54 Months.
I've been playing Neo for just over 54 months.
I've complained a lot in that time. And I mean
a lot!.
I've written terrible poetry to emphasize the writer's lack of originality and style
[1].
I've made a stupid wee sprite drawing to emphasize my anger over stupid systems they've had in the past.
But this...this is it.
This is the worst thing they've ever done.
I remember the
April Fools Prank back in 2003. I remember thinking "Haha! That'll never happen."
Well it has. It's actually, somehow, managed to happen in a way that's worse than their fake Neopetz. Somehow, Neopets have managed to personify how little they seem to care for the users anymore.
Neopets used to be different. It used to have a buzz, an energy in it. I could get lost in its little world for hours on end. It was something to look forward to playing after school, work or whenever.
When the Chat changed to the Neoboards, I complained. I made a huge fuss.
When the moderators froze most of the Help Chat regulars for being "off-topic" (despite the fact that we always answered questions asked - just in a quirky manner no different to the sorts of posts you see here), rather than the people that spammed, and cheated, and hacked Neopets - I made a huge fuss. I complained to every editorial 3-4 times a day. I sent complaints. I made boards about it. I put angry notes in my lookup. I made so much fuss that I was actually given a warning that expressly stated if I continued on the boards, I would be frozen and that it was my final warning.
When the site changed layout, I complained. I didn't like the banners. I didn't like the new sidebar.
When they increased the ad size on the new layout, I made another huge fuss. I found articles quoting Doug Dohring proudly displaying their huge revenue levels. I ridiculed their reasoning that they couldn't stay in business without the larger ads.
After major glitches, major stuff-ups, I complained.
After 99% of the redraws, I complained.
I've complained about practically everything on Neopets. But I never truly hated it. I understood that things change, and we have to deal with it. In fact, despite my complaints, I've always stuck up for Neopets. I've always defended it. I've had my gripes, both large and small. I've been angry at Neopets. I swear I've "quit" more times than I could count. But I've always defended them.
When people paraded other pet sites, who claimed to be better than Neopets, I've always shot them down in flames. I've gone to those sites, found all their flaws and brought them up so evidently, that people would think they're crazy to consider that site. But this, this is a change I can't defend.
If somebody came on today and said their pet site was better than Neopets, I'd propbably find little to be able to prove them wrong about.
What happened to Neopets?
Its gone.
Nothing about the site is anything like the Neopets I remember.
I know, I know, I'm one of them crazy old men sitting in the bar, reminiscing about the glory days - but in my defense, it's all there is left for me on Neopets.
I know many people will like the site change, many people will adapt to it. But its not Neopets. Its not the old site. I usually accept changes, but this has dragged Neopets down.
The site reminds me of a
business site. Its not a fun site for tennagers to play on, or adults to play on. Its a cold, faceless organisation that seemingly have targetted everything good about Neopets and systematically destroyed it.
Why is it, that a change this huge did not ask for opinions first? I remember the days when Neopets would poll people for a redraw of a pet. Why is it that the users have so little say in the site now.
The editorial has become a FAQ. The same questions appear time and time again. Questions that are already answered on the site. What happened? Why do we hardly ever see suggestions being addressed? Why is it that the sole function of the editorial seems to be a FAQ and a Bug Report system. I'm sick of seeing "OMG! TNT you rock! How do I feed my pet???/?"
Why is it, that Neopets can recognize the fact they've changed some pets drastically, but not recognize that they've changed other pets minorly, and in doing so, they've ruined the personality of that pet. If you can give some people the choice whether to customize their pet or not, why not give everybody that choice?
I don't like the pets anymore. Whenever a redraw of a pet was created, I always joked that the Neopets were getting more and more childish. It seems Neopets stopped the slow takeover, and pushed for a full-forced invasion. I'm struggling to find a single pet I like. Every pet has lost its flair, its style. There are some good things to come from the system, but come on TNT. Did you really think this would go over without people complaining?
Did you really think people would want to see their pets, who most have struggled hard to obtain, ruined?
Did you really think the people that petition for the most minor of changes to be revoked wouldn't want some say on what the site is going to look like for the years to come?
Did you really think, completely redoing the userlookup, pet's description, shop and gallery pages without any warning would be accepted with open arms?
Did you really think the people who have spent a fair portion their time on Neopets reminiscing about the non-"cutesy" days would be silent on this "modernization". We don't wan't another cluttered, "high-tech", faceless corporation for a site. We wan't the old Neopets back.
It was a site designed for the user, for the bored college student. For the adult after a long day. For the kid after school. Now, its
Miniclip, with a few more ads and a bunch of overly cute, Nickelodian styled Neopets.
Alan Moore sums up my feelings about Neopets so well.
Quote:
I'm thinking about taking my family and getting out of this country soon, sometime over the next couple of years. It's cold and it's mean spirited and I don't like it here anymore.
RIP Neopets.