Crowded Pound
Sat Jan 07, 2006 6:40 am
Someone commented on this a while ago, but with three pets released in less than a month, it is still going on. The pound is flooded often with level three or above pets as well as last week's fashionable pets. Someone must have gotten buyers remorse. I see both ogrins and xweetoks. I was hunting for a yellow or green buzz (preferably female) for my third account but had no luck. I may just create a pet for that account.
I know they are just pixels but planned obselescence of pets just makes my skin crawl. There are good reasons for Neopets to be doing this (Expect to see a lot more new pets. That's my guess). First it emphasizes that pets are commodities. You can trade in your old pet like an old car for a newer model. Second, if pets are commodities there is less chance of users getting attached to them.
This is important, since Neopets are copyrighted (At least their species names and images are.). Neopians, however, regularly get frozen and the only way to save their pets is to have either hand drawn and scanned, pixel drawn, or downloaded images on their hard drive, as well as copies of their custom pet pages.
With all this material, it is possible to take one's pet to a personal web site or blog and play with it outside of Neopets. The problem with this is that the outside sites created by disgruntled members are derivative works and copyright violation. It is doubtful that Neopets would pursue the individual users who played their pets outside, but it could put pressure on the web site providers who hosted such sites for permitting the practice. Also groups of disgruntled exusers still playing their pets on the outside are a publicity risk. Neopets fears bad publicity, and Neopets can avoid it by making sure the bond between user and pet stays tenuous.
Have a great night all of you....
I know they are just pixels but planned obselescence of pets just makes my skin crawl. There are good reasons for Neopets to be doing this (Expect to see a lot more new pets. That's my guess). First it emphasizes that pets are commodities. You can trade in your old pet like an old car for a newer model. Second, if pets are commodities there is less chance of users getting attached to them.
This is important, since Neopets are copyrighted (At least their species names and images are.). Neopians, however, regularly get frozen and the only way to save their pets is to have either hand drawn and scanned, pixel drawn, or downloaded images on their hard drive, as well as copies of their custom pet pages.
With all this material, it is possible to take one's pet to a personal web site or blog and play with it outside of Neopets. The problem with this is that the outside sites created by disgruntled members are derivative works and copyright violation. It is doubtful that Neopets would pursue the individual users who played their pets outside, but it could put pressure on the web site providers who hosted such sites for permitting the practice. Also groups of disgruntled exusers still playing their pets on the outside are a publicity risk. Neopets fears bad publicity, and Neopets can avoid it by making sure the bond between user and pet stays tenuous.
Have a great night all of you....
Sat Jan 07, 2006 6:50 am
I do agree with you... the pound is incredibly crowded, especially with so many new pets coming out.
I seriously, seriously don't want to come off as rude, because I just honestly want to know if this was simply intended as a discussion starter or just a comment for us to think about? I can't really find a lot to comment... but I disagree with you on the comment (if I read it right... it's late and I have a headache, so if I took your comment wrong feel free to correct me) that TNT is doing this to emphasize that pets are commodities or to keep people from getting attached to them. I think they're putting out more pets so they can appeal to more people. Yes, more people means more money when people purchase merchandise or premium, but I know plenty of people who still are attached to the older pets.
In fact, I'd say making species specific avatars and such causes more pounding than putting out new pets do. You'll have people who will always like a pet more... for example, I recently pounded a lab pet (it had turned into a Chia, had decent stats but I don't like Chias at all) so that I could adopt a Xweetok. However, I now have 4 pets that I really, really like. If I want a new pet, I can simply make one on a different account.
Like I said, I'm not sure if I took your comment correctly, nor if this was the sort of response you were looking for... but there's my 2 cents
I seriously, seriously don't want to come off as rude, because I just honestly want to know if this was simply intended as a discussion starter or just a comment for us to think about? I can't really find a lot to comment... but I disagree with you on the comment (if I read it right... it's late and I have a headache, so if I took your comment wrong feel free to correct me) that TNT is doing this to emphasize that pets are commodities or to keep people from getting attached to them. I think they're putting out more pets so they can appeal to more people. Yes, more people means more money when people purchase merchandise or premium, but I know plenty of people who still are attached to the older pets.
In fact, I'd say making species specific avatars and such causes more pounding than putting out new pets do. You'll have people who will always like a pet more... for example, I recently pounded a lab pet (it had turned into a Chia, had decent stats but I don't like Chias at all) so that I could adopt a Xweetok. However, I now have 4 pets that I really, really like. If I want a new pet, I can simply make one on a different account.
Like I said, I'm not sure if I took your comment correctly, nor if this was the sort of response you were looking for... but there's my 2 cents
Sat Jan 07, 2006 1:18 pm
Perhaps new users should adopt their first pets, rather than creating new ones, and allow people to change pets' names when adopting them. If it's easier to search for a pet of the proper type and colour, that might reduce the burden on the pound.
Sat Jan 07, 2006 1:34 pm
Oi.... remember kids, this is just a game.... if they last in the poudn for 3 days and then waste away and are deleted..... absoluetely nothing will be affected by it. Nothing has to be done about it. Poof! Delete!
Sat Jan 07, 2006 1:41 pm
The Wonder Weezel wrote:Oi.... remember kids, this is just a game.... if they last in the poudn for 3 days and then waste away and are deleted..... absoluetely nothing will be affected by it. Nothing has to be done about it. Poof! Delete!
True, they are just pixels on a computer game.
Sat Jan 07, 2006 1:42 pm
Playing with your pet outside of the world they live in (Neopia) is like carrying around the Monopoly top hat and talking to it. Wierd! You can save the images to your computer and play with them if you wish. That is not illegal, but to put something on the web is to PUBLISH it.
Sat Jan 07, 2006 1:55 pm
Yeah, you're right about the Monopoly top hat. Good one!
But some of us are Trekkies, or Middle-Earthers, or have other obsessions that define us at the moment. We need to kvetch.
But some of us are Trekkies, or Middle-Earthers, or have other obsessions that define us at the moment. We need to kvetch.
Sat Jan 07, 2006 1:57 pm
background_noise wrote:Yeah, you're right about the Monopoly top hat. Good one!
But some of us are Trekkies, or Middle-Earthers, or have other obsessions that define us at the moment. We need to kvetch.
Kvetch?
Definition please... 
Sat Jan 07, 2006 2:00 pm
Sorry. It's Yiddish, but it's mainstream now too... This entry doesn't do it justice (ya gotta experience it, like Shakespeare):
http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday/archive/2002/06/01.html
http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday/archive/2002/06/01.html
Sat Jan 07, 2006 2:04 pm
So what your saying is that we have to complain to TNT?
Sat Jan 07, 2006 2:19 pm
livin_in_the_shadow wrote:So what your saying is that we have to complain to TNT?
Isn't that the reason the forums were created in the first place?
Sat Jan 07, 2006 2:26 pm
Ixistant wrote:livin_in_the_shadow wrote:So what your saying is that we have to complain to TNT?
Isn't that the reason the forums were created in the first place?
Ya, I guess.
Junky but Fun Activities and more...
Sat Jan 07, 2006 10:59 pm
Actually, having a fiction blog for a virtual pet or role playing him or her on a web board set up for this (MSN Groups would work ideally because they have storage for each member) is fiction. Actually it is a far more worthwhile activity than memorizing Licca-Chan trivia and hitting the right buttons. A story about a talking top hat might be an interesting read. I actually played my tonu on Ghostletters, a role playing email list, a couple of times. She comes out so very sad, and yes, the email was derivative work, but Neopets hasn't come after Topica yet.
What I think Neopets should do is bring the price of paintbrushes down to buyable levels. I'd set the price at 30,000-40,000NP for a paint job. All colors would be the same. I chose this number because it is what it costs to raise a pet ten levels if you do it with dubloons or codestones. I would also have requirements to get a paintbrush. Your pet would have to have a description and probably be at least level five and have a raise of two intelligence levels. You would also have to have a description of your pet of at least three sentences. For subsequent paint jobs there would also be pet investment requirements and then the 30,000-4000NP. You would pay this money directly to Neopets the way you do for Neohme rooms. It would be immune to inflation and the color choice would be all available for that species.
Under this scheme Rosalita would be orange. I'd really like to have her pink or burgundy, but both colors are unavailable for her species.
What I think Neopets should do is bring the price of paintbrushes down to buyable levels. I'd set the price at 30,000-40,000NP for a paint job. All colors would be the same. I chose this number because it is what it costs to raise a pet ten levels if you do it with dubloons or codestones. I would also have requirements to get a paintbrush. Your pet would have to have a description and probably be at least level five and have a raise of two intelligence levels. You would also have to have a description of your pet of at least three sentences. For subsequent paint jobs there would also be pet investment requirements and then the 30,000-4000NP. You would pay this money directly to Neopets the way you do for Neohme rooms. It would be immune to inflation and the color choice would be all available for that species.
Under this scheme Rosalita would be orange. I'd really like to have her pink or burgundy, but both colors are unavailable for her species.
Re: Junky but Fun Activities and more...
Sat Jan 07, 2006 11:09 pm
Roanna_np wrote:What I think Neopets should do is bring the price of paintbrushes down to buyable levels. I'd set the price at 30,000-40,000NP for a paint job. All colors would be the same.
What would the fun be in that? I feel neat because I have a Maraquan Elephante. Sure, he was labbed that way, but I feel special because I have a Maraquan pet. Plus, that price is even less than that of a lab ray map. Would you want to do out with those as well? (just curious)
Roanna_np wrote: I would also have requirements to get a paintbrush. Your pet would have to have a description and probably be at least level five and have a raise of two intelligence levels. You would also have to have a description of your pet of at least three sentences. For subsequent paint jobs there would also be pet investment requirements and then the 30,000-4000NP.
That might be frustrating as well. I'm currently saving up for a faerie paint brush, so I can paint my Xweetok on my side account once I buy it, and the color is released. I don't plan on battling my Xweetok at all, I just think it would be fun to have a faerie Xweetok. Why should I have to pay the money to level her for that, when I could use that money to work on my Elephante, who truly is my battle pet.
I may be crazy or stupid, but I really like the paint brushes being expensive. It gives me a goal to go for, something to work hard to get. Plus, it's just a part of the economy. I had a faerie paint brush back when they were buyable several years ago. I sold it. Thinking about it, I could have made SO much money now (well, if I wasn't planning on using one). I like knowing that things change, and it's actually (is this sad?) helping me become better with my money irl... something I really need to work on.
Sat Jan 07, 2006 11:45 pm
I agree with psyco_chick. Right now, the high prices of Paint Brushes and all other painting-type items make having painted pets a mark of prestige. If all the PBs were easy to buy, I'd feel cheated, because I worked hard to get my pets the way they are and suddenly anyone could have a pet like mine with minimal effort.