The (somewhat short) wait is over

Greg Heffley's big news
The wait is over. Visit the Main Street of any Poptropica Island and talk to Greg Heffley for a look at the cover of the next Diary of a Wimpy Kid book!



Can't wait to read this one!

END OF PCB POST

Do you like Diary of a Wimpy Kid books? Did you just read that PCB post? Are you still sitting here reading this? Are you starting to feel confused by all my questions?
Okay, if you're still with me at this point, good grief, go to Poptropica.
:-]

Hey!!!

Hi everyone! Sorry it's been a while. I just wanted to tell everyone that a surprise guest will arrive at Poptropica. Check out this picture from the PCB:



Can you guess who this is?

Spoiler Alert! It's Greg from Diary of a Wimpy Kid!





EDIT: Greg is now waiting for you on any Main Street, so head over and see what he has to say.

Th-th-three N-n-new P-p-posts!

Try these new posts on for size:

What's all the Hub-bub?
One of the places you'll visit on Steamworks Island is what we call the Hub. It's a sight to see! A rickety tower, a massive drawbridge, and pot-bellied steam stoves powering everything. Safe to say that you've never seen anything like the Hub before.

Er, at least, you won't have seen anything like it. To start with, this marvel of modern engineering just looked like this:



Yes, it's hard to see what all the hubbub is about -- yet. Just wait until you see how this one develops!

THEN:

The Hub takes shape
The Hub started life as all of Poptropica does, as a simple idea and a sketch. Before long, we take that idea and turn it into reality. But did you know how many different revisions a single scene takes before it gets the Poptropica stamp of approval?

At first glance, this might look like a well developed scene.



But look a little more closely. Why is almost everything the same color? Why does it all look so flat? And what the heck is that blue thing on the right, anyway?

No, the Hub isn't done yet. Not even close.

FINALLY:

Filling in the Hub
Time for a pop quiz: Can you tell the difference between the picture we posted yesterday and the one below?



Most of the background elements still look the same as they did yesterday: flat and monochromatic. We're adding more detail to the Hub on Steamworks Island. We've colored in some of the more important foreground objects. They really pop off your screen!

That doorway in the upper-lefthand side of the screen looks mighty intriguing, wouldn't you say?

END OF PCB POSTS

Looks like a pretty interesting place, wouldn't you say? I bet they have some pretty high security...

Gamer Dude/Gamer Girl

For all you big time gamers out there, we have the costume for you. Actually, the store does. The Poptropica store. *Clicks tongue awkwardly* Uh, yeah. Anyway, the costumes come with pretty cool visors, so if you are into that stuff, what are you waiting for?!

The Fun Begins

Hello, and welcome to Calm Starfish's Super Amazing Incredibly Awesome Poptropica Partay! However, I regret to inform you that I am required to update you members about the newest PCB post: A Steamworks surprise is coming up for you members. Ugh, there. I said it. Now that that's out of the way, we can have a good time just as promised. Let's go!



First, I will choose one RANDOM member of the audience. *Coughs*

*Friendly Goose stands, tries to be inconspicuous while reading off an index card*
Friendly: Um, I will, er, volunteer, Clam.
Me: Calm!
Friendly (irritated) Well you wrote Clam!
Me: Whatever. Get up here!
*Friendly climbs up onto stage and stands next to me*
Friendly: So... What do I do?
Me: I want you to put on this blindfold-
Friendly: Say what?
Me: -Ride this bicycle sidesaddle with no handlebars-
Friendly: Huh?
Me: -And recite the Greek alphabet every other letter. Backwards.
Friendly: ...
Me: Alright! Hop to it!
Friendly: How about I ride the right way, no blindfold, and say the regular alphabet?
Me: NO! That's boring!
Audience: Yeah! Do it! Don't chicken out!
Friendly (glaring): Thanks, guys.
*Friendly allows me to tie blindfold on her, climbs onto bike, and rides it steadily for about two seconds. Suddenly she hits a hole in the wooden floor, and is launched off the bike, into the crowd*
Me: Ooh, that's gotta hurt!

THE END!

So...Much...Bubblegum

I am not gonna post ten pictures of gum from the store just because Dr. Hare did. I flatly refuse to promote membership, because it infuriates me! Instead, we're gonna have some fun.

Stay tuned!

100th Post-and shark costumes

Happy hundredth post to me, happy hundredth post to me! (I would keep singing, but I'd rather not embarrass myself) Yes, it's true. I must share my special post with a new PCB post, but to what better use should it be put?

Sink your teeth into these shark costumes
Have you had a chance to try out the new Hammerhead Shark costume in the Poptropica Store? I thought about it, but I couldn't bear to look at myself in the mirror. What would my shark parents think?

Don't forget, there are lots more neat ways to dress up like your favorite ocean predator in Poptropica. Also available in the store is this mean-looking Tiger Shark:



You don't need credits for all the fishy fun. On Shark Tooth Island, a street vendor will give you this snazzy dorsal fin, free of charge!



And, of course, you can always visit the lowest level of the Shark Museum on Shark Tooth Island and costumize the most handsome museum employee around.



All this neat shark stuff -- it's almost enough to get me to crack a smile! Almost.

END OF PCB POST

2 new posts, both about predators.

Hmm, giant carnivorous plant, hammerhead shark. POPTROPICA WILL NEVER BE SAFE AGAIN!!!! Mm, ahem. Sorry about that. Anyway, here are the two newest posts:

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water...
I hope everyone is having a fun summer, while they squish red crabs on the beach. If you want to surprise your friends, try out the Hammerhead costume. It comes with a warm, limp fish.



And:

Steamworks monster animation test
Now that the we've decided what this plant monster should look like on the new Poptropica Island, Steamworks Island, the next step is to decide how the monster should move. We put together a quick and dirty animation test:

(Here, a photo of the animation test should be put up, but there wasn't a picture on the Creators' Blog [there was a space for it, but it seems like there was a problem] so I'll try to put up the picture as soon as possible)

Bet you wouldn't want to run into that thing in a dark alley!

All this has taken us nearly to the completion of a plant monster for Steamworks Island. We may still decide to change the monter's behavior, or some aspects of its appearance. After a few final touches, we'll put it all together -- but you'll have to wait until Steamworks Island launches to see it!

END OF PCB POST

Well, Hades, I have no idea if I should be scared of that thing, because I CAN'T SEE IT. Also, it looks like you misspelled the word "monster" and put "monter" instead. It's okay. I forgive you. *Turning to audience and saying loudly* AND I'M SURE THE AUDIENCE FORGIVES YOU TOO, RIGHT?!
*Audience* Uh, sure.
*Hades sweeps in* What was that I hear?
*Audience screams. Calm raises her hands and cries* Great job on the post! Heh heh, your posting was so brilliant, I can't even remember that you didn't post a picture.
*Hades* Excuse me?
*Gulp* Uh, we'll be right back. I hope...

Please welcome... The finished plant monster!

Yes, it's finally here- the completed bola! Careful now, don't let it get too close. It has been known to rip one's limbs off. Anyway. Please observe this presentation of the bola:

Plant monster, attack!
We've got a pretty scary looking monster at this point, but what good is a monster if it can't attack? This monster can swing its seed pods around from its head, before throwing them at you at high speed.



Looks like you're pretty small next to this thing, doesn't it? That's not all -- we haven't even seen the plant monster in motion yet.

END OF PCB POST

0_0 Did you see the size of that thing? It's enormous!

*Audience member 1* It's giant!

*Audience member 2* It's... GINORMOUS!

You got that right. We'd all better be on our toes at Steamworks Island. Well, that's all for now, folks. Have a nice day, night, and weekend.

Art: The penultimate step in the animation process

Steamworks plant monster art
After settling on a sketch we liked, it was time for to give a little more life to the plant monster that will be menacing players on Steamworks Island.

Below are two approaches to the plant monster. Can you spot the differences between them?



Little details, like the color of the planter, and big ones, like the plant's eye, can make a big difference in the monster's appearance.

The next step: animation test!

END OF PCB POST

I think that now, once the plants have some bright colors, that they're kind of cute. 8-) LOL I can't wait to see how they are used in the island!

Yet another fine monster sketch

Apparently this sketch came from the montage of drawings (see below post) that was posted yesterday.



It goes with this PCB post:

Steamworks monster sketch
Yesterday, you saw some of the earliest ideas for the plant monsters that will appear on the next Poptropica island, Steamworks Island. This one seemed appropriately icky.

[INSERT ABOVE PICTURE HERE]

It's still no more than a sketch -- just an outline of an idea. But we're already thinking about how the plant will look when it's colored and detailed, and how it will move. The next step is to take this sketch and Poptropica-ize it!

END OF PCB POST

The Monster is Born

Evolution of a Steamworks Island monster
For Steamworks Island, the we'll pit you against a variety of mutated plant monsters. But how did we make the creepiest, crawliest, ickiest plant monsters around?

We started by brainstorming.



These are just some of the sketches we drew to help us visualize what our monstrous creations would look like. Not all of the sketches will make it into the final product -- in fact, most won't -- but this allows us to try out different ideas. Then we'll take the very best concepts and work them into Poptropica.

END OF PCB POST

I don't think I would ever be able to draw like that. Whoever did could should become an animation artist for a cartoon LOL. Anyway, we haven't been given much detail on Steamworks Island's quest or the kind of people we'll be meeting there. Will there be any people? 0_0 It's still a mystery...

Happy 4th!

Happy Independence Day Poptropicans! What better day to try out the new fireworks in the store than this?

A Well Deserved Vacation

With all the excitement over Skullduggery Island, Steamworks Island, and every new Poptropica update, not to mention my full time job as an agent, I decided it was definetely time for a vacation. Here are some pictures I took:



Here I am at the airport, all dressed up, excited, and ready to go.



Now I'm sight-seeing at Shark Tooth.



On the last day of my trip, I enjoy the gorgeous scenery of Counterfeit Island and learn about some interesting paintings inside the museum.

Steamworks Island

Finally! The name of the new island has been revealed. Check out the banner:






Although no official dates have yet been announced, the PCB has assured us the island is "coming soon".




NEW POSTS:



Celebrate with some powerful party favors.
Here are three items in the store to pump some power into your party.

The Atomic Power item will generate a lot of atomic energy for you and those who happen to be near you when you punch the power button (space bar.)





The fireworks are another new item in the store. Just launch them and watch the fireworks shower above. I recommend using them on top of a tall building on Spy Island, or at the Pirate Outpost. Just try not to light them too close to the gun powder on Pirate Outpost. We don't want to have to release an injured victim outfit in the store.







And last, don't forget those Silly Streams. Always fun for spraying at friends, and innocent mimes that are often too easy of a target.




END OF POSTS

Wow, looks like we have a lot to do in Poptropica now, so what are you waiting for? P.S. Glance up at the newest monthly story for July, up at the top of the page near the header.

I'm a little worried....

...About this!





Stay tuned for (later today) the name of the new island revealed for the first time on the internet!