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Pins – Does size matter?
Greetings Penguins!
Forget the SoundStudio party for a while and instead feast your mind on another popular topic within the community – pins. Collectable items released every 2 weeks in a random room situated on the island. Once a pin has lived its' 2 week lifetime, it is retired for good and will never return again. You all know this I'm sure, as pins have been around since March 2006 and continue to be released fortnightly to this day. Despite pins serving the same purpose as they did upon their release 9 years ago, one thing about them has changed, much to the dismay of many penguins.
Big Pins come in Small Packages
Pins began as very small collectables that would be based off of a random object. The first, released in March 2006 was the Shamrock – now known as the rarest pin ever. Hidden in the Coffee Shop, it was certainly no easy task to find. The size of such meant that even the more experienced players failed to hunt it down (increasing its' rarity even further). The challenge of finding these small, rare and highly collectable objects was ultimately enjoyable. 2 weeks is plenty of time to find even the hardest of pins, and even then penguins were encouraged to work together if they struggled to discover which room possessed the random collectable. As CP was much more basic throughout its' youth, pins were cleverly hidden and designed in such a way that they would often blend in with their backgrounds.
In rarer cases, pins required clicking on in order to be revealed. The Surfboard Pin (released June 2007 during the Summer Kick Off Party) could be found at the Beacon. However, it was partially hidden by leaves, and thus hovering your cursor over the it would cause it to fall on the floor, enabling player's to then pick it up. This interactivity represents what pins should be – rare and hard to find.
Supersize Me!
As 2009 progressed, pins became noticeably bigger. Coincidentally, this was also the first year when Screenhog stopped making pins – and we all know how much he loves puzzles and challenges. Previously, pins were around half the size of the player's avatar (about the same size as a Puffle when walking). As 2009 came to a close and CP celebrated a yet another successful year, pins had actually become bigger than the penguins themselves. This is a rather large difference considering the short time period. The result of course meant that pins were much easier to find. If you entered the room in which one was hidden, it would instantly be obvious. Even those pins that were given away via other means (Scavenger hunt and party rewards etc) appeared large on the player card.
This dramatic growth increase, combined with the pins often being hidden in incredibly obvious places, means that few are happy with the current state of the island's favourite fortnightly collectables. It's fairly obvious that CP changed the size of the pins as players – particularly those whom are younger – found the smaller pins simply too challenging to find. The counter-argument to this would be that penguins can, and are often advised to work together in order to find them.
So, does size matter?
The size of pins will never be the reason for someone to quit the game – leave that to the lacklustre parties and dull items. It does however ruin the fun in finding them. Pin's need to be more challenging to find otherwise their existence seems slightly pointless. When first created, they were supposed to be challenging to find and CP made a big deal about releasing them. Now they seem like a chore that has only survived thus far due to tradition. I don't expect pins to be fully retired anytime soon, if ever.
But do we really expect the pins to change at all? Player's feedback doesn't seem to play a pivotal role in the game anymore, with the likes of an Old CP party, smaller pins and island-wide parties remaining firmly in the player's minds. Nevertheless, we can always hope that the challenging aspect will someday return to the island. Harder activities, smaller pins, difficult missions. Here's to the rest of 2015! (SoundStudio Party critical review coming soon, stay tuned!)
Random CP Fact #40: There are currently 303 pins total; including party-exclusive, unlockable and Members-only pins.
Until next time, Waddle on!
– Jimbobson
Waddle Around And Meet New Friends!
Greetings Penguins!
Ah CP's tagline. Whilst much of our beloved island has changed over the years, it has always remained the same. Until now that is. This week, the tagline was changed – something in which wasn't mentioned officially or even acknowledged by any of the CP team. It was of course up to us players to discover this for ourselves. So, what is the new one you ask? Surely it incorporates waddling…or penguins…or even Puffles…friends? No.
Disney's #1 Virtual World for Kids
Yes, that is genuinely the new tagline. Whilst not necessarily a game changer, it has a significant factor upon the future direction of the game. CP has always prided itself on originality – something in which has decreased somewhat in recent years. Don't get me wrong, much of what CP does today has at least a decent amount of originality, but the incorporation of sponsored parties and characters that are blatantly heavily based off of real or fictional characters whom already exist (Merry Walrus, anyone?) doesn't quite have the originality factor that Herbert P Bear and the PSA possessed.
Waddle around and meet new friends was something in which was unique to CP. No other virtual world could've had the same one due to the game being focused around penguins. Other virtual worlds had foxes, bin creatures and other animals, but none were penguins. The tagline defined the objective of the game – to explore and make friends. The new one is the exact opposite. It's unoriginal and tells the viewer nothing about the website. It's a simple marketing gimmick in which emphasises Disney's greed as a company. Do they genuinely believe more players will sign up due to it being Disney's #1 virtual world – for kids – which they didn't create nor care about for anything other than money generating?
The problem with Disney..
Disney was formerly a great company. Walt Disney produced original and inspiring animations in which entertained generations of people – and still continues to do so today, and stands tall amongst the more visually-appealing 3D animations Pixar and Dreamworks are creating. Why? Originality. Sure, modern animations like Frozen are original and thus exceptionally popular, but Disney maintains that quality standard of storytelling which didn't require spectacular visual effects in order to grab its' audience.
Disney in modern day is what you'd expect of any business – to obtain as much money as possible. Thus, they buy a ridiculous amount of companies, some of which aren't necessarily related to their past work. Disney's purchase of Marvel still seems odd, but let's not go too off-topic here. Disney's purchase of Club Penguin was due to its' incredible success during its' youth. Disney saw an opportunity and seized it; possibly knowing other companies such as Sony were interested. Did it benefit CP? Sure, it gave them the funding they needed to survive, but the cost of working with Disney isn't always positive. A quote from Billybob (after Disney purchased CP) stated that not much would change regarding the game, unless it was for the better. This was poor wording as it seems he was already making excuses. Nothing will change unless for the better? Translates to praise our decision and Disney regardless of the outcome. Anyway, that's enough Disney-hating for now (not that I hate Disney of course).
The problem with CP and Disney..
With Disney owning CP, the cyber winter wonderland has the opportunity to incorporate Disney-owned characters into their game – whether a penguin-esque version or not. CP has this right. It's safe to say they've taken advantage of this due to the amount of sponsored parties over the recent years. These parties generate a lot of income and website traffic for CP, so don't expect them anytime soon. The major issue however is that many players don't want sponsored parties – and CP knows it.
The team claim they listen to feedback, and this was certainly true as the game was still new. Recently, CP listens to whichever ideas will be most beneficial to them financially. An 'Old CP' style party has been wanted by so many for several years. Whether its' based like a history museum or a virtual reality system, that doesn't matter. Players simply want to re-visit their past and in some cases, their childhood. It would even be worth it for new players to learn about the history of the game. Instead, we see Teen Beach Movie and Shake it Up based parties finding themselves on the island. Are they honestly trying to say more fans requested a Teen Beach Movie party than an Old CP party? I think not.
Listening to feedback is crucial. It always has been and always will be. If not listened to properly, your product and/or company will suffer the consequences. CP is lucky as they have Disney to fund any issues. If CP was still owned by New Horizons Interactive, the decline in website traffic over the years would've surely damaged the company – badly.
The problem with the tagline..
Unoriginal. Uninspiring. Boring. Marketing gimmick. I'm sure what exactly it's trying to prove. Disney don't actually own any other virtual worlds, not since the death of ToonTown. There's also the "for kids" part, they don't own any other virtual worlds for kids, teens, adults, anything. Why state such an odd fact? It's like me saying "Jimbobson.com, Jim's #1 website" when it's the only one I continuously update.
Why not incorporate something unique about CP? Is the fact that it's owned by Disney enough reason for the tagline to include such a fact? "The #1 virtual world for kids" would've been much better – but of course that's a high statement for a game in which doesn't quite compare against how it was 7 years ago. Disney appears to be similar to a dictator. They insist on everything CP to state "Disney". Everyone knows Disney owns CP – it's blatantly obvious from the logo. But having to state it in the tagline again appears like a cheap marketing gimmick that is unlikely to bring that many, if any, new players.
First there was the sponsored parties, then CP staff members couldn't reply to fans on Twitter, now the new tagline. It seems Disney is becoming much more strict with everyone's favourite penguin world, and that certainly isn't a good thing..
Random CP Fact #39: Despite always been a fan-made rumour, there are hints that Card Jitsu Shadow is genuine. A power card featuring a shadow Ninja exists, and even Spike Hike has hinted that it will become a reality in the future.
Until next time, Waddle on!
– Jimbobson
CP: Star Wars Rebels Critical Review!
Greetings Penguins!
Oh no, not this. Do I have to? Really? I never caught onto the Star Wars hype whatsoever. Never seen any of the films, only the Family Guy parody version(s). Sure I know a few characters, but my knowledge of the huge Lucasfilm franchise is something not even a snail attached to a rocket would envy. I'll give reviewing it a shot anyway, so let's begin.
Obviously inspired by the Star Wars franchise (the Star Wars Rebels series in particular), the party has a lot that fans of the films/shows will appreciate. For those of us who aren't fanatics however, it's a bit dull. Sure, there's plenty to see and experience, and we can appreciate the efforts CP has gone to in order to provide an entertaining party, but it only appeals to a certain amount of users. Remember how CP discontinued the Christmas Party to prevent those of different religions from being left out? Well they're doing something very similar with introducing takeovers based on a certain genre of films. Same with the Marvel Superheroes – some love it, whilst some can't stand it.
Nevertheless, the content is fairly decent. I admit out of all the parties thus far (literally ever), I was least excited for this one. I didn't even log on until a week after it was released. Maybe I'm just getting old? I don't know, but I won't be disappointed to see this one go to a galaxy far far away – for good.
As per with all modern parties – we have a selection of quests to complete in order to earn some items. The typical click-and-find or throw-snowball-at-something activities return once again. This being said, there was some variety and it wasn't nearly as tedious as that of the Frozen or Pirate Party. I particularly liked the fact that you had to throw snowballs at the enemy's defences. It suggested that there was in fact a battle going on, and not just doing random tasks for the fun of it.
This being said, there's still the same issue that has lingered for oh, so long. Due to CP's obsession with bringing monthly parties to the mobile app, it means that the quests have to be suitable for such. Typically, mobile games began as tap-to-win (such as Angry Birds etc). Simply tapping the screen in a certain area wins the game. This is exactly the area CP is straying into, and a problem that was obviously caused by the virtual world's move to mobile. Whilst not necessarily a bad thing (heck, look at Clash of Clans – that's awesome), I'd prefer to see some Operation Blackout or old PSA-standard missions, which really got the mind working. Another issue I have with CP's new format is the fact that pop-ups tell us where to go and what to do. Can't we just be provided with clues and figure out what to do and where ourselves?
A major complaint I've seen throughout the recent parties – particularly regarding the quests – is how we cannot fail them. For example, we couldn't lose against the Pirate Crabs (not to the extent they defeated us and took over the island) and we cannot lose against the Stormtroopers. I know they have bad aim, but wow. It takes the excitement from the game away. Imagine Skyrim without the ability to die? Nevertheless, it's a children's game. Still, losing should be an option.
Sigh. Awful, simply awful. Members get a decent selection of somewhat inspiring items, but non-members get ridiculously small gadget-themed hand items that make the Friendship Bracelet appear groundbreaking. I was hugely disappointed with these items. So much so that I wasn't even bothered about getting them. I only did so due to the fact I collect every non-member item/background/pin that is released. A fundamental item of the franchise is that of a Light Saber – something only Members could collect. If we are forced to endure countless hand items, surely a Saber would've been a better choice than those we got.
At last years' event the items were ultimately better. Stormtrooper helmets for everyone? Yes please. Even myself, who is not particularly a fan of Star Wars, appreciates it. Much more so than random hand-items I doubt I, or many other penguins would wear by choice. Seriously, who designs these? The flag-thing was probably my favourite item from this party (for everyone), though we all know it's a redesigned version of the Pirate Flag released during November's Pirate Party.
Fairly decent attempt from CP. There's a lot of visuals from the series that have made their way into the party as one would expect. As usual, only the bottom half of the island is decorated. Regardless, it's a decent effort from CP and I especially liked how the Space room returned, though nothing actually happened there. There was also no Death Star which is a little disappointing – even if it doesn't appear in the show, CP still could've incorporated it for a little extra content.
I especially liked how the Coffee Shop had become 'Javva the Hut' (a pun on the slug-like alien character Javva the Hutt). The party lacks due to the sheer absence of interior decorated rooms. Sadly, this has been a feature for many parties over the past year and I cannot see it making its' exit anytime soon, except for particular parties (such as the Anniversary and Halloween). We can only hope!
None. Moving on..
No seriously though, everybody wanted Darth Herbert. Even if Vader isn't in the animated series, CP still should've included the fan favourite.
Vs. The original Star Wars Takeover
I don't normally compare, but in this case a brief comparison seems relevant. I much preferred the original, probably because I understand the story a little more. Darth Herbert was awesome, as was the Death Star – even the cutscenes and the iconic "A long time ago in a galaxy far far away.." words in space. The party has included more CP-originality which is always a huge factor of a successful CP event. Overall, this party seems like the original takeover's little brother. It had it's good parts that fans will enjoy, but it didn't compare to the original in terms of originality, mascots, items, decorations etc etc.
Overall, the party is again something that Star Wars fans will probably enjoy. There's a decent amount of content to get through and some interesting visuals. But for those of us who aren't fans of the show and/or films, it was probably something we don't want to experience for 10 minutes; nevermind 2 weeks. I realise this review is shorter than usual. The reason behind it is simply due to the fact I didn't log in much at all during the entire event. It never interested me, it still doesn't interest me. Give me the original any day!
Random CP Fact #38: February will host a brand new party – the SoundStudio Party. It will be a collaboration between the Music Jam and Hollywood parties and will support the release of the SoundStudio app available soon.
Until next time, Waddle on!
– Jimbobson
Jim's Tech – What Do I use?
Greetings All!
This marks my first post that is not associated with CP whatsoever. Instead, I will be talking about which devices I'm currently using in certain categories. The major focus will go on the 3 main categories; smartphone, tablet and computer.
Smartphone: HTC One (M8)
I've always been a fan of Android ever since I first experienced it – when a relative of mine purchased the original Samsung Galaxy Note. The huge, vibrant screen was overwhelming. Up until then, I was using old phones simply for the text/call factor, not to download games and browse the web. The Note itself is what booted my love for smartphones. I've been obsessed with smartphones for years now, one is always on my person wherever I go. The plethora of possibility in such a portable, personal device is probably my favourite thing about them. Music? Apps? Games? Reading? Browsing? Watching videos? Taking photos? Emails? No problem!
My first Android device was a Samsung Galaxy III – a phone in which made me question how I lived my life without a smartphone in the first place. It was an amazing device for its' time. The size of the screen was perhaps one of the most attracting factor, combined with Samsung's famous Super AMOLED screens – praised for their saturated colours. I used this thing for everything. It came with me everywhere. Being an Android user, I eventually decided to install a custom ROM to replace Samsung's stock TouchWiz UI (which can be a little laggy sometimes). Regardless, I ran several ROM's including Liquidsmooth and CyanogenMOD. Both of which being great alternatives.
Since then (Late mid 2012) I've owned several other phones, including the Galaxy Note and the Google Nexus 4. The Note I found to be a little awkward to hold at times, whereas the Nexus 4 was fantastic due to its' build quality and pure Android – though it did lack several features I missed from Samsung's versions. After another relative purchased the original HTC One (M7), I was immediately curious. I hadn't used a HTC Android phone before, but wow what a beast that thing was. Combining exceptional design, build quality, software, hardware and of course those famous front-facing speakers – the M7 rightly won the Phone of the Year award from T3. Sense, HTC's version of Android, was particularly impressive. HTC had taken Google's Android and included features and an interface that was beneficial for the user – and not just a bloatware marketing gimmick that TouchWiz seems to offer.
With this in mind, I got my HTC One M8 this year. Thus far, I love the device. The BoomSound features are perhaps my favourite feature. The full aluminium unibody design rivals anything Apple has brought to the table. One could say the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have been influenced by HTC's design standards – particularly when both are compared to the M8. I use this device a lot every day. It's always with me. I also use it for music purposes – rather than those people who instead like to carry a MP3 Player and a smartphone at the same time.
As rumours hot up regarding the M8's successor – codenamed 'Hima' – I instead look forward to Android 5.0 Lollipop and HTC's next version of Sense (Sense 7.0). Will I become increasingly jealous over the M9 as time goes on? I hope not. My bank wouldn't appreciate buying out my contract which has over a year left!
Tablet: iPad Mini 2
I bet readers didn't expect that. "But you love Android?" Yes. But I also enjoy iOS. There are plenty of people whom possess one or the other and therefore begin to hate on the one they don't own. I instead prefer to own several devices in which run on different operating systems – thus getting the best of all the worlds. Android I prefer for its' customisation, rich features and the fact that devices aren't limited to one manufacturer. Don't like Samsung but like Android? No problem! Go with HTC. Or LG. Or Moto. And so on.
I've always used iOS for tablets. I love the seamless way iOS seems to simply just work. iOS 8 is a great mobile OS that serves its' purpose incredibly well. It's simple and easy to use for everyone, contains a great App Store and of course updates come straight to your device direct from the manufacturer. The tablet-optimised apps are also a huge factor when selecting a tablet. Android has been guilty of having scaled-up smartphone apps on the Google Play store many times before.
After owning an old preowned iPad 1, I instantly felt the need for more power in a thinner, lighter, more attractive package. The iPad 4 then replaced my dated iPad 1 which couldn't run many apps without force closing. The Retina Display has become the industry standard today – with several even surpassing Apple's efforts by including a Quad-HD screen into their smartphones (LG G3 for example). Revolutionary in 2010 (2012 for tablets) perhaps, but the quality of the screen still remains great to look at even today.
I did originally intend on getting an iPad Mini. The rumours of a thinner, lighter yet smaller and more affordable iPad sounded perfect to me. Particularly the more affordable part. Of course, the first generation iPad Mini came with too many limitations for me to be convinced. A two year old A5 chip with a non-Retina screen and 512MB RAM for a not-so cheap price when compared to its' then competition? No thanks. With that in mind, I went for the iPad 4 and never looked back..
..Until a few months ago. My friend got an iPad Mini 2. After trying it out, I was slightly jealous. I became aware of how large and heavy the iPad 4 seemed. The performance improvement and overall better design were also tempting. Of course by this point the most recent iPad Mini – the iPad Mini 3 had been released. All that changed was the addition of a new gold colour and the Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the home button. No A8X chip or increase in RAM like the iPad Air 2. Heck, not even a A8 chip like those found in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. I was hugely disappointed with Apple's efforts. Ignoring the Mini after the 2 was so successful? Frustrating.
The big decrease in price for the Mini 2 meant I was too tempted to resist. I ultimately sold my iPad 4 and purchased an iPad Mini 2. It's a fantastic device that I use a lot more often than I did with my iPad 4. The added portability really does make a difference. Maybe not so much anymore with the Air series, but definitely compared to the older iPads.
Computer: MacBook Pro (Late 2011)
I've always been a Windows user. I enjoyed Windows. Sure it was slow after a while and viruses were much more common on the Microsoft OS, but it served its' purpose as my everyday OS. Being familiar with several versions; XP, Vista, 7, 8 and even the Technical Preview of 10 – I was never bothered about Apple's efforts. Why? Because Macs are expensive. Everyone knows this. Some argue you pay more for a all-round better machine, others state that you can purchase a much better spec'd Windows machine for the same price.
It was until I discovered a cheap MacBook on a selling website that I was content with Windows. Noticing that it had an Intel Core i7 processor (quad-core) rather than an i5 – even if it was an older model – I gave in. I'd never even properly used a Mac before, and there was I purchasing a still somewhat expensive couple-year old machine running an OS I had no idea how to use. Many people questioned my spontaneous, admittedly hasty decision.
Over a year later and I can say without hesitation that it is the best computer I've ever used. Mac OS X is a real pleasure to use. It makes the often slow, clunky OS that is Windows something that I don't plan on using on a personal computer – unless of course Windows 10 is mind-blowing. I realise many dislike Macs due to their weaker gaming efforts, or simply because of their pricier nature. The keyboard, the trackpad, the screen, the OS, the build quality, the MagSafe charger, the speakers – everything oozes quality that I've yet to use on a non-Apple computer. I'm not necessarily a fanboy, I just appreciate Macs for what they are – outstanding computers. I hope, my bank depending, that I can continuously use Macs for good. This computer has served me incredibly well already; though I hope there's many more years to come.
Reserve Computer: Samsung RV515 Laptop
My previous laptop before it was replaced by my MacBook. Now its' used as a backup, and often an attempt to see if certain Mac-created content works on Windows. Currently it's enjoying life running Windows 10 Technical Preview which is already a big improvement when compared to Windows 8. Its' slowness has began to show however, thus resulting in it rarely been used for anything other than tests.
Consoles: Nintendo 3DS & Sony PS4
I'm a huge Pokemon fan as I'm sure some know. I also enjoy many other games Nintendo offers like the Super Mario Bros franchise. I've owned Nintendo handheld consoles since the Game Boy Colour – and will continue to do so as long as great games – particularly Pokemon – are being released.
In terms of the powerhouses, I've always owned the PlayStation consoles rather than Xbox. Purchasing a PS3 and indeed recently a PS4 was another one of my more easily-convinced-by-people hasty decisions. Regardless, I don't regret either. The likes of FIFA, Skyrim and several others keeps me entertained for hours.
And thus wraps up the main tech I use on a regular basis. Of course, there's other devices such as a Nintendo Wii, TV and all that jazz but I decided to instead focus on the main 4 categories. I hope you all enjoyed this first non-CP-related post and look forward to more. Of course you can also expect the Star Wars Rebels critical review within the coming week too. Stay tuned1
Until next time!
– Jimbobson
Changes Coming Soon!
Greetings Penguins!
For once, the title isn't regarding Club Penguin. In fact, the absence of CP is the whole point of this post! Since the beginning of this website in September 2007, I've wanted this website to be unique in comparison to the hundreds of other CP blogs out there. Posting each and every update CP releases in a timely fashion has become the solid foundation when creating a successful blog. Add a custom theme, header, some fancy graphics, a custom domain and you should be on for a winner.
Here at Club Penguin Frontier however, I've always wanted something original. For the first several years I did post every update CP released – but so was everyone else. It was hard to become noticed when compared to other fan-sites that were ultimately better designed and written in a more timely fashion. Originality is something that, unfortunately, is lacking within the CP blogging community as so few feel the need to stray away from the norm – why make the website original when all the popular ones simply post about whatever CP updates?
With this in mind, I created my moderately successful Critical Reviews. These reviews, unlike many at the time, were not afraid to criticise CP's latest efforts at creating a party. Sure, some disagreed with my points but many praised the well written (if I do say so myself!) essay-style structure and upmost honesty when making my points. I enjoy writing the reviews, and will continue to do so for quite some time. The whole point of blogging is that you enjoy it and it shouldn't be a chore – hence why I stopped blogging about every update released. It became far to tiresome along with schoolwork. I looked forward to new CP content, but despised the idea that I'd have to spend hours posting images, guides and several other bits of content to keep up with the other bloggers.
What is the point in this post?
What is the point in this blog post? Firstly, to provide some history on why I blog certain things and not others. Secondly, it is to introduce something brand new to the site. As some may know, I'm a huge technology enthusiast. Enjoying consoles, smartphones, tablets and laptops alike – technology is a huge part of my life, as I'm sure it is to many readers. Combine my passion for technology with this blog (and ultimately my passion for making reviews and lengthy, wordy blog posts) and what do you get? Blog posts about technology, of course!
I know this may sound odd, a CP blog that posts about technology? What? That's never been done before! Every so often I shall post reviews of certain pieces of technology. It certainly won't be something that consumes the site but rather enhances it. As many CP users are also fans of technology, I feel the two can be combined in such a way that makes the blog both interesting to read and unique when compared to the others.
Club Penguin Frontier will not be about CP – what?!
Here's the fun thing – the CP content won't stop either. I will continue to post critical reviews of each party as usual – but I will also post certain tech reviews too. It's a fairly strange concept I admit. It will also hopefully reach out to readers that aren't even CP players – imagine that? A CP-based website that is read by people who have never created a penguin! It's an exciting thought. Of course, we won't become as big as the likes of iMore or Android Central, but will certainly attract readers of different interests.
The writing will remain similar – the correct grammar and of course some sarcastic jokes here and there. I like to think of this website as 'Jimbobson's Frontier' – a place where I, Jimbobson, can post about a plethora of topics without being limited to one in particular (such as CP). Many CP-based websites have attempted to focus on multiple virtual worlds at once, but typically stop once they realise the effort going into such a task. Regardless, I hope this may even inspire some users to incorporate their own different topics to their CP blogs.
But I hate anything that isn't CP!
No problem! If you notice a post that you're not interested in simply don't read it. I don't expect every reader to be interested in everything I say. If you're just here for the CP content – like everyone at this time – simply read the CP content and ignore the rest. It's all completely fine with me!
Why do this?
I like been original. This isn't the first blog to cover technology related content and by no means will it be the last. But it is the first of its' kind to be initially CP-based, then evolve into a site that covers multiple topics. 'Jimbobson' isn't just a penguin created in May 2007. It is a unique screen name that isn't restricted to CP. I like to think of Jimbobson in a similar context as Screenhog or Rocketsnail. Both began on CP then evolved and became associated with far more than just the small snow-covered island we know and love.
I also love reading other people's opinions on certain pieces of technology that I enjoy. I've also always wanted to write reviews and have my opinions heard, so this is the perfect chance.
What about the Club Penguin random facts?
They will still happen, but only on the CP-related posts. It makes no sense to end a tablet computer review with a Club Penguin random fact.
Will the site keep its' name?
Likewise with the point above. The background/header will remain the same for now. I've always loved the CPF name and was surprised to know that it hadn't been taken already, what with some blogs sounding a bit farfetched in comparison. Regardless, the name will likely be changed to Jimbobson's Frontier – a name that will also suit the domain.
Target Audience?
Everyone! There will be no swearing or anything like that, therefore the site will appeal to the same audience as it currently does. Possibly expect some bigger words as I attempt to sound more academic though..
When can we expect the first non-CP related post?
Very soon! With the Star Wars Rebels party happening soon, and how I tend to wait until the final days or the conclusion of the party, expect one before my CP critical review.
Can we suggest things to review?
Sure! I'm open to suggestions. Of course, I will have to of had experience of said suggestion otherwise it wouldn't be a very legit review.
And thus explains what will be happening to the site within the next month. Things won't change drastically, if anything more posts will be written to fill the monthly gap between critical reviews. On paper, it sounds like it will benefit pretty much every viewer. Stay tuned!
Random CP Fact #37: CP have officially confirmed that February will be a Music-themed month, including a Music-themed party that seems unrelated to anything we've seen before.
Until next time, Waddle on!
– Jimbobson
2014 in CP – Critical Review!
Greetings Penguins!
There's much debate about which year has been the best year (ever) in CP. Some prefer the simplicity of the 2006/7 days whilst others appreciate the rich content and gameplay of the 2009-2011 years. Whichever your preference, there's little debate about which year has been the worst (or at least the most unsuccessful) year on the snow covered island. That year is of course 2014.
2014 has been interesting. We've had the usual 12 months of main parties, including new mini-events inspired by the game in its' youth. Not only this, but CP gave us a plethora of Puffles, pins, items and quests to enjoy – not to mention a stop-motion animated TV show and a couple of mobile applications. On paper, this would sound like a very fruitful and successful year. How can the release of so much content result in a disappointing year when the likes of 2005-7 brought nothing special outside of the game itself?
The fundamental issue is not the content itself, but rather the quality of said content. Sure, we got a lot of new stuff this year, but little of it was actually worth the player's time. More on this later however. The point here is that this year was disappointing. Maybe not to new players or when compared to other virtual worlds, but definitely a major let-down in terms of Club Penguin's famous standards.
The major issue throughout the year was the parties. These events are one of the major selling points of the game as each unique party – whether sponsored by another franchise or not – are original due to the fact that they take place on an island inhabited primarily by penguins. Parties aim to attract players, both old and new, to log in and experience the event and hopefully purchase a membership for all those nifty extra features. This has always worked for CP due to their ability to completely re-design many of their virtual rooms in a rich, contextually aware setting. For example, a Pirate Party is likely to contain many pirate ships and pirates.
The issues don't lay within this business model. Instead, they lay with the context of the party, as well as the decorations, gameplay and sometimes items available. In the old days, the team would simply design most of the rooms available with small but contextually-relevant decorations. One Christmas tree at the Forest was enough to make their point and it worked well. After Disney purchased the game, parties became more advanced. The small "free item" stands were replaced by challenges and quests in order to earn the exclusive item(s). Decorated rooms were plentiful and incredibly well thought out. The artwork is something we appreciated back then, and certainly do even more so today.
Coins for Change became an instant controversy after many speculated that the grand total of coins donated had been altered in the company's favour. A total of 26 billion coins were apparently donated; despite the charity not really being advertised as much as other parties. Add to this the fact that fewer penguins logged in when compared to 2013's version and how we struggled to even reach the goal and it all seems a little Fluffy the Fishy.
Lack of effort from the team due to the mobile app, parties have seriously declined this year. We've had the old favourites such as the Halloween party, Music Jam and the Holiday party under a new name. However, none compared (with the possible exception of the Halloween Party which certainly wasn't the worst to date) to past versions. The Music Jam failed miserably, sparking many to complain and dub it as the worst party ever – if not easily the worst of 2014. The Merry Walrus event fell flat and caused the #SaveTheClubPenguin trend on Twitter. This was the year penguins hit breaking point. Sure, 2013 wasn't the best year either; but it certainly topped 2014.
Penguin's favourite pets are of course Puffles. These furry, fluffball creatures have been fan favourites since their debut in 2005 (and adoptability in 2006). Typically, one Puffle per year was the norm. Each version came in a new colour and had its' own personality that hoped to match some of the target audience. Because of their annual release, a new Puffle was an exciting event. Those old enough to remember the first appearance of the Yellow, White and Orange Puffles in particular will know what I mean. CP never released them instantly for adoption. Instead, they would have them appear in certain places on the island at certain types – usually during a party or event. The release of a Puffle then resulted in furniture matching the new colour and real-life merchandise.
2013 introduced multiple Puffles. 2014 however, saw a huge increase in our fluffy friends. We've also seen the introduction of Puffle Creatures – Puffles inspired by real-life animals such as dogs, cats and mythical creatures such as the unicorn (and whilst never adoptable – the dragon). I personally was never a fan of Puffle Creatures as they seemed too odd-looking and not exactly very creative. The release of a Puffle was once a celebrated event. Now however, it seems to annoy more than it does please. With one seeming to appear ever other party as a selling-point (rare Puffles for Members – buy now!), many are sick and tired of them being released almost every month. Either they need to be released less-often, or they need to possess much more unique abilities and personalities. Either way, I can't see the Puffle-apocolypse ending in 2015.
Quests & Tasks
"Come back tomorrow for another item!". The phrase that haunts many. A cheap way of getting players to log in every day; CP has adopted this formula for a few years now – but none worse than in 2014. Sure, not every party possessed this horrific message, but those that did had extremely slow, repetitive, boring and easy to complete quests that would take the average player much less than a minute to complete. If you are to have players clicking on obvious, gigantic-sized snowflakes to earn an item (Frozen Party), why not just allow them to claim it instantly instead? Oh yes, to make them stay online longer and hopefully send their money Disney's way in return for an exclusive item.
The Pirate Party had us sword-fighting other penguins in an effort to save the island from pirate crabs, and of course earn items whilst doing it. This was all players had to do throughout the entire party. Sharing the gameplay with that of the Star Wars Party, Rock Paper Scissors and Card Jitsu, this has become incredibly tiresome already. Having players do it for an entire week (the time it took to complete all the tasks) and boredom is bound to rise due to the same-old repetition. At least involve some strategy like Card Jitsu did!
Items were often the main reason one would log in during a party. An item that could someday become rare was incredibly popular back in the early dates. Each party had only a few items and almost all were available for everyone. Almost all the items were also memorable. The Inflatable Duck (both Green and Yellow variants) and the Anniversary Party Hats are all incredibly memorable items. Ask me in 2009 which items were given away at which party and I could've written you an essay. These days however, we get a selection of uninspired items that are often re-coloured versions of those released previous years.
Non-Members are unfortunate in the respect that they get either hand or head items. This limits players in ways that it never did back in the early years. Body, feet, neck and face items seem to be a Members-only privilege at parties which is incredibly annoying. Would fewer players not purchase a Membership because everyone got a free hoodie at a party? I think not. The main point here is that the majority of items are lacking in creativity and functionality. The Hard Hat/Mining Hat series were effective for role-playing as a construction worker – complete with a special dance animation. Likewise with the Inflatable Ducks and Water Wings – players could pretend they were swimming.
Much fewer animations are added for items too. Special dances were once a very common addition to an exclusive item at a party. Now, when these do actually get released which is a rarity in itself, they're reserved for Members. Heck, even the newer Puffles lack a unique dancing animation that was once guaranteed with a new Puffle. I'd happily take much fewer items if they were more memorable, quality in terms of creativity and design and of course possessed some special animations. Will we ever get that? I doubt it. I really doubt it.
With CP's move to mobile well underway, we have seen a few spin-off apps released. Sled Racer was a decent Temple Run-style game complete with appealing 3D graphics and relatively fun if not repetitive gameplay. However, the app has not since received any updates to make me want to open it again. Puffle Wild, a Candy Crush-clone, is simply an attempt to release a huge amount of Puffles exclusive to Members. If you're not a member, have fun with the incredibly repetitive and frustrating game. I'm damn sure I did(n't).
The main CP app had its' very own moment this year as it was finally released for (some) Android devices. Although it took about a year, it is a decent port that's almost the same in every way to the iOS version. However, I still never actually use this app as its' still incredibly slow and clunky, requiring plenty of 3D rendering which can cause even the faster devices to lag when in popular rooms. Sure, the graphics are nice and the 3D models and animations are great – but it needs some performance upgrades before it becomes my default way of logging on the island.
Another issue with the main app is that its' restricting the desktop version. The features of each party must work on both devices to ensure the experience is equal on all platforms. This is the fundamental reason behind the disappointing parties this year. Something must be done about this – the app is supposed to assist the desktop version – not limit its' features. I'd happily take the quality of other years over a half-working mobile app any day.
2008 was a revolutionary year for CP due to the major release in merchandise. Plush toys, figurines, Card Jitsu cards, playsets etc you name it were available worldwide and were instant successes. The first series of the plush toys – especially a Rockhopper plush – were exceptionally popular. So much so that they had sold out in the US before they reached other countries. The exclusive code in which unlocked items online was the likely reason behind this.
CP now seems to only sell Membership cards. I've not seen any CP-related toys in any toy store for a long time as production of these items has now ended. I'd of liked to see the introduction of some items this year. Perhaps some Puffle-themed toys to go with those released in-game. Perhaps CP doesn't feel the demand for such items is strong enough anymore? Or maybe they cannot think of any more items for the Treasure Book?
Broken Promises
Broken promises? What now? You may remember Spike Hike mentioning the likes of CPNext and Server Jumping, as well as Project Super Secret (PSS) – all of which are to change the game in a massive way. With CPNext being initially announced in 2013 and PSS in 2014, we haven't heard much since. The most optimistic of us may argue that 2014 was lacking in many areas due to the team's hard work on all these new features. Whether this is true or not doesn't change the fact that 2015 must be a better year. We need to see these features sooner rather than later otherwise the company will suffer financially.
To conclude, 2014 was a year that oozed disappointment. There were hyped-up events that many, including myself were looking forward to. The Music Jam, Future Party, Pirate Party and Merry Walrus Party all seemed exciting when initially announced – but it quickly became obvious that they all followed the same recycled pattern – easy, boring and repetitive quests, few decorated rooms, little to no storyline and forgettable items. Takeovers are still ongoing as is proven by this month's Star Wars Rebels party. Lets just hope that there's no Yoda Puffles lurking in a galaxy far far away.
Not all was bad however, we did have some original and slightly memorable parties such as The Penguin Cup and all those mini-parties. Some Puffles such as the Ghost and Blue Crystal weren't exactly bad ideas, and the Sasquatch mystery is certainly something that's still interesting today. 2015 needs to be better however, a lot better. Otherwise more and more penguins will become tired and eventually leave the game for good.
Random CP Fact #36: Despite the speculation, 2014's Coins for Change grand total of 26 billion coins is approximately 1 billion more than 2013's total – and an incredible 24 billion more than that of the first Coins for Change in 2007.
Until next time, Waddle on!
– Jimbobson
Merry Walrus Party – Critical Review!
Happy New Year Penguins!
2015 is officially here, and what better way to celebrate the change of a single digit than criticising CP's efforts once more. The full 2014 review will be posted shortly, as for now though the focus is on December – the festive season that would once mean a Holiday Party would embrace the island with its' festive mittens. 2014 however, brought something new to the board. This time, we instead had a Merry Walrus Party – an original attempt to create a multicultural holiday with unique traditions. But was this just a Christmas party with a gimmicky name, or a grand event that will excite for years to come? Let's find out!
Focused upon the original character of Merry Walrus – a walrus whom is so heavily based on Santa Claus that even the "Ho Ho Ho!" catchphrase remains unchanged, the party hopes to celebrate a variety of traditions in order to avoid isolating any players of different religions and beliefs. Aunt Arctic (surprisingly!) discovered a book in which told the festive beasts' tale and decided to make other penguins aware of his existence. Thus, Merry Walrus eventually comes to the island, bringing Coins for Change with him in hope to spread some festive joy around the island.
It's by no means a complex plot, nor does it really explain where he's been all these years. There was also no indication of why penguins chose to celebrate this event instead of Christmas/other holidays. 2014 has seemed completely distant from other years as each party, even if it shares the same name, seemed completely different to previous versions. See Music Jam for more details.
I'd love to see Herbert introduce himself like in the animated special. He didn't feature at all which was annoying. Him and Merry Walrus could've had an epic face-off! Or, perhaps Herbert could've captured Merry Walrus and instead posed as him in order to ruin the holiday. Instead, he simply sits forgotten in his lair – wherever that may be.
Regardless, the plot was fairly weak. Did it need a complex plot? Not really, but it would've been nice to hear more of the origin of Merry Walrus and why he's basically Santa in disguise. How did he obtain these magical powers? How did he find the Blue Crystal Puffles? There's many gaps in the plot which is a little disappointing – but to be expected with the team's recent efforts.
Like with most modern events, the Merry Walrus Party featured a series of daily quests. Unlike those of the Halloween party which were unarguably more challenging that those of the Frozen Party – the quests were straightforward and didn't really require much skill or thought. Sure, some were quite fun to figure out – but the fun lasted a matter of seconds rather than minutes. For each quest completed, 500 coins would be donated to Coins for Change in the player's name. It seems a little cheap to do it this way as penguin's are not donating by choice. Instead, they are simply trying to obtain the items and the exclusive Puffle.
One area in which the quests did shine was variety. Sure, it wasn't PSA-standard variety but it wasn't complete repitition like the Frozen & Pirate parties. Let's just hope CP spends more time focusing on the quests this year – otherwise even the younger players will begin to notice that boredom replaces excitement when experiencing new parties.
The Christmas/Holiday parties have always been nicely decorated. Whether it be the simple decorations of the original in 2005 or the sophistication of more recent versions, these parties have always had top-notch artwork. Even the PSA HQ and EPF Command Room were decorated for such parties – something in which didn't occur at any other point within the year. This defines how significant the holiday-themed parties are and always have been.
With a new name comes new decorations – you'd be forgiven for thinking this. Though we did get plenty of new artwork – including the original Merry Walrus float – some rooms were simply recycled from previous versions (namely the Town). Fewer rooms were decorated, but this was to be expected. There was no decorated Ski Lodge, Dojo Courtyard or even Iceberg. What perhaps surprised everyone though was the absence of an evening sky. Instead, the same-old everyday sky was used. Though it doesn't sound like a party destroying factor, it certainly removed the atmospheric elements that a change in sky has upon the island. Think of how the past Holiday parties, this years Music Jam and every Halloween since 2007 does this successfully (yes, the Music Jam did something successfully!).
Even the Forest, one of the better rooms thanks to its' huge tree, didn't compare to that of the Forest in 2009 in which featured a much bigger tree. There was no room in which I thought beat any previous attempt. This is especially disappointing considering that each version of a party – particularly a major annual event – should be an evolution of – not a reduction of – the previous version. It's like Apple removing the Retina display from the next iDevice. It's ridiculous.
Here's a new category for y'all. Since this party is nor a takeover nor a usual Holiday party, I thought it'd be a good idea to discuss how the Merry Walrus party, a party in which hoped to be original by creating a new look on the festive season, tackled such a challenge. I always found that the Holiday parties were particularly guilty of not including enough religious variety. It seemed to simply be a Christmas party under another name. Heck, even the 2006 Christmas party had a reference to Hannukah, a Jewish holiday. CP simply renamed the party in an attempt to seem more multicultural, but the actual content was still completely Christmas-based.
The Merry Walrus party had a unique opportunity to incorporate new and unique traditions in which penguins would celebrate. It didn't have to relate to any religion at all, but instead we once again got a Christmas party under a new name. Merry Walrus himself was basically Santa Claus – there's no denying it. They even gave him a sleigh and reindeer in the form of Blue Crystal Puffles. In the mascot department, CP had just created a blatant Santa Claus clone whom lacks any creativity or originality. He even delivers presents in the same method.
Sure, some traditions were unique, such as throwing food around. Decorating a tree with ornaments however, is not an original idea. To say this was meant to be a new party doesn't collaborate with the content. If a room can be recycled for a new, supposedly unrelated party, how can it be considered new? Ultimately, the Merry Walrus party was a Christmas party with very limited creativity.
Items lately have seemed to also lack creativity. They all seem to be based on fashion in reality, as opposed to the zany, fun items of the past. Sure, we get numerous Puffle Costumes, but these are simply re-coloured versions of older items. And wow, do we get a lot of those nowadays. This month's festive fashion was inspired by Merry Walrus' own wardrobe, with all items released at the party featuring the colours blue and white. All the non-members out there got a nice treat in the form of an all-head item lineup, something that plagued the 2011-2013 years.
Yep, another party in which featured a limited-edition rare Puffle. Obviously a Members exclusive, the Blue Crystal Puffle was one of the better ones released this year. It wasn't a creepy Puffle Creature, but it did seem like a Blue and White Puffle's offspring. It inherited the colour blue, with the strong ice powers of the White Puffle. Regardless, I'd say its' my second favourite of the year – with the first being the Ghost Puffle. One area I was less happy with was how powerful and mystic this Puffles are supposed to be – yet Merry Walrus is happy giving random penguins several of them. He sure trusts us penguins!
I don't see the Puffle epidemic slowing anytime soon. I doubt any will feature in the Star Wars takeover, but I could be wrong. With updates to Puffle Wild and possibly yet another Puffle Party this year, we can expect to see a plethora of new ones. We do know one thing about each one however – they will all be for Members.
Coins for Change
What started as an amazing charity-event that inspired players and the rest of the world alike, has since declined in popularity so much so that the goal almost wasn't reached this time around. Old staff members such as Rsnail actually logged in to encourage users to donate – that's how few people were actually donating by choice. Add to this the fact that each completed quest donated 500 coins to the charity, combined with how each Penguin Styles catalogue purchase went towards the total – and the event should've been the biggest success to date.
Instead, we struggled to make the target. Disappointing by any standards, CP noticed this before releasing the party and thus attempted to incorporate cheap and easy methods to reach each milestone. Even with this, it wasn't enough. Sure, the goal was eventually reached – but it has never taken that long. Especially considering the 2 weeks-duration. This effectively shows how CP is declining in terms of players and indeed quality.
Overall, the Merry Walrus party did disappoint. It lacked the decorations of the previous versions, and the influence Christmas had upon the party completely destroyed its' attempt at being original. It wasn't the worst party this year (we all know what party gets that award), but I'd of much preferred Rockhopper and his usual traditions instead. Sure, it was definitely time for a change, but I doubt anyone would agree that Merry Walrus was the change everyone wanted. I hope (and expect) next years to be much much bigger, and to show how the residents of Club Penguin would really celebrate the holiday season – as opposed to a poor attempt at a Christmas-clone. To conclude, a Christmas party by any other name isn't necessarily as sweet. All in all, a disappointing end to a very disappointing year.
Random CP Fact #35: There are currently only two known walruses on Club Penguin. These are Merry Walrus and Tusk, Sensei's childhood best friend. Interestingly, both seem to be polar opposites (no pun intended).
Until next time, Waddle on!
– Jimbobson
Puffle Wild Critical Review!
Happy Holidays Penguins!
Although the Merry Walrus party is approaching its' end, I thought I would postpone that review until the final day or so – just in case CP has something up their sleeve (though I highly doubt it). Regardless, this post will focus on the Puffle Wild app that was recently released.
Gameplay & Originality
We all know what type of game Puffle Wild is. Best described as yet another Candy Crush clone, Puffle Wild aims to take on the massive franchise by combining the gameplay with Club Penguin elements. For those of you who are a fan of these type of games, Puffle Wild should bring a lot of entertainment and will undoubtedly have you buying the in-app-purchases if you're penguin is not already a Member.
In terms of originality, these type of games have been around for decades. I even remember playing them in the late 90s! The massive success of Candy Crush is undeniably what made CP make this app. These type of games are addicting – very addicting – which is always a good basis for a successful mobile application (think of the infamous Flappy Bird). Where the originality does shine within this app is the incorporation of Puffles and O' Berries. Different Puffles possess different abilities known as Puffle Powers that will assist you throughout the game. Players can also unlock new Puffle creatures – and wow there's a lot of em' (13 to be precise). But more on this later.
The gameplay is fairly solid. Different levels require different methods to complete. Some require a particular score, whilst others require melting the snow. Regardless, the typical 3-in-a-row strategy is always present – which can sometimes cause repetition, especially as the levels progress.
In-App Purchases & Membership
Freemium. We've heard that name before. Freemium is the concept in which the application is free to download, but contains in-app purchases for exclusive levels or content – thus the game isn't technically free. If there ever was a better app to define this concept, it would be Puffle Wild. Of course, you can choose not to buy the exclusive content, but in this scenario it's recommended to obtain the full experience.
If you're a Member, this isn't a problem as you can play every level and unlock all the Puffles at no extra cost. Things become a little darker for non-members however, as each bonus level (that contains an unlockable Puffle) requires an individual purchase. This sounds fine, until you realise that every bonus level requires a purchase of over £1. Due to their being 13 bonus levels (and 1 Puffle per bonus level), the resulting cost would be quite expensive. Therefore it is recommended that you instead buy a 1 month membership at least.
If you are a member, you can play every level (including bonus levels) without restriction. Unlocking each Puffle and Puffle platform (to use the Puffle Powers in-game) as well as the ability to transfer all your new Puffles to the main game. Exciting!
With most addictive games, they provide a challenge. Candy Crush became increasingly difficult as the levels progressed, whilst Flappy Bird was an incredible challenge for pretty much everyone involved. To begin with, Puffle Wild is pretty easy as it introduces you to the game. As it progresses, you unlock Puffles and Puffle Powers to assist you through the harder levels. Personally, I found the levels in which asked you to remove all the piles of snow to complete were amongst the most difficult.
The real challenge here however, begins if you're a non-member. Members can use the unlockable Puffles and their powers to breeze through most of the levels. Not only this, but Members also have access to more platforms, which means more Puffles. Non-Members however, have access to only the Blue and Red Puffles which, unfortunately, have a very poor ability that barely assists players at all. To make things worse, free users can only use one Puffle per level (due to the platform restriction). This provides the game with a whopping challenge – particularly if you wish to achieve 3 stars on each level. This had me personally rage-quitting several times and eventually, giving up completely.
CP's once favoured pets are the focus behind this app – obviously. As if it wasn't enough that Puffles are taken advantage of nowadays due to the plethora of them being released, the team decided it would be a great idea to release 13 more in said application. Whilst we knew this was coming, it doesn't make the situation any less ridiculous. Puffles are released far too often nowadays, and often in several colours per creature. No longer do we get original coloured Puffles with unique personalities – but instead different species that seem to lack personalities. Sure, the Ghost Puffle was actually quite a cool idea, but the sheer volume of them being released this year really voids their value.
Each Puffle specie has its' own Power in the app, which is a nice addition. But the fact that this is the second app to be focused around these furball creatures (the first being Puffle Launch) really has players questioning whether CP can come up with anything even remotely original. Sure, Sled Racer was decent app in itself but the idea behind the game is anything but original. Plus, when was the last time any of CP's other apps (bar the main one) was updated with new and exciting content? Sled Racer in particular could've had a Merry Walrus theme incorporated, dodging obstacles such as Christmas Trees and giant candy canes – but no, where's the financial benefit of that?
One of the most worrying parts comes with what PH says when the game is fully completed. She states that there will be more levels on the way in future updates, which can only mean one thing. More Puffles! Yay, just what everybody in the community wants! They will undoubtedly introduce the same tiresome gameplay with a few new dodgy-looking Puffles to unlock for real-money unless you're a Member. Can't wait!
As with any app, improvements are required. The first is less of an improvement and more of a request, and that would be for the app to be released on Android too. The main CP app took over a year to arrive on Android, so hopefully (if you're a fan of Puffle Wild) it will be released sooner. Most developers tend to release apps on iOS first as the users are more likely to purchase either the app or the features available through in-app purchases. Android makes up for this by its' larger userbase which was proven to be correct after the main CP app was downloaded by more Android users in the first few days than iOS in a year.
Another improvement would definitely be more varied levels with new ways to complete them, to avoid repetition which plagues almost every one of these match 3 games. New Puffles are unavoidable at this stage, so I'd like to see more original versions (or at least anything that isn't as odd as the Unicorn Puffle). Although this is pretty much impossible nowadays, more Puffles for everyone would definitely be a welcome addition. Even many Members support this idea, as the current ratio is slightly over-the-top. However, if CP really despises that idea, better Powers for the Blue and Red Puffles would also be a nice addition.
Do I recommend it?
Obviously, everybody has their own opinion. If you're a fan of match 3 games then you're surely in for a Puffle-sized treat. For those who aren't however, like myself, may want to give this one a miss. Unless of course you're a huge Puffle fan and want to unlock 13 more of them. Also, if you're a non-member with no intentions of purchasing a membership or the overpriced bonus levels, and have no interest in these type of games, I suggest you never approach the 'Get' button on the App Store. Ever. Just waddle away as fast as you can.
Ultimately, I find this app to be a rather cheap way of releasing Puffles in volume, with the overall aim of the app being financial based (as with many apps). Sure, it has some entertainment value but I cannot imagine anyone wanting to play this app to reduce boredom as opposed to simply unlocking more Puffles. For those of you without Memberships, you may enjoy the pure challenge of completing even some simpler levels with the underpowered Red and Blue Puffles.
So overall Puffle Wild is a mildly entertaining app for those who are a fan of the genre, but likely to be more of a chore for the rest of us. Sure, it's programming and graphics are decent, but there's a lack of variety and features for those free users. It's currently a moderately successful app in its' own respect, but expect the hype to decrease quickly. I also find it slightly annoying that this could've easily been a game on the island itself, but CP insisted that their financially-inspired move to mobile was more important.
Anyways, this will mark my last post before Christmas and thus Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all my readers. It's certainly been an eventful year on the island and here's to next year which will hopefully be better than 2014. Regardless, expect a Merry Walrus critical review followed by the 2014 critical review within the next couple of weeks!
Random CP Fact #34: Club Penguin once held a Surprise Party in November 2007. The idea behind it was to give players 3 options to choose from. Each option was the return of a retired party – a Sports Party, a Pirate Party or a Western Party. The Western Party received the most votes. This was the only party to be decided via a poll thus far.
Until next time, Happy Holidays!
– Jimbobson
Greetings Penguins!
I'm sure a few of you are confused with today's title. Save Club Penguin? From what? Those without access to Twitter are probably going to be the baffled readers here. This post will address what this hashtag means, its' origin and the significance this popular trend has on our beloved island. Although I don't usually write posts regarding the trends of Twitter and hot topics around the CP community, I figured this was too popular to ignore.
Where did #SaveTheClubPenguin come from?
For those not familiar with hashtags (#), they are a popular search method on the hugely popular social network website, Twitter. Users often hashtag certain titles, words or phrases to accompany a sentence. Common examples include films or political protests (#IronMan, #ClubPenguin, #ChristmasTree etc). Once enough people use the same hashtag comment, it begins to trend. Once it starts to trend, it becomes noticed around the world. This basic introduction to hashtags will seem obvious for those already in the know, but this knowledge is needed to understand the rest of this post.
Now for the #SaveTheClubPenguin trend itself. It began yesterday (18th December 2014) which is the same day as the Merry Walrus Party began. This is no coincidence, as the party itself is the main reason for the creation of this trend. Club Penguin players were already sceptical of the Merry Walrus party, as it seemed to try and replace the much loved Holiday Party. Upon the party's release, it became obvious that it was extremely lacking in content. The rooms decorated were actually less than that of the Christmas Party 2006. It has since earned the title of the second smallest Christmas-inspired event ever – beaten only by the first in 2005.
A below-average party isn't exactly what made CP player's around the world express their fury on social networks and personal blogs though. 2014 as a whole has had a plethora of mediocre parties at best, most were poorly decorated and didn't contain much excitement that wanted players to log in each day to earn even more mediocre items – and a Puffle or two for Members. Each party has seemed like a repeat of the last, with a slightly different context. The anticipation that came with the Merry Walrus Party quickly reflected the entire of 2014 upon its' release. If I was to sum 2014 up into one word, it would be disappointment – and I'm positive many would agree.
What does #SaveTheClubPenguin mean?
So we know where and why it began, but what does it exactly mean? Personally, I would've preferred #SaveClubPenguin instead of #SaveTheClubPenguin. The Club Penguin? Why The? Anyways, many believe that CP has reached a point where it needs saving. Not literally Marvel-style saving, but it needs something to bring back what once made the game so unique. The Merry Walrus party is a fine example of everything that's wrong with the game. The idea of being purchased by a bigger company (Disney), meant that the game could develop and grow. This was true throughout the 2008-2010 period in particular. The release of toys, DS games and so on was something that Disney had helped create. The parties were also more advanced, more rooms were decorated in such a bigger way than they ever had been before. Puffles were limited to 1 new colour per year. It felt like the original game – only so much bigger.
Nowadays however, we seem to be stuck in limbo. The game is nowhere as big as it once was – probably due to mass introduction of mobile applications (that are often free), social networks (which CP can't compare against with their overly-strict filters) and how fewer children want to play on virtual worlds anymore. It's almost been 10 years since CP released – the concept behind virtual worlds has become tired to some – causing fewer players to log in everyday.
Instead of making the game new and exciting with bigger updates than ever, the parties are becoming smaller than ever. The idea behind these events is to make players log in every month by bringing them exciting new content. Why should players even bother if the parties are smaller than they were 8 years ago? Some may argue that the rooms back then weren't nearly as well-decorated as they are now, whereas others state that the rooms which are decorated today are often too overcrowded and just appear as a cluttered mess. Sometimes, less is more. Think minimalism!
Basically, the user's who started and are currently using this hashtag trend want more from the CP Team. 2014 has undoubtedly been the weakest year in the games history. Sure, we've seen some apps released – but this doesn't compensate for a year of sub-par parties that raise questions about CP's funding and management skills. For the past few years we've heard about things such as Project Super Secret and the legendary Server Jumping – but when will it finally be released? It took the app team almost a year to give us the main Club Penguin app on Android and even then only several devices are supported. Children are the game's target audience – yet CP seems to ignore that children typically have very short attention spans and even shorter patience. Maybe the main focus is on Project Super Secret and thus explains why parties have been smaller? Who knows – but one thing I know is that if this project isn't released in 2015 (which would be a fitting time for CP's 10th anniversary) – the game's future could be in serious trouble.
What can we do?
The popularity of said trend grew incredibly fast. Bloggers took to their blogs to express their opinions, whilst others relied fully on Twitter to express their issues with the game. Within a few hours most of the Twitter community had jumped onto the bandwagon. Several even began tweeting old and current staff members (such as rsnail, Screenhog, Spike Hike etc) directly. The idea behind the hashtag is to ultimately make the team aware of the situation. Once aware, they can do something about it. It's more than likely that staff members already know about this trend since the community has done such a good job promoting it, but whether they will react remains unknown at this point.
All we, as players, can do is hope. Hope that 2015 will bring something new to the table that will keep the game new and exciting. Next year marks the 10th year of Club Penguin, so I believe this will be a fitting time to introduce something that will do exactly that. I still have faith in the team, despite this year of mediocracy and disappointment. If nothing changes then the every-falling traffic of the website will continue to decrease due to angry players becoming bored and frustrated with what remains one of the biggest virtual worlds – in the world.
What do you think of all this?
Personally, I agree that the quality of the game has declined significantly this year. 2013 was far from perfect itself, but the severe lack of decorated rooms is what currently haunts the game (and the introduction of far too many Puffles). The main app was a step in the right direction, but the lack of performance updates (or the use of Apple's new Metal API) has meant that its' slow, clunky and often unresponsive. Not a great experience. Puffle Wild is a in-app-purchase hungry Candy Crush copy, that is extremely repetitive and again features too many Puffles.
I've played the Club Penguin since May 2007 and attended every party/event which followed. It seems as if the decrease in quality really began to shine after the original creators left. Perhaps because CP started as a hobby, and has since turned into a cash cow for Disney and the drawback of partnering with a giant company means that CP will constantly be pressured into raising the funds to maintain the cash cow status. But how long will Disney's funding last? Hopefully long enough to see CP revive itself and claim its' rightful place as the #1 Virtual World.
Note: To read any further updates about this, including updates whenever a new post is posted here or to simply ask me a question, please follow me at @JimbobsonCP on Twitter. Remember, you must be 13 years or over to sign up.
Random CP Fact #33: Entering the code PRINCESS will unlock the Tiara item. It was once very rare, being released in the October 2005/February 2007 Penguin Style catalogues followed by the Treasure Book and then Puffle Digging.
Until next time, Waddle on!
– Jimbobson
Pirate Party 2014 Critical Review!
Ahoy Penguins!
Can anyone believe it? We're already in the final month of the year. The month's seem to fly by as we prepare to say our farewells to 2014 and look forward to whatever 2015 will bring. We're not quite done with 2014 yet, however. In fact, we've not even concluded November in terms of parties yet. The Pirate Party is on its' final days, which means its' a excellent time to reflect upon the Rockhopper-inspired event.
Most parties this year have suffered from a very weak narrative. There was little backstory to the events in which occured. It would typically involve Cadence having some friends visit the island in the form of Disney-inspired mascots. How did she meet these 'friends'? We don't know. The Penguin Cup was blatantly based upon FIFA's World Cup 2014 in Brazil – but little was said why the residents of Club Penguin we're hosting their own version.
The Pirate Party had a seemingly interesting plot. Basically, Rockhopper was telling some pirate crabs about the tales of his journeys and his home on CP island. The pirate crabs came on board the Migrator and took over his ship whilst collecting his treasure. What happened to Rockhopper we don't know. Was he crabnapped? Did he simply just let the crabs take over whilst he and Yarr sat in the Captain's Quarters drinking cream soda?
Anyways, the crabs then crash the Migrator at the Beach, which ultimately destroys Rockhopper's beloved ship. The crabs then set off around the island burying the treasure for some reason, whilst he recruits penguins to help him out and battle the crabs for him – re-claiming his loot in the process.
The plot actually sounded fairly new and exciting at first. Crabs had GTA'd the Migrator! However, once the party had began, the many plot holes and lack of a solid story quickly became obvious. Firstly, why was Rockhopper recruiting other penguins to do his dirty work? He's an experienced Captain yet has to have amateur penguins fight crabs for him? He also didn't seem that upset that his ship was, once again, destroyed. The Crabs themselves were also something of a problem simply due to the lack of them. They had taken over the Migrator; yet there were so few of them on the island. 3 per room excluding the larger, single crab at the Cove. Is that really an invasion?
Personally, it seemed like an easy way to not introduce Rockhopper's belated arrival, but also a cheap way to re-design the Migrator, which, thus far, still remains shipwrecked at the Beach. Was the plot satisfying from a player's point of view? I don't think so. Yes, an actual plot is very welcome, but it could've been more exciting and well thought out. I would've liked to see the Migrator slowly being re-built during the 2 weeks of the party and maybe an unexpected twist like that of the Halloween Part 2014, but oh well.
We've come to expect that parties aren't at all as simple as they used to be. Recent events include some type of mini-game, quest or other activity that the player must complete to earn items and progress through a party's narrative. This time, player's had to battle the pirate crabs whom stole Rockhopper's treasure and planned to bury it around the island. How did the brave penguin's battle these creatures, you ask? Sword fighting of course!
Once equipped with a wooden sword, everyone could engage in a battle with the red menaces. As soon as the battle actually began it was painfully familiar – and not in a good way like Apple seems to portray in their keynotes. Basically, it was a pirate version of the Jedi battles used in The Star Wars Takeover. Basically a glorified rock, paper scissors, which is also used for the original Card Jitsu, the game requires no skill whatsoever as it relies solely on luck. Battling the crabs however typically means that they will automatically pick whatever loses to your attack – particularly in the first few rooms.
With 3 crabs to beat per room, battling becomes insanely repetitive very quickly. Add to this the fact that player's can also battle their friends to earn other swords (members only), coins and some extra items means that there will be a lot of battling. Unfortunately, the intense and exciting sneak peeks and the very thought of sword fighting crabs failed to live up to expectation.
Add to this the fact that you cannot lose against the crabs and the excitement is fully drained from the game within the first few attempts. What would happen if a player lost to the crabs? We also never got to see the consequences of their invasion and burying Rockhopper's treasure, which is a shame as it'd make the party a lot more enjoyable. Operation Blackout actually allowed Herbert to kidnap members of the EPF and we witnessed what the island would look like once the sun was blocked out. If I was to sum up this entire party in just one word, it would definitely be repetitive.
An area in which the Pirate Party mildly succeeded was the decorations. The bottom half of the island was fairly well decorated with pirate inspired locations. Some would argue that some rooms are too cramped and thus over-decorated, but is this simply to compensate for the lack of interior decorating? Rooms such as the Coffee Shop and Night Club were once decorated for every party. Now it would seem that the team would prefer to decorate the outsides instead. Probably due to the larger amount of penguins spending time in rooms like the Plaza or Town, rather than the Ski Lodge.
A major complaint by many was the lack of access to the Migrator. Sure, the thing was destroyed, but it would've been nice to explore a shipwreck and try identify different elements of the ship we've all come to know so well. Overall, the decorations were fairly decent, and all brand-new which certainly provides bonus points in that category when compared to the Halloween Party, but many would've traded the overly-decorated rooms for a higher quantity of less-decorated ones.
I don't often review the music used in parties as it's not necessarily a major factor to everyone. This time however, I'd like to point out that the music is pretty sweet. Many of the Pirate-themed tracks are uplifting and enjoyable. I would've liked to see Ocean Voyage (the former Pirate Party & Lighthouse music) make a return however, even if it was the remixed version that plays on the Migrator.
Items were once the major focal point of every party. This is what penguins logged in for. Within the last few months, items have become more plentiful but much less variety for non-members in particular. Sure, we get several head and hand items every month, but I'd rather receive one well-designed body item instead.
As the party focused on pirates, the items were obviously pirate themed. Swords were available which could be used to battle crabs and other penguins, though there was only one available to everyone – the Wooden Sword. Other items included a slingshot, some keys, a pirate flag and a crocodile costume. Whilst these looked decent, I would've liked to see a larger variety and maybe even some special dances that we have a huge lack of nowadays. So much so, that the Members-only final sword's main feature is exactly that (and even then it is a slightly edited version of the sword found during the Medieval Party).
With Rockhopper being the mascot of the party, he of course gave away one of his famous background's if you were lucky enough to meet him or already have him on your friend's list. Unfortunately but incredibly predictable however, the background (dubbed Rockhopper's Evergreen Giveaway) was the same one that we've seen since September of last year. Such a shame considering that mascot's backgrounds once were rich in collectability.
Mascot Involvement
This month we had everyone's favourite and slightly forgotten pirate – Captain Rockhopper. However, his involvement seemed a little on the small side, which is quite ironic given the nature of the party. Sure, he showed up when completing tasks and was meetable on the island, but he seemed somewhat lacking in terms of emotion. He wasn't seen mourning the destruction of his ship, nor was he seen battling the crabs himself. Once the quests are completed we hear nothing else of our favourite red penguin for the rest of the party. It almost seems like he is lacking in some areas, such as his big personality which made him a fan favourite in the first place.
Secondly, I and many other's were predicting that Herbert would strike in some way during the party. We already knew that he was planning something from his website, and with blue prints of a robot crab it seemed that this was the perfect opportunity for the evil polar bear to attack the island once again. This wasn't the case however, he didn't appear at all. The addition of Herbert would've been excellent and provided the party with something it desperately needed – excitement. Imagine if, after all the crabs were defeated, players had to then face a giant robot crab in the final week of the party that was controlled by Herbert. It would've made a great impact, but perhaps CP is saving Herbert for this month (December)?
I rarely include this within reviews simply because every party is the same. 2 weeks is now the standard for the parties on Club Penguin, not including mini-events. I've said it several times, this is simply too long. Yes we know it's to bring players online and to showcase the team's hard work. But 2 weeks is an extremely long time for a younger audience whom get bored quickly.
However, there is a way to solve this. If CP insists on throwing 2 week-long parties, then they must support this with 2-weeks worth of content. This doesn't necessarily mean that the "come back every day to complete ______" has to be used to a greater extent, though. CP uses this method to turn activities and quests that would take less than 30 minutes into content that spans a week. I would much prefer if we had a certain number of tasks to do on the first week, then something unexpected was released in the next week, similar to how more popular parties were often extended along with a new free item back in 2006/2007.
Whilst the Pirate Party was by no means a bad party (in my opinion anyway), it was lacking in the most vital of areas and this quickly became obvious. It was nice to see the return of an old party with a completely new feel to it, but whether it would've been better than a Card Jitsu-themed event (which used to take up the party slot in November), I'm not so sure. Regardless, this smaller party was a welcome one and is definitely one of the better ones of 2014.
December – January
Although the party hasn't ended just yet, we already know of the next 2 parties. Firstly, it would've been a good guess to say that December will be home to the annual Holiday Party 2014. This is not the case however, as, for the first time, CP will instead be hosting a Merry Walrus Party. What is that, exactly? It basically combines several religious holiday-themed traditions and combines them in a way that is exclusive to Club Penguin. I personally think this sounds exciting, as the Holiday Party definitely required a change and this party sounds like exactly what it needed. To kick things off, there will be a a Merry Walrus mini-parade starting in this week's updates. Awesome!
Whilst its' odd to discuss January at this point, the team already confirmed the party. No, it's not that tiresome Prehistoric Party that haunts me to this day (Dino Dig..), it will instead be takeover in the theme of Star Wars Rebels. Very little is known about it thus far, let's just hope it doesn't include the same battling mini-game as the first Star Wars takeover!
Random CP Fact #32: The Dance Club was formerly known as the Night Club, though this changed in late 2012. The name change was likely due to the fact that night doesn't occur on the island (not including Halloween or other parties).
Until next time, Waddle on!