps now is a time to celebrate these islands yet again through our artwork and other creative pursuits!

So what islands are considered classics? Well, that’s pretty much any non-sound updated island (included 24 Carrot, despite its renovation). But the further back, the better! Early Poptropica, Time Tangled, Spy, Super Power, and other old-school experiences deserve the spotlight this month, so be sure to share your best work with us!

Comment below with a link to whatever you’ve created 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 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 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

Haxe Javascript

SUI’s will stay, old school islands maybe someday

February 7, 2020April 10, 2020 Slanted Fish

Hey Poptropicans, it’s time for another check-in on the post-Flash future.

The Creators’ Blog came out with a (cleverly titled) “State of the Game” address, confirming many of the things we covered in our own similar post last month on “Preserving Poptropica post-Flash”: mainly, that the Creators are working hard to keep Poptropica alive after Flash technology is gone.

*This is a screenshot of the HAXE JavaScript build the Creators have been working on since last year, which will be how Poptropica lives on. So far, looking pretty much the same as the actual game!*

Here’s a snippet from the “State of the Game” post (our emphasis added):

As many of our older fans know, there were two different Flash engines that previously ran Poptropica. In technical terms, they are called AS2 and AS3. Some members of the community might know them better as Old School and Sound Updated islands. Our main task right now is converting every AS3 island.
We want to emphasize that the Old School islands are still on the table! But the code that built them is so old that they would need to be remade from the ground up if we were to re-insert them into the live game. We’ve seen this rumor quite a bit, so we’d like to put it to bed: They will definitely not be playable when the JavaScript build launches.
Poptropica Creators’ Blog, “State of the Game: Converting from Flash”

Sound updated islands (SUIs / AS3 islands) include Virus Hunter and every island that has followed its release in 2013. You can still play all of them on the current Poptropica. But the Creators still have work to do to make sure they’re all ready for the next iteration of Poptropica, which is being built on JavaScript.

Old school islands (AS2 islands) are every island that preceded Virus Hunter and that did not get an SUI upgrade in subsequent years. As of July 2019, these 30-some islands—which include classics like Astro-Knights and Skullduggery, as the Creators’ Blog laments—are no longer on the map. (For now, though, you can still play them using idk’s Old Island Directory!)

And now, a moment of silence for the fallen:

Early Poptropica
Shark Tooth
Super Power
Spy
Nabooti
Big Nate
Astro-Knights
Counterfeit
Reality TV
Skullduggery
Steamworks
Great Pumpkin
Cryptids
Wild West
Wimpy Wonderland
Red Dragon
Mystery Train
Game Show
Ghost Story
S.O.S.
Vampire’s Curse
Twisted Thicket
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Wimpy Boardwalk
Lunar Colony
Super Villain
Zomberry
Night Watch
Back Lot
Legendary Swords

🙏

Based on the post, it looks like it’s going to be a while before we see those classic islands officially resurface. However, it’s reassuring to hear that they’re still being considered for a return, some distant day… though not when the JavaScript build comes out.

This bit of news about the old school islands may be a downer, but as the Creators remind us, it’s still pretty incredible that Poptropica gets to remain playable even after Flash is no longer supported, especially in a time when “so many browser games from the 2000’s and 2010’s are disappearing.” So thanks back at you, Poptropica Creators, for doing what you gotta do—even when it may not be as exciting as creating new islands.

Plus, the Creators say they’ll be letting players in on open beta testing for the upcoming JavaScript build, which is coming with special rewards for those who try it out. Now that’s something to look forward to!

Keep on popping, Poptropicans. ✌️

Community Creations

Community Creations: October 2019

November 1, 2019November 2, 2019 Spotted Dragon

Hello once again everyone! Spotted Dragon here bringing you the October recap for Community Creations! October’s theme was Inktober 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

Freeze by MasterPinpey

Cute drawing for the prompt! Poptropica items and side characters and such don’t often receive the spotlight that they deserve, so I think that focusing in on this freezing power was a great idea. I love the perspective of having one character in the foreground and the other in the background, despite the fairly simple scene. Plus, the addition of the foreground character’s shivers, shocked eyes, and newly formed icicles are an excellent touch. Fantastic sketch! Find her DeviantArt here.

Injured by Meganf123456

Ooh, a dark scene! I like that this submission really contrasts our first one, showing the diverse drawings that can grow out of Inktober. This scene is dark and dramatic, perfectly fitting the “injured” prompt. Movement and emotion are particularly shown well! The glimpse we are given into the story makes me certainly want to know more about what is going on, which is always a treat (or trick?) for the viewer. Well done! Find her DeviantArt here.

Pumpkin Field by iLee-Font

Aw, cute! Though this piece doesn’t strictly follow the “official Inktober prompt list,” I think this doodle is perfectly appropriate nonetheless. The pumpkin patch setting matches the aesthetic of the spooky season very well, and is made interesting with the limited use of color. I’ve fallen in love with this artist’s sketchy style! Though messy, the posing, composition, emotion, and details of their drawings are excellent to say the least. Find their DeviantArt here.

Ring by happyclonetrooper

Ooh! Perhaps not a spooky submission, but fitting for Inktober nonetheless. I love how perfectly “Maroon Ring” matches the “ring” prompt. What are the odds? I think the artist’s style of Poptropicans is super neat, and I’m glad to see them branch out their use of mediums by utilizing colored pencil in this particular drawing. Even adding something as simple as a, well, ring, behind the figure adds great interest to the simple design. Great work! Find her DeviantArt here.

Happy Halloween! by MissEligon

Ahh, this is such a fun design! Certainly a stretch from our Inktober theme, but totally fitting for Halloween, so why not? The color scheme is super spooky, and the detail put into each character is superb. Every Poptropican has such a unique outfit, matching a unique expression and pose. Despite the undead vibes, each figure is so lively! The craftsmanship and composition is breathtaking. Stunning work! Find her DeviantArt here.

Honorable Mentions

Hanahaki Disease (Goretober 2019) by CrazyPaintbrush

Very spooooOOOOooOoky submissions this month guys! They really sent shiver down my spine! I hope you all had a fantastic Halloween, because I’m already excited for next year! 🙂

November: How Do I Participate?

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 November’s theme? November’s theme is…

Steampunk!

Now when I say steampunk, I don’t just mean the island. I mean the whole aesthetic! Most of us are in the midst of fall, and I think that this rustic, “machines intertwined with nature” theme can match some of those spooky, serene autumn vibes. That being said, basing your creations off of Steamworks Island itself is perfect!

The options are up to your imagination! Maybe put together a costume fit for a steampunk scientist? Or perhaps draw your favorite steampunk plant monsters! Even write a story focusing on the adventures of Sprocket. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Comment below with a link to whatever you’ve created 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 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