[Clouds]

Note: I'd prefer to see ideas that are within the realm of possibility! While I'm sure a lot of people would be pleased to see the NC Mall retconned from existence, Evrem Guilako banned from touching Terror Mountain with a ten-foot pole, and Maraquan paint brushes made free... they're probably not going to happen.

Here are some of the things I'd like to see...

• The Return of HTML Maps
  I can't deny that the newer maps are pretty, because they are. However, there's a price that comes with shiny animated maps, and that's lag. At the moment, I cannot seem to click any of the links on the main Faerieland map. The older map was even worse; before Xandra crashed Faerieland, I couldn't even get the page to load. (Then again, I've switched computers since than, so that might not count.)
  
  
• The Ability to Relocate New Neohomes
  I'm tired of living on Krawk Island. *sigh* (Plus, I can't sell my Classic Neohome due to a mysterious glitch.)
  
  
• The Loading Screen Font Changed
  Jokerman. :(

[Franky]

Oh, a topic for my ranting ideas

• Altador Cup

As everyone here. We all want a clean, fun, non-glitchy, non-bias AC games. Even me, of all people, consider abandoning my team for the sake of it.

• Maps

I don't know how to put this. I just don't like these new maps, and hate to be seeing the old ones go. I would like at least one area(mystery island) to be just the map leading to link, instead of all this flash stuff on maps. *feels old*

• SDB

I personally would like this almost over everything. A better Safety Deposit box. I'm not really being clear here, but I'd like it a way to have more of a better SDB. Maybe like the IDB, you can search for what the description contains(as I'm pretty sure you can't do that on the SDB), and so I could just look up 'advent calender' in description contains, and I see all my advent prizes. That would make everything in the SDB really easier. If they would only make your SDB kind of like the IDB, I would be able to go through my items easier.

[Dream]

I have one very simple question for you...

HOW LONG HAVE YOU GOT? :muahaha:

Text-only alternatives for Flash interfaces.
For 56k users, AND people on mobile devices. I don't think this needs justifying.

Remove terms like "kids" from the T&C and anywhere else on the site where "users" would do just as well.
Just because we're not the majority doesn't mean we should feel like we're not welcome here.

Re-revamped T&C while we're at it.
There are so many "unwritten rules" (or, more often, "written-once-and-very-vaguely-in-an-editorial rules") on the site that it's getting ridiculous. I'm not saying the "spirit" of the rules shouldn't still be adhered to, but I'd like TNT to lay out what we can do, what we can't do, and the underlying principles that would let us make future judgement calls on our own. Sometimes it seems like even the moderators are confused.

More information, all the time.
The Official Neopets message board is a good start, but it's hardly ever used, and the Twitter account is practically dead. I'd like to see more communication from TNT, about everything important. Patch notes when petpage code or suchlike gets updated so we don't have to figure out for ourselves what's going on. Quick "we know what's going on, it's a problem with the _________ on ________ page, but it probably won't be fixed today" updates about ongoing glitches. Twitter alerts when there's less than 24 hours left to finish a plot or game tournament. Suggestion tickets replied to not only with "thanks" but with either "already thinking about it", "not possible now but it's something we'd like to do in future", "we'll consider it but it's not what we have in mind", or "not on our agenda at the moment, sorry" -- and maybe even a one-sentence note as to why.

Separate "locked for protection" from "frozen for misbehaviour" and tell the latter group of users EXACTLY what they did from the get-go.
At the moment, accounts that have been locked down because a scammer got them look like frozen accounts, which adds unnecessary terror to the whole experience (as if the whole thing wasn't scary enough). Even if the mechanism is the same, I think there's a case for separating them. Also, TNT should put the exact quote/action/strange incident a user was frozen for ON the screen you see when you try to log into a frozen account -- it'd cut down on back-and-forth with the support team.

A search box that actually works.
So apparently a Bit of Barbed Wire either doesn't exist or is too rare to view. The search box returns a meagre handful of the items available for a given string IF YOU'RE LUCKY. If not, nothing at all.

Return Site Spotlight.
Neopia has so much knowledge, innovation and talent wrapped up in its petpages. That creativity and initiative needs to be celebrated, not forgotten about.

Coming Soon actually being updated every six months or so.
Or axe it completely if that's not possible. At the moment all it's doing is confusing the newbies.

A full-scale repair job to canon.
Neopia has been around for more than a decade, and its canon as a world is still very patchy. What exactly do we celebrate in the Month of Celebrating? There are at least four different answers with onsite supporting evidence. What exactly IS the ruling hierarchy of the planet (would a Faerie defer to, say, King Altador, or vice versa? What about TNT?) How does a pet wear a background? Where do disappearing books go and how does anyone have a library? How do Koi move on land? Not to mention a bunch of items based on concepts, festivals or technology that don't canonically exist. I'd like to see Neopia's unique culture established properly, with some backstory and mythology to match. (Heck, Petpet Park is currently making a better job of that than we are.)

Make Ice Bori gettable and Lutari transferrable.
It's been what, three years since Neopets Mobile went dark and something like seven since the Ice Bori toolbar offer? I think that's enough. I know people like to feel special, but especially in the case of the Ice Bori, keeping something away from users forever because they missed a comparatively short window of time is a principle that should apply to plot trophies, not pets.

Make an official system that links side accounts to main accounts.
Running side accounts as a pure honour system sort of works, but really, it's a sticky-taped-together compromise at best. I'd like an official linking system, with marked side accounts blocked from accessing NP- and item-earning activities. If they can block internationalites from US sponsor areas, can't they keep side accounts out of contests and Flash games?

Overall better signposting, especially on items.
Neopia has too many things kept pointlessly secret, like what potions do. It really isn't helpful, especially when you unexpectedly land up with your Plushie Aisha turning into a Brown Kiko. At the very least, items that alter your Neopet's species or colour should say so in BIG LETTERS.

Higher character limits on the Neoboards.
They could still be even higher with a Neoboard Pen if TNT so desired, but 400/500 is just plain silly. You can barely say ANYTHING in four hundred characters.

Informative filter trips.
"The word that was blocked was _______. This was blocked because you should not be using Neomail/the Neoboards to post [description of general category of bad thing]. If you think this word should not have been blocked, submit THIS form."

Proper channels for reporting off-site rulebreaking, with spaces to fill in URLs and email addresses.
And some evidence of associated smackdowns happening. This could be as simple as TNT asking, say, YouTube to come down hard on Neopoint scam videos. At the moment it seems that if an ordinary user complains, neither Youtube nor Twitter's management want to know.

Artists taking greater account of Neopets' species.
Not only when designing new colour/species combinations -- I do like the way some colours, like Woodland, are designed with the pet's species very much in mind, and I'd like to see that applied across the board -- but when creating things like game NPCs and clothing. A pet that stands on four paws should not have only two shoes.

Make New Features the first page users are bounced to when they log in.
No more excuse for not reading the news!

When the economy is such that TNT can afford more moderators, establish a proper "Miscellaneous Discussion" Neoboard.
At the moment, we officially have no such thing and unofficially have about eighteen. It'd have to have the heck moderated out of it, but there's no reason why it couldn't work. Of course the normal rules about no romance/no politics/no religion etc. would be enforced.

Sort out the stuck pets.
Apparently even entirely overhauling the Pound didn't fix 'em, poor blighters.

Some kind of use for Intelligence.
One that doesn't involve having enough money for expensive weaponry, or HIDEOUSLY expensive books required for a trophy.

Revival of the Neocam.
Just for giggles.


I may be back, mwahahahaha.

[Joey the Innovator]

Despite me not playing, I really would've liked to see a return to a primarily war plot, rather than a puzzle plot. Those things can be incredibly... UGH to solve. (Return of Dr. Sloth Puzzle 2, anyone?)

I'd really like to do good in a plot using my own abilities, rather than having to refer to a guide on every convoluted step...

[Vivi Ornitier]

TNT to actually interact with their members more, like back in the day. Nuff said.

[User221]

Quote

Suggestion tickets replied to not only with "thanks" but with either "already thinking about it", "not possible now but it's something we'd like to do in future", "we'll consider it but it's not what we have in mind", or "not on our agenda at the moment, sorry" -- and maybe even a one-sentence note as to why.

Most (if not all) the games I've played don't do this solely on the basis of legal reasons. Whoever replies to those tickets still represents the company running Neo.

As for the few others I already have a good idea why they wouldn't work.

Nonetheless the only thing I can think of that I'd like to see would be less intensive Flash. It bogs down even my Core 2 Duos and the people I know don't have anything that powerful.

[XFER]

Quote

Informative filter trips.
"The word that was blocked was _______. This was blocked because you should not be using Neomail/the Neoboards to post [description of general category of bad thing]. If you think this word should not have been blocked, submit THIS form."

THIS!!!!!!!! I am so sick of getting a warning cause my neomails have something inappropiate, and I just can't figure out what it is!! It makes me so mad cause it happens so often.

[Chev]

• Everything Clouds mentioned.
  She knows what she says. :o
  
• Updated and prettier Neoboard software.
  The current system is just terrible. The filters especially are annoying.
  
• The Altador Cup changed drastically or removed.
  It's so BORING. :wacko:
  
• Petpage filters that are actually usable if you're not a code geek.
  Geeks FTW. :P
  
• More Transparent pets!
  'Nuff said.
  
• Less ads.
  I use adblock, but I'm still annoyed by all the awkward gaps. How much ad money do they need anyway!?!
  
• Quicker load times.
  The homepage took so long to load when my browser started up it would freeze the program. Oi.
  
• The Neocam fixed!
  Or just remove the page. C'mon, TNT, it's not that hard.
  
• Less NC Mall.
  It seems like Neopets is going P2P.
  
• Art updates.
  They've been doing well, but more action is necessary.
  
• mr.coconut brought back.
  At least for a week or two. Hurray for memes!
  
• Better user support.
  Tickets just don't get replied to far too often. Sad but true.
  
• Faster processing time for COPPA forms.
  They take half a year or more!!!! :argh:
  
• More enthusiasm and open-mindedness among the developers.
  I think that's where a lot of the current problems are stemming from.

[invaderhorizongreen]

I would like to see all the blank/unused islands poof off the map except for that strangely detailed one up north. While we are at it put something on the southern pole of neopia and open up lutari island or make that go poof as well. Other than that use tyrinnia in an epic plot again the war that happened there has been forgotten and it is just not relevant to much of neopia today.

[Sackboy]

Map Revamps

I know some of us do not like the revamps, but I personally think the maps need a make-over

Neocam

I wanna see what's going on in the offices again, The neocam shut down in May 2006

Anything Under The Sun Neoboard

So far, TNT has not made a board where people can talk about...well, random things

[Shockyz]

Redesign all the old (picture) dailies and maps

That's the only thing I wanna update.

[Sackboy]

I Also think that Tyrannia needs a serious makeover..

[Haduo]

Speaking of those unused islands on the map, I would like to see them being discovered, there needs to be minor places too.

[delinquentkitty]

I'd like to see quite a few things changed...

I'll break things into sections:

Neoboards

Less strict moderation for silly things. On some boards with pretty small communities where most people know each other (like BD Chat), people still get silenced for posting about anything not directly related to the battledome. Yes, the battledome is what brought the people there together in the first place, but it's not the only thing in the world. If people are allowed to talk about other topics too, the community benefits and grows. The individual boards should be thought of as communities where people with common interests can talk, not just places for discussion about the specific topic 24/7 or else.

Silencing needs to be revamped. Ever since silencing was introduced, the moderators started silencing for every little thing, and many times for no good reason whatsoever. Tons of people are on their 2nd or 3rd or 4th account because their mains are permanently silenced. And yeah you still get to keep your account, but you can never again post with whatever cool avatars you've earned, it makes it a huge pain to buy or sell anything, and no one you used to know will recognize you anymore. Silence durations should be reduced and they shouldn't skyrocket out of control after a few silencings, especially given the rate at which TNT silences. If they're going to keep their current silencing rate, it should be for 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours and reset eventually, not 1 day, 2 days, 3 days and never reset. Most of the "offenses" that are answered with silencings are just silly little things that deserve a slap on the wrist at best. Perma-silence should only be a last resort for people obviously just trying to cause havoc. This is even more important because of the fact that you used to be able to roughly judge an accounts legitimacy by how built up the account was... now shell accounts that are likely trying to scam you could just as well be legitimate long time players who made one too many off-topic posts. I personally have been silenced for making a BD chat board where the discussion wasn't about the battledome, and once for reporting someone who neomailed me a cookie grabber (???).

Post size increased, post limiter reduced. 400 characters or whatever it is is really, really short. And that's probably one of the reasons why the boards are so spammy. Yeah I guess it stops people from posting 1000 characters of smilies or something, but why punish all when you could just warn the people who abuse large post counts to stretch pages and such. There's been countless times where I've been typing out some post only to run into the character limiter and decide if I want to try to split it up into 2 posts which likely won't be next to each other due to the post rate limiter, or just cut out some of the detail from my post.

Fix those silly filters. All the filters cause me to do nowadays is search my post to find where the filters could actually have found some hidden 'profanity' somehow. Others have talked about this a bit so I won't.

In closing, you can't have a great site without a great community, and it seems like TNT is trying pretty hard to kill the community lately.

Support

Ticket response time. People are waiting months to get responses to tickets. When the ticketing system first opened I put in a ticket that went 9 months without being looked at (still said 'Open' or whatever), and then all of a sudden one day I checked it again and it was closed, with no answer, no explanation. After all that time I didn't even get an autoresponse. Not really much more to say about this, but people shouldn't have to wait a year or more to actually get a response on their issue. The second time I got silenced (for reporting a cookie grabber???) I put a ticket in about it but of course the silence had long expired by the time they got around to getting back to me and saying, 'Oops', or something.

List the rules??? In a world where breaking some minor rule results in possibly permanent action against your account, TNT could try communicating the rules a bit better. An all-inclusive list would be difficult to make yes, but if TNT can't be bothered to spell out the rules, how can they expect users to be bothered to follow them all? And whenever a rule is amended or changed, post renouncement at the top of every board and list a changelog to the rules so people can see what's been changed. That would be a lot better than "Surprise, now you're silenced because we're silencing for that as of right now."

Site events

Altador Cup. I'm beginning to suspect that some of the yearly events TNT has committed to really are just doing more harm than good at this point. Especially the altador cup. I know some people really like it, and it was great the first few years... but it's getting old. And after the revamp last year which was received pretty badly, I'm not really looking forward to this year's. Retire the altador cup, release the mini-games as standalone flash games, and come up with something else.

Plots. I know plots are hard and time consuming for the developers, but they're one of the things that made Neopets the game it is. They're usually events that unite the entire playerbase into the same activity. Everyone participates and most generally have a good time judging by the reactions on the boards. Especially when plots have a bit of something for everyone, like The Faeries' Ruin. That was a good plot, but that was 2010. If they skipped the Altador Cup or some of their other yearly events to start up a new plot they wouldn't get any arguments from me.

Less focus on the NC Mall, more focus on other sections of the site

Avatars. I know they've been releasing avatars at a half-decent pace lately, but it's nothing compared to the rate that they used to put them out at. The avatar-collecting community is a huge portion of the site, and if they started picking up the pace with avatar releases it would grow even larger. A few dozen new avatars would keep the avatar chat busy for quite a while, as long as they weren't all clickables or something.

Battledome. Well I'm a battledomer, what can I say? The battledome has been feeling quite neglected lately. New weapons are released on a pretty regular basis, but they're all terrible. And as for new challengers? What new challengers? The last time we got a new challenger was Cybunny Scout in what, 2010? And before that was Lady Frostbite in 2007? 2 BD challengers in 5 years is a pretty sad pace. Something I've been saying for a while now is that TNT should re-use the existing old plot challengers! There's what, 100+ plot challengers that haven't seen the light of day in years and years? Dust them off, maybe tweak them a little bit if they need tweaking, and re-release them as new, permanent challengers. They could even release around 5 a week for 2 years and keep the BD chat quite content with minimal effort. All those old plot challengers with their cool weapons, already coded, just sitting idle... Better change topics before all the nostalgia makes me choke up.

Fix the economy

Retire some items. Every week, we see probably around a dozen items released into the Neopian shops. And shops can only hold a few rows of items before they fill up. Add years into the equation, and you get the state the Neopian shops are in today. 3/4 of them are full 24 hours a day, and it's months before some "newly" released items surface. TNT has been retiring 10-15 items at a time every few months yes, but they need to either step up the pace or have some day where they retire 1000+ items all at once. All the items retired at once would keep the hoarders from inflating them all to ridiculous prices, and then some of the newer items would actually see the light of day. This would also help with the quite silly prices on some r99 items (looking at you, Bony Grarrl Club, Sticky Snowflake Stamp, Battle Slices Stamp, Thyoras Tear, etc).

Provide more incentive for onsite quests. I'm talking about Kitchen Quests, Edna Quests, etc. Those are a great way to eat up junky items currently in the economy, and moving around neopoints between users at the same time. The 10 quest a day limit needs to go (maybe increased to 50? 75?), quests need to be abandonable so people don't get stuck on some 50k quest item (either that or just don't ask for anything which SWs higher than a few thousand neopoints...), and the rewards need to be increased. For kitchen quests, make the stat rewards only go to your active pet so it becomes viable for training. For Edna quests... well I don't know about you but every single Edna quest I've done has given me some 1 np item. If they could increase the number of onsite quests completed, that would help to clean up some of the junk sitting in user shops and spread neopoints around, which is good for the economy.

Lower battledome training costs. Neggs are double what they were a year ago. Codestones are rising as well. People are training their pets now, and more would if the prices were kept stable. Right now it's so expensive to train though. Each HP I get now costs me well over 100k. And for those starting out, training can get very expensive very fast for those on smaller budgets. With some codestones well past 10k, it's time for TNT to step in and do something to keep the prices in line. Especially if there's going to be a battling element in the next plot (and I really really hope there is), the battledome needs to be made more accessible.



Whew!!! Sorry for the wall of text. And I know I've probably left some stuff out. But I've seen a lot of other great ideas in this thread. Now if only we could get TNT to listen. :P

[annukii]

i just don't get why the closet is not set up like the SDB. everytime i remove something it takes me back to page 1. i have to go back to page whatever to continue purging my closet. also there is no NC category, and sometimes because the rarities are different, i don't know if something is NC unless i take it out, or i remember its a NC item

also want the ability to DELETE paintbrush clothing. *facepalm*

i would also love to see the SDB sectioned. so you could place things in different categories. the dropdown section they give you is their categories and often are useless unless you are looking up NC stuff. for example i would like to put some items into a separate "box" for safe keeping, and have a general storage box etc.

i love NC, but its too much of a recent focus of the site. its supposed to be that little bit extra, not the whole focus. also i would want boxes to be cheaper, gift box capsules to have a higher ratio of boxes, and have an ability to transfer NC items between own accounts (even a limit of 1 transfer per month)