Altador Cup
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The Altador Cup is a yearly gaming plot on Neopets which begins on June 1, and continues until gaming is completed (first year took place between June 1, 2006 and August 4). As a sporting event, sixteen teams from the lands of Neopia gathered in Altador to compete in the sport of Yooyuball for the Altador Cup trophy.
Yooyuball
The game played to win the Altador Cup is called Yooyuball. Gameplay appears to be based on Jai alai, where players carry a ball in a sling and charge down the field, trying to throw the ball into the other team's net to score a goal. The ball is actually a rolled up Petpet called a Yooyu, a creature native to Altador. There are a variety of different Yooyus used in the game, which gives the sport an unpredictable twist, requiring a team to alter its strategy depending on the type of Yooyu currently in play.
- Normal - The most common Yooyu which behaves like a normal ball of play without any extra effects. This Yooyu was added during the second Altador Cup.
- Fire - A very fast Yooyu, it moves in a straight line and must be transferred very quickly between team-mates, because keeping it too long could result in burns.
- Snow - Much slower than the Normal Yooyu, the Snow Yooyu also moves in a straight line. It freezes the muscles of those playing with it, making game play quite slow.
- Mutant - Leading to an extremely unpredictable game, the Mutant Yooyu will move in numerous, random patterns, such as beginning to curve at different points in the throw, changing speed, and only rarely shooting in a straight line.
- Faerie - Floating lightly through the air, the Faerie Yooyu curves in flight and leaves players wondering when it will drop down low enough for them to capture and pass it.
- Darigan - A misbehaving Yooyu which flies in a different direction the player holding it is facing, the Darigan Yooyu's flight can be predicted based on where a player is facing in the area. This Yooyu was added in the 2007 games.
- Clockwork - The Clockwork Yooyu is a wind-up robotic toy that will begin to glow red and explode between 1 - 15 seconds if it isn't put into a goal. This Yooyu was added in the 2007 games.
Yooyuball plays as a flash game, where users can play with use of the mouse and keyboard. Before each game of Yooyuball begins, users choose the formation they want their players to stand in and select which direction they would like to move the ball down the field. Using the mouse, users point at the player they want to move around, which will select the player. The selected player can be guided around the field using the mouse. When a player has possession of the ball, clicking the left mouse button throws the ball.
If a user wanted to deselect a player, they pressed the space bar or the S key. When none of the players were selected, they can clicked anywhere on the field to move the closest player to the position they clicked on. To toggle between players, users press the left and right arrow keys (or the A and D keys). Users can activate a player when toggling between them by pressing the space bar. Pressing the Shift key to moves players back to their starting positions.
A new rule was added on June 24, 2006, which would make the Yooyu jump from a Keeper's hands if it stayed there longer than 5 seconds. It is believed this was implemented because too many users were scoring a single goal then letting the Keeper hold onto the ball for the remainder of play, scoring an automatic win.
Between each goal, a cutscene is played, showing either the goal, the crowd, or - added in 2007 - the Yooyuball selection machines beneath the arena. While the cutscene is playing, game time is still used up, but a 'continue' button appears after a short delay allowing the user to skip most of the animation. An animation accompanies the introduction of each Yooyu to the field, also, but this can be skipped using the space bar.
The Committee
The Altador Cup Committee is a group of officials who carefully examine each play, making sure the rules of Yooyuball are followed. Players or fans who feel something needs to be reviewed can file a petition, and the committee will decide whether or not to rule on the matter. Once both sides of the issue are heard, the committee gathers in its private chambers to discuss the situation and vote on an appropriate course of action. Some feel they are too strict, but it's the committee's decisions which maintain the integrity of the game, and the committee members' actions are always motivated by a desire to protect the game's best interests.
It was the Committee which sent invitations to the worlds of Neopia in 2006, asking to participate in the first Altador Cup tournament in 1000 years. It's also assumed the Committee is a front for the actions taken by The Neopets Team, who make sure the game is fair and balanced for all users.
Team rosters
The Altador Cup Tournament consisted of sixteen teams representing the lands of Neopia. In total from previous years, eighteen worlds have participated, each sending a team to compete in the Colosseum in Altador. Users could only support one team at a time, and could only switch to another between rounds (only in the 2006 games). In 2007, the Kreludor team was replaced with Shenkuu. Why this was done is unknown, also is unknown if Kreludor will return the following year.
Only sixteen teams were available for users to play, but a 17th team came from Jelly World, which participated as the practice team. While the members of the team are unknown, it's known the Goalkeeper is a Jelly Kougra and the forwards a Jelly Kau and Usul.
Slushie Slinger
Added in the 2007 games, Slushie Slinger is an game users could play for lower points besides playing Yooyuball. Users play the role of a Red Tuskaninny waitress at the Slushie Concession Stand, and must serve impatient fans (Red Nimmo, Purple Tonu, Yellow Ogrin, etc.) their slushies while Yooyuball games play. Depending on what team the user joined, the Slushie Concession Stand would be the team's official slushie stand.
Make Some Noise
Added in the 2007 games, Make Some Noise is an game users could play for lower points besides playing Yooyuball. Assuming the role of the Techo Fanatic, users must cheer as loud as they can by tapping two randomly chosen keys together, raising the sound meter, for as long as they can in 30 seconds, then pressing spacebar before the time runs out. Depending on what team the user joined, the Techo Fanatic would be seen wearing that teams shirt, and cheering for them.
Plot participation
- Main Articles: Altador Cup 2006, Altador Cup 2007
Unlike regular plots where the plot was written by The Neopets Team, the plot was directed by the collective users on Neopets, and how well they played together in each of their selected teams. A plot summary was written after play to act out who won in each cause. Also, each year had their own methods of participation, and how the plot would progress.
Staff Tournament
As another part of the Altador Cup, The Neopets Team participates in a tournament play of their own. They did this in 2006, but it's uncertain if this will be done in 2007.
Altador Cup Tournament items
   
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Along with the release of the Altador Cup on June 1, 2006, a new Shop called Altador Cup Souvenirs opened, which sold sports team merchandise for each of the teams playing. Rather than Altador Cup Tournament items have a single use, they can be used for many different things. Hands and bottles were used as toys, pennants could be placed in Neohomes, and the jerseys acted as Clothes.
Trivia
- The first Altador Cup appeared to coincide with dates and times of the FIFA World Cup in Germany of 2006, and if the golden orb seen in the preview trailer bore a remarkable resemblance to the actual World Cup.
- Noted advertisements shown in North America within the 2006 tournament were a new Dragon Ball Z game being released in July 2006 and a new Garfield movie. For 2007, Evan Almighty was advertised.
- During Yooyuball game play when the Ixi and Grarrl newscasters are making their remarks, were a user refrains from clicking the "continue" button they would begin to ask the user to carry on, mention they see Tarla and need to hurry and catch her or reminding the user that sitting and watching them does not earn them points. A Spyder may also come down from the ceiling.
See also
- Plots: Altador Cup 2006, Altador Cup 2007
- Shops: Altador Cup Souvenirs
External links
- Altador Cup
- Altador Cup Prize Shop
- Animation Trailer
- Neopedia: Altador Cup
- Caption Competition: #712, #813
- Editorial: 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 252, 253, 264, 267