New Event:Desert Diplomacy

[Siniri]

Apparently it's a mystery with puzzles and clues and sleuthing, oh my! It hasn't actually started yet, and I'm not going to get my hopes up too much (*cough* yeah, right... I always do, and am then disappointed), but here's the link:

http://www.neopets.com/desert/diplomacy.phtml

For you non-East-Coasters, it starts at midnight NST. (It starts at midnight NST for us, too, but as that's 3am, very very few of us are awake at that time...)

[Pickles]

I just saw this and came over to post about it, but you beat me to it.

I suspect it'll be a mini-puzzle and not a full plot. TNT made some reference to people having said they wanted more diverse events in the survey a while back.

Either way, I'm excited anyways, whatever it may be!

The timer has a slot for a hundreds of hours, so I suspect it will be reused multiple times for waiting in between parts.

JN has found indications there will be a NC component as well.

P.S. The Rainblug on the timer is cute!

[Blue]

Yay, new event

Apparently, in this first clue, it doesn't matter which option you choose. You'll still get the clue.

After getting the first clue, I was rewarded with:


Sandcastle Mold


Sign of Life Parchment Piece

[Pickles]

Definitely an event - the front page blurb classifies it as such.

I got the parchment piece (NC component) and a Sandy Geb Cakes.

Looks like this will be daily for at least 5 days (based on the number of NC items found so far).

[Siniri]

Yay for cheap sand items! Which probably means expensive gallery expansion... Nothing's "cheap"...

I got a sand mound. I assume JN has a prize list; I'll have to compare to my gallery.

[Pickles]

Yay for cheap sand items! Which probably means expensive gallery expansion... Nothing's "cheap"...

I got a sand mound. I assume JN has a prize list; I'll have to compare to my gallery.

Yep, it's right HERE.

Lots of scrolls, I'm actually pretty surprised. A lot of which have the reference "This item was used by members of TNT impersonating real players during the Lost Desert Plot."

...

Neoboard with brief discussion

I agree, though, it's awesome that they're using this event to release previously un-obtainable TNT staff-member-only items from the LDP. ESPECIALLY because it's from the LDP. /nostalgia


ETA:
Someone has claimed to have found code saying it will be running for 14 days. Guess we'll see?

[Siniri]

Anyone else underwhelmed by the level of puzzliness so far? I hope it's not just a point-and-click, at some point guess right thing. It sort of reminds me of Cyodrakes Gaze, but at least that had some puzzles in it. Right now it's more like the Negg Festival. Except not even, because you don't even have to search for the correct location or solve a clue to get there.

I'm really hoping today was just the beginning of a warm-up.

I like 14 days for an event. Seems like a reasonable time. But I do also want trickier puzzles.

[Pickles]

Anyone else underwhelmed by the level of puzzliness so far? I hope it's not just a point-and-click, at some point guess right thing. It sort of reminds me of Cyodrakes Gaze, but at least that had some puzzles in it. Right now it's more like the Negg Festival. Except not even, because you don't even have to search for the correct location or solve a clue to get there.

I'm really hoping today was just the beginning of a warm-up.

I like 14 days for an event. Seems like a reasonable time. But I do also want trickier puzzles.

No clue if the 14 days is just for this part of the event or not - or if there's more. I would guess there's more, since there was an extra spot to that countdown timer.

But yeah, it's been pretty easy so far, but I suspect it'll get more like a puzzle as we go. Possibly not until after the first section, though? I dunno.

TNT basically confirmed they intended on bringing the 12 scrolls from LDP out by putting this in the editorial in the happy thoughts section:

I was going through the Jellyneo item database the other day and thinking how awesome it would be to re-release all of those scrolls used years ago in the other Lost Desert plot that only TNT members had, and then I wake up today and... they are being given out as prizes! So happy. Thank you, thank you, thank you!~xiaolin10413

Mr. P was lucky enough to get one today! I'm kinda jealous!

ETA: Today I got a Sand Shake. Tally-Ho!

[Blue]

I received a The Art of Food Sculpting today

P.S. Thanks for the post, Pickles. I had forgotten about this event

[Siniri]

Mine was a something pottery. Patterned pottery? Not sand. Not a gallery item. Not a book. Sad.

ETA: And today's was Long Lost Desert Scroll Trinket. I was so hopeful I got one of the expensive scrolls, and then I saw the last word...

[Pickles]

Lost Desert Weather Guide for me. Sadly, not one of the expensive ones. Ah well.

No problem, Blue!

[Blue]

Sand Mound for me today. The "Neomail" was interesting

2014-08-11 update:
Today, we are taken to the coloring pages where "something" is floating above the page. Clicking on it then gives us the clue and link back to the palace. Returning to the palace yields today's prize.

I received Sand Cuisine for Elephantes

[Pickles]

Today I got a Wadjet. Tally-ho!

JN has put up a logic puzzle grid (that you can use to gather your data). Most of the columns/rows are still unknown, so it's not too useful yet, but it might be helpful for anyone that wants to use it later.

[Siniri]

I got a something something something scroll... frame. It looked like a scroll for a second, but it's a Neohome item, not a book...

ETA: Woohoo, got a scroll for my gallery! Famous Sand Collections.

[Pickles]

Sand Hot Dog for me today. You need one, Siniri?