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| [[Image:Neopets.gif|right|Screenshot of the Neopets homepage in Mozilla FireFox taken in November 2005]] | | {{DISPLAYTITLE:''Neopets''}} |
| ==Basics==
| | [[Image:Neopets 2 layout.png|right|thumb|400px|Screenshot of the front page taken on 3 April 2012.]] |
| | :''This article is about the website. For the inhabitants of [[Neopia]], see [[Neopet]]. For other uses, see [[Neopets (disambiguation)]].'' |
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| After creating an account, players can have up to four different pets. Multiple accounts (up to four, according to the rules) can be created in order to have more pets, but using these accounts to gain an unfair advantage is prohibited.
| | '''''Neopets''''' is a [[Wikipedia:Digital pet|digital pet]] gaming website founded on 15 November 1999. It is set in the world of [[Neopia]], a planet where creatures called [[Neopet]]s live. Players can create and adopt these [[Neopet]]s, build and furnish a [[Neohome|home]] for them, and earn [[Neopoints|currency]] by playing [[games]] in order to buy books, food, furniture, and so on. Neopets can be painted different [[colour]]s and [[Neopet Customisation|customised]] with different clothing. |
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| As of July 2005, there are 50 Neopet species available, with most being fictionalized versions of real animals. For example, the [[Nimmo]] is a stylized frog, the [[Blumaroo]] is kangaroo-like, and the [[Pteri]] is a bird-like species. There are also Neopets versions of popular fantasy creatures, such as dragons (''[[Draik]]s'') and unicorns (''[[Uni]]s''). Users can customize their pets by selecting gender, colour (with initial choice of red, blue, yellow, or green for most Neopets, with the exception of the Grundo, which can initially be purple, brown or white, as well), personality, and name (which must be unique, that is, all Neopets must have names that are different from all other Neopets).
| | The site is free to play, supported by [[wikipedia:Display advertising|banner advertising]] and [[Wikipedia:Sponsor (commercial)|sponsored]] games. However, users may sign up for [[Neopets Premium]], introduced in 2004, for [[wikipedia:USD|$]]7.99 per month, which hides the advertising and provides access to special features including access to beta versions of developing games. Between 2006 and 2009, a subscription-based [[Neopets Mobile|mobile phone application]] was operated that allowed subscribers to access an [[Lutari Island|exclusive area]] of Neopia and care for their Neopets from their mobile phone. Additionally, in 2007, [[The Neopets Team]] introduced [[Neocash]], which can be bought for real money and used in turn to buy special wearable items for Neopets. It functions as a separate economy: Neocash and Neocash items cannot be traded for Neopoints. |
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| Players must care for and feed their pets (although Neopets will never die). They can also read books and battle each other in a Battledome in a style akin to popular Computer role-playing game|role-playing games such as Pokémon. Neglecting a Neopet will result in their unhappiness, which may have consequences such as turning blue.
| | ==Company history== |
| | Development of ''Neopets'' began in 1997 by [[Adam Powell]] and [[Donna Williams]], [http://en.reddit.com/r/neopets/comments/1hhhii/bingo_borovan_is_confirmed_ask_him_anything/caujv3g inspired] by the game ''Teknosphere'', an online game where players "sent [a robot] into cyberspace". The [http://www.reddit.com/r/neopets/comments/26fwhh/i_am_donna_one_of_the_founders_of_neopets_ask_me/chqotc7 original idea] was to make a [[wikipedia:Java|Java]] applet rather than a website, where players would take control of their Neopet to explore the virtual world. While it was being programmed, Adam began building a tie-in website. The Java game was never finished, with the development of the website taking over. |
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| Neopians can give their pets a different colour past the basic choices, such as purple and grey, if they purchase or find (in a rare event) a paint brush. Paint brushes can also change pets into different styles such as "Pirate" or "Royal". Some colours cannot be obtained from a paint brush. Robot, for instance, can only be achieved by using the Secret Laboratory. The Fountain Faerie can also paint a pet almost any colour, but first the player must complete a quest that is given randomly on rare occasions.
| | The website finally launched on 15 November 1999. By [[wikipedia:Christmas|Christmas]], the website was receiving [http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.12/neopets.html?pg=2 over 600,000 page views a day]. By January they were seeking further investment, and Doug Dohring, who was experienced in market research, saw the website's potential and bought the company. After this, the company's offices moved from [[wikipedia:Guildford|Guildford]] in the [[wikipedia:UK|UK]] to [[Wikipedia:California|California]], [[Wikipedia:USA|USA]]. |
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| Neopians gain the Neopoints to care for their pets and purchase items primarily by playing games. Items are then purchased in either main shops, which are automatically restocked by the game, or in user-owned shops (which are maintained by many players as another way to earn Neopoints).
| | ''Neopets'' continued to expand both on and off the web: in November 2001, the company trialled merchandise at a few select stores in California, and the following year more merchandise became available in the USA through [[Wikipedia:Tween Brands|Limited Too]] shops. Merchandise was launched in the UK through [[Wikipedia:Claire's|Claire's Accessories]]. The [[Neopets Trading Card Game]] was launched in September 2003 and would continue until 2006. |
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| If a Neopian is caught breaking the rules as stated in the Neopets [http://www.neopets.com/terms.phtml Terms and Conditions], their account will be "frozen". If an account is frozen, it means that the account is not at all accessible by the user. If wrongfully accused, there is a response form to contact Neopets. Unfortunately, the Neopets team does not always respond promptly, and may sometimes take up to a month or more to reply.
| | In 2005, media company [[wikipedia:Viacom|Viacom]] bought ''Neopets'', [http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2005/06/21/viacoms_mtv_buys_neopets_for_160m/ reportedly] for $160 million. The same year, Adam and Donna left [[The Neopets Team]], the staff who are responsible for running the site and producing new content. |
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| Neopets has announced a premium service, which gives some additional options. | | The website received a [[Neopets 2.0|redesign in April 2007]], complete with redrawn artwork for all Neopet and colour combinations and the ability to dress them up. In July 2008, Viacom branded ''Neopets'' a [[Wikipedia:Nickelodeon Virtual World|Nickelodeon Virtual World]], and launched the spin-off site [[Petpet Park]] that October. Petpet Park would close in October 2014. |
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| Once Neopians become comfortable with the basics, they can begin spending their Neopoints on items beyond caring for their pets. Popular goals include obtaining [[Paint brush]es and other items which can change a pet into another colour (which, in the Neopets world, includes completely different styles). [[Petpet]]s (pets for your pet) are also quite popular. There are even [[Petpetpet]]s, small critters attached to a Petpet. Any of these goals can cost an enormous amount of Neopoints, and dedicated users will devote months to their acquisition.
| | The website celebrated its one trillionth page view since its founding in 2011. |
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| Part of the reason why Neopets is so widely-used is that it is continually changing: new items, games, and plots (such as "Hannah and the Ice Caves" or "Curse of Maraqua") are introduced almost every day. The ability to amass large amounts of Neopoints and rare items is a challenge for competitive players, and someone who keeps up with the latest news has a greater chance of being the first one to obtain a rare item (and sell it before it drops in value) or to earn a top score in a new game.
| | In March 2014, it was announced that Viacom had sold Neopets to [[wikipedia:Jumpstart|Jumpstart]], an educational children's games brand. They [http://www.neopets.com/ntimes/index.phtml?section=editorial&issue=637 explained] they were interested in Neopets due to its "loyal user fanbase, and [its] older audience". |
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| Neopets has also installed "Neopets Jr.," a basic version of the site catering to those new to Neopets or to the very young.
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| ==Environment==
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| ''See also: [[:Category: Neopia|Neopia]]''
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| The entire game takes place on (or in orbit around) the fictional planet of Neopia. The main setting is Neopia Central, a city where the main stores are based. There are also different themed settings, called ''worlds'': ''Tyrannia'' (prehistoric), ''Faerieland'' (faeries), the upcoming ''Altador'' (alternate faeries), ''Mystery Island'' (Polynesian), ''Haunted Woods'' (Halloween/spooky), ''Krawk Island'' (pirates), ''Lost Desert'' (Ancient Egypt|Ancient Egyptian), ''Terror Mountain'' (winter/Christmas), ''Virtupets Space Station'' (Space Station), ''Kreludor'' (moon), ''Meridell'' (medieval), and ''Brightvale'' (medieval with an emphasis on knowledge and enlightenment, à la the Renaissance).
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| There are also mini worlds and sub-worlds, such as ''Roo Island'', ''Kiko Lake'', and the newly added ''Lost City of Geraptiku''. Each of these worlds (which are, in reality, more like regions or settings) has unique shops, games, and activities pertaining to its theme.
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| These worlds are generally introduced through in-game plots that involve their discovery or destruction. For example, Maraqua (underwater) was originally destroyed by Captain Dread and his pirates in one plotline, but has been rebuilt and reopened as a result of the "Curse of Maraqua" storyline.
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| There have also been hints of the other side of Neopia, since only one side of the planet is shown. It is believed this is where Jelly World and Altador are located. It is possible that it will be revealed in Winter 2006, as that is when the Jelly World movie will be released, which may lead to the release of Jelly World, and so on.
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| ==Gameplay== | | ==Gameplay== |
| There are many activities a Neopets player can perform to advance towards a goal. They can train their pets to become fighters to participate in the occasional wars that occur, usually when new worlds are discovered. They can also become merchants, collecting and selling expensive items. People can also send in their drawings or stories and become known for their creative skills.
| | Players of the site must sign up for a free account. This allows them to own Neopets and participate in the world. Each account can own up to four Neopets, a shop, a [[gallery]], and a Neohome each. A player may also sign up for up to four additional "side" accounts to own more Neopets, but they may not use these additional accounts to earn Neopoints. Players are expected to care for their Neopets, including [[food|feeding]] them, [[toy|playing]] with them, and curing them of any [[disease]]s they may catch. Players can use the [[Quick Ref]] page to keep track of their Neopet's needs. |
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| Most of the games on the site are divided into three categories: puzzle, action, and luck/chance.
| | Basic care of Neopets can be learned from [[Neopets Jr.]], a simple version of the site catering to young players or those new to the website. |
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| ===Flash/Shockwave games===
| | Neopets has its own functional economy. Players earn Neopoints primarily from playing [[games]]. These Neopoints can be used to purchase [[item]]s. The main way new items enter the economy is when they are bought from [[wikipedia:Non-Player Character|NPC]] [[shop]]s. Items can be sold between users in player-owned shops, and many users turn a profit from buying up cheap [[item]]s, that have a high resell price, when shops restock. Items can be bartered for other items in the [[Trading Post]] or auctioned off at the [[Auction House]]. Some rarer items - such as [[paint brush]]es and [[Treasure Map]] pieces - are only given out by [[random event]]s or as prizes from [[plot]]s. |
| Most of the games on the site are Macromedia Flash or Macromedia Shockwave games, which require certain software to be installed on the player's computer. Many are similar to older games—for example, [[Meerca Chase II]] is very similar to Snake while [[Korbats Lab]] is like Breakout.
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| The action games are arcade-like games. They include games like "Hannah and the Ice Caves," a multileveled game where you guide the characters Hannah and her sidekick Armin through increasingly difficult icy caves while collecting treasure and avoiding snow beasts. Puzzle games are games requiring some thought during gameplay. Luck/chance games include various slot machine games such as [[Brucey B Slots]] and other gambling themed games.
| | Plots are story lines that occur in the Neopets world. They often involve the release of new themed worlds, and users can follow the story and participate by solving puzzles or fighting in the [[Battledome]] - a game where trained Neopets are equipped and fight [[wikipedia:Turn-based strategy|turn based battles]] against other competitors. They are the main means that events effecting the whole of Neopia transpire. |
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| Scores from these games may be sent three times a day, for up to 1,000 Neopoints per game, proportional to the score. Highly skilled users may earn a [[Trophy]] or an [[Avatar]].
| | Players may set themselves other goals, including collecting certain items to display in a gallery, or filling their [[Stamp Album]] or [[Neodeck]]. They may train and arm their Neopet for the Battledome, seek to paint and customise their Neopet, or decorate their Neohome. The most well decorated Neohomes can be entered into the Neohome Spotlight, which awards trophies to the players with the best Neohomes. Other spotlights include the [[Art Gallery]], to which the player may submit their drawings, the [[Poetry Contest]], and the [[Gallery Spotlight]]. The website also operates weekly contests like the [[Lenny Conundrum]] and the [[Caption Contest]]. |
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| ===Other games===
| | The site also operates the [[Neopian Times]], which publishes player authored stories, articles, comics and series of long stories. It features an editorial where The Neopets Team answer players' questions too. |
| There are also numerous PHP games (which are more accessible to players with slower computers), such as "NeoQuest" and "Plushie Tycoon," as well as card games like "Pyramids" and "Scarab 21". NeoQuest and NeoQuest II are classic RPGs where players fight monsters and defeat villains. Plushie Tycoon allows the player to simulate running a business which sells Neopets plushies. Also in this category are a daily crossword ("Faerie Crossword"), a dice game ("Dice-a-roo"), and a version of Minesweeper, ("Neggsweeper").
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| ===Plots=== | | ===Community=== |
| Plots are presented in a comic book format which results in some kind of climax that players can participate in (such as a war or a series of puzzles). For those plots that have involved wars, players are sometimes given the option to choose a side to support. Fighters are given a series of enemies to fight in the battledome in order to gain points for their side, and "supporters" could collect items or play games instead of fighting. The [[Lost Desert Plot]] which began in September of 2005 did not have a war. players were instead invited to solve a complex series of puzzles to help save the day.
| | A large portion of the site is given over to community interactions. Users can view other users' profiles (called [[user look-up]]s) and their Neopets and trade with them. Players over the age of 13, or those under 13 who have returned a parental permission form - in accordance with the USA's [[Wikipedia:Children's Online Privacy Protection Act|Children's Online Privacy Protection Act]] - can send [[Neomail|messages]] to each other, talk on the site's [[Neoboards|chat boards]], and can form themed [[guild]]s with their friends. |
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| The Neopian arch-villain, [[Dr. Sloth]], is prominently featured in several site-wide stories. His greatest achievements were the enslavement of the [[Grundo]]s, an alien-like race, and his creation of the [[Transmogrification Potion]]s, which change the appearance or species of a Neopet into a [[Mutant]] version.
| | Certain games, like the [[Battledome]] and [[Kacheekers]], can be played with other players over the internet. |
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| ===Collections=== | | ===Rule breaking=== |
| | The Neopets Team have several systems in place for dealing with rule breaking. Minor infractions may often receive a warning at the discretion of the staff, whereas repeated or more serious infractions can be dealt with by suspension: this prevents a user from accessing their account or anything associated with it - e.g. its Neopets, its Neopoints, its shop - until the suspension has elapsed. Suspensions can be issued for different lengths of time, and subsequent suspensions tend to be longer. |
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| Many players choose to collect certain items—often those that are rare or expensive—and place them in a [[gallery]]. Other types of collections include virtual trading cards (not to be confused with actual TCG cards), stamps, and coins, all of which can be collected in albums. Neohomes can be bought for a certain number of Neopoints for each room, allowing players to collect items for their homes. Furniture may be placed in the Neohomes, and additional amenities (lights, insurance, etc.) can be purchased. The goal is usually to try to win a spotlight award or to show off items and collections.
| | For very serious or continued rule breaking, the player can be frozen. This permanently locks the user out of their account, and any other user who searches for that player will just receive a message that the account in question is frozen. If a player believes they have been wrongly frozen, they can submit a frozen account ticket in the Help section to have the case reviewed and submit extra information about what happened. All the details of the account remain saved, so if the review finds in favour of the player the account can be restored in its entirety. |
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| See Also: [[Avatars]]
| | For rule breaking specifically relating to the Neoboards or contacting other players, a user may be silenced for a period of time. While silenced, they can still play the site but cannot communicate with other players at all, nor modify their user or pet look-ups. |
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| == Extra things to do ==
| | None of these actions are carried out by automatic systems: an employee of Neopets reviews each case before acting. |
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| ===Writing and art contests===
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| Neopets also offers different writing and art contests. One such example is the [[Neopian Times]], a weekly newspaper that includes short stories, a question-and-answer editorial, comics (animated and traditional), story series, and articles. There is also a [[Poetry Competition]] which runs approximately twice a week and a [[Storytelling]] contest where users submit the next part of a short story. Players can also contribute pictures of their pets for voting or display in a gallery or create their own levels of certain games.
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| ===Shops===
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| In addition to the regular shops, every player can sell items at his or her own shop, sometimes at a profit. As in real life, the goal of dedicated sellers is to buy items for a low price (either at other player shops or at the game-run shops) and sell them for a high price. (There is also a [[Trading Post]] that can be used to trade expensive items and an [[Auction House]].) Buying items at the main Neopian shops in order to resell them is called ''restocking'' (since it involves waiting until the shop restocks) and can be very profitable for a player with luck and a fast internet connection.
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| ===Neoschool===
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| [[Neoschool]] is a place you can send your Neopets. They will choose which classes they take and recieve a report card to tell you how well they are doing.
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| Currently Neoschool is still being written, it is not on any of the maps.
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| ==Community==
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| Neopets, throughout its past, has always had a community in which users can chat and contact each other, either by Neomail (on-site email) to send private messages or "Neoboards", the Internet forums, which are often treated more like chat rooms than internet forums.
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| As with all internet communities, there is possible danger in giving personal information to strangers. Therefore, players who register as under 13 must submit a document by fax or letter with a parent's signature to the website's address in order to access any of the site's communication features, in compliance with COPPA.
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| ===Guilds===
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| Users with similar interests can create or join ''[[Guild]]s'', which are basically clubs. These usually have a theme, such as the "[[Faerie]] Guild" or the "[[Nimmo]] Lovers Guild." Guilds dedicated to certain causes, goals, or mutual interests such as helping the poorer Neopians and/or new players, collecting [[Avatar]]s, getting more [[Neopoints]]s, or real life interests. There are forums inside of the guilds, only accessible to members of that group. Guilds may also offer certain advantages to members such a guild [[Shop]]s and lotteries to provide free food/items, "[[Newbie]] packs", and helpful tips. Different guilds also have different requirements for advancing in rank, usually accompanied by the appropriate increase in benefits and status.
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| ===Neoboards===
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| Another aspect of Neopets is the community that develops on the 24 Neoboards. Some of the more popular ones include:
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| *'''Avatars/Neosignatures:''' Discussions include the method of obtaining new avatars, help on obtaining avatars, designing a font compatible with certain avatars, scattered Font discussion, and games.
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| *'''Battledome:''' Many announcements regarding recent accomplishments in the battledome, due to the fact that it is the home of some of the wealthiest users and strongest pets. Usually, if there are any problems with hackers or with duplicated items, the members of this chat are the first ones affected.
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| *'''Evil Things and Monster Sightings:''' This board consists mostly of users identifying themselves as 'emo' or 'goth', and is typically used for general chat
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| *'''Fan Clubs:'''This board replaced General Chat in popularity upon its deletion and covers a range of topics.
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| *'''Help Chat/Newbie Chat:''' This is the place to go to get help using an account. Help Chat is more likely to be on topic.
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| *'''Trading Post/Auction:''': the board consists mainly of people who spend their time trading for profits.
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| *'''Jelly World Chat:''' This board is "hidden", and how to access it is a well-known "secret".
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| *'''Roleplaying:''' The main purpose of this board is a venue for the players to roleplay.
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| *'''Shop Ads:''' This board contains people selling and buying things in their shops, and working out prices with other people.
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| Several regular players that are named "Moderators" moderate the board. Users can self-moderate as well, by reporting a message they deem unsuitable for Neopets. There is also a filter which prevents a user from using profanity or lewd conduct on the site.
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| ==Controversy and criticism==
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| While some educators and parents affirm the value of Neopets as a place for children to learn the basics of things like supply and demand, economics, stocks, and even HTML, others criticize it for its liberal placement and promotion of their sponsors' products, a technique they have dubbed "Immersion Advertisement".
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| Much of the company's revenue is gained through promotion of sponsors and their products and they have long accomplished this without a single banner or pop-up advertisement. However, in October 2004, a considerable number of banners that link to external websites such as eBay (instead of linking to various areas on the Neopets website itself as they had previously) were introduced. These banners are displayed on many site pages in three places, one at the top of the page, one at the bottom, and the other on a sidebar, making avoidance of advertisements increasingly difficult. However, the creators of Neopets have promised never to allow pop-up ads on the site.
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| The primary method of advertising is still through creating items based on sponsor products (such as "Baby Bottle Pops", a real candy found in many American stores) or offering rare items, Neopoints, or, in one case, a special pet (the "Ice Bori") in return for signing up for sponsors' services. Neopets also features many games for sponsors, such as "The Incredibles Split-Shot".
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| While immersive advertising is doubtlessly effective, some believe this constitutes subliminal advertising and is therefore immoral, particularly considering the target demographic is children. Others disagree, pointing to the fact that not only are many of the sponsors' offers now grouped on one page and are somewhat avoidable, but that no user is ever required to sign up for these offers. Neopets claims these offers and sponsor ads are only to keep the site free.
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| The introduction of a premium service in which advertisements are removed and special gifts given for sign-up has also sparked controversy, with users stating that Neopets has started "selling Neopoints", something prohibited under the site's terms and conditions.
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| In October of 2004, while McDonald's Corporation was promoting Neopets plushies in their Happy Meals, a story on the Australian news show ''Today Tonight'' featured a nine-year-old boy claiming that the site requires one to gamble in order to receive enough Neopoints to feed one's Neopet, or else it is sent to an orphanage. While much of this is factually incorrect (gambling is not required, nor are pets ever sent to an orphanage if they are not fed), it is true that the website has a number of games of chance that are directly based on real-life games like blackjack, poker, and even lottery scratchcards. Neopets had prohibited users under the age of 13 to use most games that involve gambling.
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| This article sparked a nation-wide controversy as concerned parents voiced their complaints about the website, prompting McDonalds to pressure Neopets into temporarily blocking Australian accounts from accessing games of chance for the duration of the promotion, which ended on November 5th. When this happened, a flurry of complaints appeared on Neopets itself when even Australians able to legally gamble could not access any game of chance on the website. Complaints quickly died down after users realized that by merely changing the country setting on their user preferences the temporary ban could be bypassed.
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| Still others believe that the users of Neopets are poorly treated and considered nothing more than mere statistics, that the site has lost its friendliness over the years, and that the level of customer service has degraded considerably. Many users believe that the Neopets staff freeze accounts too often and without good reason; data from Yamipoli.com, which rates virtual pet sites, shows the frozen user amount is 45%. Users are allowed to report one another; some of these "reports" are not thoroughly checked and thus, unnecessary freezing occurs. Bugs and glitches on games can also account for some of these freezings.
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| Accounts are also often frozen because of the actions of someone else—other than the original account number—using the account. Because many Neopets players are young or relatively new to the Internet, they can be particularly vulnerable to "scams" that attempt to trick them into giving out their passwords.
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| Some dispute Neopets' registered users count, which has reached over 99 million, a figure Neopets often cites in promotional campaigns. A large percentage of these users are multiple secondary accounts owned by one person, frozen accounts or accounts no longer in use. Such accounts are never deleted, and even accounts that have not been accessed since the creation of the site linger. The actual number of active accounts is around 11 million [http://media.hasbro.com/pl/page.release/dn/default.cfm?release=259] and the number of individual users is almost certainly less than this.
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| It has also been rumoured that Neopets is closely affiliated with the controversial Church of Scientology through CEO [http://www.pinkpt.com/neodex/index.php/Doug_Dohring Doug Dohring] [http://www.scientology-kills.org/dohring.htm]. The impact of his beliefs on the site itself is not apparent, though Dohring has been quoted as saying "Having used his technology in every business activity... Mr. Hubbard's organizational concepts are always with me" (according to the [http://www.hubbardcollege.com/mgmtsystem/use_dougdohring.html Hubbard College of Administration]).
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| Groups of people believing that Neopets treats users poorly and who are also against the immersive advertising have formed anti-Neopets websites expressing their views. These groups have bought domain names for their movement, talked about their movement on the Neopets forums, and have even reported Neopets for what they believe to be potential copyright violations.
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| On March 31, 2006, Neopets introduced the system of [[NeoCharge]] as a ways to keep inflation down. However, it makes certain areas of the site almost implayable, as you would be paying 12 [[NP]] for every page view of [[NeoQuest]], and [[NeoMail]]. However, this may be a April Fools joke, so it may just be a cruel joke on Neopets part on the users. *fingers crossed*
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| ==Neopets Premium==
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| Neopets Premium is an extended version of the site, for which members pay $7.99 a month, or $69.95 a year. There are also different packs that include Premium such as dial up service. With this Premium membership, external ads are completely erased, and certain "perks" are added, such as bonus Neopoints, rare items, premium users only boards, webmail, more random events, and testing unreleased games. Some groups voice the opinion that the Neopets staff members are transferring some free features to Premium.
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| To go Premium, a player must first be invited by another Premium member. There is then a 15 day trial. There are even prizes (an avatar, sidebar, and trophy) for referring people to Premium who have remained after their trial has expired.
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| ==Merchandise== | | ==Merchandise== |
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| Neopets now produces a range of merchandise, including plushies, stickers, and hand-held video games. The merchandise retails at many mainstream outlets such as Wal-Mart, Target, and Limited Too. There are also exclusively online retailers involved, such as 99dogs.com, which was the first outlet for Neopets merchandise. | | ''Neopets'' produces a range of merchandise, including plushies, stickers, and stationary. The merchandise retails at many mainstream outlets such as [[Wikipedia:Wal-Mart|Wal-Mart]], [[Wikipedia:Target|Target]], and [[Wikipedia:Limited Too|Limited Too]] (which was the first outlet for Neopets merchandise). There are also online retailers involved, such as [http://99dogs.com 99dogs] and [[Wikipedia:Zazzle|Zazzle]]. |
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| In September 2003, Wizards of the Coast released the ''Neopets Trading Card Game'', a collectible card game, based on the online characters and setting. It is distributed by card shops, as well as Wal-Mart and Target. To date, there have been six individual "sets" of cards (a base set and five expansions), with the sixth set recently released. Most of the card releases are associated with "plots," or stories, on the site. This is another controversial marketing move, which has at once managed to endear and estrange players from the site. | | In September 2003, the [[Neopets TCG|Neopets Trading Card Game]] was published by [[Wikipedia:Wizards of the Coast|Wizards of the Coast]]. The trading cards are a collectible card game based on characters and settings from the website. As well as being collected they can also be used in a two-player card game. In addition to the base set of cards, there have been nine expansions mostly set around the site's plots. The last expansion was released in 2006. |
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| In 2004 Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced the upcoming release of ''Neopets: The Darkest Faerie'', available for the PSone game consoles. However, in March 2005 they confirmed that they had already began remaking the game for the PS2.
| | Several off-site video games have also been released, starting with ''[[Neopets: The Darkest Faerie]]'' in 2005 for the [[Wikipedia:PlayStation 2|PlayStation 2]] then ''[[Neopets: Petpet Adventures - The Wand of Wishing]]'' in 2006 for the [[Wikipedia:PlayStation Portable|PlayStation Portable]]. In 2008, ''[[Neopets Puzzle Adventure]]'' was released for the [[Wikipedia:Nintendo DS|Nintendo DS]], [[Wikipedia:Wii|Wii]], and [[Wikipedia:PC|PC]], and in 2009, the [[wikipedia:Leapfrog Didj|Leapfrog Didj]] exclusive title ''[[Quizara's Curse]]'' was launched. Five types of electronic handhelds have been released: four types of [[Mini Pals]], a keyring sized accessory where the player cares for a Neopet, and a [[wikipedia:Zizzle|Zizzle]] toy featuring ten games in one. |
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| In March 2005 it was confirmed that the Neopets team had also begun work on a Neopets film (which the creators of the site had kept secret from their own staff until it was confirmed). When informing the users of this, they also implied that there may be more than one Neopets film in the future (although, of course, this will depend entirely on the success of their first film).
| | Between 2003 and 2008, [[Wikipedia:Beckett Media|Beckett Media]] published a bimonthly magazine called [[Neopets: The Official Magazine]]. Twenty six issues were published before the magazine was discontinued. |
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| ==Pop culture references==
| | In 2005, it was reported that a [[Neopets (film)|''Neopets'' film]] was in pre-production, but nothing has materialised. |
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| Aside from the fact that Neopets has its own vibrant user culture, there are many references in the site to movies, video games, and more. The [[List of references in Neopets]] article contains an extensive list of such references.
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| ==See also== | | ==See also== |
| | *[[Monkey Quest]] |
| | *[[Petpet Park]] |
| | *[[Treasure Keepers]] |
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| *[[:Category:Pet types|Pet types]] | | ==External links== |
| *[[:Category: Neopia|Neopia]] | | *[http://www.neopets.com Neopets Official Website] |
| *[[:Category: Neopets Terminology|List of terms in Neopets]] | | *[http://www.neopets.com/portal/index.phtml Premium Portal] |
| *[[:Category:Faeries|Faeries]] | | *'''Editorial:''' {{oed|51}}, {{oed|52}}, [http://www.neopets.com/ntimes/index.phtml?section=editorial&issue=221 221] |
| | | *'''Selected Petpages:''' [http://home.neopets.com/templates/homepage.phtml?pet_name=Leto Leto's Premium Neopets FAQ] |
| ==External Links==
| | *[http://www.neopets.com/neopets_demo.phtml Introduction to the site] |
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| *[http://info.neopets.com/presskit/index.html Official Neopets Press Kit] | | *[http://info.neopets.com/presskit/index.html Official Neopets Press Kit] |
| *[http://home.neopets.com/templates/homepage.phtml?pet_name=Leto Premium Neopets FAQ] Premium Explanations, Features and FAQ
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| *[http://www.neoitems.net/index.php - Neoitems.net] - Site with a complete list of all items ever released
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| *[http://www.avatar.starried.net/ - Avatar.Starried.net] - Avatar Log system and updatable checklists. Clickable links, customizable lists and more.
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| *[http://www.Neocolours.co.uk/ Neocolours] Neocolours pet colour guide and forums
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| *[http://www.pinkpt.com/ PPT] PPT Neopets Cheats, Solutions and Stuff
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| *[http://home.neopets.com/templates/homepage.phtml?pet_name=My_First_Little_Pony List of Neopage Guides]
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| *[http://www.neopetshive.com/ Neopets Hive] Help Site
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| *[http://idb.finalhit.org/ In-Depth Battlepedia] Neopets Battledome Help Site
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| *[http://www.neodaq.com NeoDaq] featuring Neopets Stockmarket tools and statistics
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| *[http://www.marapets.com Marapets]
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| [[Category:Neopets]] | | [[Category:Neopets|*]] |
Screenshot of the front page taken on 3 April 2012.
- This article is about the website. For the inhabitants of Neopia, see Neopet. For other uses, see Neopets (disambiguation).
Neopets is a digital pet gaming website founded on 15 November 1999. It is set in the world of Neopia, a planet where creatures called Neopets live. Players can create and adopt these Neopets, build and furnish a home for them, and earn currency by playing games in order to buy books, food, furniture, and so on. Neopets can be painted different colours and customised with different clothing.
The site is free to play, supported by banner advertising and sponsored games. However, users may sign up for Neopets Premium, introduced in 2004, for $7.99 per month, which hides the advertising and provides access to special features including access to beta versions of developing games. Between 2006 and 2009, a subscription-based mobile phone application was operated that allowed subscribers to access an exclusive area of Neopia and care for their Neopets from their mobile phone. Additionally, in 2007, The Neopets Team introduced Neocash, which can be bought for real money and used in turn to buy special wearable items for Neopets. It functions as a separate economy: Neocash and Neocash items cannot be traded for Neopoints.
Company history[edit]
Development of Neopets began in 1997 by Adam Powell and Donna Williams, inspired by the game Teknosphere, an online game where players "sent [a robot] into cyberspace". The original idea was to make a Java applet rather than a website, where players would take control of their Neopet to explore the virtual world. While it was being programmed, Adam began building a tie-in website. The Java game was never finished, with the development of the website taking over.
The website finally launched on 15 November 1999. By Christmas, the website was receiving over 600,000 page views a day. By January they were seeking further investment, and Doug Dohring, who was experienced in market research, saw the website's potential and bought the company. After this, the company's offices moved from Guildford in the UK to California, USA.
Neopets continued to expand both on and off the web: in November 2001, the company trialled merchandise at a few select stores in California, and the following year more merchandise became available in the USA through Limited Too shops. Merchandise was launched in the UK through Claire's Accessories. The Neopets Trading Card Game was launched in September 2003 and would continue until 2006.
In 2005, media company Viacom bought Neopets, reportedly for $160 million. The same year, Adam and Donna left The Neopets Team, the staff who are responsible for running the site and producing new content.
The website received a redesign in April 2007, complete with redrawn artwork for all Neopet and colour combinations and the ability to dress them up. In July 2008, Viacom branded Neopets a Nickelodeon Virtual World, and launched the spin-off site Petpet Park that October. Petpet Park would close in October 2014.
The website celebrated its one trillionth page view since its founding in 2011.
In March 2014, it was announced that Viacom had sold Neopets to Jumpstart, an educational children's games brand. They explained they were interested in Neopets due to its "loyal user fanbase, and [its] older audience".
Gameplay[edit]
Players of the site must sign up for a free account. This allows them to own Neopets and participate in the world. Each account can own up to four Neopets, a shop, a gallery, and a Neohome each. A player may also sign up for up to four additional "side" accounts to own more Neopets, but they may not use these additional accounts to earn Neopoints. Players are expected to care for their Neopets, including feeding them, playing with them, and curing them of any diseases they may catch. Players can use the Quick Ref page to keep track of their Neopet's needs.
Basic care of Neopets can be learned from Neopets Jr., a simple version of the site catering to young players or those new to the website.
Neopets has its own functional economy. Players earn Neopoints primarily from playing games. These Neopoints can be used to purchase items. The main way new items enter the economy is when they are bought from NPC shops. Items can be sold between users in player-owned shops, and many users turn a profit from buying up cheap items, that have a high resell price, when shops restock. Items can be bartered for other items in the Trading Post or auctioned off at the Auction House. Some rarer items - such as paint brushes and Treasure Map pieces - are only given out by random events or as prizes from plots.
Plots are story lines that occur in the Neopets world. They often involve the release of new themed worlds, and users can follow the story and participate by solving puzzles or fighting in the Battledome - a game where trained Neopets are equipped and fight turn based battles against other competitors. They are the main means that events effecting the whole of Neopia transpire.
Players may set themselves other goals, including collecting certain items to display in a gallery, or filling their Stamp Album or Neodeck. They may train and arm their Neopet for the Battledome, seek to paint and customise their Neopet, or decorate their Neohome. The most well decorated Neohomes can be entered into the Neohome Spotlight, which awards trophies to the players with the best Neohomes. Other spotlights include the Art Gallery, to which the player may submit their drawings, the Poetry Contest, and the Gallery Spotlight. The website also operates weekly contests like the Lenny Conundrum and the Caption Contest.
The site also operates the Neopian Times, which publishes player authored stories, articles, comics and series of long stories. It features an editorial where The Neopets Team answer players' questions too.
A large portion of the site is given over to community interactions. Users can view other users' profiles (called user look-ups) and their Neopets and trade with them. Players over the age of 13, or those under 13 who have returned a parental permission form - in accordance with the USA's Children's Online Privacy Protection Act - can send messages to each other, talk on the site's chat boards, and can form themed guilds with their friends.
Certain games, like the Battledome and Kacheekers, can be played with other players over the internet.
Rule breaking[edit]
The Neopets Team have several systems in place for dealing with rule breaking. Minor infractions may often receive a warning at the discretion of the staff, whereas repeated or more serious infractions can be dealt with by suspension: this prevents a user from accessing their account or anything associated with it - e.g. its Neopets, its Neopoints, its shop - until the suspension has elapsed. Suspensions can be issued for different lengths of time, and subsequent suspensions tend to be longer.
For very serious or continued rule breaking, the player can be frozen. This permanently locks the user out of their account, and any other user who searches for that player will just receive a message that the account in question is frozen. If a player believes they have been wrongly frozen, they can submit a frozen account ticket in the Help section to have the case reviewed and submit extra information about what happened. All the details of the account remain saved, so if the review finds in favour of the player the account can be restored in its entirety.
For rule breaking specifically relating to the Neoboards or contacting other players, a user may be silenced for a period of time. While silenced, they can still play the site but cannot communicate with other players at all, nor modify their user or pet look-ups.
None of these actions are carried out by automatic systems: an employee of Neopets reviews each case before acting.
Merchandise[edit]
Neopets produces a range of merchandise, including plushies, stickers, and stationary. The merchandise retails at many mainstream outlets such as Wal-Mart, Target, and Limited Too (which was the first outlet for Neopets merchandise). There are also online retailers involved, such as 99dogs and Zazzle.
In September 2003, the Neopets Trading Card Game was published by Wizards of the Coast. The trading cards are a collectible card game based on characters and settings from the website. As well as being collected they can also be used in a two-player card game. In addition to the base set of cards, there have been nine expansions mostly set around the site's plots. The last expansion was released in 2006.
Several off-site video games have also been released, starting with Neopets: The Darkest Faerie in 2005 for the PlayStation 2 then Neopets: Petpet Adventures - The Wand of Wishing in 2006 for the PlayStation Portable. In 2008, Neopets Puzzle Adventure was released for the Nintendo DS, Wii, and PC, and in 2009, the Leapfrog Didj exclusive title Quizara's Curse was launched. Five types of electronic handhelds have been released: four types of Mini Pals, a keyring sized accessory where the player cares for a Neopet, and a Zizzle toy featuring ten games in one.
Between 2003 and 2008, Beckett Media published a bimonthly magazine called Neopets: The Official Magazine. Twenty six issues were published before the magazine was discontinued.
In 2005, it was reported that a Neopets film was in pre-production, but nothing has materialised.
See also[edit]
External links[edit]
